Blog Post 8: Sherlock Holmes: TEAM WHY

This weeks blog post is going to be based off of the famous Sherlock Holmes. The text in which we read this week was revolved around this historic figure. I found that the most interesting part of the text was how it incorporated many different aspects about Mr. Holmes. The first aspect was his addiction to drugs; especially cocaine. This was a trait in Sherlock that wasn't really exposed before. In addition to this was his arrogance. In other views of Sherlock he is most definitely cocky individual, however, in this text he believes he is better than anybody else who walks on the same ground as him. One theme that was most intriguing about this character was how he became humbled at the end. I would have never guessed for him to admit defeat and want a photo of the one who outwitted him. I firmly believe that Sherlock even after the story is in attempt to get even with Irene Adler. This however, contradicts the episode of Sherlock Holmes watched in class. He in the end of this story ended up helping Irene, this was due to his passion and affection towards her. This could be a link between the two because there is a definite attraction towards Irene in the novel due to her intelligence. It has become apparent that Mr. Holmes is attracted to woman who are not only intelligent, but also keep him on his toes and make him chase her. This is a difficult task for any woman because Sherlock is no easy task to take on. Sherlock is a very loyal character as we have seen in both the text and film. He will do anything for his best friend Dr. Watson, even though they have their bitter moments towards each other, what good friends don't. One of the most obvious themes that was involved towards Sherlock Holmes was his observing skills and attention to details. There was a valiant effort to make sure the audience could see how this was one of the main reasons for his success. The one example that stood out the most to me was when Sherlock took Irene's heartbeat during their sexual/heating up scene. It was this small detail that cracked the whole situation and eventually led to his victory in the end. He could prove that she did indeed have feelings for her because of her elevated heartbeat. All these themes and characteristics make Sherlock Holmes the character that he is. He is unlike any others, this is why he is so famous and well known. Not many detectives can match up with the famous Sherlock Holmes. This unit for the class ended up teaching us a lot more about this famous icon than we knew before.

Blog Post 8: English 325, "Feed" Joshua Zaborowski

For this week’s blog post I will be concentrating on the novel “Feed” by M.T. Anderson. This has to be one of my favorite dystopian novels that I have read. What really stood out to me in this novel was how in a few scenes in really related to everyday issues that teens deal with today. The first example was when Titus didn’t want Violet to know about his friends “manufacturing.” This is an easy situation for readers to relate because they are one of three parties in this case. They are either the one having the drugs hidden from, the one hiding the drugs for their friends or the friends doing the drugs. Most to all readers of this novel will have a situation to relate to in this case, which makes for a great classroom discussion that can go into whether or not Titus was doing justice for Violet or his friends. This leads to many different avenues to bring into the classroom. Another theme that was brought that was intriguing was educational value. This was brought up when Titus and the crew went to the hospital. It was explained how nobody valued the educational process because they had already knew everything and could contact purely through thoughts. (Example: Violet knew how to write with a pen, which was very abnormal) This is a good point to bring up to the audience because it shows them that people with access to everything they need without even thinking about, still think about the educational process in a sense. It should in a sense show students to be grateful for their opportunity to become more intelligent, especially when others don’t even get an opportunity to become educated. This stand-point is of course coming from a future teacher. This theme could also be taken other directions as well. The last theme I would like to cover is friendship and change. Throughout this text it showed how friendships change, develop or are diminished due to live events that occur. This is a true case for any time period or any friendship; which makes it easily relatable for the reader. Titus and Violet started out becoming good friends, but as the novel developed their friendship was diminished. Titus was even so selfish at one point to delete Violets memories that she had trusted him to keep. This was the turning point of their friendship because Titus had lost interest/faith due to Violets fading “feed.” This may seem a bit harsh; however this should show the audiences that pre-caution should be taken in the “trust” factor for the friends you choose. The reason I bring this up is because it plays the devil’s advocate for good classroom discussions. It will allow students to bring up their own thoughts and feelings, which will allow for a better understanding of the novel. This is my overall goal when rating this text. This is why I bring up these types of themes and topics. Lastly I would definitely recommend this book over so many other dystopian novels and would rate this text a B+/A-. 

Blog Post 7: TEAM WHY Detective Themed Texts

For this week’s weblog post I would like to concentrate on the topic of Detective text. This has been one of the main topics of this week’s readings. Some of the main themes that are included in Detective novels is that there is dead bodies or a crime, clues, investigation and of course suspects of the crime. This was especially a popular type of text in the 19^th century and there themes are still re-occurring in current films and novels that involves detective work. One of the main points I would like to bring up is the difference from now and back then how these types of texts are created. For most of today’s detective type creations they are based off of old true story crimes (Zodiac, Ted Bundy, Green River Killer), which occurred before technology really started hitting the scene. However, these modern creations still use the type of methods and procedures that occur in our reading “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” They both pay attention to detail, think as if they are the criminal themselves and use their past experiences to solve their current problem or situation. The texts from the 19^th century are more based on their modern real life experiences and methods that they have developed, but this is due to the fact that they are the ones who led the way of this Detective themed texts. This brings us to the next point of how impressive the detective novels were for their time. With the lack of technology during their time and the way in which they used what they had; mostly their knowledge and hard work to accomplish what we do today. Whether it is a fiction novel or a real one. In our modern day novels for this theme technology takes over the hard work of the humans for the most part. This makes for the authors in the 19^th century to come up with more creative ways in order to make the story not only exciting, exhilarating, but also satisfying in the sense that they get the job done. It’s important to compare the two different time periods because it gives a much deeper appreciation of the work that was created in the 19^th century. It also gives a bigger shout out to the authors that created these novels such as: Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe and Wilkie Collins among others. This has been one of my favorite themes discussed this far and is one that should be analyzed like as discussed above. I would highly recommend reading some of these older works that involve detective work as a theme. Contains more than what meets the eye.  

English 325: Blog Post 7 Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

For this week’s blog post I will be discussing the novel “Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” The author Sherman Alexie does a great job of integrating some of his own life events on the reservation into this text. Having firsthand experience makes for better details when describing the reservation life. He did a very good job in explaining from a young male’s perspective how alcohol takes over people’s lives; including his own. He also did a fantastic job in describing Junior’s family situation, the part when Junior explains how his father chose not to booze to be able to give him 5$ shows that his family does care. This is also shown when his family gives full support in the decision to attend Reardon High School instead of going to school on the reservation. The reason that this was such a big part of the novel because it wasn’t just Junior taking scrutiny from the whole reservation for being a “sellout” it was his family as well. However, his parents cared for him so much that they stood by him. This is a great part of the novel for students to read, understand and analyze. It will show kids that even though it may be hard decision to go against the grain of what your friends, family and neighborhood do that you have to do what is best for your future. This would be a great classroom discussion and a great lesson to implement. This novel also shows perseverance and persistence. Junior endures many hardships while attending Reardon high, not only does he deals with being an outsider but no longer has his best friends Rowdy to have his back. He even has to deal with feeling like two different people when on his first day of school the teacher announces his birth name. This should be showing to the audience that just because people come from different backgrounds that will occur with different name styles and types that they are people just like everybody else. This is another lesson and classroom discussion that should be incorporated. It will allow for students to see first-hand how it is rough for young adults to endure these small encounters when it may seem like nothing. Another theme that was implemented very well and is something that any reader of the novel can relate to is death. Junior explains in the novel how death is common occurrence on the reservation and talks about the amount of funerals he has attended in his life. The audience can easily relate to this because death occurs everywhere. Sherman Alexie did an overall amazing job in having his main themes be relatable, but more importantly showed how these themes are huge on reservations. I would like to end this blog with how Junior never gives up. An attitude that is perfect for a young adult literature text. This will show young adults that as tough as life can be that anybody can lie down and give up, but it takes a person with true character to keep preserving. Junior is a great character to show this. I would high recommend any of Sherman Alexie’s pieces of work and would rate this novel an A+. 

English 372: Blog Post 6, TEAM WHY: Native Americans

Links to the 4 sources used for our topic: Native Americans

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?papr:1:./temp/~ammem_xf21:: (Buffalo Dance)

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?papr:2:./temp/~ammem_kwpR:: (Sioux Ghost Dance)

http://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=January&Date=16 (Cartoon of the Day in 1869)

http://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=December&Date=6 (Cartoon of the day in 1879)

This week’s blog post will be focused around Native Americans and how people of the 19^th century viewed them. The first findings that I found were old vintage films of Native Americans performing ritual dances. The first two links up above will lead you directly to the videos being discussed. My first thought when watching these films was how cool it was to still have film evidence of these rituals that have been going on for hundreds of years. However, then I noticed that in the films it didn’t look like the Natives were in their natural habitat and with their whole tribe. This then lead me to seeing that the Europeans and Whites in the 19^th century didn’t truly value the Natives and their secret ritual dances. It was purely for their benefit. In the white man being able to show their secrets to the outsiders, it loses value for the Natives. From what I have understood through my history classes is that the Native Americans take these dances very seriously and is something that only their tribes people know. This is making a statement from the white man that the Natives traditions will last no more. This then leads into the very judgmental “Cartoon of the Day” clips from the mid-late 1800’s. Both of these images are highly downgrading to the Native Americans. Both of them have the European’s taking advantage of them and making them look like non-human beings; as if they have no rights. The one I dislike the most even though it is more non chalant is the cartoon of the day in 1879. This image is showing the Native Americans having to do just stand there and watch as the white man takes their land and promises them good new homes on reservations. Knowing how history actually played out makes this image an even more disturbing one. The other image is no better. It has the image of a white man holding a Native American by his own hair. In the background there is signs that state “no shooting” and it contains the white man holding wheat representing bread. This is representing the fact that the white man is taking away their right to hunt and continue their usual way of feeding themselves. Analyzing these photos and videos is a definite eye opener. Even though we read about this time period in books, seeing it visually makes it hit home a lot harder. Overall these sources are showing people in the 19^th century didn’t see Native Americans as equal human beings. They saw them as people who could be pushed around and have their whole life ways taken away from them, which is precisely what they did. They ruined a way of life for a group of people and never even thought twice about it. Looking back on these type of sources also makes us realize how far we have come as a society.    

Blog Post 6: English 325 Joshua Zaborowski "American Born Chinese"

For American Born Chinese I would have to start off by saying that it was a refreshing read. It was unlike many other readings that I have encountered in a long time. I was most intrigued with how all three mini stories came together at the end. In addition I really enjoyed what this book could bring into a teaching aspect in the classroom. This text shows some great examples of racial stereotype. For example is Jin Wang getting picked on at school because of his racial background. This is a vital part of the text to comprehend because it’s showing firsthand what is occurring in our schools every day. In exposing students to this type of text it will have them be much more understanding when looking to their left or right and seeing someone of a different race. I also really liked how the author played with the theme of identity. Identity in this text played a huge role. I enjoyed how in the first story that the Monkey King got put into his place and ended up realizing his place. This proves a good lesson as well showing that you can’t always get what you want. It shows that something’s just aren’t meant to be. Another key lesson that could be brought into the classroom. Still going off of the whole identity theme, I was intrigued to learn of the disguises that came about throughout the text. I am sure that nobody would have guessed Jin was Danny in disguise, but it was Jin’s way of getting revenge to someone else because of the hardships he faced; was the only conclusion I could come up with. Next I was more caught off guard by the fact that the Monkey King was Chin-Kee. However, after looking back now at the text the fight scene between Danny and Chin-Kee had some give away moments due to Chin-Kee/Monkey Kings extremely talented kung Fu skills. The author had these characters disguised because the disguises were ways for the characters to unleash and let out their inner emotions. This was a creative way to do so in a text and makes for a great analyzing unit for a classroom as well. The last theme that I want to point out is that this text shows a very valuable and popular way in which people in society deal with problems: violence. When stepping back and looking at the whole text almost every single problem is dealt through violence. Was this an intentional doing by the author? Even if not it’s a great point to bring up to students and what their thoughts and feelings about it are. This is a great way to show our youth that violence is not always the answer and doesn’t get the ending result you may want or think you deserve. Overall, I believe this text has a lot to offer and would definitely be a piece of work I would like to include into my classroom. It would be something new and refreshing for the students along with good entertainment. I would rate this story in the A- to A range.             

English 372: Blog Post 5, Western TEAM WHY

For this week’s blog post we will be talking about some of the thoughts and opinions that we had with one of our short story readings: “The Luck of Roaring Camp.” More importantly we are going to be connecting the themes in this western text to other western stories as well. In “The Luck of Roaring Camp” we have a bunch of rowdy drunk men who end up changing their ways because of the birth of a new born child. This is unlike any other western type book, film or TV series I have ever seen or heard of. This is what made the story have more uniqueness compared to other cliché western novels. In addition to this you get to see the bond between a man and a child, where even the littlest things mean the world to the man (Kentuck with baby aka Tommy Luck). Showing another example of a huge difference from this western type text to others. One theme that really stood as well was the fact that the men were miners. This is an overlooked fact because when people think western they are thinking Texas, New Mexico along with other Southern states with criminal outlaws fighting against the local sheriffs or authorities due to the fact they are wanted for murder or robbery. This was a nice new touch to put on the western theme as a whole, it still contained smaller themes that fit the genre; being dirty, gambling, boozing, fighting and living in a small town. However, this author did a great job in twisting up the genre to fit a much more heart felt sad ending. Going off of the last note the ending to this film was heartbreaking. I, along with most of the audience reading could all agree we never saw a flood being the cause of the death of their new hope and good luck charm (Baby Thomas). Most western do end up in the death of a main character and it is very sorrowful and has a lot of emotion, but this ending was just different. Having a child be the heartfelt death is always hard to watch or read, but having the child as one of the main characters and the character supplying hope to an entire town has never been done in the western genre. Bret Harte did a fantastic job of creating a new and innovative western type of text, which included all the essential themes to be included in the genre, but did an even better at making it completely different and unique. I would definitely recommend this to a wide variety of crowds.