Literature Circles Book Review

The book I’m reading is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kassey. The story is about the inside society of a mental asylum and a man named McMurphy that comes to wreak havoc as a new patient.  At first, the book wasn’t that enticing to me. I was just moving along with what happened not really caring the people and not enjoying much of the book. The start is really dry, confusing and boring and it took a while to get involved in the story. However, now that I’m involved in the plot and things have progressed I have enjoyed the book. The characters may just seem crazy because they are in a mental asylum but there is a lot more depth than I initially thought. I feel a lot more for what happens to the people although not much because my opinion of the characters as good hearted citizens is low.  But, the author wrote the characters well enough for me to slowly develop an opinion but have surprises along the way. I do get shocked when an unexpected event happens and I truly have a hard time predicting any actions of any characters. That alone has made me enjoy the book much more because I like the suspense of what could happen but then I’m completely thrown off guard and I have to read more. If someone asked me if they should read the boo,k a part of me would want to say no because of how long it takes to really get engaged in the book. But a part of me would also want to say yes because after the book becomes in depth and more than just cooks in an asylum it’s a worthwhile read.

Word Count: 291 

Native American Mascot Response

  Since I don't watch sports, have no interest in sports, and don't care about sports, I care so little about what a mascot is for a team. But when I began reading TATD (The Absolutely True diary) I realized how racist the mascots are towards Native Americans. Now it could be overreacting on some parts but if there is a Native American mascot with the feathers, headdress, and painted face, why can't that apply to other groups of people? People tend to not think about Native American Mascots being racist because majority of people aren't Native American so they don't take personal offense. People tend to only be offended  when something is directed at them so seeing a Native American mascot as racist is slightly difficult. But if there were to be other races or ethnic groups people would be much more offended. For example, get a mascot called the New York Jews and the mascot is a man with a yalmaka, curly hair and a Star of David necklace. That would be considered offensive or if you had mascot for New Mexico with a stereotypical Mexican man wearing a sombrero, a curly mustache and poncho, there would be an up roaring. Most people look at a type of mascot as a representation of their team or home state so whatever the mascot is, they won't take offense. However, when you stop and look at it, a stereotypical representation of a group of people is most likely racist. Even if most people don't know about Native Americans and only assume the stereotype of feathers, headdresses and bows and arrows, ignorance doesn't make the stereotypes okay. That would be comparable to seeing an Asian or Black person on the street and asking if they eat rice or chicken. Its a stereotype and ignorance to what the culture is really like doesn't make assuming those things okay. That is why I now take the stance of Native American Mascots as racist.

Word Count: 329

Great Gatsby and A Raisin in the Sun Comparison

   The American Dream takes on two perspectives in each of these books but with similar reoccurring aspects. In the Great Gatsby  the viewpoint of the American Dream comes from people with wealth and success. Two of them worked for their money but the others didn't so they really have no American Dream. In a Raisin in the Sun, the American Dream comes from a poor family that also has problems with racial issues. The American Dream for the family in ARITS (Raisin in the Sun) is to have a decent life. They want to have a house for everyone in their family and chance for the two younger ones in the family to have a future. Their American Dream is centered around their family and everyone having a decent living situation. It is a lot harder for them though due to racial issues and the selfish interests of Walter. In the Great Gatsby, they take the shallow part of the American Dream which is wealth, no work, and play for life. Everyone in the Great Gatsby wants to just have their dilly dally lives. They don't care for anyone around them or what they do when they hurt people. A prime example is when Myrtle was hit by a car and Tom and Daisy just left without acknowledging the problem they caused. In ARITS there was a similar problem with hurting those around but Walter at least acknowledged his mistake when he gave away his money. There was a significant difference in the pride of characters in the book as well. The characters in the Great Gatsby have enough pride to never say they are wrong. When Nick went saw Tom after Gatsby's death, Tom refused to say it was his fault in any way because of lion's pride. But the opposite goes for Walter in ARITS, who had no pride towards the end of the book. Walter was willing to get down on his hands and knees for a white man because he didn't have any pride after losing the money. A part of the American Dream was the character of the people in both books and in A Great Gatsby the pride of the rich was greater than those in ARITS most likely due to their difference in goals. But, the main reason the American Dream was different in both books was the racial key factor. In A Great Gatsby all the characters were white and rich. They didn't have social class or society putting them down in the same way as ARITS. The Younger family was not only black but poor so they had the different dream to be successful and not prejudiced against. In a Great Gatsby they didn't really have an American Dream in the sense of achieving something. They had everything given to them and could simply buy everything they ever wanted. The American Dream never really existed in the gaining something sense in the Great Gatsby. For those in ARITS, their American Dream was more real and you could see them trying to achieve it throughout the play.
Word Count: 515

Written Reflection

  My approach to the investigation had a focus of traveling to foreign countries, or living in one. I learned mainly that depending on what the person's life is like, meaning children or how they were raised, will affect how they look at the American Dream. I had expected due to the lack of prejudice in my neighborhood and the diversity the American Dream would focus more on equality. However, i found that the most focus from the people i interviewed was around their children or the next generation. Their dreams were not very self-centered and it surprised me a little bit. The most challenging part was taking what i talked to people about and forming that into a common dream. I also thought having a basis for the project would be difficult, as in what to ask and how to begin the idea of what the American Dream is in my community. However, it turned out to be a lot more simplistic than i thought because everyone has an idea of an American Dream even if it is not straightforward and outwardly said.

Community Proposal

  I live in the South Loop, Dearborn Park 2. For the most part, the neighborhood contains families with children of all range or just couples. Majority of people have dogs and if you walk around someone is bound to be walking their dog. The neighborhood is pretty diverse and I wouldn't say a certain race is dominant. However, the house are split between extremely expensive, mildly expensive and just expensive houses. I plan on interviewing my neighbor with two adopted children, a slightly elderly woman who has known me since I was a child ( but she isn't family) and my mother. I think the part of the American Dream that exists in my neighborhood is lack of prejudice. I think most people are very accepting and friendly without discrimination or racism. That doesn't mean to say EVERYONE is like that but considering the diversity in the neighborhood most people don't care about race.

American Dream

Struggle for Equality in Schools

This article in the New York times was about the schools in Tucson having better opportunities towards African American students. Though the idea of a black deserving rights didn't come for a very long time in America after we became our own nation, the main foundation of our country was all men are created equal. Everyone should have the right to do as they please and not be at the beckon and call to a monarchical power. The particular school the article was referring to had a large black to white unbalanced ratio with far more blacks than whites. An important part of the American dream is that it is not the same for every American. In the case of most African Americans, the American dream to them would be equality and no segregation. The countries American dream was probably founded during the revolution and in the years to follow. At the time of the revolution, the American dream was most likely the idea that America was free as a country and all the men that belonged to this country had rights they could act upon without someone telling them it was wrong. In the past hundred years or so, the American dream evolved into something more personal than just the country. The American dream started becoming the idea everyone, no matter skin color, or gender, was equal to anyone. The article is a present day example of an American dream that has yet to be acted upon. The dream that in truth no race is greater than the other and anyone that says they have pride for the country and what we were founded for, should embrace the dream that every human is equal.

Word Count: 285

My Favorite Movie Villain

The Other "Mother"- Coraline

Sometimes kids think their parents are just really annoying. I think this too occasionally but I’ve never wished to have an "other mother". The movie Coraline appears to be just about a child that is mad at her parents so she tries to escape in her own way. The banal parent child relationship story set the movie up to look like your regular teenage angst but soon Coraline, our hero, finds herself in another world with an "other family", with my favorite villain.

   "You're just in time for supper dear. :)" When I heard that I didn't think the "other mother" was going to be the villain of the movie. She was cooking dinner and singing, which was about as far from Coraline's real mother as you can get. At first she is just this really kind, mystery lady that happens to look like Coraline's mother. OM cooks for Coraline, asks her about what she wants to do and even made the annoying kid from Coraline's real world, a taciturn companion Coraline can stand being with. This lady didn't seem at all evil, and I didn't think she could possibly be villainous. But then I started seeing her true colors and man, are they scary. This OM has been luring children into her world by emulating theirs but giving them everything they want. After trapping them, she eats them or keeps them as toys, whatever she feels that day I guess. The woman must have an insatiable appetite for little kids, I mean hey, they are delicious. The OM isn't my favorite villain because she goes about catching kids in a smart way. If I went through a door and saw everything I ever asked my parents for with this nice lady, I think I would stay. OM does her job of being nice and then evil in a perfect way that makes me love her. It's her coffee blend of fake cheerfulness mixed with a hint of duplicity which makes me like her and cheer for her to keep eating children. Even her trap for Coraline was impressive. All she had to do was kidnap Coraline’s parents, and Coraline came running. Most villains don’t try that trick until they’re already half dead and out of ideas. OM is pretty original, which is why she is my favorite movie villain.

Word Count: 390