MLA Style

Deery, June. "Science for feminists: Margaret Atwood's body of knowledge.” Twentieth Century Literature 43.4 (1997): 470-486. Humanities Module, ProQuest. Web. 22 Jul. 2010.
I really enjoyed this article because it puts Margaret Atwood’s writing in more of a scientific perspective. Atwood has a way to describe worldly- issues and the discrimination against woman, in more of a broad light. Atwood describes the pain and corruption through time, energy, and matter. I will use this article to explain Atwood’s language with a deeper meaning.

Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty. "Feminist Movement." The Reader's Companion to American History. Dec. 1 1991: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 Jul 2010.
This article tells of what was going on in the early sixties in society rather than just the political view. It explains not only what all the National Organization of Women had to battle, but it also talks about the backlash of what happened because of this revolt. I will use this in Atwood’s paper to put these issues in a different perspective because these are the things that effected Atwood directly; being the time she was pursuing her education.

Friedan, Betty. "The National Organization for Women's 1966 Statement of Purpose." The National Organization of Women. N.p., 1966. Web. 23 Jul 2010. .

Betty Friedan is one of the founders of The National Organization for Women (NOW). This site that I found argues the laws against women in the early sixties. During this time period women were thought to be solely homemakers and raising children. It also talks about sex discrimination in the workplace. I will use this source in my essay because Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaids Tale, the women are not allowed to work and the men are. This source explains that women and men need to be treated equally. The website is updated almost daily, and NOW is the most easily recognized contributor to the Women’s Rights Movement. With over 500,000 members, chapters in all 50 states, and 44 years of history, they seem to be a very well- known and respected organization. In addition, the founder of NOW, Betty Friedan, wrote The Feminine Mystique, which helped to spark the feminist movement. In the early days of the organization they helped in enforcing Title VII of the civil rights act, which helped end gender discrimination in the workplace. Friedan was also a founding member of the National Abortion Rights Action League in 1969. In 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion.


Below is the image at: www.womansavers.com/women-who-changed-history.asp



Here is a link to quotes from Betty Friedan. This web site also has a link to her biography.
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/betty_friedan.htm

Women's Rights

Image found at:
http://lauramscott.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/last-few-buttons/

Topic Proposal

For Essay #3, I will write about Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaids Tail. The Handmaids in this book are reformed on the way that they think, dress, act, and live their daily lives. They are even renamed and everything that they once knew will never be mentioned again. I am unsure as to why the government of Gilead wants to use these women only for conceiving, and why they are not allowed to be individualistic. The Handmaids are also not allowed to read, write, and can only speak when spoken to. They cannot look at people superior to them in the eyes out of respect. They were ripped away from their former lives, and have to live by a new policy of what is expected of them. They cannot show any emotion or even have any opinion of their own whatsoever.
I would like to research the topic of the different woman oppression societies such as Islam where woman have no rights at all, and they are degraded and hidden away. In the United States, it has taken woman decades to have the same rights as a man from education, career, voting and status. Even today, women are degraded all over the world. I know this through my own experience of being the only woman in a male work environment from construction to auto sales. I feel that researching the history and present issues of woman’s’ rights in different societies, will give me a better understanding of what is going on in this book
I chose the topic of the right that woman have because it is exactly what is going on in this book, The Handmaids Tale. When doing this research, I will be able to better understand the facts of what rights woman have, and why the government would use degrading of a woman to benefit a society. When reading this book, I only get to understand the point of view of the character that Atwood explains. Researching woman rights puts in in more of a broad perspective for a deeper understanding.

Here is a website that explains the different issues of women's rights all over the world today ang throughout history:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/166/womens-rights

Practicing a Thesis Statement

1) A) “I’m going to write about Darwin’s concerns with evolution in The Origin of the Species,” is a weak thesis statement because is more like the beginning of a sentence because this statement has to still explain its point. It does not make a claim of what point you are trying to get at and it is an obvious statement of what the paper will be about.
2) B) “Although an important part of one’s college education is learning to better understand others’ points of view a persistent danger is that the students will simply be required to substitute the teacher’s answers for the ones they grew up uncritically believing” This statement confused me, I had to read it several times. There is too much information here. It needs to be a short statement.
3) B) “The jeans industry targets its advertisements to appeal to young adults”. No one could really argue with this statement. It is also to broad; it should have something to back it up.

4) A) “Othello is a play about love and jealousy”. This is too general and someone could not argue what the play is about. It should have a more bias opinion of what you think you got from the play.
5) A) “The songs of the punk rock group Minor Threat relate to the Feelings of individuals who dare to be different. Their songs are just composed of pure emotion. Pure emotion is very important in music, because it serves as a vehicle to convey the important message of individuality. Minor Threat’s songs are meaningful to me because I can identify with them”. There are way too many sentences for this to be a thesis. It also is a personal claim to hot the writer feels. It needs to have one solid point.

My Thesis for The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood:
Does classifying women actually benefit the society? The laws of classifying woman does not benifit society because it completly changes the woman from the inside
out. They are not allowed to talk which diminishes them as a person. They are more like a number; just used for another persons benifit.

Throughout the text there are different classes of woman. The Handmaids are used for conceiving, the Martha’s are for taking care of the house and the handmaids that live there, the Commanders’ Wifes are the superior of all women, and the Econowives who have to do everything, or they are a wife of a “poorer man”. They all have to live by strict rules and each group has to wear a certain color of clothing to represent what class that they are in.

Letter to my teacher

July 3, 2010

Dear Laura Darrow:

This class experience so far has been challenging, yet I have been able to grow as a stronger student. The assignments you gave us has taught me more of an advanced way of writing compared to anything I have ever learned before from my previous English 101 class. I know how to construct an essay so that it contains more of an intellect, rounded structure, and of my own opinion.

In English 101, I learned how to write an essay through research, citing sources, and the basic thesis statement. I did well in that class so I felt confident enough take English 102 online this summer. I felt over challenged immediately because of the overwhelming homework and not quite understanding how to write a more advanced college level paper that you require. I am very thankful for your participation to help us along through your web-cam post, power point presentations, and handouts. I felt at a loss at first, not knowing if I was ever really that good with English because of how bad I did on my first draft on essay #1. I could not understand how to separate an analysis and summary. If it were not for you allowing us to submit a rough draft, I would not have been able to receive an “A” grade on essay #1. I will continue to strive for communication with you and receiving help from tutors to obtain a good grade in this class.

The reading you gave us is enlightening to a horrible and ongoing issue in our lives today and throughout our history, war. The information I have gained through these readings in immense compared to what I have ever known. I have always avoided this topic because I know that it is a twisted way that the government uses to gain control and money. Now that I have read personal experiences from soldiers, I have a new passion to spread more love and peace to our country. Thank you for giving me a new inspiration.

Sincerely,

Starlotte Green

Forrest Gump

Gump’s Destiny
The movie Forrest Gump is an eye opening experience of what it was like during the Vietnam War. This was moving to me because through a motion picture it is easier for the viewer to really understand. The main character in this movie, Forrest Gump deals with all of these issues in a very inspiring way. This movie portrays the different things that afflicted the Soldiers such as death, fighting for survival, and politics during and after the war.
A United States Marine approached Gump to enlist into the army after he graduated college. He makes it seem like it is the best for Gump’s future. The Vietnam War was already happening and many other young men were enlisting. Gump enlisted and immediately he was treated badly and screamed at by his Drill Sargent. All that these soldiers knew, was to do what they were told to do, and to never to ask any questions.
When Gump first arrives in Vietnam he meets his Lieutenant. Lt. Dan is more into the idea of war than anything else. Throughout Lt. Dan’s family history, all of the men have fought and died in a war. Lt. Dan knew his entire life that this is what he would do also, and he would proudly die serving. Lt. Dan would lead the men everyday through the jungle in Vietnam, very skeptical and cautious. It would rain for days and the soldiers would have to take extra care of
their feet in order to prevent trench foot. None of this mattered they had to fulfill their mission; to hunt out the enemy, “Charlie”.
There was a sudden attack on the soldiers. All these men could do was to shoot back. Men exploded right next to one another. I could not imagine lying in dirt, not knowing what to do, and look over at a friend I have grown know and them exploding into pieces. Forrest just ran away, like he was told to do. Then he realizes he was all alone and is only care in the world was his best and only friend, Bubba. Forrest decided to go back to get Bubba out of the war zone. He does not get far before he finds another soldier lying on the ground too disabled to move. He throws him over his soldier and takes him safely out of the array of gun fire and explosion. This happens to Gump over and over again; he could not leave anyone to die.
Gump came upon Lt. Dan; He threw him over his shoulder and saved him like the rest of the wounded soldiers. Lt. Dan did not want to be saved, he would have to live as a cripple for the rest of his life since his legs where blown off at the knees. He wanted to die like the rest of his family, and with the rest of his platoon. He became very angry.
Bubba ended up dying after Gump found him. The rest of the platoon that survived with only wounds was treated. Gump did not have to fight in the war again and he wanted nothing more than to continue with Bubba’s dream to be a shrimp boat captain. These men grew to care for each other like brothers. Gump kept his word to Bubba and bought a boat.
Gump went to visit the United States Capital where he was honored a metal for his achievements in the war. There were thousands of people there that were protesting against the war. These U.S. citizens wanted the young soldiers to come home. They wanted peace in their
country. When Gump was asked to tell what it was like in Vietnam, he was cut off by a Corporal Officer from the Army. This displayed the U.S. Government not wanting the public to know the truth of what really went on in the war.
Lt. Dan suffered from alcoholism and depression because he was a cripple and did not fulfill his destiny of dying with honor in war. He reunited with Gump and helped Gump on his shrimp fishing adventure. This was a way for Lt. Dan to do something with his life. At first they had no luck catching shrimp, but in the end they did better than anyone else. Gump gave Bubba’s mother half of all the profits from the Bubba Gump Shrimping business which turned out to be millions of dollars. Again this is the honor of a man’s word and the seriousness that a marine would take it.
This movie is beautiful because it shows a devastating truth of life and death. Not everyone that has served in a war is able to optimistically overcome these challenges. Gump was challenged by his intelligence, a friend’s depression and anger, love, and the death of his best friend and mother. No matter what obstacles that Gump had in front of him, he continued to stay ambitious and positive about life.

Here is an link to some of the awesome quotes in the movie Forrest Gump.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/quotes

A tribute poem from The Things they Carried, written by Tim O’ Brien.

By. Starlotte Green

Lieutenant Cross slept in his quite hole.
He held tightly to that one picture,
Of a girl he imagined to love.
Pretending that he loved became his security.

We walked through unknown country,
One by one by one;
Carrying our own weight for survival
And the dead weight of fear.

Everyone would carry their own habits
Jenson carried soap,
Henry carried food for two,
Ted used to carry tranquilizers
But now he is dead.

Fear was a universal weight.
No one would portray this fear.
We all carried it in silence,
It was weak to cry.

Every thing we carried was accounted for.
Each ounce mattered.
Heavy boots,
Heavy guns,
Heavy fear of death.
Every thing counts.

When we had to go underground.
Only one of us would go.
It depended on the number we chose;
If we would be lucky enough to live.

Ted was the unlucky one.
No one thought it was his time.
But he just fell flat.
Boom.
Nothing else.
Flat dead.
No drama. Just dead.

Cross silently felt guilty.
He was responsible for the lives of these men.
He was now responsible for their death.
He wept.

Cross hated that picture,
Of the girl from the other world.
It was just his imagination.
He no longer needed the empty love.
He would only lead us now.


Here is a link to some beautiful poems about war.

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/

On The Rainy River

Here is my first try for this English class on the difference between an Analysis and a summary.

SUMMARY
The story written by Tim O’Brien On The Rainy River, is about a young man that receives a draft from the army. He hates the thought of war and thinks he is too good for it. He is pressured to serve in the war from his peers and parents. He does not want to disappoint them, but he is afraid of death.
He tries to run to Canada to avoid being deported and stays at a lodge that is owned by an old man. They spent a lot of quiet time together and that brought him to realize that he cannot live with the guilt of not doing what was expected from him. He went back home and went to the war.

ANALYSIS
In Tim O’Brien’s’ On The Rainy River, a young man is terrified of a life change after receiving a draft for the Vietnam war. He was emotionally sick with confusion because he does not believe in the politics that stand behind the war, “Certain blood was being shed for uncertain reasons“ (O‘Brien 40) . If he chose to join the army he could die and unwillingly live a life of blood shed; or he could hide away from it and live in shame and embarrassment. After a few days of debate he chooses to go on to the war which is for the best. He would of never been able to live a normal life, “ I was afraid of walking away from my own life, my friends and my family, my whole history, everything that mattered to me” (O’ Brien 44-45). Even though he hated the thought of war he went because he was insecure with being a failure.

Work Cited
O’ Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Mariner Books, 1990. Print.

I am against the war and found this web site.

http://www.draftresistance.org/

Sam Hamill

The story, “The Necessity to Speak,” written by Sam Hamill, is about the violence in the world that needs a public awareness. Hamill addresses the problems and solutions of war, domestic violence, murder, and rape. He believes there is a way to help with these ongoing issues; through writing and a universal self awareness.
Sam Hamill writes this story through his own experiences. He was an orphan, raped in prison and he served in the Marine Corps. All of these things he believes taught him violence. These are all things that most people have in their lives, and then passed on to children. Violence is a vicious cycle. Children learn to live with violence and will eventually portray it.
Hamill found his own way of expressing himself in a positive way; through writing. He knew that others could relate. He believes that people that have suffered from violent situations could utilize this method of writing to help them cope with the long term effects it has. This makes the writer vulnerable and perhaps embarrassed. Hamill uses writing in a way to open himself up to the world and to touch another human being on the inside. To him, this is a gift.
Hamill thinks the root of violence is that people will ignore these problems. It is easier to avoid conflict when it is not hurting you. It is also easier to shield innocent children from the ugliness of violence. The problems in society are swept under the rug and eventually forgotten. Hamill thinks that there needs to be a spoken truth and education of violence. This may be the beginning of a new generation of true love and peace.
http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/personal-growth/write-therapy/write.asp

Joy Harjo

The poem, “The Woman Hanging from the Thirteenth Floor Window”, written by Joy Harjo, is about a single mother who is contemplating suicide. Throughout the poem the character thinks of all of the reasons to live and the things that depresses her.
The character is insecure with her race, poverty and she wants to give up on life, “she knows she is hanging by her own fingers, her/ own skin, her own thread of indecision”(Line 47-47). Harjo explains the woman's reasoning for wanting to die, “She thinks she will be set free”(Line 7). Suicide could seam like an easier way to deal with depression.
Depression can have a nasty effect on people; its painful. Harjo points out that very few people have an educated understanding of depression, “Some of them scream out from below /for her to jump, they would push her over. Others cry softly /from the sidewalks, pull their children up like flowers and gather /them into their arms. They would help her, like themselves”(Line 70-74). I am personally bias against depressed people. I think that anyone can walk in the beauty of their own life. Everyone is beautiful. Yet, I have never been depressed. I do not know the disease.
The beautiful part of this poems is that it gives inspiration. Harjo explains that the waman is not alone,“She sees other​/ women hanging from many-floored windows /counting their lives in the palms of their hands”(Line 24-26). This could be the answer that helps with depression. If a depressed person could realize that there are other people that know their sorrow; they may not feel so alone.
Harjo not only writes beautiful poems, but she is also talented in music. Harjo writes most of her poems about her culture, woman, and poverty,“I feel strongly that I have a responsibility to all the sources that I am: to all past and future ancestors, to my home country, to all places that I touch down on and that are myself, to all voices, all women, all of my tribe, all people, all earth, and beyond that to all beginnings and endings”. Harjo is incredibly inspiring and I feel blessed to have found her.

Works Cited

Harjo, Joy. “The Woman Hanging from the Thirteenth Floor Window”. Poetry Foundation. 2006. 16 June 2010. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=180960

np. “Joy Harjo (1951-). Poetry Foundation. 2020. 16 June 2010. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=2929
Here is Joy Harjo's website.
http://joyharjo.com/Home.html

Here is a video of Joy Harjo doing a live reading of her poem, "A Poem to Get Rid of Fear".

Daffodils

The poem, “Daffodils”, written by Alicia Ostriker, is about the importance of war and the beauty of life. I was taken back when I read this poem because I live in my own little hippie world. For instance, I do not watch the news; so I have no idea of the worlds issues. I live for peace, happiness, and with the belief that everything will always be okay.
Ostriker describes the beauty and serenity that the world has to offer, even though there is a war going on, “The daffodils do look as if they dance/ And make some of us in the park want to dance /And breathe deeply and I know that/ Being able to eat and incorporate beauty like this”(Lines 16-19). This is to show that the beautiful things in the world are always available to us.
There are a lot of people who do not approve of the war. I am one of them, but if it is my family and my land that is threatened; my attitude would change, “It is our business to defend it/ Even the day our masters start a war?/ To defend the day we see the daffodils? (Ostriker lines 34-36). I would have no choice but to defend myself even if I do not believe in war.
Needless to say, everyday offers the best and the worst of things in the world. Ostrikers' poem compares this matter to poetry, “What explains poetry is that life is hard/ But better than the alternatives, /The no and the nothing” (Lines 22-24). I think that this is a beautiful truth of life. Life is difficult but also a path of learning experiences.

Works Cited
Ostriker, Alicia. “Daffodils”. Poetry Foundation. 2005. 16 June 2010. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=181769

Here is a website that I found inspiring for peace in todays world. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.peacerevolution2010.org/

Star's Introduction

Star's Introduction

Good Readers, Good Writers

In the story, “Good Readers, Good Writers”, the author Vladimir Nabokov believes that readers should develop certain skills to gain the best results of the written material. He says in order to be a good reader you cannot just read, but can only reread the material. For instance, my favorite author is Sidney Sheldon, and I have almost every book that he had written. I reread his books every few years, and each time I reread a book, I always find something new.
I also agree with Nabokov when he explains that your mind can only comprehend so much. Last fall semester I took an intensive reading course, and my instructor gave me advice for reading that I will always carry with me. She suggests underlining important points, and adding side notes while reading. There were numerous reading materials in her class, and this method helped me to differentiate between them. This helped me to become a much better reader. I am glad that I took her class before I took Introduction to Philosophy, which had endless reading material. This method works wonders. Especially for college students who are in multiple courses, or have reading assignments that do not interest them.
A good reader needs to be open-minded. When I read a book from an author other than Sidney Sheldon, I have to get into the text of the book, and not to expect what Sheldon has always given to me. This was not easy for me at all. It took research to find an author that interests me, Aimee Bender. She is fun, witty, and imaginative. I think it helps to be a good reader when you enjoy the author’s way of writing.

Here is one of the books that I read by Aimee Bender, titled The Girl in the Flammable Skirt




Here is a link that gives suggestions for good reading skills.

http://www.landmark.edu/institute/assistive_technology/reading_overview.html

Star and Star

My last experience of horseback riding was reassuring. I had just finished a year of college that was filled with obstacles, frustration, and doubt. With that said, I needed real "me" time.
It was a few years ago when I first started my relationship with horses. Thanks to a great friend of mine, Terry O. He taught me his way of understanding these wonderful animals. Like the F words that have to come in order; Fast, fair, firm, and friendly. This will build respect between you and the horse. This surprisingly works for my kids. HA!
One of the other many things I have learned though Terry O and horsemanship, is to always remember where your belly button is, your center. If you ever get into a "pickle" with your horse; if he kicks, runs, or does anything that you cannot handle, you need to know where your belly button is. You pull the rains tight and turn them into your belly, it works!
So, all of this horse philosophy has helped me many times in life.
When the Spring semester was finally over, I did not know what to do with myself. I facebooked, cleaned closets, took naps, read novels in a day, and developed cabin fever. That is when I had my Epiphany and called my Terry O.
I put on my sexy (borrowed) cowboy boots, Levi's, and took off on a horse who shares my name. I could imagine that her red stocking where a blaze of fire, and I was for a moment untouchable. I kept remembering where my center was. This is something that people do not always do. Not just to ride a horse but, to know who you truly are.
I am Star and I know what centers me.