Reflective Essay Draft 5-1

Sarah Smith-Pittman 1

Sarah Smith-Pittman

Professor:  Rachel Sullivan

English 101

29 November 2011

REFLECTIVE ESSAY DRAFT

     When I first opened my book to read “A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge” by Josh Neufeld, I notice the panels on the first pages depicted predominately African Americans.  This prompted me to flip through the pages of Neufeld’s work just to view the panels.  The look of fear and distress on the people faces were palpable.  After seeing the panels of white police officers, with guns pointing at these distressed people with no intention to help them; I knew what my thesis statement would be.

     My thesis statement evolved into “AD New Orleans After the Deluge” paints a grim picture of disparity between races after a natural disaster in New Orleans:  leaving a group of people to think they were intentionally directed and sent to the Convention Center of New Orleans to die.  To support my thesis, I made reference to specific panels (which I should have been more descriptive of in my writing)   to persuade my readers that deception and disparity played a big role in the evacuation process.  

Smith-Pittman 2

The first two panels from page 219 are of polices in squad cars.  One of the cars is  in the distance, and the other car is close up.   I quoted the textboxes from the panels to show the deception of the officer, and the description of the panel to prove the race of the officers.

These two quotes from officers at two different times in Neufeld’s writing are evidence of deception.  On page 219 an officer says  “Attention, people…”  “The buses are on their way get yourselves lined up!”.   These people are seen in panel one of page 222 in a line as the bus arrives. They actually think they are about to be rescued, but to their dismay and officer steps off the bus and says “All right, people step back now!” “Let ‘em off!”.  I though this would show deception at its best.   The people in line was wondering who are these people getting off the bus; they thought the bus were there to take them to Huston. 

     Not all African Americans use slain, but I used some of the slain, ebonics, and descriptions of the people to prove the identity of the group not evacuated to prove disparity.  Also to prove disparity, I paraphrased Neufeld when people wanted to walk their way out of those conditions to Algiers, but were turned around by sheriffs.   Some of these people had family in Algiers and were trying to connect with them, but they were met with gunfire from the sheriffs telling them to get the hell back where they came from, meaning the hell hole of the Convention Center.  Finally, I thought using these quotes would erase any doubt in my audience minds that didn’t know of the disparity and desperation of these people.  “They won’t let us go! We trapped here!”.   “There ain’t gonna be no busses comin’! “ . “They brought us here to die!”.  

Smith-Pittman 3

My purpose is not to make this a race issue, but to shine a light on the disparity that happen during the evacuation process of Hurricane Katrina.

     I had to read “The Falling Man” several times to get an understanding where Tom Junod was going with his writing.  His use of just one photo, and interview with the Hernandez family, and a phone call to the Connecticut women made me a believer that he was searching for the identity of the man pictured in the photo of his writing. 

     As I stated in my essay, Junod knew of the negative connotation associated with the Jumpers, so he waited a few years hoping the hearts of America had somewhat healed.  To convince my audience Junod was in search for “The Falling Man” identity, I asked why did he only use the one photo, and used his statement “that we have known who the Falling man is all along” (80).  I am convinced that he use that statement because he thought the negative image associated with jumping had deterred public acknowledgement of this victim.  To prove my observation of this I cited the belief of the Hernandez family that the decision to jump was a betrayal of love, and some looked at jumping as lost of hope.  Even though I do believe that Junod is trying to find the identity of the man pictured in his writing, it was very hard for me to come up with solid evidence to support my thesis.