Blog #9 – “Necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and Education”

1) What is the surrounding context for this essay? Where and when was it first published? Who wrote the essay, and what do you notice about the author’s bio?

The essay was first published in the online news site, World-Post. The site is a combination of a liberal(Huffington Post) and a nonpartisan (Berggruen Institute on Governance) organizations. It was launched in January 2014. The essay was written by Yo-Yo Ma. In the author’s bio, I noticed that his accomplishments and education were put in his bio to give him credit. He is a world renowned cellist and songwriter who also studied at the Juilliard School and Harvard University. This gives him credibility to advocate for STEAM education.

 

2) What is the imposed context? What circumstances surround your personal reading experience? What is your purpose for reading this text?

I previously knew about Yo-Yo Ma so I had already had some background knowledge on the musician before I read the essay. My purpose for reading the text was to do homework. I had to annotate and answer questions on the essay.  

 

3) Describe the intentional context. What is the rhetorical situation? What is the scope? What is the “so what?”

The rhetorical situation and scope are that the musician, Yo-Yo Ma, believes that the education system needs to shift away from just STEM and add art as an important part of children’s education. This is significant because he believes art will help children develop skills, like empathy and expressing their opinions, to make them a more well-rounded individual.

 

4) Finally, please choose three unfamiliar words or references to look up. Define or explain these terms in your blog and how Ma uses them in his argument.

1. Invigorate: “to give life and energy to”
   1. Ma used this word to explain how globalization can help spread new traditions.
2. Lewd: sexually unchaste or licentious
   1. Ma uses this word to describe how Spain reacted to the dance, “Sarabande.”
3. Globalization: to make global
   1. Ma explains how globalization can help spread and create new cultures.