During the previous nine weeks, I did not do a very thorough and continuous job of reading. So I am making a Nine Weeks Resolution. By doing so, I have decided to force myself to get into the habit of reading AT LEAST thirty minutes everyday. To help with this, I have selected the books that I am going to read prior to the new nine weeks.
The Hunger Games: The first book that I am in the process of reading and that I had selected to read is The Hunger Games. I have heard multiple comments and reviews about this book from all different sorts of readers. And unlike most books that get "good" and "bad" statements, everything that has been said about The Hunger Games has been nothing but excellent. This book came out a while back, however I have just not gotten around to reading it. After reading the back and the first few pages of the book, I was already hooked. The concept of having to participate in a game that can result in life or death just blew my mind. It made me think about how that would effect my life if a member of my family was thrown into this game.
The Book Thief: As of now, my mom is occupying this particular book. She stole it from me. The Book Thief also was a book that had attracted my attention. Peer reviews of this book stated that it was one of their all time favorite books. This interested me and after reading the back of the book, the plot interested me as well.
The Kite Runner: I had previously tried to read this book when I was younger, however I couldn't get into it. This was mostly because it was hard to grasp the concept. During this nine weeks, I have decided to give it another shot. The writing style of the Kite Runner is unlike any other book I have read. I feel that by reading this book, I can broaden my range of understanding and it can help me better analyze other books that are written this way.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Quarter 2 Annotated Reading List
WITCH AND WIZARD
Patterson, James. Witch and Wizard. Little Brown Publishing Company, 2009. Print.
Witch and Wizard is a tale about an epic adventure about a sister and brother who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and a wizard. After being taken away, Whit and Wisty soon came to realize that they were not the only ones who were being accused of this "treachery." Thousands of other children had been kidnapped, accused, and now some were even missing. They begin fearing the worst, and are very unsure about their fate. They will stop at nothing to suppress art and magic, and just the pursuit of being a normal teenager.
I agree with the critics of this novel that the main purpose of Witch and Wizard is to describe and metaphorically explain the difficulties of being a "normal" teenager. I think that the underlying reason for writing this book was to give the teenagers who read it, something to relate to. However, the possibility of reaching the goal of a "normal" teenager is virtually impossible. We are all different, like different things, and think different ways. It may be a long, and slightly tough journey, but in the end, we will all get through it.
336 pages
THE HUNGER GAMES
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Book Publishing Company, 2008. Print.
As negative Utopias go, Suzanne Collins has created a dilly. The United States is gone. North America has become Panem, a TV-dominated dictatorship run from a city called the Capitol. The rest of Panem is divided into 12 Districts (the former 13th had the bad judgment to revolt and no longer exists). The yearly event in this "nightmare world" is a competition called the Hunger Games, a violent reality show where 24 teenagers are chosen by lottery and are forced to fight...to the death. The winner gets a life of ease. The novel leads the reader into a world that they have never witnessed before.
Collins is an efficient no-nonsense author but with a pleasantly dry sense of humor. His characters are strong, fierce, yet also lovable. The main heroine, Katniss Everdeen, lives in a desperately poor community, and when her little sister's name is chosen for the Hunger Games, her entire life takes a turn. If anything, her sister is the only one that she truly cares for, and she does not want her to compete in the life-threatening event, thus leading to Katniss volunteering to take her sister's place. Not only does she now have to compete in for a district that hasn't produced a hunger game winner in years, but she also is in the middle of a love triangle. She has the option of choosing her newly found love interest, Peeta, or she can choose her kinda-sorta crush/hunting partner, Gale. Throughout the novel, the author allows you to dig deeper into to Katniss' life and learn more about the deeper meaning and purpose of the character.
374 pages
FOUND
Haddix, Margaret. Found. Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2008. Print.
In the novel, Found, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the main character, Jonah, has always known that he was adopted. He has never thought much of this. Early on in the book, he meets and befriends a new neighbor, Chip, who he comes to find out is also adopted. Soon, they both begin receiving mysterious letters. These letters contain information and threats such as "You are one of the missing," and "Beware! They are coming back to get you." Chip, Jonah, and his sister Katherine plunge into an adventure involving the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, and an airplane that completely appeared out of nowhere. The kids become trapped, and later discover that they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip's lives.
Haddix has produced this wonderful mystery solely for the purpose of pleasing readers, and reeling them into an adventure they keeps them turning page after page. I did enjoy reading this novel, not only for its interesting plot, but also for its historical significance. Haddix includes many references to past events in history that she somehow manages to tie into the plot her book. This was a very interesting and refreshing twist to an author's writing style.
320 pages
Patterson, James. Witch and Wizard. Little Brown Publishing Company, 2009. Print.
Witch and Wizard is a tale about an epic adventure about a sister and brother who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and a wizard. After being taken away, Whit and Wisty soon came to realize that they were not the only ones who were being accused of this "treachery." Thousands of other children had been kidnapped, accused, and now some were even missing. They begin fearing the worst, and are very unsure about their fate. They will stop at nothing to suppress art and magic, and just the pursuit of being a normal teenager.
I agree with the critics of this novel that the main purpose of Witch and Wizard is to describe and metaphorically explain the difficulties of being a "normal" teenager. I think that the underlying reason for writing this book was to give the teenagers who read it, something to relate to. However, the possibility of reaching the goal of a "normal" teenager is virtually impossible. We are all different, like different things, and think different ways. It may be a long, and slightly tough journey, but in the end, we will all get through it.
336 pages
THE HUNGER GAMES
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Book Publishing Company, 2008. Print.
As negative Utopias go, Suzanne Collins has created a dilly. The United States is gone. North America has become Panem, a TV-dominated dictatorship run from a city called the Capitol. The rest of Panem is divided into 12 Districts (the former 13th had the bad judgment to revolt and no longer exists). The yearly event in this "nightmare world" is a competition called the Hunger Games, a violent reality show where 24 teenagers are chosen by lottery and are forced to fight...to the death. The winner gets a life of ease. The novel leads the reader into a world that they have never witnessed before.
Collins is an efficient no-nonsense author but with a pleasantly dry sense of humor. His characters are strong, fierce, yet also lovable. The main heroine, Katniss Everdeen, lives in a desperately poor community, and when her little sister's name is chosen for the Hunger Games, her entire life takes a turn. If anything, her sister is the only one that she truly cares for, and she does not want her to compete in the life-threatening event, thus leading to Katniss volunteering to take her sister's place. Not only does she now have to compete in for a district that hasn't produced a hunger game winner in years, but she also is in the middle of a love triangle. She has the option of choosing her newly found love interest, Peeta, or she can choose her kinda-sorta crush/hunting partner, Gale. Throughout the novel, the author allows you to dig deeper into to Katniss' life and learn more about the deeper meaning and purpose of the character.
374 pages
FOUND
Haddix, Margaret. Found. Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2008. Print.
In the novel, Found, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the main character, Jonah, has always known that he was adopted. He has never thought much of this. Early on in the book, he meets and befriends a new neighbor, Chip, who he comes to find out is also adopted. Soon, they both begin receiving mysterious letters. These letters contain information and threats such as "You are one of the missing," and "Beware! They are coming back to get you." Chip, Jonah, and his sister Katherine plunge into an adventure involving the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, and an airplane that completely appeared out of nowhere. The kids become trapped, and later discover that they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip's lives.
Haddix has produced this wonderful mystery solely for the purpose of pleasing readers, and reeling them into an adventure they keeps them turning page after page. I did enjoy reading this novel, not only for its interesting plot, but also for its historical significance. Haddix includes many references to past events in history that she somehow manages to tie into the plot her book. This was a very interesting and refreshing twist to an author's writing style.
320 pages
Monday, October 18, 2010
Socratic Seminar Reflection
After Ms. Huff gave me the assignment of the "Socratic Seminar", I became very nervous. Public speaking and being watched by my entire class is undoubtedly one of my weak points. However, once I sat down and researched my topic, I realized that the seminar was nothing to be afraid of. I found myself really getting into the topic that I was talking about, and I enjoyed getting to hear the opinions of what other people had to say. Also, unlike some people, I absolutely hate debate, thus getting to agree with my classmates and discussing a common topic was perfect for me.
Preparing for the Seminar took a lot of time and effort. I had to re-read specific parts of the book, relate the book to sources outside the text, and I had to find questions to ask that made my group mates go into a deeper meaning of thought. To be honest, the first seminar I didn't feel very prepared for, mostly because I didn't spend quite enough time on it. My fellow classmates really helped me out on this, in that they gave me a whole new opinion and new ideas to think about on my question. I learned more about the book, and I really enjoyed talking to Lauren Cambias about whether we as an individual are a John or a Mustapha Mond(I had Question 1.)
Question Two opened my brain to more of a "question-asking" technique. My topic was well researched, I had prepared an inordinately large amount of questions, and I was coming into the Socratic Seminar with a fresh mind. My favorite about this particular Seminar was getting to have more of a say in the conversation. I came out of my shell and was not afraid to put in my own two-cents.
Overall I highly enjoyed this assignment. I learned more about the novel, Brave New World, and I found a new confidence in myself that I had not yet experienced. At the beginning I was worried that I would have nothing to say, but after I got started the conversation became much easier. The only part that I would have changed about it would be to do Socratic Seminars throughout the reading of the novel. It would keep our attention towards the book, and we wouldn't have to go back and retrace our reading steps as much.
Preparing for the Seminar took a lot of time and effort. I had to re-read specific parts of the book, relate the book to sources outside the text, and I had to find questions to ask that made my group mates go into a deeper meaning of thought. To be honest, the first seminar I didn't feel very prepared for, mostly because I didn't spend quite enough time on it. My fellow classmates really helped me out on this, in that they gave me a whole new opinion and new ideas to think about on my question. I learned more about the book, and I really enjoyed talking to Lauren Cambias about whether we as an individual are a John or a Mustapha Mond(I had Question 1.)
Question Two opened my brain to more of a "question-asking" technique. My topic was well researched, I had prepared an inordinately large amount of questions, and I was coming into the Socratic Seminar with a fresh mind. My favorite about this particular Seminar was getting to have more of a say in the conversation. I came out of my shell and was not afraid to put in my own two-cents.
Overall I highly enjoyed this assignment. I learned more about the novel, Brave New World, and I found a new confidence in myself that I had not yet experienced. At the beginning I was worried that I would have nothing to say, but after I got started the conversation became much easier. The only part that I would have changed about it would be to do Socratic Seminars throughout the reading of the novel. It would keep our attention towards the book, and we wouldn't have to go back and retrace our reading steps as much.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Refelection of Independent Reading
After coming back to school from the long, enjoyable summer vacation I lost all of my will to continuously find reading time. Reading is one of those events that we have to make time to do, it doesn't just happen.
Ms. Huff's assignment and challenge of forcing me to make time to read and reflect on the overall picture of what I read was a very good experience. It made me go into deeper thought and meaning which made the novels and articles that I read more enjoyable. This assignment did help me establish a habit of reading at least thirty minutes every night. It turns out that I actually enjoy getting to have a little bit of "chill" time before bed every night to put my mind into a totally different world.
I now have a new daily routine. Every night, before I climb into bed I go to the comfiest chair in the house with a big cup of hot chocolate and I begin to read. The calming, quiet atmosphere keeps me focused, and Ms. Huffs advice about reflecting on the piece that I am reading makes the overall experience more enjoyable.
My analytical thinking has been brought to a whole new level. I have now began digging under the surface of just the black and white words of the text. I ask questions, I make connections, and I even do research that help me fuller understand the passage or book that I am reading.
Ms. Huff's assignment and challenge of forcing me to make time to read and reflect on the overall picture of what I read was a very good experience. It made me go into deeper thought and meaning which made the novels and articles that I read more enjoyable. This assignment did help me establish a habit of reading at least thirty minutes every night. It turns out that I actually enjoy getting to have a little bit of "chill" time before bed every night to put my mind into a totally different world.
I now have a new daily routine. Every night, before I climb into bed I go to the comfiest chair in the house with a big cup of hot chocolate and I begin to read. The calming, quiet atmosphere keeps me focused, and Ms. Huffs advice about reflecting on the piece that I am reading makes the overall experience more enjoyable.
My analytical thinking has been brought to a whole new level. I have now began digging under the surface of just the black and white words of the text. I ask questions, I make connections, and I even do research that help me fuller understand the passage or book that I am reading.
Monday, October 11, 2010
First Quarter Annotated Reading List
BRAVE NEW WORLD
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.
Brave New World is a story about a Utopian society that genetically picks and chooses what your going to be in life from the moment of birth. Children in this society are bred and made through an assembly line process of selective breeding. Before the are even living, they already have their social class and their entire personality decided for them. People are taught from the moment of birth that no one has intimate relationships, that sex and marriage is just a regular everyday event. However, like in all Utopian societies, not everyone can be happy. Bernard Marx, an unusual figure that is different from everyone else in the society, is one of those people. The age old battle of the fine line between Utopia and Dystopia is fully expressed in this novel. The characters are deep and difficult to completely understand, but throughout the book, the learn about their true selves. I did enjoy reading Brave New World for its spin on how complete control can affect a society. The novel gave me a whole new perspective on the control and sameness of a community. It made me realize how thankful I am for the diversity and unique-ness that we as a society are allowed to keep and have today. (259 pages)
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Austen, Jane, and Pat Rogers. Pride and Prejudice. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. Print.
Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice, is a chivalrous, romantic story about a relationship that broadens and grows between two people of completely different backgrounds. Elizabeth Bennett, a girl of manners but also of sharp wit, comes from a family of five daughters. All they want in society is to marry a handsome, wealthy man and live a happy and carefree life. However, unlike her vain sisters, Elizabeth wants to marry someone out of love and not out of forcible choice. Her dearest sister Jane throughout the novel slowly falls in love with a rich, gentleman named Mr. Bingley. With him he brings his spiteful and sarcastic friend, Mr. Darcy. Darcy and Elizabeth share a common dry wit, but other than that they can not stand each other, yet they are a bit enamored of one another. As the novel progresses, they grow closer and soon it is a love and a relationship that neither of them will ever forget. Out of all the books that I read this quarter, this one was by far my favorite. The humor used throughout the novel had me laughing out loud at times, and the characters were absolutely adorable. The pure chivalry and old-time romance of this novel tore at my heart strings. Though the 1800s style writing is occasionally difficult to understand, the overall meaning of the book is one that I will most likely want to experience again. (312 pages)
WHEN IT HAPPENS
Colasanti, Susane. When It Happens. New York: Viking, 2006. Print
Sara wants to find true love. Tobey wants to make Sara fall in love with him. At first glance, it seems like the perfect match. But, the first guy that truly catches Sara's eye is Dave, the handsome, young athlete. In the novel, all Sara wants and dreams of is for Dave to realize that she exists, but for some strange reason she can't get her mind off Tobey. He understands all of the little things that matter to her in life, and more importantly, he feels like something real. When It Happens is a story of two completely opposite high school students finding true love in a person that they never expected. This was an excellent book. It may have only been a "candy read" but the characters were lovable, the events of the story were easy to relate to, and the writing style was enjoyable. The author switched perspectives throughout each chapter of the novel, and it gives the readers to understand both sides of the story. One side from the girl, and one side from the boy. It was really easy to get into this book, and my favorite part, was the romance of it. I'm always a sucker for a cute, high school, teenage book about a "lovey-dovey" relationship. I would definitely recommend this book to any girl who likes reading about the stress and drama of everyday high school life. (320 pages)
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.
Brave New World is a story about a Utopian society that genetically picks and chooses what your going to be in life from the moment of birth. Children in this society are bred and made through an assembly line process of selective breeding. Before the are even living, they already have their social class and their entire personality decided for them. People are taught from the moment of birth that no one has intimate relationships, that sex and marriage is just a regular everyday event. However, like in all Utopian societies, not everyone can be happy. Bernard Marx, an unusual figure that is different from everyone else in the society, is one of those people. The age old battle of the fine line between Utopia and Dystopia is fully expressed in this novel. The characters are deep and difficult to completely understand, but throughout the book, the learn about their true selves. I did enjoy reading Brave New World for its spin on how complete control can affect a society. The novel gave me a whole new perspective on the control and sameness of a community. It made me realize how thankful I am for the diversity and unique-ness that we as a society are allowed to keep and have today. (259 pages)
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Austen, Jane, and Pat Rogers. Pride and Prejudice. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. Print.
Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice, is a chivalrous, romantic story about a relationship that broadens and grows between two people of completely different backgrounds. Elizabeth Bennett, a girl of manners but also of sharp wit, comes from a family of five daughters. All they want in society is to marry a handsome, wealthy man and live a happy and carefree life. However, unlike her vain sisters, Elizabeth wants to marry someone out of love and not out of forcible choice. Her dearest sister Jane throughout the novel slowly falls in love with a rich, gentleman named Mr. Bingley. With him he brings his spiteful and sarcastic friend, Mr. Darcy. Darcy and Elizabeth share a common dry wit, but other than that they can not stand each other, yet they are a bit enamored of one another. As the novel progresses, they grow closer and soon it is a love and a relationship that neither of them will ever forget. Out of all the books that I read this quarter, this one was by far my favorite. The humor used throughout the novel had me laughing out loud at times, and the characters were absolutely adorable. The pure chivalry and old-time romance of this novel tore at my heart strings. Though the 1800s style writing is occasionally difficult to understand, the overall meaning of the book is one that I will most likely want to experience again. (312 pages)
WHEN IT HAPPENS
Colasanti, Susane. When It Happens. New York: Viking, 2006. Print
Sara wants to find true love. Tobey wants to make Sara fall in love with him. At first glance, it seems like the perfect match. But, the first guy that truly catches Sara's eye is Dave, the handsome, young athlete. In the novel, all Sara wants and dreams of is for Dave to realize that she exists, but for some strange reason she can't get her mind off Tobey. He understands all of the little things that matter to her in life, and more importantly, he feels like something real. When It Happens is a story of two completely opposite high school students finding true love in a person that they never expected. This was an excellent book. It may have only been a "candy read" but the characters were lovable, the events of the story were easy to relate to, and the writing style was enjoyable. The author switched perspectives throughout each chapter of the novel, and it gives the readers to understand both sides of the story. One side from the girl, and one side from the boy. It was really easy to get into this book, and my favorite part, was the romance of it. I'm always a sucker for a cute, high school, teenage book about a "lovey-dovey" relationship. I would definitely recommend this book to any girl who likes reading about the stress and drama of everyday high school life. (320 pages)
Annotated Bibliograpy Articles
1918, By. "The Henry Ford: The Life of Henry Ford." The Henry Ford: America's Greatest History Attraction Home Page. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.
Henry Ford's contributions to the manufacturing world are still used and talked about today. In this article, the author discusses Henry Ford's early life, inventions, and even how those specific inventions have affected our world today. After reading the article, I learned more about his invention of the assembly line. It has made our process of manufacturing and society today much more efficient and easier to use. He also invented the "Model T" which was one of the first cars of our time. No wonder that the people of Brave New World referred to him as their God. The article, "The Life of Henry Ford", states the known facts during Henry Ford's most successful time. It shows all of his background information and the history around his time, so I would definitely consider the article to be very reliable. It was also was helpful, in that it helped me fully understand the book and the reason behind making Henry Ford a very important leader figure in the novel. The connections I made between the article and Brave New World were mostly about his importance. Henry Ford was probably considered a very important character in the book because of his contributions to the assembly line, and in the novel the reproduction system used most of the same ideas and processes that his invention had started. They thought of him as "God" for his help in creating their "Utopian" society.
Black, By Edwin. "The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics." History News Network. 24 Nov. 2003. Web. 10 Oct. 2010.
The article, "The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics", explains the the idea of creating the perfect child that swept the world during Hitler's reign. He believed that all children and infants should be white, blond-haired, and blue-eyed. And with the use of scientific research, they could genetically mold and create this type of child so that all would be equal. The article discusses the roots of eugenics, the study of methods improving genetic quality by selective breeding, why having these appearances were so important during this time. The topic of eugenics for me however is that it is pointless, and that people should be happy with what they are blessed with. After reading this source, it seemed to me to be more of an opinion. But Edwin Black's use of historical facts further explains in detail the reasoning behind Hitler's decisions. His thinking broadened my perspective and it also gave me more of an understanding of the real meaning of Eugenics. In relation to Brave New World, the article shows the "assembly line reproduction" that is discussed in the novel. In Brave New World, the community had a set place for everyone, and everyone was the same. During Hitler's time, all the wanted was for them to have the completely perfect society, and to achieve this they had to have total control. Do you think that genetically changing a child's DNA just to fit another persons wants is right?
"Indian Reservations." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.
After reading the novel, and researching different topics, one topic that I was particularly interested in was Indian Reservations. I wanted to learn more about where they started and for what reason they were such a big part of history. I located an article about Indian Reservations that briefly stated the whereabouts of these strange locations. Apparently, the invention of reservations mainly began in the 1920's with Andrew Jackson who was the first political leader to suggest an area of land specifically for Indian use. "Indian Reservations" describes the push and pull of emotional and political arguments that occurred over the years before deciding on the final policy of a "reservation." Many Indian tribes were involved in the decisions of the reservation. They all had specific details that they wanted to be carried out, and so it made it difficult to come to a compromise. I read this article after finishing the novel. I wanted more insight into the background of a reservation. My evaluation of this article is that it was very helpful in my understanding of the topic that I was willing to research. It was very similar to my research about Eugenics, and it made me realize a deeper meaning in the book.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction - InfoFacts - NIDA." Understanding Drug Abuse. June-July 2004. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.
My final article that I researched that was in relation to Brave New World was about the topic of drug addiction. It discusses the reasons and the scientific reason behind drug addiction. Contrary to popular belief, drug addiction is a disease and not just a "social problem." Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society, and have seriously affected our future as we know it. The part of the article that I found most interesting however is the reasons why some people get addicted while others do not. This article was very helpful, in that it not only explained the mental state of drug abuse, but it also described the medical and scientific reasoning behind it. Other readers of this article should take note that it is important to understand all of the facts of a topic and not start immediately jumping to conclusions. The connection made between the "Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction" article and the novel, Brave New World, is the discussion of soma. In the book, soma is a drug that everyone in the society takes to get rid of all unhappy or horrible feelings. They take it whenever they feel like it. Is this not just another form of drug addiction, even though it is making you happy?
Observing, By. "Utopia and Dystopia." Scuola "S. Cannizzaro" Web. 10 Oct. 2010.
Quin Shuo's article, Utopia and Dystopia, gives the true definitions of the words and relates it back to the novel 1984. The definition of Utopia "describes an imaginary world in which it is effective to the social justice and the rules and principles are underlined that guarantee it." And the polar opposite of the that, a Dystopia, is "an indefinite world in which the contradictions brings to a pessimistic vision of the future." The author of this article explains what to look for in a book that contains the topic of Utopia vs. Dystopia. He shows the main points that each type of society has, and how it connects to the other. However, it is not only a recent high point in modern discussions, these types conversations and writing styles have been occurring for centuries, even since Plato. If I had to explain this article to another reader, I would describe how the two society's differ so much, but are still connected in novels in some way. Taking into consideration the overall picture of this assignment, this article gave me more insight into the meaning and definitions of Utopia and Dystopia. Since it related more to the fictional novel part of the topic, I didn't really learn too much about how it connects to our world now. Unlike the previous source, this article helped my own personal understanding instead of the modern day meaning of it. However, this article helped me make great connections to the novel, Brave New World. In the novel, the society of Brave New World is considered to be Utopic, while the Reservation is considered to be the Dystopia. But after finishing the novel, the two worlds were almost synonymous with each other.
Henry Ford's contributions to the manufacturing world are still used and talked about today. In this article, the author discusses Henry Ford's early life, inventions, and even how those specific inventions have affected our world today. After reading the article, I learned more about his invention of the assembly line. It has made our process of manufacturing and society today much more efficient and easier to use. He also invented the "Model T" which was one of the first cars of our time. No wonder that the people of Brave New World referred to him as their God. The article, "The Life of Henry Ford", states the known facts during Henry Ford's most successful time. It shows all of his background information and the history around his time, so I would definitely consider the article to be very reliable. It was also was helpful, in that it helped me fully understand the book and the reason behind making Henry Ford a very important leader figure in the novel. The connections I made between the article and Brave New World were mostly about his importance. Henry Ford was probably considered a very important character in the book because of his contributions to the assembly line, and in the novel the reproduction system used most of the same ideas and processes that his invention had started. They thought of him as "God" for his help in creating their "Utopian" society.
Black, By Edwin. "The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics." History News Network. 24 Nov. 2003. Web. 10 Oct. 2010.
The article, "The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics", explains the the idea of creating the perfect child that swept the world during Hitler's reign. He believed that all children and infants should be white, blond-haired, and blue-eyed. And with the use of scientific research, they could genetically mold and create this type of child so that all would be equal. The article discusses the roots of eugenics, the study of methods improving genetic quality by selective breeding, why having these appearances were so important during this time. The topic of eugenics for me however is that it is pointless, and that people should be happy with what they are blessed with. After reading this source, it seemed to me to be more of an opinion. But Edwin Black's use of historical facts further explains in detail the reasoning behind Hitler's decisions. His thinking broadened my perspective and it also gave me more of an understanding of the real meaning of Eugenics. In relation to Brave New World, the article shows the "assembly line reproduction" that is discussed in the novel. In Brave New World, the community had a set place for everyone, and everyone was the same. During Hitler's time, all the wanted was for them to have the completely perfect society, and to achieve this they had to have total control. Do you think that genetically changing a child's DNA just to fit another persons wants is right?
"Indian Reservations." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.
After reading the novel, and researching different topics, one topic that I was particularly interested in was Indian Reservations. I wanted to learn more about where they started and for what reason they were such a big part of history. I located an article about Indian Reservations that briefly stated the whereabouts of these strange locations. Apparently, the invention of reservations mainly began in the 1920's with Andrew Jackson who was the first political leader to suggest an area of land specifically for Indian use. "Indian Reservations" describes the push and pull of emotional and political arguments that occurred over the years before deciding on the final policy of a "reservation." Many Indian tribes were involved in the decisions of the reservation. They all had specific details that they wanted to be carried out, and so it made it difficult to come to a compromise. I read this article after finishing the novel. I wanted more insight into the background of a reservation. My evaluation of this article is that it was very helpful in my understanding of the topic that I was willing to research. It was very similar to my research about Eugenics, and it made me realize a deeper meaning in the book.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction - InfoFacts - NIDA." Understanding Drug Abuse. June-July 2004. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.
My final article that I researched that was in relation to Brave New World was about the topic of drug addiction. It discusses the reasons and the scientific reason behind drug addiction. Contrary to popular belief, drug addiction is a disease and not just a "social problem." Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society, and have seriously affected our future as we know it. The part of the article that I found most interesting however is the reasons why some people get addicted while others do not. This article was very helpful, in that it not only explained the mental state of drug abuse, but it also described the medical and scientific reasoning behind it. Other readers of this article should take note that it is important to understand all of the facts of a topic and not start immediately jumping to conclusions. The connection made between the "Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction" article and the novel, Brave New World, is the discussion of soma. In the book, soma is a drug that everyone in the society takes to get rid of all unhappy or horrible feelings. They take it whenever they feel like it. Is this not just another form of drug addiction, even though it is making you happy?
Observing, By. "Utopia and Dystopia." Scuola "S. Cannizzaro" Web. 10 Oct. 2010.
Quin Shuo's article, Utopia and Dystopia, gives the true definitions of the words and relates it back to the novel 1984. The definition of Utopia "describes an imaginary world in which it is effective to the social justice and the rules and principles are underlined that guarantee it." And the polar opposite of the that, a Dystopia, is "an indefinite world in which the contradictions brings to a pessimistic vision of the future." The author of this article explains what to look for in a book that contains the topic of Utopia vs. Dystopia. He shows the main points that each type of society has, and how it connects to the other. However, it is not only a recent high point in modern discussions, these types conversations and writing styles have been occurring for centuries, even since Plato. If I had to explain this article to another reader, I would describe how the two society's differ so much, but are still connected in novels in some way. Taking into consideration the overall picture of this assignment, this article gave me more insight into the meaning and definitions of Utopia and Dystopia. Since it related more to the fictional novel part of the topic, I didn't really learn too much about how it connects to our world now. Unlike the previous source, this article helped my own personal understanding instead of the modern day meaning of it. However, this article helped me make great connections to the novel, Brave New World. In the novel, the society of Brave New World is considered to be Utopic, while the Reservation is considered to be the Dystopia. But after finishing the novel, the two worlds were almost synonymous with each other.
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