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 surrounding context in an essay means what is going on in the essay. The essay was published 2014. The author is Yo Yo Ma. In his bio, it starts out with talking about the highpoints in his life, winning Grammys and other awards for his music. Then, it begins to talk more about the topic of the essay he wrote and the ideas around it. One thing I noticed is that it does not ramble on about everything in his life and the article, it instead only points out the most important parts.
2) What is the imposed context? What circumstances surround your personal reading experience? What is your purpose for reading this text?
I obviously am reading this essay because it has been assigned for english class. It is important for this class because it will be part of the body of evidence for the second essay of the course. I think that after writing the first essay, I have some ideas about art and a few topics addressed in the text and seeing it in this essay broadens my ideas.
3) Describe the intentional context. What is the rhetorical situation? What is the scope? What is the “so what?” 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.
Yo Yo Ma is arguing the necessity for schools to implement STEAM curriculum instead of STEM curriculum (meaning they add arts into the mixture). The explains that it allows the brain to understand how to use both pathways of the brain. I liked the part of the essay when it talks about people only seeing Yo Yo Ma as a musician but there is more to him than just that and then relating it to humanity and individuals. I liked this because lately I have been trying to apply that idea in my life. He explains that the reason he is pushing for the arts is so that society can effectively function and become more integrative and improve. The three words/concepts that I was unsure about are “tandem,” “bolster,” and “bandwidth.” Tandem means to have two things arranged in front of one another. Ma uses this word in order to explain that the two pathways are not able to work at the same time, but can work independently. Bolster means to support or prop up. Ma uses this word to say that we require the feedback looks to support us in our thinking. Finally, bandwidth means the range of frequencies something occupies. In the essay, it is used to explain that the thinking ways are on the opposite scale/side of thinking.
Fantastic!