Maura Ewing, a writer for the online storytelling studio Narritively, has written a story about inmates in a correctional facility that shows a different side than what most people think. Bill Canaday Jr. is an inmate at Osborne Correctional Facility located in Connecticut. He has started volunteering his time within the facility by becoming a hospice nurse and caring for other inmates. His current patient in this article is Carl Stevens who is dying from cancer. By writing this story, Ewing introduces a new type of community in this correctional facility.
Ewing starts out her story by talking about how Stevens and Canaday met. Without both of them serving time in this facility, they may have never crossed paths. After spending countless hours together for two weeks, the two men have established a sense of community within themselves, and a level of trust and friendship that may not have been there without these circumstances. Ewing shows ethos and credibility within the article by using quotes directly from Canaday and others in the facility. By using these quotes directly from these people, she provides a true inside look into this community and what is going on “behind bars.” Ewing’s argument about this community is showing the compassion and care that is within these two men. She writes this story about these men to show that not everyone is as tough as they are seen, and to show readers that even in facilities like this, people are still getting treated well when they are going through this stage of life, and can’t be surrounded by their loved ones. Pathos is evident in her story when she uses direct quotes from Canaday. The story in general creates emotion within the reader because of the situation that Stevens is in, but also through the level of care that Canaday is giving him. One quote that stands out is Canaday talking to Stevens and telling him that he gets to go home on parole. Ewing writes “I held his hand and told him how much I love him, and God bless him and stuff like that. I thanked him for allowing me to work with him and sit with him. He smiled and he squeezed my hand to let me know that he heard me.” By putting this quote in there, Ewing is showing the relationship these two men have, and is creating pathos in the article and showing how much Canaday has done for his patient. The overall argument being made about this community is to correct the stigma that all people within a correctional facility are bad people. Different stereotypes and media have depicted these people in a negative way, but Ewing’s story shows a more touching and caring side to the people within this community. She uses the frame of the two main people to tell their story and show how even in this situation, people can still care for one another and befriend them despite what they did to put them in the facility. Canaday didn’t have to volunteer his time and help Stevens in the ways he did, but this story makes it evident that Canaday did care about his patient, and has helped so many other inmates during the time he has served there. Ewing also uses the framework of their interactions with one another to show her argument about this community. The main purpose of this article is to show readers and the outside world this community that exists within the Osborne Correctional Facility. Ewing writes this story about these two inmates to show people that even after they have done something wrong, that doesn’t mean they can’t still do something good in their life. Canaday shares a quote from Stevens that he was told days before he passed away “He told me I was a good person. You don’t get that too much in here.” By including this quote, Ewing is adding to her argument to show how these people can still be good and caring people despite what they have previously done. This type of community is important within this kind of facility to provide care and a sense of “family” when you can’t be close to yours, and Ewing shows this throughout her story.
2 Comments
Kayla
4/9/2018 06:35:38 pm
Hey Abby! This is a type of community that not too many people would think about, but definitely fits the mold for this assignment. I liked how you addressed both perspectives about correctional facilities. That is so important when writing a profile because you do not want to come off as biased. I enjoyed how the author used two different people who shared their connection to this community. The use of different frames of individuals helps make the reader feel connected to the profile. Also, I liked how you bolded your quotes from the article. It creates a sense of pathos and draws the reader’s eyes to it. You did a great job of highlighting how a person who has made mistakes can overcome their struggles with a community supporting them.
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Jacquelin Lawson
4/9/2018 08:52:02 pm
Abby, I really enjoyed reading your RAB. I found it really interesting and helpful that you included quotes from the actual inmates, which as you mentioned, gives the reader the “what happens behind the bars” story. These personal quotes from people who are actually involved in the community help prove what kind of community this is, and what goes on in this community. I also thought it was smart how you chose to mention how the author used ethos and pathos in their writing, because those aspects are very important to the reader, and the opinions that the reader formulates. In addition, I thought the purpose you mentioned that, “the overall argument being made about this community is to correct the stigma that all people within a correctional facility are bad people” was eye opening and very interesting. I agree that the author didn’t just want to inform people about what happens inside this facility, but they wanted to impact their readers and show that this community serves a greater purpose.
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AuthorAbby Fauss Archives
April 2018
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