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Purpose Statement
My passion for writing began to flourish during my first semester as a Professional
Writing major. The more classes I took, the more I learned, the more I loved the major.
During my years at Kutztown University, I have learned what it takes for me to be a
writer. I know now how different writing is everyone. Some people do their best work in
the morning, some at night; some writers struggle with certain styles, while others don’t.
I have found that if one feels comfortable with themselves, and has confidence in their
own ability, then they can succeed where they choose.
The purpose of this portfolio is to provide a few examples of the writing I have
completed as a student. I have chosen a few papers with formal writing, along with one
of my short stories. This portfolio also includes the informal writing I did for my blog
during my internship.
4. 4
Annaliese M. Detwiler
1268 Delmar Ave, West Chester, PA 19380
Adetw703@live.kutztown.edu – 484.880.1603
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a challenging position where I can learn additional skills and gain further
experience.
EDUCATION
B.A. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA
August 2016
English in Professional Writing
Relevant Coursework: Copy and Line Editing, Mass Communications, Writing For the
Workplace, and Contemporary Issues.
SKILLS
Strong communication skills and conflict resolution ability.
Ability to multitask, and willingness to learn and perform new tasks successfully.
Ten years of experience in a fast-paced professional environment.
Exceptional customer service experience.
Capable of extensive research.
Ability to create and maintain a blog on any topic.
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft
Excel.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Parkway Cleaners West Chester, PA
April 2006 – Present
Customer Service Representative
Provides customer service support while building relationships.
Assists with operations as needed.
Serves as interim manager as needed.
Prepares morning and nightly administrative reports.
Created and maintained blog
REFERENCES
Provided upon request.
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The Internship Overview
During the summer of 2016, I was given the opportunity to intern at Parkway Cleaners.
This company was previously owned by a family for four generations, before selling it to
the new owners. Ceri, the new owner, has been making changes in the company on all
ends in order to enhance the quality of cleaning and customer satisfaction. As a result of
these new changes, including the change in ownership, many of our longtime customers
have become nervous. Therefore, one of my requirements as an intern at Parkway was to
create and maintain a blog to inform our customers about the new changes.
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First Example of Work
The first piece of writing I would like to show is from my blog. The purpose of this post
is to introduce our customers to our new software. My goal was to inform the customers
enough about the software so that they felt more comfortable. My intern supervisor and
I decided to keep the post short and simple to avoid overloading the customers with
information. I began the post with a statement that drycleaners all over the world use
the SPOT software to provide evidence that this is a well-known and popular system.
Then, I gave a brief explanation of what the software does in a way that customers will
understand.
However, the majority of the post is spent on discussing the advantages of the new
barcodes we’re placing on their clothes. I wanted the customers to read why we are
using them and how helpful they will be, before noticing them on the clothing. In other
words, I wanted the customers to want their clothes to have barcodes. Along with all of
the advantages of having barcodes, I also explained how and where they would be placed
onto the clothing. In order to make the customers feel as if they are part of the change, I
wanted to inform them of the dates and process of the transition.
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SPOT – Our New Software.
Parkway is about to make its greatest change yet!
Used by dry cleaners all over the world, SPOT is a highly efficient and secure software
that we will begin to use at all of our locations starting June 20th.
The SPOT software is how we check customers in and out, and where we store
customer’s information and the location of their clothing.
One of the advanced features of SPOT is its bar code system. Using the bar codes will
ensure that each item of clothing returns to its rightful owner. This software now allows
all customers to have only one account that can be accessed at any store. When an
employee enters an item of clothing into the new system, they have to describe the item
by its size, color, pattern, and brand name. Once the information is in the system, the
employee scans the bar code and that information, including any special preferences the
customer has, is saved under the customer’s account. Therefore, an employee can scan
any bar code and the system will bring up that customers account and which store the
clothing belongs to.
The bar codes are required to be pressed onto the clothing in order for them to remain
attached. Our employee’s heat press the bar codes in specific areas that won’t damage
the clothing and won’t be seen when worn. For instance, bar codes are pressed on the
bottom inside of laundered shirts, blouses and other delicate clothing have the bar codes
pressed onto the care tag, and pants are pressed on the inside of the bottom left leg.
Each article of clothing is inspected thoroughly before the bar codes are heat pressed to
prevent damages from happening. For clothes that can’t have the bar code pressed,
because there is no care tag and the material of the clothing could be damaged by the
heat pressing, we can use SPOT’s tagging system that resembles our current one. The
reason why SPOT uses a heat press for the bar codes is so they can be easily removed by
a customer if they can no longer use our services.
During the week of June 20th, each store manager will do an inventory of their store the
night before the system goes live. This inventory simply means that the manager will go
through each order of clothing and rewrite them into the new system.
Because there is so much to say about SPOT, each week we will post a more detailed
explanation of everything SPOT offers.
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Second Example
This next blog post focuses on the new dry cleaning machine our company bought from
Ipura. Being environmentally friendly is another major change Parkway is making.
Drycleaners have always had a bad reputation for using unsafe chemicals during the
cleaning process. However, now more companies, like Ipura, are using advanced
technology to create solvents and machinery that are safe for the public and
environment. Because of this stigma, my goal while writing this post was to ensure the
customers that we care and want to make a difference.
In order to explain how this machine enhances the quality of cleaning, I described the
“Jet Clean” process. I listed the names of the solvents used in case customers wanted to
do their own research on them. As I did my own research, I came across an article in The
New York Times that talked about this new Ipura dry cleaning machine. I used the
article to prove how other dry cleaners customer satisfaction levels have raised as a
result of using this machine.
I also used this post to discuss another aspect of cleaning. One of the biggest
misconceptions customers have is that we can clean anything as long as the care tag says
to dry clean. Before cleaning, an employee can use a solvent to test the material to see if
it will run. A lot of our customers don’t understand why we won’t clean something if the
care tag says “dry clean only.” We try to explain that this is a mistake on the
manufacturer’s part and that they should call them.
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Ipura Dry Cleaning Machine.
Our new Ipura machine is our latest addition to our plant. Ipura designed this machine
to be eco-friendly and also sufficient in cleaning. With our old machines, even if the care
tag on an item of clothing said “dry clean only,” if the material was too delicate and thin
we were unable to clean it because the possibility of it being damaged was great.
However, Ipura has created a machine with a completely new cleaning process that
allows us to clean these delicate items without the risk of damages. They use a special
technique called “Jet Clean” which is a static injection and dynamic injection that
conditions, absorbs, and disperses the solvent in order to remove stains from clothing.
The Ipura machine uses aliphatic hydrocarbons and silicone solvents because they have
little impact on the environment. Also, the amount of solvent needed to produce great
results has been reduced. Another eco-friendly aspect of this machine is that the amount
of water and energy used has greatly decreased.
Dry cleaners worldwide say that the Ipura dry cleaning machine has boosted their
customer satisfaction. Owners are saying, that because of this machine, they are now
able to clean certain items of clothing that they once couldn’t. For example, Vijai Singh
wrote an article called “A Strip of Cloth That Makes Dry Cleaners Shudder,” for The New
York Times. In the article, Singh interviewed Samir Patel, who is the owner of a dry
cleaners in New Jersey. Mr. Patel talks about how difficult it was to clean saris without
damaging them, because of the delicate material. However, after buying an Ipura
machine, Patel can now clean saris without damaging them. He uses the “delicate cycle”
option on the Ipura machine to clean them. Saris are just one example of garments that
are made with delicate fabrics.
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Third Example
The last example of writing from my blog is on the new mobile APP. Since we knew
some of our customers wouldn’t be too keen on having barcodes pressed onto their
clothing, we wanted to show all of the advantages of having them. Therefore, I created a
post to show how the barcodes are useful to our customers. When the employees receive
an item of clothing, we scan their barcodes and save all the information. Customers now
have to opportunity to track their clothing and to see where they are. Customers can also
use the app to pay for their orders before they get to the store, which makes the pickup
process fast and simple. Before writing this post, I talked with a SPOT representative in
order to know all aspects of the APP.
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Parkway’s Mobile APP.
In our brief introductory post on SPOT, we stated that the new barcoding system has
many features that are designed to benefit our customers and employees. Well, one of
these features is the MyDryCleaner Mobile app.
The ability to identify and track any item of clothing at any of our stores is one of the
reasons why we decided to use a barcoding system. However, our employees are not the
only ones who can track a customer’s clothes. In fact, by downloading MyDryCleaner
mobile app, a customer can log in and track their own order.
Once a customer logs in, they can check to see if their clothes are ready to be picked up
at the store. For a faster pickup, a customer can notify the store that they are on their
way, which will give an employee time to gather their order and set it aside. A customer
can also pay for their order through the APP, even if they already have a card on file.
The APP is also very beneficial for customers who use our pickup and delivery service.
Instead of calling, customers can now simply schedule a pickup time and pay their bills
at their convenience. Also, a customer can choose to be notified when their clothes are
on the truck being delivered.
Customers can view and edit their account, so that their information is always up to
date; this includes payment methods, cleaning preferences, contact information,
address, account balances. There is a history section that shows previous orders in
detail; which can be used as a paperless receipt.
The MyDryCleaner Mobile app is free to download on any smart phone. Using this app
will make it easy to find and contact any of our locations. Once the barcodes are in use,
customers can begin using the app if they wish.
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Creative Writing Example
Next is a short story I wrote in my Creative Writing class. I chose to write “The Wrong
Girl” in first person, in hopes to build an emotional connection between the main
character, Kristen, and the readers. Before I began writing a rough draft, I wrote a brief
description of the characters and plot line. Therefore, I knew that Kristen would have
multiple internal conflicts, which lead me to use the first person point of view.
Addiction and sobriety play a major role in this story. I have never dealt with these
issues personally, however I have a close friend who battled with addiction for a few
years before going to rehab and becoming sober. Therefore, once I completed the rough
draft of this story I asked her to read it over. I wanted Kristen’s character to sound
sincere and natural.
For most of my short stories the one reoccurring suggestion I receive from my professor
is to take out certain paragraphs that prolong the story; while they would work great if I
was writing a novel, in a short story they slow down the pace. So, originally, my first
draft of this short story was much longer. For example, I wrote a few scenes that
portrayed Kristen’s issues with her parents. However, I realized that without these
scenes the story progressed at a much smoother pace.
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The Wrong Girl
The air conditioning jumps to life and a soft buzz fills the small gymnasium. The
florescent lights cruelly highlight every flaw in the room. Only 10 people have shown up tonight.
Four of them stand huddled together, quietly talking in a corner. The rest of the group are spread
out, content with being alone. The woman who runs the sessions for us addicts sits in her seat,
rifling through a binder full of papers. The loud bang of the heavy metal door shutting
reverberates through the room, announcing Mark Trost’s entrance. I clutch the plastic cup in my
hand until it crinkles. We make eye contact and suddenly the air feels thick and pregnant with
electricity; The same way it feels right before a major storm is about to happen. He smiles at me
and my heart tightens in that way that’s slightly painful yet exhilarating. We stay locked in each
other’s gaze until he reaches the woman in her seat. I watch him as he leans forward and begins
to have a conversation with her. If I had to use one word to describe Mark it would be ‘summer’.
He’s soft waves and warm sun. He has the body of a swimmer and the tan to match. When he
talks it feels like aloe on a sunburn.
I met Mark two weeks ago when I went to my first group session. I was a complete
wreck. I had just gotten out of rehab and was nervous about being out in the real world. A couple
of friends I made in rehab warned me about the people who attend these group sessions. They
said that most people are only here because they are required to be, not because they want to. So,
I just decided that my best bet would be to keep to myself. However, Mark was someone I
couldn’t ignore. We were drawn to each other from the beginning. Our friendship grew quickly,
since I attended the meetings every night and our nightly talks became longer. Finally, that
Friday Mark asked me out. It was the first time I was able to feel comfortable being myself
around someone who wasn’t an addict. It was freeing and terrifying all at once. He never made
me feel like I was pathetic or weak for succumbing to addiction. Instead, he showed me empathy
and understanding. He was open with who he was, and I wished I could have done the same but I
wasn’t wired that way. I’m sure he knew I was holding back, but he never mentioned anything or
pushed for more. That night was more than I could hope for, and every day we spent together
after that was more perfect than the last.
The woman in charge clears her throat to get everyone’s attention, then tells us to take a
seat. I throw out my cup before making my way to the circle of chairs. The seat next to Mark is
taken, so I go for the one directly across from him. A woman takes the seat to my right with a
groan. My body automatically reacts; my arms fold tightly across my chest and I shift in my seat
so that I am tilting away from her; as if her unwillingness to be here is a disease I could catch.
After everyone takes their seats, I’m relieved to see that the seat on my left is still empty. I look
up and see Mark has been watching me. He gives me a small smile for comfort before breaking
eye contact.
“Welcome everyone,” the woman says. “My name is Dr. Becker. I will be taking over for
Dr. Stevens from now on.”
As she begins to tell a little about herself, I decide that I like her. There is a warmth in her
voice, and she doesn’t speak to us like we’re naughty children. As she begins talking about the
topic of the day, the door to the room bangs closed.
14. 14
“Sorry,” a man says across the room. He jogs over to us with a lazy smile on his face.
“That’s okay,” Dr. Becker says. She points to the empty chair next to mine, “take a seat.”
The chair scrapes loudly against the floor as he slumps into the seat. He certainly doesn’t
look sorry to me. He looks like he just woke up; his hair is sticking up all over, and his black
shirt is one giant wrinkle. He turns his head towards me and gives me a boyish smile and wink. I
quickly turn away and my cheeks burn as I hear a quiet laugh from his direction. The sting of
embarrassment is replaced by a soft flutter in my chest when I see Mark shoot him a glare.
The man leans towards me and whispers. “I’m John,” he says.
My eyes shift over to him and I nod in response. Dr. Becker continues talking but I can’t
concentrate on what she’s saying. I can feel John’s gaze as it moves over my body. My heart
starts pounding and my lungs are desperate for the air that seems to have left the room. The
muscles in my body twitch while the rest of my body is locked up in a fight or flight stance.
Looking around the room, I see that no one has noticed John. I hate attention; I’ve always been
more than happy to blend into the background. I look to the clock, the door, then focus on the
ground in front of me. I’m bombarded with memories of the times my mother would sit across
from me and stare. Her gaze detached, as if I was a random statue she was considering to buy,
instead of her daughter. She would wait for the silence to become unbearable then open her
mouth and fill it with hate.
“Kristen?” Mark says. “Are you okay?”
My head flies up so fast it’s painful. Mark stands in front of me, his face and eyes soft
with concern. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine,” I say. I can tell he doesn’t believe that I’m okay, but since
we’re in group there’s nothing he can do.
“Okay, well everyone has paired up except for John.” His eyes shift quickly towards
John, then back to mine. He leans down a little more and lowers his voice. “Are you sure you’re
okay? Do you want to take a break?”
Although I desperately want some alone time to get myself together, I shake my head. If I
get up now and walk off everyone will see. “I’m good thanks.”
He nods and straightens but doesn’t leave yet. There’ a loud scrapping noise as John
pushes his chair close to mine. Our knees touch when he takes his seat, so I push back in my
chair to create more space. In response John leans towards me; his elbows rest on his knees and
his chin rests on top of his fisted hands.
“We’re good here,” John says. Even though his words are directed at Mark, John’s eyes
never leave mine. Mark hesitates, like he’s battling between wanting to stay and knowing he
shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter in the end; Mark is a volunteer at this program, he’s not supposed to
have any relationships with those who attend. I can tell this is beginning to eat him up inside by
how stiff he is. So I make the choice for him.
“Yeah,” I say while giving him a smile. “Thanks for your concern.” Without another
word Mark turns and walks back to his seat. Dr. Becker begins talking to him and I watch as he
shakes his head and responds back.
John clears his throat to get my attention. “So, what’s your drug of choice?”
15. 15
My mouth falls open. “Excuse me?”
“You know, what drug did you get addicted to? Or was it alcohol?” He scratches his chin
in a fake thinking pose. “You don’t really look like the alcoholic type.”
“I know what you asked.” I put as much acid into my words as possible. “It’s fucking
rude.”
“Jeez.” He rolls his eyes in an overly dramatic fashion. “It was just a tiny question.”
Leaning in closer, he whispers, “I’ll tell you mine. But only if you promise to tell me yours
after.”
“No.” The back of the chair is crushing my spine as I lean back.
“Fine.” He says it in a friendly way, but loud enough that a few people close to us glance
over. “It-”
“Keep your voice down and back off. I don’t know you and your way too close.”
Surprisingly, he does what I ask and I’m able to relax a little in my seat.
“Sorry. I’ve been told I have a problem with crossing boundaries.” He shrugs like it’s no
big deal; which it obviously isn’t to him. “But anyways, we’re supposed to talk about our
addictions and the problems we’ve overcome or want to overcome.”
“We are?” I look around the room at everyone else for an answer. However, I can’t hear
what everyone else is saying and I wasn’t paying attention when Dr. Becker was explaining what
to do.
“Yep, I’ll start. Well, my name is John Roth, I was addicted to perks and heroin. I’ve
been clean for a month. Umm, what have I overcome?” He continues to talk but I tune him out. I
hold my breath as I was for the monster inside to awaken by the word ‘perks’. I sigh in relief
when there’s nothing but a small stir from inside. Perks was also one of my drugs of choice. I
don’t want to linger inside my own head, especially with these types of thoughts. I’d rather listen
to this douche than sink into the fear of waking the monster.
“You’re not even listening so I don’t really know why I’m continuing to talk but-”
“I’m listening,” I say.
“No you weren’t. You got that spacey look in your eye, like right after I began talking.
It’s okay. I get it, you don’t like me.”
“Do you blame me? You kept staring at me earlier. It’s weird.” I freeze, eyes wide, as his
whole face crumbles.
“I’m so sorry,” he breathes out. His elbows dig into his knees as his body slumps over,
his hands cupping his down-turned face. “It’s just that,” he inhales sharply. “You look a lot like
this girl I used to know.” His hands rub the sides of his face roughly a few times then stops when
they completely cup his face. Slowly, he drags his face up –the skin on his face pulling from how
hard he presses his hands against it –until his pain-filled eyes meet mine. “She died a little less
than a year ago.”
“Oh my God. John- I, uh. I had no idea. I thought you were being-”
16. 16
“You thought I was just being creepy. It’s cool, it probably seemed that way. But I wasn’t
checking you out like that.”
“I completely understand. I’ve never lost someone, but I’m sure it’s hard seeing someone
who likes like someone you’ve lost. I’m sorry I judged you.” His only response is a weak smile.
“Do you want to talk about it? You don’t have to, but if it makes you feel better then we can.”
“It was hard to lose her. She meant a lot to me. It’s eerie how similar you look to her. I
thought I was seeing a ghost when I walked in.” Closing his eyes, he breathes in deep before
slowly exhaling. “I loved her so much. But she didn’t treat me good.” He takes my hand and
squeezes it before letting go. “You make me believe in second chances.” He stares at me, but I
can tell he isn’t actually seeing me. “I would rather not talk about it anymore right now though.
Let’s talk about you. Just for a little, and you can tell me whatever you want. No pressure.”
“Um, okay.” I quickly think of what I should say. While I believe my initial judgements
on him were wrong, I still don’t want to spill my internal secrets to some guy. I decide to answer
the first question he asked me. “I also did perks before going to rehab.” I brace myself for the
thing inside of me to erupt.
“Really?” he says. His tone is neither overly curious nor dismissive. “It’s a tough drug to
kick.”
I shudder as I remember my fight with the monster. The way it dug its claws deep into
me, leaving behind jagged scars as I forced it into a cage in the back of my mind. “Very.”
John takes over the conversation once he realizes that I won’t say anything more about it.
For the next 20 minutes he tells me about his life. I find myself smiling a lot more and even
laughing at times. The more he talked the more I got lost in his over-the-top stories. I liked the
way he could make a simple story into the adventure of a lifetime. I was glad that we were paired
up, that I got the chance to know him. I was surprised by how disappointed I felt when Dr.
Becker called out that time was over.
John turned his chair so that it faced forward, but didn’t move back to the original
distance like everyone else. I looked at Mark, waiting for him to make eye contact with me, but
he wouldn’t look at me. After a few seconds, I give up and listen to Dr. Becker talk about how
good it feels to talk about our problems with others. She finally finished her lecture and told us
we were free to go. I wave to John then rush towards my car. John’s a nice guy, but I don’t have
time to stay and talk with him.
I sit in my car that’s parked into the dark corner of the parking lot. The sound of cars
driving off is the only noise that penetrates the dark silence. I feel like I just drank six cups of
coffee; my hands continuously move to adjust things around my car that don’t need adjusting. I
try to control myself by sitting on my hands, but then my legs start jiggling. Where is he? I open
my door and swing a leg out. He’ll be here soon, chill. I pull my leg back inside and shut the
door. I yelp when I finally hear the knock I’ve been waiting for.
“Oh my God, you scared me,” I say once Mark is sitting in the passenger seat. Turning in
my seat to face him, I realize Mark isn’t smiling back. “What’s wrong?”
“Kristen, I don’t,” Mark trails off. He breaks eye contact and looks out the window.
17. 17
“Mark, seriously, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me.” I lean over and take his chin in my
hand then slowly turn it to face me. When he sighs, I yank my hand back.
“No,” he says. Reaching over, he takes both my hands in his gentle grasp. “I’m upset
about John.” He places a kiss on each palm, before returning them onto his lap. “I’ve been
volunteering here for a while, and I’ve seen him a lot. He’s not a good person Kristen. There’s
something majorly off about him. I don’t think you should sit near him anymore, or talk with
him more than you have to.”
“What? John’s a really nice guy. I know he was weird at first, but I got to know him and
he seems really nice.”
“That’s the problem, Kristen. He seems nice. It’s just an act he puts on.”
“I don’t think it was an act. He was really upset.” I feel his grip on my hands loosen, as
he becomes agitated. “Tell me what you know then. I’m assuming you have a reason to feel this
strongly about him.”
“I feel like he’s playing with people who come for help here. He never bothers those who
are forced to be here. Nope, instead he preys on the people who want to stay clean. I don’t know
if it’s some sick game he finds pleasure in. All I know is that every time he shows up, he focuses
his attention on someone and a week later that someone never shows back up. Last year he had a
complete meltdown, out of nowhere. He just started yelling at some girl in group who admitted
to cheating on her boyfriend for drugs. Me and another guy there had to drag him out of the
room. He’s too unstable; he should be in a mental institute.” He leans forward, resting his
forehead against mine. “I know I’m coming off intense, but I’m scared for you. I don’t like that
he’s taken such an interest in you. I saw the way he stared at you. It was disturbing. I know how
hard you worked and still work to keep sober. I know you want to move out and go back to
school. You have so much going for you; it’d kill me to see that all taken away by some sick
fuck.”
We sit in silence for a few seconds. I’m not exactly sure how to respond to what he just
told me. While I know that Mark would never lie to me about something like this, I can’t help
but remember the pain in John’s eyes earlier. I whisper a ‘thank you’ against Marks lips then kiss
him. Whether John did or didn’t do what Mark is accusing him of doesn’t matter to me. Mark is
only doing what he thinks is best for me so I’ll take his advice. What I have with him is nothing
compared to the 30 minute conversation I had with John.
A rock shatters through the back windshield; I scream and jolt out of Mark’s embrace.
Both our heads whip towards the back, but we can’t see anyone in the darkness. My breaths
come in pants and as hard I try, I can’t get my heart to slow. Getting out of the car, Mark stands
and yells for whoever did it. When no one responds, he opens the backdoor and grabs the rock. I
turn on the overhead light once he’s back in the car. Nothing is written on the rock, it’s just a
plain rock from the entrance walkway of the building. What if that hit him in the head? He
could’ve died. I clutch the sleeve of his shirt tightly, bringing his attention away from the rock
and towards me.
“Shh, Kristen. Everything is okay.” He rubs his hand softly in circles on my back. “It was
probably some punk kid. Nothing to worry about.”
18. 18
Usually the sound of his voice calms me down. However, the thought of what could have
happened makes me inconsolable. “What if-” I stop when a sob wracks my body, and pull him
closer.
“Why don’t we go back to my apartment? You can spend the night there.” I can’t form
words, so I just nod my head. “We can leave your car here and pick it up in the morning.”
Once we’re at Marks apartment I change into his clothes and collapse into his bed. He
tries to persuade me to eat, but I’m too tired to move. The blissful blackness of sleep begins to
roll through my mind. I willingly submit.
Sudden sunlight pierces through my eyelids and wakes me. Turning over, I look at
Mark’s face and how peaceful he looks. I don’t think about last night’s scare; instead, I think
about how amazing this moment feels.
“I can feel your beady little eyes staring at me,” Mark says. His voice deep and gritty
from sleep.
“My eye’s aren’t that little,” I say with a smile.
He peaks open one eye, and a grin slowly widens on his face. “They aren’t beady either.”
“Well I’m glad to hear that.”
“I think I like waking up next to you.” He slides an arm over my waist.
“I bet you do,” I say and roll my eyes. “What do you want for breakfast?”
“Anything.”
I get out of bed and walk to his kitchen. I’ve been here a couple of times for dinner, so I
know where everything is. Mark comes out and sits on the stool behind me while I cook. He asks
whether I want to talk about last night and I tell him no. There’s no point; it was probably
nothing. He drops it and we talk about other things instead. We spend most of the day together,
getting to know each other more. Every time I learn something new about him, it makes me want
him more. Mark called Dr. Becker and told her that he couldn’t come in that night. He didn’t
have to try too hard to convince me to skip a meeting that night. The whole situation with John
and my car wasn’t something I was looking forward too.
We waited until an hour after the group was supposed to end, then Mark drove me to my
car. I gave him a long kiss goodbye before getting into my car and driving home. I’ve only had
two boyfriends in my life; mostly because my mother had convinced me that no male would ever
be attracted to me. I realize now that those past two relationships never stood a chance. I didn’t
have enough confidence, nothing they did or said would have ever convinced me that they liked
me. However, now I feel different. All the therapy sessions I had in rehab taught me that I can’t
see love from other people until I love myself. Mark came into my life when I was ready to open
myself to someone else. This doesn’t mean I’m perfect. I didn’t just magically start loving
myself, but I did begin to like myself. The cuts from my mother’s sharp tongue haven’t
disappeared, yet there aren’t any new ones either.
19. 19
When I pull into the driveway, the only light on in the house is the living-room. I sit in
my car and wait for the other shoe to drop; there’s no way that I had such an amazing day and
now I don’t have to deal with my mother. I shoot a text to Mark, telling him that I made it home,
then go inside my house. I shut the door behind me and call out for my mother, just in case.
When I don’t get any response I make my way through the dark towards the kitchen. I turn on
the light, grab a glass, and fill it up with water. I’m reading Marks text and I hear a creak from
behind. My hand clutches my glass and I turn my head to listen. I shrug when I don’t hear
anything else for a minute. The house is big and old, random noises happen all the time. I choke
on my water when I hear someone say my name.
I spin around and back up until I hit the counter. “What the fuck?” I say. “John, how do
you even know where I live?”
“Your mother let me in earlier,” he says with a shrug. “She said I could wait for you.”
“Oh. When did you get here?”
“I came as soon as group was over. You weren’t there and I thought maybe you were sick
or something.” He sighs deeply. “I just wanted to check up on you.”
“Are you alright? You seem really sad.” The weirdness of this entire situation is
alarming. I met this kid once and he just shows up at my house? That’s not normal. I think of
what Mark told me earlier and decide to text him. However, while I’m finishing the text, John
takes the phone from me. “John give me my phone back, please.” I can’t believe how quiet he
was, I didn’t even hear him move.
“That’s rude to text when you’re in the middle of a conversation.” He tosses the phone on
the counter.
“What the fuck, John.”
“Kelly, I’ve missed you so much.” He leans his face towards mine.
I push against his chest. “Are you high? It’s Kristen, not Kelly.”
“Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.” His eyes are wild as he bangs his hand against the counter
with each word.
“John, it’s okay. Why don’t we sit on the couch and talk?” I try to turn his body towards
the living-room, while rubbing his back. However, just as he gives in a little he immediately
stiffens.
“I saw you with him.” His voice is low, but deeper than a whisper.
“With who?” I am pretty positive that I know who he saw me with, but I want to keep
him distracted. My cellphone isn’t too far away, but John is pressed against me. Even if I get the
small chance to lean over, he’ll be on me before I can use it.
“You know. You know who I’m talking about.” His voice is loud and full of anger. “I
saw you with him. Don’t deny it Kelly. I saw you whoring yourself to him. I should have fucking
bashed his head in with that rock.” He rough grabs my arms and squeezes. “Kelly, how could
you do this to me? I loved you.”
20. 20
“John, look at me. I am not Kelly.” I softly enunciate the words to soften their blow.
“No.” He yells, pushes away from me, and paces in a tight circle. “No, no, no, no, no.”
He stops moving and points at me. “You shut the fuck up.” There’s wild fire burning in his gaze.
“I’m sorry,” my voice cracks.
He hunches over, fists locked tightly against his head, and takes a few deep breaths. Two
short laughs crack through the silent kitchen as he straightens. “I can’t forgive you. I forgave you
the last time and look what you did! You wait until my back is turned and do the same fucking
thing. Well, guess what Kelly! I never turn my fucking back. You’re a lying, cheating, whore.”
I lunge and grab my phone then run to the other side of the kitchen table. My fingers
shake as I get into my phone and make my way to contacts. My eyes rapidly flicker between the
phone and John. He paces like a caged animal waiting for his opening. I hit Marks number and
call. When the first ring comes through the phone, John runs to my right, and I sprint to my left. I
run through the living room towards the front door but don’t make it halfway. Johns dives at me
feet and takes me out. I hear Mark through the phone yelling my name, and I scream for him to
help me. John crawls up my back until he’s straddling my back. His hand pushes my face against
the wood floor.
John leans down so that his lips are pressed against my ear. “You had one call and you
called him?” He says. His laugh is loud and hurts my ear. “You stupid bitch. Why didn’t you call
the fucking police?”
I struggle to breath. “Please, John. I can’t breathe.”
“I don’t give a fuck. Let’s tell him to come. That’ll be fun.” He reaches forward and
grabs my cellphone. “Come or I’ll kill her. I swear. And I’ll give her a cut for every minute it
takes you to get here.” He hangs up and smashes the phone on the floor. “Kelly, I really am
going to enjoy slicing him open in front of you. I get the chills just thinking about it.”
“John. Please don’t do this. I’m not Kelly, I’ve never cheated on you.”
“Oh, Kelly.” He shifts his weight and reaches an arm towards the back of his belt. “I
cried and cried and cried, when I found out you cheated on me. You broke my heart.” He drags
the sharp edge of a knife down the side of my face, but doesn’t break the skin. “Then my Daddy
found me crying on my bed and told me I was a pussy. He beat the living shit out of me and told
me to grow up. So I did.” He places the knife down on his side and grabs my face roughly. “I
thought when I cut you here,” he drags a finger across my throat, “that you learned your lesson.
I’m so disappointed that you didn’t. I’ll just have to do it again until you finally learn.” He
presses his finger hard against my lips so quiet my sobs. “Don’t worry, we’ll wait until your man
gets here.”
In the distance the wail of sirens pierces through the night. John’s upper body jerks up off
of mind to look out the window. I can’t see any lights flashing so I know that they probably
won’t get to me in time. Just as I’m about to close my eyes and accept my fate, I see the knife on
the floor between my hand and his knee. Knowing that this is my last shot, I give it my all. Using
all the strength I have left, I swing my body left and reach for the knife. I feel a shock of relief
when the cold metal touches my palm. John looks down when I jerk and remembers he put down
the knife. He leans down to get it and once he realizes it’s not there, I use as much force as I can
21. 21
muster to stab it into his side. His mouth gapes open and he collapses to his other side holding
his wound. Once his body completely leaves mine, I push off the floor and sprint to the front
door and out. Outside, I can see lights making their way closer. I hear a crunch behind me and
turn with the arm holding the knife swinging out.
John drops to his knees in the gravel of my driveway, looking up at me as if he was just
seeing me for the first time. Two police cars pull into the driveway and slam on their breaks. The
policemen get out of their cars and aim their guns at me. I raise my hands and drop the knife as
they yell at me. As they walk slowly around their open doors, an ambulance and Marks car pull
up. Mark jumps out of the cars and yells at the police that I’m the one in dangers. The police
lower their guns and begin making their way other. A sharp pain stabs into my calf and I scream.
I look down to see that John crawled over, and grabbed the knife while everyone’s attention was
on me. My knee’s buckle from the pain and I go down hard. Every one begins to run over
towards me at once, however they’re not fast enough.
“I love you Kelly,” John says then stabs me in the side.
The police shot him, but the knife remains in my side. I fade in and out of consciousness
from shock. One moment I’m alone, the next I’m in Marks arms. On and on a flicker in and out.
I fade in and I’m in the ambulance, the EMT is telling Mark that I have a good chance at
surviving. Then I fade out.
22. 22
Research Writing Example
During the spring 2016 semester, I completed a class called Copy Line and Editing. One
of the assignments was to pick a topic or issue, research it, then write an informative
paper on it.
The topic I chose to write about was the effect reality television has on its viewers. In
order to write this paper I was required to do extensive research. My goal when writing
this paper was to let the facts speak for themselves. In order to reach this goal, I had to
think of all the points people could use to counteract my argument. Therefore, I inserted
some of the positive effects certain television shows had on viewers, to show that I am
able to see all sides of this topic.
Once I received feedback from, my classmates and professor, on the first draft, I began
writing the final copy. One of the suggestions I received was to reorganize some of my
paragraphs. Reading over my paper, I immediately noticed that I had two paragraphs
with similar topics that were separated. So the first revision I made was reorganizing the
structure of my paper. Other than that, I had to fix a few word choices that interrupted
the flow of my paper.
23. 23
Reality Television and the Viewers
When reality television shows first aired in 2000, there were only four shows. This genre
started off as shows based on competitions, like Survivor. However, because of their popularity,
other networks began producing new types of reality shows. Reality television quickly
dominated networks scripted series. Networks had to change and create their own kind of reality
series in order to keep their viewers and ratings up. Now, in 2016, there is a reality show based
on every situation in life. From competing for a man, like in The Bachelor, to teenage pregnancy,
like 16 and Pregnant, to watching people in their worst moments battle for their sobriety,
Intervention; every aspect of life can be watched on television. As a result of so many shows,
producers and networks have to compete against each other for the best reality show; which
means the content and theme of the shows become more outrageous. Sex, betrayal, revenge, and
violence, are all portrayed in reality shows, which is why reality shows have negative effects on
its viewers.
Reality television shows are designed to draw on the emotions of its viewers. Producers
want to elicit strong emotion from their audience because that is what makes them want to
watch. For example, in the show Naked and Afraid, fans enjoy watching others try to survive in
the wild of some foreign country, because they can feel a safe sense of fear. The viewers get to
be part of the contestant’s experience, while sitting in the comfort of their homes, and they also
know that no matter what happens the contestants will be alive at the end. Which is why it is a
safe feeling of fear, viewers know the producers will not air a show if the contestant dies on
screen, so fans can feel afraid for their survival while ultimately knowing that they survive.
While this type of show is a fun way to entertain viewers, it also shows how far producers have
gone to gain ratings. Why do the contestants have to be naked? Because other networks already
have reality shows like this; therefore in order to stand out, they make the participants naked.
They make a situation that isn’t sexual and make it so that it is, for the same reason why
companies use sex in their advertisements. Shows like Naked and Afraid are examples of the
more harmless reality shows when compared to the others. Besides unnecessary sexualizing
contestants for attention, the show is based on fun entertainment. Unfortunately, there are more
reality series that have negative effects on viewers than those that don’t.
In order to fully understand the impact of reality shows, it is important to know how and
why the cast members of reality shows have as much influence over the viewers as the show
itself. On most reality shows, producers put a lot of thought into who they chose. They typically
select attractive people who are loud, outspoken, and a narcissist, because they will cause drama.
For example, The Real World gathers people who are complete opposites of each other and has
them live in the same house for a period of time. In one episode producers showed two short
clips of two of the cast members audition tapes where they talked about the same topic but had
opposite opinions. On The Real Housewives series, if a new cast member stays out of the
arguments, then they are no longer on the show for the following season. The cast members are
aware that the more outrageous they act and argue, the higher the ratings, the more popular they
become.
Once a reality series airs, those who are on the show become a type of celebrity, known
as reality stars. Besides talent, and the lack of it, there is no major difference in the way the
majority of the public view reality stars; paparazzi follow them everywhere, they are in the
magazines and celebrity gossip columns. Kim Kardashian is a reality star, however she gets more
24. 24
attention from the media than most major actors and singers. In Ellis Cashmore’s book,
“Answering the Big Question in Celebrity Culture”, he talks about the way the public perceives
celebrities. “Celebrities appear as gods in human form or simulacra of departed deities. Celebrity
culture, in this view, becomes a functional equivalent of religion, with beliefs and practices
associated with religion ‘converging’ with those of celebrity culture” (Cashmore, 2006).
Although Cashmore’s idea seems like an over exaggeration, proof of his belief can be seen and
heard over every type of medium. Evidence like young teenage girls cutting themselves for
Justin Bieber, and the pictures people posted of how they severely damaged their lips in order to
replicate, reality star, Kylie Jenner’s lips. These examples show that reality stars have the same
hold over their fans as any other type of celebrity. Which is why they have influence, and how
their shows have an impact.
The biggest issue with reality television is the influence it has on the younger generation.
Most young viewers don’t understand how much planning actually goes into these shows; so
they don’t realize that the cast is picked specifically because they will cause the most drama, for
higher ratings. Because of their naivety and the fact that these shows and people are on
television, most viewers see the cast’s behaviors as acceptable. Kids who are in middle and high
school are easily impressable because they are still learning about themselves and others, which
is why watching these shows impacts their lives in numerous ways.
Reality television has a detrimental effect on the younger generation’s social life. One
theory in psychology that is the social cognitive theory. The main idea of this theory is that
humans learn through observational learning; which is the idea that a person will gain new
behaviors after watching those behaviors played out. So, as children grow up they learn from
others how to act and interact with others. This is why shows targeted towards a younger
audience is dangerous. (It would be highly beneficial to the population if these networks had
more shows that displayed positive and healthy social interacts. Instead, teenagers are
bombarded by shows that focus on the bad sides of relationships. Boys and girls are equally
effected socially, but in different ways.
The portrayal of women as objects, used for the sexual pleasure, is displayed in shows
like Jersey Shore, Party Down South, Guy Code and The Real World. One of the best examples
of this is MTV’s highly popular show The Jersey Shore. The male cast members of this show
constantly belittled women. Every time they went out their goal was to bring a woman home to
have sex with. Then, immediately after they had sex, the men would call a cab and tell her to
leave. There’s nothing wrong with having safe sex with someone and making sure they have a
safe ride home afterwards. The wrongness of this situation is how the men made a big deal of
getting the women to leave. Also, women who didn’t go home with them were called ugly.
During one of the seasons, a male cast member decided to call women he deemed as fat and
ugly, “grenades.” Once he told the rest of the cast about the new nickname, they began using it
as well. Unfortunately, the growth of the derogatory term didn’t end there; as soon as the season
aired, the large number of fans also adopted the term. No repercussions for their behavior
towards women are shown, in fact, these shows make it seem cool and funny to treat women this
way. Which conveys to the younger audience that it is okay to treat women like this.
The “mean girl” mentality is commonly portrayed in reality shows with female cast
members. The vicious interactions between women on reality shows influence the way their
young female viewers interact with each other. Instead of teaching the younger generation of
25. 25
females to uplift and motivate each other, networks create shows that pit women against each
other. The network Oxygen has a reality show called Bad Girls Club, where a group of women
live in a house together. The show is notorious for the brutal physical fights and the cruel
arguments between the women. Female cast members spend their day drinking and plotting
against each other. Another idea of social cognitive theory is disinhibitory effects, which is if
someone watches another being rewarded for prohibited behavior, then they are more likely to
reenact that same behavior. In this case, the women’s reward, for their bad behavior, is gaining
the status of reality celebrity by being on television. Therefore, the viewers are more likely to
mimic these behaviors and attitudes, even if they know to some degree that they shouldn’t. These
types of reality shows present a negative illusion of what is an acceptable way to interact with
other females.
The viewer’s own body image can also be damaged by certain reality television shows.
On most reality shows, there is a standard type for cast members, especially for female cast
members; producers purposely chose potential participants that they think are “attractive.”
Therefore, there is little diversity on shows like The Bachelor and other shows that fall into that
category.
Reality shows based on cosmetic surgery can impact the viewer’s self-image. These
shows are harmful because they indicate that surgery makes people beautiful. Instead of teaching
people to love their flaws and reminding them that everyone has them, their main message is that
you’re fixable. “Critical studies argue that cosmetic surgery reality shows normalize and glorify
cosmetic surgery, which reinforces the norms of beauty and pressures women to consistently
pursue being beautiful” (Lee, 2014).
Cosmetic reality shows all have the same basic plot line. They begin with a person
talking about how unhappy they are with how they look, and dramatically emphasize on how
much their looks affect their daily lives and how it keeps them from certain goals. Then there is a
short period of them conversing with the doctors and the actual surgery. Once the surgery is
completed the rest of the show focuses on how happy the person is, how much their life has
changed for the better, and how much they can now accomplish; as if surgery made them into a
superhero. “When the shows reveal the patients after surgery, the power of cosmetic surgery is
shown to not only improve their appearance, but also link beauty and the social privileges of
being a beauty. For women, the pursuit of beauty becomes a must even though they are aware of
risks. And, it might be worth the risks because cosmetic surgery, by far, is presented as the most
efficient and effective way to be a beauty” (Lee, 2014).
Since these shows put more attention on the unhappiness of the person before the surgery
and their happiness after surgery, it suggests that surgery is the answer to people’s sadness.
Cosmetic reality shows make it seem like getting this type of surgery is normal and should be
everyone’s first response to a problem. They also emphasize what beauty should look like. Shu-
Yueh Lee wrote an article called “The Effects of Cosmetic Surgery Reality Shows on Women’s
Beliefs of Beauty Privileges, Perceptions of Cosmetic Surgery, and Desires for Cosmetic
Enhancements,” for American Communication Journal. In this article, Lee talks about previous
studies, along with her own study and research. Lee conducted her own study in order to find
how viewers are affected by watching cosmetic reality shows; she found that “after being
exposed to cosmetic surgery reality shows, viewers perceived greater benefits of cosmetic
26. 26
surgery. They also tended to believe that physically attractive people were more privileged in
their social lives, romantic relations, and careers” (Lee, 2014).
The network E! has a cosmetic reality show called Botched. The patients on the show are
people who want to have another surgery in order to fix their previous one; which sends a
dangerous message to the viewers. The fact that these people are on the show because they
needed a second surgery to fix the first one is lost. Instead, it suggests that viewers should
disregard the risks, since if it doesn’t work the first time, it will the next. This is also implied by
the fact that the surgeons are rarely seen trying to talk the patient out of getting surgery. The only
time this occurs is when the patient has had more than three procedures done, and it becomes a
risk to their health. Botched’s promotional picture is images of different parts of various females’
features that look like they were cut out of a picture and placed together in order to form the
ultimate beautiful woman. This image implies all of those features need fixing and that beauty is
something you buy.
People who don’t watch cosmetic surgery shows are still subjected to others perceptions
of beauty. Whether they intend to or not, cast members of shows play a role in this. If a person
on a show calls someone fat, their fans are going to look at what they considered fat and
internalize it. Fans who are the same weight as the person called fat, could lose self-esteem
potentially leading them to an unhealthy life style. Even the fans who are skinnier than the
person are affected by it. By calling insulting someone’s looks that cast member has pushed their
perception of what is and what isn’t beauty to their fans.
Even when the cast members are talking about their own looks, it effects the viewers. By
hearing someone who they think is beautiful say that they need to change something then it
implies to that viewer that their idea of beauty is wrong, which can change the way they think of
themselves. Bravo is a network that consists mainly of reality television shows. The highest
rating and biggest franchise of the network is the Real Housewives series. The women on these
shows are portrayed as the beautiful and rich women of their area. Whether it is insulting
someone or complimenting someone, body image is constantly talked about in one way or
another. On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hill, new cast member, Erica Gerardi stated that
she has the resources so why should she look like a hag. While this was based on her own
appearance, it suggests to the viewers that if you are older and haven’t had cosmetic surgery or
Botox then you look like a hag. These kinds of statements can cause viewers to feel insecure in
how they look, especially if they don’t have the resources that wealthy people have.
The potential negative effects of reality television will continue to grow as more and
newer types of these shows air. Just because these situations and lifestyles are real doesn’t mean
they should be shown. These shows have a way of glorifying the worst of human behavior, for
the public’s enjoyment. Reality television seems to be changing and evolving to accommodate
for the new changes in life; there is more diversity among cast members. However, because of
the need for dramatics, people who are stuck in their old beliefs, continue to join shows.
Producers focus the storyline on these types of topics that cause the audience to have strong
emotions, by choosing aspiring actors and actresses who are willing to play a part in order to
become famous. Reality television creates the same type of character dynamics as scripted series;
there’s still the person who everyone loves to hate, and the person everyone hates to love. This
ultimately hurts the population, because it slows the progress of change; by reminding people
that stereotypes, ideal body images, and gender still exists.
27. 27
Work Cited
Aubrey, J. a., Olson, L., Fine, M., Hauser, T., Rhea, D., Kaylor, B., & Yang, A. (2012).
Investigating Personality and Viewing-Motivation Correlates of Reality Television Exposure.
Communication Quarterly, 60(1), 80-102. doi:10.1080/01463373.2012.641830
Cashmore, E. (2006). Answering The Big Question. In Celebrity Culture (2nd
ed., pp. 225-264).
Abingdon: Routledge.
Gibson, B., Thompson, J., Hou, B., & Bushman, B. J. (2016). Just 'harmless entertainment'?
Effects of surveillance reality TV on physical aggression. Psychology Of Popular Media
Culture, 5(1), 66-73. doi:10.1037/ppm0000040
Shu-Yueh, L. (2014). The Effects of Cosmetic Surgery Realty Shows on Women's Beliefs of
Beauty Privileges, Perceptions of Cosmetic Surgery, and Desires for Cosmetic
Enhancements. American Communication Journal, 16(1), 1-14.
28. 28
Advertisement Example
Another assignment I completed for Copy Line and Editing class was to create an
advertisement. The class was allowed to choose or create a product or service, and then
write an advertisement for the public. Because I love reading and have one of my own, I
chose to write an advertisement for the Nook HD.
The first change I made to my rough draft, was the font. Origionally I used Tahoma, but
one of my peers thought that the font didn’t work well with the product. Therefore, I
changed the font to Georgia, in order to appear more pleasant. I also had to go through
and reword some of my sentences and wordchoices for the advertisement to read
smoother.
29. 29
The Nook HD is the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one. The light-weight
device has a sleek touch screen that makes reading and using apps easy. The Nook HD
caters to people of all ages. You can adjust the lighting, font size, and even the coloring.
This device allows more than one user to have a free account. Each user can create her
own separate libraries, and personalize it based on genres. This option makes the Nook
HD kid-friendly. Children can create an account for them that limits what they can buy
and see.
Instead of driving to a bookstore, the Nook HD makes shopping for books
available anywhere that has Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for something new to read, simply
click on a favorite genre. There are millions of free books offered. New books are also
less expensive on the Nook HD than in the store. When new books arrive at the stores
they are hardback, which makes them more expensive. However, the Nook HD offers
new books at the same price as the paperback version or even lower. The Nook HD has a
selection of books that are $2.99 and under. There is also a section for “Daily Find” and
“Spotlight,” which are randomly selected books at a lower price.
The Nook HD also offers a wide variety of apps to download. Most apps available
on other tablets and phones can be found on this device. People who love watching
Netflix can download the app and watch their favorite shows. Also, if you have an
account at a local library, download the Overdrive app and receive free books available
from the library.
30. 30
Study and Research Example
I completed the class Mass Communications in the fall semester of 2015. Throughout
the semester, the professor taught us about media and the theories that have been
shaped by it. For the final paper the class was required to find a “current media
phenomenon” then use what we have learned to examine and interpret this
phenomenon.
I chose to research and write about the impact celebrities have on the public. This paper
also required students to conduct their own study, in a way. Therefore, I chose to study
Kylie Jenner’s social media, along with her fans social media, and correlate what I
witnessed with the Social Cognitive Theory we learned about in class. The structure of
the paper was divided into certain areas. The first paragraph was used to introduce the
readers to the topic. Then came the Literature Review where I presented who my focus
would be on, and their background information. After, I went into the theory I would be
using and described and defined the names that are associated with it. The following
sections were dedicated to explaining the methods I used to examine the way celebrities
impact their fans, and described my results. The last paragraphs were used to bring all
the information together.
Some of my peers pointed out certain areas in my rough draft where I explained too
much, and other areas where I was too brief. One of my professors said that readers can
feel insulted by writers who over explain. Therefore, in order to avoid this, I had to find
a balance between explaining enough for readers to understand, and overly explaining.
31. 31
Celebrity Impact
In today’s society, the fascination with celebrities and their lifestyles have grown to an
all-time high. People are constantly looking for any type of new gossip on their favorite stars and
following them on various types of social media. Along with the advancement of social media,
what once determined who a celebrity is, has also evolved. Being famous is no longer limited to
movie stars and singers; in today’s society becoming famous is much easier. Simply by posting
on YouTube, having a blog, or leaking scandalous videos, could put one in the spot light. Social
media, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, are tools celebrities use in order to reinforce
their image while also creating this idea that fans are a part of their private lives. As a result of
this, parasocial relationships are formed. People begin to feel as if they truly know celebrities on
a personal level. To most individuals, the notion that a celebrity is portraying themselves falsely
does not occur. No one wants to believe that they are being told who to think about and what to
think about them.
Social media are the primary suspects behind feeding societies views on celebrities.
According to the two-step flow theory, social media are the opinion leaders, and we are their
opinion followers. For example, Selena Gomez is an opinion leader on twitter, and those who
follow her account are her followers. Those who follow her are reading her tweets, which are
based off her opinion, are receiving and consuming what she writes. Her fans feel like they are
learning about her, along with any other facts she might tweet, whether or not it is the truth.
Another medium that is considered as an opinion leader is, the network, E! News. This medium
is solely based on reporting celebrity gossip, scandal, and relationship status’s; while also
relentlessly inserting the networks own opinion on each topic. Take celebrity breakups as an
example, whoever gets the most sympathetic attention from the media, gets the most sympathy
from the public.
One of the ways social media uses its leadership power is by labeling certain celebrities
with specific characteristics. For example, Beyoncé is basically the real life wonder women, the
epitome of a powerful woman. Social media has been portraying Beyoncé for years as a regal,
yet sexy, powerful woman. All social media had to do is say that about her continuously to a
large audience until it was ingrained in peoples mind. This does not mean that the singer/actress
has not worked hard; however if the media ignored her, if they did not place her in
advertisements, movies, radio, or television, then she would never have become so successful.
There are many talented people in the world, which is why being on the good side of the media is
important to gain and maintain a celebrity status.
One of the most talked about topics, pertaining celebrities, on social media is fashion.
The more one is labeled as trendy, the more their style is imitated. The same could be said for
their actions; if a celebrity gains attention for an action, whether good or bad, people are more
likely to reenact the action in a similar way in order to achieve attention as well. Therefore, I
conducted my own research to examine and found that people are trying to perform like
celebrities.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In today’s celebrity news the Kardashian-Jenner clan is ever present. In 1994, the
Kardashian name became popular when Robert Kardashian represented OJ Simpson in court
when Simpson was triad (accused) for murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald
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Lyle Goldman. During his first marriage to Kris Jenner, Robert Kardashian fathered four
children: Kim, Kourtney, Kloe, and Robert. After their divorce, Kris married Olympian gold
medalist, Bruce Jenner and had two more children: Kendal and Kylie. The Kardashian name
became popular yet again after a sex tape leaked onto the internet, of Kim Kardashian and,
rapper, Ray-J. Soon after the scandal, the family was offered a reality show on E! Network,
called Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and have since become a famous reality TV family. .
Initially, the show focused more on Kim, however as the ratings grew over time the other sisters
developed their own fan groups. Over the years, fans watched Kylie Jenner grow from a little girl
into an independent 18 year old. Kylie Jenner now has a huge fan base that rivals her own sister
Kim’s. The youngest sibling is distinguished from the rest of her family by her edgy looks and
low-key attitude. Along with being a reality star, Kylie is also known for her modeling, beauty
and cosmetic products, plumped-up lips, and various scandals including her older rapper
boyfriend and her transgender father.
THEORY
The social cognitive theory argues that people learn through observation. There are four
main tools in this theory that will be used to understand Kylie Jenner and her public. The Social
Cognitive Theory is the idea that people learn through observation. There are four main tools in
this theory that will be used in correlation with Kylie Jenner and the public. One idea is imitation
which means someone replicates exactly what they saw someone else do. Identification is
similar; however they do not exactly replicate the behavior but instead act in a related fashion as
the person. The third idea is disinhibitory effects, which is if someone watches another being
rewarded for prohibited behavior, and then they are more likely to reenact that same behavior.
The last is observational learning and is based on the idea that a person will gain new behaviors
after watching those behaviors played out. All of these ideas are similar, which is why they are
grouped together in the same theory. This theory will help me study the impact celebrities like
Kylie Jenner, have on their fans.
OTHER RELEVANT RESEARCH
In Ellis Cashmore’s book “Celebrity Culture”, he writes a chapter called Answering the
Big Question. Ellis Cashmore talks about the growing obsession the public has with celebrities
and also how the expectations of celebrities have evolved. He states how people are worshiping
celebrities like they once worshipped religion. Cashmore also makes the point that the public had
a one-sided relationship with celebrities. People tend to build these connections with celebrities,
they feel like they know them and also care about them, while in reality celebrities have no idea
who we are as individuals; they only see us as a whole, as “the public.” The chapter then reveals
how celebrities are used for more than just selling and promoting products; they also are used to
voice their opinions on certain issues, and to become the face of a certain topics.
METHODS
The goal for this study is to examine how people are trying to perform like Kylie Jenner.
In order to observe this, I used Kylie Jenner’s Instagram page, providing me with a direct form
of her behavior. While inspecting her ten most recent posts on her Instagram, I took notice of
what she was wearing, what was happening around her, the title, and the comments left by fans.
Once that process was completed, I searched #KylieJenner on Instagram and studied the ten most
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recent posts from the public. By using the hashtag with her name, it showed what people were
posting that related to Kylie Jenner.
THE RESULTS
After analyzing the twenty posts on Instagram, I found three themes that correlate with
the social cognitive theory.
First Theme:
One theme that stood out, was how people seemed to idolize Kylie Jenner. Fans created
entire Instagram pages dedicated solely to the reality star. The pages did not contain any personal
pictures of the one who created the page, only a variety of pictures taken from Kylie’s own
Instagram page or another type of social media. The essence of the accounts are to worship
Kylie. According to Cashmore, “many of those who follow celebrities do so with a zeal that
actually does resemble religious fervor” (Cashmore, 2006). They post pictures based on her
outfit, hair style, relationship, and anything else that is current in her life.
Out of the many pages dedicated to Kylie Jenner, I came across one extremely dedicated
fan who named her page KylieVogues. This Instagram user has posted 238 pictures solely of the
reality star which has drawn 2241 other fans. In the biography section of KylieVogues’ account
she states “Kylie Jenner updates, About Kylie Jenner. Only Kylie! Daily updates! New & old &
edits of Kylie! Every day online! Kylie Queen!” (KylieVogues, 2015). True to the words stated
above, KylieVogues’ posts new and old pictures of Kylie Jenner multiple times a day. A few of
the pictures have been edited, Kylie’s hair is changed and pictures are cropped, which shows
how much effort and time the user puts into the account. As I looked through the pictures I
noticed that some of the captions of the posts are acknowledging the users followers, however
most of them are praising Kylie. One of the captions of a picture was simple “God”. In
Cashmore’s book he states, “Celebrities appear as gods in human form or simulacra of departed
deities. Celebrity culture, in this view, becomes a functional equivalent of religion, with beliefs
and practices associated with religion ‘converging’ with those of celebrity culture.” (Cashmore,
2006).
KylieVogues is an example of imitation from the social cognitive theory. The person
behind KylieVogues imitates Kylie Jenner’s Instagram account in hopes of gaining more
followers. The user saw how popular Kylie Jenner is on social media, and therefore replicates
Kylie’s actions by posting the same pictures Kylie does.
Second Theme:
The next theme I found was how people were imitating Kylie’s look. The youngest
Jenner sibling has distinguished herself from the rest of her family by her edgy, darker, look. The
color and length of her hair is ever changing, keeping her fans guessing on what new hair trend
she’ll start next. Her style fluctuates between baggy pants paired with tight shirt, or vice versa,
and tight sleek dresses, depending on the occasion. Among the ten pictures I examined that were
posted by fans, there were a few that were of women who imitated Kylie’s look. One fan posted
a picture, titled “Lips like Kylie”, of a close up on her face, with dark red lipstick. On Kylie’s
Instagram, there are many pictures she posted of herself wearing the same color lipstick.
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Along with imitation, identification, which is a part of the social cognitive theory, is also
displayed in posts. Fan’s based their appearance on Kylie’s style; however they also added their
own personal touches to their style. When I clicked on one of the fans Instagram page, I saw how
her style seemed to change over time. Her own style began to match Kylie’s as the pictures
became more recently posted. According to the social cognitive theory, this would be an example
of observational learning. Along with her appearance, the nature of her photos also changed;
there was a more serious and professional atmosphere in the newer posts. Fans of Kylie notice
how much attention the reality celebrity receives, and so they replicate her behavior and
appearance in hopes that they will gain the same attention.
In the social cognitive theory, disinhibitory effect is when someone sees another person
being rewarded for prohibited behavior it increases the chance that the viewer will act out that
behavior as well. An example of this in correlation with Kylie Jenner is the Kylie Jenner Lip
Challenge. This challenge came into play when controversy hit the media about the new
plumpness of Kylie’s lips. For a while, Kylie alluded answering the question of whether or not
she got lip injections, and only stated that she over drew her lipstick in order to make them look
bigger. By not answering the question, the star gained more attention from celebrity centered
media. As a result, the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge began. The challenge consisted of people
taking pictures of themselves and posting it on social media, after using whatever they could to
make their lips swollen. Though some did this as a joke, the purpose of taking these pictures was
to receive attention; people saw the attention Kylie was obtaining and wanted the same result.
The challenge came to a halt when the dangers of this was exposed; pictures of people who
severely damaged their lips were posted as a warning to others. The challenge died down soon
after.
The Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge is an example of disinhibitory effect because those who
took the challenge seriously saw how much attention Kylie gained from the public and on social
media simply from having her lips plumped. Kylie was rewarded in the form of social media
attention, and therefore, some people went to extremes in order to plump their own lips and post
pictures on various types of social media.
Third Theme:
People posting selfies and using her name with a hashtag in the caption was another
theme I found. When I first searched on Instagram using “#KylieJenner”, it resulted in a
numerous amount of selfies. When I clicked on them, the caption of the post had a lot of other
celebrity names with a hashtag, along with Kylie’s. According to the social cognitive theory,
people learn through observation. Therefore, by seeing how many followers and likes celebrities
acquire on their page, people knew that if they tagged, using the hashtag, a celebrities name that
their post would be seen by others who searched a certain celebrities name. Meaning that the
more people that looked at their picture the greater the chance that people would “like” their post
and gain followers. The unspoken rule of Instagram is that the more followers and likes on your
page, the more important and popular you are. An example of this is KylieVogues’ Instagram
account. The way I came across KylieVogues’ account was by using “#KylieJenner”. I clicked
on a picture of Kylie posted by the Instagram account and then looked through the other pictures
that were posted; which is most likely how KylieVogue gained 2241 followers.
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CONCLUSION
After reevaluating my results, I found three major ways that show how the public is
trying to perform like Kylie Jenner, and celebrities in general. By using the social cognitive
theory, I was able to observe through Instagram the effect Kylie Jenner has on her public.
Examining the ten most recent posts on Kylie Jenner’s Instagram page, along with the ten recent
posts from the public referring to Kylie Jenner I was able to see how her fans were perceiving
her. As a result, I found that fans idolize her, imitate her, and use her name as a way to gain
popularity on their own page.
The reason why this study matters is because it has the potential to be dangerous. The
obsession with gaining likes and followers on a social media page can be mentally damaging. In
Ellis Cashmore’s book, he states that “it becomes a psychologically abnormal state when it
continues into adulthood, perhaps leading to the worshipper’s neglect of everyday duties. It may
lead to the believer’s having deluded conceptions about the nature of his or her relationship with
one or more celebrities. Or even what the researchers call ‘addiction to a celebrity.’” (Cashmore,
2006). There are some people in the world who feel that their feeling of importance is
determined by the amount of followers one has. Some have, and will, go through extreme
measures in order to attain attention. If more people become aware of this issue than we can try
and have more control over it.
Work Cited
Cashmore, E. (2006). Answering The Big Question. In Celebrity Culture (2nd
ed., pp. 225-264).
Abingdon: Routledge.
KylieVogues. (2015). Retrieved from Instagram.
