Blog #24

My favorite poem was "Innocent Traveler" because its really intense and contains strong emotion. The poem itself shows how chance can really affect what happens in a persons lifetime and how we don't ever really know what lies ahead of us. It tells the story of how a whole family was created but if one change had been made, certain members of that family would not be there. Sharing those experiences. It sends a bigger message of greatness and thankfulness. While reading the poems I began to understand the real struggle of making s life here in America and trying to become part of the american dream. All of the poems together explained the struggles of immigrating to America. Immigrants had the chance to make better lives for themselves and families but it definitely wasn't easy, in fact it was the opposite. Tears were shed when family members died trying to make it to the shores of America. Even when they got here, many didn't feel at home because of the absence of acceptance they received from the American people. Still they worked to make their lives better as they had planned, they took pride in their heritage and kept their cultural traditions strong within the family. Poems send the same messages as memoirs and autobiographies because they all tell personal stories. Each of them compile emotional experiences into words to share messages and experiences with their audience. Poetry is often shorter then memoirs but it can still get the same points across in fewer words. 

I agree with the statement “He is neither a European nor the descendent of a European... Here individuals of all nations are melted  into a new race of men." because America is the melting pot. When immigrants came to America they brought their cultural traditions along but they also took in new experiences from other cultures, melting together both cultures. It's almost as if when immigrants came to America they had additions made, they didn't stay exactly the same. In America many nationalities blossom and you can easily find people from all different backgrounds. Over time they began to mix together and instead of having just Americans or just Italians, there became Italian Americans. Nationalities were combined in America to create German Americans and Mexican Americans. America has changed over time in the fact that the melting pot isn't the same. Today immigrants aren't freely relocating to america as they had been before. Now there are more restrictions and racism between cultures. In some cases immigrants felt the need to "fit in" with the american ways instead of embracing their own culture and bringing traditions here. I still think of America as a canvas, all of the paints represent the cultures blended together to create unique pictures and stories to tell. Each picture made has a different story, created with different colors. No two paintings would be the same, just as no two people are. Paint can be added and mixed to create new colors just as cultures can be mixed to create new people. 

Blog #23 Here's Herbie

The way we see other people can strongly impact the way we see ourselves. Wether it's insecurity or overconfidence, we always have our own self image. The main character in the story has his own conscious battles with himself. He gets good grades, he's handsome, smart, athletic and many people love him for who he is as a person. The speaker views himself a little differently, every little difference or imperfection is considered a huge flaw. His life isn't terrible but he still finds things to be depressed about such as his allergies and his mothers illness affecting him. He considers himself psychosomatic so even when he doesn't have any real problems he makes his own within his mind. He compares himself with others around him which creates a tug of war cycle. He believes that people will view him differently so he holds back on doing what he wants to do. The speaker is so insecure about the smallest things that he's scared to embrace the simple accomplishments and gifts. How ever once the train incident is over I feel as if the speaker is more carefree and limitless. He realizes that his worst critic is himself and that he needs to let go of his insecurities in order to do what he wants to do. I can relate this story to my life just as any other teenager can. There's always that time where you compare yourself to others or feel as of you don't fit your own standards. You bring yourself down when there are so many things to be proud of and so many simple things to enjoy. 

Blog #22

Not only would it difficult to grow up in a whole new country with a father you never really knew, but it would be even harder growing up in a new country without your mother that you've lived with forever. Being a natural born citizen it would be hard to understand the struggles that Nicholas Gage went through when coming to America from a Greek village. His mother was killed as him and his siblings were sent to live with their father, a man that they hardly knew. Not only did Nicholas have to find his place in a whole new country, but his family was always switching houses  and schools as well, which made it even harder to fit in. At the time schools didn't have special classes for students that didn't know the English language, Nicholas and his sister were put in the mentally retarded class because of this. Throughout the various schools he attended there were many different students with different standards. Some were richer with better clothes and some seemed smarter, the comparison of himself to others was also difficult for Nicholas. 

Eventually he learned English and he used his new knowledge as a talent. Within his writing he expressed his culture by describing experiences back home and why he came to America. Each piece of writing showed improvement, enough that multiple were recognized and awarded. His father was a large influence being there for support as well as his teacher who motivated him to write from the start. In my life I have my mom by my side to encourage me and support all of my decisions. Whether its academics or athletics shes always my number one fan. She has always been a strong positive influence on me to always push myself to do better. 

Blog #21

Earth and I Gave You Turquoise 

Suburban Indian Pride 

The poem "Earth and I Gave You Turquoise" is a poem in which the speaker is talking about his dead wife. He displays his sorrow with the words in the poem describing the sad songs they sing as he waits to see his wife again in the afterlife. The descriptions of the writer,  gave the illusion that the speaker would be an older man that speaks of his wife's death and how he prepares to join her after he too passes away. The second poem "Suburban Indian Pride" describes all the days in the speakers childhood when they had pride in their Indian culture. The child speaker is playing back these memories to her mother, these memories were strongly linked to their Indian heritage and pride. The poem describes that being part of the American Indian culture comes with pride as well as fear. It says "Be proud that you are Indian, but be careful who you tell." Which sends the main message to the reader that being an Indian in modern times is almost like living two lives and keeping one a secret. 

I preferred the poem "Earth and I Gave You Turquoise" because it demonstrated stronger voice and emotion within the descriptions. The theme made the poem more powerful to the reader by describing the strong connection that the speaker had shared with his wife that passed away. The words were not exactly straight forward and clear with the message that they were conveying. Instead the writer used figurative language and descriptions to explain the feelings and events. The poem includes the lines "we have not spoken of you, but our songs are sad." It explains that the man sings about the loss of his wife and how he misses her. I enjoy how the lines of the poems flow together naturally as one thought goes to the next, connecting the ideas. 

Adventures of an Indian Princess

The Rapier family took their Indian foster child on an adventure to an Indian trading post area. They claimed that she would feel at home because she would be with her type of people. It's ironic that the Rapier's knowledge of Cherokee culture is described as sophisticated because it is actually inaccurate and misguided. The family based their so called knowledge of Indians off of old John Wayne movies and tv reruns of "The Lone Ranger". Instead of finding actual facts and relevant information about the different tribal cultures the Rapier family based their judgements off of general stereotypes. There was a man that was supposed to be dressed as a Cherokee Indian but instead of portraying how a real Indian dressed he was wearing clothing and designs from many different tribes from all around the country. The Rapier family was so interested in the man and how he looked like a real live indian in their eyes, but Arletta knew that no respectable indian would actually wear what he wore. Just because he wore feathers and had tan skin didnt mean he was a real Indian. Another example of irony in the story is the authenticity of the "genuine" Indian goods in the little store. The beads of the jewelry were uneven and the headdress had no real significance when compared to the real Indian headdresses. On the back of the medallion it said "made in Japan" and in real Indian tribes they make their own jewelry and clothing. 

I think the author uses irony within her story because it explains her point of the story a lot stronger than just making serious statements. The irony helps show how the character, Arletta, really feels without being dull and straight forward. The irony used within the story adds humor and keeps the reader interested in what's going on. It helps to strengthen the main point of the story which is that people think they know more than they really do. People base their knowledge off of movies and stories they've heard but they don't always find the real facts. The main character, Arletta, uses her emotions and anger within the story to show the reader how ignorance or lack of intelligence can be offensive. The Rapier family claimed they knew all the facts about the tribes and cultures while Arletta was frustrated by all the things they didn't realize and understand. 

Blog #19

Victor and Thomas have a relationship that's based off of childhood memories and old family ties. They don't seem to acknowledge their relationship in front of others but Thomas isn't exactly affected by it. Victor can recall any times during their childhood when Thomas helped him when he needed it. There had been a time when Victor got his foot stuck in a wasp nest and sure enough Thomas was there to help. Eventually they lost the connection they had because Victor beat Thomas up for no reason as a result of drinking. The story basically shows their relationship as a give and take system. Thomas gave everything he had and Victor simply took everything without giving back. Victor would never even listen to a simple story that Thomas wanted to tell. Even after everything that happened throughout their childhood, Thomas still lends Victor money for the trip to Arizona. Thomas went along for the trip and their relationship developed more of a stronger connection. I think their relationship is acceptable because they both know what they've been through and how close they are. They don't have to broadcast their connection to everyone for them to know that they're friends. 

Blog #18

After reading the essay, I strongly believe that Indian characters should not be used as mascots for sports teams and schools. Although it is not always intended to be offensive it is greatly disrespectful to the Native American people. The word Indian is meant to describe a race or culture, not sports teams. Many of the teams and schools owning these mascots are not even familiar with the real meaning of some of the terms they call themselves such as Chiefs, Redmen, Braves and Redskins.  These names we're actually made during a time of racism against the Indian people. The article states that "The American Heritage Dictionary defines Redskin as offensive slang. The same phrase they use to define nigger and spic." (P. 367) The term Redskin comes from a time in history when the murdering of Native Americans were promoted.  During this time bounties were placed on the scapls and skin of he indian prisoners, the scalps were like a type of receipt to get a reward for those who killed the Indians. In my opinion schools and teams should  not be representing mascots with words that they don't fully understand. 

While these stereotypical labels were being given out to public schools and teams, many native Americans themselves were not attending schools because of the racism and torment. Throughout all of this Native American people are still portrayed as aggressive fighters, which is yet another reason Indians should not be used as mascots. It is not ethically right to have students dancing around wearing headdresses while the opposing team chants "Scalp the Indians". The headdresses and feathers are honored spiritual symbols the Native American culture that should be respected, but at games and school events they are simply props used to mock and discourage their culture. Although in some cases its mot meant to be disrespectful, the ignorance creates disrespect. In part of the story it says "I began a long walk down the stairway that ends up just behind the backstop. People booed, hissed and yelled "get a job" "hey chief" and "get a haircut"."  (P. 371) This is another example of how disrespected the Native American culture is. If citizens cannot respect the real culture of a group of people, they should not have the right to display mascots and banners representing that culture or traditions. 

Blog #17

At the end of the conversation in the poem the stranger has learned nearly no relative information about the speaker. The stranger has learned little, meaningless bits of information throughout the whole conversation. The questions being asked were short and simple questions based off of assumptions and stereotypes of the speaker. To have a more meaningful conversation the stranger should have planned out questions that would lead into a real conversation instead of randomly asking whatever comes to mind. If the stranger would have been listening to the responses, they would have been able to reflect on the speakers ideas and develop better questions. Better questions would give them better responses leading to more knowledge. 

Listening to the tone of the dialogue, they would have been able to realize that the speaker was not entertained and in a way insulted by the stereotypical questions. Therefore they could have easily changed the route of the conversation. This poem is an example of how listening is more important than speaking because what you say is built off of what you hear. Communication is how we build relationships and relate to one another and if you don't listen, how are you going to continue a meaningful conversation? If the stranger asking the questions had been listening it could have been a whole different conversation. 

Blog #16

When the author was in his early teens his mother and grandmother gave him good and bad advice. The good advice that he received was the marry a Mexican girl. Throughout his teenage years he spent his time daydreaming about his future with a Mexican wife, while he searched for her all around town. Eventually the author falls in love with a Japanese girl and this worries his mother and grandmother. Different ethnicities have different interests and standards which effects how people get along. The main character became worried that his fiancé's family wouldn't match that of his own, especially in the aspect of social class. I agree with Gary Soto that family background is just as important as ethnicity because they both have certain factors that change how we relate to one another. 

Marrying someone of a different cultural background has advantages as well as disadvantages. We relate to one another through common interests and similarities. Being from a different background changes the way you view things. Being on the opposite end of the economic spectrum changes the way you live your life and think of your future investments and decisions both good and bad. Things such as religion or traditions also change how you would raise a family and create your home. Tension can occur because of disagreements. 

A different perspective would be that you can learn a lot more from people of different ethnic backgrounds. Their religion, food and celebrations can all affect you. The cultural differences can improve your knowledge and broaden your interests. Certain normal standards also vary from country to country, changing certain experiences. If you really love someone, their race or culture should effect your decision of being with them. 

First Love

Our multicultural literature book contains many different types and of memoirs because we learn from experiences. We as individuals cannot always experience the things that people of other cultures ad backgrounds can, so we read about them. Memoir writings help express the different cultures because different authors share their own unique narrative. Each story has a different theme separate from the next. Reading literature from authors of different cultures brings a new perspective to the readers attention. Today there are many different reality tv shows that people watch regularly. People learn from other people's past situations and experiences. By watching their lives on television we can relate to their situations and events that happen to them. We watch these shows and read these stories because it is part of our culture to connect with one another through our interests. 

Blog #14

In today's society it's easy to judge and use stereotypes. People are stereotyped based on anything ranging from their interests to their ethnicity. Its so simple to generalize and make assumptions about others. Being a teenager, I know what it's like the be stereotyped. People speculate that all teenagers cause trouble and have bad intentions because of their age group. The media displays negative information that fuels the assumptions that all teenagers are disobedient and irresponsible. Nobody really concentrates on the kids that focus highly on their goals. The news doesn't always broadcast the people that do volunteer work and get good grades, rather they have the latest stories of crime. 

I think that people automatically unconsciously stereotype others whether its meant to be judgmental or not. Everyone has done it, including myself, because its natural to categorize.  Although stereotyping isn't always meant to be disrespectful it can have negative affects on people. Stereotyping is how we see and group each other and this can affect the way people view themselves and how they fit in with their culture. Labeling people can eventually cause them to think lower of themselves and diminish their self esteem over time. These generalizations also contribute to negative reputations and how people are viewed by others just because of their differences. 

Blog #13

Throughout the story the author refers to race as the "whack color game" meaning that people base their beliefs and judgments of oths strongly on their race. The whack color game is almost like a game of identity, how race determines people's conceptions of others. Within he story the main character explains his inner conflict with his identity using his hair as an explanation. His African/Japanese hair is a strong factor in how people view him, which changes how he views himself. In America we judge heavily on appearance and first impressions. Ethnicity happens to be one of the first things we notice whether we realize it or not. Often times we assume that people of certain races have a certain appearance, such as a black man having curly hair. This has a strong impact on people in society because it causes people to struggle with who they are and who they want to be seen as. "I am angry too, but, in a sick kind of way, excited that my hair is such a visible sign of my heritage. My hair is a symbol of my identity. My hair is my pride. My hair is- an answer." (P.112)  This shows that the author took himself out of the whack color game in a way, he chose not to change his hair or himself as a person.

Blog #12

Mona attempted to find her place at school by doing everything she could to fit in and resemble her peers. In the beginning of the story Mona told her classmates a lie, saying that she knows karate hoping that she could impress them. Mona's friend Barbara explained that to be popular you must have big boobs, a credit card and a boyfriend. Soon enough a new Asian was assigned to Mona's class and it became her job to show him around. Mona tried to find similarities between the two of them and eventually feelings developed. In a way Mona judged him for his notebook having a kitty on it, but unlike Mona, he didn't lie about who he was to try to fit in. I think the narrarator's experiences helped her find her way by making her realize who she really is. Throughout the story she began to understand that she is Asian American, she is part of both cultures. Both backgrounds make her who she is, it's not a switch between one or the other and it's not something she can choose. Your culture is not something that defines your rank of popularity and relationships.

"Aliens in America"

Kaitlin holds a grudge against her father not only because he is cheap but because he is also passive aggressive and dominant. Her feelings toward her father originated from the fact that he was always marrying different women after her mother passed away. He spends little money, so little that it became an embarrassment to the family. He doesn't seem to prioritize or put the family first. Kaitlin continuously feels this way about her father even ten years later because he does not change.
Throughout the story the author shows a sarcastic sense of humor when describing her fathers habits. Although she is affected by his decisions, she doesn't portray her feelings as strongly as Kaitlin does. Within families there will always be indifferences and separate opinions that don't always go along well. People can simply find common ground by communicating and forgiving. Ten years down the road Kaitlin shouldn't have still held a grudge toward her father. She should accept the fact that whoever her father chooses to share his home with is his decision, and that will always be her home and her father.

Double Impulse

The double impulse in the story is that the Japanese girl wants to be invisible. She didn't want to be noticed as different, she hardly wants to be noticed at all. At the same time she wanted to be accepted, she wanted to prove that she wasn't different. After WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor there were trust and loyalty issues between Japan and America resulting in internment camps holding thousands of Japanese Americans.Throughout the story the experience of internment camp influences the author by the desire to be accepted by everybody else. She didn't want to be seen as the foreign oriental, she wanted to show that she was Japanese American and that she deserved the rights that any other American had. Outside influences change the way we view other people in our world. With the terrorism and racial stereotypes going on today, we judge people of certain backgrounds differently. We set different limits with people because of our different understandings of their cultures. 

"Two Kinds"

In my opinion the high expectations of parents can result in too much pressure on their children. You can only push someone so hard until they stop trying all together. Sometimes it's easier for children to find their own interests and successes than to be forced into lessons and unwanted piano practices. In the story "Two Kinds" it says "And after seeing my mothers' disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die. I hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations." And "Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano...". The strive for perfection eventually has a negative impact. Sometimes it causes the children to feel as if they're not good enough, as if they're failing their parents. Children should have their own dreams and goals, they should not need to live up to what their parents had once dreamed for themselves. To a point, a parents motivation and support can move their kid a long way but they need to create their own identities. 

Blog #8

"The Struggle to be an All American Girl"
Parents grew up in different generations and times compared to when their kids grew up. A lot can change in a few years and even more changes over a few decades. Popular trends and social norms become different with time, as does viewpoints and opinions. Different people face different struggles and obstacles, it's not always the same for everyone. Children don't always share the same childhood experiences as their parents which changes their perspective on things. As they grow older kids sometimes feel less connected to their backgrounds than their parents. This happens especially if   a family has moved away from a hometown or participate in less traditions. Traditions can sometimes fade as their passed down from generation to generation.

Eventually children begin to mature and look for their own identity nd how they do things. They don't always want an adults opinion, they want to find their own ways. Students may open up to learning from their parents experiences by making a few mistakes themselves first. Sometimes mistakes are the best lessons. Sometimes it's best to learn things on your own. Eventually students will become interested in the experiences their parents have had and they'll learn from them.

Blog #7

Stop wishing 

and wanting. 

Be grateful for the

Qualities you possess. 

No one else has them. 

Beauty has no

Official cutout or outline. 

No standards or

Qualifications. 

You  are the artist. 

Now create your own picture,

Write your own novel.

Don't compare,

Don't search for flaws. 

It's better you be different 

Than just another copy.

The Dream Keeper & Dreams

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world. 

-Langston Hughes

Dreams

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow. 

-Langston Hughes

Blog #5

Poverty and crime are interrelated, it's common to have higher crime rates in poorer neighborhoods and communities. The daily fear can easily put stress on a family unit, its common that poverty can cause tension within the community. It's not always easy for parents to find jobs, and the jobs aren't always secure for those who do. Children growing up in these families often don't get the education they need, which continues the cycle. However the struggles that families face can also bring them closer, they depend on one another because they know that's all they have. The ongoing cycle of crime and poverty will only end when people take action and make changes. People need to be taught new skills to benefit themselves and their neighborhood, education is a big part of it. The people need something to work toward, instead of being part of an everlasting cycle.

"Black Men and Public Space"

"Black Men and Public Space" is a story about an African American man and his experiments living in a stereotypical society. In the story he goes for a walk on a night that he can't sleep, he sees a woman walking ahead of him, suddenly her walk becomes a run after noticing him. People in the neighborhood cross the street to avoid walking next to a black man or even making eye contact. It's common that drivers lock their car doors or hold their purses closer to themselves when they see an African America walking past. The man in the story also mentions that he was once mistaken for a burglar, which also related to the color of his skin. Although I personally have not seen these sort of things happen in my area, they do happen. Being a teenager I experience stereotypes regularly, teenagers are said to be lazy and disrespectful though not all of them are. Just as African Americans are more likely to be considered criminals with bad intentions and most of them are not. Today there are many problems associated with racism, such as racial profiling, economic differences and how the media broadcasts things. Stereotypes and judgements like these still occur because people are ignorant and they don't always understand. In the society we live in its a lot easier to judge people and assume things than to actually get to know them. 

Choice of Weapons

Instead of a gun or knife, the photographer simply used a camera to make an effort to change the view. It was common to notice racism and violence but instead of adding to the ugly, he chose to add beauty and inspiration with his weapon of choice. In many ways he used his camera to defy the negativity that circled at the time. His pictures captured the beauty and told the stories of the struggling people, which overpowered the hatred and ignorance. Some might even consider his camera to be more of a shield instead of a weapon, it blocked the negativity and replaced it with a better view of the world. Today's art and media still sends messages. Almost anything can be used as a weapon, depending on how it's used. A web page can be used as a weapon against injustice by raising awareness about a cause. Ads and billboards can direct attention to important situations as well. 

Autobiographies

In literature we read and write about things that make us who we are. Our experiences are a large portion of what we write about, it's how we learn and share knowledge. People write autobiographies to tell people about their life and all of their individual experiences through writing. In many situations the writer is aiming to inspire or influence sir audience. In some cases an autobiography may be written to pass on a certain belief or idea, or simply to make people aware of what they have done over time. Not one person has the same life experiences to share.

A Bit About Me

My family is small but my ancestors go back along time ago. It's family closely knit with relatives all over the states. I am a natural born citizen of the United States and I am German, Norwegian, Sweedish and Scandanavian. My mom's great grandparents came to the U.S. from Norway through Ellis Island in the late 1800's. They settled in Black River Falls WI and later on came to Milwaukee. My grandmas grandparents came to West Allis from Germany and my dads grandparents came to Wisconsin from Sweden. Most of my family believes in the Lutheran religion. We celebrate holidays just like the average American family. Sharing presents and putting up a tree for Christmas. We also eat traditional American meals, a variety of different things included.