Blog Reflection

Using a blog to channel my ELA writing has been a blissful experience for me this year. I personally believe that doing assignments online is much more efficient and helpful than traditional techniques. I also believe that I learn and perform better online. This steams from my generation's dependency to technology that some people view as harmful but in my opinion is vital to the growth and improvement of our society. For instance, writing online is much quicker and efficient than scribbling thoughts in a notebook. When you write online, you also have the rest of the world right at your fingertips that can improve your writing, including important tools such as a dictionary or an online encyclopedia. However, writing online can also have negative effects on your quality of writing. For instance, your computer or tab can suddenly/accidentally close and cause you to lose your work. This has happened many times to me before for assignments varying from blogging to typing lab reports. Also, you can get more distracted writing online. Just as an online dictionary can be available a click away, so can distractions like Facebook and tumblr. can. However, in spite of these downfalls, I still strongly believe that online writing is much better than traditional assignments. To add on, blogging for ELA has inspired me to start my own tumblr. blog. I hope to write about many social problems involving women like misogyny and reproductive rights on it to raise more awareness and bring justice to these issues.

Keeping a blog for writing in the 8th grade has improved my literary and computing skills in many great ways. It has also helped me learn from my peers and evaluate their writing as well. I hope to have more assignments like this in the future and eventually grow into an even better writer, a critic, a thinker.

The Matrix- Extra Credit

The Matrix is an American science-fiction film produced in 1999 by The Wachowski Brothers, starring actors Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Ann Moss. The film depicts a computer simulated world named The Matrix, where its human inhabitants live off completely oblivious to the nonexistence of their surroundings and dominating machines use the real bodies of its citizens as an energy source. A rebel squad, assembled to destroy these machines who cause the decline of human population, embark to crack the tyranny with the leadership of a computer hacker Neo, born and raised in the Matrix, who the squad believes is "the one". The story ensues with the squad doubting Neo's prophesy all while powerful Matrix agents threaten to kill the rebellion. Symbols such as fate, freedom and reality play strong roles in the plot, causing some of the major problems and dilemmas in the story.

 One member of the rebel squad, Cypher, betrays them to the agents in exchange of getting back to his life in the Matrix. He reports that his old life was much more comfortable than the one in the real world, and claims that "ignorance is bliss". Cypher shows that he'd rather live in utmost oblivion than work in hard conditions to regain real freedom. This reminded me of the theme of freedom we covered in class, where I recant that Goethe once stated, "none are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free". This quote applies to the situation in The Matrix. Cypher is so manipulated by the false comfort the Matrix gives that he would rather sacrifice his knowledge for oblivion. Cypher, along with potentially the other inhabitants of the Matrix, are so controlled and manipulated by the Matrix programmers that they believe they have freedom, when they clearly don't. When that oblivion turns into utmost ignorance, like what happened to Cypher, it proves the strength of the control, or "enslavement" enforced by the existing order (like the Matrix).

 While Cypher is trapped in the control of the Matrix and prefers ignorance over knowledge, the rest of the squad are thankful for their acknowledgement and know that their hard work will result in real freedom. This is scary to think about because it could happen to anyone; you either have to be strong enough to face reality and fight for your own good or retreat to "enslavement" to reside comfortably in ignorance.

V for Vendetta- Getting Philosophical

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore is a graphic novel set in fictional totalitarian Britain in the late 1990s haunted by a vigilante who calls himself "V", accompanied by the naive Evey Hammond. The story develops as V rescues Evey from a pack of government agents as they attempt to rape her and the two embark on a journey of vengeance while slowly falling in love. The story is full of symbols and great opportunities for philosophical dwelling, which I will explore in this blog post. 

On one of our Socrates Cafe discussions with my philoso-family, we came across an important philosophical dilemma in the book. While I argued that V was fighting for justice partially because of selflessness, my friend argued that he did it completely out of revenge for his unfair treatment at Larkhill. I believed (as I still do) that some parts of V's fight for freedom was empowered by the feeling of leadership and compassion for the manipulated citizens of the country. I also acknowledge that V was mostly just looking for revenge that had nothing to do with selflessness. However, I believe that if his actions were solely powered by this, he wouldn't had made his rebellion so public. V believed that the more he demonstratedrevolution in   front of the public, the more aware and empowered the public would become. And this shows how we used his drive for revenge to improve everyone's lives, not just his satisfaction. 

Another question my philoso-family formed recently was whether we considered V to be a hero or not. We weighted all the things V did that could be called 'heroic' against his actions that weren't nearly as noble. I realized that V was neither, because while he fought against unjust oppression, he also did this in ways that could be considered ethically wrong. One big indication that lead me to make this point was how almost all V's actions were out of revenge. For me, a hero never sought revenge by inflicting the same damage to whatever hurt them. A hero would always show the enemy compassion and never "stooped down" to their level. On the other hand, V's unjust actions to seek revenge also helped many other people ruled by the government. His violence inspired others to open their eyes and claim their rights. Because he benefited so many people because of his actions, I cannot make the statement that V is not a hero. However, because of all the other unethical things he does, it would not be fitting to call him a hero. The right thing to call V would perhaps be a vigilante; someone that seeks rightful revenge and fights for freedom with punishments and rules set by themselves and themselves only. 

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

V for Vendetta is a powerful, gut-wrenching graphic novel about a masked vigilante who rebels against totalitarian England in the futuristic 2020s, taking mild-mannered and naive Evey Hammond with him to his journeys. It is a story containing themes of oppression, courage, rebellion, and freedom and sets the image of what our world would look like if we were all oppressed and deprived of our even most basic freedoms.

The story starts with a news announcer making a routine daily announcement. This is where we get the first glimpse of how the society and government is based in the universe of the story. The announcements contain news about unexplained quarantines in certain areas, the exact determination of the weather that day and a notice of food shortage. Immediately the readers acknowledge how strict and authoritarian life is in 2020s England. The story follows up with a young woman putting make up on and leaving the house at night. Roaming the empty streets, she comes across a man and sheepishly asks him if he would like to sleep with her "for money, of course". The readers understand that this character is naive, timid and desperate enough to prostitute herself at young age which seems like the first time. However, the man comments on how it is past the "curfew" and the fact that she is breaking many laws by prostituting herself late at night. Other men approach the girl and she immediately recognizes them as "fingermen," the story's version of government agents. While the men attempt to rape the young girl, a masked man adorned in a cloak appear out of nowhere and saves the girl from her assailants. Bringing her to the top of a building, he explains that the night is a special one, and that his name is simply "V". Charmed by her mysterious savior, the girl, which we learn to be Evey Hammond, is abruptly dismantled by the sound of the bombing of the Old Justice Tower. Shocked, Evey asks if he caused the explosion. "V" explains that it was an action necessary to save the "good people" of Britain.

This beginning of the novel shakes the readers quite well and introduces the two main characters of the story in a way that we understand their character and psyche right away. For example, because of her sheepishness and naive doubtfulness, we can determine that Evey is a young and gullible girl that will have her character changed throughout the story, as the readers acknowledge that she becomes a part of V's world. V, for example, is a rebellious, intelligent and skillful man masked under a cloak and a mask. His psyche is so much harder to decipher as we don't know the motives of his strong actions. We also do not know who he is or where he comes from. I think the author wanted to compare these two main characters, who seem to be so much different than each other. For example, while Evey is trusting and naive, or as I like to call her, an open book, V is mysterious,  guarded and preoccupied with his plans and thoughts. I can't wait to read the story more as it unfolds and reveals more and more about the characters.

Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo

Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo is a compelling novel with a fresh and original plot that will reel in potential readers seconds within reading the back cover, or perhaps the first few pages. The story introduces an alternate world where white Europeans "whytes" are enslaved by African blacks "blaks" and brought to the New World as well as the Great Ambossa in the continent of Aphrika, the homeland of the domineering blaks, forced to work under their harsh authority. The story is told by an English woman named Doris, who is captured at the age of 11 from her home in England and is forced to work in the household of the powerful Bwana in Great Ambossa. Doris, now in her 30s, takes the readers with her to her journey as an escaping slave. However, considering that I am in the beginning of the book, it's probably reasonable to guess that her escape plan does not work, and that she will face many consequences because of her actions.

Convinced by a note given to her from "Resistance", an anti-slavery group that rescues whyte slaves, Doris, the slave with the highest status of the household of Bwana and his children, decides to run away one night. She is not completely sure that the note is genuine, but decides to take a risk anyway, overridden with thoughts of returning to the "Motherland" after years of forced labor. However, because the book begins with this, I am doubtful that her escape plan works just the way she thinks it will, and that painful consequences will be brought upon her after her daring actions. Also, the book synopsis on the back cover speaks of a life in the "New World", which might mean that Doris will be brought there to work as someone else's slave after her punishment.

Doris is a bright, optimistic and wise character that has all the readers root for her in the story. She frequently gives the readers a peek of her past as a child slave and also her life BS, or before slavery, in England. These flashbacks build the reader's love and devotion to the narrator and therefore bind them to the story, making them read more and more to find out the loving protagonist's fate. I am hoping that Doris will achieve happiness by the end of the book, away from her cruel captors and life in the Great Ambossa or the "New World". Also, maybe reconcile with her deserted 3 children for the first time since their birth and build a new family. As impossible as it sounds, why not have some faith in a story full of hopelessness and despair?

Non-fiction Critical Analysis on Move... Or Else by Ian Johnson

Move... Or Else by Ian Johnson is an editorial in the New York Times Upfront magazine about a new policy in China that is placed in efforts to enforce urbanization and boost its declining economy. This policy, dubbed "forced urbanization", has caused millions of citizens living in rural parts of the Communist country China to relocate to new cities built by the Chinese government. However, Johnson is not very happy with this new regulation. He makes the readers acknowledge this multiple times in the article and tries to persuade us as well, using many arguments to support his opinions.

First, Johnson talks about the many towns that are disappearing because of the new regulation. He states that while people are given free fully furnished apartments and compensation payments in the new cities, it still isn't enough for them to start a new life. He also states that an alarming rate of 300 villages are disappearing a a day. Along with that, Johnson introduces the readers into the lives of the newly relocated villagers. "There's nothing to do anymore. Up in the mountains, we worked all the time. We had pigs and chickens. Here we just sit around," quotes He Shifang, a villager that was recently relocated to the new city of Ankang. This quote explains the hardship of relocated villagers as it shows why the new "forced urbanization" is shown to be unsuccessful; the people moved to urban areas are not used to the urban life and therefore fail to adapt to it. 

In the article, the economic background of China is introduced to the readers to justify the new urbanization regulations. The writer informs that after new policies regarding trade with other counteries were introduced, China's economy has been blooming ever since. But lately, because of its decrease, the Chinese government is trying to enforce domestic demand in consumer products rather than depending solely on overseas exports. The readers acknowledge that accordinf to the government, moving rural habitants to cities might increase the sale of Chinese products. However, Johnson does not agree with this viewpoint, as he points out the fact that most newly located citizens cannot afford to support themselves, let alone purchase consumer products on a steady basis. His argument is strong, because why would the government think the citizens will buy their domestic made products if they don't have the resources to do so? 

This article has shaped my opinion on a subject I was not very familiar with before reading it. However, now I argue against the urbanization regulation enforced by the Chinese government, mostly because of the reasons listed by Johnson. I also believe that his persuasive writing and strong arguments has shaped the opinions I have jn this topic. In the future, I look forward to reading more of Johnson's work. 

Role of Rivalry in Romeo and Juliet

Rivalry is a significant theme in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Not only do most major conflicts happen because of rivalry, the whole plot is based off of the opposition between two families in the play. Also, without the theme of rivalry, the story would most likely not be a tragedy and would not end the way it did in the story. Because of the significance of rivalry and the roles it plays in the play, I believe it is rather the chief theme among the many themes presented in the story.

Almost all conflicts in Romeo and Juliet develop because of rivalry. In the story, the Montagues and the Capulets, the families of Romeo and Juliet, are two powerful families that have been rivals since “ancient” times. It is shown in the play multiple times that even before Romeo and Juliet fell in love, the two families constantly fought and brought unrest over the city of Verona. This is shown in Act 1 Scene 1 when two Capulet servants, Sampson and Gregory, see two Montague servants while walking and start a verbal fight. Of course, the fight turns into a violent physical brawl that is broken up by the Prince. He elaborates, “Three civil brawls bred of an airy word/By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,/Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets” (Act 1 Scene 1 Lines 91-93). Also, another major conflict is caused by rivalry. In Act 3 Scene 1, Romeo and Tybalt engage in a fight and after Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, Romeo attacks and kills Tybalt, causing a major dilemma in the plot. After this, Romeo flees Verona as Prince banishes him from the city, thus physically separating him from Juliet. This conflict also leads to two other problems in the story; Juliet having to marry Paris early because of Tybalt’s death and the late deliverance of the news about Juliet’s fake suicide. Needless to say, everything goes downhill after the brawl between Tybalt and Romeo, which is caused by rivalry.

Along with causing most conflicts in the story, the whole plot of Romeo and Juliet is based off of the theme of rivalry. After all, the play is about the love shared between two star-crossed lovers and the obstacles they go through just to be together. If the families of Romeo and Juliet were not rivals, the story would lose its main appeal, or plot line. The readers can acknowledge the part rivalry plays in the play by reading just the Prologue. “The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,/And the continuance of their parents' rage,/Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,/Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage” (Chorus, lines 9-12). Also, the importance of the two families’ rivalry is shown at the end of the Capulet party in Act 1 Scene 5, when after learning that Romeo is a Montague, Juliet quotes, “My only love sprung from my only hate.” Romeo claims a similar phrase, stating, “O dear account, my life is my foe’s debt.” As Act 1 ends with this, the readers acknowledge that the rivalry will develop into a bigger conflict later in the play.

If Romeo and Juliet didn’t contain the significant presence of the theme of rivalry, the play would most likely not be a tragedy and end the gruesome way it did. Because of the conflicts developed by the rivalry of the Capulets and the Montagues and the overall downturn of the plot line, the ending of the play consists of the two lovers committing suicide back to back. This is because as Romeo discovers an unconscious Juliet by her tomb and presumes her to be dead (as he has not received the news that Juliet only drank a temporary tranquilizer to fake her death to join him), he consumes actual poison and thus dies “O true apothecary,/Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (Act. 5 Scene 5 Line 119-120) Moments later, Juliet awakes as her drug wears off, only to find Romeo dead by her side. As she hears the Watch coming to the tomb, she takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself, dying next to her lover’s body. Because of Tybalt’s death, which was caused by rivalry, Romeo is banished from Verona, which causes the news of Juliet faking her death arrive too late and thus lead to his suicide, which leads to Juliet’s. While rivalry doesn’t directly cause their double suicide, it leads to different consequences and conflicts that amass into the play’s catastrophic ending. If there was no rivalry in the play, Romeo and Juliet would definitely not end up committing suicide. Who knows, maybe they would end up together, living happily ever after.

Can you imagine the story of Romeo and Juliet without rivalry in it? If you asked me, it would just be another airy love tale that ends happily. Rivalry is the key factor in making Romeo and Juliet one of the best tragedies ever written, as it creates the impossibility of Romeo and Juliet's love to develop and bloom and adds the appeal in the story. Also, because rivalry has such an important role in the events and outcomes in the play, it can be concluded that the theme is one of the most important in the story, if not THE most important.