presentations 2

            The presentations on Sedaris’ book were interesting because they incorporated familiar topics to the class.  Listening to them present, the novel seemed very similar to Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home.  Many of the main themes from both of the books seem to interact, creating a frame in which the family can be examined.  Both of the pieces are heavily focused on the interactions between the abnormal and society, concentrating on the relationship between the irregular and society. 

            Sedaris seems to not completely fit with society, and he appears to embrace his irregularity, which is fascinating because it creates circumstances in which things seem uncomfortable and forced.  The parallels between the two characters—Sedaris and Bechdel—seem to be imperative to the composition of the narrative, as they are both very alike.  The presentations, because of this, were intriguing. 

           

presentations

The presentations on Jodi Picoult’s 19 Minutes were interesting because it was based on a town nearby, in New Hampshire, and the novel seemed to be very action-packed—which is unusual for New Hampshire.  Hearing about the supposed shut-down of the school was pretty crazy.  I haven’t read that particular novel, but it seems that the location of a novel, in general, especially if it is a location that the reader is familiar with, can really press the reader to become more emotionally invested in the story.  It definitely aroused my curiosity, similar to reading Stephen King’s It, or Cell, among others like them.  The sense of familiarity is important to the story, adding another layer to it, for those who are used to the area. 

            Everyone is always talking about violence in video games; this story seems to be an excellent opportunity to explore the research on violence in videogames and its effects on people playing them.  I personally don’t buy into that at all.  Videogames, in my opinion, aren’t the catalysts for violent outbursts, but it appears as though this story is trying to paint that picture. 

            The Marilyn Manson’s essay is an interesting source; he seems to have an issue with the idea that his music, or something like a videogame, could cause a person to commit murder.  I would be interested to see what the research says regarding this because it might lead to the possible conclusions: the video game causes the violence, people who are prone to violence also have an affinity for violent games, or there is no connection between the two.  I believe the last is true. 

Perfect Peace

            Gus faces Perfect for the first time after the truth has been revealed, regarding Perfect’s sex.  Gus and Authorly, in this passage, are continuously hammering down on Perfect the idea that he has to change, to become more like what is socially accepted to be a man’s behavior, warning him that if he doesn’t adhere to the rules, then it will ultimately damage the remainder of his life.  “Now, boy,” Gus lays on Perfect, “you got a had row to hoe…but whether you make it or not is up to you. We yo’ family and we gon’ help you, but we can’t save you from other folks talkin’. It’s gon’ be hard at first. Real hard.  But you can do it” (141).  This quote forces the reader to see the unforgiving community as the enemy.  Everything is fine, so long as one conforms and abides by the rules and guidelines, but as soon as someone—whether it is their fault or not—strays from the path, there is a sort of social cataclysm, a violent upheaval. 

            Conceptions of communities change, when listening to the voices of the disenfranchised, by becoming more negative.  The reason it is so easy to become enamored with the idea of hating Emma Jean for what she did to Perfect, is due to the harm that can—and will—be caused to an individual who deviates from the norm in any given community; it seems to almost be a part of human nature, the casting out of those who are different, as if they might be infectious.  So, when Emma Jean decides Perfect a girl, she is knowingly doing something out of selfishness that will eventually be a source of great distress for the child.  However, if the community was more accepting of different gender notions, which it is certainly not, then, and only then, what Emma Jean did could not ultimately be considered a traumatic or hurtful experience for the child. 

Proposal and Annotations

            Meredith Hall’s poignant memoir, Without a Map, tells the story of her bizarre, sorrow-filled life, a life that could have—and almost certainly would have—been different, had she not gotten pregnant at 16, in 1965, coerced in to having “scared sex on a beach on a foggy Labor Day night” (Hall xxvii).  The story that follows is the story of a girl, shunned by her town, her friends, and slowly, eventually abandoned by her family, by first her mother, then her father.  Exiled, scared, and lonely, she makes her way out into the world, quite literally—world being the operative word—babyless and parentless, to live an extraordinary life woven with adventure, as well as stretches of monotony. 

                            I intend to examine the American idea of the family, how it has progressed, what it means now, how it is the common foundation for any person’s social binds, using Hall’s memoir as a building block for the exploration of the impacts of exile and disownment—the isolation of the human being from social ties, the most crucial and important of which being the institution of the family.  Although Hall lives, at least at times, an effervescent, vivacious life, a life that, when she is asked, she claims she wouldn’t choose differently, the effects of having been cast out from her originally intended life have repercussions that emanate most clearly, never entirely dissipating. 

            This topic is significant because the institution of family, although, like all institutions, is constantly in flux, ever-changing, it remains, always, the most important social tie to human development and evolution. 

            Hall’s memoir certainly stirs a complicated pot of emotions in regards to exile because of the fact that she turns out fine—better than fine, successful.  That brings about the question: was her shunning a negative thing?  My response to that is, yes, but there is no denying that positive value occurred, for Hall, due to her being forced out by her family and community, because she does seize a certain strength and self-confidence due to her unique situation; however, many of the pluses come from looking back on her life, through the act of actually writing the memoir.  One possible reason Hall looks back on her life, with the help of her writing, and says she wouldn’t change a thing, is that her, at the time, unbearable situation is what shapes the bravura life that she comes to discern as something that is her own, and that is inconceivably miraculous, in addition to heart-breaking.  So, should we strive to force people into harsh situations?  No, obviously not, but Hall's case shows that her being forced into this extraordinary situation is what caused her to rise above what she might previously have been, and to create a new, flourishing life for herself. 

Rocca, Corinne H., et al. "Pregnancy Intentions and Teenage Pregnancy Among Latinas: A Mediation Analysis." Perspectives on Sexual & Reproductive Health 42.3 (2010): 186-196. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

                        This article discusses the how wanted pregnancy is among teenagers, specifically referring to the fact that Latina women consider it to be more “favorable.”  The reason why I might use this article is that it comments strongly on the happiness of those involved, which is a key element to Meredith Hall’s memoir, Without a Map.

Gaudie, Jennifer, et al. "Antecedents of teenage pregnancy from a 14-year follow-up study using data linkage." BMC Public Health 10.(2010): 63-73. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

                        This article discusses the type of teenager that is statistically supposed to be most likely to become pregnant—in this case, according to what the article labels, “aggressive delinquents.”  This idea plays an important role in the stereotyping of teenagers who do, in fact, become pregnant as this certain type of socially inept person. 

Mendes, Philip. "Improving outcomes for teenage pregnancy and early parenthood for young people in out-of-home care." Youth Studies Australia 28.4 (2009): 11-18. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

                        This article focuses on the difficulties and “challenges” of early parenthood—something that Hall is denied because she is believed to be inadequate as a parent at her age of pregnancy, as well as other reasons.  This article also examines what dynamics lead to early pregnancy.  

Trost, Jan. "The Social Institution of Marriage." Journal of Comparative Family Studies 41.4 (2010): 507-514. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

                        This article focuses on the social institution of marriages and different living situations that are the foundations for family life.  It is an interesting article because it approaches the idea of other living situations, such as just moving in with a girlfriend or boyfriend, for instance, which is clearly relevant and important to Hall’s life and memoir.

Johansson, Jan, Bengt Andersson, and C. Philip Hwang. "What difference do different settings in residential care make for young people? A comparison of family-style homes and institutions in Sweden." International Journal of Social Welfare 17.1 (2008): 26-36. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

                        This article focuses on the different family settings in Sweden, whether it is a typical family setting, or a foster style care.  It is important to Hall’s memoir because it concentrates on the outcome of the children in terms of behavior that is deemed delinquent or socially inappropriate, in regards to what setting the child is brought up in.  

poem analysis 2

The poem I chose to analyze is Nate Marshall’s “Lebron James.”  I think that one particular literally element that stands out, in the poem, is the idea of the implied listener, “is there a ‘you’ to whom the poem is addressed?” (literary elements, 82).  I think, in this case, there certainly is, and it stands out in the first stanza, as Marshall proclaims:

                        and I am writing this for all those spectators who are watching

                        not by choice, but by hatred of those bastards in uniform. (Eleveld, 205-

                        206)

It seems as if Marshall is speaking to an audience of other kids about his age who are just trying to figure out what they want to do, or who they want to be.  He draws a strong comparison between himself and Lebron James, even going so far as to call himself Lebron James, all to make the statement that you should go out and do the best at what you do. That’s what people should be idolizing these sports heroes as, he argues, a model for the hard work and success that you could have at anything, whatever it is. He is basically saying, that these lost kids that is implied he is speaking towards, can use his self-analogy as a way to improve their view their on their own lives, that come up shy to Shaq in athletic prowess, by going out and laboring to have success in whatever it is that is theirs. 

            This literary style, the idea of the implied listener, works well, here, because Marshall alludes to his audience several times, but never truly unveils to whom he is speaking.  It could encompass a broad spectrum of people, because I don’t think that he is just talking specifically to only kids who can’t make the cut at tryouts, but it is perhaps implied that he would think the same thing of a young girl and  a celebrity actress, for instance. 

Blog Holiday

Without a Map: Family, Exile, Isolation, and Redemption: Final Paper Proposal

            Meredith Hall’s poignant memoir, Without a Map, tells the story of her bizarre, sorrow-filled life, a life that could have—and almost certainly would have—been different, had she not gotten pregnant at 16, in 1965, coerced in to having “scared sex on a beach on a foggy Labor Day night” (Hall xxvii).  The story that follows is the story of a girl, shunned by her town, her friends, and slowly, eventually abandoned by her family, by first her mother, then her father.  Exiled, scared, and lonely, she makes her way out into the world, quite literally—world being the operative word—babyless and parentless, to live an extraordinary life woven with adventure, as well as stretches of monotony. 

            I intend to examine the American idea of the family, how it has progressed, what it means now, how it is the common foundation for any person’s social binds, using Hall’s memoir as a building block for the exploration of the impacts of exile and disownment—the isolation of the human being from social ties, the most crucial and important of which being the institution of the family.  Although Hall lives, at least at times, an effervescent, vivacious life, a life that, when she is asked, she claims she wouldn’t choose differently, the effects of having been cast out from her originally intended life have repercussions that emanate most clearly, never entirely dissipating. 

            This topic is significant because the institution of family, although, like all institutions, is constantly in flux, ever-changing, it remains, always, the most important social tie to human development and evolution.  In Without a Map, Meredith and her first son are both incongruities from the norm (that I expect to find with research) in the sense that they both turn out well, considering their extreme childhood circumstances.