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Correspondence School

 

          Something I learned when reading the second half of “I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister” – there is always correspondence school. Sohane barely gets through the school day that she decided to wear a scarf on her head. The teachers will not let Sohane come to class and she ends up in the library for most of the day. The school takes the side of the law that states religious items are not allowed, including head coverings. This time, instead of Sohane taking care of her little sister, Djelila takes care of her big sister. Djelila visits Sohane at the library and brings her food. On the way to school, Djelila sat with Sohane the entire ride instead of socializing with her friends.

            After school, Sohane and Djelila meet to go see their grandmother, Hana. This is Hana’s first direct appearance in the story. I wasn’t sure what to expect since there seemed to be all sorts of opinions and worries. When it came down to it, though, Hana and her friends (she had several over) seemed to be enjoying life. They literally were singing and dancing and laughing. If anyone found a way to be herself in the story, Hana did.

                When the sisters return home, it is time to deal with the issue of Sohane and school. Sohane has already decided that she will earn her diploma through correspondence school. Sohane’s dad is supportive and writes out the check after Sohane figures out the cost. Sohane’s mom leans more towards Sohane staying where she is and not wearing the scarf. I found it interesting how supportive the dad was over the mom. It seems the conflict in the story comes from trying to be yourself, and what happens when that expression of yourself conflicts with others who are or believe they are in authority. As far as how Sohane and Djelila grew up, their parents seem to allow the personal expressions, within certain guidelines.

            I am looking forward to discussing with the rest of the literature circle and figuring out what we are going to present.

Partitions

            This week, we began reading our literature circle book choice. All the books have a Muslim or Muslim/American theme. My group is reading “I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister. by Amelie Sarn. In the first half of the book, the narrator, Sohane, goes back and forth between what is presently happening and the events that led up to everything. The relationship with her sister Djelila has always been close. They share a room. They leave together and ride the bus to school. They are close in age. Even when they disagree, they seem to find their way back to a close relationship.

            I found the use of the idea of “partitions” most interesting. Sohane wrote about having one identity at home for the family, one for school and friends, and those not aligning to who you really are. Both of the sisters are trying to figure out who they are, and they express this in different ways. Djelila is social and on the basketball team and does not wear traditional Muslim head coverings and she is not interested in anything religious even after growing up that way. Sohane is more conservative and wants her identity to include the tie to her religion and decides to start wearing a head scarf. The question is, knowing that all the personality partitions exist, what will happen when you want to be yourself? In Djelila’s case, she is watched by a group of guys who are not in favor of what she does and eventually she is killed. Right before that, when Djelila questions her uncle, it is seen as disrespect. Djelila gets out of that situation when her mother claims Djelila seems sick and should go to bed. What I wonder is how this works in general. Do you feel like your life is partitioned similarly? That, for example, when you are with family you must act one way yet it can be different at work or around friends? What is an example and how do you feel about it?

The Real Secret

            Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe has been an awesome read. Although narrated by Ari, the reader still gets a good sense of Dante’s perspective through the dialogue. What I found interesting is that Dante knows he likes boys, yet he is ashamed to tell his parents. Dante’s parents are supportive of anything involving Dante, and that is still true when they find out he is gay. On the flip side, Ari’s secret seems to be from himself. The entire time Ari and Dante have known each other it has been love. In Ari’s case, it takes his parents, and a family meeting, to convince him to “come out.” Ari’s parents are especially supportive because of a close aunt who happened to like girls. Ari’s aunt lived with her partner until death. Ari’s mom commented that her aunt taught her a lot. I think Ari’s mom knew early in the story that Ari and Dante had more than a “best friend” relationship.

           

I’m going to switch to the idea of “coming out.” In a story, such as this book, “coming out” has to do with expressing sexual orientation, such as being gay. After reading the book and participating in a class discussion on Tuesday, I have a different thought. An expansion, really. A quote from the book sums it up well “The problem with my life was that it was someone else’s idea.” It is hard to get past what others want, especially while growing up. Sometimes one is lucky enough to find a new path in college or once you can leave home. If and when you do that, whatever the age, I would say that is also “coming out,” in the sense that you are finding out what you like and who you are. I realized how much I was still under people’s and certain society’s expectations when I began to live on my own. One of my professors unraveled those expectations even more in a business class and follow-up discussions. Now, as I get ready to graduate, I feel like the new puzzle pieces can be put together and the “Stacy B” picture will appear. Ari mentions something about adults always changing. Yes. So, come out, be yourself, and let’s all see where that takes us. 

Explorations

            Ari and Dante. Dante and Ari. They still manage to maintain their friendship even with the distance. Dante has moved to Chicago because his dad has a job for eight months. Most of their communications are through letters. According to Dante, it is a 7 to 1 ratio – for every seven letters that Dante sends to Ari, Ari writes and sends one. What Dante writes about most is how he is exploring. I’m not sure if he does it because he wants to or because that is what teenagers are supposed to do. He tried beer, for example. Dante also states that he kissed a girl, and that he is more interested in kissing boys. Ari decides to follow Dante’s example with both beer and kissing girls, and he begins to hang out more with a couple of female friends who he has known for a long time. Ari’s opinions of the two friends are not that high, but that seems to be ok. The most important event for Ari is getting his driver’s license. Ari’s parents buy him an old pickup truck, and Ari could not be happier. By the end of this second section of the story, although the two boys are not together, they are each finding their own ways to things. Ari also has a job. Flipping burgers to earn money may not seem great yet it is a freedom for Ari.

           

Towards the end, Dante’s letters are about wanting to kiss Ari, which Ari does not directly respond to at this point. Ari reflects on all the ideas that Dante presents in his letters or conversations. At first, he has a girl who he thinks about and she kisses and flirts with Ari, even though she has a boyfriend. When he finds out she disappeared because she is pregnant and had to get married, he wonders about the entire situation and his actual feelings, wondering if he is more like Dante.

            I don’t have much to reflect on this because I feel like the meat of the story is still coming. We are not scheduled to finish the book until after we return from spring break in another week. I do like that the boys write to each other and the actions match their characteristics. It is not surprising, for example, that Dante writes more often than Ari. Even with the distance, they are still learning from each other and it makes me wonder what will happen when they reunite in person again. Are they “just friends,” or will they both be exploring more with each other?

Learning to Swim

 

          The class is finally reading the book I have been most curious about since knowing the title, “Aristotle and DanteDiscover the Secrets of the Universe,” by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Although I probably could read more of it at a time, we are reading it slower than the last few books. It is a little bit denser and longer, and there is a lot going on.

            Aristotle, known as Ari, and Dante are both Mexican-American by birth, and you only know that because they talk about it, and about their family differences. Aristotle knows more about the culture than Dante. Dante seems to know more about general life. They meet one summer when Dante offers to teach Ari how to swim. Ari had been trying to learn how to swim by himself since 15 is an odd age to be taught by the teenage lifeguards. As the story progresses, the reader learns more about each of the two boys and their parents. Since Ari is narrating, his accounts include first person conversations with his mom. Dante is Ari’s only friend, which for some reason Aristotle’s mom decides to blow off as a fact. Ari’s mom makes a comment about Ari not having any friends, even when Dante is mentioned..

           

Part of what the two are trying to figure out is how things work. In Ari’s case, he is trying to find out more about his dad. Ari also wants to know why no one talks about his brother, and why there are no pictures, as if the brother never existed. It is interesting that Ari’s siblings are so much older. His twin sisters are 27 and he is 15. The brother no one talks about is 25. In-between, Ari’s dad served in Vietnam, and Ari’s mom completed college with a teaching degree. The reader learns about all of these facts when Ari thinks about it or when Dante is able to get Ari to talk about his thoughts. I know that many who served in Vietnam do not like to talk about it, but it makes me wonder if that is the only reason Ari’s dad is quiet. Even his mom does not know why her husband hurts, and it seems like she would know more. What I have found most interesting is that each of the two boys thinks that they do not fit in the world and that they are alone. When they discuss that fact then they each feel a little bit better, at least during their time together. Learning to swim is not only literal, it is figuratively what the boys are learning through their relationship with each other. They each have skills or knowledge that fills in a gap for the other. The story feels real, in that sense.

Selling your Soul

           

The final part of the book AmericanBorn Chinese has a twist at the end. Jin wanted to look more American so badly that he sold his soul. It fooled many people until the Monkey King called Jin out. Jin’s cousin turned out to be the Monkey King, and also Wei-chen’s father. All of these twists and turns. Does your stomach hurt yet? That’s what happens, among other symptoms, when I do things that do not align with my values.

            In the end, then, this story seems narrated. It is not really from the view of the youth in the story and instead is a story that is told for lessons, as the twist shows. Not many adults appear throughout the story besides the dinner party the Monkey King wants to attend, and a parent or teacher here and there.

            When it comes to stereotypes, the characters are exaggerated with how they talk and the names used. Plus, there are references showing the ignorance of others with such phrases as “fresh off the boat.” The youth do not seem to have a choice and go along with the environment or adults. Probably the most exaggerated is when Danny’s cousin comes to visit.  Even though his cousin is supposed to be about the same age, the cousin is really the Monkey King, an adult.

           

A metaphor throughout the stories is the use of the Transformer toy. Just like the characters do not want to be their true selves, the Transformer is a robot that can change into another form. The only difference is that the robot is a toy and the characters want to permanently change. I thought the Transformer made a good representation of the struggle. Jin even wanted to be a Transformer when he grew up, and seemed to get his wish for a while in high school.

It’s not easy being Green

            The next book for class is a graphic novel, American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang. My first taste of a graphic novel came during the last English class when we had a chance to create a comic based on a profile essay. I can see why some prefer a graphic instead of all text. It is easier to read and the drawings help to interpret what is happening. Although I have not personally read any graphic novels before this assignment, I had a blast creating a comic. I loved the chance to be creative in the pictures as well as the words and I hope to find reasons to create more.

           

As far as American Born Chinese, it is three different stories braided throughout the book. They all have one theme – something about the main character makes them different and not accepted. One, for example, is a monkey. He tries hard to hide that fact. The thing is, it is not possible to hide who you are. The closest who is able is Danny, until his cousin is around. When Danny is on his own, he gets away with people not knowing his background. Once everyone is aware of who his cousin is, then they believe that Danny is more like that, and Danny is bullied and eventually switches schools. Since he is on the basketball team, he wants to be able to stay, and confides in someone on the team who says it will be ok, and the friend may even mean it. Then there is the third story with Jin. At first, he is one of the only Asian students. Mostly, he sounds shy and like he wishes he could fit in and does not more because he is awkward more than anything. He makes friends with Wei-chen. While Wei-chen learns to be more American, he also teaches Jin to be more forward. I like their dialogue because it could be any two guys talking about girls and how to get through life. It will be interesting to see how all of the stories end.

Life and Dreaming

          Out of all the books we have read, “Brown Girl Dreaming” may be my favorite. Jacqueline Woodson writes from memory. Although she is doing this as an adult, I believe the perspectives are how she viewed the world at the time, as a child. Memory can be a funny thing and Woodson does a good job of capturing her world as it was. Woodson also overlaps what is happening in the greater world and how she and her family fit in.

            Woodson has a common theme in that she is always dreaming and making up stories. Family vacations, for example, are more interesting to her when she creates the story instead of telling what really happened in the summer. Does this make her more interesting in the eyes of her classmates? Maybe. What it does do for Woodson is keep up her writing and storytelling skills, which is a definite asset. One day Woodson’s teacher states “You are a writer.” It is not a made-up thing or a future aspiration and instead it is a current event.

            What we read about are the different transitions and settings – Woodson is born in Ohio and moves with her mom and siblings to Greenville to live with her grandparents. Woodson’s mom goes off to New York City and returns to Greenville, along with a new baby, to bring all the kids back. At this point, Woodson and her older siblings straddle between the two cities, visiting Greenville in the summer, until her grandfather passes away. After that, Woodson’s grandmother moves to New York and stays with them.

            Another part that is different once they move to New York is that Woodson has friends. When in Greenville, the siblings played with each other. In New York City, Woodson gains a best friend and even a second best friend forever. It is challenging when the other two can play with each other and Woodson must stay inside. Maybe even a deep feeling of missing out or, even worse, of being replaced. Either way, it is relatable and not just a childhood angst. Overall, I thought “Brown Girl Dreaming” expressed a great way to reflect on growing up and how life fit into the bigger picture of the world.

People

           

We started a new book this week. It is a memoir titled “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson. Woodson writes in free verse on different topics described under each heading. I have enjoyed reading the first part of it. Even with the verses, it has been easy to read and follow. The person sitting next to me on the bus today recognized the book and started a conversation about it. She also liked it and is a student in the elementary education program.

            Woodson is African American and the third child, born in 1963. Her father decides to name her “Jack” after him. Woodson’s mom edits the name to “Jaqueline” to make sure that it stays in the feminine form. The family lives in the North, residing in Columbus, Ohio. Woodson’s mom, Mary Ann, is originally from Greenville, South Carolina. Every winter, Mary Ann and her three children return to Greenville. Eventually, Mary Ann and the children stay in Greenville after Mary Ann and Jack end their relationship. They live in the same house where Mary Ann grew up, with her parents.

           

The topics Woodson writes about includes what she learned about her family’s history, playing only with her siblings, and why they considered traveling at night to be safer. Woodson weaved all of this with the undercurrent of the different marches. Over a hundred years later and segregation had only ended on paper, not in practice. I liked the description of the lady next door who would have been fired if she marched. Instead of marching, she made sure to provide full dinners and social time for those who did, to help them stay strong and alert. In the description, once people began to arrive, the blinds and the doors both closed, keeping everything private. Anybody wandering by probably would not think twice about it.

           

I really liked when Woodson described different interactions with people in town. She mentions her mom or grandmother not interacting with certain businesses because they treated customers different. At one store, for example, someone specifically follows any African-American customers to make sure they are not stealing. The fabric store, on the other hand, is completely opposite. As customers, they are not treated by their race and instead are treated like people. People, treated like people. What a basic concept. Yet in the fight to have equality, we are constantly reminded of all our different labels – race, gender, etc – possibly making it sound racist to state that those labels don’t matter. That’s not exactly what I am stating. I embrace and want to learn about people, and those factors can be characteristics. They are also thought of stereotypically. It’d be like stating that since I am a woman I want to get married, stay home, and have lots of kids. Instead, getting to know someone as a person, you would probably find out something completely different. People being treated like people...YES!

Yaqui Delgado through the Youth Lens

                

When it comes down to it, Piddy is lucky. Yes, she is being bullied and yes, she gets pretty beat up. Piddy is lucky because she has people who care. In the beginning, Piddy acts and is treated more like a child. Piddy works with her mom’s best friend, Lila, and Piddy also shares some of the responsibilities of the house when her mom, Clara, works late. Both of these bring Piddy more into an adult world, although she is treated more like a child with certain assumptions. Some of those assumptions include the idea that Piddy must be going off because of a boy or bringing on trouble. When Piddy finally decides to stick up for herself and take charge, it is the turning point. She has to tell her mom and they meet with school administrators. The administrator assumes Piddy’s mom will make the final decision on what to do next, and it is Piddy who speaks up. Even more to the point, though, is the fact that Piddy’s mom does not dismiss Piddy’s choice, fully supporting her daughter.

            The book has a definite theme of poverty. The difference between this book and Eleanor and Park seems to be the support. Even though Clara and Lila are not wealthy, they have each other and they both support Piddy. The difference in wealth can be seen when Piddy visits her best friend Mitzi.

Their worlds and their concerns are completely different. In Eleanor and Park, Eleanor does not have any support until Park and fights for survival. Piddy has the social support outside of school and is able to follow what her mom does – working, cooking, cleaning -  and deals with it.

           

Overall, I thought the book was ok. The author made a lot of cultural points through the use of the characters. There seemed to be an assumption that a teenager would tantrum and run away like a young child and consequently may or may not be heard. It took a long time for Piddy to change, making her character flat. I wanted to see more interactions and maybe even more of Yaqui’s information. As the reader, I found it difficult to understand the entire picture and how the bullying seemed to appear suddenly. I did like the subtle connection to Joey and his parents, which seemed to showcase how many people observe problems such as abuse and bullying and will not do anything about it and let the tradition carry on. Piddy’s relationship with Joey helps her make that connection and the decision to press charges.

Looking at Eleanor and Park through a Youth Lens

                

Adding to the discussion of the books we are reading in class, we learned about a youth lens. The youth lens is a way to analyze the adolescent(s) in our texts. The analysis is divided into five parts: characterization, setting, plot, theme, and metaphor. For today’s post, I am going to look at the characters of Eleanor and Park, from the book with the same title, through the youth lens.

            The first question is how Eleanor and Park are positioned in relation to the adults. Both characters are not taken seriously by adults. Eleanor’s step-dad, Richie, for example, wants full control. The police officers who answer the call do not seem to completely believe Eleanor. At least the gym teacher takes Eleanor seriously when there is evidence because Eleanor’s clothes are literally in the toilet. Park does not meet his dad’s expectations, and is not allowed to get his driver’s license until he can prove he can drive a stick shift. Park’s mom finally sets up the driving test for him. Overall, Park’s parents are the most supportive adults in the story

            The second question involves the setting. Part of the control Richie has over Eleanor, for example, means that when Eleanor is at home she is confined to her bedroom and usually stays on her bed since that seems to be the safest place. Even the bathroom does not work as a relief because there is no door. Eleanor has to be selective about when she bathes, for example. The only relief Eleanor finds is after she begins to feel comfortable at Park’s house, and eventually she lives in Minneapolis with her aunt and uncle. Park is constrained, as mentioned, by his dad. Most of it has to do with the expectations of male characteristics, which is why they do not get along related to driving and when Park wears eye liner.

         

   The plot weaves a love story around the themes of bullying and poverty. The adults mostly seem to accept things as they are on individual levels, especially Eleanor’s mom. Even though she is being abused, Eleanor’s mom sees it as her life and does not even try too much to shield her children from it. What is interesting is that Tina is one of the bullies, yet when Richie is chasing down Eleanor, Tina takes Eleanor’s side. Also, Park decides to drive Eleanor to Minneapolis and he has to convince his father that he means to come back. In other words, although the teens might fight against each other, they still tend to be on the same side as each other, and separate from the adults.

            Finally, the author seems to have specific opinions of how to portray youth. She seems to contrast it most through the character of Eleanor. An example is the comments Eleanor makes about Romeo and Juliet and how silly and unrealistic they are as characters. Another example is how Eleanor tends to go with the flow as far as how she handles bullying. The two main characters seemed like realistic versions of youth, with each of their experiences allowing them to mature in that area.

Friendly Warning

     The newest book for English Literature class is “Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick yourAss,” by Meg Medina. The title is referencing a female in the high school. Piddy, the main character of the book, finds out this information from a kid named Vanesa. Piddy has no idea who Yaqui Delgado is or what she did to deserve the threat. Piddy finds out more from Darlene, her friend who also happens to work in the guidance office and is in the know. Are you following all of this yet? Yes, drama from the start. The reader learns as Piddy does, following her thoughts and actions.

            Piddy lives with her mom and they move right before the start of the school year because the apartment is falling apart. The highlight of moving is that Piddy, who is almost 16, will finally have her own room. It goes downhill from there. When Darlene clarifies the message, that becomes all that Piddy can focus on. Piddy is not even aware WHO Yaqui Delgado is until that point.

            I find this story somewhere in-between reading Eleanor and Park and Feed. It has been easier to follow than Feed, yet I am not as engaged in the story as I was in Eleanor and Park. A difference in the bullying between this book and the other two is that Piddy is Latina, and the group picking on her is also Latin. The Latin culture is expanded through Piddy’s interactions outside of school with her mom and Lila and especially at the salon where she works part-time. The discussions revolve around shape and size and looks, which Piddy relates to her friend from the old neighborhood, Mitzi. The fact that the bullying may be over a guy is weird to Piddy. Mitzi attracted guys, not Piddy. As Piddy begins to pay attention, she realizes that maybe guys are noticing.

            To me, the story also feels more like middle school than high school with the thoughts, emotions and actions expressed, even though Eleanor was also the new high school student bullied. I hear all the time about kids being bullied. Sometimes the kids are in elementary school. I am just as curious about what will happen between Piddy and her mom, and if she will find out more about her dad and the relationship they had. I am also curious if anything more will develop with the boy from her old neighborhood. Those storylines are more interesting to me right now than the bullying Piddy is trying to avoid. The bullying has more been in her head and is only clear in pieces, such as getting showered by chocolate milk. Stay tuned!

Hands On

In-between reading Feed and our next book we have a subvertisement assignment. The idea is to find an ad and then change it to show a new idea. I have had a hard time finding an ad that had a topic I could restate. Then I saw the ads for tools. I think this really hit home because I have been around a lot of guys lately who are into their tools. Listening to them is like listening to another language being spoken and I am able to recognize a word here and there. Screwdriver. Tape measure. Hammer. These are all items I have used and would want as a part of my tool box. Yet, when I looked at the ads, they were clearly aimed at a male audience. One ad made it sound like you were a girl if you didn’t buy their product. Why is that supposed to be a bad thing? I have noticed more guys with tools and these same guys will create some beautiful items. Many of these guys, in my experience, will make the garage into their hang out. To go along with the stereotype, I am suggesting that these ads are putting women into the “thing” category, and that guys successful with tools will also be successful with women. Easy. Cause women are easy to screw. That’s what these ads make me think of, anyways. The tool company seems to have built its audience. My thing is to say what is obvious instead of trying to hide behind the words being used or the size of the item in the photo. Below are the original and redone images.

All Sales Final

Finishing Feed turned out to be better than my first impressions of the book. Many of the issues in this book reminded me of Eleanor and Park. They both discussed inequality of wealth and not fitting in to social norms. The characters picked on Eleanor in the same way Violet became ostracized. The relationships of these two characters with a significant other defined and decided their fate at the end. What Eleanor didn’t have at home or too much at school, she had with Park, and eventually, his family, and then her aunt and uncle – support and an environment to thrive in. Eleanor had to constantly be in survival mode until she made it inside her uncle’s house in Minneapolis. Although the story doesn’t confirm what happens to Eleanor and Park’s relationship, we do know that Eleanor ends up ok in the end. In fact, Eleanor’s mom and siblings may have made it to safety, too.

Violet and Titus are a different type of couple than Eleanor and Park. Yes, they are still in a teenage romance. Violet and Titus did not have a chance at happily ever after. Violet did teach Titus more about what a relationship could mean. She also taught Titus that being outside the Feed could be ok. Other than that, Titus wanted to fit in with his friends and more saw Violet as beautiful and less as a person. Titus sometimes even agreed with his friends about Violet’s craziness. Violet’s “illness” is tough for Titus. He had expected a couple of months of fun and it scared him that she imagined them in a lifetime commitment. It scared him further when he learned that she was dying. It is tough on couples who have long-term relationships to go through one of them being terminally ill. Although I thought that Titus could have been more sympathetic, I agreed that it was not fair to assume they wanted the same future.

The missing piece is empathy. Titus finally connected to it when he took on Violet’s memories as if he were Violet. This is not out of the ordinary. As this article here shows, to thrive, humans need more relationships like Eleanor and Park. Not the sappy part. Rather, the openness and willingness to help out and care and be cared for. Without that relationship, Eleanor would have had a different fate by the end of the book. She had gained connections and trust of people on her side. Violet had her dad. When Violet tried to cultivate relationships beyond her dad, she could not connect well to anyone except for a brief time with Titus. The world today seems more like the Feed version than the Eleanor and Park version. People are more interested in connecting with their games or hiding out, for example, then connecting to each other, sappy or not. Studies have proven that there is a relationship between staying healthy to having a strong social circle. I believe we are already at risk until the trend can be reversed.

MAL-adaptive

Reading the second assigned section of Feed (M.T. Anderson), about 75 pages, went faster than the first 150 pages. More of a story developed, especially around and with Violet. It is Titus’ perspective, though, so when it is not dialogue between them the viewpoint is his thoughts and reactions. Much of the story seems to go back and forth between what society wants people to think and do, perpetuated through the feed and especially the trends portrayed by some of Titus’ female friends. 

One trend in particular that seems to be growing are the lesions. When I first read it, I thought it might be equal to acne. As the story has progressed, though, there has been mentions in news reports that lesions are not a reaction to anything. That last part makes me go “hmmmm….” 

Of course, to make it more socially acceptable, movie and TV stars begin to show their lesions, and it becomes trendy. People stop worrying and instead want to show off lesions. It doesn’t stop there. The next trend is some type of surgery to add fake lesions with real cuts. Somehow, having lesions is “sexy,” and one of the girls decides to outdo another and get them all over her body, partially in the hope of attracting a guy. They are all a part of the same social circle and the guy, Link, tends to be an attraction to all of the girls. Even Violet. 

When Violet tells Titus that she felt that attraction at first, even though Link is ugly, Titus doesn’t seem to understand. I like it when they have conversations about those types of topics. Maybe because it seems a little bit more normal than watching images in your head. Of course, that is if they are fully human. As Violet continues to break down the reader learns more about how the feed developed in the first place.

*Star Trek alert* Out of all the Star Trek TV shows, The Next Generation is my favorite. This book reminds me of Data. The difference is that Data looks human and everyone knows he is an android. He did have a brother that had an emotions chip, and that chip made the brother crazy. Data has to learn about the world similar to a child – by asking a lot of questions and then processing the answers. Computer processing, in his case. Data definitely grows as a character.

The characters in Feed are almost more like the Borg, where they begin in one form and assimilate to the group. Violet is the one trying to break this chain, and Titus seems caught. He likes learning what Violet teaches him, yet he wants to be a part of the social norm. Titus is embarrassed or mad about Violet’s outbursts, even though he knows she is broken. Is that a dig at mental illness? Either way, the relationship cannot be perfect anymore. Will they even stay together or be friends? Is this what is meant by “coming into your own?"

To the Moon and Back

Feed, by M.T. Anderson, is the second discussion book for English 1100. The writing for Feed is much different than Eleanor and Park. First, Feed takes place in the future. What I find most interesting is how Anderson portrays the future, and that it does not seem much different from where we are today. Groups of teenagers, for example, go to the moon in the story like they might go to Florida now. Even the reason seems the same – to have a good time, however that is defined.

I found the chats the most fascinating. Communications literally took place in people’s heads. Speaking out loud had become weird, and the characters would even forget that they could speak out loud. Plus, the idea of a feed seems to be constant news and advertising, still inside heads, to complement the thoughts and sights of the characters. Facebook had not been created by the time the book published, yet the interactions reminded me of that. The difference is that the characters signed in because of a chip in their head, so computers and people combined. Does that make these characters human or maybe they are a society of artificial intelligence beings?

While reading Eleanor and Park, I could relate and remember the names of the characters. In Feed, it is more one-dimensional. Maybe because she is the focus of the narrator, the only character who stands out to me is Violet. Violet’s dad saved up for a year so she could go to the moon, and her first experience includes an incident where there is a hacker. Violet is not rich like everyone else, and it took longer for her to be on the Feed, too. Plus, she was taught school at home. Violet’s home is not in its own bubble, either. Instead, her home is with others on the same block, or maybe bigger. Violet is also the one with ideas to mess with the Feed.

The most challenging part to reading this book is that I want it to move faster. The language makes it difficult. I can figure out the context of some of the words, such as “unit,” which seems to be used like “dude.” Overall, I am curious to see how the story will play out.

Social Construction Strikes Again

Along with the final 100 pages or so of Eleanor and Park, the class began a discussion of the social construction of adolescence. According to the material we read, 13 to 19-year-old people have crazy characteristics, such as raging hormones, and it is out of their control and a part of life. The introduction to “Act your Age!” discusses that creating the adolescence category is a way to make those of that age group seem less important and not fully developed. The craziness means that they are not people to be taken seriously. This last point, especially, has been brought up several times during class in regards to Eleanor. When Eleanor calls the police after hearing gun shots, for example, the police officers’ response is to send Eleanor in the house first and not really be concerned about her safety. Also, when Eleanor makes it to her aunt and uncle’s house in Minneapolis, her uncle’s reaction to Eleanor’s story is “What if she is lying?” Although there might be other reasons for either of these examples, the theme seems to point to a 16-year-old not being important because that is not the age of an adult.

As a psychology student, I have thought about development a lot. In child psychology, we discussed puberty versus adolescence, noting that puberty is biological. More than that, though, is what happens naturally in a human’s development, such as crying, walking, or talking. Human development is also dependent on the environment – is there a parent presenting examples and feedback so the child doesn’t constantly swear or is willing to share toys? Based on the child psychology class material, most people do not mature as much as they can do. I used to believe that being a certain age equaled certain characteristics, and this is not true. Relating this to Eleanor and Park, it makes me wonder what Eleanor’s mom’s life was like growing up and why she doesn’t seem to have any family connections outside of a brother long-distance.

Overall, I loved this book and I am glad that Eleanor was able to find more support beyond Park and his parents before the end of the book. This seemed to happen because of the relationship between Eleanor and Park and the fact that there are people who can be trusted and supportive if you let them. 

Not a Girlie Girl

Similar to the first 114 pages of Eleanor and Park, I read the next one hundred pages in one sitting. In fact, I couldn’t wait to get home on Thursday just to be able to read. Books have not been that exciting in a while.

As the story progressed, I liked how Park’s family became more involved. When Park’s mom, Mindy, observed Eleanor with her family at the grocery store, that seemed to remind her of a personal connection. Mindy commented that she knew about having many siblings. From that point on, Park invited Eleanor over with his mom’s approval. Park also had his dad consistently inviting Eleanor to stay for dinner, and insisting that it be considered an open invitation. Park's dad invited Eleanor especially because he knew her step-dad, Richie, and knew it would probably be better to be at their house instead of her own house. I liked this because it took away some of the individual burden Eleanor felt. Eleanor even shared more with Park about her home life.

Is there a price to pay for that support? Park’s mom, Mindy, is a beautician, with their garage as her shop. It is easy to tell that Mindy enjoys what she does for the business and she also enjoys it personally. In fact, her view of females is that they present themselves with makeup on and hair done. Mindy tries to encourage Eleanor with this, promising the makeup will all wash off. Although Eleanor goes along with trying this out, to her it feels fake. This is a difference that really stands out between Eleanor and many of the female characters in the story. I am not stating that it is not fun to dress up sometimes. Society’s expectation, which has not changed much since the 1980’s, is that females be pretty to look at and be available for the male in their life. Eleanor’s mom and step-dad are like this, too. When Eleanor wears what she does, she is presenting herself, which is hard for the other characters to believe or accept. Park constantly comments that Eleanor must be trying to capture attention because of the clothes she wears and what she adds to her hair. We discussed these points regularly in a gender and women’s studies class. Although I am not certain of how to change these norms, like Eleanor, I tend to not use makeup and choose styles to wear because I feel comfortable with them. I have friends who will not walk out of the house without "putting their face on" or doing their hair. Neither are wrong or right, yet there is a social standard. How do you choose presentations of yourself?

photo credit: wickenden Dinner Sunday via photopin (license)
photo credit: S!nny DeadBeat via photopin (license)

Flashback has become Present Tense

It has been a while since I have read a book in the young adult genre. As an adult with more than 10 years past the typical intended audience of 12 to 19-year-olds, I read many books, mostly suggested by a friend who began her librarian career in the youth and teen services area. My friend belonged to committees requiring her to evaluate certain books, and she would pass her suggestions from that list to me. I am sure that " Eleanor & Park," by Rainbow Rowell, would have made it on to my friend’s list if she had remained active with those committees. Like my experience with the previous suggestions, "Eleanor & Park" has been highly engaging.

What I have liked is that Rowell writes from the point of view of both main characters. Even when the characters do not know what the other is thinking, the reader does, and that makes it engaging.

Most of the story, so far, has revolved around the school bus, which is where Eleanor and Park meet. As their relationship expands, the locations shift. However, most of the time the two are at school. Rowell does not show as much of Park’s family life compared to Eleanor’s. Eleanor also has the more protective bubble around herself. The protective bubble is about keeping Park out of Eleanor’s family life as much as keeping him in her fantasy life and giving her someone to think about at home. The bubbles begin to pop, in a sense, as the interactions expand outside of school, which also breaks some of the fantasy. Like Park, I do not know if I would have recognized what Eleanor’s clothing and reactions would have meant at the age of 16. Also, what does it state when the teenager understands more than the parent about what is happening, and yet cannot leave? How can Eleanor survive and what will be the effect on her younger siblings? I see similar signs of Eleanor’s struggle in the neighborhood kids where I live in Kalamazoo, and I wonder the same about them. The story is supposed to take place in 1986, yet in 2017, poverty is not only real, the rate in the United States has increased. I am curious how Rowell’s story will progress even though I want to keep the bubble safe, much like Eleanor does.

No laptop in class

I debated whether to carry my laptop today or not and chose to have a lighter bag. It turned out that I really did (and will) need the computer for every class. Meanwhile, I visited the University computer lab to create this blog and make my first post. This is not my first blog site, either. Thanks for visiting! I will return soon :-)

Stacy