Mid-Quarter Reflection

    It's hard to believe I'm halfway through my first quarter of college. It's been a whirlwind thus far and this is not at all how I thought I would be starting this next chapter of my life a year ago. This course has felt like such a dramatic shift from high school classes, and I think it caught me off guard at first. The concept of a grading contract was completely foreign to me and this class is about three times faster than the ones I took in high school. The grading contract has definitely grown on me and I have enjoyed knowing exactly what I need to do. I think at first I was freaking out about all of my work having to be perfect, but I have come to understand that my maximum effort and completion is what is expected of me.

    I have really appreciated dialogue with my classmates so far this quarter, both in and out of class. The smaller class size makes it easier to contribute my ideas and all of my peers are similarly motivated, which allows academic discussions to reach a level that I never saw in high school. While Michelle may pose a question to start a conversation, someone may ask their own question or steer the focus in an entirely different direction. My classmates bring such unique ideas and perspectives, and bring up a lot of points I never even considered. Outside of class, I have enjoyed getting to know people even though far too many of them are Seahawk fans. Overall, I have enjoyed this class despite the new format and fast paces.

Mini-Project Reflection

    I decided to do my mini-project on the political commentary being made in Antigone and Home Fire through a comparison of King Creon and Karamat Lone. I felt like themes of government and authority stood out to me as I was reading both texts, and my research excursion where I explored Greek government helped me further understand the political climate in which both authors are writing.

    This was my first time writing a literary analysis essay in at least 8 months, so I felt a little rusty as I sat down to start writing my first draft on Tuesday morning (I'm very on top of things). Still, I felt like once I got going, my writing was pretty strong and the analysis was effective.

    I felt like the workshop process was really helpful for me as a writer. Often times, my paper seems to flow well and all the dots connect as I read to myself, but other people may struggle to see the connections that seem obvious to me. My classmates provided both specific and helpful feedback, especially on narrowing the focus of my paper. Some of the peer feedback I have had has been subpar to say the least, so I was really grateful for all of the input I got this time around.

    The topic of government is an area of interest for me, and I was able to combine that with my love of history to find a subject that was enjoyable to write about. I think the most difficult part was making sure I hit everything that I needed to in my analysis. I needed to analyze the quotes, compare and contrast Creon and Karamat, and also addressing how each author uses their leader to make political commentary. Overall, this project has been difficult and a bit stressful, but I have still largely enjoyed it.

Edwidge Danticat

     I think the most intriguing part of Danticat's writing was her incorporation of Haiti and Haitian culture. I think the majority of readers would have little to no information about the small Caribbean country. Still, the author provides vivid imagery of the nature there and gives an insight into Haiti, presenting national issues from a different perspectives.

    In her story, Danticat gives this recurring image of breathing and the struggle to do so, which seems like a reference to both coronavirus and George Floyd's death. Reading her perspective on American race issues was fascinating, and I thought she brought up some valid and interesting parallels between the issues facing Haiti. Specifically, Danticat mentions the torture and murder Yusuf Hawkins, among many others, whose story was eerily similar to those she had seen in Haiti under the dictatorship there. 

    I think that the US, a global superpower, and its citizens, tend to look down on poorer countries like Haiti. While it's true that we don't have some of the problems, it was both humbling to see that we really aren't doing better than Haiti in this sector. While we shouldn't look at Haiti as someone we should be "better" than, it is a good reminder that our country has a lot of work to do with regards to social justice.

    

Antigone Microlecture

     One thing from the microlecture that was really interesting to me was that Antigone was part of a trilogy of plays. The three plays focus on Oedipus, an Ancient Greek ruler, and his family. Antigone is the final part of these three plays and while Oedipus and his story is barely mentioned, the backstory is important in order to understand Antigone. In hindsight, I probably should have watched the microlecture before reading the first act of the play, as I was very confused as I really didn't understand what was happening and who all these people with impossible to pronounce names were.

    The story of Oedipus sounded intriguing, and when I have some free time (which seems unlikely in the next four years) I would like to read the first two plays. It would be interesting to see what themes or images run throughout the entire trilogy. One thing I came across while I was looking at these other plays was that Sophocles wrote Antigone first, which seemed strange given that it was the finale. I think it would be fascinating to see if there are hints that Sophocles worked backward while writing the plays.

Antigone and Home Fire

    There are seemingly countless countless between Home Fire and "Antigone," but I am going to focus on the similarities between King Creon and Karamat Lone. Starting with the obvious, both of these characters are the central authority in their respective texts. Furthermore, both seem to have similar ideologies when it comes to loyalty to the state. In his first address to the chorus, Creon declares, "And if a man places anything above his city in friendship, that man I think is worthy of disdain" (Sophocles 185-186). In the case of Polyneices, Creon sees this man only as an enemy of the state, and therefore anyone who shows honor or respect toward this traitor is betraying his country. When Antigone goes to bury her brother, Creon fails to see this as a sister loving her brother, but as a citizen sympathizing with an enemy and defying an order. Similarly, Karamat Lone views Parvaiz as a terrorist and enemy of Britain, in turn seeing Aneeka's desire to bury her brother as an act against the state. Both also display a stubbornness and refusal to listen when others question their policies. After Haemon tells his father that the city feels Antigone committed no crime, Creon counters, "Is a city then to dictate what my orders should be?" (Sophocles 733). Not only does Creon refuse to listen to his son, he also doesn't respect the will of the people, which should be the purpose of government. Lone faces similar opposition in Home Fire, from Eammon in his video. The chorus/city equivalent is less obvious, but I would contend that the news and media play the same role in Shamsie's novel. Despite the protests of those around them, both political figures are unwilling to change their mind regarding the burial of the brothers in each story. There are other parallels, but Shamsie clearly based Karamat Lone off of King Creon in "Antigone."

Neatline

     When I first looked at Neatline, I had no clue what the tool really was. There were so many features and options that it seemed overwhelming, and I just wanted to do the required assignment. It was in light of this that I had the amazing idea to do my first research project using Neatline. I originally wanted to do an essay on ISIS recruitment strategies, but as I started researching the subject, I found that articles generally focused on a specific area of the world. It seemed like it would be cool if I could compare and contrast these different strategies on a map, and I felt like I could do that on Neatline. So the first step was figuring out how Neatline worked, which was probably easier than my technologically-challenged self made it out to be. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out how to add an additional point with separate text, but once I figured that out, it was fairly smooth sailing. 

    What I really like about Neatline is the diversity and freedom that it provides. The map was an easy to way to provide an interactive exhibit that presented information on different areas. I didn't use the timeline feature, which I feel like could be another great tool for a research excursion. I do think that it is more engaging than say an essay, where the viewer can look at specific exhibits that they want, almost like a virtual museum. I am sure there are other features that I am not aware of yet, but I am excited to keep using Neatline throughout this quarter.

Forgiveness, Perseverance, and Getting that A

 As I started my sophomore year, I quickly realized that Chemistry Honors would be more difficult than I anticipated. The teach-yourself style and unprecedented amount of homework surprised me, and I limped to an 88% my first semester. This was disappointing, as one of the goals I had set for myself was to get an A in every  class. When I heard about an opportunity to get a grade boost through participation in the Tech Challenge, I was ecstatic. I had  participated in the competition the previous two years with my friends, and this seemed like a chance to boost my grade and have fun along the way. 

    When I found out that my friends had already signed up without me, I lost it. Furious, I isolated myself from my former companions and refused to speak to any of them. The next couple weeks were the worst of my life, as I wallowed in loneliness and self-pity. Eventually, I realized that this behavior would not improve my situation, and I decided to channel my hurt into productivity. I found a partner with whom to enter the Tech Challenge, and I got to work.

I soon discovered that once again, I had underestimated the difficulty of the task ahead. Engineering is not my strong suit, and my partner offered little support. Still, I managed to piece something together, and while I didn’t win any awards, I was proud of my design and my performance in the Tech Challenge. I got the grade boost and followed it up with a strong academic second semester to accomplish my goal. 

While the Tech Challenge itself was a significant obstacle, it paled in comparison to what I knew I had to do next: forgiving my friends. That summer, I had plenty of time to cool off and reflect, and once again, I realized that my actions did not benefit me or them. At the start of my junior year, I was able to have a tough but rewarding conversation that allowed us to work through our differences and rekindle friendships I had considered dead.

Research Excursion Reviews

    The first research project I read was Marc's, where he discussed the IRA bombing referenced in Home Fire. I knew little to nothing about the subject, or Irish history in general, coming in to the essay. I thought Marc did a great job of reminding us the context that the reference appeared in before diving into the history of the IRA. IRA stands for Irish Republican Army, and they were a group that attempted to fight British control in Ireland. This group eventually split into two groups, one that wanted to fight with honor and another that used guerilla warfare. This caused civil turmoil in Ireland, and the more radical IRA continued to attack the British even after the Angle-Irish Treaty. It was this group that bombed the bridge mentioned in the novel, and were labeled terrorists by the Irish government. I liked Marc's conclusion, that terrorists can be from any ethnic background.

    The second essay I read was by Kiana, who wrote about the hijab and both the Muslim and outside perspective of the head covering. Personally, I had little knowledge about the hijab outside of its religious significance for Muslim women. I liked how Kiana first talked about the non-religious element for Muslim women, allowing the to feel more comfortable and confident with themselves in public. From an outside perspective, the hijab seems like the representation of a religion with a bad reputation, especially following the 9/11 attacks. Unfortunately, this leads to hate crimes against Muslim women, as 75% of crimes against Muslims were women. Overall, there are both positives and negatives of the hijab, and I feel like I learned a lot about a topic of which I had little prior knowledge.

Short Stories

    I think the main difference between short stories and novels in the intentionality of the author. With a novel, there are symbols and themes written into the book, but I often feel like I am over-analyzing when I am writing my essays. Just due to the sheer volume of words, not every phrase will have the same weight or significance to these themes. With a short story, the writer must be much more intentional with their writing, as there simply isn't room for wasted words. I feel like this is exemplified in "The Walk," which is only about 5 pages. Every description and interaction serves a purpose, and something is always happening, even when describing routine activities. 

    I felt like the two short stories were relatable to my own experience during the pandemic. In "Recognition," the isolation that everyone has experienced was on full display. While not everyone moved out of my neighborhood, the friendly neighbors, the pickup games at the local park, and football matches with school friends all seemed to disappear in the span of a week. As someone who is not particularly outgoing, I empathized with the main character and her struggle to develop new relationships. I also felt like the end of "The Walk" reflected my attitude as this pandemic has continued much longer than anyone anticipated. There is this sense that things that never will get back to normal, and I feel like American culture will permanently change as a result of COVID. For example, I feel like the importance of hygiene and paranoia surrounding health will be noticeable changes. Keeping distance and even the presence of masks in public settings may find a permanent home in daily life. Overall, I feel like the stories did a good job of reflecting the experiences that everyone has/is dealing with currently.

Home Fire Structure

    When I first saw the structure of the book, the first thing that came to mind was the Rick Riordan books with a similar style, shifting from character to character. One thing I appreciated in those books and in Home Fire was the different perspectives and the way the story comes together, one piece at a time. Even though characters are in different spots all over the globe, the reader can see how everything is connected as the book progresses.

    The order of this book is also very intentional, and the way that the different characters are introduced is done in a way that enhances the story for the reader. I think the best example of this is Parvaiz, whose character develops immensely over the course of the novel. In Isma's section, he seems like this mysterious, dastardly figure who has done something unforgivable. In Eammon's part of the book, Aneeka describes him as a confused boy that has made a mistake that he regrets. Arriving at Parvaiz's perspective, we come to understand how he got in this situation and the reader can understand why both sisters feel the way that they do. Overall, the reader's perspective on Parvaiz is kind of a roller coaster, as we start out with this very negative view of him. Personally, I sympathized with Parvaiz more and more as the story went on, despite my initial impression, and I think that may have been Shamsie's goal in the layering of her story. This character who the reader never would have supported before reading the book is shown the situation from a different perspective, and realizes that they may have been too quick to judge people like Parvaiz. I never thought I would empathize with a terrorist and understand why he joined ISIS, but here I am as the result of the structure by Kamila Shamsie.

Twin Forums Experience

   I attended the panel discussing social justice in the midst of COVID, and I found that the time was very informative, covering so many topics in less than 2 hours. The topic that stuck out to me was about the yoga industry, and how they take advantage of POC while claiming to be allies of these communities. I attended an event earlier in the summer and learned about this behavior, called performative allyship. Unfortunately, this is a problem across most industries in the US, and we have all witnessed it. The first example that comes to mind is the statements we saw from the majority of companies condemning systematic racism in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. While a nice gesture, these statements don't do much to actually combat the inequality in our country. I thought the speaker did a great job of showing that while it may appear the yoga industry is standing with POC, they are really exploiting the same people they claim to support. I personally felt convicted because I am guilty of the same thing. Blackout Tuesday was a great example of this, where I and so many others expressed support for POC on social media. However, if our actions don't reflect this same sentiment, these posts of support don't mean anything, and are really to only enhance our own image. This forum made me reflect on what tangible actions would actually help combat racism. I can't think of anything huge, but small things like calling out the ignorant and hurtful comments I hear daily is a good start.