Journal 2

David Giffels informs us about what it was like to own a Ramone’s t-shirt in the past and today in his memoir “Shirt Worthy”. The main point of the story is to provide insight into how times and the meaning of wearing a Ramone’s t-shirt have changed. This story also has a surprising amount of relevance as well. At one point in the story, David says to himself “Could it be, that my children will never have to struggle?” He is trying to say that back when he was growing up, things had to be earned. But today, things are given and available to you with no effort on your own behalf. The subject of “Shirt Worthy” is about David’s journey to finally become a proud owner of a Ramone’s t-shirt. The intended audience of “Shirt Worthy” could be an avid rock and roll fan, a parent, or anybody who is curious about how different some things are today from the past. David reveals to us in the beginning that one could not just wear a Ramone’s t-shirt when he was a kid, it had to be earned. One would go about earning the right to wear a Ramone’s t-shirt by attending one of their concerts. But today, anybody can just stroll into Hot Topic and find any band t-shirt they desire. This is exactly what David did when his son asked for a Ramone’s t-shirt for his birthday. David was not naïve about where he could go about finding the shirt, he even felt like he could slightly relate to the idea of “Hot Topic”. When David’s son wears the shirt for the first time, he rips it while climbing a fence. David’s kid thinks the shirt is ruined, but David tells his son that he has actually made the shirt “better”. This is another example of how times have changed. In the past, a ripped up, grungy rock n roll t-shirt was an ideal item to have. It showed your true passion and dedication for a particular band. Today, you go out and buy a new shirt, which is exactly what David did. Now being a proud owner of a slightly ripped Ramone’s t-shirt, David feels as if he has finally earned it through being a true fan all of his life and also by being a great father. David uses dialogue and strong details to help provide the reader with a pathos or emotional feeling. We feel bad for his son who is about to cry because he ripped his new shirt. We also feel a sense of happiness for David when he finally obtains his very own Ramone’s t-shirt. This is one element that I believe would help my writing tremendously.