Procatalepsis in Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T's

The following is a link to a video of the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoaT6WXUV_M

The Plain White T's employs procatalepsis multiple times throughout the song in order to strengthen the theme of the song Hey There Delilah in saying that there is nothing that can get in between the love present. At the beginning of the song, the singer proclaims, "Don't you worry about the distance/ I'm right there if you get lonely/ Give this song another listen / Close your eyes/ Listen to my voice, it's my disguise/ I'm by your side." The singer brings up the problem of distance and then immediately explains of one way to overcome this potential problem. Later in the song, the singer states, "I know times are getting hard/ But just believe me, girl/ Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar/ We'll have it good/ We'll have the life we knew we would/ My word is good." The conflict of money is brought up, yet it is put down right away with the idea of making money through playing the guitar. He is sure that they will be able to live the life they want to even through the hard times. Finally, the singer once again brings up the argument that the distance between them could separate them as well as the problem of what other people will think of them when he exclaims, "A thousand miles seems pretty far/ But they've got planes and trains and cars/ I'd walk to you if I had no other way/ Our friends would all make fun of us/ and we'll just laugh along because we know/ That none of them have felt this way/ Delilah I can promise you." After bringing up both critical points, he denounces both by saying that he will do anything he has to to come to her and that what other people think does not matter because their love is stronger than that. The Plain White T's repeatedly use procatalepsis in order to support the theme of the strength of the love described. 

Procatalepsis in Heart of Darkness

Procatalepsis describes when the author brings up the counter argument only to immediately discredited it. The word comes fromthe prefix pro-, meaning in support of, the component cata, meaning contrary and the suffix -lepsis, referring to an attack. In all, an attack against the contrary in the support of something else. 

           

An author would use procatalepsis in order to strengthen their argument. It denounces the oppositions argument before the opposition can even bring it up. This allows the author to discredit it prior to the opposition building it up. Procatalepsis deals with the counter argument before it can even be supported. 

In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad has the character Marlow employ procatalepsis. While describing Romans Marlow states, “He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is also detestable. And it has a fascination, too, that goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination—you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate...Mind, none of us would feel exactly like this. What saves us is efficiency—the devotion to efficiency. But these chaps were not much account, really. They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect..." (Conrad 4). By doing so, Marlow is immediately discounting the argument that his fellow crew members might bring up: that they do not feel like Marlow has described Romans. After quickly discrediting the counter argument with procatalepsis, Marlow is allowed to move on with his argument. 

Caloric Analysis of Chris McCandless

The following documents represent my caloric analysis of Chris McCandless. 

Based on these calculations, McCandless definitely could have died of starvation. In fact, my calculations indicate he could have eaten up to 454 more calories everyday from either vegetation or hunted meat that he did not document. Even eating 454 more calories, his average calorie deficit per day would have been 287 calories. This would have resulted in the necessary calorie loss of 32500 calories over the entire period. Hence, he would have lost 65 lbs. This allows him to be down to 67 lbs after losing water weight and slight decomposition when found. All in all, McCandless could have died from starvation. 

Caloric Analysis of Myself

These are my calulations for my own caloric analysis. 

I had a BMI of 16.3. 

My estimated caloric intake to maintain my weight was 2250. 

Based on these calculations, I lost under a half pound over the three days. However, I ate over my estimated caloric intake on Sunday. Hence, all in all, I am roughly maintaining my weight based on my caloric intake.