My Amazing Professor

From day one professor Wesley kept it real from the jump. I won't lie it took me a while to open up and I think that now that it is almost over I'm still learning to open up, but I'm more open then I use to be. Professor Wesley taught me to write what I feel and not to leave things out just because of afraid to express myself. She helped improve my writing skills. Now I think more outside of the box, and I actually use words that add a little flavor to my writing. She taught me how to follow a strict writing format and style which I feel I wasn't taught properly in high school. The way we plan out and look up information for our papers really makes the writing process so much easier. Professor Wesley would have me rolling in laughter in class because of how she would make everybody get all emotional bout certain topics she would bring up. It was just funny how people responded to her questions. I'm not going to lie though, those papers we did would have me up all night. I would be trying my best to stay awake in class the next day, but it was so hard and I would get so mad when professor Wesley said, " yall need to wake up and stop acting like what I'm saying isn't interesting" I would be thinking, " It's not that your not interesting I'm just tired from typing your 8 page paper." Lol but in all it was a great experience. I have no regrets coming to model scholars. It was tough, but it was worth the experience and I think it will make the fall seem so much better.

My Research

In the Library I had a lot of trouble finding the books I wanted to use for my research. I looked everywhere possible for my subject on "Absent Fathers" I found some philosophy books about children's behavior, but nothing really pinpointed on what I was talking about. I found this non- fiction book called "Sons On Fathers" It was about this child who strongly admired is dad, until their parents had a divorce and he hasn't seen him for three years and felt like he was a stranger. I think this book shows how even children that do have their fathers in there lives, are effected when their fathers are gone due to the cause of an unexpected situation between the mother and father. I also looked up two articles about the emotional and the long term outcome of children that have missing fathers. Both articles really get into the racial aspect of missing fathers, since African American's seem to be the the first thing you think about when it comes to missing or absent fathers. It also elaborates on the burden the mother bares from having to take on the full responsibility both a mother and father would have to carry, while she and her children are healing from the fathers absents.          

Arguments and Opinions

Today's discussions were heated. The Trevon Martin case brought up a lot of emotions. Mostly everybody felt Zimmerman should be in jail, and felt that the choice to let him go was do to racism. A girl stated in front of a group of a all white jury that he called her a cracker. I feel like that had a big impact on the case. I'm going to go look up that interview we watched in class about Trevon's step mother. I feel like if I watched the rest of it I will have a better understanding why the case ended the way it did. Though either way I feel like it ended the wrong way regardless. The argumentative essay discussions are really helping me gather ideas about what I want to write about. I really want to make sure when I write that first introduction paragraph that I spark a plug in my readers mind, whether they agree or disagree. When I state my argument I want the reader to feel as if they have no choice but to give a reply to my statement. So I will make sure I bring up every possible detail and answer to any question or counter argument that can be brought up. That way just like my Professor said " Make them a believer." and that's what I intend to do.

Argumentative Writting

To day in class I see that in order to create a good argumentative writing essay I need to grab the readers attention. By having a interesting statement that can create a hot topic that can be discussed with various opinions. Thinking outside the box is the key to making a good paper. Sometimes me as a student will get caught up in the logical aspect of my paper and forget to talk about broad subjects that can be incorporated into my paper adding some depth to it. In order for me to make my paper broader I need to make sure I state a claim. Look at the bigger picture, and take topics that aren't directly in the story, but can still be related to it. It has to bring up every debatable question, and identify them. While at the same time making sure my statements can be backed up by research can be backed up by reliable scholarly people and resources. So any kind of real life situation that goes on regularly can be used as a theme to help me elaborate more on the subject. Lastly I want to make sure I make the reader a believer of my argument. I need to make my argument so convincing that I can change my readers opinion to agree with me.

The cause of Teenage Violence

Of course I do believe that video games,music, and technology is part of the reason violence is such a problem now these day. So much time and energy is spent on the internet or playing games that social behavior isn't even a factor in their life in some cases. Sometimes not be sociable can do something to a child's mind, because just about every human being has a urge to associate with other human beings. And when there not able to do so it effects them mentally. Though at the same time I can't say all technology is the blame for violence and anti social children. Sometimes you have to look at the mind of that individual. Its not always just the technology, but the persons mental state. But we can't just blame technology, I mean sometimes it's just the content of the things you choose to entertain yourself with. It could even be a book, if it's violent and contains a lot of graphic imagery I'm sure it could have the same effect as playing a video game or watching a T.V. show. Look at the book Macbeth, it's considered a great book and is used in schools to teach children, but yet this book contains bloody violence, murder, and sex. But since it's a book the world doesn't view it as bad as playing a violent video game or watching a violent T.V. program. I feel like all sources of entertainment effects us in a way, but we can just blame it on the entertainment at some time we have to look at the mental state of the individual as well. Everybody has a choice when it comes to taking a violent action, so we can't just point fingers at technology because technology didn't make the choice for them.

1965 The end

Things seemed to be getting better in the Bottom. Its good that people are mixing together I think that's how it should be anyways. I think diversity in a community makes people more well rounded, and they say you imitate the people you hang around. And that's exactly what happened, a lot of the black people had good jobs and were doing well for themselves. Not only that but they were well educated, one of them was a junior high school mathematics teacher. Nels life seem so simple after things when down with Sula. It was almost like she settled for what she had and didn't strive for anything better. I would have at least tried to better myself and do things to make myself happy. I was kind of surprised Nel was even thinking about Eva after Sula's death. Eva seemed like the last person that might be on Nels mind. But Eva's bluntness seem to open Nels mind to the truth, and it helped her to understand herself better. Nel seemed blind to the truth about herself as if she was living a lie her whole life. But now she has come to term with her feelings and is able to show her feelings about her long gone friend Sula.

1941 the summary

Death

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1941 Death

I know Sula wasn't everybody's favorite but it sure seemed like everybody was happy when she died. It seemed like nobody even felt just a little bad about it. I mean dang someone died, I don't think anybodies death is a good situation. Even if they were the baddest person in the world. I think it was just because they no longer have a threat or anybody to talk about and blame things on anymore. The bad thing is once Sula died, the women no longer held on to there husbands basically everybody reverted back to their old ways. Which means they really didn't learn from that mistake. I think that's really messed up though. So the only reason everybody stuck together because they thought Sula was that big of a threat. It would of been nice to know they continued holding each other close even after Sula's death. After Sula's death it seemed like good things seemed to start happening. Like the work on the tunnel letting African Americans work on it. I'm sure that helped out a lot of the Bottom people since most of them couldn't work during the cold weather and kids were getting sick as well. But despite the good that was happening there was a lot of death. I really wasn't expecting the Dewey's to die in the tunnel, everybody else didn't really surprise me, though that was still a lot of people that died.

1940 It comes out the closet

I'm kind of surprised that Nel decided to visit Sula in her sick condition even though she messed up there friendship. She even did her a favor and got her medicine for her from the drug store. It just seems like she sucked up her emotions and was trying to be the bigger person in a way. Then again she had about three years to recover from that situation. Though I have a feeling some emotions were still roaming inside of her because she asked bout why she slept with Jude. It must of been tough to not only sit there and help the person you once called your friend, but to also ask her why she felt it was alright to have sex with her husband. In a way it seems like she's just trying to get the truth out of her so she will have a sense of peace because she knows why Sula did it now. Its crazy to me how Sula doesn't have any regrets about her life at all. If I knew that pretty much everybody in my town hated me and disliked me, calling me out of my name and, making up over exaggerated stories to make me look as if I'm a devils child, I would be pretty upset. I'd feel like something about me has to change because I couldn't deal with people taking bout me behind my back. Then again I'm not Sula so I can't expect a character in a story to think like me. I wish she would have died with a little more humility and heart felt repentance about the things she did that were actually wrong.

Lonliness

1939 Karma

Its pretty cool how the actions of one person can change a person or even a whole group of people. In "Sula" that was the case in this chapter. When Sula's actions such as taking others peoples husbands, and causing havoc in the community made everybody come together and really take care of one another instead of letting Sula come between them. It seems like a revolution has come and the people have learned how to deal with this Sula situation. But at the same time I cant help but notice how many of the things that people claimed Sula did were either made up or exaggerated in a way. Like the flock of robins that invaded the town, now who knows that might have been a coincident. Also the situation were Teapot came to Sula's door asking for bottles, and he fell. Then Teapots momma claimed Sula pushed him. That was just messed up and wrong, even if Sula is a bad person she shouldn't lie about her. Especially since she not that much better because she is a drunk mother that never takes care of her child. That's why he had a fractured bone because she doesn't even feed him. Karma is a bitch because that's what Sula is and karma is exactly what came to her. Her and Ajax didn't end up the way she expected, but I don't even why she even fell in love with him knowing he has other women to fall back on. So when Ajax left her I felt like that's what she gets because she was doing the same thing to others so now she knows how it feels. Like I said its Karma.

Betrayal

1937 Broken bonds

So the entire chapter was so disrespectful. The things Sula said to her own mother was almost unbelievable. Sula told her mother that she would kill her like she did Plum. I'm sitting there thinking if I would of told my mother something like that, I wouldn't have even woke up to see tomorrow. At the same time I could understand why Sula would be mad, because Eva did kill her son who is also Sula's brother. Nel and Sula's relationship seemed so fake though. When Sula come back It seemed like her and Nel were still good friends. They talked bout a lot of stuff although Sula stayed off the subject of her college experience. And not to long after that Sula starts flirting with with Nels husband, and then has sex with him. I just don't understand what over the course of time would make Sula change so much to betray her friend like that. Although in the previous chapters you could always tell something wasn't completely right with her. I can't believe the way Nel reacted when she caught Jude and Sula having sex. She just stood there and said in her head it might be some misunderstanding. I'm like forget all that noise, there isn't no type of misunderstanding. If that was me somebody would of be in jail that day just saying.

Broken Bonds

1927 Drifting apart

This chapter to me symbolizes the changes that usually occur after high school. I lot of different things are thrown at you after you graduate high school. People you once called your best friend are no longer that. You don't see everyone you once associated with. Others are moving or going to college and you never see them again. Then the rest are either getting married or got pregnant and have to stay in there town to support a family. All this seems to the changes that happened with Nel and Sula. The only thing is that Sula is going to college and is leaving Nel but she doesn't want to, Nel is also getting married at the time so both have started changing as they take different paths in there life. This is so similar to how life is after graduating I felt distant from a lot of my friends. I don't even stay in contact with a lot of them. I only keep in touch with about two. But this chapter was easy to relate with because it is a transition I'm going through right now. Its just a shame in the story that Sula didn't say anything to Nel before she left, I tried to visited as many of my friends as possible before I left.

1923 What a surprise

1923 was a plot twister. Especially the end of it. So far it seems like everybody is killing each other in this book, even family members. I couldn't kill my own blood ( someone that I'm related to) even if they was doing something wrong and I felt they should die before they end up a certain way. Even though Eva's intentions were good I still think it's wrong to kill regardless of the situation. Eva's explanation for why she killed Plum just seemed stupid. I mean I can understand what she is saying but I still don't agree with it. I wouldn't want him to suffer either, but I wouldn't have burned him to death, that's just as bad in my book. When Eva and Hannah were talking about that dream, I honestly didn't think much of it I ended up having to come back and reread about it. But it's kind of funny how it ended up being a big part of the whole story. Hannah dieing was completely unexpected. Like when she was burning from the fire and was saved by Mr. and Mrs. Suggs I thought she was going to be good after that. I was expecting Eva and Hannah to be in the hospital and get there injuries treated, and I guess that's why Hannah's death came as a shock to me.

1922 Perverts

First of all I'd like to know what does pig meat mean? It was probably there slang back in that time, but it sounds funny and doesn't sound anything close to what I would consider a compliment.  The guys seem kinda perverted. But  most of that stuff still happens even now so its not a big surprise. But its still a little weird especially that part were it talks about " peeking at their cotton underwear" lol like who does that. When I read about how the Irish kids use to pick on the black kids I was like dang what if it was the other way around they wouldn't be doing what there doing. But when Nel stood up for herself and scared those two Irish kids away by cutting her finger and telling the " if i can do this to myself just imagine what I would do to you. I was like dang she's a bad ass. But I would never cut my own finger, that's crazy and it hurts. When Mrs. Wright was telling Nel to pull her nose I was wondered if pulling your nose actually worked, it seems kind of stupid to me. I'm still a little confused on why Chicken drowned. I mean why didn't anybody go save him. It just didn't make no sense to me but I guess that's a story for you.

1921 The Crazyness

The beginning of the 1921 chapter of “Sula” reminded me of some of those crazy reality TV shows, or the black stereotypes you sometimes here like how they say father’s day in Harlem is a confusing day for black people. It’s just the fact that Boyboy just got up and left his wife and kids. Then when he did come back he wasn’t even a half bit concerned about how the kids were or ask to see how they’ve been holding up without a father. He didn’t even give her any money to help feed the children. She had to go and ask her neighbors for what they had and sometimes they couldn’t always help.  And the worst part is he actually felt it was ok to bring another woman and have her stand outside while he was visiting. It’s just funny because stuff like this still happens even today. It kind of shows that not to many things are different from the past. I mean a lot has changed but some things are still going on that has happed in the past. But I can tell she would do anything for her kids, It kind of reminds me of the Tyler Perry movies and there crazy relationship stories with a strong single mother.

1920 What stuck out

1920 of Sula It felt like a struggle. When I was reading the part about how Helen and her daughter were going on a trip to the south. Everything they were going through just seemed like it would be to much for me. I couldn't travel having to worry bout if my way of transportation is for colored or non colored people, and having people stare at me because the color of my skin or because I don't fit in with the racial standards of my skin color. When I read the part about how there was no bathroom on the train I was like dang that has to suck, having to hold it in the whole ride. I'm just sitting asking my self how could you do that? I probably would of gave up and let it out. I'm glad I'm not a girl though cause when I read that part about how they had to learn how to squat and use the bathroom, I was glad I can stand up. It was kind of nasty though because it was talking about how they had to learn to squat the right way cause if they didn't there urine would drip down there stalking or whatever it is called. I was kind of curious though how Nel's grandmother died because they said she died when she was forty something, that was crazy to me.

1919 best moments

When the story began in 1919 the description in the book when it talked about world war II gave me a clear vision of what was happening I actually felt like I was there. Like when I first read about how the guy in the war was running and his brain was falling out It just reminded me of the movie " Major Pain" and " Forest Gump" but " Forest Gump" is more relative when I think of chapter 1919 of "Sula" , because of that one scene in the movie where forest goes to save his higher up when he call for an air attack and his legs were dead so he couldn't get away before the bombing. When it comes to " Major Payne" It reminded me of the first scene of the movie where Major Payne was in war and his friend's legs got blown off and he was screaming in pain. He said " I can't feel my legs" and that part always makes me laugh, But then he Major Payne says, " Want to know a trick to take your mind off that pain?" and he snaps his finger and breaks it. I don't know why both those parts of the movie stand out when it comes to this part of "Sula". I was confused the whole chapter of 1919 though, I didn't know if Shadrack had hands or not. It seemed very contradicting because one moment he couldn't even tie his shoes and the next moment he's pulling the sheets on over himself.