A Life in Ten Chapters

The part wich struck me the most was in chapter 8 when the professor says "Literature. If you want to know about people, study English literature, not psychology." I think this is a true statement. Psychology helps to explain why the mind works the way it does but it does not answer how people act. A writer always reflects part of themselves and their beliefs in their work. Literature can be very influencing and I think the boy in the story realizes this when in the final chapter he realizes he has let all of the learning and knowledge cloud the fact his great-grandmother cannot read.

It is interesting that to realize this he has to go all the way back to the village of his birth, far away from the influences and life of the universities. To gain knowledge he went far from home and spent lots of money on tuition but it is in a remote village where he learns that even knowledge can make a person less intellectual.

How to Leave Hialeah

"You think, what does that even mean - poser?"

This line struck me as very significant in the text. It made me think: what is a poser and who exactly is a poser?

According to dictionary.com "poser" means, "someone who pretends to belong to a group only by affecting the attributes of the group."

So a poser is someone who does not really belong. But then, who in the group does really belong. Everyone in a group is usually portraying the attributes of the group. Is that not how one finds a way to belong anyway? Nearly everyone in life finds a way to mold themselves to a group but to do so, they need to take on the role or ideals of the group. Usually, joining a group changes a person, but that is usually is why a person joins a group, to change.

In "How to Leave Haileah", the speaker seems to not know where to fit in. She keeps changing and joining different groups. She could be considered a poser, but is it a bad thing? Or is she just trying to fit in somewhere and make a change in her life?

Encounter 2

I have never been marginalized too much. But when I was little I remember my brother was in boy scouts. Sometimes because one of my parents were busy, I would have to go along to the meetings with him. I always thought this was so cool. He was able to do cool activities. One time he got to build a rocket. I couln't wait until it was my turn to join boy scouts.

When I was a little older I found out girls are not allowed in boy scouts. Girls had their own club called Brownies. At first I thought this was cool until I found out all they seemed to do was sell cookies. I wanted to build rockets and play games with the boys outside.

My brother was a big influence in my life and one of the reasons I grew up as a tomboy when I was little. I hated dresses and I had lots of guy friends. Some of my favorite things to do were wrestle and play outside.

Soon enough though I realized I could be a girl and still do those things. While I still love being outside I also love hanging with the girls and having gir's night.

Passing part 1 response

Clare and Irene are both all about keeping up with appearences. At first, the reader has a hard time determining whether or not the two are in fact African American.

Part of keeping up with appearences is Irene continually repeating all of the events she has that she cannot miss to be with Clare. Despite what she has said to Clare, Irene has "passed". She has dove into white society and does not seem to be able to admit to Clare, but hte reader sees it when she is fearful that she will be thrown out of the restaurant because Clare might have discovered her. Even being politely thrown out of the restaurant would have been letting down appearances.

What I find interesting is how secretive both woman are, especially Clare. She is so enthusiastic about getting back again with Irene but she doesn't even tell her her last name. Both are doing what they can to keep up appearences.

Recitatif

The most interesting part of this story is the reader is never told the race of the Twyla or Roberta.

When I read through the story the first time, I assumed that Twyla was white and Roberta was black. But then going through the story the second time, it is never stated which is which. I believe the reader is supposed to identify with the story. The reader's race is meant to reflect the race of the characters.

If the author did this on purpose, I think it is to show how we visualize and also to be an eye opener.

The Media's Image of Arabs part 2

I think after the brief discussion in class, I still have the same "devil's advocate" view of this reading. I am fully sympathetic to people who are being shown in a bad light, yet I just do not know what can be done. The rest of the class seemed to think that this was not a big issue and though I feel bad saying it, I might agree. Entertainment is a world of its own. No one is untouchable. Movies and comedies seem to make fun of everyone. How could we possibly stop it? Maybe put a limit on the type of words used, but isn't that what happens already when a word is bleeped out on the tv? Maybe put a parental block on movies or channels? I think at some point in time, all kids realize that there are negative view points in the world. Instead of limiting the movies, maybe we should just depend on the parent to explain and teach the right way to treat a person. Explain that movies are not always reality and that we need to treat everyone with respect.