English 485: Expedition Adolescence

Persepolis is one of my favorite books we have read. My 3 favorite parts if the book was the use of religion, perception of war, and use of graphic images. The use of religion is extremely important in Persepolis because it is what drives the war and is very important to Marjane's personal story. For example, if we start of at the beginning she has strong faith in Islam, and even states "I want to be a prophet"(8) at school. Although her parents are not as traditional and she does not wear an hijab her faith and belief in gods drives her childhood and hope. She turns to god many times when she does not understand things in life, She even states in regards to him, "the only place I felt safe was in the arms of my friend"(53). However, when things get so bad that even god can't seem to explain to her the lack of humanity in her country, that is when she walks out on him. The perception of war of war in Iran was also changed dramatically for me through this ...

Persepolis was a very interesting read as I have never been a big fan of graphic novels. However, this one was pretty good and it has made me become open to reading similar books with similar styles. I love the way the Satrapi made the protagonist to be a young adolescent girl who deals with this horrific governmental situation. She was able to tell the story from her perspective; a perspective that many people would probably never know anything about if they did not read this novel. For me the book was kind of relatable, not so much of the “revolution” that was going on but definitely with Marjane’s connection to God. I as well believe in God and turn to him when things aren’t going right. My perspective of God however is different. Marjane can actually see him in front of her when she calls on him and that’s something that I have not ever done before. Also, Marjane lost faith in God when her uncle was killed. “Shut up, you! Get Out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! (70-71...

I'm already someone who likes graphic novels, so I was really excited to read this. The thing that stuck out to me in this book, and which I really loved, is that Marjane is so curious and headstrong. I think she is such a great example for younger readers. She's vocal about things she believes in, she participates in the world, she seeks out new ideas, and she has ambitions and believes in herself. I think it's so rare and important to see young protagonists, especially girls, that don't let the world push them around or belittle them for being adolescents. It communicates such a good message to younger readers: that because they are young doesn't mean they're powerless and that speaking up for yourself and your beliefs is still important even if you think it might not matter. In a world that seems to try increasingly to suppress strong and passionate voices that go against the norm, Marjane is a great example of an engaged person who is always seeking to learn...

Persepolis was different from everything the we've read this semester. Although I am not a fan of graphic novels, this was a nice change from a long plot intensive novel. I like how Satrapi used a young girl to tell her story of such tough and violent subjects such as execution and government control. It makes her very relatable to the reader. Her child like mind tries to make sense of what is happening in the world around her and she uses her strong connection with God to give her some direction. This would be a great book to teach in the classroom because of the fact that it is a graphic novel. This book has the ability to reach students who aren't big on reading while still teaching them about other cultures and important events that surrounds them that are guaranteed to not be taught in a normal history class. Like some of the other books that we have read this semester, this book has some sensitive material that may be difficult to teach in a classroom, but the beauty of...

I think that overall Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a great novel displaying what is like for an adolescent to grow up during the revolution in Iran. It also displays how an adolescent deal with growing up under a totalitarian government. Social class in very prevalent in the novel especially on page 36 when they find out that the maid is in with another person of another social class. She has no chance of ever being with him just because of their different social status and I think for adolescents in America that is something that does not cross their mind. I also like the fact that this is a graphic novel. Similar to Crank this style of novel will get the average non-reader to get into reading the book. With pictures in the novel explaining the text I think that this will keep most adolescents interested in the novel. One think that may distract them or turn them away is in what ways to follow the text when reading. Also not paying attention to the pictures as well because m...

I definitely enjoyed reading Persepolis. Not only because I really like reading graphic novels but because it informed me on issues that I had no clue about. And seeing those issues through the eyes of a young girl made it even better! I definitely think the author used the pictures of the novel to paint a deeper meaning into some scenes. Such as the scene on page 120 in my online book (116 in the physical book) where Marji is looking down on a battle field with solders are being shot and killed left and right but if you don't pay attention to not only the 'big' picture you might miss out on Marji's thoughts and feeling of remorse. I do believe that through Marjane writing this novel as a graphic one it lets her audience get a different perspective on reading and interpreting images and get their creative juices flowing. I also think that this book is in the same sense as Fallen Angels and Prisoner B-3087 . Obviously for the reason being that its children facing toug...

Persepolis is unlike any novel I have ever read. I don’t mean that in the sense that it’s a graphic novel, but I mean that the way Marjane Satrapi told the story is phenomenal. It’s highly attractive to young readers and nonreaders, which is great for teachers because it recounts real events, but in an entertaining way. It’s educational, but it’s not boring in the least bit. I obtained more knowledge about Iran and the Islamic revolution from reading Persepolis than I did learning history in high school. Honestly, I don’t remember them teaching it at all. I would have been very interested in this in school. The chapter starting on page 94 really grabbed my attention because it’s presenting such a serious topic, but it’s done in a way that is almost humorous. Satrapi explains the situation during the heat of the Islamic revolution. The adults in her life are not concerned about the tragedies happening.  It begins with her reading about all Iran’s fallen “martyrs”, which are the s...

“Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel that tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a young girl growing in the midst of political revolution in Iran.  Satrapi felt the need to share her story after moving away from Iran and hearing stories that didn’t reflect the truth of her homeland.  Satrapi uses her novel to share her story of how religious activists overtook the Iranian government and imposed changes that restricted many of the freedoms that Iranians had previously enjoyed.  She shows how the voices of the opposition were silenced through violence and how girls were treated differently that boys in this male-centered society.                 As in most graphic novels, the images in the story are just as important as the words in conveying the depth of the story being told.  The use of only black and white helps to create the starkness of story.  The vocabulary choice...

I enjoyed reading Persepolis. It was funny at times while still providing a really poignant, intense portrayal of an adolescence under totalitarian rule. I was a little confused with the way the story seemed to jump around in time. At first it's in 1980 and then she backtracks to a few years prior, so I was confused at one point until I realized she'd gone back in time. I think it was during the story with her maid falling in love with the boy neighbor, she mentioned she was six years old and I said 'Oh I thought she was ten.' So that was a little confusing. Personally, I can connect to the feeling of wanting to go out and being annoyed that my parents are afraid for me, but it seems like in Marjane's situation her parents really DID have a reason to be afraid for her. Especially considering those women could have just taken her to the Committee for hours and not informed her parents and she could have been interrogated or whipped. (Satrapi, 133). I ...

So I really enjoyed Persepolis. Coming from somebody who absolutely adored Maus in High School, the transition seemed easy enough. I was going to say that the change of setting was extremely refreshing for me, and being out of America and the American mindset was great. On Page 99, we see some of the altered points of view that these characters have. There's a key that's made of plastic and painted gold (something that's a good symbol on its own,) but the quote is, "They gave this to my son at school. They told the boys that if they went to war and were lucky enough to die, this key would get them into heaven" (99.) This shows the completely different culture that the people in this graphic novel represent, and makes people wonder not only why it's weird to us, but it also gives us a strong example of a religious similarity (heaven) that we share.

I really enjoyed this novel. I liked finally being able to read a text with visuals to see the characters expressions, and meaningful imagery that you don't get to grasp with reading the text only. The story was interesting from beginning to end. It kept my attention throughout; although, I would have preferred the images to be in color. I liked how Satrapi incorporated every aspect about what her home country was turning into; from the war, protests, the violence, and the fear that she and her family and friends obtained. My question about this novel and in life, is because there's a war, why do the citizens of those countries have to suffer/why does it alter their lives? However, I think Satrapi captured the YA perspective because, Marji thinks she can do and be anything she sets her mind to; "I'll be a prophet...I wanted to be justice, love and the wrath of God all in one" (8-9). This quote demonstrates how much she believed in herself, while also teaching Y...

Overall I think that Persepolis was a good book. It was nice to read an adolescent book that wasn’t filled with just words but pictures as well. I feel as though this book brought about many racial and political situations. I’m not into having to look at a picture to understand a story, but this book had really good illustrations. If you read and did not look at the pictures then you would miss a lot of important information. I think that Satrapi wanted to write this book to relate to adolescent readers in several ways. I think for one, she wanted to show how strong minded women are. I also think that she wanted to provide a different image to adolescents who view people of Iran based off stereotypes. In my opinion this book breaks a lot of those stereotypes. When it comes to the political issues that are talked about in the story, one of the most interesting parts to me was when Marjane’s father found out that the maid was in love with the neighbor. Mehri was a maid that stayed wi...

Essential Research Question – “How can we use Adolescent Literature as a vehicle to assist in teaching Multiculturalism? Focus questions –                 Is the curricula biased towards “classical” vs “modern” literature?                 How do we address stereotypes in literature?                 Can authors authentically write about experiences that aren’t culturally their own?                 How do we find resources that represent multiple perspectives?                 What types of pedagogy are most effective in teaching multicultural literature?         ...

My research topic is along the lines adolescents adapting to their environments in order to survive their circumstances. At the moment I'll probably be focusing on three to four books, but more than likely four. In most of the books that we have read this semester, the main characters are forced into positions that require them to sustain themselves. They have to hold on in order to make it through their situations, and for some of them it is life or death while others is about empowering themselves. My essential question is how do adolescents survive their environments? What factors are vital when trying to survive? Do they have a support system? Do they have positive friends to guide them? What roles do their parents play in their lives? Do they have some skill or something that they can use as an outlet? To answer these questions i'll be looking at The Hunger Games, Perks, Prisoner, and Diary. I may also look at The Skin I'm In in my research. I selected this topic b...

So my topic is one that I think we can all relate to, and one that we've seen very recurrently throughout the books that we've read this semester. I'd like to research and discuss the various forms of survival that our characters have gone through throughout several novels. We've read about ten, so I think I'll focus mainly on three or four. Mayyybe five. Maybe. One Essential Research Question: Why is "survival" such a key role in adolescent literature? Either literally surviving (Fallen Angels, Hunger Games, Prisoner) or metaphorically surviving (Diary, Perks, Caramello) is such a huge part of ad. lit that spans several years of publication and multiple cultures. Why is it so prevalent? 1) I selected this topic because I think its something that we can all relate to. On some level, all of us have felt (some of us still feel) the need to "survive". Even if its just school. That feeling of survival is real, and I think a lot of us have experience...

I intend to write about the importance of religion in young adult literature, and the fact that other religions have become more humanized, and better understood through young adult literature. Essential Question: How important is religion important in young adult literature and how has young adult literature made unfamiliar religions relatable to Young Adult readers?  Other Questions: What role does religion play in Crank? Could Prisoner have had the impact it did if the main character was not religious but one of the other groups being persecuted? Could Junior have been as relatable if he depicted his Indian religious beliefs more than his Christianity? Does the use of "God" instead of Allah in persepolis help reader relate to Islam more? Do readers realize that although Marajis is not as religious as the government forces her to be, she is still devoted to her Islam faith and makes many references to it throughout the book? Was faith in "God" able to help the...

For my research paper I will be focusing on the parental presentation in YA novels. My Essential Research Question is: Do parents get treated fairly in adolescent literature? Focus Question: 1.       How are parents portrayed in adolescent novels? 2.       Do parents play an active role in YA lit? 3.       Does the parenting help or not help the adolescent characters in YA lit? 4.       Why do parents get the bad wrap in YA novels? 5.       Are parents displayed as bad parents because of the particular stage of adolescents? Overview: During adolescents stages most adolescents go through a time where they lack communication from their parents. Is this the sole reason why in most adolescent novels parents are not practically absent? Why did I select my topic: I selected my topic because in most of the novels we read this semester, the parents we...

My research paper will be on the social construction of identity. Question: How do we look to other people to find or shape who we are? Focus questions: 1. Does home life actually impact someone's future? 2. Can we honestly blame our circumstances/situations on others rather than ourselves? 3. Race tends to define how a person will be treated in society, but does the treatment of someone set limits on their life? 4. If abused, does that cause a person to follow in their abuser's footsteps; with the possibility of thinking or being told it's acceptable? 5. Do adolescents rely on their parents to inform them on what to do with their future? Overview: YA usually base who they are, or who they believe they will become on the influence of others. How they are brought up in this world is caused by what has been instilled in them; however, it's unclear on how much they actually know about themselves. Why: I'm interested in this topic because, I'd like to k...

Research question: How do characters in Adolescent Literature fight or undermine the gender paradigms of the society in which they live? (Edit: Ah, I forgot to add other questions!) 2) How do gender paradigms represent oppression in Adolescent literature? 3) How does an adolescent fighting against the gender expectations of their society reveal rebellion? 4) Why is rebellion important for adolescents? 5) How do we define our individuality through rebellion?  I'm going to be looking at how characters like Patrick in The Perks of Being a Wallflower , Marjane in Persepolis , and Arnold in the The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian fight the paradigms of gender expectations in their respective societies. I am already aware that homosexuality has been traditionally demonized in American culture. Patrick and Arnold both deal with this. Patrick deals with this on a personal level while Arnold deals with this in more of an abstract cultural sense. Both deal wit...

For the Critical Response Research Paper, I want to examine how portrayals of adolescents in low-income homes affect adolescent literature readers from low-income backgrounds or home lives. I want to further try and answer these questions through my research: Do protagonists with low-income backgrounds encourage adolescents from low-income backgrounds to read more frequently/increase interest in reading? How does representation affect readership/enthusiasm for reading? Why has it become more common to have protagonists come from low-income backgrounds? How do low-income protagonists reflect the society in which their work takes place? How can readers apply the depictions of low-income protagonists to the world around them? Does reading about low-income protagonists increase self-esteem or empowerment for low-income adolescent readers? What do low-income protagonists teach non-low-income adolescent readers? How are protagonists from low-income homes portrayed differently than supporting...

For my critical response research paper I plan to focus on the roles that friends play in adolescents behaviors. Essential Question : What role does the friends of an adolescent play when it comes to the decisions they make in life whether it be good or bad? Focus Questions : 1.        Do friends play a positive or negative role? 2.        How much influence do friends usually have? 3.        Does the amount of time that the friendship has existed play a role in whether or not an adolescent is easily influenced by them? 4.        Do adolescents look to friends for confirmation in what they do? 5.        Would adolescents make the same decisions in life had they not had any friends? 6.        Do adolescents usually trust the people that they call friends? 7.      ...

I am not a big fan of graphic novels.  I have always been sort of a traditionalist when it comes to literature.  My preference is a long book with no pictures, as it leaves much to the imagination.  Graphic novels, although creative, have always taken away a sense of wonder to a book.  As my minds eye creates the character, a picture might ruin that image and leave me disappointed with the outcome.  For this reason, I do not really like the idea of using a graphic novel in the classroom.  However, I know that there are many people who lack the creative imagination that comes with reading.  These graphic novels make literature interesting to them because they do not have to conjure an image that they are unsure of how to produce. On the actual topic of Persepolis , I was very shocked by the events that were described in this book.  I will admit ignorance to a lot of their cultural traits including their religion, morals, and social lives, but aft...

Research Question:  How is adolescent drug use portrayed in young adult novels? Focus Questions: - What is family's role in the likelihood of drug abuse in adolescents? - What is the role of peers in drug abuse in adolescents? - What are the implications of genetics on the likelihood of drug abuse? - Why do certain young adults float to the use of certain drugs? - What are the qualities of the drug-using characters in young adult novels? - What are the similarities between these characters? Differences? - How are the qualities of these characters reflective of real-life teen addicts? - What messages do these YA novels convey about drug use in adolescence? I've selected adolescent drug use as my topic because I'm obsessed with trying to understand the reasons for addiction. Since I was younger, I've been researching the reasons that people choose drugs. I've had several close family members and friends fall into addiction throughout my life and t...

Essential Question: In what ways does adolescent literature reinstate the sensitivity to violence lost by the modern day desensitization forms of mainstream mass media development? Focus Questions: How does sociopolitical events and reports contribute to desensitizing? Does the exposure to violence in movies, video games, and television series ultimately desensitize the audience? Does the perceived low attention span of modern day adolescents contribute to the higher interest in movies (which tend to last 1-2 hours) instead of books (which may take days to read)? With the increasing amount of violence in mainstream media outlets (i.e. News Channels and Social Media), is desensitization inevitable? How do adolescent novels (such as the ones listed below) contribute to re-sensitizing those who have become numb to violence?  Is this true for every reader? With rising racial, social, and political tensions, how does adolescent literature offer sensitivity to other views? ...

For my research paper, I will be focusing on drug use in adolescents. My Essential Research Question is: Does the use of drugs in the novels deter readers from engaging in the dangerous acts? Focus Questions: How is drug use portrayed in the novels?  What affects do drugs have on the characters? Does drugs become a major factor in their lives? Is it essential? Does the use of drugs impedes their success? What/How does parental guidance influences drug use? Why do so many adolescents turn to drugs? How do parents not realize that their child/children are doing drugs? Overview: Negative affects of Drug Use in Adolescents and how it impacts their lives. Most adolescents do come across drugs at some point in their lives. Many are tempted to engage in the act and there are many that actually do.  Why: This is a major issue amongst Adolescents. Books: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Crank, The World Made Straight, And Diary Sources:  studies the # of ...

For my final research paper, I am choosing to focus on the topic of the rise in popularity in Japanese pop culture in America with a focus on manga/graphic novels. I will be researching the history of manga itself, its introduction to westerners, and trace its growing popularity to the present. In addition, I will research the question of how manga can be used in the classroom to educate students. Can manga be used to engage students? Can it be used to teach about other cultures? What manga should be included in course curriculum? Are there already schools where manga is being implemented in classrooms?

For our final paper coming up I decided to focus in on 'isolation vs. conformity' and the portrayal of that in adolescent novels. The essential question being; How this can affect young readers? (in a positive or negative way)  Some questions I had in mind to focus in on were; 1. How do authors of these novels get into the mindset of adolescents facing this struggle? 2. Could characters in these novels shape the readers into becoming their own person? 3. Does non-conformity ultimately lead to isolation? 4. In what ways can isolate vs conformity relate to its readers. 5. Can adolescents find "peace"  in their own struggles through reading novels with this theme? (i put peace in quotation marks because it isn't the word I'm really trying to think of but for now it will work) I'm choosing to write about this topic because it is a recurring theme in many adolescent novels and I think it is something we have all faced one way or another. I'm h...

Essential Question: How is sexual assault portrayed in young adult literature?  ·        Is sexual assault portrayed in adolescent literature in-depth? ·        Are the experiences of sexual assault survivors portrayed in young adult literature? ·        Is rape culture portrayed accurately in young adult literature? ·        Are the assumptions and attitudes of rape culture critiqued or reinforced in young adult literature? ·        What messages are being communicated to young readers about sexual assault as a result of the portrayals within young adult literature? For this research paper, I have decided to research the portrayal of rape culture in young adult literature. This is a topic that is very close to my own experiences as a woman, and I have seen instances of it and its effects in my own life, television, mov...

Fallen Angels was a pretty good book in my opinion. It is very real. You have this young adolescent boy who wants so very badly to go to college and pursue a writing career, but due to financial issues cannot afford it, which makes going into the army his only option (15). This novel does a good job of  making connections with struggles that adolescents go through as well as struggles that they cannot  even imagine. For many kids, especially black kids, there are few options available to them when  they graduate from High School. College is often unobtainable for young black men unless there is a  scholarship for sports involved so it just shows that most times going into the army is the only choice.  The book does a good job at showing the awfulness that is war and the effects that it has on kids who are still young. The loss of innocence is shown throughout the book, and it is sad to say that most people don't return from war the same, especi...

Overall I think that Fallen Angels is a great novel for the adolescent classroom. I say this because I feel like it is a great novel to use to teach adolescent about the Vietnam war. It is also a novel that should be approached with great caution. With all of the graphic murders and language Myers used throughout the novel it may not be ok for adolescent parents to read. The reason I say it is a great novel for adolescents is because most adolescents do not really know how war is. From their eyes war is something simple from the outside looking in and that is very understandable. This book is a great way to get students to see exactly how war is especially the Vietnam War. The Vietnam war was basically fought by adolescents and it was very devastating for them. I think this would give modern day middle school students a chance to actually place their self in the same position as Richie. This will let reality set in and really make them realize how gruesome the Vietnam war is. 

I'm almost finished with this book.  There is so much detailed content for me that it is taking a bit longer than I anticipated to finish this novel.  From what I've read so far, I am taken aback by the events of the war in Vietnam.  First, I never would have imagined that the soldiers could have been taken into the war with so much inexperience.  Yes, Perry went through training, but his unwillingness and unpreparedness to participate in the war seems shocking to me.  Prior to reading this novel, I believed that people went to fight in the war because they wanted to stand for America.  It seems like Perry joined the army because he ran out of "better" options.  It makes me wonder, to what point of ignorance does someone join the army because they have nothing better to do.  I want to believe this plays into Perry's inability to make sharp and intellectual decisions in the midst of fighting.  Instead, he reacts on instinctual panic and fear. ...

I think Fallen Angels was a good novel. It gives a closer look into what war is like from a first point of view, and the fear that comes along with it. It's a great book for adolescents not only because most characters are teenagers, but it gives a sense of reality. This means that war is sometimes taken lightly by people who have never experienced it; "I hadn't been too worried about going to Nam... the fighting was almost over, anyway" (5). War makes a person grow up and tests their capabilities, as well as their mindset, while pushing their endurment. In my opinion these are important aspects within the novel that YA readers need to be aware of in order to understand and appreciate all soldiers. Overall, for me, what made the story relatable, was Richie mentioning that the army was an escape from having to answer questions about his future. I too have been ask that numerous times and try to avoid it until I know for certain. I enjoyed this novel and would recomme...

I really enjoy reading this book. I haven't finished it yet! I'm trying to. I think this is a good book for adolescents to read because it presents the reality of war. Perry talks about not being able to see and shooting because that's where other soldiers are shooting. (I have an Amazon Kindle version that for some reason doesn't show me page numbers but it's at location 1453 on mine). This is shortly after Lieutenant Carroll dies. I feel like in films we often see soldiers shooting at the enemy and their vision is clear; they either hit their target or it shows them missing. But in reality war is such a chaotic mess. I think it's good for any student who wants to go into the military to read this book. This is why stories by veterans are so important. I also like another scene where Perry is trying to figure out who he is. "Monaco was the point man. Johnson had the pig, the big sixty, the heavy 'chine. Who the hell was I?" He's trying ...

“Fallen Angels” by Walter Dean Myers is the semi-autobiographical tale of young Black man, Richie Perry, from Harlem who enlist in the Vietnam War in the late 1960’s.  Richie signs up for the Army because he can’t afford to go to college and doesn’t want to stay home and listen to his friends ask why he didn’t go.  He has been assured, and believes, that once his medical profile has been processed he won’t see any actual combat.  Delays in the processing cause Richie to be sent to the front.  He makes friends within his squad and builds a sense of comradery, all while beginning to question the realities of war.  The ugliness and brutality that he witnesses is not what he had expected when he arrived.  Upon his departure he realizes that the war will always be a part of him.  “My mind began to wander, as I knew it would, back to the boonies. (pg 309)”                 Myers doe...

Fallen Angels for me was a very telling story with a raw feel and great exposure into the mindset of a young Vietnam War soldier. The main character (Richie) was easy to relate to because he had thoughts like many teenagers our age and he did not really know what he wanted to with his future. What struck me about him trying to find himself was the different ways he criticized himself based on others and his opinion. That is a very self aware quality to have. He begins innocently using the army as a way out "I wanted to win the tournament, to walk away from the streets I had been raised in with head high, a winner"(15). I think this is the first time in the novel that Richie starts criticizing himself, his life, and the people around. He goes on to criticize his religious beliefs and his relationship with god later on "I felt guilty about waiting until I got to Nam to think about god. On the other hand I didn't want to not be close to God"(94). Most Importa...

Overall I did not really care for Fallen Angels. I think the book was very descriptive and painted good images of what was happening during the war. I don’t think that I would teach this book to students because I feel it’s a book that adolescents can read in their free time if they are interested in the topic. I think it would be hard for many students to relate to this book if they are not thinking about serving in the army or if they don’t have family members or friends who serve or have served, and understand the terminology that’s used in the book. There are several characters that get mentioned in the book and I had to flip back and forth a lot to remember who did what and what significant role they played. I feel that Walter Dean did a great job at telling his story, and I think that because the story is written in first person, it makes it even more realistic, rather than it being told from the point of view of someone just looking in and telling the story.   ...

I definitely began this book thinking that it would be a drag to get through being as though the book started off so weirdly and slow. However, the progression was amazing and provided me with insight on the emotions of soldiers fighting in the war. Many will agree that we don’t always get the truth when it comes to wars, we are often told the good (the little that does occur) and left in the dark about the bad. This book provides it all. Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Richie often questions his purpose for being in the war. He questions the acts of those who are ranked above him because they are so concerned with receiving a promotion that they are not concerned with the safety of their soldiers and also shows signs of racism. “My plans, maybe just my dreams really, had been to go to college, and write like James Baldwin. All of the other guys in the neighborhood thought I was going to college. I wasn’t, and the army was the place I was going to get away from all the qu...

Oh, hello there! Welcome to the first blog post I've made in quite some time. I'm sorry for the extreme delay, but I've struggled with my own existence all semester, and I'm sorry to say that I've come dangerously close to dropping out and living as a beekeeper many times, but for now I'm here! Shifting gears slightly to the book we just read, I believe that "Fallen Angels" is better than most would give it credit for. I wasn't enthralled by the book in the beginning, but opposed to what Alan said the other day, I think it was written really well. True or not, I was just not a large fan of the setting itself. The Vietnam war, at least to me, isn't a point of extreme interest. However, I think that Walter Dean Myers really makes the most of the setting, partially because of his own relation to it. The quote that I picked for us to discuss is from the titular Lieutenant Carroll, and speaks to the theme and tone of the book. "My father used t...

            At first, I did not think I was going to like this novel very much, but I actually like it! The way Myers writes the firefights and the moments of battle is totally disorienting and chaotic, which completely matches what is occurring. One of the aspects of this book that I was particularly fond of is the way Myers incorporates the sociopolitical issues of the time into the dialogue between the soldiers. The 1960s and 1970s, at the height of the war, saw a number of social justice issues, rallying, and fighting for civil liberties in our country so I was really pleased that he managed to include that in the story.             Throughout the novel, I kept relating what I was reading to Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried . It is a pretty obvious connection if you’re aware of O’Brien’s work but for those of you that aren’t, it is a collection of short stories he wrote that are based on his...

While reading Crank,  I consistently found myself thinking of the psychological debate of nature versus nurture because I think Kristina and Bree are a classic example of that. On one hand, Kristina's lack of self esteem and loneliness stems from the abandonment of her father that she never dealt with and being cast aside by her mother. She states this is two important parts of the story when she she says "I've been alone since mom met Scott. He sucked the nectar from her heart like a famished butterfly"(13). I think this also a revealing part of the story in regards to her step father because although his always there for her and seems to take good care of the family she resents him for doing a better job than daddy, and for taking mommy away. He father on the other hand also was not there for her and proved to be inadequate which I think plays a part in leading to her trying Meth. Her staying on meth from nurture point of view is simply shown by her mother's lac...