In the book Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult, the main character Zoe Baxter discovers that she is a lesbian after falling in love with her best friend, Vanessa. Before finding love with Vanessa, Zoe was married to a man named Max Baxter. After Max and Zoe split, Max becomes an alcoholic and gets into a terrible car accident. Yet after the accident, he finds religion and gets "saved" by Jesus Christ and Pastor Clive Davis. While he is in the church, he learns that homosexuality is a sin, and if a man lies with another man he will condemned to the fiery pits of hell. When Max discovers Zoe is a lesbian, he becomes terribly distraught and forces himself to believe that Zoe is just going through a phase, even though he full well knows that she is not. And when Zoe and Vanessa go very deeply into their marriage, they realize that they want to have a child. Zoe is infertile and had two miscarriages and one stillbirth, but Vanessa can still bear children. Zoe wants to use the embryos from her in vitro fertilization that she underwent with Max, but as a homosexual couple, they have to get consent from the other biological parent, Max, to use the embryo. This obviously causes feelings of tension and a trial is formed with Max wanting to give the embryos to his brother and his brother's wife, yet Zoe and Vanessa wanting to keep the embryo so Vanessa and Zoe can care for the child. This made me think about homosexuality and religion. Zoe, Vanessa, and their lawyer constantly refer to the Bible banning and allowing crazy, terrible things (like homosexuality) that is completely outdated now. It also made me think about it is not one's fault to be homophobic. It is incorporated into almost all religions that being gay or lesbian is a sin, and since the majority of the world believes in some sort of higher power, many people are against gays and lesbians. The book Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult really made me think about the issues of homosexuality and religion tied in together.
The first thing in Sing You Home that made me think about homosexuality and religion was how the Bible bans and allows crazy things. For example, the Bible allows people to stone a girl to death if she is not a virgin and unwed, yet forbids people to eat shellfish. The Bible was also written 3,000 years ago, and this made me think about how blinding religion is. Sadly, in some religions I feel as if people follow some rules of their religion but not all. Especially with the religion of Christianity. In that specific religion, it sometimes feels as though someone read over the entire Bible and made a list of what the Bible says not to do and to do, but made their own version, leaving some of those things out and some in. Christians obviously will not stone a woman if she is not married and has had sex, but they will go ballistic if someone is homosexual. I believe that the Bible is extremely outdated and should not be used as a code to look up to because times have obviously changed in the past 3,000 years. And in the actual Bible, the sin of being a homosexual wasn't this huge overacrching theme. It was mentioned only a couple of times, yet people follow it so devoutly that I find it mind-blowing and very upsetting also. Zoe and Vanessa should have to jump through "1,168 legal hoops" to get married and have a kid of their own. Religion is something deeply rooted into American society, yet it allows terrible things and bans the tiniest things. I believe being a gay or lesbian is a tiny thing.
Another thing that Sing You Home made me think about in terms of homosexuality and religion is that most of the time, homophobia is not someone's fault. Many religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hindu just to name a few, consider homosexuality a sin. Many many people all over the world practice these religions, which explains the extreme pushes against gay marriage and against gay and lesbians in general worldwide. No one is born homophobic. The people who are are taught something, whether it's in religion or not, and it's not how to be tolerant and accepting like people should be, it's how to hate. Many religious people dismiss being homosexual as something someone should choose to be, yet it is not. People can choose to be homophobic, but they can't choose being homosexual. I'm straight but I am accepting of gay and lesbian people. I hate how everyone seems to hate the gays all because of an age-old custom that happened 3,000 years ago. I know that it is most definitely nobody's fault, but it bothers me. In Sing Me Home, it upsets me how Vanessa and Zoe have to go though an entire trial just to have a baby. Same-sex couples take that for granted.
In conclusion, the book Sing Me Home by Jodi Picoult made me think about many issues in the world, but it made me think about religion and homosexuality specifically. One thing it made me think about was how outdated the Bible was and how people pick and choose things they follow in their religion. Unfortunately, one of those things was homosexuality, and it prevents Zoe and Vanessa, who are completely in love with each other, from getting married. Another thing the book made me think about was how homophobia is not someone's fault because they are taught it in many religions all around the world. The movement against gay and lesbian people is so huge, but all because of religion. In a perfect world, Zoe and Vanessa could get married and no one would question it and no one would oppress them for it.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
To Kill a Mockingbird Metaphor Analysis
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there is a metaphor of killing a mockingbird that connects to two characters in the book: Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. The metaphor is first introduced when Jem and Scout get their first air rifles and Atticus says to them, "'I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but it's a sin to kill a mockingbird". Scout, confused, goes to ask her friend Miss Maudie about it: "'Your father's right," she said. 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird'". I think two possible characters in the story can represent the mockingbird. First, I think Boo Radley could represent the mockingbird because even though the entire town fears Boo, all he wants to do is "sing sweetly". He wants seclusion and just to go about his life. At the end of the book, after Boo saves the children from Bob Ewell by killing Mr. Ewell, and Atticus expresses how he thinks the case should go to trial. But then the sheriff, Heck Tate, says that if it did, all the woman of Maycomb would bring cakes to him and he would almost become a celebrity; thus killing the mockingbird because all Boo wants is seclusion and to be, really. And I believe Tom Robinson is also the mockingbird because all Tom wants is peace and to get by with his children and his wife, Helen. The mockingbird represents innocence, and innocence is killed by racism when Tom gets convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, a crime he did not commit. This is why I believe both Boo Radley and Tom Robinson represent the mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Firstly, I believe that Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Boo Radley is some kind of legend in Maycomb; he is basically the bogeyman of the town. One of the biggest rumors in Maycomb county is that Boo Radley stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors, and the public response from the townspeople is overwhelming. Many more stories of Boo Radley surface, many sounding outrageous and false, and the children become fascinated with Boo Radley. Atticus knows Boo is an innocent soul who just wants to "sing" freely, because he constantly reprimands the children whenever they want to stake out Boo or reenact his so-called assault on his father, Nathan Radley. Scout, in the end of book, realizes that Boo is just yearning to be left alone from the scared yet prying eyes of Maycomb. "'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.' Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?' 'Well it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, won't it?'". Mr. Tate doesn't want Boo to go to trial because he would then become a celebrity, killing the mockingbird. It would be a sin to deprive Boo of this simple right.
I also believe that Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because all he wants to do is be free and live as he pleases, happily, with his wife and children. Yet the mockingbird is wounded when he is falsely charged with the rape of Mayella Ewell and racism is the final blow that kills the mockingbird. The town of Maycomb is the South in the 1940's; a place plagued with racism at the time. In the town, the white people live in luscious ample houses and other whites may live on lush farms. While the white people live these extravagant lives, the black people are pushed into plebeian cabins in the far stretches of the forests. There, they are often persecuted by whites anyways, such as the Ewells. Yet all Tom is yearning to do is to "sing" as he would wish, yet racism is an iron fist that pulverizes Tom, killing the innocent mockingbird. "'The state has not produced one iota of evidence that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has flatly been contradicted by the defendant". Before all of the courtroom drama took place, Tom Robinson was just another man wanting so badly to sing as he would like, yet killed by the cruel force of racism. That is a terrible sin, as Atticus said.
In conclusion the metaphor of the mockingbird and it's death is a very powerful metaphor in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I believe that there are two possible characters that represent the mockingbird, and those characters are the terrorist of the town, Boo Radley, and a simple black man who ends up a situation that was very unfortunate: Tom Robinson. Both characters just want to "sing" freely, yet forces such as racism and gossip chain these birds and choke their throats. Tom Robinson is eventually killed, metaphorically and in actuality, yet Boo Radley's need to sing is recognized and respected by Scout and her father. I found it interesting how Boo, the most feared man in town, lived and got what he wanted, yet Tom Robinson, a hardworking black man faced his untimely death. Either way I still believe that Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are innocent mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Firstly, I believe that Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Boo Radley is some kind of legend in Maycomb; he is basically the bogeyman of the town. One of the biggest rumors in Maycomb county is that Boo Radley stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors, and the public response from the townspeople is overwhelming. Many more stories of Boo Radley surface, many sounding outrageous and false, and the children become fascinated with Boo Radley. Atticus knows Boo is an innocent soul who just wants to "sing" freely, because he constantly reprimands the children whenever they want to stake out Boo or reenact his so-called assault on his father, Nathan Radley. Scout, in the end of book, realizes that Boo is just yearning to be left alone from the scared yet prying eyes of Maycomb. "'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.' Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?' 'Well it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, won't it?'". Mr. Tate doesn't want Boo to go to trial because he would then become a celebrity, killing the mockingbird. It would be a sin to deprive Boo of this simple right.
I also believe that Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because all he wants to do is be free and live as he pleases, happily, with his wife and children. Yet the mockingbird is wounded when he is falsely charged with the rape of Mayella Ewell and racism is the final blow that kills the mockingbird. The town of Maycomb is the South in the 1940's; a place plagued with racism at the time. In the town, the white people live in luscious ample houses and other whites may live on lush farms. While the white people live these extravagant lives, the black people are pushed into plebeian cabins in the far stretches of the forests. There, they are often persecuted by whites anyways, such as the Ewells. Yet all Tom is yearning to do is to "sing" as he would wish, yet racism is an iron fist that pulverizes Tom, killing the innocent mockingbird. "'The state has not produced one iota of evidence that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has flatly been contradicted by the defendant". Before all of the courtroom drama took place, Tom Robinson was just another man wanting so badly to sing as he would like, yet killed by the cruel force of racism. That is a terrible sin, as Atticus said.
In conclusion the metaphor of the mockingbird and it's death is a very powerful metaphor in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I believe that there are two possible characters that represent the mockingbird, and those characters are the terrorist of the town, Boo Radley, and a simple black man who ends up a situation that was very unfortunate: Tom Robinson. Both characters just want to "sing" freely, yet forces such as racism and gossip chain these birds and choke their throats. Tom Robinson is eventually killed, metaphorically and in actuality, yet Boo Radley's need to sing is recognized and respected by Scout and her father. I found it interesting how Boo, the most feared man in town, lived and got what he wanted, yet Tom Robinson, a hardworking black man faced his untimely death. Either way I still believe that Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are innocent mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Theme of Childhood Innoncence in The Catcher in the Rye
I just finished the amazing book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. In the book, there is a very prominent theme of the main character (Holden Caulfield) and his feelings about childhood, how he cherishes childhood, and detests all adults, calling them "phonies". Firstly, when Holden is discussing a song (it turns out to be poem) but the lyrics Holden believes them to be are "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye". When his sister Phoebe asks him what he wants to do with his life, he answers, "'You know what I would like to be? I mean if I had my goddam choice?... anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all...and I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start going off the cliff- I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out of somewhere and catch them. That's what I'd do all day". I think this represents Holden wanting the children to stay playing in the rye, and not have to fall off the cliff into adulthood. Another reason why I think Holden loves children and childhood is because when he goes to visit his little sister's elementary school and he sees "F**k you" written on the wall and he gets very upset. I believe this is because he sees the beginning of the corruption of children that sends them into adulthood. There are many other things that show how Holden loves childhood, but these two stood out to me.
First of all, I believe that Holden cherishes childhood and children because of how he quotes a song that he heard that turns out to be a poem that says "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye". Holden then expresses to his little sister that he wants someone catching little children all day before they fall off a cliff. I think falling off the cliff symbolizes going into adulthood. This shows how much Holden hates adulthood also. I think Holden wants the children to stay in their innocence forever, playing in the rye. I think it's interesting how Holden says that the children would fall off the cliff if they don't look where they're going. I think the author J.D. Salinger was saying that childhood to adulthood happens unknowingly. We have no idea as the responsibility of being an adult keeps piling and piling on our shoulders. Holden wants to prevent the children from falling, but the cliff will always be there for the children to sadly fall off of.
Another reason I think Holden loves childhood is because one day when he is visiting his little sister Phoebe he sees the words "F**k you" written on a wall. Holden immediately runs over to the wall and tries to wipe it off so the children won't see the profanity that was there. I think Holden acted the way he did because he wants to conceal all corruption from the children. Seeing those words on a wall for a child may be a little upsetting, but the child eventually gets over it. Yet Holden doesn't want to risk even that because any corruption makes them older and older. But soon Holden realizes that he couldn't erase all the "F**k you"s in the world and he's going to have to accept adulthood. This made me think about corruption makes us so much older. We could be only 6 years old for example, but we could have seen so much despair and wrong in the world, we could really be looking through the eyes of an 10 year old. Holden wants to stop that, but he can't.
In conclusion, I believe Holden Caulfield wants childhood to last forever; he truly cherishes it. I know this because he fantasizes about saving children from falling off a cliff and watching them play in the rye forever. The rye, I believe, is the wonderful world of childhood. Falling off the cliff represents falling into the world of adulthood, which you are stuck in for the rest of your life. Another reason I think Holden loves children is because when he sees the words "F**k you" on a wall at an elementary school, he tries to erase it so the children don't have to see. The character of Holden Caulfield made me think about how corruption can make us grow older without time and how children must go into adulthood no matter what. Sadly, we cannot do anything to stop time. Holden Caulfield is a truly amazing character who understands the importance of time and being a child.
First of all, I believe that Holden cherishes childhood and children because of how he quotes a song that he heard that turns out to be a poem that says "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye". Holden then expresses to his little sister that he wants someone catching little children all day before they fall off a cliff. I think falling off the cliff symbolizes going into adulthood. This shows how much Holden hates adulthood also. I think Holden wants the children to stay in their innocence forever, playing in the rye. I think it's interesting how Holden says that the children would fall off the cliff if they don't look where they're going. I think the author J.D. Salinger was saying that childhood to adulthood happens unknowingly. We have no idea as the responsibility of being an adult keeps piling and piling on our shoulders. Holden wants to prevent the children from falling, but the cliff will always be there for the children to sadly fall off of.
Another reason I think Holden loves childhood is because one day when he is visiting his little sister Phoebe he sees the words "F**k you" written on a wall. Holden immediately runs over to the wall and tries to wipe it off so the children won't see the profanity that was there. I think Holden acted the way he did because he wants to conceal all corruption from the children. Seeing those words on a wall for a child may be a little upsetting, but the child eventually gets over it. Yet Holden doesn't want to risk even that because any corruption makes them older and older. But soon Holden realizes that he couldn't erase all the "F**k you"s in the world and he's going to have to accept adulthood. This made me think about corruption makes us so much older. We could be only 6 years old for example, but we could have seen so much despair and wrong in the world, we could really be looking through the eyes of an 10 year old. Holden wants to stop that, but he can't.
In conclusion, I believe Holden Caulfield wants childhood to last forever; he truly cherishes it. I know this because he fantasizes about saving children from falling off a cliff and watching them play in the rye forever. The rye, I believe, is the wonderful world of childhood. Falling off the cliff represents falling into the world of adulthood, which you are stuck in for the rest of your life. Another reason I think Holden loves children is because when he sees the words "F**k you" on a wall at an elementary school, he tries to erase it so the children don't have to see. The character of Holden Caulfield made me think about how corruption can make us grow older without time and how children must go into adulthood no matter what. Sadly, we cannot do anything to stop time. Holden Caulfield is a truly amazing character who understands the importance of time and being a child.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Review to Isabelle in 807's Blog Post
Isabelle's blog post about the book Crank by Ellen Hopkins really stood out to me for a number of reasons. Personally, Crank is one of my favorite books so it was interesting to see how she saw it. I agree and disagree with her on many points, and disagreeing makes the post even better because disagreeing with her makes me think even more in depth about the book. I read this book in the 5th grade which was slightly traumatizing to me because I was so new to all the harsh issues this book presented, but now I can look back on this book through her blog post and realize all the hidden messages this book has. Her post also makes me think about the world issues in this book on a huge scale and how it affects me. The issue of drugs and split personalities with love still there is something Isabelle connected all together, and it is written simply yet eloquently at the same time. I truly enjoyed reading this post, because it was so well written and thoughtful about some things I would never think of.
I agree with Isabelle that Bree was a very dominant force in Kristina's life because of all the terrible things "Bree" ultimately made her do. But Isabelle insists that she could have won over Bree and she was weak. Isabelle also says that Kristina made the worse possible choices, but I disagree with both of these statements. I think Bree was the monster who Kristina really can't win over. Addiction is a terrible disease that controls the mind with an iron grip, so it's perfectly understandable how Kristina keeps sleeping around and abusing drugs, because no matter how hard Kristina tries to wean herself off crystal meth she will always be addicted. Yet Kristina loved Bree, because she was daring and flamboyant and everything quiet, studious Kristina Georgia Snow wasn't. Kristina was weak but Bree was strong, and as I recall at the end of the book Kristina says that Bree will always be there, which shows that Kristina can never ever win over Bree no matter how hard she may try.
Another thing I disagree with Isabelle about is how Kristina made the worst possible choices. I agree, the things Kristina did were terrible, but in retrospect it was all perfectly normal teenage behavior that is so common all over the world. I imagine how pious somber Kristina must have felt so trapped in her own skin. Teenage sickness is catching and when Kristina went to visit her absent father in Albuquerque, she was caught in whirlwind of teenagedom, and everything was so new and beautiful, almost because she felt like this was like living. I feel like all teenagers feel like making bad choices; it's universal. It's part of the American life. I don't want to say this, but I feel this takes off the edge off the choices she made. She was living, but she couldn't stop.
In conclusion, Isabelle's blog post, while I disagreed on some points, was very good. It changed my view on Crank and made think about the book in general. Ellen Hopkins is also my favorite author so it made this post even more enjoyable. This post also made me think about the world, which is a very beautiful thing when writing can move someone to do that. All in all, I look forward to seeing more of Isabelle's blog posts in the future.
I agree with Isabelle that Bree was a very dominant force in Kristina's life because of all the terrible things "Bree" ultimately made her do. But Isabelle insists that she could have won over Bree and she was weak. Isabelle also says that Kristina made the worse possible choices, but I disagree with both of these statements. I think Bree was the monster who Kristina really can't win over. Addiction is a terrible disease that controls the mind with an iron grip, so it's perfectly understandable how Kristina keeps sleeping around and abusing drugs, because no matter how hard Kristina tries to wean herself off crystal meth she will always be addicted. Yet Kristina loved Bree, because she was daring and flamboyant and everything quiet, studious Kristina Georgia Snow wasn't. Kristina was weak but Bree was strong, and as I recall at the end of the book Kristina says that Bree will always be there, which shows that Kristina can never ever win over Bree no matter how hard she may try.
Another thing I disagree with Isabelle about is how Kristina made the worst possible choices. I agree, the things Kristina did were terrible, but in retrospect it was all perfectly normal teenage behavior that is so common all over the world. I imagine how pious somber Kristina must have felt so trapped in her own skin. Teenage sickness is catching and when Kristina went to visit her absent father in Albuquerque, she was caught in whirlwind of teenagedom, and everything was so new and beautiful, almost because she felt like this was like living. I feel like all teenagers feel like making bad choices; it's universal. It's part of the American life. I don't want to say this, but I feel this takes off the edge off the choices she made. She was living, but she couldn't stop.
In conclusion, Isabelle's blog post, while I disagreed on some points, was very good. It changed my view on Crank and made think about the book in general. Ellen Hopkins is also my favorite author so it made this post even more enjoyable. This post also made me think about the world, which is a very beautiful thing when writing can move someone to do that. All in all, I look forward to seeing more of Isabelle's blog posts in the future.
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