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Communities impacted from the steel mill closure in sweat

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Communities impacted from the steel mill closure in sweat

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Contradicting tone

Razor sharp wit

Provocative

Self-deprecating

Disillusionment

Unapologetic

Colonialism

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The concept that resonated with me the most was identity. Identity is a broad term that can cover ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious values, and more. Identity has been a significant topic for me as I am constantly working to be comfortable with myself and be proud of my identity. This concept is widely represented and talked about throughout Persepolis through Marjanes experiences moving to another country and adjusting to western/European culture.

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Through the work we have done in class so far, I feel that my analysis skills have improved a lot. In my first journal, I struggled to find the deeper meaning behind the literary devices I analyzed and rushed from quote to overarching meaning. In my second journal, I was able to flesh out my analysis more effectively and dive deeper into aspects like the effect on the audience. Still, however, I struggle with the organization of my work and how to transition between different points smoothly. Specific to my paper 1, I need to work on the organization of my analysis and how to build up to explain the deeper meaning behind the devices I analyze.

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Paper 1  Rubric - Student Friendly Breakdown 

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How to Effectively Write Thesis Statements

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How to Effectively Write Thesis Statements

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Thesis:Marjane Satrapi highlights the theme of fractured identity in order to convey the broader message of inner conflict when trying to conform to different cultural norms whilst maintaining your authentic self, particularly as an immigrant.

The literary circle discussion went really well as I was able to talk about most of the points I had prepared for. At first, I was struggling to transition coherently to build off of my peers points.

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1. In what ways does Persepolis 2 depict the challenges of navigating multiple cultural identities, and how does this shape Marjane’s character development

2. How does Marjane’s experience with cultural assimilation affect her sense of identity throughout Persepolis 2?

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I have improved the structure of my essay writing, specifically with key components like the structure of thesis statements and topic sentences. Before taking this course, I almost alwaus lead with devices in my topic sentences and barely mentioned the bigger theme that was going to be introduced in the paragraph. Now, I always make sure to introduce the broader theme being explored, and try to just briefly mention the devices in my topic sentence if necessary. I also feel that my ability to find the deeper meaning behind visual devices has improved a lot. When we first started analyzing monkman images, I found it extreemly difficult to find hidden themes and messages without the help of other students or our in class discussions. However now that I have a better understanding of specific visual devices and their uses, I am able analyze the purpose behind artist choices more effectively. A paper one skill that I still need to work on before the AOL is analyzing my devices in extracts faster than I am now. I find I can spend way too long trying to analyze and then my writing becomes rushed and vague. Something I am going to do to actively work on this is set a timer for 7 minutes and practice analyzing both Monkman and Sweat extracts before the AOL.

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HL Essay Questions, Titles and Thesis Statements.pptx

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This was my best journal and showed the most improvement

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What is your opinion - do you believe we are in a fourth wave of feminism, or do you think we are still within the third wave?

The feminism movement has evolved over many years, along with some of its objectives, however, I believe we are still in the second wave of feminism because our core values and beliefs remain constant. The third wave of feminism arose after the Anita Hill hearings and began to emphasize intersectional feminism, women's social and political identities, and awareness about sexual harassment. I agree that technology and social campaigns have amplified the voices of many feminists and feminist groups, but these tools are used to augment the third-wave feminist objectives rather than creating new ones. For example in in 2014 the "#sayhername" movement arised on social media which raised awearness about policy brutality against Black women. This movement is an example of how modern platforms have been used to enhance the spread of third wave feminist values.

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Guerilla Girls and the Tiger's Bride Recording

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Guerilla Girls and the Tiger's Bride Recording

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Throughout unit one, I further developed my analysis structure and speed skills. When we had first started writing out journals, I would jump right from quote or visual device straight to deeper meaning, and skip past things like effect on the reader and intended purpose of the device. As well, it used to take me a long time to identify less obvious devices in non-literary texts, but now I am able to find the more subtle authorial choices. Having in class discussions and hearing other people's ideas about the texts we were analyzing helped me in my process of developing these analysis skills. At first, I really struggled with writing and analyzing at an effective pace, and would often not be able to finish my analysis in time. However, because we were able to practice our practice paper ones in class and were forced to time our intro and body paragraphs, it helped me adjust to the time I would have available on the test. When reading sweat and learning about the economic disparities of the middle class in the 2008 depression, it allowed me to think more deeply about the economic crisis in today's society. We have a constantly growing class divide and a rise in the cost of living, causing people to turn on each other and struggling to find any middle ground on this pressing issue. This theme shows up a lot in sweat when the job losses at the factory cause tension within the relationships of people in such a tight knit community.

A task that really sparked my curiosity was our in class analysis on one of Monkmans artworks. When we learned about the symbolism of petroglyphs, it made me realize that there are subtle nuances in Kent Monkman's work that I will never understand simply because I have not taken the time to educate myself on indigenous culture. This unit has brought to my attention the importance of educating myself on indigenous culture, especially because their culture and voices have been systematically suppressed for years.

If I could dive deeper into one of the topics from this unit, I would have looked more into the effects of economic disparities on communities and relationships. A big interest of mine has always been politics and economics and at this time I believe it is such an important subject that should be talked about more frequently.  Starting to recognize the domino effect of impacts that class gaps and disparities have on the middle and lower class specifically is the first step to finding tangible solutions to the direct and indirect problems that arise.

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Journal Prompt: How do Koul’s introspections on beauty standards in Fair and Lovely compare and contrast to her critique of a lack of female agency due to normalized rape culture in Hunting Season?

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Journal Prompt: How do Koul’s introspections on beauty standards in Fair and Lovely compare and contrast to her critique of a lack of female agency due to normalized rape culture in Hunting Season?

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Both Fair and Lovely and Hunting Season critique societal norms for women and how they limit female agency. However, Fair and Lovely focuses on the internal conflict and internal racism one faces due to pre-conceived notions of what it means to be pretty, while Hunting Season critiques external oppressive systems embedded within society. Fair and lovely suggests that beauty standards and pressures allow for control over women's bodies through the erosion of self-worth. In contrast, Hunting Season suggests that the normalization of rape culture limits female agency through fear and systemic misogyny.

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Journal Prompt: What are some ways, either direct or indirect, that young girls are influenced into trying to fit into society's Western beauty standards?

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Journal Prompt: What are some ways, either direct or indirect, that young girls are influenced into trying to fit into society's Western beauty standards?

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Society has perpetuated many constraints and gender norms for women that have influenced young girls to fit into Western beauty standards. For example, it is said that women should always remain fully shaved and never have any body hair. Although an absurd demand, this standard has woven itself into the minds of young girls and can disproportionately affect minorities such as South Asian women who often have darker, more visible body hair. These standards exacerbate insecurities and reinforce the idea that women must physically change themselves to gain validation from society, specifically men.

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Journal Prompt: What is the significance of the title? Do you believe it connects to the way Scaachi Koul is representing rape culture?

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Journal Prompt: What is the significance of the title? Do you believe it connects to the way Scaachi Koul is representing rape culture?

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The title "Hunting Season" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the predatory system embedded within society regarding rape culture. The title's imagery creates a vivid sense of being stalked or preyed upon reflecting how women are seen as targets and the comparison to something that is normalized like hunting reflects on how rape culture is too. Scaachi uses this title as a critique on the obserdity of this accepted culture and aims to use this metaphore as a call to action.

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Feedback on mini discussion (Essay Collection) 

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Feedback on mini discussion (Essay Collection) 

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A- References are chosen carefully and do support main points. Context given but could be embedded in a more cohesive way with the main point clear. Remember PEAL always. 9

B- Good discussion of diction and devices are identified. Tone and Mood considered. Quotes are broken down. More links to main argument at the beginning and end would strengthen. 9

C- Thematic statements given and developed but the purpose not mentioned. Connection made at 5.30 - consider timing. 8

D- Variety of vocab. Expression and terminology does support analytical discusison. 9

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Paper 2 ELL Task Specific Clarification - OrbitNote _

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While studying Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, I found I resonated with her critique of society's pressure for women to act and present themselves in a “feminine way”. Growing up, I was always taught that being a girl meant presenting yourself in a way that appeals to men and then calling it the “feminine way”, rather than expressing yourself in a way that resonates with your identity. Carter often challenges the idea that women have to conform to society's idea of how women should act, like in “Wolf Alice”, where Wolf Alice experiences a dual identity between wolf and woman. She feels joy in wearing dresses and exploring her sexuality, while also maintaining her wolf identity, which represents her characteristics typically associated with male characters. Similarly, I learned that the “feminine way” of expressing myself was not through the lens of what others or society deemed right, but rather through what felt authentic to me and portrayed the unique parts of my identity best.

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We studied the Guerrilla Girls and their feminist artwork, which connects now more than ever to what we see on the news. The Guerrilla Girls helped ignite third-wave feminism, focusing on intersectionality, and often called out the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women of colour in the art world. In the poster linked above, we can see the emphasis put on “3 white women, 1 woman of colour and no men of colour– out of 71 artists?”, through the bold lettering and contrasting text colour to the background. The quote is a statement which is questioned rhetorically to highlight the absurdity of the statistic and to question the lack of action being taken to fix the problem. Although the Guerrilla Girls have made significant impacts on feminism and racial equality, it seems as though society is moving backwards in relation to third-wave feminism. In the U.S, the Department of Education is removing all DEI and affirmative action programs meant to uplift underrepresented minorities, who have been systemically oppressed, like women and people of colour. It is so important we study artists like the Guerrilla Girls to remind ourselves as students that we have a responsibility to acknowledge the systemic oppression that existed for years and continues to persist, and the importance of taking action.

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In a 300-500 word entry in your journal, reflect on how those memories contribute to your sense of identity.

This is my memory collage. It is impossible for me to encapsulate all the memories that have shaped my identity, but the photos I have chosen represent a glimpse into my path towards who I am today and my journey to self-discovery.

I want to start off with the first two photos at the top left of my collage. The top one is the first breakup playlist I ever made, and the second is a text I have received from my mom many times throughout my life.

Growing up, the relationship I was exposed to was the epitome of a 'traditional' marriage. My mom worked until I was three and then stayed home to take care of me, while my dad continued to work and ensure we had a comfortable life. However, this decision created a power dynamic between my mom and dad, and even me and my dad. My dad made the money, so he ran the house. No matter how disrespectful or belittling his words were, there was no option to oppose. My mom stayed quiet, and at night when they argued, thinking I was asleep, I would sit on the stairs and listen. But the only voice I could hear was my dad's.

If I tried to defend my mom, the situation got worse. When I was nine, she sat me down and told me speaking up only made things worse. 'Let it go'—the words you see in the screenshot and the same ones I heard anytime I stood up for myself or my mom.

When I got into my first real relationship last year, this was my mindset—just let it go. If I was unhappy or hurt, I let it go, never sticking up for myself to avoid escalation. Unsurprisingly, after bottling up emotions and lacking transparency, we broke up. But only after making that playlist did I realize the connection between what I grew up with and how it shaped my relationship. The more I listened to those lyrics on repeat, the more I thought about my own experiences. I realized that growing up watching a relationship where confrontation led to destructive, unresolved conflict made me avoid it at all costs. But once I recognized it, I knew I could change because I knew the root cause. This was one of my biggest steps toward self-discovery and transformation.

On the topic of family, I’ll move on to the photo of me and my grandma at the top right and me with my two cousins at the bottom right. The photo with my grandma was taken three weeks before she passed, and the one with my cousins was taken two weeks before my grandma on my dad's side passed.

Losing both grandmothers was so difficult it’s hard to put into words. They taught me everything I know about my culture and religion and brought me closer to my cultural identity. As much as this feels like a memory of loss, they left me one last gift—family. When my grandma at the top left was diagnosed with cancer for a second time, we knew it was the last. Similarly, when my dad's mom got sick at 83, we knew it was her time. Knowing this, close and extended family from both sides came together from all over the world to say goodbye. I met my cousins in the bottom right picture when I was eight, and now I call them my older brothers. I also met aunts and uncles from my mom’s side, who I now have weekly calls with. Though their passing will always hurt, they left me with something to be grateful for—lasting family connections.

My second last photo at the bottom left, is a screenshot of an account I made with my friend to post original music of mine, and covers.

Music has been an outlet for me since I was 10 and started playing guitar, but confidence was not my strength. At my first guitar recital, my amp stopped working halfway through, my face went red, and I froze. After that, I deemed myself a terrible musician and decided never to perform again. The songs I wrote went unheard by anyone except my friend who sang them—until last month.

Last month, I wrote the best song I had made so far. I knew the lyrics and melody resonated and represented me better than anything I had created before. For the first time, I gave myself internal validation of my skills and practice and truly felt proud. After much-needed encouragement from my friend and reminders that I create music I love—and that’s what matters—we created our account, and people heard the songs I worked so hard on. It marked a pivotal moment, knowing that just a year ago, I wouldn’t have had the courage to do this. I once told myself I’d never perform again, yet our first video now has over 400 views

Finally, my last photo, the second photo to the right, is a photo of the first party I went to wearing a suit.

Typically, like everyone else, I would wear a dress. I never felt comfortable or good, but fear of judgment made me conform. One day, my friend brought me a suit just in case I wanted to try it on before we left, knowing I loved them. When I tried it on, I felt confident in how I looked—not like I was putting on a filter to cover up my way of expressing myself.

I hesitated to show up in a suit but thought, what do other people’s ideas of what I should wear matter? I wasn’t wearing an outfit for them—I was wearing it for myself. When I arrived, I got nothing but compliments, with a few weird stares here and there, but feeling uncomfortable in my clothing was far worse than random people looking at me funny. This was the first moment I ignored possible judgment, let go of the need for external validation, and focused on what truly mattered—putting myself and my feelings first.

Lastly, explore the idea of losing one of these memories—how would it change who you are?

For this question I am picking the memories of my grandmother's passing. Loosing the memory of those experiences would have completely changed the way I value family now, and the way I perceive grief. Experiencing the loss of two family members so close to me that taught me so much about my identity made me understand the significance of family to cultural identity. Had I forgotten about losing my grandmothers and the connections I made with extended family, I would not have seen the importance of maintaining tight relationships with family and caring to learn more about my cultural heritage through storytelling. The way I understood grief had changed from something completely unfair and made of purely feelings of loss and hurt, to something that creates gratitude and leaves you with a lesson. Without the memory of the connections I made while grieving the inevitable loss of my grandmothers, I would never have been able to let go of that moment in my life, and the understanding I have of my identity and family heritage would exclude the importance of family connections.

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The video I have chosen as my comparison text is a short film by Billie Eilish to her song/spoken word called NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY.  In our studies of feminism over the years, we learned much about the unrealistic expectations put on women and we critiqued the basis on which women are valued. In Billie Eilish’s short film, she addresses the hate she receives for simply existing as a woman in Hollywood, as well as the unattainable desires the media and public expect from her. When talking about how clothing is judged in Hollywood, she says, “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut.” In this quote, she juxtaposes the two extremes of societal expectations that she and other women in the media have faced. In our study of the Guerrilla Girls, we also explored this theme through the way women are often represented in the art world as objects, which perpetuates the agenda that women are valued based on physical appearance rather than personal identity. From comparing these texts, we gain a deeper understanding of the systemic suppression of women's identities and learn the importance of resisting the forces which aim to strip women of their autonomy by amplifying female voices.

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Billie Eilish - NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY - a short film

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Unit 3: Journal 3 screen grab and journalism piece

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Unit 3: Journal 3 screen grab and journalism piece

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https://www.dignitytogether.org/blog/how-we-deal-with-harvey-weinstein-s-world-the-culture-of-abuse-of-power

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Throughout this unit, we focused on our oral presentation skills in preparation for the final IO exam. At the start, I struggled to present in a concise and cohesive manner as I often repeated myself and used filler words when I needed a moment to think. I specifically noticed this when I re-listened to our Guerrilla Girls and “The Tiger's Bride”. When discussing the use of literary devices and their purpose, I repeated myself rather than pausing or slowing down which made it difficult to understand my analysis of authorial choices. With this in mind, I made sure to focus on speaking with more confidence and pausing rather than using filler words if I needed a moment to think. For my final oral seminar, AOL, I presented and recorded myself a few times to identify times where I noticed these same errors so that I was more mindful of them the next time I practiced. As well, we discussed the importance of keeping viewers engaged in the presentation whilst conducting your analysis. This helped me focus on presenting with more expression and placing emphasis on messages or themes I felt were critical to my analysis so that the audience could clearly follow and remain engaged.

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I picked these four themes—cultural/community resilience, forced identity erasure, resistance to violence and oppression, and patriarchal structures—because they highlight the culturally and historically important accounts of struggles and strength of the marginalized groups presented in various texts. These themes broadened my understanding of how various works tackle the same set of problems, appreciating the many ways in which artists and writers express resistance and resilience. What I found most fascinating was how interconnected these themes tend to be, such as the ways in which systemic oppression is reinforced through patriarchal violence, or how erasure of identity can be resisted through cultural resilience. This process has changed my understanding of the texts because, despite different contexts or mediums, the struggle faced by marginalized peoples is often shared. It also showed me the power of visual, lyrical, and narrative forms to express resistance, giving hope to many. Overall, this exercise has deepened my understanding of the connections of these issues, and the multiple ways communities assert their identity and independence.

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Mind Map Whiteboard in Blue and Yellow Simple Brainstorm Style

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Copy of Alyssa Dhanji - IO Bullet Points