Blog 2: “XIV”

           In the poem “XIV,” Derek Walcott, recounts an experience from his childhood that revolves around an elderly woman who told stories to him and his brother. This poem, however, partakes in the concept of ‘coming of age.’ Through similes, imagery, personification and symbolism the Caribbean writer was able to properly take readers along his journey. Throughout this poem, the author keeps an informal tone to suggest the rapid appearances he encounters, in the process developing the setting as the poem progresses. In relation to the title, XIV—standing for the roman numeral fourteen—readers can infer that this was the age in which this event has occurred. The elderly women described towards the end of the poem, not only acts as a mesmerizing tactic, but she also shows how easily manipulated children are. Her stories— although not much information is provided about them— sets the ground for what the two boys believe.

             Starting off the poem, Walcott uses imagery to help set the setting. Through his descriptions, one can infer that this experience took place in the forest, later on, we see this to be true— “reentered the forest.” Snake, an animal the writer encounters at the very beginning of his journey, possibly suggests rebirth and healing as the reptile was shedding when the two boys approached it. This concept plays a significant role in the writer’s shift from the beginning to end; this shift being adventurous to enthrall. Playing on the mesmerization of the boys seen at the end of the poem specifically, the snake shows their overall growth from this experience. Throughout the poem, the writer’s diction adds on to the ongoing imagery, using this to his advantage to further implicate the conditions he faces along the way. By describing two tropical plants: dasheen and mimosa, the writer further touches upon the setting. As the reader and his brother approach the house, they are greeted by a sunset, which indicates the darkness that is going to consume them shortly, this also is seen as a form of ‘higher power’ in many religious aspects. Ironically, this darkness could be adjacent to the elderly woman who they were visiting. Through the use of simile and personification, readers are given a glimpse of the woman’s house— “the shutters closing like the eyelids of that mimosa.” ‘Ti-Marie’ the name of the mimosa, religiously affiliated with Mary, devises the symbolical importance of the snake seen earlier in the poem. In one part of the poem, the writer overlaps ‘childhood’ and ‘childhood aftermaths.’ Experiences in a sense, shape who we are; building our character and tolerance for certain things. To further indicate the dark, the writer recounts the elderly woman remembering her tale at the “minute of fireflies.” This woman didn’t just play an immense role in the two boy’s lives, but also many others in the Caribbean— “her leaves were the libraries of the Caribbean.” Instead of actually going to a library, many people came to her instead to hear stories. Oddly, in one part, the writer decides to use an exclamation part near the phrase ‘fragrant origins!” Possibly, to evoke a sense of sarcasm or embrace the pleasant scent.  At the end of the poem, the writer uses synonymous tactics to describe the elderly woman to a lamplight. Seemingly touching bases with the ‘nature’ of moths, he emphasizes him and his brother’s fascination with the stories.

           Through these elements, the author was able to show the significance of the elderly woman and their adventure to get to her. An experience as great as this one, ‘sticks’ as it affects the life of the writer greatly. As kids, we tend to believe anything, especially if it comes from the mouth of an adult. Despite, the seemingly positive atmosphere, the writer uses subtle hints of darkness to show the comparison of light and dark; light being the woman, and dark showing the boy’s sense of astray. After seeing the woman, the boy’s are brought to light again.

Blog 1: “The Juggler”

             In the poem “The Juggler,” Richard Wilbur, shows the underlying affects the juggler has on the audience. Through imagery, personification, frequent tone shifts and alliteration, the author was able to properly exhibit the emotional shift of the poem from beginning to end. As his diction seemingly advances as the poem progresses, the author uses this to his advantage to further describe the juggler. The juggler, not only plays an immense role in this poem, but they constitute the leniency people have towards entertainment. Like many people, the author observes the jugglers moves intensely to question his ‘undeniable’ power over gravity.

       Taking a stab into science, Wilbur starts the poem off by explaining the Earth’s gravitational pull in relation to the ball. Here, the concept of juggling comes into play. By the juggler’s ability to keep the ball off the ground, they are seemingly overcoming the Earth’s pull— “shake our gravity up.” As the story goes on, the author adds imagery to help readers get a sense of the audience’s astonishing captivation of the juggler. In one part Wilbur states, “the ball rolls…plate, a table.”  Being told from the author’s perspective, it’s apparent that the author indeed is a part of the audience. The notion of senses comes into play when the author points out the hands, finger, and ears of the juggler in stanza two. By doing this, it adds to the ongoing imagery happening within the poem. Towards the end of stanza one, the author uses personification to shed light on the balls supposed ‘resilient’ nature— “a light-hearted thing…settles and is forgot.” It is evident that the ball enjoys falling as it is accustomed to it, yet the juggler is the only one that is able to keep the ball afloat according to the author. The effect the juggler has on the audience is shown through the shrieking and stomping of boys and girls in stanza four—“the boy’s stamp…the girls shriek.” This quote also briefly touches upon the stereotypical characteristics of boys and girls; boys are often seen as more rowdy and louder than girls. The author’s position in the play is further exemplified when he states “what a show, we cry” in the ending stanza. Towards the end of the poem, the author uses alliteration to signal the ending of the show— ‘daily dark.” His choice of words, however, ironically constitutes to the tone present throughout the poem. His tone which is set as childlike, is shown when the author gains a sense of ‘astray’ when the juggler wasn’t in sight. Like many kids, when stripped away from their ‘toys’ they often began to throw a fit, or mope around feeling lost; the author demonstrates this briefly throughout this poem. In one part of the poem, the author touches upon the concept of religion— “but a heaven…nothing at all.” By doing so, he shows how heaven lacks the force to make the ball fall to the ground, unlike Earth. This concept is used to show the useless act of juggling, unknowingly taking a stab at the juggler’s capability.

         Through these elements, the author was able to properly display the effects of the performance and the subtle power of the juggler. At the end of the poem, the author realizes that the brilliance that the juggler contained, was not found in oneself; ultimate cause of fancy. It’s not everyday we see someone able to master the ability of Earth’s gravitational, Richard Wilbur shows this greatly through the immense details provided throughout the poem.

Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Everyone looks up to someone, an aunt, uncle, grandparent, parent. Just like most kids, my mom was my superhero. Growing up, she taught me to not take things for granted, learn to fend for myself, and self-love—despite societal mindsets. In my eyes, she was able to conquer anything, even if that anything was death itself. At the mere age of 8, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. The cape that she once wore, diminished in plain sight as I watched her fight for her life for months on end. Although I was already living with my grandparents, with my mother being in the hospital they had to provide me and my other two siblings with extra care. Of course, this took an extreme toll on my academics, and for a short period in my life the concept of God. Being a middle child, I was raised by both my older sister and my mom. They’ve both taught me tremendous things that I still use today—how to tie a shoelace, and manners to name a few. My younger brother, Paul, who was around 4 at the time, didn’t understand what was happening. Me being the older sister, I had to keep a smile on my face 24/7 despite the circumstances. It was my duty to let him know that everything would be ok, even if I didn’t entirely believe it myself. I can still see the long hospital hallways, the bland cafeterias, and a green girl I saw as I walked past the Pediatric department at UNC’s hospital. At school, I would silently weep to myself when I saw other kids and their parents.  My dad passed when I was 3, so his death didn’t really affect me until I got older, and realized that the traditional norm of fathers walking their daughters down the aisle would merely be a mythical dream to me. My transition from childhood to adulthood came with the responsibility I had for my brother. Just like my sister took care of me, I took care of my brother. I had to grow up, at 8. My brother and I’s relationship could easily be a synonym to ‘best friends.’ Although I was only 4 years older than him, he’d constantly tell me “I want to be like you when I’m older, smart and strong.” Strong? Even now I struggle with the ability to withstand little aspects of fear, yet alone the constant displeasures life throws at you when you least expect it. It took me until the end of 4th grade to realize that my mother’s cape hasn’t disappeared, it was just stuck in a branch that she mistakenly hit while flying. This experience didn’t just affect me mentally but also physically. Luckily, my mother was spared, but the experiences that I’ve gained from this will last a lifetime.

Common Application (Prompt 1)

           Black. The color that resides in my skin and determines my worth—especially in a society that longs for the dismantlement of the colored—is all most people see of me. For centuries, the media has portrayed African Americans as a nuisance to society. Because of this and the constant thought of “white supremacy,” all acts of violence, at least the one’s I have seen, have been deliberately placed on people of African descent — particularly men. Although I have not physically been attacked, I have witnessed first hand the underlying effects of being associated with the color black. Hatred, unruliness, uneasiness to name a few.

              Growing up in a rather suburban neighborhood, questions regarding the authenticness of my hair captivated my everyday life. Replying with the prompted “yes” I’ve grown accustomed to, they’d simply run their fingers through my hair and tell me “your hair is too good for a black girl, what are you mixed with?” The unfortunate thing is the majority of the people that questioned my hair shared the same skin color as me. The contagious side effects of mainstream media and society, in general, has engraved into minds that ‘black people can’t have long hair.’ For most of my life, my hair has been hidden under the facade of straight hair. My mom, who I love and hold dearly, demands that my hair looks ‘tight and orderly’ when straight instead of ‘all over the place.’ Unable to properly suggest the way I wanted my hair to be, I’d just go along with it hoping somehow water would kink my hair back to its natural state. There are times when tears would run down my cheeks, in hope of making her realize that embracing my blackness was a part of me. Yet, it seems she never understands that without my blackness I’m no longer the strong confident woman it took years for me to be.

           As a soft-spoken person, I am often misidentified as trying to be white. I didn’t know being proper was only a white trait? Yet alone a trait African Americans weren’t able to possess. Out of all the things I supposedly was unable to withhold, lack of education and properness affected me the most. Did people really think this low of African Americans? Sadly the reality of this question came to light, and the answer was devastating— they did. Stereotypes placed on young African Americans taint my everyday lifestyle. True, there are some people who do align with the stereotypes placed on us, but that doesn’t give anybody the right to pin their qualities on the whole race. To this day, I have found myself purposely trying to ‘change’ my voice/vocabulary to fit into the white category— for the means of survival. The voice that I use to talk to my friends, is completely different when approached by someone in a stereotypical suit and tie. Why? Because that’s what I’ve been taught. “If you talk the way you do with your friends, you’re never going to be anything in life.” I believed this. Nobody wants an ‘uneducated’ person working for them, especially if they’re black and uneducated.

           Being towards the end of the economic ladder for centuries has cost distortion of both our mental and physical capabilities. In the process, many people, especially of color, live up to the stereotypes placed on their race. Malcolm X once stated, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.” Identifying as such has not only caused me to become stronger but also prompted the want and desire to indulge deeper into my roots. Black is a community of pride, a place where people within the community accept you and gives you a sense of belonging.

Because black is beautiful, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Common Application (Prompt 2)

             Growing up, the constant thought of ‘winging it’ trivialized my every move, especially in school. No matter the circumstance, the desire to finish was my only goal. The outcome, well, that was something I didn’t care about at the time.  For as long as I can remember, studying for tests have never been my strong point. If it’s not ‘picked up’ from the class period, what’s the point of  going back over the notes a second time? This is where the concept of ‘winging it’ played. Usually the day before the test or quiz, I’d spend most of my time indulging in Netflix and/or sleeping until the sun was no longer seen and it was ‘too late to study.’ It was a 50/50 chance of my desired outcome— positive or negative. Most of the time it was indeed positive, but for the negatives, my self-conscious will intervene and the studying process will commence, or at least be attempted. Personally, I’ve never been a good test taker. Me and countless other students would hope for “multiple choice” answers to at least give us a chance to do well. But, the times where we had to actually develop ideas for written tests my ‘winging it’ idea didn’t work.

           It was time for my End-of-Grade exams (EOG’s.) Sweat and hyperventilations consumed me. The day before, I somehow convinced myself that “I got this.” But showing from my intense and slowly increasing discontent of failing, I didn’t. Looking at the students beside me rapidly bubble answers on the answer sheet discouraged me and I gave up. Although, I ended up doing well on the EOG, ‘giving up’ for that moment in time is where I not only failed myself but also my Mom. Since I was a little girl ‘giving up’ was not an option. Even in moments where giving up seemed like the only option, pushing until the end no matter the outcome was the definition of a true winner. From this experience, I’ve learned that giving up isn’t an option; either you got it or you don’t. If you don’t, it’s ok, take that as ammunition and study harder for the next test. As the saying goes, failure is indeed life’s greatest teacher. Without it, your desire to reach for the moon and stars is improbable, due to the incompetence of knowledge within one’s self. From past experiences I can say the encounter of failure will spite a sense of “defeat,” but if one’s able to fully comprehend the undeniably positive attribute it brings, you can learn from it can grow as an individual.

Prompt 2: Politics

Donald Trump, one of the presidential candidates of 2016, is now targeting Bernie Sanders supporters. A few weeks back, he “ratcheted his rhetoric” to verbally insult his Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Contrary to Clinton, Trump used a notably delicate tone, to glorify Bernie’s profound rhetoric and urge him to launch a third-party bid. In a recent victory rally in NYC, Trump states “I think Bernie Sanders should run as an independent. I think he’d do great.” The very next morning, Trump states “Bernie Sanders has a message that’s interesting. I’m going to be taking a lot of the things Bernie said and using them.” According to Trump’s advisers, these remarks were used to show their new found approach; to make sure Sander’s and Trump supporters merge. This alone disturbs the political system. Along with the overlap, this strategy could be also used to threaten Clinton. Lewandoski, Trump’s campaign manager, told CNN that both Trump and Sanders gathered a group of people that were both disappointed and upset about the way our country is being run. Even though these two candidates allegedly share the same interest, obtaining Sander’s supporters is going to be a tedious task.

At the California Republican Convection on Friday, hundreds of protesters protested against Donald Trump right before his speech. Many protestors wore bandanas over their faces and carried Mexican flags, as they stood in front of the Hyatt Regency. After getting inside the building Trump says “That was not the easiest entrance I’ve ever made…it felt like I was crossing the border.” Right before Trump arrived, more than a dozen protesters tried to get past the barriers at the hotel. Although their attempt did not succeed, many still stood outside and protested. Between the protestors and police, lots of physical altercations were exchanged. When Trump arrived protestors got a little hasty and flooded the entrance outside of the hotel shouting “Get him out.” Adrian Olivares, one of the protester, told CNN that he came out here to support is people and my father. To him, showing his flag was his main priority.

The similarities between the two articles are that they both deal with presidential candidates, specifically Donald Trump. The difference is that one displays a technique while the other shows the public’s reaction/tolerance of Donald Trump. Honestly, I think Trump is causing a lot of chaos; from his demeaning speeches to his hasty persona. If Donald was to become president, many people will feel that the United States overall is going to dimish into a ‘pit of flames.’ The future of the United States lies in not only citizens, but also the president.

Links:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/29/politics/donald-trump-bernie-sanders/

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/29/politics/donald-trump-protests-republican-convention-california/index.html

Prompt 3: Technology

As technology continues to unfold,  many inventions and gadgets are being innovated to further enhance humanity. In a recent study, a new battery-making method may produce a battery that may last 400 times longer than usual. In this new technological method, the use of a nanowire-based material enables the battery to be recharged an infinite amount of times. Nanowires are radically minute conductors, that have been a primary subject for battery-making over the years. Because these conductors are remarkably thin, high conductivity and the transmission and storage of electrons is probable. Notwithstanding Nanowires pros, it also comes with cons: fragility, inability to endure periodic charging, discharging and cycling. To fix these problems, researchers at the University of California, had to encompass a gold nanowire in “manganese oxide” and place an electrolyte filled with gel. Testing this method, they were able to efficiently make a “failure-resistant” technology invention. Chance played a huge role in the discovery of this life-changing invention. Similar to Thomas Edison, Thai was playing around and accidently discovered that covering nanowires in a remotely thin gel, allowed it to survive thousands of cycles without losing capacity.

Terrorist. At the sound of this word, many people will think of the thousands of lives lost in the hands of these political extremists. A newfound drone, compared to Homer, is now able to detect terrorist explosive weapons and landmines from past wars. This drone can also detect chemicals, nuclear weapons and drugs able to successful sneak by in unmanned aircraft. The creative structure of this system allows it to target area with neutrons. Once identified, security checkpoints are notified. Mobility in this drone makes it a ‘potential game-changer’ as military protection could be informed about roadside bombs. According to Kulcinski, a notable scientist and adviser for NASA, it’ll take a year for this system to officially be put on the field.

In both of these instances, technology enhancements are being used for the betterment of the human race. The obvious difference between the two is that one is specifically used to increase energy performance, and the other is to ensure that terrorist attacks are carefully monitored. Personally, I believe if these new technological advancements weren’t established, humans wouldn’t be able to successfully keep up with the rapid growth of technology. In terms of the drone, I think this idea will effectively lessen a number of terrorist attacks we may encounter in the future.

 

Link 1: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/153196/20160424/new-technology-can-potentialy-make-batteries-last-400-times-longer.htm

Link 2:  http://journaltimes.com/news/state-and-regional/bomb-sniffing-drone-technology-developed-at-uw-could-become-nightmare/article_0020c4a9-631f-5c88-8b4c-17f81f94896d.html

Science

The Zika Virus is a transmissible disease caused by mosquitoes. For months, this virus has been steadily monitored by researchers in the hope of  an explanation for this abrupt outbreak. Pregnant women are the most affected by this virus, as it is known to cause serious defects to newborn infants, which could additionally cause temporary paralyzing disorders. American’s especially, have been on the ‘edge,’ and are questioning health care professionals about the precautions they should take. Genhong Cheng, a microbiology professor at UCLA, believes the changes seen in countries like Asia, could help shed light on the permissible growth in North and South America. Though, scientist are baffled by the prolonged replication of this virus, they now understand the newfound viral persistence; caused by the invasion of the immune system and tissues. Overall, the ultimate goal of tracking the genetic mutations within the Zika virus, is to better understand how it is transmitted from person to person and causes different types of disease. In the second article, a 23-year-old victorian woman, contracted a fatal brain disease from a measles infection, after not receiving a vaccine. Her case wasn’t brought to anyone’s attention until she suffered a seizure. Prior to the seizure, she was also found to have impaired speech and movement, bodily jerks, and lack of bladder control. After moving from Australia from Phillippines, she was diagnosed with ‘subacute sclerosing panencephalitis;’ a disease connected with measles. This case is extremely important because it shows how vaccines can possibly prevent diseases.

The obvious difference between these two articles is that they are about different diseases: Zika and Measles. The similarities between the two, are that they both talk about diseases that could possibly affect others in the future. If these two diseases aren’t looked upon I believe that, many people will die. So it’s encouraged precautions and attention are brought to both.

Links:
(Zika Virus): http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/zika-virus-outbreak/zika-virus-mutation-may-explain-spread-study-n556741

(Brain Disease): http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016/04/18/00/08/brain-disease-case-stresses-measles-danger

Prompt 4: Social Issues

A comprehensive group of over a thousand people stood in front of Indiana’s Statehouse April, 9th, 2016. In response, to the controversial law, Indiana has placed on women; House Bill 1337. Gelone Broadaux, one of the many protesters, states in her poster, “Panties 4 Pence: Get out of mine.” Here, Broadaux emphasizes the public’s disturbance with the lack of control women have on their bodies and society’s constant targeting of women. By signing the House Bill 1337, Indiana becomes the second state to restrict abortion to women with fetuses with disabilities. Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, signed this law back in March without the public’s consent-spiking rallies and protests to get him out of office. In his perspective, this law will help intensify the value of human life. But in actuality, it limits women’s freedom. But, Prence isn’t alone on his point of view. Kate Shaw,  an individual born with a  Down Syndrome, feels that by not enacting this law it discriminates against people like her. Others in this same position,  believe that ‘abortion is murder,’ making it imperative that abortion is ruled out.

For decades, Gay and Lesbian rights have elicit many protests between people against and for it. In recent months, three states have formulated laws to protect people who oppose same-sex marriage, and several have added abortions prohibitions. Due to these cultural clashes/fights, Paypal, as well as Bank of America, Apple, and American Airlines has withdrawn plans to expand its corporation in North Carolina; which could’ve possibly brought over 400 jobs. Strangely, the Republican party representatives have been awfully quiet on the situation. While Democrats, on the other hand, have remained steady in their acclaim; which basically, says that refusing to give  LGBT people their godforsaken rights is discrimination. Ever since same-sex became legal, backlashes have steadily built up. According to the Human Right’s Campaign, a gay advocacy group has inquired approximately 200 bills against the LGBT community.

In both situations, they are fighting for a particular case: Gay and Lesbian disputes, and Women rights. The obvious difference between the two is that they are different matters, and people have different ways of showing their rebuttal. In my opinion, Women should have control over their bodies, not government enforced laws. As for the LGBT community, the only reason to stop the rights is to stop denying people of their rights.

Link 1 (Fight for Women rights): 

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/09/live-updates-hundreds-rally-womens-rights-indiana-statehouse/82830778/

Link 2 (LGBT issues in the South): 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/state-bills-on-lgbt-issues-put-gop-on-defense/2016/04/07/5702be6c-fc15-11e5-886f-a037dba38301_story.html

 

Technology and Everyday Life

               On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, spoke the first transmitted words to his assistant, Thomas Watson. On January 1, 1893, ARPANET began to assemble the “network of networks.” As you can see, Technology over the years has radically transformed the way we communicate with each other. Back then, individuals who wanted to get in touch with each other had to send letters, or meet in person. In terms of research, libraries-a term unfamiliar to the current human race was the gateway for all information needed. But, with progression in technology today, individuals are now able to send messages and look up valuable information in one touch.Though technology is a beneficial resource to have, there should be a restriction on how much we depend on it.

Children today, are becoming more and more anti-social as technology progression begins to strengthen. Those with anti-social personality disorders have a tendency to lie, act impulsively, break laws, and lack regard for the safety of others and for themselves. In addition to anti-social activity, technology can also cause obesity. Primarily due to the lack of inactivity implemented mainly by cars and video games. About 31.8% of children ranging from 3-19 are considered either overweight or obese. While 16.0% are flat-out obese. Obesity causes many health concerns as it damages the body. Some of these health risks are cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and gallstones. From personal experience, I can say technology has a tendency to keep people up at night. The temptation caused by social media especially, captivates my teenage mind, as I wonder what’s ‘poppin’ on the gram or twitter. But, If one can figure out stability and realize that technology doesn’t need to take over your life, technology in our everyday life would be ok.