Final Project

I have several ideas for the upcoming final project. I have narrowed my choice down to two topics: Rice (a food) and Haunting Melodies (a nickname of type of music). Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, such as rice being easier to find collaborative help on (restaurants in town) while Haunting Melodies are easier to relate to women (the greatest composer of all time is a woman). Either way, there is significant material from which to gather, and both a great topics of interest to me. At the moment, I am leaning towards Rice because of its additional benefits.
Either way, the greater step is not so much putting the product together but rather the research. There is an incredible abundance of information on both of these topics. It will take a great amount of time to gather all the data I need to mold these topics around global topics.
Although it would be a bit time consuming, I am thinking that my product will be a book. Yes, a book - a short book, of course. Regardless, there is more than enough information for these topics. If writing a book does not work out, my second thought is a detailed website. It is similar to a book, but more easily presentable, and requires less effort.
Regardless, I plan to spend the next week determining the best course of action, and hopefully in time this project will be a success.

Today I felt honored to have Mr. Chinen come to our class. I was not sure what to expect, and Mr. Chinen indeed had a lot to tell. He seems like a very nice man and he is certainly adept at interpreting music. It was very interesting listening him delve into the secrets of new songs. Yet... I felt that sometimes he dove a little too deep into the meanings, and other times I just flat out disagreed with him (though I would never say so). Most of the time however, as I saw in the disection of Rihanna's Russian Roulette, he was very insightful and pointed out many details that I had not noticed prior. It also seemed at times that we were not studying the songs so much as we were studying the artists.
Mr. Chinen did have some very interesting pieces information from which to learn from. I learned from him that the atist and the art is very much intertwined, and that the art, when made to represent the artist, does not necessarily portray the artist. Perhaps the insight is a bit deep for me, for while I see the inspiration, I do not always believe in what Mr. Chinen said. Mr. chinen's visit was very interesting, and I am gald he came. I wish he could have spent more time with us to more thorough;y explain his ideas.

This piece of art is Inner Peace, by Giovanna Numan. This is a mixed media style of art. More specifically, Ms. Numan starts with a basic painting, and adds layer upon layer of beads, sequences, etc. to the painting.
In this piece, a Latin-American woman is seen in a garden with her back to the world. Her turned back represents her turning away from the world. Her hat hides her face, allowing her to see her garden world but not allowing the world to see her. She is dressed traditionally, with her black hair protecting her exposed backside. Her dress channels the visual energy from the ground to her backside, thus focusing the piece around the mystery of the woman.
Likewise, the shiny leaves reflect the shine of her mind, and too focus the light back on the woman. In the midst of this is the garden, a place full of flowers representative of the inner peace the woman has found. The lack of society and indeed the exposed back represents the woman's existence alone with hersself, in a place of peace and tranquility. This is a place of evrlasting beauty, as shown by the green background.
The frame around this woman carries out the edges of the picture, with flowers and leaves coming out into reality with the bottom of the woman's dress. Thus, she is not far away from the physical world, and is capable any time of returning from this place of inner peace.

Red, hooded, and opinionated

The story of little red riding hood is a normal fairy tale, made stranger by the article in Ms. magazine. When I first read the original story, I found no surprises - the ending was not very outlandish for an original fairytale. The interpretation was a whole different story. I would not have guessed the true intentions of the wolf in any circumstance - the story then seems truly creepy. The culture itself seems truly disturbing, in regards to what was deemed "acceptable". I can now more fully appreciate the moral stated at the end of the story.
The creation of alternate versions also interests me. The fact that the Grimm brothers would "tone it down" seems shocking to me, as I know them as writers who leave very little unwritten. However, from what the article relay's, Grimm's version may be a copy of the original version. This leads me to the question: why did Mr. Perrault choose to change the story so? I can only partially understand the motive of instilling children with a good moral message.
The influence and change in attitude toward the characters in this story is slightly comical. Degraded standards in society have worsened to the point that Riding Hood's predicament is one lusted after by many people. Who is to blame for this complete erosion of moral values? It is possible that Mr. Perrault got the idea correct, and that the story would serve to explain good moral standards in today's world.

Fairy Tale Tale

When I was growing up, my favorite children's story was a book called the 11th Hour, by Graeme Base. This was a not-so well known, but kid friendly book. The plot is about a group of animals who come together for a party and a magnificent feast, which is stolen before anyone gets a bite.
Among the unique aspects of this book, I particularly liked it for its incredibly detailed pictures, with each page covered entirely by intricate drawings of animals in costumes playing games. A food lover as a kid, I loved to just stare at the delicious looking banquet that Base drew and imagine eating it.
The mystery of "who ate the feast" also intrigued me, as I have a love for mysteries. Base drew every picture with clues as to the culprit hidden in the most innocent of places, or page borders. In addition, each game that the animals played (before the theft of the feast) had a funny twist to it, such as a musical chairs game played by breaking the chairs.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the large cast of characters. Base made each character separate and memorable, by giving them individually their animal traits while endowing them with traits fitting of their costumes. The plot does not focus entirely on the mystery, but rather takes a slightly episodic approach of walking the animals through their day, a form difficult to pull off but that Graeme Base does well.

Like Water for Chocolate

I enjoyed Like Water for Chocolate. Laura Esquivel is an extremely talented author. I am enthralled, and amused comically, at the mass amounts of themes and motifs. It makes discussion simpler, when in other books themes are more hidden and confusing. I am always a fan of the cookbook side of the story, in part because I am a fan of food. The concept of the book, made in such a way, adds a unique touch to the book that I have never truly seen previously in literature.
I loved the actual story content of the book. The plot of the suppressed urges of the characters as well as the intricate love affairs are plot lines that many classmates and I can relate to & appreciate. The slightly episodic nature of the book ironically also helped the flow. Through this there was no continual drawl, but the book was not so episodic as to lack a central plot. I also thought that the ending was excellent. The way the death of Tita is portrayed, she does not seem to so much "die" as much as become fully happy. I am also glad that Esquivel killed off both Mama Elena and Rosaura, two hideous women who become clear protagonists. Even farther than these two, I enjoyed most of the diverse characters that Esquivel creates, such as the kind and fathely Dr. Brown as well as the always-aware, master cook Nacha.
I appreciate how Esquivel added a magical touch to the stories. The effects of the food always made the book interesting to read, from the lusty experience of Gertrudis to the tornado of chickens. These images helped me to understand, as well as extend, the themes and motifs of the book. Overall, this was on of the better assigned reading books that I have read.

The book Like Water for Chocolate is full of creative themes and ideas that can be expounded on. Of particular notice is the theme of magic. Throughout the book, Tita conveys her emotions through those who eat her cooking. She also sees various ghosts, including Dr. Brown's grandmother and Mama Elena. The idea of love is so foreign to Tita that perhaps it becomes like a fantasy, and so the world around her seems to channel this. The concepts of love and tradition also play important roles. While Tita loves Pedro, family tradition dictates that she must stay with her mother until she dies. Likewise, the feelings of racism that are tide to tradition create love troubles. These create a circle of more tradition preventing more love.
On a note for the college essay, I have not done too much. The exercises in class were very helpful, but I don't feel that they are appropriate for a college essay intro. Instead of saying, "I am a unique writer", it says (to me), "I am sense-obsessive". However, I do trust Ms. Falk's judgement in the appropriateness of these essay starters. Also, I am at a miss as to what else to include in my paper. Essentially, I have not written a lot.

Love and lust are two terms of great importance. These are defining terms of interactions between men & women. However, these two terms have widely different meanings.
Lust is generally a sexual attraction between two people. Lust is basically a chemical attraction between two people, one that can be attributed to primal nature - the urge to reproduce. This attraction is normally what brings two young people together - a more sensual instinct.
Love is more complicated. While it is not entirely separate from lust, the two are distinctly different. When one person loves another, they do not look at each other and think solely of sex - this is lust. While two people in love may have this feeling, they will most likely feel a sense of care, a feeling of security, and an urge to simply pass the time with their loved one. This urge is generally found by people more advanced in years. This is because the more mature are not entirely overtaken by lust, and have the intellect to find love in a person through their personality, not just their attraction.
Essentially, when two people strongly want to be together, this can be from either lust or love. It is lust if they feel hormonally attracted and love if the two simply want to be together.
It is quite possible that men & women see these two terms differently. Women are generally less motivated by lust than men, and thus can understand the difference, and probably would have similar views as here. However, men are more influenced by hormones & continue to feel lust through their life, thus making it difficult to distinguish between the two, and thus combining the two together. In the end, lust and love are interconnected, but their individual significances make huge distinctions.

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0858091.html
This link leads to an interesting document on some of the history of feminism. The document introduces some prominent figures, such as Mary Wollstonecraft in the 18th century, as well as Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott's convention at Seneca Falls. The women's rights gained over the next years are listed, through the acquisition of women's suffrage in 1920. The document also states the achievements of the National Organization for Women & the National Women's Political Caucus. The document ends expressing the success feminism has had to make the world of today.

Girls, boys, men and women. Each of these terms is used daily to form groups, set standards, and determine a person's character. These definitions are very much linked to brain development, which is second to actual gender differences.
A boy is a young male who has not reached mental maturity. This includes young baby boys directly after birth to certain teenagers in their late teens, and in some cases their early twenties who have not learned how to exercise good judgment. Boys are generally irrational, acting on primal instincts rather than thought out choices. For boys, the urge to play is a main characteristic.
A girl is a young female who has not reached maturity. This generally applies to baby girls through teen girls. Girls tend to mature into women before boys into men, for reasons of improved mental development. Girls do not differ as much from women as boys do from men, as they do not experience such extreme urges as boys do. Girls are also generally more susceptible to teaching than the other three definitions.
A man is an elderly male who shows common sense, rational thought, and intellectual maturity. The transition into a man general occurs sometime in a male's twenties, be it early or late. Men have a sense of work, and many have the ability and thought to accomplish the necessary work. Men are less motivated by sexual instinct (though still motivated by it), and work towards settling down.
A woman is an elderly female who has reached full intellectual capability and full mental maturity. Girls may tend to become women in their early twenties. Women are full of information and seek to use this. Women are prone to socializing, and have the wish to settle down as opposed to following sexual urges. Women generally have more sense of mind than men. Thus, each term shows the importance of mental development & its role in society.

Marjane Satrapi's experience in Persepolis is largely relevant to the ideas of masculinity and femininity. Marjane is forced to grow up in an Islamic society that places women and all things feminine in a lesser category than normal human. Satrapi is forced to continually live with others telling her what to do. Being a woman, she is forced to cover any part of her that may be considered "obscene" (aka everything). Because of her femininity, she is not allowed the rights and freedoms of men - she may not use luxury items (such as lipstick) common to women while similar restrictions are not placed on men. Because Satrapi is a liberal woman, her peers look down on her for not being more appropriate. Satrapi must guard her actions, many of which she may be punished for because she is feminine, while men would not be punished for the same actions.
The idea of masculinity is also emphasized in the world around Satrapi. As Islam rises, only men are allowed to be in positions of power. Thus, a world is created where the masculine control the feminine. The change of power is what turns Satrapi's world into one where femininity becomes a greater issue.
The issues created by "masculinity" vs. "femininity" are not entirely removed when Satrapi visits countries outside of Iran. When she goes to a catholic school, Satrapi is influenced now by "nuns", feminine and chosen appropriately to deal specifically with ladies, such as Satrapi. Satrapi's depression at this point is also caused by the concept of masculinity. Though there is nothing abnormal in attraction, her attraction to Markus was a side effect of masculinity/femininity. Her world fell down because Markus was cheating on her, and thus Satrapi's unhappiness stemmed from these issues.
Even though the concepts of masculinity and femininity created more imminent troubles for Satrapi in Iran, these concepts influenced her life no matter where she went.

Gender development is an age old "tradition". As we mature, we grow apart as our identities as male or female are formed. This change can be linked to biology, and the reproduction of the genes to interact with chemical signals... But if we look at the wild, these gender relation only serves to create animal social standpoint, such as a pack of dogs & a male leader. Male and female dogs both wrestle, chase, and chase after the same ball together. For some reason the differences formed in gender development cause stronger development than for that of animals. The factor that causes this anomaly is society.
Society is everywhere around us, telling us what to do, what we are expected to do, and what people will think of what we do. All around us, in the newspapers, on TV, on the radio, on the Internet, we find stories of sexually discrimination of pride in being a man or a woman. The time when natural gender development is during one's teen years, creating a release of hormones during which one gender realizes the importance of another. Teens are also known for unstable minds (in terms of personal happiness) and are constantly looking to fit in. Teens, more than others, look online and to other sources to find out what they should do. Even in the school yard the students gossip to one another about what is acceptable and what is not.
This key point in the lives of many people is the ideal time to discover an "identity". Such an identity normally involves embracing the semi-stereotypical aspects of one's gender. Young ladies begin to act like "women", learning the necessities of shopping, fashion, and self-respect. Young men learn the important aspects of competition and indifference to others. Thus, through experiences with society, humans develop their gender & their gender "identity", more so than in nature.

I have never been too excited when I hear the term summer reading. However, Persepolis was a surprising change. When I first opened the book and saw that it was illustrated, I though that I must have bought the wrong book. As it turned out, Persepolis was one of the most enjoyable summer reading books I've ever read. Satrapi does an excellent job of narration. Though she starts a bit into the story and works backwards, the first chapter helps to set the tone: comical yet saddening stories in a serious time. The book successfully evoked emotions as I read it. Satrapi is an excellent author with a great writing ability as well as a great ability to convey her story to her audience. This was not a book I felt the urge to put down, and finished it in less than a day (a record for a summer reading book).
I personally like epic books (as long as they are memorable). With Persepolis, each chapter is interesting enough to entice the reader into reading the next chapter. The best aspect about the book, however, is the main character, Marjane. Her childhood antics help to put the turmoil in Iran into perspective (notably that of a child). As an adult, her self-respect and indifference towards the highly abnormal rules of society make her a comical character who exposes the minor details of the Iranian world. While the story ends magnificently, I would like to find out what Marjane does after she leaves Iran.
I also find that the book opens many issues of interest. First, the book blames the western countries as sources for problems in the middle east. When I hear this, I immediately disagree, but what is written in the book lessens my ability to refute it. The book also shows one mindset of the people of Iran, in which they believe that "it (political situation) will get better". This is a mindset seen around the world, and those who do not have are those that hurt others. The book also expresses some interesting parallels between the western worlds and Iran - Islamic vs. Catholic schools and a wish of young people to be in another culture. Altogether I would call this one of the most well-written and enjoyable books I have ever read.

Hello