Translations Act I

I’ve read several plays over the course of my academic experience. In the past I’ve read Hamlet, Henry IV Part I, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar. However, the plays I’ve read have all been Shakespearean, so I’ve never got to experience what it was like reading a more modern play. “Translations” introduced me to characters living in Ireland in a time when formal education was not yet set into law. The characters all attend ‘hedge-school’ located in an abandoned barn.

The moment in Act I that stood out the most to me was when the characters were discussing the new law that was to be set where all children had to attend school starting at the age of six and ending at the age of twelve. The characters seemed appalled that this idea of year long school was even being discussed. If only they were around today, where people attend school much past the age of twelve.

When the characters discussed what the school would be like and how they were going to eliminate the Irish language and promote English, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a book that I’m currently reading for Anthropology. In my book the Eveny culture is discussed. These people live in the taiga of Russia, residing in below freezing conditions. The Eveny people send their children to school in the main village, where the children are enforced to not embrace their heritage. Much like the Irish people, their culture is looked down upon, and the administrators try to conform them to their standards.

So far the first Act has caught my attention and made me want to read more. I’m excited that I can follow along in the book, and not get as lost as I usually do when reading plays. I’m interested to see if any of the characters begin attending a formal school and what their reactions will be.

Advising Module #3

Two years ago I struggled greatly in my math class. My teacher would give her lesson and I remember sitting in my desk trying to keep up with what she was saying. The homework questions we were assigned looked like a foreign language to me, forcing me to stay up late at night trying to complete them. The moment that I realized I needed help was after spending countless hours of studying and still receiving a bad score on a test or quiz.

In order to get help I first started coming to my teacher before school and having her explain different math problems to be one on one. She was accommodating, and didn’t mind going through them step by step. The next course of action I took was getting a tutor. My mom’s coworker is studying to be an algebra teacher, so she gladly took on the challenge of helping me. I saw my tutor once or twice a week for three months. At our sessions we would meet in a relaxed coffee houses and spend about an hour working on concepts that I didn’t understand. Through asking for help I managed to improve my final math assessment by two letter grades. This process taught me to never be afraid to talk to someone if you’re having difficulties.

Beyond SMC I would like to do many activities! Becoming certified in scuba diving is number one on my list. A few years back my family and I traveled to Saint Croix and spent a wonderful week on the island. I attempted to go scuba diving with my sister and dad, who are both certified, and failed miserably. I wasn’t prepared for the controlled breathing that must take place in order to dive and thus started panicking. The dive instructor had to hold my hand throughout the whole process, which embarrassed myself and in turn my family because they had to deal with my hysterics. Just like in math, I know that I can eventually improve my skill of diving. I’m going back to Saint Croix this spring break, and I hope to have another chance to dive.

After college I would also like to travel. Anthropology is what I’m focusing on here at Saint Mary’s, so I’m hoping that traveling will be in my future job description. I’ve always wanted to visit places such as New Zealand, Ireland, and Turkey. When I travel I’ve found that I learn a lot about new culture, but also about myself. You never know how you’re going to react in a different county, or how you’re going to adjust to their customs until you’re there. Through traveling I hope to further broaden my views on the world and on society itself.

One Sided Stories

The common experience lecture that I attended on Tuesday was both fascinating and informing. I have always known that people have preconceived notions of other countries and people, but I’ve never heard it be called a ‘One sided story.’ I really enjoyed the way in which the author in the video explained other’s one-sided stories about her and the ones that she had about others.

I myself have had a one sided story used against me. Two years ago I spent two weeks in Germany. The village that I stayed in was located close to an American airbase. Because the airbase was so close many of the Germans thought that all Americans were like the rowdy young airmen that they saw in the bars. They also thought that Americans were all heavy set and loud. When my sister and I would tell people that we were from America the villagers seemed shocked, because we were not like those that they had previously seen.

Through proving the German’s story wrong, I felt almost empowered in a way. I felt this because through the simple act of my presence, their stories were diminished. I’m not sure how these stories begin in the first place, but as demonstrated by my experience, people seem to generalize groups of people based on only seeing a few. The same thought was shown in Persepolis 2 when Marjane’s friends told her that there was no way that anyone would think she was a European because she looked like a ‘nun.’ The fact that they thought that all Europeans had a certain ‘look’ was misguided. In Europe I traveled to Germany, France, and Luxembourg and I saw no particular ‘style.’

I think one way we can make these stories disappear is by simply stating that they’re untrue. Literature is a great resource to get the truth out, because the fakeness behind these one-sided stories can be published. As the author in the video mentioned, once she read books by actual African writers she was able to see the beauty in her heritage. One-sided stories will probably never fully disappear, but I hope that through literature and through news reports that travel to lands where the most generalization is happening, the falsehood behind these stories will be exposed.

Persepolis 2

Venturing from Persepolis to Persepolis 2 was quite  a journey. I feel as though I have not only traveled through the various comics, but through Marjane’s life as well. The childish language that Marjane speaks in the first novel is all but eliminated in the second. It was interesting to see the character grow up both physically and mentally.

In class on Monday we discussed if the stories were a Bildungsroman and I strongly believe that it is. Through the novels Marjane’s world around her is changing, thus forcing  her to change as well. When she witnesses tragedy in her home country she sees first hand that horrible acts can be committed. In the second novel Marjane learns of her people being massacred for their beliefs. This notion puts into perspective that her homeland is no longer safe.

Marjane’s innocence is lost in the second novel as she experiments with drugs, alcohol, and boys. She marries and divorces, while learning life lessons along the way. One of those lessons is that some people do grow apart, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still live a fulfilled life by themselves.

The last scene in the second novel struck me because it paralleled the last scene of the first novel. However, this time instead of the characters faces being filled with dread and despair, they’re filled with happiness. For Marjane’s parents know that she’s making the right decision because her homeland is not the place for her to flourish. Marjane’s face is one of joy as well because she understands that although Iran will always be part of her, the events that are taking place there do not represent what she believes in in life. 

Persepolis

I have never read a real graphic novel before so, reading ‘Persepolis’ was enjoyable for me. Upon first reading I found the author’s use of graphics funny at times. The facial expressions of the characters were sometimes lighthearted, or other times serious, their faces captured their emotions whether they are joyful or devastated.

Writing about such a serious topic in the form of comics was something that I’m not used to seeing. The only other book that I’ve read about life in the Middle East is The Kite Runner, which dealt with a similar topic. However that novel was not filled with humorous pictures or light hearted moments. Because Persepolis was written in the way that it was, I think it would appeal to both children and adults, which is good, because personally I don’t think anyone should be negligent to what is happening/happened in the Middle East. I can see how some parents could be upset if their young ones buy Persepolis thinking that it will be like a normal graphic novel, only to see that it is reporting on modern events.

As far as the actual story went, I genuinely felt bad for the main character towards the end of the story. In the last chapter she is being forced to grow up at such a young age and leave her homeland and her parents behind. I couldn’t imagine leaving my family in a country with an impending war, not knowing if I’d ever see them again. The fact that her family is so willing to send her to another country captures how bad the violence is where they’re living, and how they have lost all faith in their country. The last moment where the main character looks out through the airport window and sees the injured person, solidifies her knowledge and her parents, that they’re making the right decision.