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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanks for Sharing My Journey
Thank you for taking the time to experience by English journey by reading the pieces in my blog. This class was a lesson in patience, tolerance, self-reflection and open-mindedness. For me, I know that I learned so much more than just how to write college style, I learned new lessons for life, new ideas about old subjects and just maybe this old dog might have been taught a few new tricks. I've laughed and I've cried and I have to admit that I'm glad it is over, but it's been a journey that I'm glad I got to take!
New Vision About Identity
Original Paper
Identity- How is it formed? What has such a great influence over how we become who we are? I found myself transported to a different time and place in my own life while pondering these questions. Considering who I am today, who I was 5 years ago, ten years ago, even fifteen years ago was an exercise in self-reflection. While determining how it is that I’ve become the person that people meet today, I found that it isn’t something that just happened overnight. It has been a work in progress and is something that changes and adapts each day. One’s identity (including my own) is constantly evolving and is the culmination of personal choices and life experience. This is proven not only by my own life experiences but also supported by the literary works of Emily White and Lucy Grealy.
Growing up can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience, especially for those individuals that may not look a certain way or have the same social standing as those around them. These differences can be internalized by individuals causing them to make choices (whether consciously or subconsciously) about their identity and their standing in the world around them. This is supported by Grealy when she states, “I had the capacity of imagination to momentarily escape my own pain, and I had the elegance of imagination to teach myself something true regarding the world around me, but I didn’t yet have the clarity of imagination to grant myself the complicated and necessary right to suffer.” (70). She further states, “I thought I simply had to accept the fact that I was ugly, and that to feel despair about it was simply wrong.” (70). This is a very sad statement regarding how Grealy chose to deal with her facial scars. Resigning herself to simply accept that she was ugly was a decision that would forever play a key role in her identity as she grew towards adulthood. I was fortunate enough to not be identified solely by my looks because there wasn’t anything that distinguished me from those around me. I was your average everyday girl that didn’t stick out yet didn’t fade into the background either.
Similar to what White experienced while she was observing at Calhoun High School, I found myself feeling anxious and being transported to that unsure time in my life that is called High School. The following excerpt from White’s writing holds true for me and highlights exactly what I experienced while in high school. “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive.” (White 15) I made the personal choice while in high school to fight back against the theory that if I didn’t have the “right” lunch I wasn’t cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends and extended the olive branch often times to those that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with. To this day, I will stick my neck out and try my very best to make people feel comfortable regardless of what social setting I am in.
During the magical period after high school and before “real life” begins, there was a time in my life when I thought that I had it all figured out and that the choices that I had made truly defined who I was. I had a job but it wasn’t paying the best and I wanted more. I had a boyfriend who in my mind was the world’s greatest man and I was in love. I was invincible and anyone that interacted with me at that time would have said I was completely oblivious to what was going on in the world outside of the one that I had created. As such, I made very poor choices because I knew it all. There wasn’t anyone that could tell me what to do, how to do it or when to do it. In the fall, immediately following my high school graduation, I began attending Everett Community College on a scholarship that I had received based on my academic excellence in high school. It seemed to me that I had life figured out and I made the choice to only attend classes when I felt like it, to make an appearance only once or twice a week and because I was untouchable I thought this should be acceptable to everyone around me.
I received a painful reality check when the postman delivered a letter from the President of Student Services informing me that I was no longer able to come back to Everett Community College and should I ever decide to get my affairs in order and re-enroll I would need to be granted a special exception. At that moment, it didn’t matter; however, fifteen years later, when attempting to register for classes I couldn’t. The choices I made when I was 17 have had an ongoing, profound impact on my life. It was very humbling to have to speak with the Vice-President of Student Services and beg to be allowed back into school. Those choices, made so many years ago, continue to shape and define who I am to this day.
Personal relationships and decisions made while interacting with other individuals also will help to shape someone’s identity, possibly on a daily basis. Too many times people put too much emphasis on the importance of having a significant other in their lives to help define them or identify them. Julie, the subject in Alexandra Robbins, The Overachievers, had broken up with her boyfriend the day before school had started. She writes, “Julie had put so much effort into having a boyfriend, and abruptly, he was gone. Now she was back where she started, and completely uninterested in thinking about someone new…” Unfortunately, those friendships, love stories and affairs that end negatively or on a sour note have a heavier impact on how a person chooses to move forward with their lives and how they will present themselves in the next relationship that comes their way. For me, I have very strong memories of past relationships and use the choices I made during those times of my life to protect myself now. I reflect heavily on the decisions that were made and why I made them. This allows me to shape the person I want to be when presented with a new endeavor or relationship possibility.
I loved my ex-husband with all of my heart and believed with every ounce of my soul that when I said “I do” that it was something that signified forever to include good times and bad. I tolerated so much abuse from him and after my daughter was born I made the choice to ask him to leave. I did not want her to identify her mom as someone that tolerated abuse, or accepted unhappiness as normal. This decision not only shaped my life six years ago, but continues to play a huge role in my identity to this day. It helped me to see that being a tolerant person is completely different than being ignorant for the sake of someone else’s happiness. I have made the decision to be happy for me, for my girls and for those around me.
Today, I am a mom, a Girl Scout leader, a student and an all around happy person. I am this person as a direct result of choices that I have made and will continue to make as I grow older. I am me, Angela Kristine Jenkins, and no one can take that away from me unless I allow them to do so. Looking to the future, I will continue to be all of these things and more, an active part of the working world, an asset to my community and an excellent role model for my daughters. This is what I choose to do and this is what identifies me.
Works Cited
White, Emily “High School’s Secret Life” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Grealy, Lucy “Masks” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Robbins, Alexandra “The Overachievers” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Revised Identity Paper
A person’s identity is constantly evolving and is the culmination of personal choices and life experience. Many people are faced with tough obstacles and challenges as they grow and how they face these challenges helps to create and define who they are as a person. Additionally, many people choose to identify themselves with those around them and take a piece of each person with them when they move onto the next phase of their lives.
Growing up can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience, especially for those individuals that may not look a certain way or have the same social standing as those around them. These differences can be internalized by individuals causing them to make choices (whether consciously or subconsciously) about their identity and their standing in the world around them. This is supported by Lucy Grealy when she states in her essay “Masks”, “I had the capacity of imagination to momentarily escape my own pain, and I had the elegance of imagination to teach myself something true regarding the world around me, but I didn’t yet have the clarity of imagination to grant myself the complicated and necessary right to suffer” (70). She further states, “I thought I simply had to accept the fact that I was ugly, and that to feel despair about it was simply wrong” (70). This statement, while very sad, speaks volumes about the choice she made regarding how she chose to deal with her facial scars. Resigning herself to simply accept that she was ugly was a decision that would forever play a key role in her identity as she grew towards adulthood.
Emily White, while observing at Calhoun High School, found herself feeling very anxious and nervous about what she was watching unfold before her in the cafeteria of at lunch time. The following excerpt from White’s essay, “High School’s Secret Life”, explains how something as simple as being assigned the wrong lunch break can have a huge impact on one’s identity, “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive” (15). For myself, while attending high school, I made the personal choice to fight back against the theory that if I didn’t have the “right” lunch I wasn’t cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends even if it was with those individuals that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with.
For many people, there is a period in their lives when they believe that they are grown up and have the world figured out. It is during this magical time after high school and before “real life” begins, that many people will make choices that help to define who they become as adults. Most have jobs and are considering what to do next, whether it is attend college, find a better paying job or continue doing what they are currently doing. Personally, I had a job but it wasn’t paying the best and I wanted more. In the fall, immediately following my high school graduation, I began attending Everett Community College on a scholarship that I had received based on my academic excellence in high school. This was a personal choice for me and at that moment in time defined who I was, a full time college student. Not only was that how I identified myself but also how others around me would think of me.
Personal relationships and decisions made while interacting with other individuals also will help to shape someone’s identity, possibly on a daily basis. Too many times people put too much emphasis on the importance of having a significant other in their lives to help define them or identify them. Julie, the subject in Alexandra Robbins, The Overachievers, had broken up with her boyfriend the day before school had started. She writes, “Julie had put so much effort into having a boyfriend, and abruptly, he was gone. Now she was back where she started, and completely uninterested in thinking about someone new…” Unfortunately, those friendships, love stories and affairs that end negatively or on a sour note have a heavier impact on how a person chooses to move forward with their lives and how they will present themselves in the next relationship that comes their way.
I loved my ex-husband with all of my heart and believed with every ounce of my soul that when I said “I do” that it was something that signified forever to include good times and bad. I tolerated so much abuse from him and after my daughter was born I made the choice to ask him to leave. I did not want her to identify her mom as someone that tolerated abuse, or accepted unhappiness as normal. This decision not only shaped my life six years ago, but continues to play a huge role in my identity to this day. It helped me to see that being a tolerant person is completely different than being ignorant for the sake of someone else’s happiness. I have made the decision to be happy for me, for my girls and for those around me.
Society creates stereotypes and ideals of who the perfect person is. From the day we are born, we begin to form our identities. Every day, people’s personalities and identities evolve and reshape based on personal decisions that are made not solely because of their cultures or their family roots. Today, I am a mom, a Girl Scout leader, a student and an all around happy person. Everyone has the ability to choose what type of person they want to be and the impression they will leave with others they come in contact with.
Works Cited
White, Emily “High School’s Secret Life” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Grealy, Lucy “Masks” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Robbins, Alexandra “The Overachievers” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Who I am is Who I Choose to Be
Identity- How is it formed? What has such a great influence over how we become who we are? I found myself transported to a different time and place in my own life while pondering these questions. Considering who I am today, who I was 5 years ago, ten years ago, even fifteen years ago was an exercise in self-reflection. While determining how it is that I’ve become the person that people meet today, I found that it isn’t something that just happened overnight. It has been a work in progress and is something that changes and adapts each day. One’s identity (including my own) is constantly evolving and is the culmination of personal choices and life experience. This is proven not only by my own life experiences but also supported by the literary works of Emily White and Lucy Grealy.
Growing up can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience, especially for those individuals that may not look a certain way or have the same social standing as those around them. These differences can be internalized by individuals causing them to make choices (whether consciously or subconsciously) about their identity and their standing in the world around them. This is supported by Grealy when she states, “I had the capacity of imagination to momentarily escape my own pain, and I had the elegance of imagination to teach myself something true regarding the world around me, but I didn’t yet have the clarity of imagination to grant myself the complicated and necessary right to suffer.” (70). She further states, “I thought I simply had to accept the fact that I was ugly, and that to feel despair about it was simply wrong.” (70). This is a very sad statement regarding how Grealy chose to deal with her facial scars. Resigning herself to simply accept that she was ugly was a decision that would forever play a key role in her identity as she grew towards adulthood. I was fortunate enough to not be identified solely by my looks because there wasn’t anything that distinguished me from those around me. I was your average everyday girl that didn’t stick out yet didn’t fade into the background either.
Similar to what White experienced while she was observing at Calhoun High School, I found myself feeling anxious and being transported to that unsure time in my life that is called High School. The following excerpt from White’s writing holds true for me and highlights exactly what I experienced while in high school. “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive.” (White 15) I made the personal choice while in high school to fight back against the theory that if I didn’t have the “right” lunch I wasn’t cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends and extended the olive branch often times to those that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with. To this day, I will stick my neck out and try my very best to make people feel comfortable regardless of what social setting I am in.
During the magical period after high school and before “real life” begins, there was a time in my life when I thought that I had it all figured out and that the choices that I had made truly defined who I was. I had a job but it wasn’t paying the best and I wanted more. I had a boyfriend who in my mind was the world’s greatest man and I was in love. I was invincible and anyone that interacted with me at that time would have said I was completely oblivious to what was going on in the world outside of the one that I had created. As such, I made very poor choices because I knew it all. There wasn’t anyone that could tell me what to do, how to do it or when to do it. In the fall, immediately following my high school graduation, I began attending Everett Community College on a scholarship that I had received based on my academic excellence in high school. It seemed to me that I had life figured out and I made the choice to only attend classes when I felt like it, to make an appearance only once or twice a week and because I was untouchable I thought this should be acceptable to everyone around me.
I received a painful reality check when the postman delivered a letter from the President of Student Services informing me that I was no longer able to come back to Everett Community College and should I ever decide to get my affairs in order and re-enroll I would need to be granted a special exception. At that moment, it didn’t matter; however, fifteen years later, when attempting to register for classes I couldn’t. The choices I made when I was 17 have had an ongoing, profound impact on my life. It was very humbling to have to speak with the Vice-President of Student Services and beg to be allowed back into school. Those choices, made so many years ago, continue to shape and define who I am to this day.
Personal relationships and decisions made while interacting with other individuals also will help to shape someone’s identity, possibly on a daily basis. Too many times people put too much emphasis on the importance of having a significant other in their lives to help define them or identify them. Julie, the subject in Alexandra Robbins, The Overachievers, had broken up with her boyfriend the day before school had started. She writes, “Julie had put so much effort into having a boyfriend, and abruptly, he was gone. Now she was back where she started, and completely uninterested in thinking about someone new…” Unfortunately, those friendships, love stories and affairs that end negatively or on a sour note have a heavier impact on how a person chooses to move forward with their lives and how they will present themselves in the next relationship that comes their way. For me, I have very strong memories of past relationships and use the choices I made during those times of my life to protect myself now. I reflect heavily on the decisions that were made and why I made them. This allows me to shape the person I want to be when presented with a new endeavor or relationship possibility.
I loved my ex-husband with all of my heart and believed with every ounce of my soul that when I said “I do” that it was something that signified forever to include good times and bad. I tolerated so much abuse from him and after my daughter was born I made the choice to ask him to leave. I did not want her to identify her mom as someone that tolerated abuse, or accepted unhappiness as normal. This decision not only shaped my life six years ago, but continues to play a huge role in my identity to this day. It helped me to see that being a tolerant person is completely different than being ignorant for the sake of someone else’s happiness. I have made the decision to be happy for me, for my girls and for those around me.
Today, I am a mom, a Girl Scout leader, a student and an all around happy person. I am this person as a direct result of choices that I have made and will continue to make as I grow older. I am me, Angela Kristine Jenkins, and no one can take that away from me unless I allow them to do so. Looking to the future, I will continue to be all of these things and more, an active part of the working world, an asset to my community and an excellent role model for my daughters. This is what I choose to do and this is what identifies me.
Works Cited
White, Emily “High School’s Secret Life” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Grealy, Lucy “Masks” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Robbins, Alexandra “The Overachievers” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Revised Identity Paper
Identity is a Personal Choice
A person’s identity is constantly evolving and is the culmination of personal choices and life experience. Many people are faced with tough obstacles and challenges as they grow and how they face these challenges helps to create and define who they are as a person. Additionally, many people choose to identify themselves with those around them and take a piece of each person with them when they move onto the next phase of their lives.
Growing up can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience, especially for those individuals that may not look a certain way or have the same social standing as those around them. These differences can be internalized by individuals causing them to make choices (whether consciously or subconsciously) about their identity and their standing in the world around them. This is supported by Lucy Grealy when she states in her essay “Masks”, “I had the capacity of imagination to momentarily escape my own pain, and I had the elegance of imagination to teach myself something true regarding the world around me, but I didn’t yet have the clarity of imagination to grant myself the complicated and necessary right to suffer” (70). She further states, “I thought I simply had to accept the fact that I was ugly, and that to feel despair about it was simply wrong” (70). This statement, while very sad, speaks volumes about the choice she made regarding how she chose to deal with her facial scars. Resigning herself to simply accept that she was ugly was a decision that would forever play a key role in her identity as she grew towards adulthood.
Emily White, while observing at Calhoun High School, found herself feeling very anxious and nervous about what she was watching unfold before her in the cafeteria of at lunch time. The following excerpt from White’s essay, “High School’s Secret Life”, explains how something as simple as being assigned the wrong lunch break can have a huge impact on one’s identity, “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive” (15). For myself, while attending high school, I made the personal choice to fight back against the theory that if I didn’t have the “right” lunch I wasn’t cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends even if it was with those individuals that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with.
For many people, there is a period in their lives when they believe that they are grown up and have the world figured out. It is during this magical time after high school and before “real life” begins, that many people will make choices that help to define who they become as adults. Most have jobs and are considering what to do next, whether it is attend college, find a better paying job or continue doing what they are currently doing. Personally, I had a job but it wasn’t paying the best and I wanted more. In the fall, immediately following my high school graduation, I began attending Everett Community College on a scholarship that I had received based on my academic excellence in high school. This was a personal choice for me and at that moment in time defined who I was, a full time college student. Not only was that how I identified myself but also how others around me would think of me.
Personal relationships and decisions made while interacting with other individuals also will help to shape someone’s identity, possibly on a daily basis. Too many times people put too much emphasis on the importance of having a significant other in their lives to help define them or identify them. Julie, the subject in Alexandra Robbins, The Overachievers, had broken up with her boyfriend the day before school had started. She writes, “Julie had put so much effort into having a boyfriend, and abruptly, he was gone. Now she was back where she started, and completely uninterested in thinking about someone new…” Unfortunately, those friendships, love stories and affairs that end negatively or on a sour note have a heavier impact on how a person chooses to move forward with their lives and how they will present themselves in the next relationship that comes their way.
I loved my ex-husband with all of my heart and believed with every ounce of my soul that when I said “I do” that it was something that signified forever to include good times and bad. I tolerated so much abuse from him and after my daughter was born I made the choice to ask him to leave. I did not want her to identify her mom as someone that tolerated abuse, or accepted unhappiness as normal. This decision not only shaped my life six years ago, but continues to play a huge role in my identity to this day. It helped me to see that being a tolerant person is completely different than being ignorant for the sake of someone else’s happiness. I have made the decision to be happy for me, for my girls and for those around me.
Society creates stereotypes and ideals of who the perfect person is. From the day we are born, we begin to form our identities. Every day, people’s personalities and identities evolve and reshape based on personal decisions that are made not solely because of their cultures or their family roots. Today, I am a mom, a Girl Scout leader, a student and an all around happy person. Everyone has the ability to choose what type of person they want to be and the impression they will leave with others they come in contact with.
Works Cited
White, Emily “High School’s Secret Life” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Grealy, Lucy “Masks” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
Robbins, Alexandra “The Overachievers” Remix Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martins 2010
In the Big Purple Purse
When considering this assignment, I found myself laughing out loud to myself while sitting in an empty room and chuckling several times thereafter throughout the day. Thinking about how I might be identified by the contents of my wallet and purse was certainly an exercise in personal reflection and brought to the forefront of my mind just how much I need to clean out my big purple purse.
Perusing through the articles found in the "magical purple bag" one would see a couple pairs of little girls panties (my two year old is potty training and we do not leave the house without clean panties), a pair of clean shorts (for the same two year old should we have an "accident"), a fabulous purple wallet to match the purple purse and an insane amount of papers. All these papers definitely mean something to me in some regard; however, to a perfect stranger, other than possibly some identifying information such as name and address, these articles would mean nothing. In addition to these items, you would also find several different kinds of lip gloss/chapstick because I just can't seem to find the right one.
My wallet is very simplified and only contains my driver's license, my debit card, my Costco membership card, my checkbook and check register and a few spare pennies that have been picked up out of the couch cushions. One could figure out solely from the contents of my wallet, my name, date of birth, height, weight and what I look like. If someone should feel so inclinded to go through my check register they would determine that Target is my favorite store and that Costco is a close second.
What thoughts might someone have about me when going through my purse and wallet? I truly believe the only answer to that is that I'm a mom, who has a tough time throwing papers away and could use a mini-shredder, and that I certainly can not make up my mind when it comes to lip care products. What they would be missing is the fact that I love to laugh, I live each day to see smiles on my daughters' faces and that I believe I was put on this earth to make a difference. I have amazing friends and family that get me through each and every day with my head held high and give me the strength to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.
Perusing through the articles found in the "magical purple bag" one would see a couple pairs of little girls panties (my two year old is potty training and we do not leave the house without clean panties), a pair of clean shorts (for the same two year old should we have an "accident"), a fabulous purple wallet to match the purple purse and an insane amount of papers. All these papers definitely mean something to me in some regard; however, to a perfect stranger, other than possibly some identifying information such as name and address, these articles would mean nothing. In addition to these items, you would also find several different kinds of lip gloss/chapstick because I just can't seem to find the right one.
My wallet is very simplified and only contains my driver's license, my debit card, my Costco membership card, my checkbook and check register and a few spare pennies that have been picked up out of the couch cushions. One could figure out solely from the contents of my wallet, my name, date of birth, height, weight and what I look like. If someone should feel so inclinded to go through my check register they would determine that Target is my favorite store and that Costco is a close second.
What thoughts might someone have about me when going through my purse and wallet? I truly believe the only answer to that is that I'm a mom, who has a tough time throwing papers away and could use a mini-shredder, and that I certainly can not make up my mind when it comes to lip care products. What they would be missing is the fact that I love to laugh, I live each day to see smiles on my daughters' faces and that I believe I was put on this earth to make a difference. I have amazing friends and family that get me through each and every day with my head held high and give me the strength to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.
Who I am ..
For the writer’s choice piece, I selected my first Blog posting about the contents of my purse. I thought this was a fun assignment and one that I enjoyed writing and didn’t have to really put too much effort into. The thoughts seemed to have just flowed freely onto the screen making this a definite favorite of mine. I really liked the following statement, “I truly believe the only answer to that is that I'm a mom, who has a tough time throwing papers away and could use a mini-shredder, and that I certainly can not make up my mind when it comes to lip care products”. It is so funny how, even after doing this assignment two months ago, the contents haven’t changed and one would probably get the same crazy impression of me.
The Lines People Cross
The movie, "Crash", invokes so many feelings for me that it is hard to know where to start. This movie from the very beginning is chock full of racial stereotypes and the characters performing outside of acceptable "standards" and/or crossing the line. One of the biggest scenes that sticks out to me is when the two white cops pull over the black Lincoln Navigator being driven by a black man and his wife (later we know the man as Cameron). Although there had been a reported car-jacking of this type of vehicle, the cop that was driving (Wally) was told by his partner (Tommy) that this was not the vehicle that they were looking for. Wally didn't care and proceeded with the traffic stop, asking Cameron to step out of the car. Cameron's wife, having had a bit too much to drink, got out of the car as well and began calling the cop racially provoked names such as "cracker". Wally, feeling insulted and upset by these actions, as well as wanting to assert his "power" over the couple sexually assaults Cameron's wife while Cameron watched. This is unacceptable on so many levels, not just as good guy gone bad but also given the racial tension evoked in the scene by the film maker.
This movie makes it perfectly evident from the opening scene, when the Latin police officer and the Asian lady have a heated argument, that the driving theme of the film is going to be racially motivated. This then evokes the watcher to draw upon their own personal beliefs while watching the movie to develop a sense of what is right and wrong. In the scene I selected where the white police officer assaults the black female it seems that the cop believed he was entitled to do whatever he wanted to this woman based on how she had treated him. It is also evident in his other interactions with people of different races throughout the movie that he felt he was superior to them in some way, or that it was because of these other races that he and his father were experiencing the troubles that they were. This is further supported in the movie when he meets with Shaniqua Johnson (a black woman), from his father's insurance company, and he asks her how many white men didn't get her job just so that she could have it. It is ironic to me that the film maker chose to base this film in Southern California (Los Angeles) when that is a place in this country that is known to be so culturally diverse and has been the epicenter of so many racially motivated crimes that have happened.
Ironically, the film seems to bring Wally's character full circle however when the same black woman was in a horrible car accident and he was the one that arrived on the scene and saved her from what would have been certain death. The woman, upon realizing who he was, vehemently argued with him that he not touch her, that he leave her alone or get someone else to help her. He refused to leave her be and eventually was able to pull her from the burning car. This, for me, shows that everyone is given the chance to redeem themselves and realize that their previous actions were unacceptable. As a cop, it was Wally's job to serve and protect and in the end that is ultimately what he did.
This movie makes it perfectly evident from the opening scene, when the Latin police officer and the Asian lady have a heated argument, that the driving theme of the film is going to be racially motivated. This then evokes the watcher to draw upon their own personal beliefs while watching the movie to develop a sense of what is right and wrong. In the scene I selected where the white police officer assaults the black female it seems that the cop believed he was entitled to do whatever he wanted to this woman based on how she had treated him. It is also evident in his other interactions with people of different races throughout the movie that he felt he was superior to them in some way, or that it was because of these other races that he and his father were experiencing the troubles that they were. This is further supported in the movie when he meets with Shaniqua Johnson (a black woman), from his father's insurance company, and he asks her how many white men didn't get her job just so that she could have it. It is ironic to me that the film maker chose to base this film in Southern California (Los Angeles) when that is a place in this country that is known to be so culturally diverse and has been the epicenter of so many racially motivated crimes that have happened.
Ironically, the film seems to bring Wally's character full circle however when the same black woman was in a horrible car accident and he was the one that arrived on the scene and saved her from what would have been certain death. The woman, upon realizing who he was, vehemently argued with him that he not touch her, that he leave her alone or get someone else to help her. He refused to leave her be and eventually was able to pull her from the burning car. This, for me, shows that everyone is given the chance to redeem themselves and realize that their previous actions were unacceptable. As a cop, it was Wally's job to serve and protect and in the end that is ultimately what he did.
Crash Into Real Life
When we had to pick a movie to watch for our second Intermission assignment, I had mixed feelings about selecting the movie “Crash” however I did so as it was a movie that I already owned. This movie for me was one that made me angry, sad and frustrated all at the same time so I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to put those personal thoughts to the side for the sake of completing the week successfully. I have selected my Discussion Board posting from this assignment as I feel that this was a piece that opened the door for discussion, and made an impact on those reading it.
Identity Re-Seen
“Pick any assignment that you’ve done that you feel could benefit from a re-write” is what we were supposed to do for this piece. As I’m overly critical of myself and my work- my first thought was how can I pick just one when they all need help. The one that needs the most re-seeing however is my Identity paper. We were asked to pick a manner in which we think identities are most heavily influenced. While I thought I had a grasp of this, my paper ended up being all about me, me and more me not how identity as a whole is influenced.
I feel that I did a good job originally of incorporating works that we had read into this piece however where I missed the assignment completely was by tying those weakly back to my own identity, “The following excerpt from White’s writing holds true for me and highlights exactly what I experienced while in high school. “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive.” (White 15) I made the personal choice while in high school to fight back against the theory that if I didn't have the 'right' lunch I wasn't cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends and extended the olive branch often times to those that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with".
This paper wasn't supposed to be about me and how I came to be the person that I am. This essay was to be about identity in general and which factor influences it the most.
I feel that I did a good job originally of incorporating works that we had read into this piece however where I missed the assignment completely was by tying those weakly back to my own identity, “The following excerpt from White’s writing holds true for me and highlights exactly what I experienced while in high school. “The cafeteria is high school’s proving ground. It’s one of the most unavoidable and important thresholds, the place where you find out if you have friends or if you don’t. The cafeteria is the place where forms of human sacrifice occur, the merciless rituals of cruelty on which the kids thrive.” (White 15) I made the personal choice while in high school to fight back against the theory that if I didn't have the 'right' lunch I wasn't cool, or good enough to be considered popular. I chose to make the most of what I was given, whether it was the good lunch or the bad, and made new friends and extended the olive branch often times to those that would be considered out of bounds to the tribe that I typically ran with".
This paper wasn't supposed to be about me and how I came to be the person that I am. This essay was to be about identity in general and which factor influences it the most.
Critical Thinking - My Way
The film Finding Forrester is a riveting tale of two men, one old and near his death, the other young and just beginning his journey, that find themselves drawn together by not only their similarities but also their differences. Jamal Wallace and William Forrester were both outsiders in the worlds they lived in, both chastised and critiqued by the people in their lives. The film contains multiple instances that define the separation both Jamal and William experienced due to the treatment they received from those around them (peer groups, teachers, and assistants) and how they used each other to grow stronger in the face of diversity.
Jamal Wallace was a very intelligent, young black male that had found his place in the world that he grew up in, the Bronx. He was a 'c' average student by his own doing and an excellent basketball player. After scoring extremely high on his standardized academic tests, he found himself enrolled at a very prestigious private school located in a different part of town. Although this would allow him the opportunity to showcase what a brilliant student he was, Jamal found himself looked down upon by the students as well as the teachers based on his economic status, the color of his skin and his previous grades. Jamal was placed on the school basketball team where he was also not accepted even though he had much to offer his teammates. In one instance, another player (who was also not Caucasian) advised Jamal that he might think they were the same but they were not. Even though the two of them were part of a very small ethnic student population, this other player made sure Jamal understood that he was not going to be part of this team, or his tribe. Jamal did not have a choice of whether to be included or excluded, it was made clear to him that the decision was made even before he had arrived on the court that he would not be welcome and would always be considered the outsider.
William Forrester was a brilliant author who chose to remove himself from the grind that comes along with being an active part of society. He had experienced a great deal of loss in his younger years, including the loss of his brother and his mother. Shortly after his book was published and these losses occurred, William found that it was easier to step out of the limelight of his book and his fame and live a solitary existence. He was tired of people trying to figure out who he "really" was and what messages were really being conveyed by his writing when all of the theories were incorrect. He didn't want to live in a world where he couldn't just be himself without massive speculation about his every action and the true intent behind it. William wasn't excluded from society, he would have been very welcomed, yet he chose to exclude himself.
Wallace and Forrester developed a relationship which was beneficial to each of them. In Forrester's apartment it didn't matter what color Jamal's skin was, or how much money his mother made. Jamal didn't judge William for the decisions that he had made but rather revered him for the person that he was. The two of them together worked to develop confidence in their own abilities and eventually this led to Forrester leaving the apartment and Wallace standing up for himself to those that talked down to him.
These two scenes in the movie, along with many others, uphold my own personal beliefs on being an outsider and why people pass judgment on those around them without knowing anything about the person that they are judging. Identity markers play a huge role in our society, and too many times it is difficult to overcome them. Being labeled an "outsider" is a difficult title to carry however in many instances this is a title that is self proclaimed and not always one that is given.
Both Wallace and Forrester made decisions that swayed where their personal life journeys took them. Through hard work and perseverance, Wallace was able to overcome a lot of the judgments that had been passed about him, which had placed the "outsider" target on his back. Forrester, with Jamal's support and encouragement was able to put aside his self imposed prejudices and step out of his self imposed isolation. While these men were considered outsiders in their own separate lives, they came together and helped one another overcome the isolation.
Jamal Wallace was a very intelligent, young black male that had found his place in the world that he grew up in, the Bronx. He was a 'c' average student by his own doing and an excellent basketball player. After scoring extremely high on his standardized academic tests, he found himself enrolled at a very prestigious private school located in a different part of town. Although this would allow him the opportunity to showcase what a brilliant student he was, Jamal found himself looked down upon by the students as well as the teachers based on his economic status, the color of his skin and his previous grades. Jamal was placed on the school basketball team where he was also not accepted even though he had much to offer his teammates. In one instance, another player (who was also not Caucasian) advised Jamal that he might think they were the same but they were not. Even though the two of them were part of a very small ethnic student population, this other player made sure Jamal understood that he was not going to be part of this team, or his tribe. Jamal did not have a choice of whether to be included or excluded, it was made clear to him that the decision was made even before he had arrived on the court that he would not be welcome and would always be considered the outsider.
William Forrester was a brilliant author who chose to remove himself from the grind that comes along with being an active part of society. He had experienced a great deal of loss in his younger years, including the loss of his brother and his mother. Shortly after his book was published and these losses occurred, William found that it was easier to step out of the limelight of his book and his fame and live a solitary existence. He was tired of people trying to figure out who he "really" was and what messages were really being conveyed by his writing when all of the theories were incorrect. He didn't want to live in a world where he couldn't just be himself without massive speculation about his every action and the true intent behind it. William wasn't excluded from society, he would have been very welcomed, yet he chose to exclude himself.
Wallace and Forrester developed a relationship which was beneficial to each of them. In Forrester's apartment it didn't matter what color Jamal's skin was, or how much money his mother made. Jamal didn't judge William for the decisions that he had made but rather revered him for the person that he was. The two of them together worked to develop confidence in their own abilities and eventually this led to Forrester leaving the apartment and Wallace standing up for himself to those that talked down to him.
These two scenes in the movie, along with many others, uphold my own personal beliefs on being an outsider and why people pass judgment on those around them without knowing anything about the person that they are judging. Identity markers play a huge role in our society, and too many times it is difficult to overcome them. Being labeled an "outsider" is a difficult title to carry however in many instances this is a title that is self proclaimed and not always one that is given.
Both Wallace and Forrester made decisions that swayed where their personal life journeys took them. Through hard work and perseverance, Wallace was able to overcome a lot of the judgments that had been passed about him, which had placed the "outsider" target on his back. Forrester, with Jamal's support and encouragement was able to put aside his self imposed prejudices and step out of his self imposed isolation. While these men were considered outsiders in their own separate lives, they came together and helped one another overcome the isolation.
Inside or Out
“Finding Forrester” was a film that represented what it was to be an outsider. To feel removed from those around you, whether by choice or because people refused to accept you for whom you are.
For the critical thinking piece, I selected my Timed Write from Intermission 1. Analyzing a movie rather than just watching for pure entertainment certainly made me more critical of what was happening and why it happened. Being able to recognize the underlying tone of the movie and the hidden message(s) that’s conveyed makes the film into something so much more than just a script with actors reading the lines.
I selected this piece as I felt I had a good grasp of the movie, the emotions that the characters were feeling and why there were feeling that way. This is demonstrated by my statement about William Forrester, “He was tired of people trying to figure out who he "really" was and what messages were really being conveyed by his writing when all of the theories were incorrect”.
For the critical thinking piece, I selected my Timed Write from Intermission 1. Analyzing a movie rather than just watching for pure entertainment certainly made me more critical of what was happening and why it happened. Being able to recognize the underlying tone of the movie and the hidden message(s) that’s conveyed makes the film into something so much more than just a script with actors reading the lines.
I selected this piece as I felt I had a good grasp of the movie, the emotions that the characters were feeling and why there were feeling that way. This is demonstrated by my statement about William Forrester, “He was tired of people trying to figure out who he "really" was and what messages were really being conveyed by his writing when all of the theories were incorrect”.
Reflections of Me!
Hello, welcome to my E-Portfolio. My name is Angela Jenkins and boy oh boy has English 101D been an adventure for me as well as my family. I was born in November 1977, in the tiny little town of Arlington (although it has grown leaps and bounds in my 32 years). I am currently a full time student as well as a single stay at home mom of two little girls, Mattison (age 6) and Delaney (age 2). I was employed in the healthcare insurance industry until April 2009 when I was the victim of budget cuts. For years I toyed with the idea of going back to school to do something different but when I lost my job it certainly gave me the nudge I had been waiting for. I’m pursuing a certificate/degree in Medical Assisting with a long term goal of becoming a nurse-midwife.
I am probably one of the most centered and down to earth people that you will ever meet. Life has definitely thrown me some curve-balls that I was not expecting but I’ve handled them with my head held high and made it through with the love of my family. Arlington is the epicenter of our tribe and even though some live farther on the outskirts we are a very tight knit group. We all fight together for what we believe in, what we love and what we feel is the right thing.
Entering this class in September, I had not a clue what to expect. To read the course description the expectation is made that this is a college writing course. Never would I have guessed that I would be asked to explore my thoughts and beliefs about identity, communities and traditions. This class has pushed the personal envelope for me when it comes to what I believe in and has certainly challenged those beliefs beyond what has been comfortable for me. Never in my life have I thought of the ways that my identity is influenced by outside forces and is not just what I have chosen it to be. Community has always just been the town I live in but this class has taught me that a community is so much more than just that. Communities are online pro-ana websites for people that are anorexic and in need of a support system, they are the Amish, they are the Barbie collectors that are nationwide. Certainly my thoughts of traditions were baking cookies at Christmas time with the family and having a sit down dinner on all major holidays, not arranged marriages and cosmetic surgeries.
Diversity for me, prior to this class, meant that we live in a world in which we all come from different cultural backgrounds and all have different beliefs. For me, I knew I was accepting of those differences as I had married outside of my race, have biracial children so certainly that means that I’ve mastered being diverse. This class, through the readings as well as the movies we have watched, has opened my eyes to what diversity really means. It means that we are all different and while we don’t have to adopt other cultures and their beliefs we need to be accepting and respect those around us. Diversity also means that my ideas about something are not always accurate and that seeing the other side of the coin can be very enlightening. For example, the movie, “CRASH”, was one the choices for our Intermission 2 assignment. I couldn’t stand the movie when I first watched it as I was so awed and offended by the racial and stereotypical profiling that was in the movie I think I missed the overall point. Watching it again for this class, and through our Discussion Boards, I was able to see that the movie was really about the good overcoming the evil; about being able to forgive the police officer for what he did because of the fact that he saved the same woman’s life later on in the movie.
For my portfolio, I have selected four works completed during the quarter based on various assignments we were given. As our assignment indicates we are to select writings that we felt best represented our critical thinking skills, our ability to re-see and revise one of our writings, a piece that demonstrated our awareness of audience and voice, and last but not least a writer’s choice piece. I have selected our first Timed Writing assignment for the critical thinking piece, my identity paper for my revision piece (because I completely missed the boat originally), one of my Discussion Board posts from Intermission 2 and for my writer’s choice I have selected my first blog post about the contents of my purse.
This class has been a roller coaster ride, from beginning to end, full of ups and downs but I’m certainly glad I decided to get on. English 101D has certainly been an enlightening journey, one that is reflected in this e-portfolio as well as in my daily life. Thanks for taking the time to read my pieces and sharing this journey with me.
I am probably one of the most centered and down to earth people that you will ever meet. Life has definitely thrown me some curve-balls that I was not expecting but I’ve handled them with my head held high and made it through with the love of my family. Arlington is the epicenter of our tribe and even though some live farther on the outskirts we are a very tight knit group. We all fight together for what we believe in, what we love and what we feel is the right thing.
Entering this class in September, I had not a clue what to expect. To read the course description the expectation is made that this is a college writing course. Never would I have guessed that I would be asked to explore my thoughts and beliefs about identity, communities and traditions. This class has pushed the personal envelope for me when it comes to what I believe in and has certainly challenged those beliefs beyond what has been comfortable for me. Never in my life have I thought of the ways that my identity is influenced by outside forces and is not just what I have chosen it to be. Community has always just been the town I live in but this class has taught me that a community is so much more than just that. Communities are online pro-ana websites for people that are anorexic and in need of a support system, they are the Amish, they are the Barbie collectors that are nationwide. Certainly my thoughts of traditions were baking cookies at Christmas time with the family and having a sit down dinner on all major holidays, not arranged marriages and cosmetic surgeries.
Diversity for me, prior to this class, meant that we live in a world in which we all come from different cultural backgrounds and all have different beliefs. For me, I knew I was accepting of those differences as I had married outside of my race, have biracial children so certainly that means that I’ve mastered being diverse. This class, through the readings as well as the movies we have watched, has opened my eyes to what diversity really means. It means that we are all different and while we don’t have to adopt other cultures and their beliefs we need to be accepting and respect those around us. Diversity also means that my ideas about something are not always accurate and that seeing the other side of the coin can be very enlightening. For example, the movie, “CRASH”, was one the choices for our Intermission 2 assignment. I couldn’t stand the movie when I first watched it as I was so awed and offended by the racial and stereotypical profiling that was in the movie I think I missed the overall point. Watching it again for this class, and through our Discussion Boards, I was able to see that the movie was really about the good overcoming the evil; about being able to forgive the police officer for what he did because of the fact that he saved the same woman’s life later on in the movie.
For my portfolio, I have selected four works completed during the quarter based on various assignments we were given. As our assignment indicates we are to select writings that we felt best represented our critical thinking skills, our ability to re-see and revise one of our writings, a piece that demonstrated our awareness of audience and voice, and last but not least a writer’s choice piece. I have selected our first Timed Writing assignment for the critical thinking piece, my identity paper for my revision piece (because I completely missed the boat originally), one of my Discussion Board posts from Intermission 2 and for my writer’s choice I have selected my first blog post about the contents of my purse.
This class has been a roller coaster ride, from beginning to end, full of ups and downs but I’m certainly glad I decided to get on. English 101D has certainly been an enlightening journey, one that is reflected in this e-portfolio as well as in my daily life. Thanks for taking the time to read my pieces and sharing this journey with me.
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