Character:
There are several examples in the story "Shooting Dad," by Sarah Vowell. The author right away sets up a major character. This character is her gun-lovign father. She starts her story off by explaining to the reader how different she and her dad really is. Then she goes on to describe her dad. She describes a story about when they first moved to montana. Her father heard some crows outside so he grabbed the bb gun, ran outside, and started firing away at them. When the wife yelled at him they don't do that type of stuff here he replied, "Why shooting crows is a national pasttime, like baseball and applepie." She sets up the idea that guns are her fathers whole life, and nothing was going to change that, so she would just have to rebel and back away from the guns her father loves so much. Another main difference she explains is their difference in politics. They always bickered at election time. Her dad even calls her in present days to tell her he canceled out her vote. This shows his joking behavior. Another example that shows her father's character is when at just 6 years old he had hera nd her twin sister take their first shot. He's obviously a man who wants his girls to be like him and love guns. Unfourtunatly, only her sister like the feeling of shooting a gun, she despised it.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Family Conflict
Like in every family, my family has quite a bit of conflict. Things don's exactly run smoothly at the Gentling household, or at least in the past they didn't. Currently back home only my mother and father still live there. Against my mother's will both me and my brother have moved out and gone to college. My Brother. My brother Jesse is my only brother and 8 years older than me. I witnessed Jesse's personal style as he grew up and roared through high school and eventually moved out of the house after his second year at a local community college, Jesse is 6'4" probably 270, black hair, has one hell of an independent personality, and doesn't really resemble me at all. He always is an extremely outgoing personality everywhere he goes. I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like Jesse for his bigheartedness and funny personality. I remember he used to bug and tease me a lot when i was younger for being not quite as cool as he was back in the day. "Your what hurts?" was his usual comeback for anything stupid i had to say. Jesse lived in my home town of Rochester all his life, finding decent jobs on the college degree he had. 9 months ago I woke up from a good nights sleep and walked downstairs only to find a note sitting on the dining room table. Jesse would be permanently moving to Oklahoma to work for a distant cousin at a better job. That's when things in my family got hectic.
My mother isn't exactly the quietest person in the world. At all my football and basketball games in high school my mom was known by my friends as "Mamma Gentling," for how loud and enthusiastic she was on the sidelines cheering. When she got the word Jess was going to be gone, she had a lot to say. This of course worsened the bad relationship my brother and my mom have. Her pleading turned into yelling as she tried to convince my brother to stay. Jesse was not to be reckoned with. He had gone through 26 years of dealing with my crazy mother and all the boring Shit Rochester had to offer. He knew exactly how to tune her out and how to argue with her, something my dad still doesn't know how to do. He packed up his things form his small house only 20 minute away from ours and moved.
Currently Jesse lives over 15 hours away from us. And I couldn't be happier. Do i miss my bro? of course but i couldn't be happier he made the decision he did.
My mother isn't exactly the quietest person in the world. At all my football and basketball games in high school my mom was known by my friends as "Mamma Gentling," for how loud and enthusiastic she was on the sidelines cheering. When she got the word Jess was going to be gone, she had a lot to say. This of course worsened the bad relationship my brother and my mom have. Her pleading turned into yelling as she tried to convince my brother to stay. Jesse was not to be reckoned with. He had gone through 26 years of dealing with my crazy mother and all the boring Shit Rochester had to offer. He knew exactly how to tune her out and how to argue with her, something my dad still doesn't know how to do. He packed up his things form his small house only 20 minute away from ours and moved.
Currently Jesse lives over 15 hours away from us. And I couldn't be happier. Do i miss my bro? of course but i couldn't be happier he made the decision he did.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Summary Response of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From a Birmingham Jail
Summary:
In Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," he responds to criticism from fellow Religious leaders who didn't approve of his nonviolent direct action. His use of nonviolent direct action was crucial in getting across his point of eventually ending segregation. Dr. King cites several personal and religious examples to argue his point of the severity of segregation. Dr. King justifies his use of nonviolent direct action as the best method of change in his specific situation. He also deconstructs critics arguments and explains his disappointment in the church's lack of action against segregation.
Response:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter to his fellow religious clergymen in response to the overwhelming segregation he had witnessed Birmingham. He realized there still are so many steps that need to be taken before justice is reached and segregation is quieted. His tone was overall very humble and professional towards the beginning and end of his letter but in the middle his voice is stern as he describes the problems with segregation and the steps that need to be made immediately. However his message was clear as he addressed his main points. His message was that there is a major injustice in America and especially in Birmingham. This injustice is hate and sinful ways that comes with segregation. His sit-in protest was not violent action but it was action that is necessary in ending this segregation. He claims we must keep standing up against unjust laws by being proud and willing to take the punishment. The time is now for action. Eventually Our actions will have a great effect on our future.
In Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," he responds to criticism from fellow Religious leaders who didn't approve of his nonviolent direct action. His use of nonviolent direct action was crucial in getting across his point of eventually ending segregation. Dr. King cites several personal and religious examples to argue his point of the severity of segregation. Dr. King justifies his use of nonviolent direct action as the best method of change in his specific situation. He also deconstructs critics arguments and explains his disappointment in the church's lack of action against segregation.
Response:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter to his fellow religious clergymen in response to the overwhelming segregation he had witnessed Birmingham. He realized there still are so many steps that need to be taken before justice is reached and segregation is quieted. His tone was overall very humble and professional towards the beginning and end of his letter but in the middle his voice is stern as he describes the problems with segregation and the steps that need to be made immediately. However his message was clear as he addressed his main points. His message was that there is a major injustice in America and especially in Birmingham. This injustice is hate and sinful ways that comes with segregation. His sit-in protest was not violent action but it was action that is necessary in ending this segregation. He claims we must keep standing up against unjust laws by being proud and willing to take the punishment. The time is now for action. Eventually Our actions will have a great effect on our future.
Judy Brady, "I Want a Wife " Summary Response
Summary:
In Judy Brady's essay, "I Want a Wife" lists the responsibilities of the stereotypical wife in the 1970's. The overall purpose of the article was to show the audience how wives have been classified not as a person but tool that respond to their husbands. Through Brady's role reversal into the eyes of a husband she lists countless expectations that a husband wants in a perfect wife/mother. These expectations are listed out is several paragraphs. Brady proves that wives are mistreated and not an object that women can take advantage of but human beings that demand respect. The overall tone is negative and sarcastic.
Response:
The reasoning for Brady to write this article came after an encounter with a male friend fresh off a divorce. She was fed up with the Treatment women and wives get by men who have little respect for a woman's rights. She wanted to show men and also other wives how ridiculous and broad the expectations are for most wives. Brady wanted to point out the countless demands, labors, and incorrect justifications that are associated with being the perfect wife. Even though the article is slightly exhaggerated, its very accurate to what most mens expectations of wives were back in the 70's. Her overall message was to portray women and wives as a man's tool in order to get recognition of the issue and support woman's rights.
In Judy Brady's essay, "I Want a Wife" lists the responsibilities of the stereotypical wife in the 1970's. The overall purpose of the article was to show the audience how wives have been classified not as a person but tool that respond to their husbands. Through Brady's role reversal into the eyes of a husband she lists countless expectations that a husband wants in a perfect wife/mother. These expectations are listed out is several paragraphs. Brady proves that wives are mistreated and not an object that women can take advantage of but human beings that demand respect. The overall tone is negative and sarcastic.
Response:
The reasoning for Brady to write this article came after an encounter with a male friend fresh off a divorce. She was fed up with the Treatment women and wives get by men who have little respect for a woman's rights. She wanted to show men and also other wives how ridiculous and broad the expectations are for most wives. Brady wanted to point out the countless demands, labors, and incorrect justifications that are associated with being the perfect wife. Even though the article is slightly exhaggerated, its very accurate to what most mens expectations of wives were back in the 70's. Her overall message was to portray women and wives as a man's tool in order to get recognition of the issue and support woman's rights.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Respose to Kevin Carter Starving Child Photo
Initial reaction:
I was shocked, lost for words, and overall very sick to my stomach about 5 seconds after witnessing the photo. After looking at it a while i manly feel ashamed. Ashamed of my self and ashamed of the fact that this child is allowed to sit there and starve. I know the facts about world hunger and know its most likely the biggest problem with the world today, but still looking at the picture just set up a reality in my mind that the world is a much harsher place than it seems. It is extremely difficult to stare at the image for to long before guilt and dismay set in.
The Image itself:
The photo is of a small Sudanese child bent over on the rugged barren ground, looking terribly skinny and malnourished, basically wasting away. There is a vulture looming only 10 feet behind the child eying its likely next meal. It appears to be a hot day and the child is completely alone on the ground, looking to be close to death.
The Meaning behind the photo:
On the surface there is a starving child very close to death with a vulture looming behind. The underlying message of the photo is simply saying wake up. Wake up to the American public and other nations around the world. There are cases of starving children just like this all over third-world countries and there is basically nothing being done about it compared to what could be done about it. These awful scenes of starving and sick human being are wake up calls that first shock viewers and make them realize that their world is suddenly not as kind as they thought it was. But their is also a question arising with this picture. And that question is what will/can you and the public as a whole do to help these situations become better.
After reading the subtitle:
The subtitle explains that the photographer took the picture as the child was crawling toward a food camp not far away. The photographer left directly after taking the picture. A few months later he committed suicide due to depression. This fact proved to me the impact that world hunger has on certain people and how it is such a heavy serious problem to have on one's self-consious. I now know that internal pain of one person can outweigh the external pain of another.
I was shocked, lost for words, and overall very sick to my stomach about 5 seconds after witnessing the photo. After looking at it a while i manly feel ashamed. Ashamed of my self and ashamed of the fact that this child is allowed to sit there and starve. I know the facts about world hunger and know its most likely the biggest problem with the world today, but still looking at the picture just set up a reality in my mind that the world is a much harsher place than it seems. It is extremely difficult to stare at the image for to long before guilt and dismay set in.
The Image itself:
The photo is of a small Sudanese child bent over on the rugged barren ground, looking terribly skinny and malnourished, basically wasting away. There is a vulture looming only 10 feet behind the child eying its likely next meal. It appears to be a hot day and the child is completely alone on the ground, looking to be close to death.
The Meaning behind the photo:
On the surface there is a starving child very close to death with a vulture looming behind. The underlying message of the photo is simply saying wake up. Wake up to the American public and other nations around the world. There are cases of starving children just like this all over third-world countries and there is basically nothing being done about it compared to what could be done about it. These awful scenes of starving and sick human being are wake up calls that first shock viewers and make them realize that their world is suddenly not as kind as they thought it was. But their is also a question arising with this picture. And that question is what will/can you and the public as a whole do to help these situations become better.
After reading the subtitle:
The subtitle explains that the photographer took the picture as the child was crawling toward a food camp not far away. The photographer left directly after taking the picture. A few months later he committed suicide due to depression. This fact proved to me the impact that world hunger has on certain people and how it is such a heavy serious problem to have on one's self-consious. I now know that internal pain of one person can outweigh the external pain of another.
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