Journal 2

I read "My Addicted Son" by David Sheff. The main subject of the essay was David's son who was a meth addicted. This story is relevant and timely because drugs are such a common theme in modern media and culture. For example many movies and TV shows show drug use as a common thing. Also many people either suffer from drug addictions or know someone who is at least involved with drugs to an extent. Because of this readers of this essay could either relate to the father who is watching his child become addicted, a person who has experienced problems with drugs themselves, or just a friend who has watched a loved one suffer from the exposure to drugs. This means the intended audience of this essay could be rather large because I believe it is intended for anyone who has experienced a loved one with a drug problem or has a drug problem themselves. It could also be intended for a young audience to try and warn them to stay away from drugs.

I believe the point to this story is to outline the path travelled to addiction and show how difficult it is for one to recover and live with such addictions. Therefore the purpose of this essay would be to warn people of how devastating drugs are and how to recognize the signs that a person may have a problem with drugs. The writer does this by using direct examples, such as flash backs to different events, and feelings from his life. He's very descriptive about his sons physical apperance when he's back on drugs. He also focuses on description during crisis situations, such as finding his son in the alley way, to provoke emotions. I would like to be able to incorporate intense descriptions of things in my writing in order to provoke emotions. I find it hard at times to find words to explain the way things looked or seemed during the time they happened.

Like previously stated the author uses pathos through descriptions of his son when he is high and injuried. This calls the reader to feel emotion towards the son and the father for having to see his son in such a bad state. Another way the author provokes emotion is through the examples of how Nick, his addict son, effects his other children. By showing how the addiction effects the youth of his other children this calls the reader to feel more emotion for the family. In conclusion the author uses the contrast of innocence and corruption to provoke emotion along with discriptions for pathos.