Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Media Immersion

In the world today there are many issues, but the main issue in Africa and Asia are poverty. Many people live in slums littered with trash, bugs flying around everywhere. The people that live in it though may be infected.  This is how the poor people's lives are. Many women and children are destitute and have no place to eat, sleep, and do other things that they used to do.
 

 The poverty in East Africa is outrageous because it is covered in filth also many bugs that could carry diseases or worse . When i see these pictures it makes me hurt inside and that to makes me want to advocate for food. The UN has been trying to send food, hold large charity events and more. Many organizations such as Amnesty International sings about children being dropped off, having to fend for themselves.

While many people spend billions on unnecessary objects or things why can't they donate to make other countries much better because the other countries need it more. Lots of people are sitting in rubble, or going through mile high garbage bags, being Eco-friendly might help them out.

On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNvz7TSRUyQ there is a video of what certain governments do to their people. They have their had destroyed.

 In conclusion poverty is no joke and people must stand together to fight it.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Mother to Son

 This poem is very easy to relate to for many people I think because everyone makes mistakes and life is not as easy as it seems. Problems come up, deaths, sickness, and more.  This poem i think shows the stages of life from someone who has experience with these problems.

 The translation below is what I think of what the poem means in modern English.

The mom is getting ready to tell the son how to deal with life when she is not around and he has to deal by himself.

Mother to Son (Translation)

 Well I will tell you son
 Life has not been a perfect climb
It had points
And splinters ( hardships)
Boards torn up
 Bare all alone to deal on my own

I have been climbing
And reaching stopping points
Reaching a standstill point
Going in the dark (blindly)
There has not been any light (help)
So son don't turn back( never give up)
Don't give up or quit
Keep going, carry on with vigor
Because you will find that it is hard
Don't fall down because of tiredness
But look honey, even I am still climbing
I am still going and I have not given up
And life for me has been hard and not perfect.

 The crystal stair means that climbing up was not perfect for her. The crystal is a smooth thong so when Langston Hughes said that it means that life was not perfect, and the mother has climbed and not given up even though her life has been a really hard thing to carry on.

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Un-Recpricated Truth #2

   " The truth hurts, but lies cripple strong relationship." - Courtney Bunn

  The Giver has a message of truth hidden behind the walls of lies. Jonas and the Giver represent the truth while the dad, mom, and the community represent a lie.

   In beginning of the book, I start to see a pattern of simple issues that very severe repercussions. Then Jonas is presented and the story begins with his regular life, but as the book progresses you see that Jonas' life is everything but regular. So in the book there are four archetypes: hero, mentor, shadow, and shape shifter.
  

  Message behind the book

 In the Giver there are many facets to look through to get a grasp of each theme that may appear to you.
The main message that I really gathered was an aspect of freedom. It mostly is talking of freedom. The author was probably trying to depict the balanced yet unbalanced world that Jonas lived in. She wanted to show people that freedom is a gift to be treasured, because enslavement right now is a very strong concern.

 Also being blind to lies. In the giver people follow rules that they know but don't fully comprehend. These leaders are kind of like tyrants because the control everybody like robots, and they make everyone listen to them. They manipulated the atmosphere so they could have everything just the same everyday.

 There is a question that I would like you to think about: Can the actual perfect world exist or is it truly and irrevicably impossible?

 Being an individual. It really shows how to appreciate your individuality because in this book when you are a young one your age is just there, but when you become a twelve you actually get some individual freedom but it is instantly snatched away from you because then your career is chosen for you and then you begin to walk along a straight line that never curves, gets kinks, but always stays straight.

The Symbols of the Book

  The baby Gabriel was a sign or starting over. Babies usually mean a new life, starting over in a new body or helping someone start over. when Jonas takes Gabriel away from the community it shows Jonas caring and that he doesn't want Gabriel to grow up in a corrupt government.
 
  Another symbol is the river. I know everyone usually thinks that rivers mean a flow of life, well the river in the book represents escaping captivity to a lying community. The river is also unpredictable with the current or high snd low tides which is why Jonas and the Giver want to change the community because they think it should be based on truthfulness.
 
  The last symbol is th sley. I think it is important because it is a way to travel and when thr Giver gave Jonas that memory it meant that the ride down the hill is a way to get way but also an awakening for Jonas because he has never experanced thrill, snow,or ever heard of a sled. This memory represents the journey that Jonas goes through with Gabriel and the Giver.


  Conclusion

Writing this appreciation lets me express my feelings about this book also I was allowed to present my poinion of what the message of the book. Labeling the characters in this book helps me to appreciate things everyone in the world might have or not have.

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Un-Recipricated Truth

   " The truth hurts, but lies cripple." - Courtney Bunn

  The Giver has a message of truth hidden behind the walls of lies. Jonas and the Giver represent the truth while the dad, mom, and the community represent a lie.

   In beginning of the book, I start to see a pattern of simple issues that very severe repercussions. Then Jonas is presented and the story begins with his regular life, but as the book progresses you see that Jonas' life is everything but regular. So in the book there are four archetypes: hero, mentor, shadow, and shape shifter.
  
   The Archetypes: Classified

So Jonas of course is the hero because he goes on a quest physically and mentally. While on this quest he discovers more about himself as he matures. Jonas shows courage in the end when he risks his life and runs away from " the community". He also experiences fear because of the searching planes flying overhead, but also he and Gabriel face many challenges along the way. But they both change by the end and well maybe eventually "the community" changes also.
 
  The Giver is the mentor because he helps Jonas mature, but also assists him with seeing everything, the Giver does portray wisdom but he also experiences pain because of the previous memories that play back in his head. The giver also helps Jonas realize how corrupt the community actually is.

 The Shadow is the community. The reason is because the community has a set of rules and in those rules there are others that violate the original rules. They also let the " parents" lie to their " kids" about everything even if they ask only a small question about what they do they twist the truth around and deny any other accusation.

 And last the "dad" is the shapeshiter, because his dad changes his sides also he lies to his " children" about it. Jonas' dad also misleads him to believe he can trust his family but it turns out there are only a few people you can actually believe. this is proved when Jonas sees his dad kill a baby just because it weighs less than its twin.

  Message behind the book

 In the Giver there are many facets to look through to get a grasp of each theme that may appear to you.
The main message that I really gathered was an aspect of freedom. It mostly is talking of freedom. The author was probably trying to depict the balanced yet unbalanced world that Jonas lived in. She wanted to show people that freedom is a gift to be treasured, because enslavement right now is a very strong concern.

 Also being blind to lies. In the giver people follow rules that they know but don't fully comprehend. These leaders are kind of like tyrants because the control everybody like robots, and they make everyone listen to them. They manipulated the atmosphere so they could have everything just the same everyday.

 There is a question that I would like you to think about: Can the actual perfect world exist or is it truly and irrevicably impossible?

 Being an individual. It really shows how to appreciate your individuality because in this book when you are a young one your age is just there, but when you become a twelve you actually get some individual freedom but it is instantly snatched away from you because then your career is chosen for you and then you begin to walk along a straight line that never curves, gets kinks, but always stays straight.




  Conclusion

Writing this appreciation lets me express my feelings about this book also I was allowed to present my poinion of what the message of the book. Labeling the characters in this book helps me to appreciate things everyone in the world might have or not have.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Lois Lowry and The Giver Influence (entry 7)

 In doing more reasearch and getting indept with looking into the backround information. For me I was really curious about the author's purpose for writing The Giver . It made me want to know more about the author. Maybe how her life reflects her writing style also how/ or who inspired them to take up/ become a writer.
  
  Also reading apperciation texts really shows that the author can improve in the writing that they do, also that getting constructive criticsm really does help you understand the views of others. Helping each other to improve.

Photo @ Kate Philbrick                 Lois Lowry 1937- (73)

 Lois Lowry was an American author of classic children's novels, she began her career as a photographer but as she grew older she became a freelance journalist and began to start her writing career. At the age of 40 was when she published her first book. She worked in journalism until the late 1970's and then began her journey through the writing world.

  Her first work was in 1977 which was mostly about family and loving each other without envy. As an author Lois chose to write about really hard topics, she explored controversial issues and wasn't sucked into conformity as some others chose to do. She used her common knowledge and furthered herself by doing research and looking deeper into things others were scared to look closely into.

 Her writing works have both been praised and deemed as a disgrace because of how she was truthful with the world about all the issues going around in the world. She was kind of an activist who used her books to portray a special message of truth and how everyone should know and be up to date with the current events.

  Many people have criticised Lois Lowry for being to truthful even though everyone has the right to know about events worldwide or globally. She wasn't afraid to stand out and be herself. Her writing was a reflection of that brazen courage.
 
 Lois Lowry is still alive today and is age 73.

The Giver:
For example the giver talks of a cult that is based in trust but really has alot of liars in it,  the book hints at political and sociable terms that have to deal with trust in another person hoping that the person will keep that secret safe. Like depending on a delayed train, it is uncertain on whether you know what to trust.

 In conclusion Lois Lowry has overcome the old criticisms and still today must be bol;d and courageous even though she may not still be writing.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Seasonal Changes

Dear all whom read this blog,

Every month there is a new color on the website so look forward to bright spontaneous yet beautiful colors.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

The Giver in Retrospect (entry 6)

  There was a very important note that I made in the book The Giver. The note was when Asher, Fiona, and some younger children were playing at the recreational center. They were playing a game of war, and while they played Jonas remembered the memory that the giver had given him. Jonas then realized how he couldn't show his friends the memory because it was forbidden.
 
  Jonas really felt lonely because he really couldn't share the pain he had felt when the Giver had showed him that memory. He realizes the real cost of why the Giver doesn't have alot of friends and he really keeps to himself mostly during the book until Jonas comes along. The theory on why the author makes the giver and Jonas feel isolated so they could really recognize that being selected was a gift but also a curse. Jonas can help the giver, he could develop wisdom, strength, and seeing beyond what everyone else already saw.

   In the Giver Jonas really reminds me of an orphan whose friends and family have deserted him and he is left for broke, they have to keep themselves alive and be able to survive with being parent less. but then someone who is also an orphan comes along and you two become friends.  It is just like in The Thief  Lord when Bo and Prosper are runaways and they left their aunt and uncle to got to Venice. There they meet Scipio, Hornet, Mosca, and Ricco.  And now they live together in a old movie theater.

This video has been inserted because this bear is having to fend for him/herself because they are all alonw ith no one to take care of them.


 In retrospect the Giver has relationships with many books that relate with poening up, going into the  world and really experiancing it firsthand. Also the Giver had a bigger symbolism to it. It represented going through your life and making changes as you go along.