Is Stuff Is Not Salvation, By Anna Quindlen - 922 Words

I have really enjoyed being in this English class. Just like the warning we got in the very beginning, there has been a lot of writing. It was good for me though. I took English 101 over the summer, but found I had quite a bit of writer’s block. It was hard for me to get any kind of energy to write. I found that interesting because I feel like I like writing is something that is enjoyable to me. With this class, the activities put forth, meant to help us get the writing gears moving, really worked for me. The first way we got a jump start was through the article summary assignments based on articles pertaining to contemporary culture. In all honesty, some of them did cause me to look at things with eyes I had not used before. One article in particular that sticks out in my mind, is Stuff is Not Salvation, by Anna Quindlen. Through her use of Ethos, she really brings to light how Americans have this ridiculous obsession with buying stuff. She notes how we are trying to use junk to make ourselves happier, but in the end, as Anna puts it, â€Å"The happiest families I know aren’t the ones with the most square footage† (Qtd in Perspectives pg 503). Before reviewing this article, I considered myself someone who didn’t necessarily NEED stuff, but as the assignment went on, I realized how bad it really has gotten for us as a society. Another article that really made me think was the argumentative article, In Defense of â€Å"Sweatshops,† by Benjamin Powell. When I first read the title ofShow MoreRelatedCritique of Stuff Is Not Salvation871 Words   |  4 PagesValued Possessions vs. Insignificant Desires Anna Quindlen, a novelist, social critic, and journalist wrote an intriguing essay â€Å"Stuff is Not Salvation† about the addiction of Americans, who splurge on materialistic items that have no real meaning. The ability to obtain credit is one of the main reasons to blame for society’s consumption epidemic. However, Quindlen feels the economic decline due to credit card debt is insignificant compared to the underlying issues of American’s binging problemsRead MoreDefinition Essay on the Term Identity1154 Words   |  5 Pagesperson’s identity. There are specific and important factors such as: social class, culture, family and society. In essays such as, â€Å"Some Lessons from the Assembly Line† by Andrew Braaksma, â€Å"On Teens amp; Tattoos† by Andres Martin and â€Å"Stuff is not Salvation† by Anna Quindlen each tell stories of identity. The authors, if asked, could define identity as a number of external factors that under given circumstances would shape a person’s character and identity. The authors imply in their essays the meaningRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Beauty : When The Other Dancer Is The Self By Alice Walker882 Words   |  4 Pages The articles written by Walker, Angelou, Eighner and Mairs, teach about accepting yourself and overcoming personal problems in there essays on personal accounts. By contrast Williams, Quindlen and Kristof articles talk of issues in today’s society and how as a group we can solve these issues in essays covering cultural and the environment. These articles became some of my favorites throughout the semester for being able to relate so easily, but also the joy of reading the authors stories to beRead MoreShopping Addiction Essay796 Words   |  4 PagesThanksgiving Day. Consumers cannot resist the urge to wait in endless lines for a few items displayed for a decreased amount. Repeatedly, we hear reports shared through the media of heartbreaking stories due to the shopping frenzy. The author, Anna Quindlen, shared the Wal-Mart story of an employee in New York that was trampled to death by eager shoppers. Nevertheless, that there was an announcement to clear the store due to this tragedy and people continued to shop, is alarming. Industries on the