"`Tradition': one of those words conservative people use as a shortcut to thinking."
Today in class I was introduced to this quote and was asked to interpretation it. In my own words, my interpretation of this quote is that conseratative people chose to not expand their mind. They only want to stick with what they know, a shortcut to thinking allows them to not have to do all the work by stretching their mind and asking questions, instead they stick to their own tradition.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Girl Poem - Questions
1. Who do you infer is the narrator? Who is he or she speaking to? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
When I began to read the poem, the narrator sounded like that could have been her mother, her sense of tone and her demanding request made it seem like it could be the mother speaking to the girl.
2. Describe at least two specific instructions the narrator gives? Why do you think she gives these instructions?
One specific instruction that was given to the girl was to walk like a lady on Sundays and not like the slut she is, another instruction was for her to stay away from wharf-rat boys. She gave these instruction's because she wanted to make sure Jamaica was at her very best every Sunday and she wanted to make sure she stayed away from boys who would distract her and do her no good.
3. Find the two sentences in the story that are in italics. Why do you think they are in italics?
"but I don't sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school" I think the reason why it was in italics was because that was Jamaica talking to the narrator.
4. What can you infer about the setting of this story?
That it was in a different time period where younger girls had more responsibilities than they do today.
5. What tasks or chores does the narrator associate with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
Doing the laundry, having to cook and making sure she holds her self like a respectful young lady.
6. What behaviors do you think the narrator associates with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
7. What is the listener’s reaction to the narrator? What is the narrator’s reaction to the listener?
The listeners reaction seems to be overwhelmed yet calm and the narrators reaction is a bit more demanding.
8. If a girl follows all of these instructions, what kind of person do you think she will become? In what ways could a girl establish her individuality if she follows all these rules?
I believe if a girl were to follow all of these instructions she will grow up to be a responsible woman. Teaching young ladies how to handle their priorities allows them to absorb it at a young age so that they can be able to handle responsibilities on their own later on in life.
When I began to read the poem, the narrator sounded like that could have been her mother, her sense of tone and her demanding request made it seem like it could be the mother speaking to the girl.
2. Describe at least two specific instructions the narrator gives? Why do you think she gives these instructions?
One specific instruction that was given to the girl was to walk like a lady on Sundays and not like the slut she is, another instruction was for her to stay away from wharf-rat boys. She gave these instruction's because she wanted to make sure Jamaica was at her very best every Sunday and she wanted to make sure she stayed away from boys who would distract her and do her no good.
3. Find the two sentences in the story that are in italics. Why do you think they are in italics?
"but I don't sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school" I think the reason why it was in italics was because that was Jamaica talking to the narrator.
4. What can you infer about the setting of this story?
That it was in a different time period where younger girls had more responsibilities than they do today.
5. What tasks or chores does the narrator associate with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
Doing the laundry, having to cook and making sure she holds her self like a respectful young lady.
6. What behaviors do you think the narrator associates with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
7. What is the listener’s reaction to the narrator? What is the narrator’s reaction to the listener?
The listeners reaction seems to be overwhelmed yet calm and the narrators reaction is a bit more demanding.
8. If a girl follows all of these instructions, what kind of person do you think she will become? In what ways could a girl establish her individuality if she follows all these rules?
I believe if a girl were to follow all of these instructions she will grow up to be a responsible woman. Teaching young ladies how to handle their priorities allows them to absorb it at a young age so that they can be able to handle responsibilities on their own later on in life.
Quick Write 5/4/2015
I have several specific strategies for taking charge of my education and moving myself forward. One strategy I have is, taking notes down when I don't understand something. Helping others when they don't understand the lesson of the day helps me move forward in my studies because it shows that I understand whats being given. Another strategy would be coming to class regularly making sure I don't miss an given assignments and last but not least, encouraging myself to keep moving forward and giving my best effort regardless of what I get as a grade.
Creating Our Own Prose Poems - Quick Write
The expectation's my family expects from me as a woman, are completely different from the expectations my family expects from my younger brother and the boys in my family. For woman in my family we are expected to know how to cook, clean and keep ourselves in order. We are expected to be professionals and have an education, and be the best that we can be. For guys on the other hand, they are expected to work hard, to protect their family, to be selfless and generous and to put themselves on the line. This goes in line with conformity because it gives us a structure to follow and obey. In another way, it gives us a form on how to live our life and how to get our priorities in line.
Interpreting Literature Through the Lens of Conformity - Quick Write
- Expectations I have for myself: Be successful, to be well educated,
- Expectation my family have for me: To become a Doctor, or a professional at anything i put my mind to,
- Expectation from society and culture: To be well educated, well dressed and be kind/respectful to one another
What does it mean to be apart of a group?
To be apart of a group means your not alone, and you guys become one all together. it means together you guys have mutual responsibilities.
The consequences that might occur if society is not convinced by my argument?
If no one agreed with the fact that the bystander effect proves that we are all social creatures then no one would realize that we all take our cues from each other and we'll all be anti-social. Being that we are social creatures we all take care of each other.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Reading "The Lottery"
One tradition my family follows every year, is celebrating St. Michael's Birthday. He's known to be an angle that defeated satin, my mother has a statue of him in front of our home. On the 29th of September we celebrate his birthday by having all my family members together, feeding the statue wine and peanuts then my mom speaks out a couple of verses from the bible and we begin to dance to music that's called palo that established in The Dominican Republic, and my mom then splashes us with this holy water and makes us write down 1 thing we want to accomplish and we have to burn the piece of paper. I believe this tradition started with my grandma.
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1. Where does the story take place? How does this setting affect the story? How do you think the story would change if it were to take place in the Bronx?
The story took place in the village in a rural setting, in the early 1950's. If this were to take place in the Bronx, thing's would have gone differently because we as a community like to know what we are involving ourselves in before we do it.
2. In what ways are the characters different from one another? Why might you think that Tessie Hutchinson is singled out as the “winner”?
Everyone seems genuine, Tessie Hutchinson was singled out as a winner because she was the chosen one.
3. What is the meaning of the title, “The Lottery”? What does it make you think about before you begin reading the story?
The meaning of the title means picking out a draw, when I 1st saw the title I automatically thought of a raffle event.
4. Re-read the opening description in the first paragraph. What does this make you think the story will be about?
When I 1st read the opening description, the story sounded like it would be about a village gathering together on a beautiful day to celebrate an annual event that goes every year in their village.
5. Re-read the description of the black wooden box in paragraph five and the black spot on the “winning” slip of paper. Explain the meaning of these objects.
These objects mean something important to them, because the event is an annual tradition they don't feel the need to change the black wooden box either.
6. Were you surprised by the ending of the story? Why or why not? If not, at what point did you know what was going to happen? How does Jackson start to foreshadow the ending in paragraphs 2 and 3?
When I first read the story I was angry at the end, their reason for killing was stupidity to me. The reason it got me upset was because people were blinding following orders without any concern, they only allowed things like that to happen because it was traditional. When Tessie began to rant about how unfair things were, that's when I knew that the story had turned into something bad.
7. Define ritual. Then explain how this relates to conformity.
The definition of Ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. This relates to conformity because it allows people to follow some kind of structure.
8. Why do you think people reacted so angrily when the story was first published in The New Yorker?
Because the plot of the story was innocent people in families being murdered by the villagers in their own town.
9. Based on analysis, what would you say is the major theme of "The Lottery"?
The major theme of "the lottery" will be the town getting together to perform their annual event at harvest time.
10. What do you believe Shirley Jackson was trying to say with this short story? Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint? Why?
The message Shirley Jackson was trying to say is that people blindly follow orders, which is also referred as, blind obedience. I agree with the message she had put in this novel because it connects with the war that occurred right before this novel was written. We all follow traditions without asking questions about why it's being done.
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1. Where does the story take place? How does this setting affect the story? How do you think the story would change if it were to take place in the Bronx?
The story took place in the village in a rural setting, in the early 1950's. If this were to take place in the Bronx, thing's would have gone differently because we as a community like to know what we are involving ourselves in before we do it.
2. In what ways are the characters different from one another? Why might you think that Tessie Hutchinson is singled out as the “winner”?
Everyone seems genuine, Tessie Hutchinson was singled out as a winner because she was the chosen one.
3. What is the meaning of the title, “The Lottery”? What does it make you think about before you begin reading the story?
The meaning of the title means picking out a draw, when I 1st saw the title I automatically thought of a raffle event.
4. Re-read the opening description in the first paragraph. What does this make you think the story will be about?
When I 1st read the opening description, the story sounded like it would be about a village gathering together on a beautiful day to celebrate an annual event that goes every year in their village.
5. Re-read the description of the black wooden box in paragraph five and the black spot on the “winning” slip of paper. Explain the meaning of these objects.
These objects mean something important to them, because the event is an annual tradition they don't feel the need to change the black wooden box either.
6. Were you surprised by the ending of the story? Why or why not? If not, at what point did you know what was going to happen? How does Jackson start to foreshadow the ending in paragraphs 2 and 3?
When I first read the story I was angry at the end, their reason for killing was stupidity to me. The reason it got me upset was because people were blinding following orders without any concern, they only allowed things like that to happen because it was traditional. When Tessie began to rant about how unfair things were, that's when I knew that the story had turned into something bad.
7. Define ritual. Then explain how this relates to conformity.
The definition of Ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. This relates to conformity because it allows people to follow some kind of structure.
8. Why do you think people reacted so angrily when the story was first published in The New Yorker?
Because the plot of the story was innocent people in families being murdered by the villagers in their own town.
9. Based on analysis, what would you say is the major theme of "The Lottery"?
The major theme of "the lottery" will be the town getting together to perform their annual event at harvest time.
10. What do you believe Shirley Jackson was trying to say with this short story? Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint? Why?
The message Shirley Jackson was trying to say is that people blindly follow orders, which is also referred as, blind obedience. I agree with the message she had put in this novel because it connects with the war that occurred right before this novel was written. We all follow traditions without asking questions about why it's being done.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Introducing your claim
The reason why I chose the claim "Does the bystander effect prove that we are all weak-minded and dumb" was because I wanted to get further and deeper information about why is it that we perform the way we do when it comes to a emergency situations while being in a group. I also wanted to do more research into how would society be if we weren't social creatures. My claim helped me discover a lot of answers to questions I had when I began to learn about the bystander effect and it also developed even more questions about thing's I wasn't quite sure of. In that case i'm glad I chose the claim I did, because it managed to really make me think deeply about the world we live in.
Quick Write 4/17
No I don't think the government should control conformity. The reason why I say this is because the government already controls almost everything that goes around us on a everyday basis. Conformity should stay as a choice we decide to make, something that comes within us, not something that should be controlled. We're already viewed as puppets and by having the government control conformity we're setting ourselves up for failure.
Quick Write 4/16/2015
During class, we were asked if we think following orders would be considered as a sign of weakness? In some cases, I don't think following orders would be considered as a sign of weakness. In my opinion it shows that you have respect for what has to get done. The weakness in character only comes along when you continue to follow something that doesn't feel right. As we like to call it "blind obedience."
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