Writing Assignments for Social Awareness: Assignment Three

            Right now, I am reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets( well, re-reading. And yes, dear readers, I abandoned the second book of The Luxe series.) by J.K. Rowling. While thinking about social issues that surface in the book, I didn't realize the very obvious one.
            In the second book of the Harry Potter series, Harry is introduced to the wizarding world's version of racism. In the world of magic, there are three classifications of wizard: pure-blood, half-blood, and muggle-born. Pure-bloods descend from two magical parents. Half-bloods have one magical parent and one non-magical one (a muggle.) Muggle-borns come from two muggle parents. Now, who you were born from has no influence on your magical talents, but some people believe that pure-bloods are the superior race. Some pure-bloods believe that the magical world should only be composed of their kind.
            I think J.K. Rowling meant this social issue in the book to reflect on social issues in the real world as they are today. The pure-blood dominated society of Harry Potter is meant to reflect instances throughout human history when one group of people persecuted another because of differences in race, gender, or religion; specifically, maybe the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., where black people were discriminated against and had to fight for their rights after being enslaved for centuries, or the Holocaust, where the Jewish were rounded up and slaughtered.  One character in the book, Hermione Granger, is a muggle-born and extremely intelligent. Yet Draco Malfoy, a pure-blood, frequently shows her cruelty and makes it clear how she disgusts him. At one point in the book, Malfoy calls Hermione a mudblood, which is a horrible name for a muggle-born. This use of words to hurt people reminds me of names given to countless people through history when they were thought too inferior to be considered people.

Writing Assignments for Social Awareness: Assignment Two

"Where Is The Love?"

What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA fightin'
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself

Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love?

Sing wit me y'all:
One world, one world (We only got)
One world, one world (That's all we got)
One world, one world
And something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit the wo-wo-world, yeah
We only got
(One world, one world)
That's all we got
(One world, one world)


         This is a song by the Black Eyed Peas. As well as being very catchy, the lyrics talk about a lot of different social issues. The overall theme of the song is that all of the bad things that happen in the world... there is no need for them. That all of the love, peace, and unity seems to have vanished off the face of the planet. People do evil things every day and there's no point. The song says that the way some people act, they must've been raised horribly. The first stanza mentions terrorism, racism, and gang violence. I think the line
"Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin',"
means that while we're focusing on the people who we define as evil in other countries, ours is suffering from contamination on the inside. All kinds of people with bad intentions slip by, and the country isn't doing enough to stop it.
            I think this song also discusses the influence of modern media on the younger generations. Kids, we watch movies, television, go on the computer, and read magazines that all try to shape us into something different that they can market. But it goes to our brains and makes us act a certain way.

"Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema"

They're saying that the well-being of  the country and the human race is endangered if it's up to the generation sculpted by false ideas. . If you only teach yourself to accept your own race, gender, or whatever, then you will never fully understand what equality means.  If we could all look past our differences, the love would come back, and the world would be a better place for it.

Response to Articles on Social Awareness

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-7920&artno=0000318547&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Abortion&title=An%20Egg%2C%20Not%20a%20Person&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-8030&artno=0000318548&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Abortion&title=Life%20Begins%20at%20Fertilization&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

The links above are to two opposing articles I read about abortion. The first is slightly more objective, but still pro-choice for women’s rights. The second is written by a man who is a director for a group that is protesting abortion. Both discuss the 26^th amendment to the Constitution, which is being debated in Mississippi. The amendment would define fertilized eggs as people with rights. Abortion would then be considered murder.  Most people think that the amendment will be passed in Mississippi, because it is supported by most of the population and the state’s officials. The first article argues that passing the amendment would significantly reduce the power of women’s rights.  It says it would threaten women’s health, and also ban some types of contraception. The second article claims that abortion is murder of innocent lives and that it is violating the Constitution.  I’m going to argue both sides, right now.

                I believe that the right to abort a fetus is the choice of the mother. Yes, the baby is a form of life. However, having that baby could ruin the mother’s life and possibly endanger her health. The fertilized egg has no feeling, it does not know it is alive. If the pregnant woman decides it is in her best interest to abort the child, who is anyone to argue? It’s her body, her life. I don’t think abortion should even be up for public discussion. Abortion, like any other medical procedure, is private, and between the patient and the doctor. If there was no point in aborting the baby, I would say let it live on.  But there are women out there who need their lives back. Which would you sacrifice—the life of an unborn child, or that of a breathing, thinking, feeling woman?

                Abortion of a fetus could be considered murder of an innocent being. That child doesn’t even know how to make its own choices, and yet some people want to get rid of it before it has the chance to.  Yes, sometimes unplanned pregnancies are damaging to the life of the mother. However, do you honestly think that if the child could voice its opinion, it would support being slaughtered just to save its mother that it hardly knows some difficulty? It is the pregnant woman’s actions that got her the fetus. It seems criminal to just cover up your misjudgment when it involves killing a baby.. Criminals are sent to jail, not executed. Some of them have done unthinkable things. The child did nothing wrong, save being created, and here its chances to prove itself are being snatched away.

                What are your thoughts on the matter? I’d love to hear your opinion and discuss it with you. Please leave a comment below!

Two-Voice Poem: Social Action Partnered

I AM DIFFERENT.
Growing up with two dads, I always felt different from the rest.
I always saw myself a little differently.



 I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TELLING MY PARENTS HOW I FEEL.
I can never have girl talk with my dads.
 They would never understand.


 I DON'T FIT IN WITH MY FAMILY.
I see people differently.
People see me differently.



THEY CAN'T SEE PAST HOW I LOVE.
They are trying to understand, and that's why I love them.
They don't know how to understand, but I love them. 


         This is a poem I wrote with my classmate, Israt. We wanted to write a poem about the social issue of sexual orientation. A two-voice poem has two narrators. Both read the main idea (in caps lock). Then the first person reads the italics and the second reads what's underlined.
         In this poem, the first character is a girl who lives with her two gay dads. She feels unattached from her family and doesn't know how to talk to them about what she feels. She also feels like she's different from other kids her age who have "normal" families--a mom and a dad. But she loves her parents and knows that one day, they will accept her.
          The second character is a boy, the same age as the other girl in the poem. He is gay and doesn't know how to express himself to his mom and dad. He feels like he can't tell his parents anything, and feels also like he's different and weird, not like everybody else. He's striving for acceptance too, but he doesn't know where to begin.

Two-Voice Poem: Social Action

I WISH FOR MANY THINGS.
I wish for clean water.
I wish I had a camera for my laptop.


I WANT A BETTER LIFE.
If I was rich, I could send my little brother to school.
If I was popular, I would have a date to prom. 


I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE.
In the place of poor, broken souls.
In this boring ditch of a town. 


I WANT 
Somebody to help me carry this weight.
Everybody to leave me alone.


           This is a poem I wrote about social action. This particular two-voice poem is centered around two teenagers who are each in their own kind of crisis. The first lives in poverty, and has no money for food or to provide for their family. The second lives in a small suburban town and feels trapped and bored. This poem really a poem about different people's interpretation of hopelessness.












 

  

Case Closed

They thought she’d met her end

The Hudson’s cruel, dark face

But she lives on instead

And is gone without a trace.

They thought she’d never breathe again

But oh, they were dead wrong

For she breathes anew, and with a friend

Her love goes on and on.

She’s with the one she wants now

She’s with the one she needs

Days ago, she wondered how

To escape herself, be  free.

She’s with him and life is fine

He’s with her in that place

She left herself and them behind

He hoped she’d follow in his pace.

Her family shall mourn

For they know not the truth

They think she’s joined the one above

And her fairytale is through.

But Elizabeth has merely reached

Another life’s chapter

She couldn’t live there, her hopes were beached

But now rings out her laughter.

                I wrote this poem about Elizabeth’s escape in the end of The Luxe, by Anna Godbersen.  Elizabeth staged her own death in the Hudson River so that she could leave New York and follow the man she loves. I thought this was very romantic, so I wrote a poem to express that feeling. It’s about how hopelessness and despair turned to joy and resolution. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Luxe. The beginning was a bit tedious, and at one point I considered abandoning it, but I stuck with it and now I’m glad I did.

                I don’t think it was necessary for Elizabeth to go to such harsh measures, especially when you examine the effect it had on her family. They were sobbing, Elizabeth’s mother, her aunt, her sister. She hurt so many people, and for what? Her desire was not to leave her family in financial or emotional crisis, but wouldn’t her family rather she was off to elope with a poor man then floating dead somewhere along the Hudson? And she wanted her sister Diana to have a chance, eventually, to wed Henry Schoonmaker, who was her fiancé, because she knew of their affair. She didn’t love Henry anyway. But wouldn’t it look suspicious for the dead girl’s younger sister to engage a relationship with the dead girl’s fiancé? What kind of damage would that put her family’s reputation through? I don’t believe Elizabeth thought her decision through very carefully.

                I admire Elizabeth’s bravery and dedication to who she loves. But where will they go together? How will they get any money to support themselves, now that Elizabeth’s abandoned her family? She can’t exactly go home and ask to borrow some money--they’d think they’d gone mad, seeing ghosts. If her family truly loved her, wouldn’t they accept her decision to leave? She says she’s worried about her reputation in her city. What would the locals think if she ran off to marry a coachman? But I say, you’re already making the rashest decision of your life. One report in the gossip column won’t hurt you too much, and besides, you’re never going back, so what does it matter if all the townspeople think you’re unladylike?

                All in all, the end of The Luxe was not very inspiring. A book’s resolution should make the reader think about their own life. However, the book gets points in the gripping department. It depends on what kind of reader you are—but I’m definitely reading the sequel.

Writing Assignments for Social Awareness: Assignment One

 Souls in the Dark

I hear the cries
But I turn my back
Tell myself: no one dies
If I don't call back.

It's not true of course
They're lost every day
Countless souls, and faces
Ignorance can't scare death away.

They keep their composure
A smile, a grin
While pleading for mercy
But later, fear wins.

What will they do
When they seek sleep tonight
Nowhere to go, nothing to do
But wait for the reborn sunlight.

           I wrote this poem about the worldwide social issue of poverty and the homeless. There are hundreds of homeless in the United States alone, so imagine how many there are in the whole world. That's thousands of people who can't come home to dinner and a real bed at night, like the rest of us. And the only solution is if the more fortunate people help the less fortunate. We need government involvement, more soup kitchens to feed the homeless, homeless shelters. Anything that could help these innocent people who need it most.
          I haven't exactly been doing my share. That's partially what this poem is about. Living in New York City, I see homeless people on the streets asking for money all the time. The thing that kills me is that they are so nice about it, so polite, despite all they've been through. That's what I'm referring to in the third stanza in the poem, about how these poor souls are some of the kindest people you'll find. The first stanza connects to an idea about how people, including me, turn their backs on those in need. I don't always give the people I see on the sidewalks holding out their money cups spare change, and it breaks my heart not to do so. But something makes me keep walking. The second stanza I wrote about the consequences of ignoring the needy. Sickness, hunger, death. I said "ignorance can't scare death away," because people think that they're doing no harm by not helping the less fortunate, but they are mistaken. I am mistaken. And in the last stanza, I voiced my wonderings about the lives of the homeless. Where do they go at night? Where do they sleep? What is the first thing they think about when they wake up in the morning, to reborn sunlight?

Response to Peer Blogs: Top Two

           Due to some miscommunication, I was unable to access all of the blogs in my peer blogging group; and, in the end, I only got to two of three. But, after some delay, here is my response.

           My top two favorite blogs in my group were Ciarrah's and Oliver's. Ciarrah's blog was neat and well written. She wrote about a question she had with her book. She discussed her evidence and at the end presented her opinion. I think that was a nice touch because she wasn't just stating the facts, but she also left room for her readers to voice their own thoughts. What I also thought was great was that she included a poem she wrote herself, which was a good introduction to the topic.

         Oliver's blog was also good. He had a strong main idea about character relationships and change in his book. He provided plenty of textual evidence and page numbers for them. He went into depth about the two characters' changing relationship and how it was caused by their changes individually. He also connected it to the outside world.

Who Killed Elizabeth?

           I'm nearing the 300-page mark in The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. It's certainly a lengthy novel, but I'm enjoying it. However, one question that springs to mind is, who would gain the most by killing Elizabeth, the main character? The book begins with her 19th century funeral; the rest is a flashback to when she was alive. I believe it was murder, because she was last seen not alone, but with her friend Penelope, and drowned in the Hudson River. So, the question stands--whodunnit?
          In my mind, there are four suspects. The first is Diana, Elizabeth's younger sister. Diana fell in love with Henry Schoonmaker shortly after he became engaged to Elizabeth. And here's the kicker--Henry was in love with Diana too. Diana would have motive to murder her sister; then she could be with Henry. But I don't think she's guilty, because on page 295, "Diana went to her sister. She wrapped her arms around Elizabeth and pressed her close...they lay down to sleep, side by side for the first time since they were children..." I don't think Diana would show such a gesture to Elizabeth, if she was plotting to take her life.
         The second suspect is Henry, Elizabeth's fiance. The two were engaged when they were barely acquainted, and Henry was forced into it by his father. Elizabeth, already in love secretly, only accepted because Henry was wealthy, and her once-rich family was in secret financial crisis. Henry, as mentioned before, was in love with Diana, but could not act on it in public. What better solution to his problem than to kill Elizabeth? And who would question him when he had been betrothed to, and thought to be in love with,  the deceased?
         Another suspect is Lina, Elizabeth's maid. Lina had to work for Elizabeth for years, and they used to be good friends before Elizabeth broke it off. On top of that,  Elizabeth was secretly smitten with Will, her coachman--so was Lina--but Elizabeth won his heart. I think it's possible that Lina has enough pent-up anger and jealousy of Elizabeth to do the deed.
         The final suspect is Penelope, Elizabeth's best friend since childhood. Penelope has motive to murder Elizabeth because she had harbored a crush on Henry before he revealed his proposal to Elizabeth, and she had even had a brief affair with him. I think Penelope is the most likely killer, because when Penelope was with Elizabeth a while before her death, accepting an invitation to be her bridesmaid, she "tried not to smile too broadly. Already, she was being let in where she could do the most harm" (page 216). But by "harm,"does she mean humiliation, or something a little more grim? After all, Penelope was the last person seen with Elizabeth. So--what does this harm entail, and what is Penelope's definition of revenge?

     

The Luxury of Horse and Carriage

            The Luxe, by Anna Godberson, is a lot like a written soap opera. There is new drama left and right; new relationships, crashing friendships, jealousy and rage, etc. The book is set in late 19th century Manhattan. Elizabeth, main character, is betrothed to a man she doesn't love and who doesn't love her to save her family from financial crisis. The man she does love is poor coachman for her family. An important symbol in the book is the horse and carriage, which pops up a lot. It's a symbol of everything Elizabeth wants but can't have.


            Will, who Elizabeth sees in secret, offers to take her out west, where they will start a life together. Elizabeth wants this more than anything, but knows she must stay behind to help her family. This is why I think the horse and carriage is a symbol. The image represents travel, and to Elizabeth, travel means freedom. She wants to be with Will freely and marry him, and the horse and carriage symbolizes running away and never looking back. I think the horse itself is also a symbol for Elizabeth herself; it is tamed to fit into society( in that time period) but it would much prefer to be wild and roam free, as it once did. Elizabeth  knows running away with Will would be wild and crazy, but she's sick of hiding what she wants under the rules and etiquette set for women of her time. 

            Elizabeth is engaged to Henry, a handsome, young, wealthy man; but he's not the one she wants.Will is the carriage driver, and so represents liberty. The horse and carriage in The Luxe symbolizes what Elizabeth already loves, Will, not just what she yearns for, freedom. Or, in this case, who she loves. I think the carriage is also a sign that Will can protect Elizabeth; he commands the movement of the carriage, where things--cargo, or people--can be safely smuggled to their destination.
           
           The horse and carriage symbolizes freedom; travel; protection; love. In short, a solution to Elizabeth's problems, or so Will can persuade himself--but not her. I think Elizabeth is a good person. She could take what she wants and go, but she'd never leave her family hanging. She can do everything and save everyone--but by doing so, she's leaving herself behind.

           
         

Hello Readers!

            Hi out there. My name's Eliza, and this is my blog! Bookit with Love is a blog based on my journey--my reading and writing journey, that is. You can find posts following my progress through my reading life and my thoughts about what I'm reading. Who knows--I might post excerpts of my own writing now and then. Hope you like it!