Authors Note

Margot Supple    811                                                                                                                                 

ELA Authors Note

When I was in kindergarten, I remember a student in our class was always being harassed for having a mental disability. Many people would write her secret notes that called her “dumb” and “ugly” all because of something she had no control over. Shortly after her first grade year, her mother passed due to cancer. However, the class did not treat her differently. Bullying starts at a young age, and unless stopped it will continue to get worse. Although my story may seem simple, it can be very relatable towards a lot of kids.

In “Bullying in Kindergarten” by Francoise Alsaker the author researches kindergartners and how they react to “aggressive and passive bullying.” In all cases of bullying Alsaker witnessed, there was always a group of people against one student. Peer rejection makes it very hard for victims to have any self confidence, therefore making it very hard for them to make friends. Bullies judge others based on their first impression, and target them right away if their stronger traits are not apparent at first. Although they might have talents like all the other kids, much like owl, peer rejection lessens the victims confidence to express themselves. Peer rejection can also pressure kids to harass the student as well, although they do not feel they deserve it. I was taught at an early age not to reject others because of their differences, but not all are. If bullying is stopped at a young age, it will not evolve as the “bully” grows up.

Of Mice and Men Synthesis Page

Margot Supple 1/6/15

Synthesis Page      811

Book: Of Mice and Men           Synthesis Page  Author: John Steinbeck

Critical Thinking Question: Who has the power in the text?

1. Lennie- Lennie is the most vulnerable, simple, and naive character in  Of Mice and Men, therefore making him weaker than the rest. Although he is very strong physically, Lennie has the mind of a child, which ultimately sets him up for destruction at the end of the book.
2. George- George does not have much power in the text. On the ranch, George gets bossed around by Curley (the boss’s son) and has no power over the rest of the ranchers. However, George does have power over Lennie, much like a father son relationship. Everything he is stern about towards Lennie is for his own protection, which continues through to the end of the book.
3. Curley- Curley does have the power in the text. In the ranch he is a higher figure, a boss of all the other farmers.
4. Curley’s Wife- Curley’s Wife also has power in the book, in the same way as Curley. When certain men on the farm disrespect her, she explains her power over them.

Themes

Friendship- Throughout Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck creates a dependent and caring relationship between George and Lennie that lasts throughout the whole text. Unfortunately, at the end of the book the reader learns the world is too cruel to allow a weaker character like Lennie to survive. By taking his friends life, George is still doing what is right for Lennie, who has been dependent on him since the first scene. The friendship between both characters captivates the reader, but ends suddenly to portray how merciless the world around them is.

Symbols

George and Lennie’s Farm- Both George and Lennie dream of moving away from the ranch one day and starting a farm, where they would keep all farm animals, and most importantly, rabbits. To both characters, the farm is seen as some sort of heaven or protection from the harsh world. In the end, when George is about to take Lennie's life, he points him towards the rabbit farm. Ultimately, George shoots Lennie to protect him from the vicious wrath of Curley’s mob, and to send him to a better place with thoughts of the utopian rabbit farm in his head.

Mice- Since it is in the title, readers are given a hint that mice will play a big role in the text symbolically. Although their appearance is subtle, their characteristics make a big impact in the book. Mainly, Mice connect to Lennie in many ways. The size of mice compared to humans make it weak, and Lennie's naive traits and mental disability make him weak. In the end, Lennie was killed like a mouse, because of his weaknesses and innocence.  

ELA Final Draft 1984

Margot Supple         12/12/14

ELA Final Draft      811

Most of students knowledge about the outside world comes from reading the news, current events, or books. Through books readers can learn more about social issues and how they can be changed. 1984 by George Orwell is about the totalitarian government of Oceania that uses propaganda, constant surveillance, and manipulation to control its citizens. The book is from the point of view of Winston Smith, a rebellious and self important citizen who is against Big Brother, the dictator and leader of Oceania, and his political party. Despite being called a classic, 1984 has been challenged and banned from schools for having explicit content. It, should not be banned from schools, however, because it widens students’ knowledge of past, present, and future dictatorships.

When Winston is in jail he sees Mr.Parsons, who was sent to be tortured for betraying Big Brother and the party by his daughter. He strikes up a conversation with him, asking, “‘Who denounced you?’ said Winston. ‘It was my little daughter,’ said Parsons with a sort of doleful pride. ‘She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don't bear her any grudge for it. In fact I'm proud of her. It shows I brought her up in the right spirit, anyway.’” (Orwell 3:1). This quote proves that children of Oceania would rather be heroes for their country by killing off their own parents than be loyal to their family. When little, children are taught not to love their parents or accept authority from adults, because the government only wants children to follow the rules made by Big Brother. Most children are made to be spies, much like Mr.Parson’s children. Big Brother’s regime and the organizations set up by Adolf Hitler are very similar. For example,  Hitler Youth was Hitler’s way of assuring his power would last. He believed that the future of Germany lay in the hands of the children of the nation, so he wanted to make sure that they would carry Nazi beliefs to the next generation. Most children found Hitler Youth just as important as school, if not more. They were brainwashed to agree with Hitler’s views, and continue to fight for them. In 1984, Big Brother is worshipped by almost everyone in Oceania. Much like Hitler Youth, the fate of Oceania will be handed down to the children, so they are strictly taught the party’s opinions.   Reading about and understanding the society in 1984 will help students to better understand Nazi Germany and other dictatorial organizations of the past.

1984 can help readers understand present day dictatorships. For example, both North Korea and Oceania have similar ways of controlling their people. In North Korea if the government suspects suspicious activity, they send families to concentration camps. There the victims will be tortured in multiple ways, harassed, and starved. Kay Seok of Human Rights Watch reports, “North Korea is denying its citizens their fundamental rights by preventing them from freely leaving the country; arresting those who make such an attempt; and arbitrarily detaining, mistreating, torturing and sometimes even executing border-crossers who are repatriated.” In 1984, if the government sees anything that may be a threat to the party’s rule, the prisoner gets sent to the ministry of love to be tortured until they are killed, brainwashed, or insane. When Winston describes the torture he encountered he says, “Of pain you could wish only one thing: that it should stop. Nothing in the world was so bad as physical pain. In the face of pain there are no heroes.” (Orwell 3:2) Both countries rob their populace of rights, and punish citizens if they pose any threat to their government. With a new understanding of how repressive governments are run, readers will better understand current issues nations face.   

1984 has been challenged for being “pro communist.” However, since the Big Brother and the party is based off of Vladimir Lenin and his supporters, everything about communism in 1984 is written as negative. For example, O’Brien, a high party official, confronts Winston about the party’s motives. “Now I will tell you the answer to your question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power.” (Orwell 3:2) This quote shows the antagonistic features of the party. 1984 has also been banned for including sex scenes between Winston and Julia, Winston’s lover who is also against the party. The sex scenes are not inappropriate. Instead, these moments between Winston and Julia are used to show an act of government defiance. Because they are not allowed to be together, their intimacy symbolizes their hatred for the government rather than their love for each other. Learning about the risks Winston and Julia take to rebel against the party is inspiring, and will encourage readers to question oppression and rebel against dictatorships.    

When reading 1984 I learned about how dictatorships were ruled, and how they survived with such harsh rules and huge chances of rebellion. 1984 should not be banned from schools because it helps students identify and learn about dictatorships, and pushes them to revolt against unfair leaders or laws.  

Social Issues Project

Margot Supple

Social Issues Project

Table of Contents
1.) Literary Response to 1984, Social Issues are Gender, Religious, and Class Prejudice
2.) Response to Painting, Social Issues are Racism and Poverty
3.) Observe your Surroundings, Social Issue is Homelessness

#1

In the book 1984 by George Orwell, the main character Winston Smith lives in a totalitarian country run by Big Brother and his party, that uses fear, manipulation, technology, and constant surveillance to control its citizens. The book was written right after World War Two, a time where most people were still prejudice towards Jewish, African American, and Gay people. There are many similarities in the book 1984 and Nazi, Germany, causing it to be challenged by the American Library Association.

After World War II, Jewish people were outcasts. In Oceania, the main country in 1984, they are treated the same way. The party’s main enemy is Emmanuel Goldstein, a man who speaks up against the party. In the book they describe him as having a “lean jewish figure,” showing that stereotypical “jewish features” are uncommon. Also, there is very little religion in Oceania. This is because the party wants no higher being than Big Brother, and with religion people would lose faith in the government. In Nazi, Germany, Adolf Hitler used religion as an excuse for his actions. He only allowed Catholics to be free, and thought any other religion was distasteful and against Germany.

In 1984, the way everyone is treated is based on their class, or how connected they are to the party. In Nazi, Germany, people were also judged by how close they were to the party. During World War Two, almost every man or woman was a member of the Nazi party, and almost every child was a member of Hitler Youth. In 1984, every person has to show affection for the party. If you did not show enough love for either big Brother or Hitler, you would get less respect. The farther you are from the party, the lower your class is. Both parties use class systems to manipulate your love for Big Brother and Hitler, showing you that the more you show your support for your country, the more privileges and respect you will get.

In 1984 most women are minorities to men. For example, there are no women in the inner party. Instead, women get put in the “Junior Anti-Sex League” without consent. Also, there are very little female characters in the book. Julia is Winston’s lover, but Winston still sees her as clueless and a sex object. The other female characters in the book are fully depending on men (their husbands) or are drunks, prostitutes, and servants. In Nazi, Germany women served as a housekeeper and teachers, but did not get as many opportunities as men did. Although they were not persecuted like Jewish people, they were not as respected as men either.
The book 1984 is an haunting prediction based off of real tragedies. This book promotes many of the same stereotypes persecuted in Nazi, Germany during World War II. Because of the inappropriate messages it sends out to young readers, it has been challenged and banned by the American Library Association.

#2

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-sky-is-gray-karl-haglund.html

I chose to focus on the painting “ The Sky is Grey” by Karl Haglund. This painting shows an artistic representation of the short story “The Sky is Grey” by Ernest J. Gaines. The story is about a young African American boy named James who deals with racism, poverty, and abuse. If you look closely, you can see words scattered around the painting such as “racial bias.” I believe that this painting is a modern world representation of James’s life. You can see the whole painting is very colorful, showing the outsiders take on New York City. However, when looking closer you can see all those words on buildings and subway cars that show the inside life of New York City, which is not as glamorous as it seems. This painting represents most of the social issues in James’s life, mainly poverty and racism.  

#3

When I walk to school I see people on the street begging for money. I see people searching through the garbage and recycling outside. I see someone sleeping in the subway station, or on a bench in the park. Around 1.6 million people are homeless in America.

Homelessness can occur for many reasons. That woman that always sits outside of your favorite restaurant could have lost everything because of drug overdoses or alcohol. The man always singing in the subway station may have been kicked out of his family because he wasn’t accepted. No matter how that person got where they are today, homelessness is still a serious problem. In New York City there are many shelters for the poor and homelessness, but unfortunately they never have enough space for everyone waiting. Some mothers sleep inside shelters while their kids are left on the streets to spend the night. However, if this nation works together, we can end homelessness.

Firstly, people should be careful about what they donate. Many people are outside at night because of serious drug problems. A lot of homeless people use all the money they have received from donations to buy more drugs, landing them on the streets again. Instead of money, people should donate food or clothing to the homeless. Also, if you want to donate money you should donate it to a shelter, so they can buy extra beds and supplies. Lastly, you can volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen to help. There are multiple ways that we can help, and if everyone is careful and generous we can get people off the streets, and into new homes

Non Fiction Article Response

Margot Supple                    11/18/14

Blog Post #6     811

Non-Fiction article source: New York Times     

By definition, being ethical is “following accepted rules of behavior : morally right and good”. In daily lives, most decisions are based off what someone thinks is “right” or “wrong”. For example, it would be wrong to cheat on a test, and it would be right to cover your paper. Many people have been debating over if it is ethnic for Ebola nurses to go out in public before they have been checked for the disease. This also brings up a new question, what do citizens have to do to protect others from the spread of illnesses?

Is it “wrong” to go grocery shopping if you have a cold, or go out to a restaurant with a stomach flu? Professor Lawrence O. Gostein believes that although it is not “unethical”, when sick there are still limitations to the amount of germ sharing actions you should perform. “So go for a walk, ride your bike, but don’t shake anyone’s hand or touch them — and I would advise not going into congregant settings. I think it’s unethical and wrong to hop on a cruise ship or get on an airplane or go to crowded movie theater or kiss your fiancée or go to a bowling alley.” However, other people disagree with Gostein, and say that it is completely unethical to come into contact with others when you are sick. Caroline Fairchild states that when sick people should not go to work, school, restaurants, or parks because of the high risk of infecting others. I disagree with Fairchild’s claim, because going outside to the park or restaurants may help your illness.

There is no right answer to all these questions, but people should base their decisions on the impact they will have on their community. I believe that it is healthy to go outside for a walk or run, but people should not purposely touch others in a way likely to spread germs.

Museum of New York Homework

Margot Supple
Blog Post #5

   Write a blog post about what the trip made you think, feel, know, and/or wonder. Write 2-3 paragraphs.

  Friday my english class and I went to the Museum of New York for a field trip. We walked through the museum, studying the different protests and activists in New York. We looked at a Dutch protest from the 17th century all the way to Biking protests in the 2000's. The first protest we looked at was in New Amsterdam. Twelve citizens signed a petition against a law stating that any religion besides Christianity you could not worship in public, such as Judaism or Quakers. This was the first record of activism in New York. 
We then moved to suffragists fighting for women's right to vote. I found this exhibit the most interesting. I loved looking at the posters for and against suffragists. It was eye opening to see some of the reasons people had against woman being able to vote, and I thought it was fun to work in groups and discuss them. Looking at the pictures you could see the woman dressing formally and proper, which was a great way to get more people on their side. The way suffragists used campaigning to get people on their side was very interesting to me, and it could be connected to ways people campaign today.
Our last two exhibits were protests for gay marriage and against cars parking in bike lanes. I thought some of the items made for gay parades, like the "gay" doll, were very stereotypical. I was unsure if they were making fun of gay people, or shining light on the subject, but I still thought it could be considered hurtful by some people. The bike protests were very funny, and the activists used comedy to attract attention. I thought this trip was very informative, while also fun and interesting.

1984 Response on Symbolism

Margot Supple                           

Blog Post #4

In the book 1984, the author George Orwell depicts a totalitarian society ruled by Big Brother and his party that uses propaganda and technology to control its citizens. The book is written through the eyes of Winston Smith, a man strongly against the party and its beliefs. Seen through his view, the party has control of every aspect of the society, from monitoring every piece of land on telescreens to manipulating citizens’ understanding of the past. Throughout the book as Winston's views about the party change, he leaves behind the objects and places that he cherished.

In the beginning of the story most of Winston’s time is spent writing in his diary, a item he bought in a shop down in the poorer parts of town. What Winston writes in his diary shows his true feelings of the party, "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER." However, he has to hide these ideas, because otherwise he will be persecuted for his beliefs. Crammed in the only corner of his house without a telescreen, Winston writes about how little freedom the government grants its citizens. Later in the book Winston realizes he is writing his diary for O’Brien, a character who Winston believes to be against the party. Winston hopes that O’Brien will agree with his opinions, and that together they can overthrow Big Brother and the party. Writing in his diary shows Winston's thoughts against his corrupt government and that he will stand up for what he believes in. When Winston gets arrested he leaves his diary behind. During his time in prison he is tortured to believe that Big Brother is a strong and respectful leader. The more he loves Big Brother, the less he thinks about his diary, which was a symbol of his lost rebellion.

     

As Winston’s unorthodox actions become noticed, he becomes more of a target for the party and finds himself taking more risks. He meets Julia, a girl who shares his views, and they fall in love. One day Winston wanders into the same antique shop where he had bought his diary, which is very unsafe because the party disagrees with anything that involves the past. Winston rents a room above the shop, and also buys a coral glass paperweight. Describing what he thinks of its symbolism, Winston says: “The paperweight was the room he was in, and the coral was Julia’s life and his own, fixed in a sort of eternity at the heart of the crystal.” When Winston first sees the room he is astonished by the fact that there are no telescreens on the ceilings or walls. The bedroom and the paperweight symbolize a safe house for Winston, a place where he can be free from the constant supervision of the party. When Winston gets arrested, the glass paperweight shatters, symbolizing his safe house breaking apart.

    

In conclusion, as Winston's views on the party change, the places or objects that were his only source of freedom become more distant to him. When Winston learns to love Big Brother, he completely forgets about those symbols that he treasured when he was against the party.