Audrey
I believe a neighborhood is an area in a city where people reside, where businesses are and where buildings are. I think a community is a group of people with common concerns or characteristics that constantly exist in each others' lives. An environment is the surrounding area you live in, or the people that surround you. Your environment is one of the things that help shape your personality and who you are. Nature is the beautiful natural things that the Earth gives us. I'm not sure what these ideas mean to me. I like the environment and I believe I do little things to help the environment.I don't exactly feel part of the neighborhood or like the community I live in. I don't really have friends around my neighborhood or like hang out there too much. So, I don't exactly consider myself heavily involved in my neighborhood. Although very vast, I would consider the city as a neighborhood. In terms that, it's a big, beautiful place filled with hidden treasures like art, history, and so
Social Identity
I'm not exactly sure what to write for social identities to describe myself. I believe I'm really girly but I do have things about myself that aren't girly. Like, I feel that being girly can be whatever you want it to be as opposed to what everyone else thinks it is. I think social identities differ from individual identities because I feel like social identities are what society describe you to be. And I think individual identities are how we see ourselves. I speak English and Spanish and I took Italian for the last two years but I wouldn't say I speak it because I'm not as fluent in it as in English and Spanish. I've lived her in New York my whole life, specifically in the Bronx. I think living here in New York has allowed me to have a more open and sound mind. Living in New York City allows you to embrace diversity, consider it as a norm in our city. I think an example of a community that can shape you is your school, your home, places where you are with other people you share some kind of common ground with. This school has shaped me to be more open minded, but also to be less naive. Going to school here also taught me that people aren't always how they appear, just because someone does something bad doesn't make them a bad person. High school has allowed me to see that there comes a time where you have to rely on yourself for work or for other things. And that is how life will be, when I eventually transition from being an adolescent to an adult.
The mental mapping process helped me better understand why things are how they are in my neighborhood in my classmates neighborhoods. It gave me an inside look because for example, some of my classmates live in Midtown or the Upper West Side and I was able to see things from their perspective instead of an outsider's point of view. Our discussions included safety, a sense of security or lack of security. We spoke about the stereotypes of our neighborhoods and living in New York City in general. Living in New York City is very polysemic. Because of our different neighborhoods, our different cultures we all have different ideas about living here. I came up with a lot of questions having to do with our parents and how they handle our living and going out into Manhattan. As someone who doesn't always agree with my mother's rules, how could we not end up like our parents? Why is my mother against aimlessly going out to just breathe a little and take a step back? I was able to understand the progression of my neighborhood over the years. A couple years ago, maybe in 2008, a small mall, opened down the street of my house. It consists of Target, Marshalls, Applebee's, Starbucks, and later Planet Fitness. These corporations made the neighborhood more populous and friendly to I think I would share this information with my mom, we have a pretty good relationship and she always likes to here about my perspective in things and just hear my thoughts. In fact, I think it'd help her understand where I'm coming from and how I feel.
I think overall, the mental mapping activity was effective in allowing everyone to share and get to know each other better. For me personally, there was a lot I didn't know about where some of my classmates came from and lived. I generally just knew we all have one big thing in common, we come to school here and have this class together. I think what was especially beneficial was that it didn't feel like collecting data. When Ms. Bellino first mentioned doing a project that would have to do with collecting data, I dreaded even mentioning it. Collecting data seemed dull when first mentioned, but I actually had fun hearing about my group's experiences and neighborhoods. It made me feel more connected to them and closer.
I think overall, the mental mapping activity was effective in allowing everyone to share and get to know each other better. For me personally, there was a lot I didn't know about where some of my classmates came from and lived. I generally just knew we all have one big thing in common, we come to school here and have this class together. I think what was especially beneficial was that it didn't feel like collecting data. When Ms. Bellino first mentioned doing a project that would have to do with collecting data, I dreaded even mentioning it. Collecting data seemed dull when first mentioned, but I actually had fun hearing about my group's experiences and neighborhoods. It made me feel more connected to them and closer.
Advertisements
Methodology
Data Collection
Times Square is a heavily tourist location and city attraction with many stores and advertisements. Upon being assigned this project, I decided Times Square- 42nd street would be the ideal place to go to. Due to its over populous area and many businesses. I wasn't sure which advertisements to pick at first, I was very selective. I wanted to pick ads that encourage you to spend and consume, or ads that I know capture the attention of many. For example, there are over 200 Starbucks' locations in Manhattan alone. And when I see one, I'll get a craving for some, 'oh man, I could go for Starbucks right now'.
Content Analysis
Most of my ads were food based or centered on clothing. An ad from Sunglass Hut said a popular line that usually goes "Rise and Shine", instead the ad read "Surprise and Shine! Get gifts brighter than Times Square". This phrase uses its physical location to appeal. Times Square is huge and really bright when it gets dark, Sunglass Hut is encouraging you to go be flashier and better than Times Square in their sunglasses and other products. The bag and drink I have a picture of from Dunkin Donuts uses the holiday season to bring you in. On the cup of the apple cider or caramel drink, it says JOY in green and red and the O is a doughnut, their biggest product. You see that doughnut on your cup and you decided I better grab a doughnut too. The other ads were in preparation of Black Friday. Black Friday the day everything that was once almost impossible to buy under everyday circumstances to purchase comes on sale, and it becomes very chaotic. Aeropostale of 42nd street had an ad that said "Don't just wish for it 50% everything". Just a few words that scream "everything's gonna be way cheaper so come on down and spend, spend, spend!" Another popular clothing store and an actually expensive one, Abercrombie and Fitch had similar sales in light of the upcoming holiday season. In an subscription email, Abercrombie advertises "40% off entire purchase in stores and online" "50% off all jeans!" So organizing them into specific categories was not too difficult. I organized the advertisements I chose into: Fashion, Food, Money, Technology, and TV/Movies. I was afraid that because most of my ads are mainly of clothing sales and fashion gifts and food it would be more difficult to analyze without obvious callings like: nudity, sex, or alcohol/drugs. Something specific I had to do in the categories was decide where a car ad would go. I was not sure if I wanted to make it its own category, in the end I decided to place it under technology. One small category I had was ads regarding money. I had one ad about lottery tickets for the Mega Million lotto. I think since most tourists do come with money and natives/locals don't often scrutinize ads in Times Square that's why I didn't find a lot. The ads were mainly targeted towards people who were there to shop more than anything else.
Critical Discourse Analysis
Of the twenty ads I found, I want to focus on the movie poster for: American Hustle found on C train station on 72nd street and Central Park West. American Hustle is a rated R movie loosely based on the FBI's Abscam from the late 1970's. The ad uses nudity to attract your eyes to it. Actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams low cut and vintage looking feel take you in. Something I noticed was that the ad says "from the director of the Silver Linings Playbook". It's attempt to grab the audience from Silver Linings Playbook, having Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence featured in this film as well. Almost like "hey, you saw how awesome they were in that movie, imagine how great they'll be in this one!" The plot of the film follows a charming con man who is helping the FBI ensnare some corrupt politicians. Hustle is the idea of obtaining money or wealth through the act of deceiving. It can play out in gambling or in more serious business inquiries. I believe the plot adds to the idea that the mafia was and still is a big deal in the setting of the movie, in New Jersey and mainly the United States. I think films and media exploit this time period (the late 1970s- early 1980s) making it seem as if this was a lifestyle every American was in on or lived. Does anyone else notice the lack of diversity in the ad or in the trailer which I was able to see in the movie theaters. Were there only American people here in the 70's and 80's?
Discussion
From this project I was able to really look and understand ads better and realize how many of them are there. An ad for the Microsoft tablet was all over the train cart I was in at one point and it seemed like a personal attack to go buy this thing that I would "need". The ad I chose to focus on, the movie poster of American Hustle showed me how much you can say in such simple ways. When first encountering the poster, I honestly believed it was so simple and it didn't say much except that Jennifer Lawrence is showing off a nice body. Which is exactly what were expected to see, just what is flashy and being thrown at us.
Part of me thinks that this poster tells young people Jennifer Lawrence, a popular and upcoming actress, is in this film so you should go see it. Many young people like myself know her from a science fiction movie series, The Hunger Games, so it's saying "you like this girl in that other movie? come watch her in this one!" I think her role in this film is a pull towards a younger audience. I think this matters because, to begin with it's an R rated movie, I personally wouldn't be able to go see this with my friends because we're not of age to. But that actress I like is in the film! SO why not
Times Square is a heavily tourist location and city attraction with many stores and advertisements. Upon being assigned this project, I decided Times Square- 42nd street would be the ideal place to go to. Due to its over populous area and many businesses. I wasn't sure which advertisements to pick at first, I was very selective. I wanted to pick ads that encourage you to spend and consume, or ads that I know capture the attention of many. For example, there are over 200 Starbucks' locations in Manhattan alone. And when I see one, I'll get a craving for some, 'oh man, I could go for Starbucks right now'.
Content Analysis
Most of my ads were food based or centered on clothing. An ad from Sunglass Hut said a popular line that usually goes "Rise and Shine", instead the ad read "Surprise and Shine! Get gifts brighter than Times Square". This phrase uses its physical location to appeal. Times Square is huge and really bright when it gets dark, Sunglass Hut is encouraging you to go be flashier and better than Times Square in their sunglasses and other products. The bag and drink I have a picture of from Dunkin Donuts uses the holiday season to bring you in. On the cup of the apple cider or caramel drink, it says JOY in green and red and the O is a doughnut, their biggest product. You see that doughnut on your cup and you decided I better grab a doughnut too. The other ads were in preparation of Black Friday. Black Friday the day everything that was once almost impossible to buy under everyday circumstances to purchase comes on sale, and it becomes very chaotic. Aeropostale of 42nd street had an ad that said "Don't just wish for it 50% everything". Just a few words that scream "everything's gonna be way cheaper so come on down and spend, spend, spend!" Another popular clothing store and an actually expensive one, Abercrombie and Fitch had similar sales in light of the upcoming holiday season. In an subscription email, Abercrombie advertises "40% off entire purchase in stores and online" "50% off all jeans!" So organizing them into specific categories was not too difficult. I organized the advertisements I chose into: Fashion, Food, Money, Technology, and TV/Movies. I was afraid that because most of my ads are mainly of clothing sales and fashion gifts and food it would be more difficult to analyze without obvious callings like: nudity, sex, or alcohol/drugs. Something specific I had to do in the categories was decide where a car ad would go. I was not sure if I wanted to make it its own category, in the end I decided to place it under technology. One small category I had was ads regarding money. I had one ad about lottery tickets for the Mega Million lotto. I think since most tourists do come with money and natives/locals don't often scrutinize ads in Times Square that's why I didn't find a lot. The ads were mainly targeted towards people who were there to shop more than anything else.
Critical Discourse Analysis
Of the twenty ads I found, I want to focus on the movie poster for: American Hustle found on C train station on 72nd street and Central Park West. American Hustle is a rated R movie loosely based on the FBI's Abscam from the late 1970's. The ad uses nudity to attract your eyes to it. Actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams low cut and vintage looking feel take you in. Something I noticed was that the ad says "from the director of the Silver Linings Playbook". It's attempt to grab the audience from Silver Linings Playbook, having Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence featured in this film as well. Almost like "hey, you saw how awesome they were in that movie, imagine how great they'll be in this one!" The plot of the film follows a charming con man who is helping the FBI ensnare some corrupt politicians. Hustle is the idea of obtaining money or wealth through the act of deceiving. It can play out in gambling or in more serious business inquiries. I believe the plot adds to the idea that the mafia was and still is a big deal in the setting of the movie, in New Jersey and mainly the United States. I think films and media exploit this time period (the late 1970s- early 1980s) making it seem as if this was a lifestyle every American was in on or lived. Does anyone else notice the lack of diversity in the ad or in the trailer which I was able to see in the movie theaters. Were there only American people here in the 70's and 80's?
Discussion
From this project I was able to really look and understand ads better and realize how many of them are there. An ad for the Microsoft tablet was all over the train cart I was in at one point and it seemed like a personal attack to go buy this thing that I would "need". The ad I chose to focus on, the movie poster of American Hustle showed me how much you can say in such simple ways. When first encountering the poster, I honestly believed it was so simple and it didn't say much except that Jennifer Lawrence is showing off a nice body. Which is exactly what were expected to see, just what is flashy and being thrown at us.
Part of me thinks that this poster tells young people Jennifer Lawrence, a popular and upcoming actress, is in this film so you should go see it. Many young people like myself know her from a science fiction movie series, The Hunger Games, so it's saying "you like this girl in that other movie? come watch her in this one!" I think her role in this film is a pull towards a younger audience. I think this matters because, to begin with it's an R rated movie, I personally wouldn't be able to go see this with my friends because we're not of age to. But that actress I like is in the film! SO why not
Based on the chart above, during this time of year most of the ads are of fashion. Clothes you "need" to have and a small price to give you an extra push inside in the store, or a massive sale that will make sure you don't regret it. The second largest percentage is