The seminar influenced my thinking about a topic because I gained some more insight into how
Oceania's society functioned. I learned about how it connected to the real world as well, since there
have been histories of people with authoritarian governments. Several examples of this are Germany,
during the Nazi era, as well as North Korea. To start the seminar, I asked, "Why does everyone call
each other 'comrade?'" I thought that it was a result of the country always being at war, but the
responses I got were that it was just a word used to address each other, just as Mr. and Mrs. would be
used.
I agreed with the idea that the citizens had to be careful about what they said and thought because
they were being watched by Big Brother and his regime. The citizens could be arrested for saying or
doing anything that the government viewed as a threat. I didn't really disagree with anything that was
said, because I thought that everyone's ideas made sense. I should have told the group my response to
the question, because it could have presented an opportunity to take the conversation in another
direction, but I didn't.
Everyone had good ideas and the discussion was thought-provoking in general. Everyone shared their
insights and views on certain topics. People were attentive and engaged in the discussion. Sasha did a
good job of facilitating it and making sure that everyone was involved. Some questions were really
good, as well, I had to think for a while to come up with the answer several times.
The main thing that people should work on is making their questions clear and relatively easy to
comprehend. There were several times that I had no idea how to answer a question because it was
either too complicated or it didn't get to the point. In both cases, I had no idea what some of those
questions were asking, which might have limited some opportunities to make a really insightful
comment. That is the main thing that people should work on.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Statement of Intent-Othello Dramatic Reading
Throughout the recording of this soliloquy, I learned how clever and manipulative Iago is. Almost every character was part of his master plan that led to the demise of several characters, including Othello and Desdemona. While he is the antagonist in the play, he is very clever. His plan was complex and planned very carefully, which shows both his cleverness and his intelligence. I learned that if Iago wasn't clever and intelligent, the play would have ended differently because the plan could have backfired on him.
The impact of the soliloquy on the text as a whole was huge. It set the plot in motion and foreshadowed the events that would follow. Without it, the play would have had a different outcome. Iago would have taken a more rational approach to solve the problem. It affected all of the stages of dramatic structure because it shaped the entire outcome of the play. It also further complicated the characterization because at first, Iago comes off as a loyal officer to Othello. The soliloquy shows a completely different side to him, and it portrays him as a two-faced person.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Chapter 8: Surrounded-Theme Analysis
The themes in this chapter are Crime, Mentoring, and Parallel Biographies.
Crime:
"Three days earlier, in broad daylight, two masked men had run into J. Browns Jewelry, waving guns at the customers, ordering them to the ground." (Page 146)
Many people turn to crime in order to provide for their families. Most of the time, they do not have a job or they have a very low-paying one. Places such as jewelry stores are prime spots to get money, due to the expensive items that are present in the store. Many young people had dropped out of school, making it hard to obtain jobs. Since dropouts often have a hard time getting a job due to their lack of education, they have to find other ways to make money to support themselves and/or their families. Robbery was one of the most popular ways to do that.
"Baltimore City was now averaging over three hundred murders a year, making it one of the per capita deadliest cities in America."
Crime was prevalent in Baltimore City in the 1990s. Only 38 percent of high school students graduated on time, leaving the rest of them to make money on the streets. Dropouts will often turn to crime to try to provide for themselves, and also to protect their fellow gang members. Since there were a lot of high school dropouts, a lot of young people started to turn to crime. Their lack of education, combined with a lack of guidance in some cases, led them to turn to a life of crime. If a student goes through their life without having someone who was a good influence on them, they are more likely to get into trouble when they get older because they don't know how to handle their emotions in a professional manner, and they don't know the difference between right and wrong.
"This wasn't the first trip through the criminal justice system for either of them. Both men, in their early twenties, had long criminal records that included drug charges, handgun violations, and assault charges." (Page 149)
Many times, people who make their money off of the streets get into trouble more than once, which can lead to their downfall. Sometimes, convictions for crimes such as drug charges and handgun violations can start a chain reaction to them committing larger crimes that require more jail time. Other times, they commit larger crimes such as felonies right off the bat without there being any warning signs whatsoever. In this case, the men who were part of the crew to rob the jewelry store had engaged in crimes before, which shows how common crime was in Baltimore City.
Mentoring:
"'…But make sure you do not leave without understanding the history. Make sure you understand who Cecil Rhodes was and what his legacy is. Know this before you apply for his scholarship.'"
This is an example of mentoring because the mentor (Mayor Schmoke) is giving the mentee (the author Wes) advice that is needed to apply for a scholarship that has the potential to impact their life. The mentee is receiving good life advice that will help them stand out and be picked for the scholarship. Mentors can be very valuable in a young person's life because they lead their mentee in directions that can be prestigious. Someone who has someone like that in their life will be better off in the long run than someone who doesn't.
Parallel Biographies:
" I realized just how similar were the challenges the young boys here and kids like the ones I grew up with faced. In both places, young men go through a daily struggle trying to navigate their way through deadly streets, poverty… but they also have the history of determined, improvisational survival…" (Page 170)
This is an example of parallel biographies because it shows the similarities between Wes's life and the lives of South African kids his age. Many problems that youth face are universal no matter what region someone lives in. While the West tends to have better facilities in general and not a whole lot of people are under the poverty line compared to other regions, big decisions still have to be made in both regions, and this quote shows that.
Crime:
"Three days earlier, in broad daylight, two masked men had run into J. Browns Jewelry, waving guns at the customers, ordering them to the ground." (Page 146)
Many people turn to crime in order to provide for their families. Most of the time, they do not have a job or they have a very low-paying one. Places such as jewelry stores are prime spots to get money, due to the expensive items that are present in the store. Many young people had dropped out of school, making it hard to obtain jobs. Since dropouts often have a hard time getting a job due to their lack of education, they have to find other ways to make money to support themselves and/or their families. Robbery was one of the most popular ways to do that.
"Baltimore City was now averaging over three hundred murders a year, making it one of the per capita deadliest cities in America."
Crime was prevalent in Baltimore City in the 1990s. Only 38 percent of high school students graduated on time, leaving the rest of them to make money on the streets. Dropouts will often turn to crime to try to provide for themselves, and also to protect their fellow gang members. Since there were a lot of high school dropouts, a lot of young people started to turn to crime. Their lack of education, combined with a lack of guidance in some cases, led them to turn to a life of crime. If a student goes through their life without having someone who was a good influence on them, they are more likely to get into trouble when they get older because they don't know how to handle their emotions in a professional manner, and they don't know the difference between right and wrong.
"This wasn't the first trip through the criminal justice system for either of them. Both men, in their early twenties, had long criminal records that included drug charges, handgun violations, and assault charges." (Page 149)
Many times, people who make their money off of the streets get into trouble more than once, which can lead to their downfall. Sometimes, convictions for crimes such as drug charges and handgun violations can start a chain reaction to them committing larger crimes that require more jail time. Other times, they commit larger crimes such as felonies right off the bat without there being any warning signs whatsoever. In this case, the men who were part of the crew to rob the jewelry store had engaged in crimes before, which shows how common crime was in Baltimore City.
Mentoring:
"'…But make sure you do not leave without understanding the history. Make sure you understand who Cecil Rhodes was and what his legacy is. Know this before you apply for his scholarship.'"
This is an example of mentoring because the mentor (Mayor Schmoke) is giving the mentee (the author Wes) advice that is needed to apply for a scholarship that has the potential to impact their life. The mentee is receiving good life advice that will help them stand out and be picked for the scholarship. Mentors can be very valuable in a young person's life because they lead their mentee in directions that can be prestigious. Someone who has someone like that in their life will be better off in the long run than someone who doesn't.
Parallel Biographies:
" I realized just how similar were the challenges the young boys here and kids like the ones I grew up with faced. In both places, young men go through a daily struggle trying to navigate their way through deadly streets, poverty… but they also have the history of determined, improvisational survival…" (Page 170)
This is an example of parallel biographies because it shows the similarities between Wes's life and the lives of South African kids his age. Many problems that youth face are universal no matter what region someone lives in. While the West tends to have better facilities in general and not a whole lot of people are under the poverty line compared to other regions, big decisions still have to be made in both regions, and this quote shows that.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Title Justification Essay #3
The path of one's life can lead to fulfilled or unfulfilled expectations, depending on the type of path that was taken. In the third part of The Other Wes Moore, entitled "Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled," the paths of both Wes Moores arrive at their defining moments. The author Wes attends paratrooper training while in the army, and he becomes a regimental commander, one of the highest-ranking officers at Valley Forge. He had fulfilled expectations that the school had demanded of him. Wes 2 had gone to Job Corps and received his GED and vocational training, but after holding down a few jobs back home, he resorted to his old ways. He and his brother robbed a jewelry store, and shot a police officer, leading to a life sentence in prison. The title of the collection of chapters is appropriate with the author's purpose because the purpose is to encourage young people to make a positive impact with their life, and the section shows the rewards and opportunities that come with going in the right direction and fulfilling expectations.
The author demonstrates the rewards for making a positive impact in this section. One such reward was that "Valley Forge had selected me to be the regimental commander for the 70th Corps of Cadets. This meant that I would be the highest-ranking cadet in the entire corps of over seven hundred people." (Page 134) From the time that Wes had arrived at Valley Forge to the time he was about to enter junior college, he had changed. The adjustments that he made to his attitude and demeanor were instrumental in changing his life. He rose up through the ranks, gaining more respect with each promotion. The series of promotions cumulated with him being the highest-ranking officer in the corps. This shows that his elders at Valley Forge believed in him. As someone gains more respect, their outlook on life also changes. They realize that their elders believed in them and their ability to be a positive contribution to society, and they start to believe it, too. This leads to them becoming officers in the military (in Wes's case), police officers, doctors, or any other career where they make a difference. The reward ends up being the satisfaction of helping others. Also, when Wes went to talk to the mayor of Baltimore, Kurt Schmoke, he received a golden opportunity because of the direction his life was going in: "The words 'law school' escaped from my mouth, the fallback answer for students who have no idea what they want to do with their lives. Mayor Schmoke waved his hand at the idea. 'Have you ever heard of the Rhodes Scholarship?'"(Page 161) Wes had just finished completing an internship with the Mayor, and they were having a discussion about the experience and Wes's future plans. Mayor Schmoke thought highly of Wes, justifying the reason that he encouraged Wes to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship. Many times, when a young person is viewed as exemplary, they are recruited to engage in prestigious programs or apply for scholarships. For example, a student with straight A's is often encouraged to apply to the National Honor Society. The more people that think highly of the person, the more opportunities are available to that person, and the more options they have for pursuing interests that they have.
The author shows how going down the right path can lead to several doors of opportunity opening. It can lead to important leadership positions such as army officer, politician, or any other profession like that. It can also lead to other opportunities arising that have the potential to help a student discover their true calling in life. Hopefully, a teen heading down the wrong path will read that section and be inspired to change the direction they are heading.
The author demonstrates the rewards for making a positive impact in this section. One such reward was that "Valley Forge had selected me to be the regimental commander for the 70th Corps of Cadets. This meant that I would be the highest-ranking cadet in the entire corps of over seven hundred people." (Page 134) From the time that Wes had arrived at Valley Forge to the time he was about to enter junior college, he had changed. The adjustments that he made to his attitude and demeanor were instrumental in changing his life. He rose up through the ranks, gaining more respect with each promotion. The series of promotions cumulated with him being the highest-ranking officer in the corps. This shows that his elders at Valley Forge believed in him. As someone gains more respect, their outlook on life also changes. They realize that their elders believed in them and their ability to be a positive contribution to society, and they start to believe it, too. This leads to them becoming officers in the military (in Wes's case), police officers, doctors, or any other career where they make a difference. The reward ends up being the satisfaction of helping others. Also, when Wes went to talk to the mayor of Baltimore, Kurt Schmoke, he received a golden opportunity because of the direction his life was going in: "The words 'law school' escaped from my mouth, the fallback answer for students who have no idea what they want to do with their lives. Mayor Schmoke waved his hand at the idea. 'Have you ever heard of the Rhodes Scholarship?'"(Page 161) Wes had just finished completing an internship with the Mayor, and they were having a discussion about the experience and Wes's future plans. Mayor Schmoke thought highly of Wes, justifying the reason that he encouraged Wes to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship. Many times, when a young person is viewed as exemplary, they are recruited to engage in prestigious programs or apply for scholarships. For example, a student with straight A's is often encouraged to apply to the National Honor Society. The more people that think highly of the person, the more opportunities are available to that person, and the more options they have for pursuing interests that they have.
The author shows how going down the right path can lead to several doors of opportunity opening. It can lead to important leadership positions such as army officer, politician, or any other profession like that. It can also lead to other opportunities arising that have the potential to help a student discover their true calling in life. Hopefully, a teen heading down the wrong path will read that section and be inspired to change the direction they are heading.
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