Essay Questions

How does Jason Koo demonstrate that the American dream is incessant?

The line: “Had, having and in quest to have” portrays the quotidian disposition of the American dream. According to the line, the dreamers fantasize unceasingly so the dream translates into day to day desires to have more. The dreamers are in a perpetual state of dreaming.

How does Jason Koo’s “A Natural History of my Name” depict the implications of the “Name letter effect”?

Jason admits “I am extremely well-envoweled” which means that the number of vowels in Jason Koo’s name is greater than the number of consonants. Jason Koo’s representation of trees is unfavorable as he says “in my name :the trees are wowed/ by my vowels, they only have two e’s/which is why they have no leaves.” The unfavorable depiction is attributed to the fact that the name trees does not include the vowels “a” and “o” which are dominant in Jason Koo’s name.

Comparatively, Jason Koo depicts boots favorable when he says, “the snow must submit/to the scrunch of my boots/ snow only has one o and I have three/ even my boots, so tough and rugged.” Jason Koo associates the toughness of the boots to the vowel sound “o” which is dominant in his name. If Jason Koo’s name were different and the different name did not have the vowel ‘o’, then Jason Koo’s perception of the boots would have been unfavorable. That is to say Jason Koo gives preference things whose names have a high percentage of vowels “o” and “ a”.

Why does Jason Koo use percentages in “A Natural History for my Name”?

The percentages are statistical evidence which appeals to the logos. The logos fortify the power’s argument about the potency of the vowel ‘o’. Furthermore, the percentages affirm the logic of the ‘Name Letter Effect.” Which is subjective considering that the ratio of consonants to vowels in people’s names vary ominously. Omitting the percentages would have diminished the credibility of the main argument in “A Natural History for my Name.”