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It’s been a hard day’s night, and I’ve been writing like a dog. Sometimes it takes working all night to write a paper. This is my first quarter at college and it’s been fun
and challenging. Over the next year it is my goal to accomplish an associate degree.
This class has provided the opportunity to write about several types of themes. People in
this world are so diverse, like a rainbow of many colors. This final theme contains four
writings. A critical thinking piece “Words Change Our Lives by Shaping Identity”,
revision piece “Communities Provide Stability”, voice and audience piece “Cultural
Tradition, Breaking Up, and Text Messages”, and the writer’s choice “What’s Your
Community”.
One of my favorite writings was about Identities. In this writing “Words Change Our
Lives by Shaping Identity”, the spoken or written word was shown to have the power to
change our identity. During other readings and writings my personal views of
communities came into clearer focus. Before my view of community was about where
we live, and now a community can be like a bowling league, being a member of people at
college, or an active member of a church. In the essay “Communities Provide Stability”,
the essay described how people provided the needs for others causing stability for all its
members. While writing “Cultural Tradition, Breaking Up, and Text Messages” a
thought came to me which says we often choose the convenience of using innovations
instead of doing the harder task of the cultural tradition. This writing was about
innovations of technology changing the cultural traditions of breaking up in person. In
the writing “Communities Provide Stability” showed how providing what someone needs
brings stability to that person’s life making a community. The last writing “What’s Your
Community” is a short writing about quickly becoming a part of the college community.
Let me know which writing you like.
What's Your Community
College is a community of people who come together to further their education.
People in this community share difficulties they are having in class as they eat or drink
around a table. Sometimes they work on assignments that are due the next day, and
sometimes they exchange e-mail addresses so they can communicate later. They go
together to classes to learn more things they did not know before. Some share the same
educational degree goals and attend most of the same classes. They all seem to have
something to complain about like the lack of parking and they also have something they
are glad about like the great teacher they have.
This college community is held together because they want to earn a degree. Or, if
not for the purpose of a degree, they come together because the classes they want are
taught on campus. And to some degree the community is held together because of what
types of educational certificates which are offered at this local college like nursing. The
financial affordability helps to hold this community together by meeting that financial
requirement for its people.
Some people share an interest in cosmetology, or computer technology at the college.
People are also at this college to meet the need to gain a degree so they can start a new
career. Some I have found share the same healthy spiritual beliefs. They value their
education and share a respect for each other because they understand it is not easy to be
successful at college and it takes work.
Sometimes people at college share an underlying tension brought on by assignments
coming due or stress over classes that will not fit into their schedule for their degree. The
lack of finances can cause people to have to leave the college community. Although
completing a degree is a good thing the outcome will cause the person to leave the
community also. Sometimes the age differences can come between the young and old
people in this community due to the lack of common interests. The outside needs of
family or work can stress the cohesion of this college community from time to time.
I like the college community. I like the communities respect for one another and the
friendly willingness to help one another. I fit in good with the college group by being
helpful and by being friendly towards others. I have found that there are other people
taking the same degree courses as me, and others who have just started college too. I fit
in pretty well with this college community so far. I also have discovered it is fun to learn.
I want to be a part of this community because it meets the needs of commuting
distance, the type of degree I want, and the people are pleasant. Just to be able to attend
college, to be a part of this community, is a wonderful experience for me. I am very glad
to be a part of my college community.
Cultural Tradition, Breaking Up, and Text Messages
Looking back I can hear the music in my head “Breaking up is hard to do”. It was a popular hit song recorded in 1962 by Neil Sedaka. Although breaking up has never been easy it has become easier and less personal for many. In the past breaking up was done in person, face to face, whereas today new technology has enabled people to break up in non-personal ways, such as text messaging.
An arranged marriage is where marriages are put together by their parents. The parents pick out one or a couple of people that would be right for their child. The parents get their child and their pick together and hopefully over time they begin to like each other and eventually decide to marry each other. This is done in places like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East . Here in the article called “What are Arranged Marriages?”, S.E. Smith writes about the history of arranged marriages. “For centuries, arranged marriage was the only way to marry in most cultures, and it was believed to ensure stronger, happier marriages which also took the form of economic, social, and political alliances” (S.E. Smith). Breaking up from an arranged marriage was done in person.
The best way to break up with a person is to do it face-to-face. To plan, practice, figure out where, to think about why you are going to break up, and break up in person. Face to face is also the traditional way to break up. It is difficult and always has been hard to do, but when it needs to be done it needs to be done the traditional way. If someone was going to propose marriage their would be preparation and thought and a plan to doing that, so likewise there needs to be preparation and thought and a plan when one is breaking up. It is important to note that there are some things to be gained by breaking up face to face. If both people are there each person has the chance to ask questions such as; “Why do you want to break up with me?”, and “What went wrong?” To have a chance to ask questions and understand will help both people to explore and figure out what they may want in their future relationships, and to bring closure to this relationship. Letters have been used to break up relationships since the mail delivery system was developed. More recently the invention of the telephone provided another option to the process of breaking up. This option may be easier but convenience also meant it wasn’t face-to-face and therefore was less personal. Text messaging is a very recent and easy to use innovation which again is used to break up. However, text messages are also impersonal and leave the receiver without a voice or a face to work with. Text messaging, because it is so easy to use, makes it easier than breaking up in person.
The essay of Sarita James demonstrates how an innovation such as text messaging impacted their cultural tradition. Sarita’s parents found a man who came from the right family background, community, religion, and region. Her parents arranged times to get her and the “suitable boy” together on family outings and at different family gatherings. Eventually Sarita decided to marry her suitable boy and, of course, her parents called the “suitable boy’s” parents to propose the marriage. His parents had already arranged for him to meet two other women back in India India
In the end the innovation of text messaging has changed the tradition of breaking up from in person to a quick and easy push of the buttons.
Works Cited
“How to Break Up with Someone” Mahalo.com. 2008. Mahalo.com Incorporated. 20 May 2011.
James, Sarita. "Let Me Find My Own Husband" Remix Reading
Catherine G. Latterell. Boston
Smith, S.E.. “What are Arranged Marriages?” wiseGEEK.com. 15 May 2011. wiseGEEK.com.
Communities Provide Stability
David Brooks says “Far from being dull, artificial, and spiritually vacuous, today’s suburbs are the products of the same religious longings and the same deep tensions that produced the American identity from the start” (185). From this quote we can deduce that suburbs are the answer to religious longings and deep tensions of people today. Furthermore these suburb communities provide stability in people’s lives.
Yes stability, from her community, that was what Judy Stegner needed since her life was terribly shaken. Stegner recalled “Well, my Texas
In the interview with Ten G we talked about the stability in her current rental community, and her desire to count on neighbors for a long time to come. Interviewing my own daughter Ten G, 24 years old with two children, was interesting and somewhat revealing. When asked “What do you like about your neighborhood?” G said “My neighbors are friendly, and you can borrow things like an egg when you need. We help each other. If I need a babysitter real quick I’ve got one” (G). Clearly G is receiving some of the things she needs from her renting community. When asked “What do you hope your neighbors will be like at your new home?” G said “I hope my neighbors are friendly, easy to talk to, and have kids who can play with my kids” (G). For example G needs other kids to play with her kids. G needs friends to talk to. These needs are very important to her stability in her new community. Asking further “Does this home make you more stable in your life?” G responded quickly “Yes, because we own our own home instead of renting” (G). She was asked “How will you be more stable?” G explained “I know they will be there for a long time, not like renters that come and go” (G) Asking further “Why does that give stability?” G paused and then said “I can get to know my neighbors and build long lasting relationships with them. I can count on them for a long time to come” (G). G is longing for lasting relationships and needs this from her community to have stability in her life.
Stability comes from communities that meet each others needs. In my small local community, at the foot of the mountains, the snow line frosts the top of the trees which gives me a feeling of peace that my heart needs. Serving others when they need something is how my community functions. For instance hard work on church building projects, or painting projects at the boys and girls club has met some of our community needs. Likewise directing week long youth camping trips, playing guitar at Sunday night youth group meetings, has helped to fill needs for our own children and local youth. In the past winter storms pushed over trees and knocked put electrical power. Some people who lost electricity for a night or two needed a place to stay to have heat and food for their family. Locally there are plenty of opportunities to help meet the needs of people both personally and as a community. Therefore in this way my community provides stability for one another.
Yes each of these communities provides stability for their people. Like Ten G said “Neighbors are friendly, and you can borrow things like an egg when you need.” Like David Brooks said “…today’s suburbs are the products of the same religious longings and the same deep tensions that produced the American identity from the start” (185). And like Judy Stegner said “I’m so blessed. This is the closest circle of friends I’ve ever had” (Shari Caudron 173). They are all saying their communities provide stability, and that stability makes a wonderful difference in people’s lives.
Works Cited
Catherine G. Latterell. Boston
Caudron, Shari . "Befriending Barbie." Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Catherine G. Latterell. Boston
G, Ten. Telephone Interview. 24 Apr. 2011.
Words Change Our Lives by Shaping Identity
In the essay "Who You Callin' a Bitch?" Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, wrote about thoughts and words as being powerful. She learned that what she said, in the spoken or written word, was what she would get back from the world whether good or bad. That was why she kept her music positive so she could uplift and inform. Her words would become one of her strongest offensive tools that would be used along her chosen mission. Words change our lives by shaping identity (Latifah 33,34).
In the reading about Lucy Grealy titled Masks, Lucy talks about her pain of ugliness and how that pain was far worse than her cancer. Lucy said “the great tragedy of my life. The fact that I had cancer seemed minor in comparison” (Grealy 66). Her pain was inflicted with words about her ugliness which came from a group of boys. Lucy realized those boys were passing judgment on her suitability as a girlfriend, and words were shaping her identity (Grealy 69).
In 1994 Queen Latifah won a Grammy, an NAACP Image Award, and a Soul Train Music Award for a song she had written. The words in the song spoke about girls being called a bitch or ho and this made them have a low self-esteem. Queen Latifah wrote “You know all of that’s got to go” in her song (34). Queen Latifah said that she wrote her song because she saw women being verbally and physically assaulted, and especially in rap music. One group called itself BWA---Bitches With Attitude. Other groups were disrespecting them in their raps, and these ladies did not even defend themselves in their music. She was concerned about what cultural message that was sending (Latifah 34).
Queen Latifah shaped the idea that if a girl does not feel like a bitch, no one can call you that and make it stick. She said “I realized it was more important to start building women up and making them look inside themselves than to bash fellas” (Latifah 35). She learned at a young age, from her mom’s words, that she did not have to accept somebody else’s nickname for her. She defines who she is. Her mom planted a seed in her head, with words, and in her mind she began the queen idea. Queen Latifah believes that each woman has a queen inside them, and it was placed there before they were even formed in the womb. She feels it is just a matter of bringing the queen out. Latifah describes how it starts inside, by feeling good about yourself, and that a queen has high self-esteem. She decided to work on the low self-esteem of women and started using words describing her queen idea to change their identity (Latifah 34,35).
Latifah gives an example of high self-esteem at work describing when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was faced with adversity. Jacqueline had witnessed the assassination of her children’s father, her husband. Jacqueline could not have felt anything but pain too immense to describe. Still Jacqueline had a pride and a will to represent something higher than herself. She was a champion. Jacqueline was the closest thing this country had ever had to a queen. Queen Latifah said “She is remembered not for her extreme wealth and jewels, nor for her exquisite taste---although that was very much a part of who she was---but for her grace in the face of adversity, for her generosity and charity” (35).
In times of adversity Latifahs’ mother used words to create this queen identity in her as a child. Her mom would talk how a queen never sells out and a queen will sacrifice quick money and material goods for the greater purpose of keeping her soul. Laying the foundation, her mother raised her daughter to become a self-proclaimed queen. Her mom always told her how smart, beautiful, and talented she was. Latifah formed a high self-esteem. Even if you do not have a mother, or grandmother, a tough aunt, or someone to create the queen in you, Latifah says you can still be a queen, and she proclaims it loudly with words. She said “You have to want it for yourself. You have to know yourself” (Latifah 36). Queen Latifah knows who she is. She is confident. She knows God. She can take care of herself. She shares her life with others and she loves. She is worthy of the title Queen. And words change lives (Latifah 35,36).
Works Cited
Latterell, Catherine. “Masks.” Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Grealy, Lucy.New York
Latterell, Catherine. “Who You Callin’ a Bitch?” Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Owens, Elaine.New Jersey
Latterell, Catherine. “Masks.” Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Grealy, Lucy.
Latterell, Catherine. “Who You Callin’ a Bitch?” Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Owens, Elaine.
What’s Your Community
“What’s Your Community” was my written expression of the experience of becoming a college person. In this blog I simply shared some of the things noticeable on campus and what people of this community were doing.
Here’s a quick excerpt to look at.
Some people share an interest in cosmetology, or computer technology at the college. People are also at this college to meet the need to gain a degree so they can start a new career. Some I have found share the same healthy spiritual beliefs. They value their education and share a respect for each other because they understand it is not easy to be successful at college and it takes work.
This piece of writing is meaningful to me because I was looking at things with brand new eyes. What ever I saw or heard was fresh and new and that made it an adventure and exciting.
Cultural Tradition Breaking Up and Text Messages
I believe this essay does a good job of speaking out to an audience with a voice saying something everyone can relate to. In the introduction I used a reference to a song that really sings it out and grabs the reader’s attention.
Looking back I can hear the music in my head “Breaking up is hard to do”. It was a popular hit song recorded in 1962 by Neil Sedaka. Although breaking up has never been easy it has become easier and less personal for many. In the past breaking up was done in person, face to face, whereas today new technology has enabled people to break up in non-personal ways, such as text messaging.
In this essay I was to show the impact text messaging has had on a cultural tradition of breaking up in person. In my research I found a short writing about the suggested steps to breaking up, and the importance of the traditional ways of breaking up with a person face-to-face. I learned some of the benefits face-to-face breaking up has to offer as well. For example if both people are there then each person has the chance to ask questions which can help to gain closure. Questions about why the relationship did not work can also help to illuminate what can be improved upon in their future relationships.
Communities Provide Stability
As a result of your readings and interview, how can you argue for a specific function of communities in our lives?
In order to accomplish my task I was to synthesize the following three sources of information, to gather data from them, to draw conclusions from them, to analyze the results, and to make my argument for a specific function of communities in our lives:
1) selections from an ample reading list from our textbook Remix,
2) observations about a specific kind of community that you are part of, and
3) an interview with someone differently-aged than you.
1) selections from an ample reading list from our textbook Remix,
2) observations about a specific kind of community that you are part of, and
3) an interview with someone differently-aged than you.
As a result of my readings I chose to build my case around the idea that Communities provide stability for its members. I used the data from the readings, from my own community observations, and came up with questions for my interview with someone younger than me by more than 20 years and built my essay paper.
In my original essay I did a good job with my works sited section, at the end of the essay, but I was week with the in-text cites. In the following excerpt you will notice I didn’t use in-text cites with parenthesis after the quotes.
Yes stability, from her community, that was what Judy Stegner needed since her life was terribly shaken. Stegner recalled “Well, my Texas
The following paragraph shows in-text cites after being added. Also notice the period goes after the parenthesis and the ending quote is placed before the beginning parenthesis. Shari Caudron is cited as the author, with the page number, who interviewed Judy Stegner in this reading.
Yes stability, from her community, that was what Judy Stegner needed since her life was terribly shaken. Stegner recalled “Well, my Texas
Words Change Our Lives by Shaping Indentity
I believe I did a good job of analyzing in this essay. To analyze is to draw conclusions from evidence. In this case the evidence came from essays in my English book.
In the reading about Lucy Grealy titled Masks, Lucy talks about her pain of ugliness and how that pain was far worse than her cancer. Lucy said “the great tragedy of my life. The fact that I had cancer seemed minor in comparison” (Grealy 66). Her pain was inflicted with words about her ugliness which came from a group of boys. Lucy realized those boys were passing judgment on her suitability as a girlfriend. This really hurt Lucy. The analytical part for me was the conclusion that the words the boys said to her changed or impacted who she became by changing her self identity.
In times of adversity Latifahs’ mother used words to create this queen identity in her as a child. Her mom would talk how a queen never sells out and a queen will sacrifice quick money and material goods for the greater purpose of keeping her soul. Laying the foundation, her mother raised her daughter to become a self-proclaimed queen. Her mom always told her how smart, beautiful, and talented she was. Latifah formed a high self-esteem. Even if you do not have a mother, or grandmother, a tough aunt, or someone to create the queen in you, Latifah says you can still be a queen, and she proclaims it loudly with words. In this essay reading I concluded that the words the mother used changed Latifahs’ identity and she became a queen inside and for the rest of her life.
Analysis worked in my essay paper to support the idea that words change our lives by shaping our identities. This in turn has changed me by helping me become an analytical writer.
Work Cited
Latterell, Catherine. “Masks.” Remix Reading and Composing Culture.
Grealy, Lucy.
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