Harry Potter and the Deathly hallows Response

I just recently began to reread "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and I find myself continually stumbling upon ideas and characteristics that I never noticed before. The first time I read this book I only picked up the main plot line of Harry trying to find the last horcruxes and later on defeat the darker forces of magic. However, while reading this year, I noticed a difference in Malfoy's behavior towards Voldemort. I think that ever since he was assigned to kill Dumbledore in the sixth book, the reality of his situation has really come down on his shoulders.

Throughout the series Draco was always changing physically, but never mentally. Maybe after seeing how serious and perhaps dyer the circumstances were, he was scared. After all, he’s only a kid. There is so much pressure on his shoulders to do the right thing and obey all of the powerful people around him. His father and mother expect great things of their son, to be a leader and carry on the family name with purity as well as pride. Most kids usually just feel the pressure and demands of their parents or teachers, while he has to report to one of the most powerful wizards of all time. Malfoy’s neck is on the line and I don’t think he even truly understands his identity yet. He doesn’t know his meaning or place. Only what has been shoved down his throat his whole life, who his parents want him to become, who Voldemort wants him to become. It seems like the more voldemort asks of him and his family, the less he seems willing to be a true death eater.

Maybe a “true death eater “ is willing to risk their OWN life in the name of a more “pure future.” The despotism and animosity the death eaters have towards mud-bloods, muggles, and anyone who believes in treating humans and wizards equally is not rational or just. Then again, no form of hatred or racism is logical or reasoned, hate is hate. This is similar to terrorism today, or in the 1920’s- 40’s, the Nazis. Whatever the group is called by, they are all bullies oppressing people’s differences. The torture and death this seventeen-year-old kid has seen really made him re-evaluate his standing. I don’t think Malfoy necessarily wants to become a better person; I just think he is beginning to realize the danger of being a bad one.

Nickled and Dimed What really hard things are hapening in the text?

The book ‘Nickel and Dimed’ By Barbara Ehrenreich seems to the naked eye to be a collection of adventures through the impoverish communities across America, and the corrupt workforce; one which this country runs upon in order to complete laboring work, while staying within the set labor laws and confines. However, from my collected knowledge so far, I believe that this book represents the corporate detachment between those who they are presumably helping, and the government system and officials themselves.  Through the experiences the author undergoes, I have realized as an onlooker, the divide between low-wage employment and government. *

As Barbara goes from job to job, first as a waitress, then as a cleaning lady, then as an aide in a nursing home, there is no denouncement, per se, of the government. But, the anger she has with her situation builds as she realizes that nobody is going to help her.  Within each of her jobs she learns about her co-workers and their situations, many living in their cars or relying on another income source to make ends meet for their share of the rent. Many of these people are also immigrants both legal and illegal. Even though the conditions are bleak, none of these individuals, or Barbara herself, is recognized within the government eye as one who needs financial sustainability, thus it is not given.

I don’t think that circumstances  currently are any different. You would think that within the time lapse between 1998 and 2010, there would be changes in the way people on the fringe of society are supported. There are so many people slipping through the cracks of our society, as if there is no place that they fit in any socio-economical classification or ranking. The economical crisis has really made many people struggle to keep their lifestyles. And, those who were never comfortable, work more jobs, more hours, or become so poor that they can no longer support themselves. Only at this stage does the government take action and create opportunities for these people, who have become so accustomed for fending for themselves that they deny this help because of their pride. Just as Gale does in the story, not admitting to her homelessness, or willing to use the congressmen in order to achieve better standing.

There is a certain air of ignorance, which carries into the acts, and decisions of those who create and enforce laws. I feel as if there is a lack of understanding as to how people are surviving on $6.50 an hour each day.  There has been no legislature to my knowledge passed claiming that those who are struggling, and on the brink of poverty, may receive benefits from the United Sates System. People who are working day in and day out don’t get food stamps, or free housing. Those are ONLY offered to people who have no other options, and make such a small salary, or no salary at all and the government is forced to give them a certain amount of things to help support a better life, even then there are restrictions as to how much the system can help a person.

However, on the other side of this issue Barbara explores the idea that if the government were to help people make a life for themselves, they would become reliant on the government and people could not conduct themselves in such a way that is appropriate because one could not interact or sustain themselves upon the lack of understanding and experience they have had.  The civilization needs to stand on its on feet, just as our founding fathers intended, some responsibility and strength must be given to the people, and the government shall not interfere.

Or should it?

Justice in Its kind of a funny story

Craig is a confused teenager who just can’t seem to get things straight inside his head. Most of the book takes place in 3 north; a mental institute Craig checks himself into after having called a suicide hotline. One very important social action I noticed was the fairness with which mental patients are treated.

Justice was served for Craig, as an individual, but on a whole, within mental hospitals in our world, impartiality and fairness is not given to the patients. Craig grew as an individual and learned to not let the stress of life overwhelm him from his experiences at 3 north.  Not only did Craig begin on the road of bettering himself in the ward, all of the doctors treated Craig with respect, and gave him a voice in his healing process.

However, in reality, mental institutes don’t treat their patients with dignity, they are thought of as animals. Recovering psych patients have filed lawsuits in the past for mal-practice and abuse. This really says something about our civilization, that we as a people chose to pick on and demoralize some of the most vulnerable members in our society.  The staff at these facilities are churlish bullies who doubt that the people admitted are in fact people. What I mean by this is that justice does not exist when dealing with someone in a mental hospital; it is a tyrannical dictatorship, which overrules the individual voices of convalescents.

Even within the small community at 3 north the admitted members can’t have a pizza party because the staff is unwilling to pay for it.  None of the doctors or nurses really expects anyone to raise the money in the first place, and don’t want to take time away from their schedules to make the party. I think that the staff is the antagonist to justice in this situation because they rarely give the patients freedom. I understand that someone who is a danger to themselves as well as others does not deserve or should obtain the amount of liberty as someone who is well functioning, but they also shouldn’t be silenced. Humble is always sharing his ideas, but Smitty and the rest of the staff never allow him to fully express himself, especially in art, he is always told to be quiet.

The rehabilitation programs that America offers today to those who are struggling with their mental health are in bad conditions, with most patients too drugged out to function properly, thus they do not cause any issues. Some would say that this system could never be run flawlessly because there are so many different types of mental disabilities, and so many different treatments. So, these people accept the government run system the way it is.

Also, I recognize that it is difficult sympathize with patients who are not rational, and that people who can’t understand things as well as others cause a dilemma for the rest of the population. This being said, some members of society may find it convenient to keep people who are mentally unstable in a controlled environment that keeps them away from life, putting them on medications that shut down their minds. Does sweeping something under the rug really get rid of it? I think ignoring the fact that some people need support and help to function is something they are entitled to, rather than being precluded from the world.

Although Craig is treated fairly at the hospital, in his every-day life before he is admitted nobody knows how to deal with him, nobody can understand what he wants, which is to get better.  Within the system, he is understood and feels accepted, shouldn’t all patients?

Its kind of a funny story "Social Actions"

'Its kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini is an interesting portrayal of growing up and dealing with a mental disease. The main character Craig has depression and is forced to think of reasons to live each day he rises out of bed. A major issue Craig deals with on a daily basis is the stress from the world. Grades, friends, future, money, school, family, happiness, and jobs, are Craig’s “Tentacles”, which strangle him, thus stopping him from experiencing new things and going on adventures. 

This issue of stress could be related to the mentality that worrying about something helps you control it. The fears society has of the unexplainable and uncontrollable put a halt to their liberty as an individual. Our fears push us down and silence our interest in life. Craig does this too, his mind “cycles” and his fears of the future, as well as the present envelop his being, crushing him under the weight and pressure he puts himself through.  He puts so much time and effort into worrying about his future that he does nothing to prevent what he is afraid of in the first place, instead of doing his homework, he thinks about what will happen if he does not do any work, how that will destroy his very being.

A deeper issue within this idea could be that being afraid of life stops you from living. The fears and worries people put in front of themselves barricade their life, shutting off opportunities and experiences.  The fears Craig has holds him back from eating and socializing, he constantly feels an outcast by even his closest friends Aaron and Nia.  I think from this isolation Craig developed a fear of commitment within relationships and interactions with other people, since he was so afraid he withdrew himself from reality, creating different situations in his mind, making mock conversations with himself about how he is perceived.

Craig hates himself, or rather who he thinks he has become and constantly looks at other people for approval. Due to this lack of confidence Craig is consistently disappointed in the world, and digs deeper within his therapy sessions to find a cause for his depression. Maybe the reason why Craig feels so lost is because he doesn’t know who he is. It’s difficult to be comfortable with the challenges in life if you are always under scrutiny. Craig really internalizes these feelings of hopelessness and being lost within himself, impeding him to accept both his good and bad traits.

I think this struggle with identity is such a difficult thing to overcome because you can’t change who you are, you don’t get to choose your life, you get to live it. With the realization of this Craig begins to thrive off of all of the things he does, he learns from his own pitfalls that he is not going to think about ways to make things right, he will comport himself through life, always growing and prospering through tolerance of forthcomings and acceptance of the rough edges of life.

Bridge To Terabithia Expanding entry

Pg. 6 "Jess is so young to be drinking black coffee, he is treated older than he actually is."

Jess’ mom has high expectations for him because he is perceived to be the “man” of the house considering his father is never home. I feel like this title pigeon holes Jess’ identity and creativity, thus he never feels free to express himself because all of his time is eaten up by the work that is forced upon him. Even though Jess could have run all morning long, improving his stamina, as well as boosting his self esteem, he was forced to pick beans, milk the cow, and take care of Joyce Anne.  There are so many limitations and constraints in Jess’ life that he feels he has no control over.  His mom constantly relies on him in order for the house to keep running, and his sisters manipulate him on a daily basis, solely because he has a reputation to uphold.

I feel like Jess is walking a narrow path, that leads to nowhere but his father’s current conditions. Maybe Jess wants to break free from the conforming reality that envelops his being, but he can’t muster the strength to break the boundaries without Leslie’s help. I can relate this to our world, in which so many people live in shadows of their peers, feeling guilty if they indulge in their own interests. This idea of individualism reminds me of a poem by Nikki Giovanni called Drum, where the poet states “ life is a drum, tight and hard, and I’m going to beat out my own rhythm.” I think we all have our own rhythm to figure out.

In ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ I believe that Jess’ personal struggle with identity, and self-acceptance permits him to acquire Leslie as a friend. I think one of the main reasons they become friends is because Leslie accepts Jess for who he is and who he wants to be. When Jess plays with Leslie in Terabithia, she doesn’t expect anything of him, she only wants him to play along and keep the idea of Terabithia alive. From this, I think Jess gathers some life perspective, because he begins to understand that he has to do what makes him jovial, before turning him self into what the society categorizes him as being. For example, Jess’ dad sees Jess as a mature adult, too old now for compassion and support. This classification of Jess’ maturity stifles his inner child, which he later releases in Terabithia.  Jess hides so much of himself from everyone around him. However, when he comes to Terabithia, where nobody recognizes him as Jess Aarons, this is where he is truly and utterly himself.

Similar to Jess Aarons, I think we sometimes need to hide behind another identity to fully be ourselves.  A lot of people, especially in the youth culture and technological age use Facebook and social networking websites to reveal another dimension to their personality. I know from personal experience that there are people I talk to online, that I am not friendly with in reality. I think there is something about that idea that you don’t have to be the same person online, as you are in real life. Facebook allows a lot of society to unleash their inner beliefs, perspectives and ideas. With groups to join and pages to like, as well as statuses to update, there is plenty of opportunity to express yourself fully online. Maybe Facebook is like our Terabithia.

Through both the book, and our society, I feel as if we break the civilization’s boundaries through other realms and identities, in order to completely find ourselves.

Archetypes entry Charlotte's Web

I think the rat, Templeton, falls into the shadow archetype because he represents the greed of society. Further more, Templeton’s character demonstrates how far an individual is willing to go, overstepping morals and boundaries of the civilization, to get what they want. For example, Templeton acts selfishly when he refuses to be Wilbur’s friend, but still continues to eat Wilbur’s leftover food, and make a home for himself under the pig’s trough. Also, the only reason he sneaks into Wilbur’s crate to go to the faire is because the sheep and goose told him there would be a lot of garbage and food awaiting him. Within the book, he never does a favor for any character, without asking for more in return. Through his actions and narcissistic outlook, I have concluded that Templeton creates tension in the story with the other characters, typical of the shadow archetype. Templeton is constantly causing much dissention in the barn, especially with Wilbur.  The rat mentions, time and time again how he would not care if Wilbur died. I feel like his character is thoughtless and does not realize the impact and strength of what he says, much like our society, who speaks without thinking, not really anticipating the impact of their words. Although Templeton claims he would not be affected by Wilbur’s death, the reality is, that without Wilbur, Templeton would not have a source of food, or a place to live, Templeton’s life would be much harder. A reason behind Templeton’s harsh behavior could be that he feels threatened by the other members of the community. The Goose and old sheep are partial to mocking him, and ridiculing his way of life. The other animals teased him and questioned him, particularly when he took the rotten egg from the goose and gander.  His demeanor could be a defense mechanism, enabling him the will to live through the judgments of his peers. It has been proven through many psychiatric studies that school bullies feel as if they need to take out their frustration and anger of not being loved on the people around them. Maybe Templeton is always looking to argue because knowing someone is willing to give him the time of day to argue with him makes him feel validated. Since the rat has such a strong personality, there is really no way of knowing when his feelings are hurt. I think his self-centered nature comes from the lack of praise he receives from everyone around him. E. B. white could be showing that when someone is neglected and mistreated, their sense of right and wrong becomes skewed, and they are forced to mature rapidly and defend themselves against the harsh realities of the world. Therefore, I believe that Templeton, as the shadow, symbolizes the self-absorbed side of our nature by opposing Wilbur’s sweet, omega personality.

Connecting Annotations Response

Pg. 12 “Mr. Arable makes the decision, Fern has no voice.”

Pg. 108 “Why doesn’t Mrs. Arable have a first name, why doesn’t she have an identity?”

Pg. 152 “All of the adults are dressed the same, why is their no expression or individuality?”

I noticed that within ‘Charlotte’s Web’, the adult characters have no depth or personality, they are all relatively flat. At the fair, all of the adults are wearing the same attire, according to their gender. The women and men limited their interaction with each other, which was representative to stereotypical behavior of that time period. (1950’s.) I think each character lacked a distinct personality because E. B. White purposefully made all of the adults in this book the same person. I think this “adult character” is shown as a pessimistic, autarch, who constantly reinforces judgments reflected from mainstream society. Mrs. Arable only worries about Fern because she is not doing the “normal” activities for an 8 year old girl, only with reassurance from a professional Doctor puts her concerns to rest; not even entirely, until she see’s Fern on the Ferris wheel with Henry Fussy. I can relate this back to our reality, in which teachers and authority figures constantly pressure children to work hard, and do activities their friends are doing, so they can appear average. Maybe, throughout both societies, in the book and the world, parents only want the best for their kids to an extent where they are no longer helping, but hurting. For example, when Mr. Arable, makes a definitive decision about selling Wilbur, even though his intentions were to benefit Fern, he unfortunately had a surface comprehension of the situation, and his actions only further alienated Fern from her peers. E.B. White could have been conveying the idea that sometimes parents try to teach their kids lessons, but inadvertently push their children away and alter their and their child’s identity. I feel like E.B. White’s perception of grown-ups as a whole was in a rather unattractive light. I mean, Mrs. Arable doesn’t even have a first name; a name gives you identity, and without identity, without knowing who you are, what is the significance of your opinion? Mrs. Arable has no true ground on any subject because she does not know herself fully enough to evaluate other circumstances. I think E.B. White was trying to convey a sense of misjudgment, within the fact that adults have conclusive answers and ideas about the world and who they are. Maybe the reason why the adults are such weak characters in this book is because they cannot differentiate who they are, and who they want to be.

Author's intrusion "Expanding" Charlotte's Web

Pg. 98 "The rat looks cuter now that he is helping someone, is this saying something about beauty?" E.b. White could be using Templeton's personality to show that the beauty of society is seen through our deeds and actions. Sometimes the winsomeness of a character can only be seen when they are where they truly belong, and feel as if they are a member of the community. Not only a member, but also an important one at that. I mean, Templeton in every other drawing and description is depicted as a snarling, foul, and snide animal that never gives back to the barn but is constantly taking. However, in this picture, Templeton seems powerful and important. After all, he knows the dumps, and without him Charlotte could have never gotten her next words. Maybe Charlotte sees him as a peer, and not something underneath her status because she too struggles with judgments and stereotypes. Charlotte's compassion with Templeton could come out of a place of understanding; it’s hard to be such a misunderstood creature in such an unforgiving world. In our civilization people always degrade each other by pre-conceived ideas, and notions that they have previously heard, and thus bring this information forward when faced with a new situation. There is so much racism and hate in America towards Muslims because of 911. The country’s ignorance towards acceptance and religious freedom really holds America back from making strides to settle conflicts with the Middle East, and also within the states themselves.  I think that Charlotte is the only one willing to give Templeton another chance, and really have him participate in the barn with things he can excel at because she has sympathy for his situation, even if he does not himself understand. In many ways I see the author connecting the world’s injustices and problems with equality back to the status in the barn, and how each animal is ranked by overall judgments made about the species in general. I understand that E.B. White does not like rats, but I think it is deeper than that, I think his hatred of rats to emulate humanity’s chauvinistic tendencies. Maybe Templeton is just a metaphor for the world’s abused and mistreated communities.

Charlotte's Web "Expanding" entry

 I feel like all of the animals judge Wilbur and patronize him. I think this stems from the fact that Wilbur is not accepted into the community because he is new, and different from all of the other animals.  I mean the other barn members exclusive behavior and defensive mannerisms make me question their maturity.  In some ways, I see the barn as a clique in a school because of their elitist outlook, and how offended they are when someone is different from them. Wilbur has a vivacious appetite for life and adventure, while the other animals are content with living in captivity, and naively believing that the extent of the world’s opportunities is limited. All of the other animals refuse to play with Wilbur because he is "less than nothing" and not a valued member of the community. I am assuming that the Goose leads all of the animals, and that the barn is a hierarchy that manipulates the opinions of each individual.  This can be seen in our society as well because the civilization often judges one and other harshly based on first impressions and age, blindly labeling and grouping people together. I think that people do this, especially students, because they have low self-esteem and comfort themselves by looking down upon other people. I feel like there is so much derision in the population because mankind as a whole struggles with identity, and who we truly are. This confusion is evinced in our mockery and judgment to others. Could it be possible that the other animals have their own issues about who they are? The Sheep’s rude demeanor towards Wilbur when she reveals to the pig that he is going to be slaughtered by Christmas-time, could be because she herself is fearful of dying. It is a plausible idea, considering she is an old sheep; she could very well be worried and anxious that she would be forgotten if she died because there was no importance attached to her life.  Maybe our stature as individuals represents our ability to better ourselves, and have faith in our decisions. Charlotte sees other people’s flaws as part of their personality, like Wilbur’s constant need for affection. Acceptance could be a sign of self-awareness. In our world, and in the book, maybe we need to get to know ourselves better before evaluating our peers.