My Head Hurts

It only took me about three sentences to remember the horrible story that is The Lottery. Once I remembered what the story is actually about, my head started hurting. The thought of rocks being thrown at it was more than I could bare. Can one imagine living in a community under such fear!? If you lived under these circumstances of never knowing if you will be the one chosen to be stoned or sacrificed...I think your head would hurt all of the time! It is also so difficult to imagine a whole community of people being behind this. It completely relates back to the study conducted at Stanford when all the boys followed the one rough one's lead. In all the years they had been conducting The Lottery, there wasn't one person who stood up and spoke out against it!?

Secrets Lie Within

Prison Cruelty


Oddly enough, I have really enjoyed reading the pieces based on the topic of prison.  Although it is never a place I would want to even visit, I find the secrets and stories very fascinating.  Once of my favorite places I visited when I was younger was Alcatraz.  I found the history so interesting, and the stories they told of how inmates tried escaping and the families of wardens who lived on the island as well.  I know today things have changed a bit since Alcatraz has closed its doors, but there does still seem to be a bit of corruption.
I do believe the statement that the general public doesn't know too much about what goes on in prisons is true.  I think a large part of this mystery has to do with the fact that society does not want to know.  As the piece mentioned that the guards think of prisoners, not as people, but as the crime they committed, society does the same.  It is hard to think of them in any other light, they did a bad thing and now they should have to pay the price.
Reading about the social network within a prison was interesting as well.  The story of the "illegal" piece of pie that made it all the way from the Warden's kitchen into the solitary confinement cell was fascinating.  Especially since it was still in good shape some three days later.  The article also made it a little bit more understandable as to why many of the guards resort to physical roughness.  The fact that the prisoners already have had their rights revoked makes it difficult for them to be punished.  Although I do not like to hear of people getting hurt, the line of thought does make more sense to me now.

All Locked Up

Illegalities and Delinquency


I found this passage very interesting and it brought up many different points that I have often wondered about.  I have personally always believed that putting people into prison is not doing anything towards solving the problem at hand.  Although it is a form of punishment, I don't believe the majority will be any better off once they get out.  If we, as tax payers, are paying for these people to be taken care of while they are in confinement they should all be put to work and learn how to function in society.  I do realize that some of these criminals have mental illnesses that are difficult are work with, but for the most part we could be making these people's lives better.  This would make them more useful in society rather than hindrances.

The concept that prisoners were forced to carry around passports that explain their wrong doing when they left prison is a good idea in theory, but it was setting them up for failure.  If I were at a company looking to hire a new employee, seeing this passport would certainly deter me from wanting to have that person on my team.  I think if we ever want these people to have a positive influence on others, we need to set them up with the right tools to keep them out of the prison system.

Teacher Knows Best?

A New Spelling of My Name


Audre Lorde's piece on her struggles as a young girl pulled on my heart strings a little bit.  I understand how frustrating it can be when you are younger and have any kind of set back or disability.  I struggled with a lisp and reading comprehension at a young age and I remember how frustrated I would get when something wouldn't click.  I was especially frustrated by the lisp because with a name like "Sarah,"  you are being corrected constantly.  I however was lucky enough to have a strong support system both at home and in school.  It is hard to imagine why anyone would go into teaching if they did not want to help the students succeed.  Although I realize this passage was written from a very different time, and I'm sure that race had a large part to do with how she was treated.

Teaching as a Subversive Activity


This excerpt by Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner is possibly my favorite piece to date in this class. The points they bring up and the ideas they put forward were both thought provoking hilarious!  I enjoyed reading each one of their ideas and by the end was hoping we could actually put them into motion.  I have had many amazing teachers in my life time, but as for the other ones...I think we should propose these changes.  I especially liked the idea of having teachers who "know" their subject be forced to teach something completely new.  This would be a perfect approach for math and science teachers.  I have had far too many teachers that just don't understand why the class isn't understanding a concept or equation.  When someone knows these areas well, I can see why they teach in a certain way, but it does not help us, the students who have no idea what they are talking about.  Another favorite was the idea that teachers must take a test created by the students on what the students know.  This would be something interesting to start now and have each class do for many years to come.  We could then look back at how our young society has changed over the years, and what was important to them at the time.

Family Ties

Mother of the Year


Paul Theroux's piece about JP's "big family" was an interesting look inside life behind closed doors.  I feel  it was a very real portrayal of how some families work and operate, but don't want to admit to the outside world.  Everyone has known a family like this throughout their life.  On the outside everything looks fine and dandy, but behind closed doors there are many skeletons in the closet.  Going back the the last few readings we have done about gender differences, I noticed a continuing theme in Theroux's story.  I found it very interesting that he only used physical descriptions of the two sisters in the family, and used this opportunity to paint them in an unflattering light.  Did it really matter that they were unattractive and out of shape?  He also provided a glimpse into gender roles within a family.  Although the man is supposed to be considered the "provider," and the one who runs the household, clearly it was the mother who made the rules in this family.

Shooting Dad


I found Sarah Vowell's piece "Shooting Dad" to have many parallels to my own relationship growing up with my Dad.  It is not always easy for a father and daughter to bond, especially when there is another male in the family.  I definitely was always a "daddy's girl," but as I grew older I think he found it difficult to relate to me.  I can only imagine the struggle a father goes through when his little girl starts growing up and changing.  We were lucky in the fact that we found we could bond over basket ball.  I actually continued to play the sport many years after I had become uninterested, simply because it was one thing that my dad and I both understood and could talk about.  There were certainly times when we butt heads, but with more years under my belt I have come to realize it is because we are far too much alike.  I can relate with the author when she comes to the realization that they are the same person.  My dad and I didn't always agree on things, but that was because we were far too much alike in our strong headed personalities.  I love my dad, and I believe our differences will only continue to bring us closer together.

Jimmy Corrigan- The Smartest Kid on Earth


I found this comic to be extremely confusing and did not find too many similarities in the "theme" of the previous two readings.  I did not understand the parts about him being taunted by the young kids, and did not know how it tied in with his mother getting sick.  The best I can pull from this comic strip is that it once again showed a female personality "bossing" a male in her life around.  It seemed the Jimmy Corrigan was run down and would do whatever he had to do to make his mother happy.  I look forward to discussing this piece in class so that I can better grasp what the author was trying to convey.

You Can Find Me In The Kitchen

"Boys and Girls"

Alice Munro's piece about gender roles in the family was not particularly my favorite to read. From the very beginning with the descriptions of skinning the foxes, I knew it was going to be difficult to read. Although I know our main goal when reading these pieces is to identify their relevance to what we are discussing in class, it was very hard for me to get past the blood and guts. When I learned that this girl's father would kill and use horse meat to feed the fox, I lost any interest in wanting to learn more, and moved it to the least favorite category. But I understand this is all part of life, and I must deal with reading things I might not particularly like. The young girls' adversity to the kitchen did not particularly strike me as odd, yet at the same time was not something I could relate to either. Today I believe we would refer to someone like her as a "tomboy." As I write out, (and label her a tomboy), I realize I am falling into society's gender classification. Since she did not prefer playing with dolls and working in the kitchen with her mother, she an no longer be viewed as a girl with different interests. Instead we jump to concluding she is "odd" and label her with a name that pretty much calls her a "boy wanna-be". Whether or not this I right, it is how our culture works. I personally have always been interested in the role "as a woman," although I never let this hold me back from playing sports or trying different activities. For me it has always been about balance, but if I could have my way in the story...you could find me in the kitchen

Are Men Really From Mars?

Reviving Ophelia


Mary Pipher's piece was my favorite this week because of the amazing parallels it had to my own life.  I was not expecting to relate to the first part as much as I did.  I have always been considered an old soul, so in high school I never really fit in with the other girls in my class.  I avoided "cliques like the plague, because gossiping was something I never really wanted to take part in.  I knew how much it hurt to find out people were talking about you behind your back, so I didn't want to take any part in it. I was always very close with my parents, and followed all the rules simply because that was what I thought I was supposed to do.  Pipher mentions the struggle that some "strong girls" have with their parents' resisting their transition into adulthood, and I have experienced this not too long ago.  My parents are having a hard time dealing with the fact that I might not move back to New Hampshire any time soon.  I think deep down in their hearts they always believed that once I was done traveling with modeling, I would return home, since I was always such a home body.  They are realizing that I am growing up now, and making my own decisions, and I believe that scares them a little bit.  I know my parents love me, and support the decisions that I make, but it has been a bit of a struggle for them to go through the process of accepting the facts.  Overall the first section really resonated with me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  The second part however, was not something I could relate to.  June's character however was a perfect example of an "Ophelia," and I felt it tied the whole piece together nicely to explain the title.

Inside the World of Boys


William Pollack's piece on the sensitivity of boys was quiet interesting, and was a topic I could understand from first hand experience.  He tells the story of a young boy named Adam who is transferred to a new school for gifted children on scholarship.  The school is located out of his lower income district and happens to be where many wealthy boys attend.   Once at school his mother notices a change in his grades and behavior, but Adam insists everything  is alright.  The reader later comes to find out that Adam was being bullied for not being of the same social standing as the other boys, but had been "hiding behind a mask," to conceal his emotions.
When my brother was growing up he dealt with a weight issue.  Through his youth, my family saw him exhibit many of the same behaviors as Adam.  Craig, my brother, was clearly much bigger than his classmates both in height and weight which made him stand out as being "different," and an easy target to make fun of.  He was never good at expressing how he felt, and many times my mom would raise concern for his mental well being.  I saw him go through many roller coasters of emotion where he would seclude himself for weeks, feeling low about himself.  There would finally be a point where he couldn't take the growing internal rage anymore and he would lash out in various ways.  I believe this is a common behavior among males who try and bury their feelings by acting like nothing is wrong.

Why Boys Don't Play with Dolls


Katha Pollitt's piece about sex roles in our society today brought up many valid points.  I had never before thought about the correlation between the feminist movement and the way we raise our children.  I personally believe in women's rights, but I wouldn't consider myself a "feminist" per say.  It is true however that we (as a society) automatically associate different toys and activities with specific genders, and raise our children with the same beliefs.  The story about the birthday gift was interesting to me.  Although I know that there has been controversy over the unrealistic portrayal of a woman, I would never think to apologize for giving a little girl a Barbie.  Personally I never liked Barbies when I was younger, but that was just because I found the tiny clothes and shoes extremely frustrating to work with.  On the other hand, I would never dream of giving a little boy a Barbie for his birthday.  I would think a more appropriate gift would be a soccer ball, so would this mean that I was influencing his masculinity?  I do believe that society has a role in teaching children right from wrong and some gender preferences.  I also feel that genetics and hormones play a large role in the way we are separated as males and females.

From The War Against Boys


I do not agree with feminist philosopher Sandra Lee Bartky's view that all humans are born "bi-sexual," and then society grooms us into gender specific personalities.  Although I so feel that society has a large role in it, I also believe genes and hormones play a VERY large role in how we are.  The study mentioned is a perfect example of how there must be something deeper than just the role of society.  My brother and I are perfect examples of males and females in the academic world.  Craig, my brother, always had a difficult time writing papers for various classes and giving presentations.  English was never his strong subject, yet math was always a breeze.  I on the other hand, always enjoyed English class and never got too nervous before giving oral presentations.  Math class was always where I struggled and still have difficulties with it.
I felt Daniel Goleman's

Strengthening Our Position

"How to Write a Critial Analysis"

In John Trimble's passage he quotes novelist Sloan Wilson as saying "A writer's job is sticking his neck out."  I had never really thought about it before, but putting your thoughts down on paper and backing them up is a gutsy task.  Once it is written, you must stand behind your position to authenticate its validity.   Writing a critical analysis is just that,  starting with a strong thesis and providing evidence to back it up.  Trimble goes on to explain that a critical analysis and plot summary are not one in the same, however many times they end up being confused into the same category.  From a young age we are taught by our professors to imagine our reader has absolutely no knowledge on the subject we are presenting.   Through our writing, we must bring them up to speed before making an argument on our position.  This no longer holds true when given the task to analyze.  We must simply remember to explain and evaluate.  I found this passage very helpful because up until this point in my writing, I have be doing the former.  The role as a critic is new to me, and will take some trial and error before I can truly feel comfortable with the task.   I was relieved to see him expand on examples of varying texts such as poems, plays and novels.  These will only help me to better understand my role as a critic and where it is "safe" to begin my work.

"Shitty First Drafts"

Anne Lamott's piece regarding "Shitty First Drafts" is by far my favorite piece so far in this class.  I was instantly drawn in by her sharp tongue and witty personality.  I agree with her completely that the best way to start writing is by first writing a really horrible first draft.  Far too  many times I have found myself staring at the computer screen not knowing where to begin.  I find that if I just allow myself to type whatever comes to mind first, it is easier to then go back later and make corrections.  There would be no way to improve if we didn't first start at the bottom and work our way up.  I find it funny how the "shitty first drafts" can sometimes relate to life.  We are always being told that we need to start from the beginning and work our way up.  We may start as an interns doing "bitch work" making coffee runs and photo copies, but this hard work is just laying the foundation to reach our dream jobs one day as Executive of that same company.  I thoroughly enjoyed Lamott's way or wording things, and I hope to be reading something by her again soon in class.

"In Essays, Author Zadie Smith Reveals Her Process"

I found this article very interesting as it was written about an author who was successful very early in her career.  Publishing a novel at the age of 25 is no easy task, and the fact that she has gone on to continue to write and become published is very inspiring.  Although I have never been a "published" author per say,  I can relate to her feelings about the process.  It seems to me that the beginning and ending are the most challenging parts to really hit out of the park, while the middle seems like a walk in the park.  I feel that once I have my momentum going, I don't necessarily struggle if I am writing about something that i am either knowledgeable or passionate about.  Smith reveals to the author in this article that she used writing as a way to cope with her father's death.  I believe this was a very good outlet for her, as it was a medium in which she was comfortable using.   Grief is a powerful thing, and if you can find a healthy was to deal with the grieving process, you are one step ahead of everybody else.

Understanding Our Sound Ideas

A Letter to the Reader


When I received the text Sound Ideas I was a little perplexed as to what the title actually meant.  The introduction's explanation that "sound ideas" are developed through reading, reacting and thinking made it clear to me that this class will be about more than just understanding texts.  I was excited to learn that not only will there be written passages, but visual and audio as well.  I find that I am able to retain more information when it is presented to me in a form other than just words on a page.  Through listening to audio content from KQED and examining visuals I believe I will take more away from English I than I would a standard English class.  The passage goes on to develop an understanding of how we will be able to react to what we are learning.  I find it refreshing that we will take more than a for or against approach.  Sometimes I feel I do not fully understand what it is I am supposed to be learning, yet it is taboo to sound my  thoughts or opinions.   The activities that follow the passages will allow us all to reflect on what we have read and benefit from each other's varying view points.

Everybody Is Talented, Original and Has Something Important to Say


I found Brenda Ueland's passage very interesting and could not agree more.  She brought up very interesting points that I had not thought of before.  I particularly liked her example about no one being able to go 24 hours without expressing themselves in some form or another without going crazy.  Before reading this, I would have just assumed she meant speaking, but there are more than just one way we can express ourselves.  The forms in which we choose to do so are part of what make us unique and interesting.  Being creative is something that I have always enjoyed, but I have found it to be more challenging the older I get.  When I was younger I was just like Ueland's family members.  I would put together a show or performance any chance I could get.  It never mattered the occasion or the resources available to me.  All I ever needed was my imagination and the rest would fall into place.  As I got older, and responsibilities set in, my performances dwindled and I became more involved in my studies and structured sports.  It is no wonder that my expansive mind began to narrow in on what was "right" and "important."  I agree that over the years my teachers and "mentors" have taught me what was right and what was wrong, but in the process extracted from my free, creative spirit.  I want to use this class as an opportunity to remember what it is like to be free with my ideas and express how I feel even if it might not be what is conventionally "right."  By expressing how I feel and writing what most naturally flows, I believe I will grow as a person and in my writing abilities.

A Way of Writing


I found William Stafford's piece to be eye opening and helped to sum up my new realization that what we "think" is right and what comes naturally are two very different things.  Far too often when we look to express our ideas, we are suppressed by what we "think" we are supposed to think or say.  I like the idea of free writing where we can express whatever comes to mind first without letting external thoughts or factors come into play.  I have not used this exercise before, but I feel it will help to improve my style of writing.  Too often we allow grammar and punctuation slow us down from collecting full thoughts and ideas.  Stafford's comment that "sometimes the materials alert me to something waiting in my mind, ready for sustained attention," especially struck a cord with me.  Many times I find myself trying to remember what it was I had been thinking about, but can't seem to find a way to express it.  Free writing might help to lift these road blocks and create a fluidity to my thought process.