Switching Places

Merriman: Hello, my name is Merriman and I am pleased to meet you.

Billy: H-h-h-hi, my n-name is Billy Bibbit. D-d-do you come h-h-here often?

Merriman: No, this is my first time. I am trying to get away, you see, I am a butler at the Manor House, Jack Worthington’s estate.  I am just so tired of being bossed around there, even if it is my job.

Billy: W-w-w-wow, what is it l-like to live in a m-m-mansion?  At l-l-least you don’t live in an asylum, l-l-like me.

Merriman: ‘“Yes, sir,’” but I would enjoy having friends around to talk to like a normal guy once in a while (Wilde, 30).

Billy: ‘“You think I wuh-wuh-wuh-want to stay [there]?’”  The awful Nurse Ratched and my mother control me, what I would give to get out of that place (Kesey, 195).

Merriman: I’m gonna get real weird with it and suggest we switch places, Mr. Bibbit. ‘“The dog-cart is waiting [outside]’” and you can ride it to the Manor! I’ll spend some time at the asylum (Wilde, 32).

Billy: ‘“What do you m-m-mean?’” (Kesey, 264).  D-d-do you think this w-w-would work?

Merriman: Surely! We look quite similar and both seem to need a break from our controlling family members and bosses.  We can meet back here in a week, sooner if necessary.

Billy: Well, I w-w-would like t-t-t-to get away from the w-w-ward, my m-mother, and the t-t-terrible Nurse Ratched.  L-l-let’s do it.  

Merriman: Wonderful.  I will see you in a week! Farewell, Mr. Bibbit.

Billy: G-g-good bye Merriman.

Billy (left) and Merriman look just alike!

Fire Drill

As I look around the room, I make sure I feel comfortable and "'adjusted to my surroundings'" (28).  Before in-class writings, I always come to class a few minutes early and prepare for the task.  I slowly and carefully write a heading at the top of my fresh, clean piece of notebook paper, Nurse Ratched, Ms. Serensky... and then I pull out three new pens to place neatly on top of my desk.  As my class mates start to enter and nervous chatter fills my ears, I block out the voices and mentally prepare.  Soon enough, I am swiftly writing about our recent book, Othello, confident that my paper is intelligent and to the point.  But then, the loud screeching fire alarm goes off! No way am I leaving my essay! No way! But sure enough, we have to go outside.  "'I'm afraid'" that Ms. Serensky will not give us more time (27).  Of course, I don't need extra time, but it sure would be nice.  After we stand outside, the seconds ticking away, we are finally allowed to enter the school.  A classmate, Katie, tells me "I'll meet you up there!" and starts to run.  My whole class seems to be running, and I think they cannot get more time than me! "'You can't run around here,'" I shout as loud as I can (96).  Everyone freezes, distracted enough for me to sprint as fast as I can to the class room.  And, of course, even though this is the worst day in AP English 12, I get the highest grade in the class.

 

A Letter to Ruby

Dear Ruby,

          My name is Hannah.   I am a high school student, but I can pretty much guarantee that your IQ surpasses mine immensely.   Last year, I enrolled in AP English 11, an advanced, college-level English class offered at my school.  Known to be incredibly difficult with a huge amount of work, intricate discussions and complex essays, I felt proud to be a student in one of the hardest classes at my school.

However, as you grow up, I to notice your increasing vast amount of knowledge (You do have the “fourth-smartest person in the history of the world” as your father after all (264)).  Although at first I felt less of myself when you talk about things such as “‘the provision for oil drilling in next year’s budget resolution’” at the age of ten, your passion for the environment greatly impresses me (295).  Before you talk with an important, high-ranking government official, you tell your dad, “‘The flying made me nervous.  But I’m okay now’” (294).  Your ability to speak so passionately about what you care about in front of an intimidating official without feeling nervous encourages me to speak about my passions with more confidence.  Unfortunately in AP English 11 with its difficult discussions, I often failed to speak about my thoughts in front of my classmates, but hopefully you have inspired me to care less about what others are thinking and more about what I feel passion for.   When you have the opportunity to talk with newspapers and news stations about your passion, you say, “‘I want to do it…people are finally ready to listen’” (296).  Your eager and enthusiastic attitude toward the oil issue also inspires me to teach those who are willing to listen about my own passions and to speak up more in AP English.  Ruby, thank you so much, for your fervent, adoring and intelligent personality have taught me to speak out for what I believe in.

Thanks again,

Hannah Zaim

Top Ten

This week, I have been putting off the blog every time it enters my mind, as I cannot seem to find anything to blog about.  Desperately, I decided to Google a blog idea, and eventually I came across a website called Listverse.  This site displays numerous "top 10" lists regarding topics which I did not even think a list could be made. For example, I found a "Top 10 Steps to a Top 10 List" and "Top 10 People Who Vanished in AirPlanes."  As I sat down an started to search this website, a list called "20 Examples of Why You Should Enjoy Poetry" popped up, an I couldn't help but read it.  Each example is a poem or an excerpt from a poem, that the author of this list deems an excellant choice for persuading people to read poetry.  #18 is even "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams!  However, and although I have limited knowledge regarding vast amounts of poetry, the majority of this list does not encourage me to read these poems and enjoy them.  So,  although I spent 30 minutes looking at useless lists, such as the "Top 10 Bizarre Things Cars Have Been Covered With,"  I condemn myself as I do not have the desire to read a few poems that some person believes are some of the best.

http://listverse.com/2008/03/26/20-examples-of-why-you-should-enjoy-poetry/

Aladdin: Misconceptions and Stereotypes

The other day, I was pleased to find Aladdin on TV and sat back to watch the nostalgic Disney movie.  However, as the film progressed, I found myself shocked by the obvious stereotypes and orientalist connotations the movie displayed.  I guess I had never noticed this due to my limited knowledge on the topic, but learning more about the Middle Eastern culture in Arabic class helped me notice everything wrong with Aladdin.  First of all, the movie makers must have not known the difference between the Middle East and India.  The desert background and the song Arabian Nights makes it clear that the story takes place in some Middle Eastern country.  However, Jasmine's palace clearly resembles the Taj Mahal, and her pet tiger and a plentiful amount of elephants, animals that were never native to the Middle East, make many appearances in the film.  The movie makers also clearly stereotyped the marriage customs and treatment of women of Muslims and the Middle East.  Jasmine complains to her father, as she longs to be free of her imprisonment in their castle.  She seems trapped until she finally approves of one of the multiple suitors who come to marry her.  One last scene that struck me was after Jasmine fed a homeless child.  She takes an apple off some man's cart without paying, and he grabs her hand, holds up a knife, and threatens to cut off her hand: "Do you know what the penalty is for stealing?" Although this law does somewhat exist, and is frightening to think about, this is an extreme misrepresentation.  The only country with this law, Saudi Arabia, does not cut off thief's hand unless they can prove that the thief stole for the sole purpose of stealing.  In almost every case, someone who steals has a driving force other than just stealing, as did Jasmine (to feed a hungry child), so Disney once again stereotypes the Middle East as barbaric.  Overall, I still love Aladdin and will still watch it whenever I get the chance, but discovering these mistakes by the movie makers makes me realize how my perception has changed through the years.

Protests in the Middle East

My sister, a Grad student studying Middle Eastern studies and Arabic, has drilled the idea into my mind that the recent events in the Middle East and North Africa are extremely historical and significant today.  My own interest has lead to research and an addiction to various news websites and nightly readings of what happened that day.  Because of the history being made and the importance these events have on our country as well as their own, I've decided to give a brief summary of what is happening in the revolting countries at this point.

Bahrain: The majority of Bahraini people are Shiite-Muslim, but the ruling government consists of Sunni-Muslims, which creates an obvious divide between the government and the people.  Demonstrations by the people have led to violent crackdowns in the country's capital, but people are reluctant to give up.  

Egypt: January 25th, 2011 will be forever known as the day that protests began in Egypt's now famous Tahrir Square.  The Egyptians demanded the removal of their ruler, Hosni Mubarak, who was in power for three decades.  Unemployment and the awful Emergency Law, which says any person can be arrested without a reason, were also driving forces of the demonstrations. Finally, Mubarak resigned, but Egyptians are uneasy due to little improvements in the regime.

Libya: Protests against leader Moammar Gaddafi have caused extreme violence and hundreds to thousands of deaths.  Gaddafi's threatening and harsh speeches and the large amount of corruption in this country have enhanced his people's anger, as pro-democracy rebels continue to take control of many regions in Libya.  

Tunisia: Unrest in this North African country due to unemployment and corruption caused demonstrations.  Unlike the other leaders, president Ben Ali fled from his country in January, and the Prime Minister, Ghannouchi, resigned as he finally listened to protester's demands. 

Other countries experiencing historical demonstrations and protests include Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, and Yemen.  I encourage students to keep up to date with the current events surrounding these Middle Eastern countries, as the United State's relations with the region are of extreme importance and the countries' steps to democracy will be momentous and significant from now on.   

Cool College Courses

Throughout the year, I have received numerous pamphlets, postcards, letters, and fliers from various colleges.  Some I have never heard of, and others are ones that I wish to attend, but the never-ending waste of paper has made me excited for the next four years.  As I apply to colleges and make big decisions, I spend a lot of time leaving through course catalogues.  Here are a few of the most interesting and humorous classes I have come across:

1. The American Vacation: University of Iowa offers this intriguing class, which discusses how American families of various backgrounds plan their vacations.  

2. Maple Syrup: The Real Thing: This course, available at Alfred University, reviews the production of maple syrup and it's significance in our culture today.

3. Joy of Garbage: UC Berkley offers this strange sounding course, which teaches students how to manage their garbage and encourages recycling.

4. Underwater Basket Weaving: This course stays true to its name, as students learn to weave baskets underwater at Reed College.

5. Tree Climbing: At Cornell, students can take this nostalgic class in order to learn to climb trees.

6. Finding Dates Worth Keeping: University of Sioux Falls offers this strange class for students who cannot seem to find the perfect match.

7. How to Watch Television: Seemingly a pretty easy task, students still take this course at Montclair in order to learn how to watch TV.

8. The Art of Walking: We learn to walk at quite a young age, but students at Centre College learn how to walk in a healthier manner.

9. Street-Fighting Mathematics:  Students learn the mathematical aspects of street-fighting when they sign up for this course offered at MIT.

10. Age of Piracy: Students from Arizona State can now learn the art and history of piracy.

I hope that in college, I have time to take an enjoyable class that will most likely teach me about something I never thought I would know so much about!