Course Reflection Essay

Ryan Cullen

Mr. Davidson

ContempLit/3^rd Period

1-11-16

AMDG

Culmination Project

            Young people today simply do not read.  Many students bore quickly from the same material that English courses tend to repeat over and over throughout high school.  Moving away from the classics and towards novels that students can relate to is the perfect way to get students interested in reading and writing.  When students find something to read that they truly enjoy they take a greater interest in their class and gain valuable lessons that they can apply to the real world.  The students who choose not to read often struggle with verbal skills and communication because the books they miss out on help to vary vocabulary and comfort while speaking.  The same people who think reading is too much work are the ones who ironically suffer from the most stress.  Reading allows people the opportunity to relax and recharge while also having fun and enjoying a good story.  Outlets to read are everywhere and they are becoming more and more important to the success in the modern world that is so focused on intelligence and communication.  In the 21^st century, it is extremely important to be an avid reader because it directly contributes to being a well-rounded person.

            The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein presents an example of why being a reader in the 21st century is important.  One of the main themes in this novel is empathy, a valuable characteristic of being a well-rounded individual.  The story’s narrator is a dog named Enzo, and the plot focuses around his master’s wife Eve and her struggle with cancer.  When Eve first returns home after her initial treatments of chemotherapy, she is extremely worried that it will be the last night she lives through.  She calls on Enzo to, “Protect me. Please. Don’t let it happen tonight” (127).  Enzo displays empathy as he stays by her side the entire night and watches over her until the rest of the family wakes.  Readers can learn a valuable lesson on how to be supportive and empathetic for people going through difficult situations when they read about Enzo’s actions.  Enzo teaches readers that many times the most important things are the little ones.  Although Enzo could not have saved Eve if something had gone wrong, he was there, and that is all that matters.  Empathy has been replaced by discrimination in the world today, and it is important for young readers to attempt to understand the difficult situations people are going through.  Enzo exhibits the need for love, no matter the person or place.  Empathy is how this love is shown, and how it should be shown by readers in the modern day.

            Another important reason to be a reader in the 21^st century is that the lessons of literature help to develop interpersonal relationships.  In Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King relationships play an important role in plot of the fascinating story that centers around a young girl named Vera Dietz.  Vera and her father Ken struggle with their feelings towards each other, but after a breakthrough therapy session Vera finally begins to long for a strong relationship.  She says, “I know what he wants to say—stuff about being proud of me and how much I've grown up. It probably sounds stupid, but I want to tell him that, too” (320).  Reading can help people, especially young readers, to better communicate with those they care about.  It is extremely important to maintain strong relationships in order to advance in both a personal and professional sense later in life.  The lessons readers can learn from Vera go beyond just opening up to her father.  It is clear that Vera desires the love and support that strong relationships bring to the people involved in them.  Reading does more than pass the time, it teaches valuable lessons such as the need for strong relationships, and therefore it is clear that it is important to be a reader in the 21^st century.

            Being open to growth in order to create new experiences is another key characteristic of being a well-rounded person that reading can provide.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern relies on this theme heavily throughout the book.  Specifically, Bailey, a young boy who has known nothing but sheep and open fields his whole life, takes the chance to leave for the circus and chase his dreams.  When talking to his sister about why he is choosing to go, he says, ‘“I don’t care if you don’t understand that…Staying here won’t make me happy”’ (381).  Bailey is open to growth in order to follow the dream of being part of the circus, a dream he has had since he was a little boy.  Although he knows it will be difficult to leave his parents, Billy desires something that they simply do not understand.  He follows his own heart and knows no matter what happens his conscience is clear with his decision.  This is important to readers because it illustrates that one can only be happy following a path they truly believe in.  Being open to grow through unfamiliar means is the best way to have lasting experiences that will have a significant impact.  Whether it be going away to school, traveling, or trying new things, being open to growth is the key to being happy and having beneficial personal experiences.  Being open to growth is hard to do because it means stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, but Bailey helps illustrate that it is an important part of being a more well-rounded person.

            One of the most important reasons to be a reader in the 21^st century is that it inspires people to achieve their goals and not let failure slow them down.  Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan uses this main theme to document Mr. Penumbra and Clay Jannon overcoming difficult situations.  When the mystery is discovered regarding the typeface of Gerrtizoon, Mr. Penumbra is not bitter that he has essentially wasted much of his life attempting to decode the ancient words.  Instead he perseveres and while talking with Clay mentions, “But I have more than a little time left, my boy…and there a still so many mysteries to solve.  Are you with me?” (282).  Penumbra does not fade away once the discovery is made and instead sets new, higher goals for achievement in the future.  This is an extremely valuable lesson for young readers to take away and think about.  Many times in life, failure is an unfortunate and harsh reality.  Many young people struggle to overcome difficult situations because they are so caught up on what went wrong instead of all the things left that could go right.  Penumbra vows to learn from his mistakes and use what he has learned to help him be more successful.  Every day in life people set goals and try to meet their own expectations and the expectations of others.  To get knocked down is not what is difficult, it is getting back up that takes the willpower and courage.  This courage is vividly displayed by Penumbra, and his actions center around the fact that being a reader is important because it inspires people to reach their goals and overcome their defeats.

            To become a well-rounded person, it is vitally important to be a reader in today’s day and age.  There are so many valuable lessons to be learned from all different types of literature.  Reading sparks emotion, and emotion sparks internal change.  Change for the better is an important aspect of growing up, and learning lessons from novels are a great way to live a happier, more fulfilled life.  Being a reader teaches teens to be there for the people in their lives just as often as they are for themselves.  Also the importance to work to build stronger relationships and understand the difficult problems people face.  Above all, being a reader teaches teens to never give up and to always carry on with pride and determination.  This current generation is often blamed for their lack of values, and maybe if reading was more of a priority, this train of thought would be nothing more than a history lesson for teens to read years from now.

TEDxCL Reflection

This Ted talk focuses on the need to have empathy and compassion for people who are persecuted.  Specifically, it details the struggles between religions and the values that different religions promote.

REFLECTION

What I knew (And didn't know about my topic when I started)

1.       When I first decided to choose this topic, I knew that there was a serious problem in the world today with religious persecution and discrimination.  As a Catholic, I also knew that The Bible is focused on promoting love and compassion for all people, but also that there are areas of concern that are not applicable to the world today.  I didn't know the specific passages and examples which is why researching into different chapters and stories was so important.  Moreover, I understood that The Quran was very similar to The Bible in many of its themes and its overall message.  I did not know the subtle details behind this, and in complete honesty I had a lot to learn about Islam as a whole.  

          Beyond the religious details in scripture, I was also very aware of the impact that religious wars and persecution have and have had on the world.  I had always known facts about The Crusades and the the Cambodian Genocide for example, but there was a lot I didn't know on why specifically these problems erupted.  I knew many of the obvious facts, but the underlying roots were unclear to me when I began my research.

          Overall, I knew basic facts from my religious upbringing, classes in school, and recent events, but there was still a vast amount of information I needed to find out.  I carried many stereotypes on different events and information going into this project from what people have told me, but I did not know the hard facts behind the most crucial information to my project.  This is turn is what inspired me to decipher the religions of love.

Why I selected this topic and why it mattered to me

2.        Growing up I had always been told have powerful religion was and the love and connection it made between different people around the world.  So every day when I turned on the news and saw countless deaths and murders of people of all religions, I simply did not understand the contradiction.  I selected this topic because I believe that what is happening in the world today is extremely scary.  Pure hatred for other groups of people has become justified, simply because of the way in which they view the world.  How did it come to this?  I honestly believed that society as a whole had come to the understanding that there would be differences of opinion, and that those differences must be treated with respect, not ridicule.

          I want people to understand also that religions like Islam are not focused on "bringing death to America" and the west.  Different groups reputations are going down the drain because of the actions of small subsets within the greater community.  For this reason, people need to show empathy for those who are forced to deal with the problems created by these minority factors.  Religion is inherently good, empathy is good, connecting the two was the goal of my project, and I sought to find a way to make people understand my point of view.

What I learned -- Research 

3.       Researching proved to be a rather easy aspect of my presentation, something I was not expecting going in.  There's a plethora of information online and in the news cycle about my topic because of the impact it has around the world today, and the impact it has had since the beginning of time.  I researched mainly on websites, but their were written articles I also found to help support my evidence for the project.  My favorite source because of the vast amount of knowledge I gained was from a New Mexico State University website, from an article titled, "The Ku Klux Klan: America's Forgotten Terrorists."  In this article I learned the story of Charles Barefoot, an American citizen who had planned to carry out domestic terror against his local jail with the help of other Klan members ("The Ku Klux Klan: America's Forgotten Terrorists" New Mexico State University).  This information was surprising and I had never heard of the story until I found this article.  It gave lots of insight into the world of Christian terror and helped convince me that there are problems with sects of Christianity, just as there are with Islam.

          There were many different new things I learned from my research, mainly through looking at scripture and facts from different religious problems.  Different quotes from the Quran were very interesting to me, especially, “God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes" (Quran Chapter 8).  This information contradicts the ISIS propaganda of terror against the United States, and it was very insightful to find this specific quote from the Quran.  Another new thing that I learned came from The Bible.  "All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude" (1 Peter 3:8).  This is direct evidence that The Bible and Christianity are focused on creating members of the faith who practice empathy.  Loving each other is something that has been forgotten in the world today, and in order for a more sympathetic society to exist, the words must not be forgotten.  Both of these points proved to be very helpful to a better overall understanding, and it helped me to realize that both religions push the value of companionship and a great connection between different groups.  This helped me to prove to my fellow classmates, my main thesis of love for one another.

          My work ethic in class was spotty at best.  Although I did develop my idea, I spent a great majority of my team socializing with classmates.  I did receive the positive benefit of gaging their opinions on my topics, and when I heard they thought it was interesting I knew I was on the right track.  Clearly, I should have been more productive with class time, but I am happy I got the chance to talk to friends and still complete my project. 

What I learned -- Presentations

         Heading into the presentation I felt nervous, but prepared.  Some of the challenges I had while practicing were with posture and speed of reading.  After practicing a few different times I felt like I had gotten these under control, but posture and weight-shifts did impact me during the presentation.  I rehearsed 3 times, all in front of my family.  I also talked to my dad because he does lots of public speaking so it was good to get some helpful pointers on what I needed to do to deliver a great talk.

         Watching my video was exciting.  It made me cringe a little at certain points because of things I did, but overall I was very happy with the result.  I'm extremely happy with the product I put forward and I think it shares a strong message to my audience.  If I could improve two main areas it would be my weight-shifts and the little clicking noise I kept making when starting a new point.  Besides these two areas, I am very proud of my work.

What the Audience Learned

         The goal of my presentation was to build on popular news and culture to create a fresh perspective and viewpoint to challenge the audience.  I want people to be more aware of their actions towards others and to attempt to put an end to religious stereotyping and discrimination.

         Overall, I thought I was very successful in making people aware of some flaws within their own lives.  I myself had problems with stereotyping that my presentation helped me to put a stop to.  In the end, I just want people to be conscience of what they say and understand the need to treat others with respect and dignity.

My Advice

          Public speaking is an extremely rewarding experience.  My advice for C-Lit students next year is to find something you're very passionate about to make the presentation about.  When making your talk, the more information the better.  Also, preparing is key for being comfortable about speaking and sharing new ideas.  Making note cards and practicing early and often are all good ideas.  Also, test the waters surrounding your idea.   See what other people in your class think of your idea and what you want to talk about.  If you relax and have fun it is an easy project that is enjoyable and thought-provoking.  It's a nice break from the norms of school curriculum and try to enjoy it if you can!

          

          

"Please Ignore Vera Dietz" Book Review

VD Book Review

            Teen issues, family problems, and forbidden secrets all play a role in Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King.  The main character, Vera, is a young 18-year-old girl who struggles with these critical issues throughout the novel. The story opens at the somber scene of the funeral of Charlie Kahn, Vera’s longtime best friend.  Recently however, their relationship had deteriorated to the point they hated each other, mainly because of Charlie’s shift to a new friend group focused on being popular and causing trouble.  Vera struggles to cope with Charlie’s death and because of this, struggles to come forward and tell what she knows about what really happened to Charlie.  This manifests itself in guilt and to overcome this feeling Vera turns to work and alcohol.  Work comes in the form of “pizza technician” or delivery girl for the local pizza place.  She enjoys her job and the people she works with, always going above and beyond to do the best she can in order to make money to pay for college and the future.  Pagoda Pizza also comes with distractions in the form of another worker, James, who is five years Vera’s senior at 23.  Although James is extremely nice, he is a college drop-out with no real aspirations, but Vera decides she likes him for his true personality and she begins going out with him.  Through it all, Vera escapes the problems that arise by turning to alcohol.  However, this only adds fuel to the fire as it leads to run ins with the police, hallucinations, and even a hardwood bar floor.  Vera’s father Ken, an alcoholic himself, seeks to protect his daughter from the harsh realities of alcoholism he experienced firsthand.  Ken’s job is made harder by the fact that Vera’s mother ran off to Las Vegas a few years ago with a doctor, Vera’s only contact with her coming in the form of 50 dollars each year for her birthday.  In the end, Vera makes the decision to right the wrongs and misconceptions against Charlie, even if it means putting herself in harm’s way.

            The teen issues present throughout the novel, especially alcohol, leads to a connection with the audience because of the startling reality of Vera’s situations.  Vera’s story is no fairy-tale and the battles she faces are not out of the realm of possibility for many teens.  Alcohol serves one sole purpose in this novel, a coping mechanism to overcome loss.  The first time Vera truly experiments with drinking is at the memorial service for Charlie.  Vera quickly knocks back two shots when no one is looking and says, “I had no idea how much it would hurt my throat, but loved the way it made me feel a minute later as I sat on the toilet, pondering the tiled floor. Warm. Happy. Safe” (84).  The fact that Vera is able to accept the pain associated with drinking and instead focus around the warming feeling it creates foreshadows the problems looming in the future.  For many people, their first time drinking comes at a time when they are in an uncomfortable situation, a situation they would rather escape.  Vera obviously experiences this while at the memorial for Charlie.  Being able to relate to a character is an important part of any good story and moreover teens are able to find similarities between Vera’s experiences and their own.  I can personally understand this because I have been in situations like Vera where I have had to overcome loss and wanted to find something to numb the pain.  Being able to relate to and understand what Vera is going through makes the story more enjoyable and it leads readers to invest themselves in the story.   When a reader can make a personal connection and relate it back to their own life and what they have to go through, the story is better received and appreciated. Thus, the teen issues that this novel addresses build an important connection with readers because the situations are so common in everyday life.

            King’s use of multiple storytellers gives the audience unique perspectives to follow and allows readers to make their own connections about different characters and events. Vera, Ken, Charlie, and even inanimate objects have their turn telling their side of the story.  During one of the breaks from the main storyline, Charlie gets a chance to speak out on his failing relationship with Vera.  From beyond the grave, Charlie questions, “why did I turn on Vera?  I don’t know… Maybe because I knew she was fine and didn’t need to be rescued, like Jenny and I did” (205).  Charlie sharing his thoughts to the reader is an interesting additional viewpoint that adds intrigue to the story.  Charlie asks “why,” which is critical because it illustrates the fact that he knows what he did was unjustified.  To be able to understand that Charlie feels bad about what happened and that he still cares about Vera makes the reader more understanding of Charlie’s actions.  Multiple narrators allow the author to share different perspectives of events and characters.  The more different perspectives, the more information readers have to draw their own conclusions.  Early in the story, I lost respect for Charlie because of his decisions to spread rumors and the way he treated Vera.  However, I came to like Charlie by the end of the story as he justifies his actions and apologizes through the notes he leaves instead of asking for forgiveness.  The transition of Charlie from unlikeable to understood creates a connection for readers that keeps them entertained as the mystery of the plot is revealed at the end of the story.  The different storytellers make the novel a better read because they help weave together the myriad of perspectives for the reader.

            The theme of abandonment helps readers better understand the difficulty and complexity of the issues in the story.  All the characters in the novel are forced to deal with abandonment in different ways and in different forms.  Vera and Ken face abandonment from Vera’s mother and it is a point that causes lots of controversy in the novel.  When sitting down with the therapist to work out their problems, Vera notices, “We are realizing, simultaneously, that we have never dealt with Mom leaving. We pretended—like role-playing—but we never really did anything about it” (217).  The reason Ken and Vera struggle so much to communicate is the fact they have never truly moved on from Vera’s mother leaving them behind for bigger and better things.  Both Vera and Ken are searching for a way to fill the void that abandonment has created in their lives.  Vera uses alcohol, Ken leads a boring life, and both have their own way to escape.  This theme of abandonment gives the reader something to attribute the problems of the characters in the novel to.  Without this central theme, the story would have no real plot, and there would be no backstory for the challenges that Vera and Ken face.  The backstory of abandonment goes all the way back to the relationship between Ken and his own mother during her funeral, and the reader can appreciate how detailed and intertwined the progression of difficulties is.  I really enjoyed that King made sense of why the Vera and Ken struggle and not just that they struggle.  It provides a strong base for where their trouble stems from, and I could really imagine myself having to go through what they did and how difficult that would be.  I could feel my heart break during Ken’s mother’s funeral scene and it made it crystal clear to me how far the abandonment and problems dated back.  King goes above and beyond by using the theme of abandonment to make the reader realize why the story unfolds the way it does, a unique ability that truly transforms the story in a positive way.

            Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King is dark, witty, intriguing, and overall a rewarding novel for people to read.  Specifically, I would recommend this book to teens because of the heavy focus it has on teen issues and the fact that Vera’s life is relatable in so many ways.  Although not everyone’s best friend has a Charlie-like change, everyone goes through different struggles in relationships and this story helps people understand that they are not alone.  The book is unlike anything I have ever read and in complete honesty that was a good and a bad thing.  The changing narrators, flow charts, and plot layout originally turned me off from the book.  However, I urge people to give the book a chance and push past the initial uneasiness about the book.  As I continued to read, these unique characteristics are something I came to respect, if not enjoy.  This story touches on subjects that many people never get the chance to read about, even though they occur in families every day.  I challenge people to step out of their comfort zone and give Vera a chance to change perspectives and create a lasting impression on social issues in the world today.