English 485: Expedition Adolescence

To be able to read a book such as La Linea and gain a better and realistic understanding of the illegal immigration into the United States and the difficulties of the risky journey that people who do decide to travel face. Miguel and his sister undertake a journey to be reunited with their parents. With understanding that the journey was going to be dangerous and risky, the young children and the help of Javier, experience robbing, escaping the police, and many other things. What I have gained from this novel is a better understanding. To be clearer, I strongly feel that the immigration system is extremely wrongfully judged because of some people’s words and actions towards the situation.  I have heard many opinions when it comes to illegal immigrants entering the United States and their reasoning behind it. Ones such as they are criminals coming to destroy the US, or they are trying to cheat their way into the system. Even things such as they don’t belong here, it is our state. ...

  Miguel and his sister embark on a quest to immigrate to America illegally. Miguel and his sister face many challenges on their journey across "la linea", the line, like being robbed, escaping the police, and doing many thrilling things. What stood out to me through my reading of the novel was Miguel's determination and fast maturity. At the beginning of the novel, I found Miguel immature and inconsiderate of his unsolicited accomplice. He then begins to accept that he is not embarking on this journey alone as he anticipated. This shows Miguel's acceptance and determination to cross the border and his challenges forced him to mature at a rate much faster than the typical pre-teen. I was also shocked at how strong he could be on this journey. Through the reading of La Linea , I was astounded at the bravery Miguel needed to immigrate alone without an adult companion that he can truly trust. He is forced to place trust in the hired coyotes that are paid to smuggle him a...

  In La Línea, it is a realistic interpretation of illegal immigration into the US, and the hardships that those traveling face. Through the eyes of Miguel, he is forced to find his parents, so not only he can have a better life, but his family as well. As they take the difficult path to the border, they are able to overcome several obstacles. This novel covers the struggles of those that are willing to leave a bad situation, and travel to start a new life. Although Miguel’s parents left him and his sister, it was to work and send money back. Once Miguel realized that there was nothing left for him there, he was willing to leave and find his parents and start a new life. Though traveling was nothing that he expected it to be, it still taught him valuable lessons in life, and that the journey never stops. Even though they were able to cross the border they still had another journey to go on “I didn’t understand that there are thousands of líneas to cross in a life” (Jaramillo, 124)....

 La Linea was a wonderful depiction of the journey, both literally and figuratively, that immigrants face when trying to get into the United States.  Miguel and Elena's parents left them behind in San Jacinto in order to start a better life.  They were told their parents would send for them when they were ready.  Finally, the time comes for Miguel to make the journey, but unfortunately, things do not go the way that Miguel's father had planned.  Elena ends up following Miguel and their journey begins.  Along the way, they meet many people, including Javi, who help them to get to the US.  While reading this book you can really feel the desperation of not only Elena, Miguel, and Javi, but all of the immigrants who make such a dangerous journey getting to the US.  They all know the risks, but the hope that awaits them across the border is what drives their determination.  Many of the immigrants face the heartbreak of death and setbacks, just as ...

 it seems that as we continue to explore online availability and new technologies, social media becomes an even more important aspect of our lives. Weighing in on social media is becoming more and mroe important than actual debate or in person conversation. With that importance comes an intensive amount of stress. My question is this- how badly does social media influence increase our socio-cultural stress factor? How badly do we worry over seeming in tune with everyone else over a Tweet or a Facebook post or other media? Why do we place such emphasis on this online communication when in person communication can be just as important?

How can the way we look at literature affect the construction of our own identity? 1. How does literature affect identity? 2. What makes identity important among adolescence? 3. When do we know our true identity? 4. What events in adolescents' life shape their identity? 5. What phases do people go through while experiencing finding identity? 6. What are the different types of areas of identity? WHY? I would like to go into depth about the way that identity plays a huge part in adolescent lives and the person that it will be in the future. I have struggled with identity to this very day and understand that the experience can be extremely frustrating and with reading the novels and speaking to people, I have discovered that people suffer from a lack of their identity in different areas.    RELATED NOVELS The Hate You Give The Absolute True Diary of A Part-Time Indian  SOLD Boy Meets Boy SOURCES  I will more than likely do my research through online sources and books to...

 La Linea was a surprisingly enjoyable and quick read. I found myself reading further than intended with its easy-to-follow storyline and small chapters. To be honest with you, the video I shared really helped me put the book into perspective and see it in my mind. And really, it made Miguel, Elena, and Javi's journey more impactful. Border crossing is a touchy topic, and I honestly wouldn't know how to present it to students without triggering some kind of argument. Regardless, La Linea is a great example of literature that brings light to a dark subject.  "I don't remind her that she said she'd never grow it out. She vowed to keep it short, the way Javi cut it before the mata gente, to help her remember los sacrificios people make for each other.  "I can't ever forget Javi, anyway. It doesn't matter what my hair looks like," she says. "You think about him too. I know you do." (123)

EQ: How do perceptions of social media impact eating disorders and body dysmorphia in youth? Focus Questions: Is social media an influence when it comes to ED’s? Do body dysmorphia and ED’s start at home or around peers? How does the growth of social media mentally affect the well-being of youth, and what specific apps are in play? How do these disorders impact relationships with family and friends? How does someone ask for help? What factors play a role in the start of eating disorders? How do influencers of social media glamorize these disorders? Does it become for society or for self?  Overview: Eating disorders and body dysmorphia are seen in any age group and in both genders. It mainly starts with the standards of society being pushed onto the victim. They then take matters into their own hands by trying to fit into those standards through anorexia or bulimia. Though they may be losing weight, body dysmorphia tells them they are still “overweight,” or “too skinny.” I feel as i...

 How does stress coincide with eating disorders in young adults? What induces stress within young adults what percentage of young adults are affected by stress? What percentage of young adults are affected by eating disorders what is the most common type of eating disorder associated with young adults  what are the long-term effects of being consumed by an eating disorder  how do young adults cope with stress how do young adults cope with eating disorders how is stress and eating disorders represented in young adult novels I want to look into stress and eating disorders in relation to one another, the ways that it is represented in young adult novels, the ways that young adults can cope with/overcome eating disorders. I, personally, go through a lot of stress being in college and many of my friends do as well. I have also seen many people in my life go through both heavy stress and eating disorders which is what drew me to this topic. When stressed. people cope in many wa...

How does lacking a concept of self impact adolescents academically?           1. What are some different aspects of one's self?      2. What influences the way adolescents see themselves?      3. Who influences the way adolescents see themselves?      4. Are some influences greater than others?      5. What can adolescents do to have greater control/sense of self?     6. Do talents contribute to sense of self?     7. How can teachers provide opportunities for students to discover self?     8. What are negative implications for adolescents who lack self-efficacy?     9. How do authority and self-efficacy collide? I know that there are different aspects of self. I've learned that self can be broadly broken down into three ideas: self-efficacy - what does one think they are capable of achieving, self-esteem - how does what feel about who they are, and self-conce...

 How has the evolution of social media affected adolescents in terms of body image? Especially related to the instances of eating disorders? Have eating disorders gotten worse as the popularity of social media has grown? Does social media promote unattainable body standards? Has social media made it easier to find resources to help teens who are suffering from eating disorders? Will eating disorders ever become a topic that is discussed openly like other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety? Has the whole "body positivity" movement helped teens to accept themselves more? I do not really know much about eating disorders, other than how it was portrayed in Wintergirls. I know my own struggles with body image, and how that has affected my life overall, but I would love to see statistics of how many young girls and boys are affected by this disease, and how social media has played a role in encouraging or discouraging eating disorders. I selected this topic becaus...

Does showing struggles (poverty, abuse, drugs) within adolescent novels affect them in a more positive way or negative?  1. what can educators do to make students more aware of their situations at home? 2. Is it wrong for educators to pry in students personal lives? 3. Does students reading more relatable text make them more interested or less? 4. How can educators implement services for students affected by these topics? 5. how accurate are these novel depictions of youth life? Relating youth novels:  1. Princess Academy  2. Trash  by  Andy Mulligan 3. No and Me  by  Delphine de Vignan

  How does Y/A literature represent depression among adolescents?  1. How can we use bibliotherapy to help students heal and recover from depression? 2. What are other Y/A sources that address adolescent depression? 3. What effect can adolescent literature have on students and their mental health? 4. How can English teachers and guidance counselors work together, using bibliotherapy, to help students with depression?  5. What kind of implementations could a classroom have to safely help students recognize their need for help in their depression? 6. What sources and outreach can students access and feel comfortable using to share their depression concerns? 7. How can Y/A literature offer depressed adolescents solidarity and an understanding that they are not alone in their depression? 8. How can we use bibliotherapy as a way to help students to identify an effective coping mechanism?  Overview and Prior Knowledge:  - With the rise of adolescent anxiety and depres...

 Essential Research Question  Can family abandonment lead to eating disorders in adolescents?  Focus Questions What does one and/or both parents leaving the household do to a child's mental state?  What are the common reasons adolescents give for developing an eating disorder? What, if any, forms of trauma can lead to eating disorders?  Do children who have a family member abandon them often feel like it was their fault? Are there cases where adolescents feel as if they "deserve" to have an eating disorder?       Based on what I've already learned, I know that there are definitely cases out there of adolescents developing eating disorders due to a family member abandoning them, normally at a young age. I'm not sure what the statistic are for it yet, but I hope to find that out during my research. I know that trauma can often lead to eating disorders and that having a parent leave the household can often heavily traumatize a child.  ...

 Essential Research Question: To what extent might Wintergirls  make readers develop disordered eating tendencies?      Focus questions:  What does Halse Anderson feel about eating disorders? What prior study did the author do to try to keep the reader from wanting Lia's lifestyle? What events/plot conventions make Lia's eating disorder appealing? Does Lia's story often have the opposite effect on readers than what is intended? What do critics say about the book? Do they think it can reinstate eating disorders? Eating disorders are sicknesses that impact so many people in our world. I know that those affected often begin their disorder as a goal to lose weight, but this is done in an unhealthy manner. Often, this becomes an addictive cycle that is done in many fashions. I know that disordered eating can vary on the range of severity- though all eating disorders are serious. I did not know, however, that one can physically kill themselves from an eating diso...

     Growing up, my mom always told me, "where the mind goes, the body will follow." This quote got me through many struggles in life, particularly wrestling and basic training. Fortunately for me, this saying never led me to the place that Lia went to. For me, this just meant that if I wanted to succeed and be the best physically, I had to be the best mentally first.      I believe Wintergirls  shows just how powerful of a tool the mind is. This is a phenomenal book for adolescents because it is a lesson that they can learn early in life. Lia's persistence and regression show that mental toughness is not limited to sports or the military. Lia and Cassie work to be the thinnest, and it costs Cassie her life. I definitely believe Cassie's death adds a much need, real element surrounding mental and physical health.  

     Wintergirls was a hard one, and I mean a really hard one, for me to read. I have seen people that I love and deeply care about struggle with eating disorders and it is one of the most heartbreaking things to witness. Something that stood out to me a lot in the novel was Lia's mom trying to help her. Lia saw her as an enemy because she was trying to get her to eat and I know exactly how that feels. I noticed that in our class discussions people were saying that Lia's mom was approaching some things wrong, and while I do agree with that, I will say that trying to help someone overcome an eating disorder is extremely challenging. It feels as if no matter what methods are used, nothing will work. Trying to get into the head of a person struggling like that is so hard and I feel like Wintergirls allowed me to get a glimpse of that.       It was so sad seeing the way that Lia counted all her calories and talked about just wanting to lose more and more weight...

       Wintergirls was, not only, a tough book to read, but its' topic is a tough topic to talk about. When thinking about the topic of eating disorders, I only ever thought about either starving yourself or binge eating then throwing up. I never think about all of the effort and small details that goes into having an eating disorder. Calorie counting is one example. To be able to know the amount of calories in all these different foods and being able to rattle it off and add them up in an instant is insane to me. It really seems like so much more work would go into having a major eating disorder. The things that come with some people having eating disorders is also hard to talk about because things like cutting, in Lia's case, and also depression are things that are tough on their own but, to add them to having an eating disorder would just be that much harder to manage and deal with. I will say that this book, if approached in the right way, could be extremely usef...

       In the novel  Winterg irls,  Anderson ' s portrayal of illness and nature  combines  to create a  realistic interpretation of the struggle of anorexia.   When Lia discovers that her  best friend  Cassie  passed  away, she holds guilt  and presumes herself responsible , which spirals her illness out of control.  Due to the competition that they were holding with themselves ,  she is obsessed with lowering her weight. The theme of nature is seen throughout the novel and in the flashbacks that Lia talks about. When they were kids  and hanging out during the summer, she seemed happy and innocent and was unaware of her body  until she hit puberty, “That was the summer I finally grew, after years of being smaller than everyone” (Anderson, 164).  The summer lets her bloom into a teenager with unknown desires, but as the present is set in the winter, her feelings of herself have chang...

Being able to read the novel Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, had given me a huge insight into the eating-disorder community. To know that the main viewpoint of the book is told through a young teenager's eyes is saddening because not only is the reader able to explore Lia mentally but physically because of her appearance and thought process is talked about in extreme detail.  The topic of eating disorders isn't really talked about so to learn what I have learned in the book just from the main character Lia, she opened my eyes to understanding the topic of eating disorders.  The main character, Lia, is of course diagnosed with an eating disorder, and it was shocking to be able to see how her thought process was with the entire novel and how her everyday actions were affected by the choices she had made because of how she was trying to maintain her food intake because of her disorder. As a psychology major, I was more interested in her thought process on how she maintained...

 It was hard, reading through Wintergirls , not because of any personal experience with eating disorders, but because of how badly warped Lia was by her 'competition' with Cassie and how she kept going even after her friend died. As someone who took a course on psychology and sociology, it was hard to watch and read as Lia struggled with her eating disorder and other mental issues, including self-harm. It's important for everyone, especially adolescents, to be able to see what happens in Wintergirls  and realize that it is important to talk about these issues and how you feel. It's hard to get help and get treatment for mental illness or disorders like this if you do not tell others. I feel Lia is somewhat lucky seeing as she seems to resist the disorder enough to largely return to a safe eating schedule, because most who suffer from these conditions have a very hard time resisting it in any meaningful way. It's also important for an adolescent reader to understand ...

Wintergirls  was truly an eye-opening book.  When I think of eating disorders, it is not anywhere close to what Lia and Cassie did to themselves.  It was not only the eating disorders that were shocking though, it was also the other issues Lia had, like cutting herself.  It was really quite impressive the willpower Lia showed throughout the novel with her eating.  The meticulous counting of calories of everything she put in her mouth, the hours of time spent on the stair stepper to burn the small number of calories she consumed.  But I think the most interesting part of the novel for me is the question of what actually caused Lia to feel the need to have such excessive control over her food.  At the beginning of the novel, it seems that Cassie and Lia's parents place the blame for the eating disorders on one another.  I do think that the competition Cassie and Lia had with each other to be the skinniest made the disorders they both had worse, but ...

 Wintergirls was hard to read and, honestly, kind of hard to talk about. The "victories" that Cassie and Lia identify with are similar to what some of my family members have dealt with. My mother and grandmother always aimed to be skinny and did a lot of extreme diets to get there. It ended up affecting their way of thinking and how they see others. They would make small comments to my sister and me on our appearances. To them, if I ate more or faster than the rest, I was on my way to getting "bigger." My sister was always too skinny and needed to eat more even though she wasn't hungry. Growing up surrounded by this has caused us to look at appearance and fitness healthily. I watch how much I eat and make sure to get all the nutrients I can. My sister goes to a personal trainer and has started weight lifting. She ingests good proteins and calories to promote a healthy weight increase.  This all goes to say that. Sharing experiences are a powerful way to convey u...

  Wintergirls has been the one novel to rock me to my absolute core. I was extremely hooked throughout the novel! How could this happen, what is going to happen next, will Lia get help and heal? This has probably been my favorite book so far. So much so, that I breezed through the book in two days. I just couldn't help but keep reading. One thing that really stuck out to me was the theme of loss and hope. Lia is struggling in this new world where she isn't a 'real girl'. She has a vicious eating disorder and has faced the death of her best friend, Cassie. She isn't sure what to do or who she can talk to as she faces her eating disorder; she is in denial that was happened to Cassie can surely happen to her. If she doesn't get the help she needs, she will surely die. While Lia is dealing with the loss of Cassie, the loss of her health, the loss of friendships and relationships, and the loss of motivation, she discovers hope. Lia discovers hope in her healing and h...