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.