Family Furnishings

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxlDC1rJ8toCcE5DVTRLTEQyM2c

Boys and girls

https://drive.google.com/drive/my-drive

you should be able to download it

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxlDC1rJ8toCVi1oMFduWTlVV1k

English Class Activity

What is the purpose and benefit of the study of literature? 

Literature helps in so many areas.  After doing the activity in answering this deep question I was provided with so many answers. Firstly literature provides one with a way to escape to another landscape. By studying literature critically one also develops social skills by connecting with the character on an empathetic level. This is because literary characters are representations of life at the particular moment in time and also because they are human just like you and me.  The purpose is not only to over analyze so that you can answer that one question on your exam, no! Its so much more than that, it helps build your vocabulary (especially if you're shakespeare). By learning the skills you do when analyzing literature you are able to apply them to real problems, you face socially and economically.

What is women’s literature and what is the value in studying it? 

"Women's literature is literature written for women by women". As part of this is true I feel women's literature is a form of art. Just like any art form it provides women with a stream to voice their opinions and views freely. Although the modern voice of women today is highly respected, at the time many famous women's literature came out women did not have the voice they had today. The value of studying it is quite similar to history. I feel history helps one reflect on the past in order for them to shape their future. It even works on a greater scale to help avoid the problem that is presented in the past, present, and future. Just like this I feel the value in studying women's literature is to help understand the conflicts women faced in the past in order to avoid them in the future. It also helps gain a perspective of how times have changed. 

Why were the themes and values of Munro’s social realism so significant during the 1950s-1980s? 

Munro was one of the first female author's in that time whose work revolved around the conflicts of women and social realism. She was one of the first author's to tell the realistic truth on the social struggle of women.  This realistic portrayal today helps us understand and realistically shape the society during the late 1900s

Although she does not identify as a feminist writer, how has Munro’s work contributed to gender equality? 

Munro did not identify as a feminist writer but her work did help towards the women's equality movement which ended in women getting the right to vote. Munro's work as stated earlier was a realistic depiction of women's role in society during the late 1900s. Her work expressed the socially issues women faced, and after having multiple stories published in the New Yorker she gained a certain "respect" in the literary society.  So in a sense her rising in that community and her work together contributed to gender equality. Her work was also used by many feminist writers as inspiration in order to continue the movement. 

What do you enjoy most about the content of Munro’s work and what impact has it had on you?

Personally I did enjoy Boys and Girls because I found somewhat of a similarity between that plot and themes to the stories by grandmother's have told me about their lives. Neither one of my grandmother's were given the opportunity to do manual labor or have a job.  This story had an impact on me because I was able to see the realism in her work at this stage. I also enjoyed Runaway because even though it was written at a later time it somewhat relates to the relationship status of our community. 

Summer blog posts

Post 1

As I sat at my local coffee shop sipping my artisanal latte I had an epiphany. What is with it with people reading at coffee shops and why has it become such a universally accepted thing. Not that I am one to talk, here I am drinking coffee and reading what seems to be the longest not so short story ever by Alice Munro. Well drinking is the same eating so why is that reading the dinner table is considered rude, and reading at a coffee table is more than just the norm but considered weird if you doing anything else (tested that one by playing temple run on full volume in a quite café). The thing the stuck me is that this isn’t something that’s just a thing in India, but it happens worldwide, so how or rather where did this universal tradition come from? From my understandings afternoon is considered to be a moment of relaxation therefore a coffee in needed to wake you up, but doesn’t reading a novel just make on want to fall back asleep? I did a little research on ye old faithful internet and found a few interesting theories. First of all people who sit alone at coffee shops don’t look “lonely” if their noses are buried in books, which is actually quite clever, points to that kid.  Secondly the amount of caffeine in your coffee and how much you actually understand from the book go hand in hand. Finally international corporate companies such as Starbucks and Barnes and nobles push one to indulge in both their products at once by putting their shops inside each other by selling this ideal of comfort in a chair with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other. They obviously have a secret agenda but the truth of the matter is, I too indulge in this international tradition and can honestly say I enjoy it, so I will go back to my not so short story and my latte. Byrista (coffee humor)

Post 2

Over this summer the idea of archetypes were something that stood out to me. I am not sure why, but after seeing multiple plays and constantly rereading the tempest was getting to me to the point where I was seeing a recurring role which in a sense made me curious about the basic archetypes good and evil. Looking back at my life I could see that there are extremes but not in my everyday life. I decided to reflect on myself and see where I fit on this scale of archetype extremes.

I am many things. The little intricate details make me. I reflect myself and my family both physically and mentally. If one had to pick an archetype that most fits me they would choose the innocent but I see myself as a rebel.

Carl Gustav Jung a psychologist came up and used this theory of archetypes to help us better understand the human psyche. He came up with a concept which would help us identify and relate to common types of people in stories and life. He believed that we all could relate to these characters/archetypes from our collective unconscious. There are a variety of different archetypes from the bold and courageous heroes to the rebels.

The rebel in me comes out every day. In context of my family my rebellious qualities are quite bold. Being the oldest in a family one is expected to set a good example for the younger children but in the eyes of my parents I am not a good role model because I do the opposite of what they ask. Small examples include not listening to simple commands like clean your room to or large ones like sneaking out.  By managing to lock myself out from them, tension has been raised. Disrupting family traditions and etiquettes by shocking actions has cast me out to be an outlaw. Love was once there for and in me but with the years of hurt, anger, and pain my mind has automatically turned off to building strong relationships with my family and peers.

My biggest fears are of being the worst in activities which I practice strenuously in and enjoy. Dance being one of these, is something I have received adulations in. Dance has always brought joy to both me and my family and it is one of the only things we can connect in. Being average is out of the question for me because when there are people who excel me I feel like I have lost the only connection I have with my family. Being ineffective in what I love the most is both scary and motivational for me.

In my recent 17 years I have not displayed my rebellious qualities publically because I did not see the need to show them. Society sees me as they do every other teenager rebellious and repulsive. Acting without thinking. The only intentional way I make myself to be is strong. Weakness for me is looking weak and powerless as for I feel people will have leverage over me and can easily manipulate me. Coming from a country where crime is at a high toll I’ve been taught how to act in order to sustain myself in society. Almost every woman can relate and think I may have gained this quality from family stories.

How to write about basic white girls

The following is an assignment and not intended to offend anyone:

The life of a white girl is pretty hard. You're in a constant struggle trying to figure out what you want to order at Starbucks, whether it's a venti PSL or a grande caramel macchiato. To write about a white girl is to write about every struggle that is out there. Hi my name is Brittany and i'm going to teach you how to write about white girls.

Whenever you write in your notebook or lets be real macbook, about a white girl one must make sure that the story is set in America because lets be real the only real white girls either live in Cali or New York. Your character's name should be one of the following: Brittany (like me), Molly, Jenna, Heather, Carly, Holly, Allison, Abigael, Amy or Katie. Everything else is NOT white. She has to be blonde with blue eyes, or blonde with greenish eyes cause everything else is NOT white. Her skin should be whiter than a piece of wonderbread.  Now I cannot stress the importance of this but her eyebrows HAVE TO BE ON FLEEK! The art of fleekness is only prominent in white girls. Creating the perfect arc in your story can only be successful if your character's eyebrows arc perfectly and are described as so. When it comes to hair ensure that you mention that your white girl character only wears messy buns.Finally everything they drink must be out of a mason jar.

Now lets move onto setting. Your main character has to be a coffee addict so when you open your book it has to be in Starbucks.  Your character also has to be an over the top Starbucks lover, when I say this I mean she has to drink Starbucks so much that if she was pulled over for a DUI it would be because of a caffeine overdose. If you want a change in scenery make sure its in a mall, or party, or the beach because that is what being white is all about: Shopping till you drop, tanning till cheeks are brown and of course partying all day all night. If you want a more somber casual setting for your story use your character's bedroom.  Her bedroom must be all white, and have christmas lights all over the room.

If your white girl character is to have a story line again it has to be a simple straightforward choice.  Your story line is built through your characters. To write about a white girl is to incorporate their everyday traditions. When you are writing your story about a white girl be sure to mention that their lives are laid out in a visual space. Their lives revolve around Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, etc. Without expressing these forms of visual entertainment your white girl character may as well be dead.  Other possible story lines include a girl falling in love with a boy, a girl falling in love with a boy who doesnt like her but her sister, or finally a girl dressing up as a boy and falls in love with a boy.  You can always try to elaborate just make sure your ending is happy and pleasant with a couple driving of into the sunset with a hood less car.

Now if your unaware there are certain terms that white girls can use and certain terms they absolutely can not.  The following are words in their limited vocabulary; goals af, anything with a hashtag really, literally ( often used in cohesion with I can't), bae, g wagon,  PSL, any acronoym (OMG, TTYL, ONSD, OYSD, OOTD, OOTN).  Another pointer to keep in mind is that if you aim to write about a white girl you must make sure that you quote the film Mean girls at least 25 times in your novel.  Your white girl character will not be complete without this.

In conclusion if you follow these few short steps writing about a white girl is not that hard. She has to be a flat character with not much personality. She has to be someone with a limited vocabulary. She has to be someone who needs a man to be happy. She has to be a character which makes you wanna poke out your eyeballs because a life of a common white girl is so basic that you'll want a little diversity maybe throw in a miniature chihuahua in there while you're at it.

Paper 2 Response

Chosen Question:  Show how and to what effect Achebe makes use of myth legend or other stories and tales. 

Things fall apart is a realist fiction book, which mirrors the colonization of Africa. The novel is set in Umuofia, a town comprising of 9 villages in Nigeria. The story is mostly narrated from the main protagonist's point of view, Okonkwo. . Since the story is told from his perspective the cultural ideologies and traditional aspects are written as closely to the Igbo culture as possible. The Igbo culture incorporates many uses of myths and legends and are expressed as fact through the use of their stories and tales. The following analysis aims to show how and to what effect Achebe uses myth and legends through the different stories in the novel. Through the use of proverbs, myths, legends and fables Achebe aims to create an explanation for the Igbo customs and traditions thus enriching the reader's understanding helping them create a closer sympathetic bond between the Igbo characters in the novel.

The art of folklore and storytelling in African literature specifically Things fall apart has become one of the most important forms of literary expression. Through the novel one can see that the Igbo culture is an oral one. Orality is the only form of documentation, meaning that the different myths and legends in the story are explanations and documentations of the past. The use of proverbs in the culture are a form of expressing an obvious truth. For example in Chapter 1 one can see the reference “Proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten." In this example we see a proverb being used to communicate a more refined lifestyle. This way the standards for a lifestyle are communicated through a popular and clear way. Another proverb which is shown in the first chapter is”If a child washes his hands he could eat with kings". As one can see from the novel the culture is very tradition based and the idea of born with a title, and dying with a title are very important. This proverb communicates the values of their society but also a way to "rise from the ashes".  It is basically stating that by removing the dirt of the ancestors you can have a chance of a different future, each one builds his own fame. We can see this proverb communicated and mirrored through Okonkwo's life which hence builds and enriches the meaning of the proverb for the reader.  

Fables are fictitious stories which are often times about animals. The are shared to teach a moral lesson.  Fables are also used to mirror reality and even foreshadow the future. In the novel we can see both examples.  In chapter 11 Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a turtle who changed his name to be a part of a feast. In the culture we can see this as a story about teaching patience but it is a very multi-vocal texts. Taking a colonial lens and the by looking at the context of this novel one can see that this story mirrors the idea of colonization, where the turtle had to change his name (language) to be a part of a community. Only by changing his identity was he allowed to feast, thus mirroring that the Igbos fate.  Okonkwo's son Nwoye changed his name to Issac to survive in a society ruled by oppressors similarly to that of the turtle. The use of this story helps one understand the context of the novel but also foreshadow the fate of the Igbo since this fable is told before the colonizers disturb the peace in Umuofia.

Myths and Legends are both types of stories which are handed down from generation to generation serving to explain phenomena or customs.  In the novel they help the audience understand the historical basis of certain events thus enriching the reader's understanding. The coming of the locuses are very destructive but are values since they mark the coming of prosperity. 


In conclusion fables, myths, and legends serve a deeper purpose.  In the story itself it serves purpose for the characters as it provides explanations for cultural and traditional events. For the audience it enriches their understanding of a certain event. This enriches their understanding of the Igbo culture which then overall makes them have a larger appreciation. 

Memoir

Our culture our beloved Umuofia, has fallen. Unravelled like the cultural loin cloth that our people have abandoned for the white man's pants.  Umuofia has been my home for years, I was born and brought up in such a rich cultural environment untouched by white civilization. I have a great appreciation for my fellow Igbo and the fall of my cultural heritage is a pain I do not think I can endure. To say the white man's tool of oppression is the only reason we have fallen would be a lie. Our culture should have evolved, our traditions should have evolved. Okonkwo's banishment for a mistake, mutilating twins, and the death of Ikemefuna should all have been avoided. Our culture should have become stronger, as it is the survival of the fittest in a world with no mercy. Not only should our culture have evolved but our own people should have stayed dedicated to their roots. My own friend Okonkwo has lost his son to the white ashy buttocks and changed his name to Isaac.  Our culture was enriched by our traditions and cutting connection it results in a loss of cultural identity. Umuofia will fall because we are not strong enough to fight what is coming.There is no peace ahead. This path will not end without war.What is coming is bigger than any one of us and to survive it we need to unite and resist. but since our people refuse to do so.. Things will inevitably fall apart.



Our culture our beloved Umuofia, has fallen. Unravelled like the cultural loin cloth that our people have abandoned for the white man's pants.  Umuofia has been my home for years, I was born and brought up in such a rich cultural environment untouched by white civilization. I have a great appreciation for my fellow Igbo and the fall of my cultural heritage is a pain I do not think I can