Discussion Board Forum 1

(College English Assignment)

“Did My Car Join Al Queda?” by Woody Hochswender

 

The essay, "Did My Car Join Al Queda?” by Woody Hochswender, is a very persuasive essay. The skill he used to write it is exquisite to say the least. He uses his words artfully to persuade the reader to think about what he says, in the way he would like them too.

He plays with American emotions by commenting on how the gas expended while using an SUV may have ties to funding terrorists, which brings emotions about September 11th into the minds of all Americans. He implies this through the following statement; "The idea is that the petrodollars transmigrate from the Gas N' Go to the oil sheiks to the hands of maniacs wielding AK-47s." He then continues in the essay to talk about the benefits of an SUV, such as; the four-wheel-drive capability, that an SUV is safer even though they have a tendency to roll over (a fact that he states is more in the hands of the driver than the vehicle itself).

 

This essay made me think about where the money spent is really going. Whether the money spent on fuel for anyone is going into the hands of the terrorists or where it may otherwise be going. This essay is likely to make you think about where you’re hard-earned money is going once you pay for your gas to go basically anywhere. I enjoyed reading this persuasive essay as it had truly persuaded me to think in a way that I may not otherwise have.

 

Reply to another student’s Thread:

The response to the essay, “Did My Car Join Al Queda?” by Woody Hochswender, was written very well by Nicholas Schmidt. Nicholas separated his ideas fluently and in such a form to make you rethink the essay, “Did My Car Join Al Queda?” by Woody Hochswender. His introduction foretold what his essay response would entail.

Each of his paragraphs put across his ideas, in how I think, he wanted them to come across. Nicholas’ first paragraph of his response’s body told how the essay went into a logical standpoint. He brought up how Hochswender’s phrase “Rollover accidents tend to be something the driver has a substantial degree of control over” wasn’t enough for him. He went on to explain how it wasn’t enough and then transitioned easily into the next paragraph with his final sentence.

In Nicholas’ third paragraph he talks about Hochswender’s effort to touch the heart of Americans. He brings up the point by stating how Hochswender brought up the tragic events of September 11^th, which stir up emotions in nearly every Americans heart. Then Nicholas explains how Hochswender questions where the blame should lay. He emphasizes the point by reiterating Hochswender’s phrase “… the petrodollars transmigrate from the Gas N’ Go to the oil sheiks to the hands of maniacs wielding AK-47s”. Nicholas uses that phrase to open up an argument about how Hochswender may be using his essay as a backdoor attempt to place the blame of terrorism on the shoulders of America. He makes you rethink where your hard-earned money is really going. The third paragraph in my opinion was the best paragraph in Nicholas’ response.

Nicholas’ closing paragraph was a short two sentences but still got its point across. Overall his essay response was well written and I could find nearly no errors, whether grammatical or with spelling. Nicholas obviously thought out his response and went through to make sure it was done correctly.