TOW #18: Notes From My Travels (IRB)

Notes From My Travels
Angelina Jolie Biography

To start the new semester, I started reading Angelina Jolie's biography: Notes From My Travels. The book starts off with her mission trip to Africa from February 22- March 1, 2001. She states in the opening sentence that she: "[took the trip] to learn about and assist refugees under the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sierra Leone and Tanzania" (Jolie 1). Angelina Jolie, being in the spotlight for the majority of her life, writes with a sense of sympathy and equality; a side of her that is probably not shown on the television or tabloids. She utilizes ethos to show the audience that she is a caring, loving, well-rounded human being, not just a celebrity. For example she states: "I honestly want to help. I don't believe I am different from other people. I think we all want justice and equality. We all want a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us" (Jolie 1). Her use of ethos not only shows the reader she is a normal person, it also allows the reader to put themselves in the position of the refugees in Africa.
By stating that "we believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us," it allows the audience to think about a time that they've needed help and received help, which pulls at their emotions. She uses short sentences to add drama and suspense to her memoir, which also utilizes ethos and causes the reader to feel for her and the refugees. She states: "[she] is thinking about those people [she] has been reading so much about and how they are separated from the families they love. They have no home. They are watching the people they love die. They are dying themselves. And they have no choice," (Jolie 2) which sets up the rest of the story, and allows the audience to know that this isn't a vacation for her and that it's going to be a life-changing and potentially dangerous mission. Her use of ethos is what captivates the audience and leaves them in suspense.