Blog 6

I was raised in a Christian home, and I have been a member of the United Methodist Church most of my life.  My personal belief is that a relationship should be between a man and a woman.  I also believe that it is a person's own decision to be gay or straight.  I believe that no one has the right to shove beliefs or thoughts down a person's throat, and that no one should be discriminated against based on their sexuality.  In our society, many of these issues are very touchy.  People don't really like to talk about them, and they are sometimes considered weird.  These ideas may seem weird to people because it's just not the normal thing to do.  It's not normal basically because it doesn't produce offspring.  It's just natural for a man to be attracted to a woman and a woman to be attracted to a man.  It's natural for that man and woman to mate.  It's science.  However, if a man loves another man or a woman loves another woman, no one should have the right to separate them.  It is also a touchy subject because of religious views.  The video we watched in class about the Westboro Church made me furious.  I was actually starting to shake while I was watching it.  My parents taught me to love everybody no matter how different they might be.  But after watching that I wanted to find that woman and punch her in the head until she understands how horribly she is raising those children.  It also makes other people that believe in God look bad.  My God loves everyone and has no hate for any person.  The quiz that we looked at in class was really awkward.  It made me realize that homosexuals are confronted with these questions everyday.  No one should be asked these questions.  It just shouldn't happen.  I liked all of the other books we have read in this class but for some reason Middlesex just doesn't click.  I find it really hard to follow and understand.

Blog 5

In both Monster and Incognegro, the characters experience discrimination based on their race.  They are considered by the other characters as being on the bottom part of society.  In both books, two of the main characters are accused of crimes.  In Monster, it is hard for people to look past the fact that the person being accused of the crime is a black teenager.  They look at him and assume that he is guilty without knowing the facts.  Incognegro shows a more extreme form of discrimination.  African-Americans are subjects to hangings and brutal beatings.  Both stories show the effects of racism.  The white characters see themselves as the superior race.  They automatically think that they are better, and they put themselves above others who have a different skin color.  Incognegro shows extreme discrimination and brutality, and Monster shows a more modern form of racism.  They each show us how ridiculous it is to think that one could be superior simply because they have a different skin color.  However ridiculous it is, this does not mean that it is not still happening today.  It is most definitely still prevalent, and our society needs to educate people so they understand that it is wrong and why it is wrong.  I hope that discrimination begins to fade even more significantly as we move forward in our future.

Blog 4

I thought that the video A Class Divided was very interesting.  I've seen this video a couple of other times before this class, but this was the first time I actually took it serious.  The other times I watched it, someone showed to me because they thought it was another funny youtube video.  Some of the things that the kids said are funny.  This time I watched it with a new perspective because of what we are talking about in class.  This was a very unique experiment on a very touch subject.  Racism.  I couldn't believe how quick the students started singling out other students based on their eye color.  They began fighting a calling each other names.  They had the chance to experience what it would be like to be discriminated based on their race.  I grew up in a very small town where I didn't even see a person of a different race until high school.  My town is filled with racist people.  I was fortunate enough to grow up in a house where my parents taught me that discrimination is not right.  My opinion of a person is based on who they are on the inside and not the color of their skin.

Blog 3 Hans Hubermann

I chose to do my blog on Hans Hubermann.  He is by far my favorite character in this story.  I just love how he is always so calm.  He just seems like the perfect father figure.  When I first read about him, I could tell that he was going to be a kind and gentle man.  I pictured him as someone you could look at and know that he is a good guy.  Hans treats Liesel like every father should treat their daughter.  He is always there for her when she needs him.  Hans also has to put up with his wife's constant harshness.  He also has "demons" that are hidden from the reader in the first part of the story.  Hans never joined the Nazi party, and his feelings toward the Jews are not the same as most of the people around him.  His views are especially different from his only son's.  He does not believe that what is going on around him is right.  He is even committing the ultimate crime by hiding a Jew in his home.  Hans is very unique because despite the pressure from his peers and even his only son, he still lives by what he believes to be right.  That is why he is my favorite character in the story.  His relationship with Liesel is what I would call perfect.  You can tell that they love each other very much.  He rarely yells at her or punishes her.  When he does punish her and raises his voice, it is for a very good reason.  The one part that sticks out to me is when Liesel says she hates Hitler.  He slaps her and yells at her.  He only does this because he wants to protect her.  He knows that if she says this to anyone else besides her own family, that she will experience harsh consequences.

Blog 2- Vladik and Artie

While reading this novel, I noticed that Vladik and his son Artie had a very difficult relationship.  When the story started, they hadn't seen each other in a long time.  I thought that Artie seemed annoyed by his father on a regular basis, and Vladik was a stubborn old man throughout the story.  I kept thinking to myself that I hope my father doesn't start acting this way when he is older.  Throughout the story Artie and Vladik's relationship seemed consistent.  Vladik would always say or do something that would make Artie angry, but Artie would just try to block it out it seemed.  It seemed to me like Artie viewed Vladik as a stubborn old fool who he had to put up with.  Artie would only come over to hear more of his father's story not simply because they wanted to see each other.  In one part of the story, Vladik called Artie to come help him fix something and he wouldn't.  This shows that they're relationship as father and son might not be all that great.  Vladik would usually make Artie angry, then Artie would walking mumbling something under his breath like "murderer" or "I can't believe it".  The story is being told visually as well as in words.  I feel that the images portray more grief, violence, and hopelessness.  In some of the pictures you can see more expressions such as crying and sadness.  When you look at both the words and images together you can really get more out of the story.  You can read to know what's going on, and you can also see its effects on the characters.  You can see the looks on their faces and truly see the pain and try to understand what they're going through.