Blog Post 13: English 325: Stallworth Article

For this week’s blog post I will be focusing on the Stallworth Article that we were asked to read. Its focus is on using multicultural texts in the classroom from the teacher’s perspective. In reading this article it didn’t change much on how I perceived teaching Young Adult Literature. In fact it made me even more confident to teach it. The reason being is because in the article it states how it’s the teacher’s job to incorporate texts that allow for students to “respect” and “understand” the background origins and heritage of the diverse groups in the classroom. This is something I have been incorporating in my lesson plans already and after reading that it is a standard that needs to be met, it reassures myself I am on the right track for my teaching career. I also was impressed with how in the article how it brought up the issue of “good literature” is “classic literature.” However, as we have talked about in class it’s harder for students to relate to some of those texts so it makes the current Young Adult literature novels we are reading more relevant to them which in conclusion make for “good literature,” because the students are actually gaining something out of it. The article backs up my point when it states that “good literature” is a mixture of traditional and non-traditional texts. This reminds me that in my classroom I need to have a solid balance and not strain and focus on just one. Another teaching tip I gained from this article was how it explained by case study of the classics evolving. It goes into depth on how certain books overtime have become a classic; this reminds me that I need to be aware of changing trends in the texts I provide in the classroom (Once again going back to the point of having balance between traditional and non-traditional texts). Another theme that I gained a lot from reading was the hardships that may occur while trying to incorporate multicultural texts. When talking about lack of resources it really shows how sad it is that students are not getting the full educational experience based off of lack of materials. This is something as a teacher that is going to be a hard obstacle to overcome and is now something I need to start thinking about when making lesson plans (Especially with YA literature because most schools only carry the traditional texts). The last point I would like to touch on for this post is the preparation factor. In the text a teacher believed she wasn’t qualified to teach Euro Classics because she wasn’t a historian, however I see this as a cop out. It’s the teacher’s duty to put in time outside of the classroom just as the students do to become masters of the work they are teaching. If it takes a weekend to analyze and go over the text then it needs to be done. There should be no excuse for a piece of text to not be taught because of this excuse, I don’t have the best background with some of these historical texts we read, but with a little research on the topic, author and novel creation it can be taught and be taught thoroughly. This article overall made me even more excited to teach YA literature because it opened my eyes to a lot of different areas that I had never explored before.     

Blog Post 11: Extra Credit: TEAM WHY

This being the final blog post of the semester it will be reflection based. When the semester first started I thought that this blog was going to be to be super easy and just another weekly assignment. However, after the first few weeks I realized the exact opposite. It wasn't super easy and took some time and consideration to get the blog’s done well and thoroughly. You really needed to know what you were talking about and have good examples in order to have a successful blog post for the week. I liked how the blogging was set-up; I enjoyed the fact that it was once a week so it wasn't too overwhelming, but I also liked the response aspect. The reason the response aspect was key is because you got to see the different ideas, thoughts, insights and opinions our peers had for that’s week’s theme or topic. It started to make us think outside of the box and in different ways. My blog manifesto did alter throughout the semester, at first we just wanted to be blunt critics and be different than everybody else, but as the semester proceeded on we changed our approach. We wanted to make actual good blog posts, even if it meant being somewhat like other posts; we learned that not being different is sometimes okay, especially when our newer posts were written better and more thoroughly. We did stick to critically reviewing the material, its themes, characters, but just started to branch out of just the cliché topics of writing. The blog posts that were the most fun to write about and to respond to were the detective section/theme of our class. These were the most interesting because a lot of the class had good relations to theme, which made for really good class discussions and posts. As a whole I learned from this blogging group that it’s okay to change from where you started even if where you started was really good, being able to develop your ideas to a new level only will result in more knowledge and better understandings of the text. I would highly recommend inserting this type of blogging into other English classes.  

Blog Post 10: The Awakening; Characters/Themes/Etc: TEAM WHY

This week’s blog post is going to differ from last weeks “Awakening” post off of the fact that this week’s post is concerned more than just sexuality as a theme and will also be dealing with symbols and character details. The first theme I would like to bring up is self-expression. This is mainly shown through the main character Edna. First off she expresses herself through art; Mademoiselle Reisz and Edna as explained in the text are almost in a way communicating through their music. Next Edna expresses her love and passion through two other characters; Robert and Alcee. This expression is a pretty blatant theme because she never expresses this with anybody else in these ways. Lastly, as Edna expresses herself throughout the story her new identity makes society not understand as well. This means that people aren’t understanding or empathizing with her. Another theme that is occurring throughout the text is “children.” The first brought up topic about children is how Edna is not a motherly woman. This also is linked to Ratigniolle who is the ideal woman because she is pregnant and tries to persuade Edna to not continue down her “awakening” path. Then you have Reisz who is the exact opposite and act childish herself; she doesn’t follow the rules and more importantly knows about Robert and Edna’s relationship, yet doesn’t say anything about. Overall you then have Edna whose journey in the text is that of a child; becoming re-born again and finding her true happy identity. This is a theme that I believe is much overlooked and should be looked into more carefully to gain a deeper understanding of the novel as a whole. The last theme I would like to bring up is independence. This may be a very easy one to depict out of the text, but it is an important one to talk and analyze about. Independence is the striving factor behind Edna’s decisions, she doesn’t want to be tied down and told what she has to do or can’t do; she wants to make her own life decisions and she indeed acts on them as seen in the story. (Acting on her emotional and sexual desires for example) This novel as a whole contains many more underlying themes and just need to be exploited through careful reading, consideration and analyzing. These are just three of the main themes that stood out the most to me while reading it. I would highly recommend this book, because of the messages it sends about woman in the 19^th century.   

English 325: Blog Post 10: Wintergirls

This week’s blog post will be concerning the novel Wintergirls by Laurie Anderson. This text was one that was really eye opening, simply because of the fact that both of the “main characters” were having the same issue. Something that is not usually seen with these type of drastic elements; at least this is case in my background of reading. However, I really enjoyed how the author set-up the story. It was done very well in following Lia through her journey of beating what has become in modern society a quite common disease. What made this text hit home even more was that Lia had to endure the heartache of losing her best friend of 10 years to the same battle she was fighting. This is an easily relatable topic to students, not just for eating disorders but any problem that they share with someone else. This topic or theme could be brought up in the classroom and made a lesson around the fact that a cry out for help should never be taken lightly, even when fighting your own demons. This definitely sounds easier said than done, but are something that should be brought up. The next topic that this novel brings up is a guilty conscious. Cassie’s ghost throughout makes Lia feel guilty about not picking up the phone and is egging on her negative lifestyle. Lia chooses to handle these thoughts and feelings by herself and not reach out for help. This is yet another life lesson or themed discussion that could be brought up in a classroom setting. Teaching students that’s it is okay to reach out for help when emotionally distraught and that getting help doesn’t make you weak. It is really hard for some students to be able to do this and I believe that this book could show them how not getting help can negatively affect them if they don’t. Bringing these two themes together shows that this book even though graphic, horrific and eye opening makes some good lessons that can be gained out of reading it. The part that was most enjoyable about this novel was that even when you thought Lia had given up and gave in to Cassie’s ghost and no longer wanted to live; she snapped out of it. This gives the side of that it’s never too late to give up; as long as you are living and have the will-power you can change. This would be the most crucial theme or aspect of the novel I would bring up while teaching it because of the fact that students in today’s society give up way to easily on themselves. In reading a novel like this one and seeing everything that Lia had endured and yet still overcame should give them confidence and hope in themselves that they too can change at any moment. This indeed sounds a bit over the edge for a concept to bring into the classroom, but why not bring in such a possible life changing possibility? Even if the students only take away a bit of what was discussed on the novel, they will get the books theme, message and purpose. (Which ultimately is the main goal) Overall I would rate this book a B to B- range and would recommend for a later middle school and on age range.      

Blog Post 9: The Awakening/Sexuality TEAM WHY

This week’s post is going to be concerning the similarities between the theme of “sexuality” and the text “The Awakening.” We would first like to concentrate of the meaning of the theme sexuality. Sexuality had become a popular trend in the 19^th century and was starting to make its appearance in many texts. In The Awakening this theme occurs quite frequently and is centered on the main character Edna. It starts out with her being sexually frustrated with her significant other Leonce because of his busy work schedule. This frustration turns into her trying to find her independence, emotional and sexual self. It then leads into an emotional attachment with a man named Robert and after many encounters with each other she finally starts to get the satisfaction she has been looking for. However, once he leaves the picture for a while it leads into her needing to find her sexual satisfaction elsewhere. It once again appears when she starts an affair in her hometown city with a man named Alcee Arobin. This relationship was purely for her sexual satisfaction, nothing else. It’s clear to see that through this novel already that sexuality is one of the main themes because of all the decisions that the main character is making. It doesn’t stop just there she finally at the end of it all realizes that in her sexual and emotional decisions that she was selfish. She forgot about her past life which included a whole family. In this guilty state of mind she goes back to the place where she first felt these sexual sensations. (Grand Isle the location where she met Robert) She decided to give herself away to it and commits suicide by swimming away in the ocean. This theme of sexuality took over her life and ended up causing the end of it. Beyond just this text, there have also been many texts that have been centered on this theme. In the novel “The Library Illustrative of Social Progress” it contains much content that is concerning lust, emotions and of course sexual encounters; it has even been related to the modernized popular “50 Shades of Grey.” This is an example of how sexuality has developed over time from being a new theme in writing into a common occurrence with positive reviews. Sexuality overtime has become a more comfortable topic and writing style. Kate Chopin the author of “The Awakening” had received scrutiny for the text, however as we can see now it was a very good novel which is now being taught at the college level. It’s a theme that should be more looked into and should be looked for in all types of novels. There is almost a guarantee that you will find it in some shape or form. 

English 325, Blog Post 9: Unwind

In this week’s blog I am going to be focusing on the novel “Unwind” written by Neal Shusterman.  This novel is in a sense an almost realistic dystopian text. What is meant by this is the pro-choice and pro-life supporter battle. This is a battle that we as a society are facing today and this type of battle does potentially have the significance to end up reaching these types of decisions to be made. It is safe to say that children could have their organs and whatnot donated to others. With all this being said it’s a very easy topic to relate to the audience and makes for some great conversations and arguments. As for the details of the novel I found it most honorable how Connor took the baby from the doorstep even while he and his fugitive friends are wanted. It takes a lot of courage for someone of such young age to think beyond just them.  This could be a great theme to bring up in the classroom; courage. Was Connor acting courageous while initially going AWOL or was he just doing what he had to do to survive? I also had a lot of respect for Risa because she took her chance for survival on the fly, nothing was planned yet she took the opportunity arose by Connor to survive.  Obviously the audience is going to feel bad for Lev due to his most unfortunate circumstances (it was weird his sudden change in heart wanting to be unwound for honor then helping out the others very suddenly) however this is what made this book a good read. In having three different circumstances for the three main characters to prevent their “unwinding” made the reader realize that this new way of living didn’t care if you were rich, poor or medium class. It was all dependent on the guardian, something that is original and fresh to read.  I also was really fond how this novel had the characteristics of the Underground Railroad epidemic. People were helping the less fortunate and in this case children with networking sources and safe houses.  It’s as though history is repeating itself in America if this were to become a real thing, another great topic in which to bring into the classroom. The books climax ending was a bit surprising. It took another piece from past historical events with involving suicide bombers. The historical incorporation was done very well in this text. I never expected Lev to alter his mind in order to save Connor and still don’t have any respect for him because he was the one who signaled for the bombers to detonate in the first place. This is not a heroic act; the heroic act occurred when turning himself in so he could do no more damage. The author did a good job in incorporating a character like Lev because it kept the audience on its toes and could never expect what he would do next. I believed the party at the Admirals house was fitting and sincere, it was a good satisfying point in the book. Connor becoming Admiral was an event you could foresee throughout and was necessary to end it all. I would give this book a grade of a B. I would teach this in a classroom setting.  

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.