Ivey 1

Hannah Ivey
3rd period
Cooper
Catcalls
I.
II.

III.

Sisto, Christine. Why Cat-Calling Really Is a Problem. The National Review. Oct 30
2014. Web.
The issue in this article is cat-calling and its effects on women. Cat-calling is a worldwide
issue that is never taken seriously and does not depend on a womens clothing or features.
Many people discern cat-calling as women being overly dramatic. She rationalizes this by
using points from the viral video of a women walking for 10 hours in New York. This is
exemplified by the readers comments on one of Sistos works that she posts saying,
How often does the average women get catcalled, twice a year? Is this really a big
problem? Good god, what a nation of oversensitive marshmallows just looking for
offense under every rock we have become. As well as her stance on those saying women
are over dramatic being, The harassment comes from the intent. A woman doesnt
believe that a man genuinely wants to know how her day is going when he shouts it at her
as she walks by him on the street.
A: Vox reported that she quickly began receiving rape threats through Twitter.
A2: In fact, the comments featured in the video were instances specifically chosen by
Roberts as times where she felt intimidated or uncomfortable, according to the New
York Post
B: Street harassment may be a side effect of poor urban culture, one thats perhaps not
surprising if youre familiar with aggressive rap lyrics and videos that depict women as
nothing more than sexual objects.
B2: In fact, many comments under the YouTube video make a reference to Robertss
jeans, implying that if she wore baggier pants, the men would have left her alone,
apparently not realizing that might as well be Iranian morality police logic.

IV.

Ethos: In fact, the comments featured in the video were instances specifically chosen by
Roberts as times where she felt intimidated or uncomfortable, according to the New
York Post
Effect: This gives the writers argument much more ethos because she has obviously
looked into the issue and even gives a specific hyperlink to the article to prove she is
right.
Pathos: When men use the what does she expect when she wears jeans that tight
argument, it only supports the liberal line of reasoning often used when describing rape
culture that men are animalistic brutes who cannot control their impulses.

Ivey 2
Hannah Ivey
3rd period
Cooper
Effect: When Sisto uses this sentence its to sort of throw back into the faces of people
that think this way and say, hey this is what youre essentially saying and making them
feel more or less stupid about their opinion.
Pathos: One man follows Roberts for five minutes, walking silently beside her. She is
visibly frightened and seems to hold her breath until the man leaves.But then, it
happens again. The second man is more aggressive, asking her to talk to him. It even
seems that a friend joins him to delight in Robertss discomfort.
Effect: This point that Sisto brings up allows her to analyze the video and Roberts (the
women in the video) apparent reaction to these cat-calls, supporting her argument that
they are not positive. It also gives her a clear example of the hidden intentions in these
men.
V.

Tone: Irritated, enraged, and raging.

Support: A woman doesnt believe that a man genuinely wants to know how her day is
going when he shouts it at her as she walks by him on the street.
men are animalistic brutes who cannot control their impulses.
Maybe, someday, we ladies can walk to work in peace.

VI.

Quote: To think that women are actually getting offended by innocent phrases such as
good morning is ludicrous.
Inference: Sisto believes that there is a huge difference in a man genuinely asking how
you are doing and harassment. Although, as she later explains, when a stranger asks you
those questions they can quickly become harassment. The reader can also infer that she
has been in both situations, of a man harassing her and one genuinely asking how she is
doing and would be able to tell the difference.

VII.

Quote A: In fact, the comments featured in the video were instances specifically chosen
by Roberts as times where she felt intimidated or uncomfortable, according to the New
York Post, and anyone with a modicum of common sense who watches the video can see
that these men werent interested in wishing a random person a pleasant day.
B: Guess Definition: Similar to saying, an ounce, meaning a small bit.
C: Definition: a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something considered
desirable or valuable.
D: I highly doubted the students had a modicum of respect for their substitute.
Quote B: Im sure the same people, if they watched the video, would be quick to dismiss
the man following Roberts as an anomaly too, something so exceedingly rare that it
doesnt merit discussion.
B: Guess Definition: Insignificant
C: Definition: something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.

Ivey 3
Hannah Ivey
3rd period
Cooper
D: The police were quick to identify the flying car as an anomaly.