Mango Street

One of the vignettes I chose was "My Name" because I can totally relate to that. When I was little, I would have my friends call me other things, anything except my real name. This was mostly because everywhere I went, someone else had my name, and it would be too confusing. I also like "Hips" because Nenny makes me laugh. Even though the other girls are making up their own rhymes, she just sticks to the old ones. I like when Cisneros writes, "Nenny, I say, but she doesn't hear me. She is too many light-years away. She is in a world we don't belong to anymore. Nenny. Going. Going" (52). I love seeing little kids that are in their own worlds. I think it is interesting and most times, hilarious. I also liked "Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark" because it was a change in mood. Although it is a sad change, Esperanza shows a lot of maturity in how she puts herself in her dad's shoes, and holds him. "Bums in the Attic" was also one of my favorites because it shows how compassionate Esperanza is. I like the part at the end when it says, "Rats? They'll ask. Bums, I'll say, and I'll be happy" (87). I enjoyed how Esperanza had her own names for things in the neighborhood, and how she knows everything. "Meme Ortiz is an example." I liked this section because of the end when Cisneros writes, "This is the tee we chose for the First Annual Tarzan Jumping Contest. Meme won. And broke both arms" (22). My favorite part is when she adds "and broke both arms" at the end. Cisnero's writing helps identify who she is because she gives her opinions on a lot of things, and one can tell by the way she reacts to certain things, her attitude and outlook on life. Her writing identifies how she is situated within her cultural heritage in the way that she makes several references to the Spanish culture. For instance, in the name section, she includes a lot of Spanish based names. Then there's Alice from Guadalajara, the red clowns section where the boy says, "I love you Spanish girl," and there's even some spanish language within the text. I'm not really sure how I identify myself with my culture. When I was younger my mom would get me involved in the Korean heritage through a lot of different things. It had seemed at times I enjoyed all of the things, but deep down, I hated it. I think it's because even though I knew I was adopted and Korean throughout my entire life, I still identified myself being American because that's what my whole family is, and all of my close friends too. I think cultural identity is what you think of yourself, in concern to your background.

TKAM, Blankets, & Oranges

One theme that ties these three texts together is bullying. In TKAM, Scout is bullied by Jem because he's older than her, but the most relevant is when she gets mocked by Francis, due to the fact that Atticus is defending a black man. "I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family" (83). Then in Blankets, Craig is made fun of by his classmates because he looks Ethiopian and his mom is really Christian. "Why are you so skinny? He looks like an Ethiopian! Don't touch him, you might catch a disease!" (20) He is also bullied by his Sunday school teachers in a way because they limit what he believes. Even at church camp, people leave him out and make fun of him because he is poor and can't afford to ski. They also call him a girl, like everyone at school did. In Oranges, Jeanette is bullied by the church. When she admits that she loves Melanie and she loves the Lord, they tell her she cannot love both. They deprive her of food, and won't let her leave her room until she denies her love for Melanie. "We'll come back the day after tomorrow, he confided to my mother. Meantime, don't let her out of this room and don't feed her" (107). All three of these texts connect through bullying, and Scout, Craig, and Jeanette grow from it. Scout learns to deal with her anger. She also learns about the issues with the trial and more importantly not to judge people. Through getting bullied, Craig learns a lot about who he is. Although he does not have it completely figured out in the end, he seems the most content he had ever been. Jeanette learns to deal with loss, and I think the whole situation with Melanie and the church made her a stronger person. She gets more involved in her church community, and deals with it. The greater purposes of these texts are to teach readers the difference between right and wrong, and they illustrate both sides. The situations in each text are very different from each other and I think they "talk" to each other through their conflicts. They show us as a society that even when the going gets tough, everything can work out okay in the end, if you allow it to. Jeanette would not have been as well in the end, if she would not have given into the pastor and her mother. Like this, if Scout would have beaten every kid up that made fun of her, she would have been in a very bad situation with her family, friends, and school. On the otherhand, they are all kind of forced by authority to change their beliefs. Jeanette is told it is wrong to love another woman, and that kind of love is from the demon. Then Craig is told he won't be able to draw in Heaven, only sing, which he hates. Yet, they both seem all right in the end.

Blankets & Oranges

How do the literary passages in Oranges and the graphic panels in Blankets relate to one another?
I chose the section from Blankets where Craig burns all of Raina's things, and the passage on page 112 from Oranges, when Jeanette's mother burns all of Melanie's things. These segments relate to each other in the way that the person that is closest to the main characters' things are burned. In Blankets, Craig sets Raina's stuff on fire because he wants to forget her, and move on. In Oranges, Jeanette's mom burns all of the notes and stuff from Melanie because she believes that what they had between each other was sinful and demon possessed. While, Craig's actions are almost freeing him, Jeanette feels betrayed. In both of these sections, the burning of possessions symbolizes forgetting the past, but it's done for two very different reasons.

What visual imagery do both texts create?
Both texts create the image that the same kind of belongings are being set on fire. Oranges and Blankets provoke sad images because Jeanette and Craig are both losing part of themselves in this section, and one can picture what they are going through at this moment.

Is one text more effective than the other? Why/why not? Explain?
I thought they were both equally effective in different ways. Blankets was effective because the whole text was available, and the pictures really helped relay the author's message. However, I thought Oranges was more descriptive in what was happening, on a deeper level through the text.

What emotions or personal connections do the texts evoke? How are the authors able to accomplish this? (consider language, imagery, and the conventions of both texts).
The texts both evoke sad emotions, and a sense of loss. Even though without their possessions, both characters have the memories from Raina and Melanie, but some things you can't replace. In Blankets, the author accomplishes this through a number of graphic panels. It seems like it takes forever for Craig to gather all of Raina's things, even though it is only four short pages. The expressions on Craig's face explain his emotions. In Oranges, when the author writes, "She burnt a lot more than letters that night in the backyard," the reader can sense the betrayal and sadness felt by Jeanette.

Blankets

I chose the passage that is right at the beginning of section IV, Teen Spirit (pages 323-333) The section starts with Craig and Phil in bed, and Phil tries to play a trick on Craig, acting like he peed on him. At first, Craig is doubtful, but when Phil pulls his pants down, Craig freaks out, and takes revenge. Phil tries to explain that it was a joke and that no one is capable of peeing just one drop, but Craig states that if Phil can do it, so can he. Craig soon realizes it is not possible, and tries to comfort his younger brother, which shows that he really does care about Phil. His younger brother doesn't accept the apology, and ends up peeing all over Craig. Their mom walks in the room as Phil is peeing on Craig. It is awkward and disturbing. They both realize their actions were wrong. Craig's flashback on the incident is to demonstrate a milestone in his life--taking his first shower, sparking maturity. I found it interesting how in the last illustration on page 332, Craig's arms are wrapped around himself, covering his body, due to shame and his sinfulness, and on the next page, he is in the same position, in a whole different environment, years later. I think it's saying that even after maturing from the pee night, he still feels the same shame and insecurity. It's because he knows he is involving himself in sinful activities he does not feel right taking part in. I feel like this section was included to somewhat entertain it's audience, however, I was a little disturbed. I think the author's purpose for involving the "pee" incident is to illustrate the two boys' immaturity, and show how Craig grows through the situation.

Belief

I think I have a lot of beliefs, but I don't find them to be very dense...My main belief in life has to do with God. I grew up in a Christian family, attended a Reformed church, and have followed that belief my whole life. My family has had a large impact on my system of beliefs, as well as my friends. I also believe that life is what you make of it, and that everything happens for a reason. I have encountered many people who have disagreed with my belief, regarding religion. As much as I have faith in what I believe, I respect other people's choices to disagree, and follow other paths. So, I guess when others have challeneged my beliefs, I did not really call them out on anything because it's their own set of beilefs, and I don't feel like I have the right to judge them.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, the belief that Boo Radley exists is a very firm one. Although Scout, Jem, and Dill have never seen him before, they still believe that he exists and that he is pretty much a freak. At the end of the book, they all realize that he is a real person that has feelings, and is not at all what they thought he once was. "An' they chased him 'n' never could catch him 'cause they didn't know what he looked like, an' Attics, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things...Atticus, he was real nice..." "Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." This is when Scout realizes that Boo is actually a really good man.

Political Cartoon & To Kill A Mockingbird

This political cartoon is pretty much saying that Afghan women should be ignored, and they have no say in anything that goes on. It's showing that males have the upper hand over women.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout begins the book having a set opinion on Boo Radley and his life he has lived/lives. She assumes based on what she has heard from her brother and neighbors that Boo is just a locked up crazy freak who murdered his relative with a scissors. Through different events such as Dill's absence, the trial of Tom Robinson and all of it's troubles it causes the Finch family, and finally when Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem's lives at the end, Scout is able to mature and her outlook on prejudices changes to the extreme. She now realizes the once quiet, simple neighborhood she once lived in, isn't all it was cut out to be. Scout then understands the complexity of the town, and ugliness it holds.

Dill's leaving is a key time in Scout's journey to maturity because it forces her to grow up on her own, and she no longer can look forward to his return (until she finds him hiding). She also takes a break from trying to get Boo out of his house with Jem because of the distraction of the trial Atticus is involved in. Secretly attending the trial is another point in time where Scout comes face to face with the unfairness of the world. After she takes all of the crap people feed her and Jem about their father loving blacks and what not, she then has to experience her father's failure to prove the jury otherwise, concerning Tom Robinson.

When Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem at the end, Scout sees the true Arthur Radley, and realizes he is everything she once thought he was not. This is a major stage of Scout's maturity because she learns not to be prejudice against people before one actually sees/meets them.

The section I chose to write about is in Chapter 9 when Scout's Aunt Alexandra's grandson, Francis, tells Scout that her father is a nigger-lover. I chose this section because it made me really angry. Scout ends up punching Francis in the mouth, and her Uncle Jack yells at her for it, and gives her a licking. He later approaches Scout to have a serious talk about the situation, and Scout informs him of what Francis said to provoke the fight. Uncle Jack then gets infuriated and goes after Francis. I liked this passage because it made me feel for Scout, and it really pissed me off. Someone once told me a good book is one that makes one feel...and I have come to realize that sometimes when I hate a book so much because of it's events and such, that the statement applies. Although I was happy that there was somewhat justice in the end when Scout's uncle finds out the truth, I still look back at the passage in anger. When Francis yells, "Grandma, she's got me in here and she won't let me out," I shook my head because A) he's being a wuss that's really annoying and B) it's his own fault for provoking Scout to do so. What makes me even more angry is after Scout gets scolded for her actions towards Francis and her bad language, Francis has the nerve to say nigger-lover again. I'm glad Scout ends up punching him in the teeth.