Gaiko Essay

       For four years, Chinese students must prepare for the gaoko, a test that essentially determines their entire futures. Their admittance to colleges and universities is based solely on their score-if they don't score well, they are forced to work at a factory doing manual labor or as a construction worker. Needless to say, they are given unimaginable workloads and pushed to the breaking point. I believe that the gaoko puts too much pressure on students and shouldn't be the only factor that determines their admittance to universities.
       The gaoko puts too much pressure on students. They know that in order to do well later in life, they must score well on the test, therefore they feel a ton of pressure to succeed and put all of their time and effort into studying. There is no time to relax or take a break-all they do is study, which is just unhealthy. Some have even taken extreme measures which allow them to constantly study. For example, in the article, "China's Cram Schools" by Brook Larmer, it states "Two years ago, a student posted a shocking photograph online: a classroom full of students all hooked up to intravenous drips to give them the strength to keep studying." This shows that students will go to extreme lengths just to study. Also, the pressure of the gaoko has been so great that some students have even took their own lives. In the article it says "Its critics say it...puts excessive pressure on students. Teenage suicide rates begin to rise as the gaokao nears." Overall, the gaoko is too much pressure for students.
        It is unfair that the gaoko scores are the only factor that is considered in determining the students who are admitted into universities. Going to a university is really the only path to a good education and career for many Chinese students. As it says in "China's Cram Schools", "But for those of limited means, like Yang, there is no alternative to the gaoko; a few points either way could determine whether he qualifies for a degree that could change his life--or nothing." This shows that students who are less fortunate must score well on the test to get a proper education and have a promising future-otherwise they face the consequence of a lifetime of hard labor. This is very unfair for them-a test should not be the only thing riding on their chance at education and a good future.
        In conclusion, the gaoko and the preparation involved with taking it is flawed in many ways. It puts too much pressure on young students. Scoring highly on the gaoko is also many students only chance of a good future, which is not a fair system. A test that can decide the rest of a person's life is simply not a good idea.

      

Martin Espada Essay

       
         Discrimination is an issue that affects and has affected so many people in this world. It is too important to be ignored. In Martin Espada’s poems Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877, Revolutionary  Spanish Lesson, and New Bathroom Policy at English High School, the speaker explores the issue of discrimination in depth, showing us the people and cultures who are affected by it and helping us understand how wrong a situation where certain people arebeing discriminated against or victimized is.

The poem Revolutionary Spanish Lesson is about how the speaker feels hurt by people who mispronounce his Spanish name. In the poem, s/he says “Whenever my name is mispronounced, I want to buy a toy pistol, put on my dark eyeglasses, push my beret to an angle…hijack a busload of Republican tourists from Wisconson.” Although the actions that are described are very extreme and unrealistic, clearly part of some sort of fantasy that the speaker has had, this shows how disrespected and offended, s/he feels when people mispronounce his name, or don’t even try to pronounce it correctly. The speaker feels the even if people don’t know him, his name is the most basic piece of his identity, and it is the least they can do to make an effort to pronounce his/her name correctly. Clearly, s/he values name and culture and holds a certain amount of meaning to it.

The poem New Bathroom Policy at English High School is about how the principal of a school decides to ban Spanish from bathrooms because he overhears students using his name in their conversation and doesn’t know what context they are using it in. Although the topic of their conversation is unclear to the speaker, s/he is clearly afraid of the unknown and afraid of what people think of him. He had no idea what they were talking about, but nonetheless jumped to the conclusion that it might be rude, offensive or discriminatory. He chose to ban Spanish because of this.

 The last poem Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877 weighs especially heavy on the topic of discrimination, showing the readers the extent of discrimination in some situations. The poem elaborates on a moment where Vigilanties who have lynched two Mexicanos stand proudly afterwards, posing for a picture with the dead bodies. It says in the poem “…Gringo Vigilanties cheered the rope that snapped two Mexicanos into the grimacing sleep of broken necks.” This line gives us a quite gruesome image of this lynching. And while the reasoning behind this incident is slightly unclear, it almost goes without saying that discrimination is a part of it. They are of course, Vigilanties, people who take the law into their own hands, killing Mexicanos, people who worked for Whites. It is obviously their belief that they should do this, not the laws. Overall, this poem is a harsh truth, a reminder that there are people who can easily do horrible things free of guilt or remorse. This poem is meant to help the reader understand the pain that victims of these acts of discrimination are caused by them.

       In conclusion, Martin Espada’s three poems explore the topic of discrimination in a number of situations ranging in severity. They are told from the perspective of someone who has faced discrimination a lot in his or her life, speaking to other people who have been victimized similarly, while at the same time showing those who have not how much pain these people go through.

Sonnet

Shall I compare thee to a pretty song

Lines of a song are long and beautiful

Sometimes your words sound like they don’t belong

Your sentences are short and unusual

Sometimes when you talk you start to stutter

Though in a song, the words have this flawless flow

Gosh, it is really quite a wonder

Despite all this, I would hate to see you go

When I hear a song, I feel myself smile

When you are around, I really do too

I guess I shouldn’t be in denial

Maybe it’s just hard for your charm to come through

Music can sound perfect, which is so rare

I shouldn’t compare thee, that is just unfair

Scarlet Letter Essay

Angela Tanzer                                                                                                 808

            Symbols are often used to develop the readers understanding of a certain circumstance in a book. The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne, is a story set in a 17^th century Puritan community, about a woman named Hester Prynne who must face consequence for her deemed not only criminal but deeply sinful actions, by wearing a scarlet letter on her bosom, a marking that titles her “Adulterous.” Hester has chosen to stay in Boston, the place of her community, and has chosen to face punishment individually, unable to admit to anyone the partner in her actions. However by choosing to do so, Hester also creates a life marked by solitude, on the edge of town, her isolation interrupted mostly only by her little daughter Pearl, who is too, a major symbol of Hester’s actions-in fact the result of them. In the book, aside from the most obvious symbol, the scarlet letter, Hawthorne uses a number of symbols, which all serve their own important purpose in enhancing our understanding and interpretation of the overall situation. They help us understand the severity of Puritan law, and Hester’s relation to it, and to her community. 

           

            One important symbol in the Scarlet Letter is where Hester and Pearl live, a small cottage on the very edge of town. Overall, this serves to represent Hester’s isolation and seclusion from her community, however there are very specific ideas which Hester’s cottage brings about. Hester is of course, separated and isolated physically from the people in her community. Also, as described, “A clump of scrubby trees, such as alone grew on the peninsula, did not so much conceal the cottage from view, as seem to denote that here was some object which would fain have been, or at least ought to be, concealed.” This quote shows there is an aspect of living in this cottage, which Hester clearly desires, something sort of private and concealed. Aside from this, Hester living on the edge of town can also be a symbol of a sort of boundary between her and her community, as well as Puritan society in general, as Hester is not like them. It shows how little she shares with them. For example, on page 153, it says, "Standing alone in the world-- alone, as to any dependance on society, and with little Pearl to be guided and protected-alone, and hopeless of retrieving her position, even had she not scorned to consider it desirable,-she cast away the fragments of a broken chain. The world's law was no law for her mind." This helps to prove Hester's mental separation from society, from others, even shows that she is slightly indifferent and doesn't care to preserve her reputation. Lastly, the wilderness by which Hester's cottage is surrounded can represent Hester's passionate personality, and her opposition to what would be considered conventional Puritan, which was straightforward and strict. It can represent how out-of-order or different she might appear in comparison to people around her.

            Another central symbol to this book is the scarlet letter. A line that really showed how much Puritans in Hester's community thought of such a punishment as the scarlet letter was, "They averred, that the symbol was not but a mere scarlet cloth, tinged in an earthly dye-pot, but was red-hot with infernal fire, and could be seen glowing all alight, whenever Hester Prynne walked abroad in the night-time." It is made clear, throughout the novel, that people who do live in Hester’s community, at first scorn and look down upon her as the wearer of the scarlet letter, and even as time goes on, use the scarlet letter as a way to define who she is, whether or not in different ways than they first had. For example, when Hester is kind and helpful to people who are poor, they are unable to look beyond the meaning or power that they believe the scarlet letter has, and change it to mean "Able" instead of "Adulterous". While Hester has changed greatly as a person over time, and has chosen to do good things, they are only able to see her in terms of the scarlet letter, and think that it has worked in forcing Hester to think about her sin, and reevaluate her life, the only obvious reason for the positive actions she brings to others. What people in her community don't realize is that they are wrong--the two are completely separate, her actions are mostly independent of her punishment. Maybe she is able, but it's not really because the scarlet letter has "served it's purpose." Hester is a passionate and driven woman, as was her sin. She has channeled this passion, almost minimized it to her thoughts.  Maybe now her thoughts have led her to make these good choices. She is a changed woman, but not for the reasons they believe. 

           In conclusion, the author does a good job of using symbols to better the reader's understanding of circumstances in The Scarlet Letter. They give us insight not only into Hester's life and inner thoughts, but also into her relationship to her community and to Puritan society as a whole. People choose to judge Hester for her one big mistake, although we know everyone does make them, and most likely a number people in Hester's community. The phrase "The punishment must fit the crime," is a way of saying the severity of the punishment depends on that of the crime, and should be fitting of it. However, in this book, this doesn't necessarily always seem to be the case for the protagonist, Hester. Overall, this book is filled with lessons and messages about making mistakes, about the consequences of them, and about relationship between an individual and a society or community. Symbols help to add to this.

           

Banned Books Essay

Angela Tanzer                                                                                                         808

Banned Book Essay

Dear Ms. Berner,

I am aware of some recent requests you have received concerning the removal or “banning” of certain books in M.S. 51 classrooms. Many parents wish to shelter their children from dark novels, as they fear they might be damaging to them. They think that the dark themes and questionable language faced by these books make their content unfit for their children, or any child, to be exposed to. And these are only some reasons-people have countless reasons that make them think it’s a good idea to ban books from libraries. And critics like Meghan Cox Gurdon seem to constantly find flaws of allowing children to read dark young adult literature. However, I disagree with the concept of banning books. While young adult literature might uncover some very serious topics, it also helps children learn more about the world they live in, and possibly guide them through conflicts they deal with throughout their lives. Children should be allowed to read what they choose.  Therefore, I believe that books should not be banned from libraries.

To begin with, students should be able to read books that inform them about issues situations in the world they live in. Books involving issues such as drugs, violence, rape, and poverty can widen their perspective and teach kids that there are a lot of serious things going on in the world that can’t be ignored. As privileged children, and many readers of young adult novels probably are, it doesn’t make sense to go through life with a poor understanding of these issues-about what’s going on around them. I, personally, find myself empathizing with people who deal with these issues more, when I learn more about them in books. For example, the novel Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe really moved me and strengthened my understanding of the harshness and brutality of life on the streets, while The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie made me truly empathize with people who are a minority in this country. While some privileged children may not experience many of the issues in young adult books, reading about them can help them empathize with people who do. Also, we all go through something hard in our lives and reading about it in books can help people who feel like there’s no one to talk to make a connection with the great many people who go through the same thing, even if we don’t know who they are.

Furthermore, for people who have experienced these issues themselves, like victims of rape or abuse or people who have lost many loved ones, reading books about the issues can help them feel less lonely. In the article, “Yes, Teen fiction can be dark, but it shows teenagers they are not alone”, by Maureen Johnson, it states, “For teenagers, there is sometimes no more critical message then: You are not alone.” Having something very serious and traumatic happen to teenagers who haven’t been able to talk about their experience, or don’t want to, might make them feel lonely or more introverted in general. However, reading a book about their problem can show them that they are not alone, and that there are many other people who have gone through the same or similar thing. By reading a book, people are able to understand how widespread their situation is, and it can help them feel a bigger connection to people around them, that they might not have known existed before. And not to people they know personally or might ever have to know, but that have had the same experience as them.Young adult books can also be an outlet for children who lead troubled lives, the only way to escape horrors that they face in their everyday lives. For example, in the article "Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood", by Sherman Alexie, he states, "When I think of the poverty-stricken, sexually and physically abused, self-loathing Native American teenager that I was, I can only wish, immodestly, that I’d been given the opportunity to read “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” Or Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak.” Or Chris Lynch’s “Inexusable.”

             On the other hand, some parents and critics have raised concerns about certain young adult literature and think that banning it is an effective way to prevent their children from reading “questionable content”. Some even believe that reading books that deal with people who consistently make bad choices, such as doing drugs or self-harming might influence children to want to make these decisions, or just make it seem like a more reasonable option. While I can understand that parents naturally have concerns about what their children are exposed to and how it will negatively affect them, I don’t think this is the case. Any good author of a dark young adult novel wouldn’t set out to write their book with a goal to disturb kids or teach them to fall into precarious sets of mind. That’s not why they choose a dark theme or wrote about heavy issues. Many, if not most of them, show implications involved with making these bad decisions, and teach kids why they shouldn’t. Also, banning books doesn’t stop these issues from being a very unfortunate reality, and an accurate portrayal of what is going on in the world, even if it is brutal. In “The Bane of Banned Books”, Bill Moyer says, “Censorship is the enemy of truth-even more than a lie. A lie can be exposed, censorship can prevent us from knowing the difference.” He makes a good point. Censoring books doesn’t eliminate the issues in them-it simply ignores them and conceals them for people who have not yet reached that level of understanding. It avoids the truth. But children can’t be sheltered forever and the world that the kind of parents who ban books probably want them seeing is too often not the world that exists around them.

In conclusion, I don’t think any books should be banned here at M.S. 51, or anywhere at all. Books are a very important part of the world, and of many individuals’ lives everywhere. They are the foundation of learning for people of all ages, and the right to read them should not be revoked for anyone. I think it’s unfair for people to take away something that is helping others learn or grow or cope in their own lives, as books do. Children, as well as adults, face challenges in their lives, difficulties that can act as an obstacle that inhibits them from moving forward. Although reading may not be able to help these people survive or completely overcome these challenges, reading about similar experiences that other’s have had, imaginary or not, can help them get through them, in the least help them understand they are not alone. Overall, people should have enough faith to give children choice to read what they want to, and enough faith that they won’t make any terrible decisions when they have it. Of course this logic may not apply in other realms, but in this one I believe it should. Therefore, it is in the M.S.51 administrations’ best interest that they don’t ban any books previously allowed.

Sincerely,

Angela Tanzer

Social Justice Project

Social Justice: Looking at the World Through a Lense of Justice and Fairness

            I read an article called “Where Do We Go After Ferguson?” This deals with a very serious issue, which the Ferguson case has recently brought light to-racial divide and discrimination in the United States. When people think of racism, they might easily think of what was “ending” less than 100 years ago. But clearly, this issue has yet to be resolved or ended, as it has found it’s way into many modern day situations, like this one. Police Officer Darren Wilson saw Michael Brown as a “demonic force”, as the article states-and solely based on the color of his skin, therefore taking it upon himself to shoot and kill the unarmed black teenager. I find it completely unjust that Brown was shot, as he didn’t do any harm or pose a threat and was just minding his own business. Additionally, the fear Darren Wilson possibly had of him that influenced his death was judged based on the fact that he was black. Had it been a white teenager that Wilson came across, most likely he wouldn’t have shot. That’s not to say that police brutality is only directed towards black people, but that obviously much police brutality from white officers in the United States can be traced back to a frankly very flawed and racist perspective that many of them have. Something this article said that proved this perspective did and still does exists is “…Then you didn’t really see what any Negro looked like, because ‘the Negro was never an individual’ but ‘a threat, or an animal, or a curse.” This line was very important, because while whites might not be as extreme as to consider black people were animals or curses, they obviously consider them a threat. Lastly, I believe that Darren Wilson should have been indicted, as he was wrong in thinking this way, but more importantly wrong in shooting this teenager. It is an injustice that he wasn’t and that even now, years after moments in history that should have brought closure to the issue of racism, unfortunately many black people in this country still have to deal with people who never let go of these feelings.


           Some things I observed in my neighborhood that I think are unfair to human rights are

the dress code at M.S. 51 and homelessness.

 Although I find both of these issues very important, I want to elaborate on homelessness. Homelessness is a big problem. Thousands of underprivileged people live right under our noses in this huge city. Some are right on the street. And it might be hard for each person to try and help, but even just the smallest thing like giving someone a little money is a kind act. For example, the other day on the subway, I gave a homeless man some money. It wasn’t a lot at all, but it wasn’t more than he asked for, and it felt good. It felt good to give for once.

Interview with Addie Lovell

What is good about the world?

Puppies, kittens, food, drama, summer, holidays, pools, hot chocolate, fall, the beach, movies, One Direction, Larry, Starbucks, Netflix, Tumblr.

What is unfair about the world?

Women don’t earn the same pay as men for doing the same jobs, women get blamed for rape, there is such thing as rape culture, gay marriage isn’t allowed in some states, it’s unfair that a white police officer can shoot an unarmed black teen and gets paid $500 thousand and is not indicted, a white male teenager can rape a female student and not face any consequences, Obama is dismissing the Michael Brown case, people believe there should be laws enforcing what they can and cannot do with their bodies, animal abuse, people choose not to believe sexualities including bisexual, a sexual and demisexual exist and genders like transgender, agender and gender fluid really exist, although they do, there aren’t enough gun laws to stop people from buying guns and killing people, animal abuse, when a white teenager comes into a school and shoots children, people pity him and think he had a “mental disorder”, Nash Grier and Justin Bieber.

Just by looking at the second question, it is so much longer. Things that are good about the world are simple pleasures that she enjoys, while things that are unfair about the world are complicated and troublesome-rape, not believing in sexualities, gun control, and the Michael Brown case. One of her answers that really made me think was when she said people choose not to believe sexualities including bisexual, a sexual and demisexual exist. I think that people need to understand that others should be allowed to be themselves without being judged or dismissed by anyone else. Everyone should be celebrated for who they are, nothing less. I think it’s unfair that people take it upon themselves to judge others wrongly. 

            Something I saw in the news was a story about a football player named Costa Karageorge. The news said that he had recently ran away, after a series of concussions he had from football. Apparently, he was confused by the concussions. This makes me think about how dangerous sports can be. People can get injured and ruined so easily. If you really think about it, you hear a lot about stories lately about serious repercussions of playing football. Also, this case is really sad because he was recently found dead near his school, apparently with a self-inflicted gun wound. I can imagine Karageorge feeling very confused and depressed. He might regret choosing to play football because it caused him so much pain in the end. I know I would. If I were the family of Karageorge I would feel devastated about the terrible situation.

            Someone who changes the world every day is my grandmother. My grandmother is an animal activist. She is a vegan and doesn’t believe in animal abuse. She tries to help animals find homes. Every day she gets emails about unwanted animals and tries as hard as she can to help them find homes, by telling everybody she can in hopes of finding an owner. I find it inspiring that she has dedicated herself to animal rights and never stopped trying. She is also a therapist, so she helps people who need support every day, which is very inspiring.

          When I think about stereotypes in shows, I think of Glee. Glee is a show about a number of teenagers in high school who join together in a musical group called Glee. They’re all different, however many of the characters perpetuate certain stereotypes. For example, the show portrays social stereotypes, including that the football players date the popular, cheerleader girls. Also, the Asian boys parents push him to get amazing grades. The only Asians date each other and there are very few black kids not only in the club, but also in the whole school. Also, the girls are sometimes portrayed as very needy and attention seeking (such as Rachel and Quinn). I think it’s very important that people watching shows like this understand all people are different and that one group of people aren't and shouldn't be all one way, so as not to let these stupid stereotypes get to them. However, I think that aside from the perhaps excessive stereotypes perpetuated in the show, Glee promotes a very positive message, which is that people can come together and do something amazing despite their differences. At many different points in the show, one member would quit because they were changing and thought that being in Glee made them a loser or a social outcast, but they would always come around and rejoin. They realized that Glee was something very special and something they all wanted to be a part of. This club made a lot the characters break out of their shell and change. For many of them, high school was a very draining and tough experience and so in many parts, despite everything they had gone through themselves and with each other, they came to love Glee as a second family, or an outlet. So despite the stereotypes used in this show I think one of Glees more positive aspects is that it promotes a strong message about coming together. Although, it is pretty hard to overlook these stereotypes. Teenagers and adults are different and unique in so many ways and can't be categorized by these standards.

Eleanor and Park Essay

Eleanor and Park

 There are many ways that other people can affect and change our personality and our overall outlook on life-things they make us feel, or think. For Eleanor, in Eleanor and Park, there are a few circumstances that very negatively impact her outlook in the beginning of the book. Her strange sense of style and her crazy red hair make her feel far too different from all the “perfect” girls at her school, and from most girls she meets for that matter. This causes her huge lack of confidence about herself and her cautious, guarded personality around her peers, for fear of what they might think. Eleanor also faces feelings of bitterness and anger due to her terrible, broken family life and her abusive, unforgiving father, Richie. However, although these issues can’t completely disappear and probably never will, through her relationship with a boy whom she meets and soon falls in love with, Park, they seemingly lessen slightly as he helps her change and open up more as a person. The major lesson I took away from this book was that love change us greatly and can positively affect the way we see the world and the way we see ourselves.

            In the beginning, Eleanor lacks confidence and sees herself as unworthy in general-and even of Parks love. For instance, when she’s on the phone with him on page 109, it says, “She looked down at the turntable, at her own reflection in the tinted acrylic lid. She looked like a fat-faced ghost. She closed her eyes. ‘Why do you even like me?” This demonstrates Eleanor’s lack of confidence through the way she described how ugly she thought she looked, as well as her doubt about Park’s feelings for her. She doesn’t believe that Park could ever love her as much as she loves him, which isn’t true. Park loves and cares about Eleanor so much more than she knows. Another example of this shown when she meets Park’s mother. When she goes to Park’s house for the first time and meets her, she leaves just a few minutes after. She felt too uncomfortable around his “pretty perfect mom”. In fact she feels “She would never belong in Park’s living room. She never felt like she belonged anywhere, except for when she was lying on her bed, pretending to be somewhere else." This shows that at first even with Park, she doesn’t have the self-confidence and continues to feel that she doesn’t belong. Also, to make matters worse, over the past years Eleanor's life, it doesn’t seem like anybody has really been there for her or attempted to contradict her problem with low self-esteem, or any of the other issues she faces in her life, for that matter, which could only encourage them to remain or grow. She doesn’t have someone who she can trust and isn’t used to the kind of support and appreciation she receives from Park, which is probably why she’s at first so scared to accept it or believe that it’s really there.
              However, despite any doubts Eleanor has about their relationship at first, her strong feelings for Park are evident throughout the novel, as well as his for her. When they are on the bus and Park holds her hand for the first time, Park says "As soon as he touched her, he wondered how he'd gone long he'd gone this long without doing it." And for her-"Even in a million pieces, Eleanor could still feel Park holding her hand. Could still feel his thumb exploring her palm." This shows that they both felt such a strong connection in that moment, as if their touch was charged with energy and feeling. However, Park still thinks Eleanor feels weird or uncomfortable after this moment because she won't look at him all day. But on the bus ride back, she holds his hand, which proves that even though she was nervous while he was touching her at first, she still liked it and felt like it meant something. She even felt comfortable even to do it back. She has never felt this way for anybody else and was even calling Park a "stupid Asian kid" just weeks before, which shows how love is gradually changing Eleanor into a different person.
                 In conclusion, despite how hard it is on both Eleanor and Park as Eleanor often struggles to let go of the insecure personality she once held and gain confidence-even when they become closer and Park makes it clear that he truly loves her for who she is, in the end their trouble was worth it because they had such an amazing, irreplaceable connection and relationship. Eleanor falling for Park is something that makes her see herself and the world so differently than she had before-her feelings for him almost softened her a little. Eleanor thinks Park is beautiful and she can never stop thinking about him. She misses him all the time and looks forward to seeing him on days she doesn’t, when before Eleanor had nothing to look forward to but the horrors of a nasty father, a broken family and her own insecurity. Many people, even teenagers, hope to find that one person, someone who we feel is perfect for us-who will change us, who will love and care about us more than we thought anyone could, and this makes us a little different from Eleanor and Park, as they were never hoping to find that person. But those of us who are lucky enough to stumble upon that person along the way, as Eleanor and Park, might truly understand how amazing it is that they did.