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"It reintroduced me to the power of words as a way to figure out who you are and what you think, and what you believe, and what’s important, and to sort through and interpret this swirl of events that is happening around you every minute."

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What this statement means to me is that words will always hold a huge amount of power. Whether they are a form of empowerment, or discouragement, they can really open your eyes to see a new perspective. I also think he means that letting yourself be exposed to different kinds of literature can really help you find your identity. I agree with that because reading books has helped me have a better understanding of my sense of identity and has opened a portal to a whole new world.

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In this story, we meet the main character, Jefferson who is put on death row for a crime he didn't commit.The jury unjustly labeled him as a "hog". His close friends,family, and even the community disagree with the jury and do everything they can so Jefferson doesn't lose his sense of identity. This relates to the quote because Jefferson's godmother wanted him to become a man before he died. At the end of the novel, Jefferson died a man because he showed great strength throughout this injustice, and in my opinion never lost his sense of identity. He died the man he was ought to be.

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THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY PHOENIX,ARIZONA

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THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY PHOENIX,ARIZONA

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In this story, we also see identity as one of the main themes. This story relates to the main idea because Thomas' stories were more than just rambles. His stories talked about his culture and that helped him figure out his sense of identity. Victor also found his sense of identity thanks to Thomas because he explained the vision he had with his father. This made Victor realize how important it is to feel connected to your roots. Also, that relates to the main idea when Obama says "The power of words as a way to figure out who you are and what you think." Thomas' wise words helped Victor feel more connected to his culture.

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This short story relates to the main idea because in Barn Burning, the main character Sartori, is caught in a very difficult situation. He will either have to lie and say that his father didn't commit arson (which he did), or tell the truth and betray his own blood. He decides to stand with the truth which leads to his father's death. The main idea in this is that Sartori identifies as an honest person and that's what he believes in.

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This short story is about a girl named Jing-Mei who goes on a trip to China with her family. This has a big impact her because she's never been there and it feels unfamiliar to her because she doesn't feel connected to her culture.This was big change for her since she was raised in the American culture. This relates to my main idea because again it talks about identity, but also the "swirl of events that are happening around you" like Obama stated, made her understand a little bit more about what her culture was and meant to her. This changed Jing-Mei's perspective on who she is as an individual.

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This poem talks about standing back up when you have downfalls. It also says that even if you are going through a difficult situation, it won't last forever. This poem relates to my main idea because Obama talks about identity and finding out who you are. I believe that when you are put through a difficult situation, the way you handle it says alot about you and who you are as a person. Once you are put through a difficult situation, you only get stronger.

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The House on Mango Street also has a lot to do with identity. Esperanza struggles to find her self identity because she grew up watching how the woman in her society were being treated. This makes her feel like she's trapped and can't get out. She also learns about how important and powerful her sexuality is. This story relates to the main idea because Esperanza used writing as a way to escape the real world she was living is. That is what Obama is talking about in that sentence. He says that words hold a lot of power and can help you find out who you are and what is going on around you. Esperanza used her writing as a coping mechanism and also helped her find her self identity.

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Girl is a short about female figure giving advice to a younger female figure about what is acceptable to do as a woman in society. This again talks about identity because as a woman, you are expected to act a certain way or else people will think bad about you. This relates to the main idea because words hold a huge power depending on how you use them. That is the case in this story because the narrator is telling the younger female figure about what's expected of her. That will have a big toll on her because she won't be able to feel like she can express herself any way she wants because of what she was told.

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Everyday Use is a short story about an African American girl who is trying to prove how much culture she has in her. When she comes home to visit her mom and sister from college, she is a completely new person. They don't understand why she is trying to change her persona to get her point across. On the outside, she seems to be super intune with her culture, but forgets about the true meaning of what it means to be connected to your roots. This has to do with the main idea because Dee, who's the main character, understands that she is a part of her african culture, but forgets that the most important thing in it is family.

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This poem is about a young woman who talks about all the changes she will go though once she turns 15. A Quinceanera is a celebration in the hispanic community that symbolizes a young woman's transition into becoming a woman. This is a time in a young girls life to figure out who she is and what changes she will go through during this transition. Again, this poem relates to the main idea because it talks about identity and also makes you really think about what is it you want in life once you transition to womanhood.

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I chose The Perks of Being a Wallflower because other than the fact that it is an amazing book/movie, it portrays the main characters journey on finding his self identity. We see the life of Charlie as he goes through high school. He feels like an outcast, until two seniors take him under their wing. They bring out the best in him and help him find his self identity. The main idea talks about the power of words and how they can help you figure out who you are and what you think. That is exactly what happens in this story. Charlie first introduces himself to one of the seniors, Patrick, and changes his life forever. We then get to see their friendship blossom and how Charlie evolves as a person.

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Charlie Meet Patrick and Sam (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

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My favorite piece of literature from this semester was This is What it means to say Phoenix Arizona. I chose this short story because I can relate to it. In this story, we see Thomas and Victor take a road trip to Phoenix to retrieve Victor's late fathers ashes. But this was more than just a road trip. It was also a road trip to self identity. They both learn about themselves and each other during it. Last year, I took a two week road trip to the west coast. It happened during a point in my life where I felt lost and with no sense of direction. It's hard to explain how much this trip helped me mentally and spiritually, but I will say that it made me realize that there is still more things out there to see and do. That gave me a boost of motivation and inspiration to come back and get to work.