Authors Note Edited

The Great Depression occurred from 1929 to 1941. It is a time period that is now called “the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world”. It brutally affected Chicago, IL. Along with this depression, the stock market crashed and worsened Americans’ confidence. One of the main causes of the Great Depression was how weak the banking system became. Banks gave out loans that were unwise, some to struggling farmers and stock market investors. When the stock market crashed, people could not repay their loans and the bank lost their money. Everything came spiraling down. During 1933, more than 24% of Americans were unemployed. (Stoff 703-705).
            Having lived during a recession myself a few years ago does not even compare to the life others had during the Depression in the 1930s and 40s. Wanda Bridgeforth currently lives in the “Black Metropolis”, an area Bronzeville in Chicago, IL. She recalls her experience. She says, “One house we lived in- there were 19 of us in a six-room apartment … [They] told me that this was the way it has to be, we either survive or we don’t.” Bridgeforth’s story was part of the inspiration for Dawn Will Break.

The other part was my connection to the Kit American Girl Doll Series. From a young age I’ve been fascinated by them. Kit lives in the time of the Depression. I used to spend the summer in my country house sipping lemonade and reading; I didn’t need the beach, I had Kit. Her audacious adventures and her bravery during hard times inspired me and she became one of my heroes.

In this story, I gave Maya Grace some of that bravery and personality that Kit contained. Dawn Will Break tells of her difficult time during the Depression but later shows her techniques for getting through it all, her biggest technique being her family’s companionship.

It’s important for children to learn how vital a loving family is so as they get older, they won’t push them away right as they need them most.

Works Cited

Stoff, Davidson Castillo. The American Nation. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:            Prentice-Hall Inc., 2002.

“Survivors Of The Great Depression Tell Their Stories.”            http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97468008. NPR, 2010.            Internet. Nov. 12, 2010.

Sorry about the formatting. The indents won't work.

Research Assignment 2

Series of Poems/ Allegories of Children with Learning Disabilities

In Their Point of View

I went to school and I couldn’t read

I thought it was temporary.

While others reached to higher levels.

I stayed struggling.

I thought,

This will pass like anything else.

My teachers gave no support.

They continued to fail me,

Like this was my fault.

But the worst part?

For the longest time I thought it was.

Turns out, I had Dyslexia.

And then they felt bad.

They gave me those looks.

Those sympathetic looks,

They felt sorry for me.

I hated them for it.

I kept thinking it would all blow over.

I waited and really still waiting.

I can read and write now

An improvement,

But I’m in Sixth Grade.

I learned in Fifth.

Sometimes my parents don’t even talk to me

It’s sad, yes, but I can’t say I don’t know why.

I do badly.

I mean I’m bad at everything.

I get in trouble with the teachers, my friends

Though sometimes my friends don’t talk to me either…

It’s probably because of the fights I get in.

I’m not so great at school.

When I should know the answer

I blank.

So I try to cover it up,

By being a wise mouth.

I’d rather be known as “bad”

Than stupid.

What’s wrong with me?

Everything should be easy

Like it is for everyone else.

It’s far from easy.

Don’t tell anyone I said any of this, though.

I wouldn’t want it getting out that I’m dim.

Math really isn’t my strong point.

I can’t grasp it.

Sometimes I get so close to understanding.

Soon enough it slips from my fingers.

I’ve got dyscalculia.

But I’m not ashamed.

Some bullies make fun of me.

They say I’ll never do anything with my life,

If I can’t learn math.

I don’t let ‘em get me,

Because I know that’s what they want.

I won’t give it to them.

I know I’m different,

And I’m kind of proud.

I guess it makes me unique.

I’ve always craved to be distinctive from others.

It’s in a not so great way,

But I got what I wanted.

Someday math won’t be hard though,

But I’ll still be an individual

Because of dyscalculia.

The Great Depression

I choose this topic because I find it so interesting and intriguing I can only imagine how much so this would be for young children. It’s funny, because I act like this time period was just something to talk about. I tend to forget that this actually happened, people lost their homes, parents lost their jobs, families lost everything. “It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world.”

I first got the idea when I was thinking about some of my favorite childhood books. I figured if I could find an interesting topic from one of those, I could turn my story into something different and new, but also interesting. I thought of the book series “Kit: The American Girl Doll”. I used to read these series over and over, I’d sit for hours. Kit lives in the time period of the Great Depression, I learned from a young age about the this time and it fascinated me. I decided that I wanted to fascinate others.

I also found this topic appropriate being in the economical state the U.S. is in right now, we are “recovering” from a year long recession. I think if I turned a story about the Depression into an allegory, children would better understand what’s really going on in the world, they won’t have it thrown on them like it was thrown on me.

Sure, through picture books I learned about the environment and how to collaborate; plenty of things I could use later in life. But I knew absolutely nothing about the government or how harsh the world can be. I really couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that my parents weren’t rich. I couldn’t believe that the economy actually does affect me, I couldn’t believe the things that did happen were that extreme. That’s why a book about the economy- the Depression- could really benefit children if not get them curious and get them wondering. They need to wonder about things. I know from experience, living in a bubble, really is not ideal. 

Research Assignment #1

Great Depression:
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/about.htm

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97468008

Kids with Disabilities

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/learning_problem/learning_disabilities.html

http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Children+with+Learning+Disabilities&section=Facts+for+Families

Read and respond to a song and/or poem on social problems

 Song: Imagine

Artist: John Lennon

Lyrics:

“Imagine there's no Heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will live as one”

I’ve always loved this song. When I first heard it, I was young and I liked it for it’s soft melody, the way it seems to comfort the listener. As I grew older, I began to appreciate this song for it’s lyrics. I liked the way Lennon didn’t hold back; nothing was simplified for the people; what’s there was straight up and true and I believed him, I believed his every word.

Lennon spoke about so many social issues in this song, but he spoke to one main one, the most important: what this world is coming to. How we have become so greedy and ignorant it’s hard to even imagine life without our possessions and with nothing to die for. It saddens me that only in dreams, did Lennon believe this world could live as one. And only in his dreams, does the world begin to understand the concept and idea he is trying to get across though this song.

Now, in order to get this message across, in order to break through the thick skulls of some, Lennon touched on other social issues like greed and hunger. Although he doesn’t go into detail, with a bit of knowledge on the subject it’s easy to grasp what he’s trying to say. If we all did our part and let go of the anger and selfishness we keep trapped inside, the world could be a better place.

Then, John Lennon did a very brave thing, something I’m sure people don’t agree with. He spoke about religion and how we don’t need it. It’s such a delicate topic; I know I couldn’t have done something like that. He speaks of a world where there are no thoughts about heaven or hell so there’s nothing to stress or worry about. He knows, and I know, everyone knows that so many conflicts and wars are started because of the claim that “there is only one correct religion”. Fights go one and we still refuse to believe ours is “wrong”.  John Lennon looked above this and he wrote this song. He wrote it about peace. It’s harsh but we needed to hear it, we all needed to hear it. And maybe one day we’ll stop wondering and start doing; because if we don’t well, I just don’t know what will happen; I can only imagine- disaster.

Write a poem or song responding to a specific problem/issue

Social Issue- Gangs

A 3 part poem from 3 different points of view.

My Daddy brought me up right

So I’ve got no excuse

Not like the other guys

I was always a good kid though

Good judgment

Handsome

My teachers liked me.

‘Till something set me off

Doesn’t seem so important now,

But I left

Not even a sappy good-bye letter

I’ve disappointed him, I know

We wear all red

It’s his favorite color

We do some bad stuff

We’re all messed up

Sometimes I wish I were home

They jumped me

And I felt alone

Fighting hard doesn’t get you anywhere

That’s a myth.

You won’t regret

Giving them what they want

Because nothing is worth the hurt

They slammed me against the wall,

when I said no

One guy, the leader,

He looked right into my eyes

I looked to his

And I saw a child

His face was sneered.

Then my faced changed

For a second I felt compassion for him.

He saw that

He kicked me.

Took my stuff and left.

That’s it.

It’s wrong

And we sit there and we watch

And we know it’s going on

And we sit there

And we don’t help them

How can we not help them.

They’re young

It doesn’t have to end like this for them

They’ve got a future but we’re the key

What they need is motivation

Something to work towards

Sounds easy

So what are we doing?

nothing

We must be selfish no longer

It’s us they need.

Now more then ever

Help

And soon they will be reasonable.

Extra Credit on "It's Kind of a Funny Story"

That couldn't be me
Right?
Impossible
I won't crumble
Am I strong?
I should be able to answer
but I can't
Will I let it get to me?
Like it got to Craig.
More and more I find similarities
He's just like me
and I wish it weren't so
Because look where it got him.
Look where he is.
I can't be like him.
I can't go there.
But am I strong enough?
Well, I just don't know

Media/News Immersion With 5 Day Summaries

Injustices and Social Problems

1)    Inequality between Males and Females.

2)    Poverty increasing greatly

3)    Human Rights

4)    The Unfairness of Death Penalties/Racism

5)    Persecution/Human Rights

Day 1

Why Do Women Still Earn Less Than Men?

Summary:

This article is about how women earn significantly less money than men do. Part of it has to do with the positions women and men receive. Some women aren’t welcome in a usually “male position” which most likely pays higher. Though in general, women earn 77 cents to the male dollar according to census statistics. This eliminates what we take pride in in the US: equality. We make signs of progress though. We have marked April 20 as Equal Pay Day and Obama is working on getting the bill targeting the pay gap into action. The Senate is working on a bill that addresses discrimination. But, this pay gap, as a whole, truly based on gender because even those men who go through surgery to transform to women earn about 32% less than they did before the surgery. Women who transform to men earn 1.5% more. This is plain proof of the discriminatory wages between men and women merely because of their sex.

Day 2

Why Are a Record Number of Americans Living in Poverty?

Summary:

This article is about how in 2009 the US broke it’s all time record for poverty with numbers reaching 43.6 million people. This article also states one main reason as to why it has suddenly jumped so much: the recession. The recession started in December 2007 and in total the poverty rate has jumped 1.5% in just 2 years. This may not seem like a large number but when you compare it to the number it jumped the last recession, which was a mere .2% it becomes clear how much poverty has increased. Because so many people have become unemployed as a result of the recession, and because it is such a tough job market right now, many people don’t have enough money to live a comfortable life.

Day 3

Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

Summary:

This article retells the story of an 18-year-old girl named Aisha living in southern Afghan. Aisha ran away from her abusive in-laws living at her husband’s house and was later found by the Taliban.  She was taken against her will and dragged to a mountain clearing as punishment for what she had done. Although she had given her side of the story and basically begged at their feet, her judge (who was a local Taliban commander) did not change his mind. Her brother-in-law held her down while her husband pulled out a knife and sliced of her ears and parts of her nose. Aisha passed out but soon awoke. She lived to tell the story but the memories of the unfairness and horrible pain still haunts her. The Afghan government now plans to establish a peace council to help negotiate feuds to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

Day 4

USA Increasingly Isolated as the World Turns Against Death Penalty

Summary:

This article is about people of the US finally beginning to realize and come to the conclusion that an execution of a prisoner or someone found guilty is a “cruel and inhumane punishment”. Many people, including Widney Brown, the Senior Director of International Law and Policy, are questioning how the US can still claim leadership when we “still commit judicial killings”. Also, this article mentions how white suspects of murder are less likely to be put to death than black suspects, which brings out an issue of racism. Towards the end of this article, it talks about how we are beginning to act on the issue of death penalties. New Mexico and New Jersey have already gotten rid of death penalties and since then the annual rate of death sentences have dropped dramatically.

Day 5

Human Rights Activists Face Persecution in China

Summary:

This article explains many different situations of men living in China though all are faced with the same problem or difficulty: they are forbidden to express their feelings and opinions about how the government is run without being severely punished by Chinese police officers. However, these human rights activists’ actions are so harmless, though they are taken very seriously in China. One man, Gao Zhisheng was named “China’s top 10 lawyers” but since diving in to human rights, he has “angered the authorities”. Gao wrote a series of “Open letters for Justice” to show his strong emotions and ideas and soon after his lawyers license was taken away and his family faced constant harassment by the police.

Qinghai Xining , a filmmaker, created a film called “Leaving Fear Behind” which featured many interviews with Tibetans about the problems with human rights. Soon after he finished it, the police discovered the film and Qinghai was tortured for over a year and then sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Final Reflection:

I also learned so much from these articles. I tend to loose track of recent news and I haven’t nearly caught up yet but reading these articles made me feel more informed. I know something others might not. Though after reading all of these articles, I’ve realized the brutal and unjust conditions of the world we live in, especially the conditions outside of the United States. I don’t why I haven’t realized this before. I suppose it was because I just didn’t want to. I didn’t want to think about the bad things in life, I blocked them out, but with reading these articles, they’ve all come back, everything I’ve wanted to forget. But, I guess you can’t say it’s a bad thing, like I said, I’m more informed, I’m smarter, but remember how I worked so hard to push it out, well I can’t anymore. I’m older and I can’t pretend this stuff doesn’t exist because it does. It’s painful to think about. It was bound to happen sometime. I’d have to come out of my bubble eventually, I just didn’t want to believe it. It’s happened, though. Now turning back is no option. 

Mother to Son Response: Inspired Poem

I know I’m not one to be talkin’ ‘bout this,

I’ve got it pretty good

Really good

But we all have cracks in our heads

And our hearts

And we can’t hide

It’s nothin’

Really though.

‘Cause all we can do is keep on living

We have to keep livin’ right?

Aw, of course

I want to, I do

No exceptions

But when others don’t I,

well, I can’t bare it.

Sit with their heads down

It’s hard to realize who they are

But I always know

Doing them good wouldn’t hurt nobody

‘Cause they have to realize what they have is a gift.

That’s right,

I’m saying

Life is a

gift

To go on and go on

Now, it’s one of the hardest

Terribly hard

When I’m down I—

Well, like I said, I’m not one to talk

The Giver Appreciation

Everything starts somewhere. Our thoughts come from a root and grow so large they don’t seem the same anymore; that root became so much. The Giver must have gone through the same process and that’s how it came to be so extensive; it makes my head spin.  The Giver expresses so much deeper meaning and the characters are so complicated and strange it’s impossible to think about how this happened; how this book came to be. I couldn’t write it, but I’m grateful Lois Lowry did, it was an important book for me to read as a young girl. It bettered my understanding of everything and suddenly I knew how different things can be, it scared me, yes, the thought of change scared me, but it was so necessary for me to become aware of change, if not I'd be brutally awoken. I was so naïve then, but this is now and I’m changed. This book was the trigger and I am thankful for it.

Of course, when I was young I couldn’t fully understand it. I didn’t know why keeping specific things and memories from The Community was so vital. I couldn’t understand how fragile people are, how delicate they can be. And if their world were broken; what they know demolished; everything comes crashing down. People crave comfort and security. The Giver and Jonas are willing to give them what they want, but in return they'll forfeit their innocence; it's all for the people.

But Jonas is afraid: “They have never known pain, he thought. The realization made him feel desperately lonely…” What he’s sacrificing doesn’t seem worth much any longer. For once, he must think of himself over others although he hasn’t been taught to. Our own well-being over shadows all else. Jonas begins to recognize this. From an early age, I have too.

I’m a perfectionist. I like things done right and I won’t stop until they are. I suppose you can call that a good thing; how precise I need to be. I am obsessed with myself and it’s conceited, I know, but it’s true. But I’m obsessed not in the way that I can’t get enough of myself; obsessed in the way of insisting on being flawless. I care too much. Still, I do what I’m told, I don’t have the mental strength to say no and that’s where I’m not perfect though I still long to be. It’s confusing and I can’t completely comprehend it.

Now Jonas; he has most of it figured out and you’re better off to live life as he does. You need to find out who you are and once you do, it will all pan out and you will treat yourself and others the way you ought to. There will be no confusion; life will be that much clearer.

So if I could realize all of this from one 5^th grade book, it must be more than that. It’s stunning and beautiful and it makes you think about things you haven’t before. Like how people are weak though we come off as statues made of stone; we still break. And we should care about each other, but about ourselves more. By the end of this book you will have changed, hopefully, for the better.

No, it’s not a 5^th grade book; it’s much, much more. It’s helped me grow as a person. I think differently now, I think things through, I've grown; now that’s it’s significance.

Research on The Giver

I can't pin point one thing or idea or theme for this book, there are too many, it's too hard. I have so many opinions and thoughts and apparently they are similar to those of Carol Hurst. As I was researching, I came across Carol's website: http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/giver.html and I noticed a lot of what she is saying seems almost identical to what I'm thinking about on my own. While most of it sounds more like an appreciation rather than criticism, I still agree and find Carol Hurst's entry to be fascinating and truthfully, a bit strange to have someone else feel so strongly about something as I do.

Like when Carol Hurst writes, "I had first been drawn to it by the cover of the book, which has to be the most intriguing one I've seen in a long time. To find out that Lois designed it herself and took that wonderful photograph makes it harder to like her. Too much talent, I think, is bad for the soul." I find this paragraph so riveting; I absolutely love it. But it's familiar. It's hard to explain, only I can really understand it. But the way she describes this book could really be my own words. That is why I like her review so much, I like the way I write.


I also like this book, The Giver by Lois Lowry. After re-reading, I was so intrigued to find out where this idea came from. I found it so original and unbelievably risky and because I know I could never think up such a complicated world, I wondered how Lois Lowry did. 


As I researched I came across the website http://teenreads.com/authors/au-lowry-lois.asp and quickly realized that Lois Lowry is a complicated person. Born in Hawaii, she traveled much of the time with her father and finished a part of her schooling in Japan. She was married at 19 and had 4 children before the age of 25. This website doesn't explain why she accepted and went along with all of this, I am still curious. 

I did learn that most of her inspiration comes from what she is interested in most like many other writers but she's not like any one else. She is creative and imaginative which is why she can bring her stories to life and keep the reader wondering. She's done her job, I'm still wondering.

No, You're Mistaken: Entry #6 The Giver

These people, community members, really, are prisoners. They live in a different world than us; a world of no color or life. They’re trapped by the society. One step out of line and they’re singled out, embarrassed, painfully punished but the reason is obvious: once the community has scared someone enough, they will never even think about doing the wrong thing again. That’s the system. It seems to work. It seems to keep the community sane, but not perfect; no matter how much they try, it’s just not perfect.

            Poor baby Asher, only 3 years old, couldn’t speak right. He said smack instead of snack, he didn’t know any better, probably quite cute, but the caretakers smacked him. They claimed that’s what he wanted; he said it out loud to them. Because Asher was only 3 he did again the next day, to excited to think twice and he was hit again. Soon he stopped talking all together, afraid of what might come out, afraid it would be wrong; 3 years old.

            I suppose they think it’s better that way; to have a fearful child than an uneducated one. Everything they do seems ordinary whether or not it is to me. But they don’t – well - can’t realize the truth and enormity of their situation. They’re hurting someone else to get life the way they want, the way they’ve always dreamed it would be. And their solution: Sameness, no choice, no variety, ethnicity, race, or uniqueness. But it’s been like this “back and back and back” so they know no different, it’s really part of their nature.

            

So than what would happen if their “just right” little world was shattered and they learned the truth; truth about war, hunger, and loneliness.  The errors made children wouldn’t seem so important anymore, they’d finally put things into perspective. But for now they’re cut off from this knowledge, for now they’re killing people, killing their souls and opinions and thoughts, for this ideal world of no mistakes.

Charlotte's Web Reading Response

I feel like-especially in children’s books- that there must be a “bad guy” included in the story. One way or another, there’s always someone looking to cause a conflict and of course, books need conflict or else they’d be monotonous; but to kids, this isn’t just a character in a book. It represents more to them because they are so young and know little of the world. To them it represents the way life works- there’s always a felon.

            A perfect example from this book is Templeton the rat. Yes, he ends up helping Charlotte and Wilbur many times but the way the author writes it, it’s obvious he doesn’t care, really, about anyone but himself. This becomes abundantly clear at the end of the book. He does his final good deed for Wilbur- taking down Charlotte’s egg sac to bring back to the barn- but he demanded something out of it; this being the first to eat out of Wilbur’s trough. This small detail was the turning point. It's now apparent that Templeton is a dreadful character.

            But I feel like the author needed to write him like this. This is all children know- there are good people and then there are bad. Without it, they would be lost; it’s like food to them.

           

            A child’s mind is delicate. One wrong turn and it can come crashing down. I think this is why authors are so afraid to change anything about the way children’s books are supposed to work. They know it will only lead to confusion.  To change an idea kids have imprinted into their brains is one of the most difficult things to do.  Like telling a child who’s grown up knowing and loving Santa Clause that he doesn’t exist, they just wouldn’t believe you. To take away this “bad guy” these children have learned to recognize would be unbelievable. It’s all they know.

            Soon these children won’t be so little anymore and with this image of a delinquent in their minds, they will grow up waiting for their bad guy to come along. They’ll grow up with a bit of fear in the back of their brains. It’s there, always.

            So maybe Charlotte’s Web is teaching us exactly the wrong thing. To despise the twisted character that does harm is creating more hate and we don’t need it. Maybe one day someone will speak out and make this clear. Maybe they’ll help the Templetons of the world become a Charlotte. Let’s do what’s right here. 

It’s important.