Yearning to Breathe Free
By Yanexiz Ramirez-Saenz
Professor Wilson, ENG 1026
6 June 2026
In the political cartoon Yearning to Breathe Free, artist Barry Blitt shows a group of frightened children hiding behind the Statue of Liberty. The cartoon connects to the famous poem The New Colossus, which describes America as a place that welcomes immigrants searching for freedom and safety. Instead of showing the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of hope, Blitt presents it as a place where children hide in absolute fear. Through symbolism and emotional appeal, they show that the United States is not living up to the ideals of freedom and acceptance that the Statue of Liberty is supposed to represent.
One of the strongest rhetorical strategies Blitt uses is pathos, also known as emotional appeal. The children’s faces look so worried and scared as they hold onto the Statue of Liberty, almost like they’re hoping that she can protect them. Some of them peek around her arm while gripping the statue tightly, which makes it clear that they feel unsafe and unsure of what might happen next. Their fearful expressions immediately make the audience feel sympathy because they look vulnerable and alone. Instead of standing proudly beside one of America’s biggest symbols of freedom, they hide behind it as if they’re afraid of being seen. Blitt’s choice to portray children instead of adults creates an even stronger emotional reaction, because most people naturally want kids to feel safe. Through these details, Blitt pushes the readers to question whether the United States is actually giving immigrants the protection and opportunity it promises.
Blitt also uses symbolism to strengthen his message. The Statue of Liberty has always represented hope, freedom, and new beginnings for people arriving in the United States of America. The title Yearning to Breathe Free comes from The New Colossus, a poem that welcomes “the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” But in the cartoon, the children aren’t hopeful, they’re hiding. This contrast shows that America may not be living up to the values the statue represents. Blitt also appeals to ethos by using one of the most recognizable symbols in the country. Most people already associate the Statue of Liberty with acceptance and opportunity, so seeing children hide behind it makes the message even more powerful. By presenting the statue in such an unexpected way, Blitt encourages readers to compare America’s ideals with the reality shown in the cartoon.
The connection to The New Colossus makes the cartoon even more meaningful. The poem describes America as a place that welcomes people who are struggling and searching for a better life. In Blitt’s cartoon, the children don’t look welcomed at all but they do appear to be scared. Instead of feeling safe, they appear to be hiding from some sort of danger. This difference between the poem’s hopeful message and the cartoon’s fearful image encourages the readers to really think about whether the United States is still living up to the ideals expressed in the poem or if it's all some sort of lie.
Works Cited
Blitt, Barry. Yearning to Breathe Free. The New Yorker, 2 July 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2018-07-02.
Lazarus, Emma. "The New Colossus." Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, https://poets.org/poem/new-colossus.
Reflection
Writing this essay taught me how to really dissect an image and look deeper into what I’m actually seeing. I learned that a political cartoon isn’t just a picture — it has layers, meaning, and a whole story behind it. One thing I think I did well was explaining the emotional expressions of the children and how their fear connects to the message of the cartoon. My biggest area of refinement was learning how to go beyond simply describing the image and instead explain why those details matter. I approached this essay by slowing down and paying attention to every part of the cartoon, but the hardest challenge was connecting the visual details to a bigger argument. After revising, I understood how important it is to break down each element and show how it supports the cartoon’s message.
Benefits of Growing Up Bilingual
By Yanexiz Ramirez-Saenz · ENG 102 · 20 June 2026
In the article “There Are Benefits to the Brain from Growing Up Bilingual,” Judy Willis explains how bilingual kids develop stronger thinking skills and better focus. The article was published back in 2016, and it is meant for parents, teachers, and anyone interested in how language affects the brain. The subject of the article is the cognitive and social benefits of raising children to be bilingual. Willis uses research, examples from her own teaching experience, and emotional stories to show that growing up bilingual strengthens the brain instead of confusing it. Her purpose in this article is to convince readers that bilingualism is a benefit, not a problem, and that families should keep using their native language at home. Willis provides evidence and real-life stories, making her message easy to understand. By combining logos through scientific research, ethos through her experience as a neurologist and teacher, and pathos through emotional stories about immigrant families, Willis effectively persuades readers that bilingualism should be viewed as an advantage rather than a disadvantage. Willis uses strong logical appeals by explaining the brain science behind bilingualism. She cites evidence showing that bilingual kids usually “averaged higher scores in cognitive performance” and had better attention and decision‑making skills. She also explains that fMRI scans show increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning and judgment. This evidence helps her prove that bilingualism strengthens the brain, making her argument more believable and scientific. By breaking down the science behind it, Willis helps readers clearly understand the benefits of bilingualism. Willis builds credibility by sharing her background as both a neurologist and a teacher. She mentions her experience working with bilingual students and describes real situations in which parents were afraid that speaking two languages would “confuse” their children. She has medical training and classroom experience, which shows readers that she understands both the science and the real-life challenges families face. This credibility makes her argument stronger because she speaks from knowledge, research, and personal experience. Willis’ evidence and experience make her feel trustworthy and help her message reach the reader. Throughout the article, Willis maintains an encouraging and reassuring tone, helping parents feel more confident about raising bilingual children instead of worrying that speaking two languages will negatively affect their child’s development. Her positive word choices, such as benefits, strengthens, and advantages, reinforce the idea that bilingualism should be viewed as a strength instead of a weakness. Willis also uses emotional appeals when she talks about the pressure immigrant families feel to give up their native language. She describes students who were embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of classmates and parents who felt they had to “only speak English at home” to help their kids fit in. These examples make the reader feel sympathy for families who are trying their best. By showing the emotional side of bilingualism, Willis helps readers understand why supporting native languages matters. Overall, Judy Willis argues that growing up bilingual strengthens the brain, and she proves this through research, personal experience, and emotional examples. Her article shows that bilingualism is not a weakness but a major advantage for children. After reading her evidence, it becomes clear that families should feel proud of their native language and continue practicing it at home. Willis’s message is very important because many parents still worry that two languages will confuse their kids, but the research shows otherwise. Her message encourages families to stay connected to their culture and demonstrates that bilingualism is something to support and celebrate. Overall, Willis successfully reaches her intended audience because she balances scientific research with relatable personal experiences that many parents can understand. While readers who already support bilingual education may find her argument especially convincing, those who believe English should remain the primary language may disagree with some of her conclusions. Even so, her combination of logic, credibility, and emotion makes her article persuasive and memorable.
Works Cited
Blitt, Barry. Yearning to Breathe Free. The New Yorker, 2 July 2018, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2018-07-02.
Lazarus, Emma. 'The New Colossus.' Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, https://poets.org/poem/new-colossus.
Reflection Writing this essay taught me how to look deeper into an article and really understand the author’s purpose, not just what they are saying on the surface. I learned how to break down the rhetorical strategies and see how each one works together to make the argument stronger. One thing I think I did well was explaining how Judy Willis uses her experience as both a neurologist and a teacher to build credibility. My biggest area of refinement was learning how to connect the evidence to my own explanation instead of just repeating what the article said. I approached this essay by reading slowly, taking notes, and paying attention to the emotional examples she used, but the hardest part was making sure I explained why her strategies were effective. Overall, this essay helped me understand how writers use logic, emotion, and credibility to persuade readers, and it made me more confident in analyzing nonfiction texts.