Evaluation of New York Times

Throughout the process of narrowing down sources and stories, it is important to slow down and reflect on each story your read. Here is my reflection on two stories found on the New York Times website.

Clever Kristensen, Erik. "Cows drink water" 03/31/2013 via Flickr. Attribution License

1. Does there seem to be a "main character" or "protagonist" to the story? If so, who is it and how are they are the "center" of the story? If not, are there any important or central characters in the stoy at all? What role do they play?

"Flint Weighs Scope of Harm to Children Caused by Lead in Water" poses the government as the antagonist. However, no real protagonist can be identified. Since the lead poisoning get catastrophe, many questions have been raised about the standard of living of lower socioeconomic groups. The people who consumed contaminated water play an important role in demonstrating the gap in living standard. 

Locusts are the main character in "Argentina Scrambles to Fight Biggest Plague of Locusts in 60 Years". The story is centered around farmers' and the government's struggles to minimize the damage as well as the presence of a huge plague of locusts. Many farmers are blaming the government for ignoring warnings in the previous president's term. 

2. Where do the specific events in the story take place? Is there a specific setting? Describe the settings for the stories and how they influence the plot and characters.

The events of "Flint Weighs Scope of Harm to Children Caused by Lead in Water" take place in Flint, Michigan. The fact that the people living in this neighborhood are of the working class and generally of lower socioeconomic status raises concern about the discrepancy in living standard between classes.

"Argentina Scrambles to Fight Biggest Plague of Locusts in 60 Years" takes place in Argentina. The importance of the lifestyles of the farmers paired with the magnitude of the plague contributes to the devastating possibility of losing crops.

3. Is there any kind of disagreement or debate happening in the story? If so, who is participating, why are people debating and what seems to be at stake for the different characters in the story?

There is less of a focus on debates and more of a focus on the concern created by the story of "Flint Weighs Scope of Harm to Children Caused by Lead in Water". While the effects are not fully present now, many doctors are looking to the future with concern for the effects the children may continue to experience. 

There is some debate in "Argentina Scrambles to Fight Biggest Plague of Locusts in 60 Years" over who caused it (did the government really ignore warning signs?). However, similar to the case of Flint, Michigan, there is mostly a concern for minimizing the consequences.