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Friday, June 5, 2009
What's in a Name?
In the excerpt from Firoozeh Dumas’s memoir, “The F-Word”, she talks about the difficulties of having a foreign name “in this land of Joes and Marys” here in America. With the aid of humor and honesty, she explains some of the struggles that one goes through with a “unique” name and how she has dealt with it in our culture. When she was twelve, she decided to change her name to a more familiar and traditional one (Julie) that would be less problematic for everyone. She soon found out though that, “…simplifying one’s life in the short run only complicates it in the long run (Pg61, Remix).” She realized that she was living two completely separated lives with her colleagues knowing her by one name and her friends and family by another. She says on page 62 that, “Once I got married, my name became Firoozeh Dumas. I went from having an identifiably “ethnic” name to having ancestors who wore clogs. My family and non-American friends continued calling me Firoozeh, while my coworkers and American friends called me Julie. My life became one big knot….” Her two worlds were contradicting each other as she “felt like a fake (Pg 62, Remix).” I can relate to this because even though I have grown more comfortable with my name as I have gotten older, as a child growing up I would hate my name because most people would not pronounce it right. I would be called Dave, Dan, Damien, Dana etc… anything but Dane. A lot of times I would just go with it, especially if I knew I would never meet this person again. Now that I have I grown up a little bit and grown to love my name, I rarely let a person get away with the wrong name. I have grown to appreciate it for its own distinctiveness. Firoozeh realized the same thing as she eventually went
back to her real name full time. She discovered that it is because of the “complexity” of her given name that makes it that much more unique and special. It is because of people like Firoozeh that enables people to look outside of themselves and accept and appreciate everyone for their own individuality.
My mom has told me that she got my name from the novel, The Thorne
Birds (This is a little embarrassing). I honestly believe that I had something to do with this, as we all do. I believe that we all choose our names, along with everything else that revolves around us, before we even come to this earth. Maybe this is for another topic, but in general names really do define us whether we like it or not in our modern society. Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society, first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. Firoozeh Dumas’s overall message of what is and what is not accepted in American culture gives a transparent look at how judgmental we really are. I for one do not see any problems with “adding a few new spices to the kitchen pantry.” as it can only open up our heats and minds even more with accepting people for who they really are. It is because of people like Firoozeh, that enables people to look outside of themselves and accept and appreciate everyone for their own individuality and not who we perceive them to be.
I have grown more comfortable with my name as I have gotten older. As a child growing up I would hate my name because most people would not pronounce it right. I would be called Dave, Dan, Damien, Dana etc… anything but Dane. A lot of times I would just go with it, especially if I knew I would never meet this person again. Now that I have I grown up a little bit and grown to love my name, I rarely let a person get away with the wrong name. I have grown to appreciate it for its own uniqueness.
My mom has told me that she got my name from the novel, The Thorne Birds (This is a little embarrassing). I honestly believe that I had something to do with this, as we all do. I believe that we all choose our names, along with everything else that revolves around us, before we even come to this earth. Maybe this is for another topic but in general names really do define us whether we like it or not in our modern society. Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. I can really relate to her story as she adds humor to a very serious element of all of our everyday lives.
back to her real name full time. She discovered that it is because of the “complexity” of her given name that makes it that much more unique and special. It is because of people like Firoozeh that enables people to look outside of themselves and accept and appreciate everyone for their own individuality.
My mom has told me that she got my name from the novel, The Thorne
Birds (This is a little embarrassing). I honestly believe that I had something to do with this, as we all do. I believe that we all choose our names, along with everything else that revolves around us, before we even come to this earth. Maybe this is for another topic, but in general names really do define us whether we like it or not in our modern society. Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society, first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. Firoozeh Dumas’s overall message of what is and what is not accepted in American culture gives a transparent look at how judgmental we really are. I for one do not see any problems with “adding a few new spices to the kitchen pantry.” as it can only open up our heats and minds even more with accepting people for who they really are. It is because of people like Firoozeh, that enables people to look outside of themselves and accept and appreciate everyone for their own individuality and not who we perceive them to be.
I have grown more comfortable with my name as I have gotten older. As a child growing up I would hate my name because most people would not pronounce it right. I would be called Dave, Dan, Damien, Dana etc… anything but Dane. A lot of times I would just go with it, especially if I knew I would never meet this person again. Now that I have I grown up a little bit and grown to love my name, I rarely let a person get away with the wrong name. I have grown to appreciate it for its own uniqueness.
My mom has told me that she got my name from the novel, The Thorne Birds (This is a little embarrassing). I honestly believe that I had something to do with this, as we all do. I believe that we all choose our names, along with everything else that revolves around us, before we even come to this earth. Maybe this is for another topic but in general names really do define us whether we like it or not in our modern society. Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. I can really relate to her story as she adds humor to a very serious element of all of our everyday lives.
Kicking up Dust
The movie Lone Star, set in a small boarder town in Rio County Texas, is full of racial tensions. A whodunit murder mystery with a clash of cultures and times. Sam Deeds must make a decision whether to go along with the way things have always been done or choose a new path. From the beginning, it is apparent that he wants to make the right choice and get to the bottom of what really going on in his hometown. Two major themes that run throughout the movie are Sam’s search for the truth of the past and the meaning of his future.
A perfect scene that shows directly how Sam Deeds is not about to go along with the status quo and turn the other cheek with the murder investigation would be at the end of chapter 10. With the newly discovered body possibly being Charlie Wade, the Mayor very plainly tells Sam to just leave it alone as things of this matter should be left in the fog. As Sam is about to walk off the dock, the Mayor starts to use fishing as a metaphor for their situation. He says, ”Look at everything that is required here; tackle, bait, a boat … just to catch a little old fish just minding its own business on the bottom of the lake…. It hardly seems worth the effort, doesn’t’ Sam?” With Sam immediately walking away in disgust shows that Sam is not about to go along with this thinking as he knew something “fishy” was going on. It also shows that the last thing the people of prominence in this small town want to do is dig up any past skeletons.
The filmmakers use this scene to create a distinct line showing how Sam was going to handle this whole situation. The mayor represents the people who really run the show around Rio County Texas. This is set up earlier when at the Santa Barbara Café the Mayor is shown sitting around badmouthing all of the Mexicans, saying they are “taking over” their town. He goes on to say, “Bad enough all of the street names are in Spanish”. Sam calmly reminds him that this region was founded by Spaniards. With this subtle correction and the apparent disgust that is on his face as he leaves the dock, Sam clearly marks his periphery. This strongly foreshadows conflicts between Sam and the traditional leaders that would be unavoidable in the upcoming scenes.
A perfect scene that shows directly how Sam Deeds is not about to go along with the status quo and turn the other cheek with the murder investigation would be at the end of chapter 10. With the newly discovered body possibly being Charlie Wade, the Mayor very plainly tells Sam to just leave it alone as things of this matter should be left in the fog. As Sam is about to walk off the dock, the Mayor starts to use fishing as a metaphor for their situation. He says, ”Look at everything that is required here; tackle, bait, a boat … just to catch a little old fish just minding its own business on the bottom of the lake…. It hardly seems worth the effort, doesn’t’ Sam?” With Sam immediately walking away in disgust shows that Sam is not about to go along with this thinking as he knew something “fishy” was going on. It also shows that the last thing the people of prominence in this small town want to do is dig up any past skeletons.
The filmmakers use this scene to create a distinct line showing how Sam was going to handle this whole situation. The mayor represents the people who really run the show around Rio County Texas. This is set up earlier when at the Santa Barbara Café the Mayor is shown sitting around badmouthing all of the Mexicans, saying they are “taking over” their town. He goes on to say, “Bad enough all of the street names are in Spanish”. Sam calmly reminds him that this region was founded by Spaniards. With this subtle correction and the apparent disgust that is on his face as he leaves the dock, Sam clearly marks his periphery. This strongly foreshadows conflicts between Sam and the traditional leaders that would be unavoidable in the upcoming scenes.
MySpace is Your Space
My Space is a community. My Space is a social networking website held together by the thousands of members who communicate with each other to stay connected with people you might or might not see everyday. Through messages, comments, and bulletins people interact with their “friends” to stay updated with what is happening in their lives. Direct or broad messages can be posted for people with similar interests to enjoy at their leisure. Meeting new people or reconnecting with old friends is all apart of this dynamic community. On the flip side of this however, bosses, co-workers, parents etc… may use My Space to check into your life and/or lifestyle, so it is very important not to expose any information that you don’t want the rest of the world to know about. The golden rule of “don’t post anything that you don’t want your mom to read” is something that everybody should live by. Like a blog, people may disagree with what you post and this can lead to unwanted criticism, but all in all it really is “a place for friends”.
Like a lot people my age, I have a My Space account. I use this account primarily to keep in contact with friends, including my girlfriend who lives out of the state. I really do not use my account that much and I certainly do not have any risqué material that I wouldn’t want everybody to see. Besides being a place where I can share my thoughts, I have found that my phone bill has lowered because of this alternative way of communicating. Being a part of this community has enabled me to express myself beyond the standard form of communication and has made my life a little less complicated
Like a lot people my age, I have a My Space account. I use this account primarily to keep in contact with friends, including my girlfriend who lives out of the state. I really do not use my account that much and I certainly do not have any risqué material that I wouldn’t want everybody to see. Besides being a place where I can share my thoughts, I have found that my phone bill has lowered because of this alternative way of communicating. Being a part of this community has enabled me to express myself beyond the standard form of communication and has made my life a little less complicated
2 B or not 2 B
From the opening scene, Akeelah describes how she feels different from everything and everyone around her. She is heard thinking out loud for a good word to describe this helpless feeling. Everything around her (family, friends, and community) seems to be living in a whole different world while she is struggling with trying to discover herself. An example of how she felt like an outsider, even within her own family, is when she returns home after making the cut at the district tournament. Her mom gives her little attention as she is more worried about dealing with Akeelah’s gangbanging brother who was just dropped off by the police. Akeelah’s excitement quickly disappears as her mom demands that she get inside the house.
The director does a good job in capturing this moment by shooting the scene from Akeelah’s perspective. The scene continues in the house with Akeelah talking to a picture of her deceased father about what she had just accomplished. The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah.
The director does a good job in capturing this moment by shooting the scene from Akeelah’s perspective. The scene continues in the house with Akeelah talking to a picture of her deceased father about what she had just accomplished. The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah.
Reflection Paper
Hello, my name is Dane Lundberg and I came into this class hardly knowing anything to expect. I knew that there was going to be a lot of reading and writing, but I had no idea that there would be so much group interaction. This kind of setting has allowed me to open up more and has greatly improved my communication skills. “I have learned so much this quarter through all of the readings, blog postings, group work etc... I have a much deeper appreciation for my identity, community and traditions that I definitely took for granted before this class.” I see myself setting my standards and goals much higher now that I have the confidence and skills needed to go about them. I have realized through working with so many different kinds of people/personalities this quarter that we are all connected by a constant search of belonging and what it means to be ourselves. This class has secured my belief that people don’t need to agree on something to get a positive result from the conversation. Instead of creating hatred and distrust towards someone, we can build healthy and constructive relationships that will better everyone.
I chose four pieces that represent my skills and abilities as a writer and thinker as well as my improvement from the beginning of the quarter. For my “critical thinking skills” piece, I chose assignment “Movie Talk #1” and my analysis paper for the movie “Akeelah and the Bee”. I feel that this piece shows my understanding of the assignment and the essence of the film with the use of specific examples. “The scene continues in the house with Akeelah talking to a picture of her deceased father about what she had just accomplished. The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah.” this work demonstrates how I used specific examples to create a good analysis of this film. This assignment made me realize how important it is to have a solid understanding of what you will be analyzing, as it helps tremendously with capturing a good analysis. Watching the film multiple times and taking many notes are indeed necessary for a high-quality job.
For my “revision” piece, I chose one of our first writings, DB #2 “What‘s in a name“, to rewrite. It is not a particularly long piece so I will have to add more information and insight as well as writing it more smoothly. This piece is a good representation of my “earlier” work which I know I can do some improvement on. I noticed that I hardly added any of the reading, and did not even include one quote from it, “Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. I can really relate to her story as she adds humor to a very serious element of all of our everyday lives.” I will definitely add more quotes from the reading, Firoozah Dumas’s article, as I know it will add a lot more substance to the piece.
For our assignment, “What is a community”, I chose to write about MySpace. My paper clearly shows that I am completely aware of my “audience” as I know that most of the people who would be reading it would be familiar with the Internet and MySpace. I thought I clearly showed how MySpace is a community through my own experiences and a good brief description of how it works. I explain why people use this and what makes it so increasingly popular in our society, “Direct or broad messages can be posted for people with similar interests to enjoy at their leisure. Meeting new people or reconnecting with old friends is all apart of this dynamic community.”
I chose our “Movie Talk # 2 assignment” of my analysis of the movie Lone Star to represent my work this quarter (“Kicking up Dust“). I am really proud of this because of the way I set it up and than describe in great detail a pivotal scene in the movie. I feel that the description of the scene and the other examples I use from the film do a good job in analyzing the film, “With Sam immediately walking away in disgust shows that Sam is not about to go along with this thinking as he knew something “fishy” was going on. This strongly foreshadows conflicts between Sam and the traditional leaders that would be unavoidable in the upcoming scenes.” I think that I bring it all together nicely by using these examples and relating them to Sam (Deeds) and his breaking away from the local traditions
I chose four pieces that represent my skills and abilities as a writer and thinker as well as my improvement from the beginning of the quarter. For my “critical thinking skills” piece, I chose assignment “Movie Talk #1” and my analysis paper for the movie “Akeelah and the Bee”. I feel that this piece shows my understanding of the assignment and the essence of the film with the use of specific examples. “The scene continues in the house with Akeelah talking to a picture of her deceased father about what she had just accomplished. The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah.” this work demonstrates how I used specific examples to create a good analysis of this film. This assignment made me realize how important it is to have a solid understanding of what you will be analyzing, as it helps tremendously with capturing a good analysis. Watching the film multiple times and taking many notes are indeed necessary for a high-quality job.
For my “revision” piece, I chose one of our first writings, DB #2 “What‘s in a name“, to rewrite. It is not a particularly long piece so I will have to add more information and insight as well as writing it more smoothly. This piece is a good representation of my “earlier” work which I know I can do some improvement on. I noticed that I hardly added any of the reading, and did not even include one quote from it, “Firoozeh Dumas’s story really shines a bright light on this. I thought that the excerpt we read was great. It shows that in our society first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you. I can really relate to her story as she adds humor to a very serious element of all of our everyday lives.” I will definitely add more quotes from the reading, Firoozah Dumas’s article, as I know it will add a lot more substance to the piece.
For our assignment, “What is a community”, I chose to write about MySpace. My paper clearly shows that I am completely aware of my “audience” as I know that most of the people who would be reading it would be familiar with the Internet and MySpace. I thought I clearly showed how MySpace is a community through my own experiences and a good brief description of how it works. I explain why people use this and what makes it so increasingly popular in our society, “Direct or broad messages can be posted for people with similar interests to enjoy at their leisure. Meeting new people or reconnecting with old friends is all apart of this dynamic community.”
I chose our “Movie Talk # 2 assignment” of my analysis of the movie Lone Star to represent my work this quarter (“Kicking up Dust“). I am really proud of this because of the way I set it up and than describe in great detail a pivotal scene in the movie. I feel that the description of the scene and the other examples I use from the film do a good job in analyzing the film, “With Sam immediately walking away in disgust shows that Sam is not about to go along with this thinking as he knew something “fishy” was going on. This strongly foreshadows conflicts between Sam and the traditional leaders that would be unavoidable in the upcoming scenes.” I think that I bring it all together nicely by using these examples and relating them to Sam (Deeds) and his breaking away from the local traditions
Revision Paper Intro
This paper, “What’s in a name”, was supposed to help us see how our names shape our identities and affect our daily lives. I found it fascinating how something seemingly so uncomplicated can totally change how one perceives another individual, “It shows that in our society, first impressions are everything and if a person has trouble with something as simple as your name he or she is much less likely be interested in you.”.
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