Book Review

                In the future, people no longer have personal connections, enjoy nature, and most importantly they do not read books. It just so happens that if you owned or even read a book you would get in trouble because it was severely against the law. In the future people drive fast, and don’t take the time to think and admire things. They watch a lot of TV. and their lives revolve around technology which is the only way people gain sensation and or feelings. A Fireman named Guy Montag wasn’t exactly your typical fireman that we know today, in which he burned down homes versus saving them. Soon he meets this odd girl named Clarisse McClellan. She likes to talk to people, go outside, and wasn’t fond of technology which was considered weird.  Clarisse was a thinker, which is considered almost dangerous in this society. She in a way awakens Montag; he starts to realize that he wasn’t satisfied with his life as well as the world around him.

I really enjoyed this book first off because of the Ray Bradbury’s writing style. I loved his illusions and the imagery used in the text to really paint the perfect picture for the reader. Another valuable thing that the book provided to the reader is that books should be valued, it’s a back handed kind of way of saying that no one should be able to claim on your desires, and censor how you feel and function.  I believe it's a great warning about how many times people in power will attempt to control the information that the people they rule see and hear by censoring, in order to keep those people under the thumb of the ruling elite. While on the other hand that books are to be read, and discussed and cherished, not burned! I believe that people should read it because there is a deeper meaning, when you read, whatever it may be, you should look between the lines, past the initial story, and see what you can find. I enjoyed this book so much and I feel that that others should read it because it challenges you to make your own, thoughts and decisions as you go through life, without the influence of others! It raises questions about censorship in our modern society as well. I have to admit that is was a hard read, but I appreciated the debate and points it raised, and I am sure you will too.

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Jr at Whitney

If Junior went to Whitney Young he would be an outcast. If Junior attended our school it definitely would not be like the school on the reservation but, he still would be view as "weird" to the majority of people to me. Students most likely wouldn't go out there way to meet him or get to know him on a deeper level. Especially is you are in a "cooler" group of people, you’re not suppose to or expected to interact with people like Junior. Junior would most likely spend most of his time in the arts building, the arts building is more relaxed and accepting and Junior does enjoy drawing. Also I feel that the artsy people at Whitney would be more accepting and less judgmental  He would eat lunch either off campus everyday alone so he can truly spend time with himself, or he would eat in the maze somewhere hidden and quiet. If he was to even make the team at Whitney he would probably gain a pretty solid supportive base. I say that because when you’re on a team it doesn't matter where you come or from its how you play and perform on the team. There are even special education kids that participate on school teams and thrive on them and aren't made fun of either. There are so many types of people in the school that there is at least one person for everyone! In general i believe that he wouldn't have to hide because Whitney Young kids understand that people do come from all across the city and from different homes, it doesn’t matter Although Junior may change the way he acts around the cooler kids in attempt to come off as a "cooler" person. . I wouldn't expect much from junior anyways because I most likely would not even talk to him if he came to the school so hiding himself wouldn't make a difference to me anyways. Overall his experience would be a little bit better then Rearden, but only a bit because we are more diverse not only racially but personality wise too. 

Hiding the Res.

Whitney Young is very diverse, but I do believe that people do tend to hide the “reservation,” whether it is on purpose or just never mentioned. Many people at Whitney Young have a tendency to hide the reservation because they don’t want to come off as a certain type of person, or be judged. At Whitney it is extremely cliquey, there may be a wide range of people in our school but people of similar race, backgrounds, and interest usually end up together. When you come to Whitney you don’t want to be considered lame or weird, no one does. Truthfully I am extremely self conscious, and I have a tendency to think that I am being judged based on everything that I do from athletics to my friends. I don’t say certain things when I am with people, because I don’t want them not to like me, so I am hiding the reservation because I am hiding who I am. I believe that people at Whitney Young students don’t care about where you come from, but who you are, how you present yourself to other people or even how you look. The reason this happens is due to the expectations have for certain people, and they judge them based on those expectations. 

PTI & Raisin in the Sun Post

In both The Great Gatsby and Raisin in the Sun the American Dream is shown in different ways.  In the Great Gatsby, everyone was from an upper class background. Their American Dream was based around the idea of happiness.  

Nick Carraway comes into the picture and finds out that Jay Gatsby is stuck on one woman, his one true love and money and obtains the money through shady business deals, but then realizes he is a loving person and means no harm. Gatsby was never able to be with Daisy the only person that brought him true happiness.  The green light symbolized this in the way that it was there but he was unable to have it. Gatsby does everything in his power to get Daisy’s attention he throws parties that he doesn’t even care for and even throws himself under the bus for Daisy when she killed Myrtle and Tom accused him.

Another example of this in the Great Gatsby is Tom’s love for Myrtle.   You would have thought Tom had everything going for him; a wife, money, and nice home but he was missing something; being with his true love; Myrtle, who happens to be of a lower social class.  Throughout the Great Gatsby it shows that money cannot buy people happiness. The characters might have all of the things that keep them in the social class of wealthy but lack emotional happiness.

In Raisin in the Sun, the characters American Dream different for every character. This leads to their happiness.  Walter is the character who believes in the “rags to riches” concepts but it doesn’t work out as planned because he becomes obsessed with the idea.  He wanted to show his family that he could do something good for once.  Mama tries to “fix/help” her family no matter the cost.  Beneatha wants to become a physician and being a young independent African American woman. She is tired of God taking credit where it is not due and wants to marry an African instead of a rich man. The family also wanted to move to a better neighborhood.

Both of the stories had polar opposite views on what the American Dream meant to the characters in the book.  Since the American Dream in the Great Gatsby was about the emotional feeling people had for one another and the American Dream in Raisin in the Sun was about the materialistic things in life (money, houses, cars, etc.) I came up with what I thought the American Dream was which is; it is a thought or based on what each and every person perceives it as. The characters in the Great Gatsby had the magnificent, wealthy, and well respected lifestyle that most of the characters from Raisin in the Sun could only daydream of, while all the people in Raisin in the Sun  had the loving relationships that some of The Great Gatsby characters desperately needed.

The American Dream in both stories is fueled by the relationships the characters have and the people the interacted with.

Sister Suffragette

     The song that I have chosen that protests social injustice in the United States is “Sister Suffragette” from Walt Disney’s classic Mary Poppin’s.  “Sister Suffragette" is a pro-suffrage protest song sung by Mrs. Winifred Banks who is the wife of George Banks and the mother of Jane and Michael in the movie. The movie was set in the early 1900’s during the Woman’s suffrage movement, the women's suffrage movement is just another name for when women fought their rights, so that they could have the same professions as men, be paid the same wages, treated equally, and be able to vote too. This song was protesting the unfair and unequal treatment of women. Based on the lyrics “Political equality and equal rights with men!” the issue that this song focused on was the equality of women.  In the song Mrs. Winifred Banks sings “Cast off the shackles of yesterday…”  I believe that the shackles refer to the way that the women are treated, the unfair pay, rights and opportunities.  Another part of the symbolism is the word “yesterday.” I believe that she means that all the unfair treatment will soon be ancient history, and eventually forgotten by society. So basically the symbolism in this line is that they will be set free from inequality and be able to perform the right to vote, and have a successful career.  I choose this song because I love the movie Marry Poppins and I mean who has not seen Marry Poppins? This song is very upbeat and humorous as well. This subject matter is very dear to my heart because I am a girl, and without all the hardships that these women endured I would not have the opportunities that I have today. The women that participated and supported woman suffrage opened so many doors for myself and all women that is why this song is significant to me.  

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                                                                 -Lyrics-

We're clearly soldiers in petticoats
And dauntless crusaders for woman's votes
Though we adore men individually
We agree that as a group they're rather stupid!

Cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
And they'll sign in grateful chorus
"Well done, Sister Suffragette!"

From Kensington to Billingsgate 
One hears the restless cries!
From ev'ry corner of the land:
"Womankind, arise!"
Political equality and equal rights with men!
Take heart! For Missus Pankhurst has been clapped in irons again!

No more the meek and mild subservients we!
We're fighting for our rights, militantly!
Never you fear!

So, cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
And they'll sign in grateful chorus
"Well done! Well done! 
Well done Sister Suffragette!"

Proposal

     I live in the Hyde Park/ Kenwood, so I believe that the general Idea of the American dream in my neighborhood would be "Success." Not only success in your job or  how much you make, but being successful by fulfilling your goals and desires.  Also "Hope," I say hope because I strongly believe that everyone wants to better themselves and be given the same opportunities as anyone else. I believe that because of the culture and types of people that reside within Hyde Park/ Kenwood. In this project I would like to interview three different types of people; a businessmen person, family member, and a young adult/ teenager. I would like to do this because I want to see the difference between the three types of people as well as there similarities.

The American Dream: HOPE

Obama Sworn In for 2nd Term, This Time Quietly

The ability to better yourself and your loved ones is a part of the multiple meanings and interpretations of the American Dream. Not even 100 years ago people where being discriminated based on race, and sex. Everyone seemed to need to hate someone else and a majority of the time it's based on race. From the beginning African Americans and other inferior races struggled for the right to practically live. Since then they have fought for equal rights, to be respected, and to be able to have the same chances as the next guy. In America there is a since of hope, where you are able to achieve what you desire, and what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. That is the American Dream. From what they may say is a rags to riches story, the African American community climbed the ladder of equality and success because of the since of Hope, the American dream. This past month President Obama made history when he took the oath of office for a second time this year.  The nation’s first black president embodies hope and change for many Americans at this time of financial struggle and war. In this article it discusses his term, but I feel like he is a perfect example of the success and victory that the race achieved with the belief that anything is possible, and a since of hope.  

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Movie Review: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D

TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 

In the sequel of the famous 1974 Tobe Hooper cult classic horror film Texas Chainsaw Massacre the movie begins with the direct ending from the original movies finale with the burning of the Sawyer family home in attempt to kill the murderer called Bloodyface and his family, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. But the real question is what really happened to Bloodyface, did perish in the fire or did he escape? The 2013 modern version of  Texas Chainsaw Massacre answered just that question. Picking up after the events of the original film, the people of Newt, Texas after the burning of the Sawyer house the entire family is presumed dead and the arsonists are celebrated as heroes in the town. However, an infant, Edith Sawyer, is found by one of the townsmen and taking in as their own. Years later Edith now known as Heather is notified that her grandmother, Verna Carson, has passed away and left everything to her; discovering that she was adopted, and her and a couple friends pack up to take a allegedly fun trip down to the town of Newt, Texas. But they are not aware of the secrets of the Sawyer family and the townspeople. Assuming the house is empty they settle down, but an unknown guest lived downstairs known as Bloodyface.

From beginning to end the movie made your heart race, you jump out of your seat, and waiting in agonizing pain as you wait for Bloodyface’s next victim. Throughout the 92 minutes of the movie it made you feel dank, uncomfortable and mysterious. The gore scenes and suspense had you on the edge of your seats biting you nails down to nubs. Besides the blood and guts there was a whole lot of drama there were numerous secrets and problems within the group of friends like cheating, lying, and betrayal. The climax of the movie had to be the best part of the movie, it makes you think and the dramatic irony of how Bloodyface was related to heather was very interesting, and how she develops and changes as a character is quite entertaining and even humorous at the end. This is one of the scariest movies I have seen in a long time! If a movie makes me scream in the theatre it must be terrifyingly amazing. I would recommend it to all, just beware of the nightmares. 
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