• Dispute over territory of Shatt al-Arab waterway which is significant for oil exports

• Iraq attacked Iran after the Islamic Revolution (Saddem Hussein)

• Iraq was threatened by Iran’s religious revolution

Key Battles:

• Jerusalem: Iran regained the sacred land (1981-1982)

• Iran recaptured Khorramsharhr (1982)

• Bombings and cities destroyed for and by both (1984-1988)

Impact on Iranians:

• Economic instability and violent casualties

• Reinforced Iran’s religious beliefs

Foreign Powers:

• Iraq was supported by western countries while Iran was mostly isolated

• US was two-timing Iraq and Iran by secretly supplying Iran weapons for Nicaraguan rebels

Connection to Persepolis

• Sets background for the novel

However, one thing that I would like to work on is the structure of my essay, specifically my introduction, as well as my interpretation of the given material. Oftentimes, my interpretation is very shallow and sometimes even off topic, so I would like to get better at drawing out subtle connotations.

Reflection: In regards to the novel, I realized the significance of family and the role it plays in influencing Marjane’s decision to move back. Prior to the discussion, I was not too focused on how Marjane’s parents and their relationship. But after hearing from my peers, I now understand that Marjane’s relationship with her parents, despite being separated at a young age and growing apart, heavily impacted her decision to move back to Iran. As she realizes the negative experiences that she has faced in Iran, essentially leaving her with no home and no friends, Marjane recognizes that the only people who accept her for who she is are her parents. Discussion wise, I believe I could have prepared a bit more in terms of analysis. My points did not add much value to the discussion, so I hope to work on that next time.

I faced many challenges in this unit, especially at times when I was advised to “flesh out” my ideas, which just meant that I needed to be more descriptive, give context, and make better connections. Writing this out seems like it’s a lot of work to do — and it is — but I managed to work my way through the structure and better my ability to analyze.

Sweat by Lynn Nottage stood out to me in particular because of the significance behind the play. It portrayed the lives of working, middle class folks in a small industrial town and demonstrated how decisions made on a global scale could impact the lives of people in various ways. To me, Sweat was a sneak peek into the lives of the ordinary, giving the underrepresented a chance to be seen. This parallels with aftermath of the US election results, for even though we are not particularly impacted by the election, the election results could have a big impact on the lives of US citizens. However, the concerns of the people won’t be heard as they are “powerless” against the decision-makers. I recall the moment I finished reading the play — the scene where Stan is old and Jason, Chris, and Oscar watches as Stan struggles to clean the tables due to his injury — I cried. It was heartbreaking to see the aftermath of everything that had happened to the characters result in consequences for the innocent.

If I had the opportunity to dive deeper into one of the topics from this unit, it would be Monkman’s bold themes of Indigenous resilience and identity. At first, I couldn’t understand Monkman’s interpretations of history, Indigenous culture, or anything else. I was confused by the bright neon colours, showy visuals, and unique integration of modern objects. Even now, I must admit that I am not very fond of his works that depict violent and gory scenes, but I’ve become appreciative of his calmer pieces. Works like Study for the Sparrow and Our Stories Come From The Land all capture themes of identity and cultural resilience. I would love to delve deeper into these themes as they resonate positivity and hope for a brighter future for Indigenous reclamation.

Image: https://beyondthestreets.com/products/guerilla-girls-if-you-keep-women-out-they-get-resentful-print

B- Some contextual discussion on quotes given, devices are identified. More analysis and evaluation needed (impact and choice of words defined would strengthen) You make statements but you do not show how you got there which means analysis is missing. 6

C- Thesis is somewhat developed but purpose is not clear. You also do not make your main points / arguments clear throughout so focus is lost. Ran out of time to properly finish or make a connection. Stick to a clear PEAL structure. 5

D- Consider your vocabulary - you say that the tone is "amazed" but that doesnt make sense. Work on complexity of vocab. 6

• Koul's introspective writing style allows the audience to see both sides of the story. She compares the societal disadvantages of being darker than her cousin who is biracial, but also draws a contrast on the benefits she receives in India for being more fair-skinned than locals. Her critique of society's racial biases is made more receptive to the audience through her reflective tone.

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?

• Koul's introspections on beauty standards in Fair & Lovely are more nuanced as the notion of society having a singular beauty standard is hard to conclude. Although many people in the West try to keep an open mind and say that beauty doesn't have a definitive standard, it is difficult to argue against the history of preference. Women, especially, are forced into a physical standard in which they believe they must adhere to, which is highly toxic. In contrast, Koul's critique of the normalization of rape culture and lack of female agency highlights how men objectify women and oppress their freedom. As a society led by a patriarchal majority, women are feel the need to be wary of men since society has ingrained the notion that women were made to serve to a man's desire.

• The title of this essay, "Hunting Season" is significant in the way that it connects the main idea Koul is describing. She reiterates throughout the essay that men believe their attentiveness to women makes them obligated to an exchange, specifically, a sexual one. The attentiveness emphasized here links to the word "hunting" in the title as the men can be inferred as hunter, while women, the hunted. However, the word "season" is ironic as the normalization of rape culture is not a season event but happens constantly. Therefore, Koul uses sarcasm in her diction in order to humour the audience with a satirical tone.

How does the normalization of behaviors described in the essay contribute to the perpetuation of rape culture, and what societal shifts are necessary to challenge these ingrained practices?

• The essay states that women do not think much of men watching them because they are so used to it. However, the attentiveness of men is not always innocent, and this catalyzes the normalization of rape culture. Some societal shifts would be to achieve gender equality, in which men do not objectify women so that they don't even think about rape in the first place. Although this sounds nice, it will be hard to implement and sustain, and only time will tell how progressive we become, starting with baby steps.

• Initially, Koul thought of the people who were rude on the internet as insecure. But she realized that the influences of social media the the speed at which information spreads can be harmful for anyone. Her insecurity and need to be "a part of the conversation" drove her to stay online, but as she matured, her interactions became more entertaining than harmful. The lesson to be learned is that the internet is just a way for people to feel more connected, and to remember that no one else's opinion or thoughts should really bother you that much.

What is she sacrificing, and for what gain?

• Koul is sacrificing her privacy for the ability to connect with strangers online and form deeper connections to society as a whole. The whole trademark of being online is a stamp of approval by society, with the only downside being everyone can reach out to you and know just about everything there is to know about anyone and everyone. However, Koul approaches the internet as a way to express her thoughts to the world and converse with others, no matter the pros or cons.

• Young girls are often forced to adhere to the physical Western beauty standards of having fair skin, big eyes, narrow nose, etc. In order to achieve these standards, they go through plastic surgery, buy beauty products, and other perpetually harmful rituals. Other things may include changing one's behaviour or lifestyle to appear more Westernized, or editing one's images on the internet to appear achieve same physical standards by crafting a non-existent persona. All of these methods are harmful to some extent, some more so than others, and Koul's essay critiques the toxicity surrounding this conformity and normalization.

• Koul's efforts to slowly harm her relationship with Hammock is the result of her father's influence. Deep down, Koul still wishes to preserve her relationship with her father as he is generally a positive figure in her life. Therefore, her efforts are subconsciously impacted by her need for parental validation from her father.

If you were Scaachi's father reading this essay, would you think it portrayed you in a positive light?

• I think her father would give Scaachi the silent treatment before inevitably moving on. At first, he would be mad, yelling at her over the phone or through text or having her mom be a medium. Then, he would stop talking to her, not answering Scaachi's calls or having her mom pick up. Finally, he would ring up her phone after two weeks, telling Scaachi about something random that he's doing, and then ask about her day because the bond between a parent and child is unbreakable even against the rollercoaster of life.

Above is an article that talks about the pros and cons of pretty privilege. Although constantly being praised for being attractive may feel satisfying, superficial comments about looks often lack character. The author of the article stated how women feel the need to get external validation by improving their physical appearances to appeal to the male gaze, a byproduct of the patriarchy. However, this ultimately ends up with women feeling objectified by men, leading to a lack of self-confidence and more. In the Guerilla Girls' work “The Birth of Feminism Movie Poster”, the three nearly naked women are given authoritative titles such as ‘congresswoman’ or ‘civil rights lawyer’. This demonstrates how women are constantly under the scrutiny of the male gaze, and how being conventionally attractive and nude may be the only way to gain power. The contradictory nature of being ‘pretty’ in modern society brings on both positive and negative connotations. The Guerilla Girls actively mock the objectification of women by satirizing the notion, while the article also critiques the societal pressures placed on women to look good. Although the Guerilla Girls’ approach to spreading feminism is more straightforward and blunt, society is – for the most part – quite progressive as of now. There are still many things that could be amended in terms of gender equality, but there has been significant improvement in the past few decades.

One challenge I faced in this unit was the close and wide analysis technique. I feel that the material was taught very quickly and I was unable to grasp it very well. However, after looking over the Paper 2 comparative essay preparation package, I slowly began to understand the style of analysis and tried to employ it in my actual writing. Before my actual essay, I practiced the technique a few times by writing paragraphs to familiarize myself. However, since this is the first time I’ve used this kind of analysis style, I will wait to receive feedback on my essay to hone my skills for the future.