Sunday, September 30, 2007

Post 2 of Into Thin Air

10 Loaded Words
1."bed-wetting liberals"
- This phrase is loaded because it gives off a strong emotional feeling. Many people could find this very offensive and myself as a reader thinks that that it gives a negative charge.
- These words were found on page 43 and Krakauer uses these words to describe the political opinions of Limbaughesque on minimum wage.

2. "amputated"
- This word is loaded because it gives off a very strong negative emotional effect to the reader.
- This word is also found on page 43 and Krakauer uses it to describe what happend to Mike Groom in 1987 when he was climbing a different mountain and his toes were so frostbitten that they had to be amputated.

3."killed"
- This word is loaded anything to do with death is usually highly emotional. When a reader thinks of death it usually has a negative effect on them because death is a sad thing.
- This word is found on page 49 and Krakauer uses it when he tells us that 2 of every 500 trekkers who passed through Periche die of altitude sickness.

4. "human feces"
- These words are loaded because they are very emotional. When a reader thinks of human feces it has a strong negative effect on them because they are usually grossed out at the thought of it.
- This word is found on page 52 and describes the filthy village they had to stay in before going to base camp and the what the villagers were forced to do with only four overflowing stone toilets in the entire village.

5. "blood"
- this word is loaded something like blood is emotional. It usually gives an negative effect on the reader because it grosses them out or reminds of them of pain or death.
- This word is found on page 54 and Krakauer uses it to describe a incident that occured on Mount Everest when an inexperienced climber slipped and fell head over heels leaving a trail of blood behind him.

6. "cannabis"
-This word is loaded because cannabis a very emotional word because illegal drugs are highly controversial and cause alot of trouble often among high schoolers. It usually gives an negative effect to the reder because it is illegal.
- This word is found on page 64 and Krakauer uses it when he is describing Scott Fischer who smoked alot of cannabis.

7. "vomiting"
- This word is loaded because it is emotional. When a reader thinks of vomiting they probably think of the last awful experience in which they had to encounter it themselves.
- This word is found on page 82 and Krakauer uses it to describe what he did when he was very sick from altitude sickness.

8. "money"
- This is a loaded word because it is emotional. When a reader hears the word money they probably think of how nice it would be to have alot of it. Therefore, it usually has a positive effect on the reader.
- This word is found on page 84 and Krakauer uses it to describe how he made more money writing at home than he did writing about climbing mountains.

9. "poverty-stricken"
-This is a loaded words because it is emotional. When a reader hears it they tend to feel sad. When I hear the words poverty-stricken I think of homeless people which saddens.
-This word is found on page 89 and Krakauer uses it to describe Earl Denman who very unsuccessfully attemted to climb Mount Everest in 1947.

10. "blood-chilling"
-This word is loaded because it is very emotinal. When reder thinks of omething that is "blood-chilling" they usually think of something that is terrifying. It therefore, has a negative effect on the reader.
- This word is found on page 99 and Krakauer uses it describe Ken Owen's experience of Altitude sickness at Periche.

Short Summary of Section

This section of the book is mostly about the early part of Krakauer's journey to the summit. When his expedition arrives in Nepal they begin their journey to base camp. One there first stops is in a village it is so filthy and disgusting that smell of human feces is permanent no matter where you go. When they get to base camp Rob Hall wants them to get used to the altitude so each day he would take them higher up the mountain and then back to base camp. Tenzing goes ahead of the expedition and then calls Rob Hall saying that he is having trouble walking , breathing and is coughing up blood. Hall knows this altitude sickness so he sends a doctor up there to help him. Tenzing denies having Altitude sickness at all because he is afraid that it will ruin his reputation as a guide. They are finally able to get Tenzing down the mountain and to a hospital with the help of 39 Sherpas. Krakauer goes on to describe Scott Fischer a very good climber and man with good looks and personality made him friends immediatly. He was competing with Rob Hall for guiding clients up the mountain.

Reactions To The Section

My one main reaction in this section is about Tenzing. Tenzing, a guide in one of the Everest expeditions goes ahead of his group. Later on he radios Hall to tell himthat he is coughing up blood, is not breathing well and is having trouble walking. Hall knows right away that he is suffering from Altitude sickness so he sends a docter to help him and take him down the mountain. When the doctor gets there Tenzing refuses the oxygen and very reluctantly is taken down the mountain stating that he doesn't have Altitude sickness at all because he is so afraid that will ruin his reputaition as a good guide. This shows me that he cares so much about his reputation and providing for his family that he doesn't reall care about saving his own life. This shows me that he is very brave and although refusing help was stupid, it showed great strength.



No comments: