In the final part to Speak, Melinda has branched out from everything that she was in the beginning. She finally found the voice that she had lost after her torturous experience, but it did take her a while to get there.
There was a case in which Melinda wrote about how woman back in the day called the suffragettes had fought for their rights. Melinda was told by her history teacher that she had to present her assignment in front of the class orally in order to get credit. Melinda refused and instead, she stood up in front of the class and wrote on the chalkboard stating stating that she would fight and stand up for herself in silence. She only did this because she had previously talked about how David Petrakis having to speak so eloquent through silence.
She began to speak up more when her former friend Heather cam back to ask for her help and she refused to. She turned her down cold-heartedly for everything that she had done to her and for not being there when she needed her the most. The old Melinda would have just went along with whatever Heather wanted her to do because she wanted to have one friend, but in the end, she really didn't care. Melinda didn't want a friend that she couldn't count on and that was Heather.
Melinda had finally admitted to someone that she was raped and that was to her former best friend Rachel. This was her attempt to speak up for herself, but it ended up blowing up in her face. When she admitted to Rachel that Andy Evans, the guy that Rachel was dating was the guy who had raped Melinda, she immediately called her a liar and that she was jealous that she was popular and that Melinda was a loner.
Finally, Melinda spoke up for herself when Andy Evan was angry at her for telling Rachel about the incident. He caught her in Melinda's closet at school and was once again trying to hurt her. Melinda screamed and that it when she finally demonstrated that she was beginning to move on to what happened to her in the past.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Image!
I am responding to Shiyun's post about image.
As for myself, I like to look good, but I don't think that I'm obsessed with my image. Yes, I will not go out in public if I don't have my make-up on, but it isn't that big of a problem for me. I personally think that a good appearance ties together with a person being content with themselves. I don't think that I have an image issue, but I would prefer to look good rather than not and being called ugly.
Some people do like to keep up with their appearance to get the attention of others or to be liked, but I think that is for the people who have a problem with the way they look. They feel as if that is the only way that they will be liked: by overly obsessing with their appearance as a daily routine.
It is also wrong for people to put emphasis on the 'prettier looking' people rather than the people who embrace their natural beauty. It is morally wrong because that can cause a person to feel bad about themselves and that in turn, can ignite problems with image for most people.
My say is that people shouldn't really care how they look as much as how they care at the moment. If a person does not like how you look, then don't mind them. As long as you are happy with the way you look, then it doesn't really matter what others think. Deep down, they're just haters.
Also, people shouldn't let others get to them with their rude comments about they way that people look. If they do let this happen, then it all goes back with what I said that you will become obsessed over looking good in order to be accepted by the rest. But really, they don't matter.
Does our image really matter that much in our lives? I think that we are too focused in our appearances rather than our who we really are. I started to realize that most of us care about being liked by others around us or wants to be praised for their looks.I honestly think that image has become an obsession over the years for many people. They have become more and more self-conscious about how they appear to others. For instance, a teenage girl focuses and puts a lot of time and effort into what they look like and that turns into a daily routine for most.
As for myself, I like to look good, but I don't think that I'm obsessed with my image. Yes, I will not go out in public if I don't have my make-up on, but it isn't that big of a problem for me. I personally think that a good appearance ties together with a person being content with themselves. I don't think that I have an image issue, but I would prefer to look good rather than not and being called ugly.
Some people do like to keep up with their appearance to get the attention of others or to be liked, but I think that is for the people who have a problem with the way they look. They feel as if that is the only way that they will be liked: by overly obsessing with their appearance as a daily routine.
It is also wrong for people to put emphasis on the 'prettier looking' people rather than the people who embrace their natural beauty. It is morally wrong because that can cause a person to feel bad about themselves and that in turn, can ignite problems with image for most people.
My say is that people shouldn't really care how they look as much as how they care at the moment. If a person does not like how you look, then don't mind them. As long as you are happy with the way you look, then it doesn't really matter what others think. Deep down, they're just haters.
Also, people shouldn't let others get to them with their rude comments about they way that people look. If they do let this happen, then it all goes back with what I said that you will become obsessed over looking good in order to be accepted by the rest. But really, they don't matter.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Speak Part Numero Dos!
In the second book discussion for Speak, my group discussed the changing high school life of Melinda Sordino.
We discussed the fact that Melinda portrays the type of person who longs for attention from anyone even of she wants to isolate herself from the outside world. In one case scenario, Melinda's only friend in high school, Heather, tells Melinda that she did not want to be her friend anymore since she had a 'bad reputation'. At the mention of this, Melinda got upset. Even if she's the type of person who does not want to be aroud people, Melinda still feeels hurt because she now knows that she would have to be completely alone. She also pushes people away. A classamte of Melinda, David Petrakis, had invited Melinda to a party but she refused to attend.
The fact that we didn't understand was why Melinda was so hurt by the breakup with Heather if she had already stated from the beginning that Heather was only a disposable friend. She was only there when she need her and then she was planning to get rid of her whenever she wanted to.
Melinda's ex-best friend, Rachel, had stood up for what she believed in during class and in the end, she got the entire class punished. In her mind, Melinda said, "That's what you get for speaking up," (102). This shows that Melinda is afraid to speak up for whatever happened to her in the past. She does not want to tell people what her situation is because she is afraid that she will either get judged or that people would not care and not believe her.
In Speak, me and my group members found signs of symbolism. In the book, Melinda is discussing about symbolism in one of the books she must read in class. This sort of lead us to believe that it was intentionally written about throughout the story to show that Speak itslef has symbolism. For example, the tree solely represents Melinda in every way. In one case, Melinda had drew a tree that was scarred and that had many branches reaching out form it. The tree portrays the type of person that Melinda is because the scars on the tree implies that Melinda has been through something tough during her life and that has left her with bad memories. The branches that extend from the tree represent what lies ahead of Melinda as in the new chapters of her life. Branches on a tree show that many things can happen during a lifetime and that we get pulled in many different directions.
Finally, we learn what actually happened to Melinda. She was raped at a summer party. The reason why Melinda has no more friends was because they shunned her. After she was in shock of what had happened at the party, Melinda had called the police and they had to shut down the party. That was the only reason why they didn't want to be friends with her.
Overall, the book is starting to get even more intersting. We get to see into the life of a young teenage girl who has to struggle within her high school life for something that was out of her control. I predict that the final section to Speak will tell of how Melinda will finally reveal her secret to someone instead of keeping it all in without letting anyone know what lies behind the real person.
We discussed the fact that Melinda portrays the type of person who longs for attention from anyone even of she wants to isolate herself from the outside world. In one case scenario, Melinda's only friend in high school, Heather, tells Melinda that she did not want to be her friend anymore since she had a 'bad reputation'. At the mention of this, Melinda got upset. Even if she's the type of person who does not want to be aroud people, Melinda still feeels hurt because she now knows that she would have to be completely alone. She also pushes people away. A classamte of Melinda, David Petrakis, had invited Melinda to a party but she refused to attend.
The fact that we didn't understand was why Melinda was so hurt by the breakup with Heather if she had already stated from the beginning that Heather was only a disposable friend. She was only there when she need her and then she was planning to get rid of her whenever she wanted to.
Melinda's ex-best friend, Rachel, had stood up for what she believed in during class and in the end, she got the entire class punished. In her mind, Melinda said, "That's what you get for speaking up," (102). This shows that Melinda is afraid to speak up for whatever happened to her in the past. She does not want to tell people what her situation is because she is afraid that she will either get judged or that people would not care and not believe her.
In Speak, me and my group members found signs of symbolism. In the book, Melinda is discussing about symbolism in one of the books she must read in class. This sort of lead us to believe that it was intentionally written about throughout the story to show that Speak itslef has symbolism. For example, the tree solely represents Melinda in every way. In one case, Melinda had drew a tree that was scarred and that had many branches reaching out form it. The tree portrays the type of person that Melinda is because the scars on the tree implies that Melinda has been through something tough during her life and that has left her with bad memories. The branches that extend from the tree represent what lies ahead of Melinda as in the new chapters of her life. Branches on a tree show that many things can happen during a lifetime and that we get pulled in many different directions.
Finally, we learn what actually happened to Melinda. She was raped at a summer party. The reason why Melinda has no more friends was because they shunned her. After she was in shock of what had happened at the party, Melinda had called the police and they had to shut down the party. That was the only reason why they didn't want to be friends with her.
Overall, the book is starting to get even more intersting. We get to see into the life of a young teenage girl who has to struggle within her high school life for something that was out of her control. I predict that the final section to Speak will tell of how Melinda will finally reveal her secret to someone instead of keeping it all in without letting anyone know what lies behind the real person.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Beauty: Defined!
I love this post. This is a response to Christy's blog about beauty!
If you were to flip through the newest edition of every single fashion magazine out there, you will always see a skinny girl on the cover. Never in my life have I seen a decent looking girl on the covers of the trends that us girls follow these days. Society has tortured the minds of woman and especially young teenage girls. They manipulated them into thinking that the only way that they could be beautiful is by looking like the anorexic girls in the magazines and on television.
Like Christy said, I'm not trying to put any of the skinny girls down, but I am just saying that not only skinny girls are the pretty girls.
In my culture, background or family, however you want to call it, it's beautiful to have the natural curves that a woman should have. I come from a Latin family and in my family, we embrace our bodies and are proud of them even if other people don't like it. Personally, I am not a size 1 girl and I would never want to be that way. I love myself and my body type even if I'm not the skinniest girl out there. My man loves the way I look so I don't have to change my body and go nuts with working out if it's not necessary. (I just had to put it out there! :] ).
I have a very high self-esteem and I think that every girl should be that way no matter how they look. Every girl is beautiful in their own way. Even if they might not be pretty on the outside, they might be stunning on the inside.
No one should be judging a persons' appearance because that doesn't define us as a person. Yeah you might be pretty, but if you have an ugly attitude, then most people will not like you even if you have all the right looks.
Why do people always mention skinny, tall, long legs, banging body type of girls? I am tired of people referring skinny girls as beautiful. What about the ones that are not skinny and is average or over weight? What makes skinny girls so much better? I wish everyone can accept the fact that everyone is beautiful in their own ways.Just to put it out there, I am not trying to put anyone down, but honestly, this response is all about my opinion.
If you were to flip through the newest edition of every single fashion magazine out there, you will always see a skinny girl on the cover. Never in my life have I seen a decent looking girl on the covers of the trends that us girls follow these days. Society has tortured the minds of woman and especially young teenage girls. They manipulated them into thinking that the only way that they could be beautiful is by looking like the anorexic girls in the magazines and on television.
Like Christy said, I'm not trying to put any of the skinny girls down, but I am just saying that not only skinny girls are the pretty girls.
In my culture, background or family, however you want to call it, it's beautiful to have the natural curves that a woman should have. I come from a Latin family and in my family, we embrace our bodies and are proud of them even if other people don't like it. Personally, I am not a size 1 girl and I would never want to be that way. I love myself and my body type even if I'm not the skinniest girl out there. My man loves the way I look so I don't have to change my body and go nuts with working out if it's not necessary. (I just had to put it out there! :] ).
I have a very high self-esteem and I think that every girl should be that way no matter how they look. Every girl is beautiful in their own way. Even if they might not be pretty on the outside, they might be stunning on the inside.
No one should be judging a persons' appearance because that doesn't define us as a person. Yeah you might be pretty, but if you have an ugly attitude, then most people will not like you even if you have all the right looks.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Speak Part Numero Uno!
Our first group discussion about our book, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson was great! Although we had a very small proportion of our book to read, I felt as if my group was able to break down the book to the very last subject.
In the first part to Speak, we are introduced to a girl named Melinda Sordino who holds on to a secret that we are not aware of yet.The only thing that we know is the Melinda's old best friends do not want to be around her anymore, leaving her isolated in high school.
At first, my group pulled apart the title. We think that, of course, it relates to Melinda, but we were unsure why. I responded by saying that the main theme of the book is to learn how to speak up for ourselves to be better understood. We said that Melinda is scared to speak up for herself when it comes down to what really happened to her. She is afraid of being judged and by not talking about her past is her mechanism for trying to forget although it is still always with her no matter what.
In art class, the students are given a word and they must draw that word throughout the entire year changing up the forms and giving an entire new meaning to the word. Melinda ended up choosing 'tree' and the most thought provoking question that was brought up was what does the tree represent? My group came up with the idea that the tree symbolizes Melinda. A tree has many branches and each one of the branches can represent Melinda's new chapters in her life. Melinda needs to branch out while she is in high school since she's just letting her life pass her by due to the fact that she's holding on to a secret that she doesn't dare mention to anyone.
In the end of the section, the author provides Melinda's report card. What stood out to all of us the most was that the only A that Melinda had in all of her classes was in art. We all wondered why this was and then we postulated that she gets a good grade in art since it isn't a class that requires speaking. People are able to express their feeling through art and instead of them speaking for their art, the art speaks for them.
Finally, we discussed how Melinda is afraid of mirrors. We had came up with the idea that she is afraid to look at herself in the mirror and see what has become of her. There was an incident before her secret in which Melinda was supposed to see herself in the mirror and picture her future, but when she did, she explained how she didn't see anything. This provides us with the idea that Melinda does not know where she is going with herself.
In the first part to Speak, we are introduced to a girl named Melinda Sordino who holds on to a secret that we are not aware of yet.The only thing that we know is the Melinda's old best friends do not want to be around her anymore, leaving her isolated in high school.
At first, my group pulled apart the title. We think that, of course, it relates to Melinda, but we were unsure why. I responded by saying that the main theme of the book is to learn how to speak up for ourselves to be better understood. We said that Melinda is scared to speak up for herself when it comes down to what really happened to her. She is afraid of being judged and by not talking about her past is her mechanism for trying to forget although it is still always with her no matter what.
In art class, the students are given a word and they must draw that word throughout the entire year changing up the forms and giving an entire new meaning to the word. Melinda ended up choosing 'tree' and the most thought provoking question that was brought up was what does the tree represent? My group came up with the idea that the tree symbolizes Melinda. A tree has many branches and each one of the branches can represent Melinda's new chapters in her life. Melinda needs to branch out while she is in high school since she's just letting her life pass her by due to the fact that she's holding on to a secret that she doesn't dare mention to anyone.
In the end of the section, the author provides Melinda's report card. What stood out to all of us the most was that the only A that Melinda had in all of her classes was in art. We all wondered why this was and then we postulated that she gets a good grade in art since it isn't a class that requires speaking. People are able to express their feeling through art and instead of them speaking for their art, the art speaks for them.
Finally, we discussed how Melinda is afraid of mirrors. We had came up with the idea that she is afraid to look at herself in the mirror and see what has become of her. There was an incident before her secret in which Melinda was supposed to see herself in the mirror and picture her future, but when she did, she explained how she didn't see anything. This provides us with the idea that Melinda does not know where she is going with herself.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Girls Should be Treated WAY Better!
I responded to Karen's blog...
Personally, I hate when guys play girls because I have seen that happen so many times with girls that I know and it's just sad. When the girls are the ones who are being played, the guy gets recognized by his friends or peers and they all act as if he did nothing wrong. In reality, that guy could have destroyed a girl's life to the fullest.
On the other hand, if the girls are the ones who are pimpin' then they are automatically labeled a slut when in fact, they aren't, they really just wanted to try something new I guess. Karen proposes that maybe the girls could have had their heart broken and they want to play around, but just because of that, it doesn't mean that people have the right to call a girl a slut if they know nothing about them. Either way, girls are judged by both guys and other girls.
Usually, a girl will call another girl a slut for the purpose that their jealous at how much game the other girl has. If a girl can pull a lot of guys then that doesn't make her a slut, she's just playing the game like every other guy on this planet and the other girls shouldn't be hating on that.
How come it's okay for a guy to do it, but then if a girl shows this kind of behavior, she is 'morally wrong' and a slut? That sucks for girls. All our business is put out there and they are humiliated by being labeled a title that shouldn't be theirs.
I think that the only way that a girl can be considered a slut is if she has slept around with so many guys and she has not even dated them yet. Only in that way can they be referred to by this derogatory word. If a girls is being called a slut for getting guys, then why don't the boys get called sluts as well. It is the same matter, but in their case, they just pimpin' on chicks. We do not have equality among the sexes since guys still have it easy to do as they please and be congratulated by their performances.
All I got to say is that guys need to stop calling girls sluts and girls need to stop with the jealousy amongst other girls.
Don't hate the playa, hate the game!
He said,"Hahaha I bet that slut must have been played a lot of times." I had asked him why he said that.He said,"Because you can hella tell. When a female plays a guy is because they got played and their hearts broken many times so the only thing they can do is turn into sluts." I was like,"WTH??? Maybe they just want to do it because there not ready to get into a serious relationship or relationships aren't their thing."He responded with,"Mm,like I said BOP!"Karen's thoughts on girls being called sluts and guys being called pimps really surprised me. Everything that she states though is valid and can be proven by any girl that you know.
Personally, I hate when guys play girls because I have seen that happen so many times with girls that I know and it's just sad. When the girls are the ones who are being played, the guy gets recognized by his friends or peers and they all act as if he did nothing wrong. In reality, that guy could have destroyed a girl's life to the fullest.
On the other hand, if the girls are the ones who are pimpin' then they are automatically labeled a slut when in fact, they aren't, they really just wanted to try something new I guess. Karen proposes that maybe the girls could have had their heart broken and they want to play around, but just because of that, it doesn't mean that people have the right to call a girl a slut if they know nothing about them. Either way, girls are judged by both guys and other girls.
Usually, a girl will call another girl a slut for the purpose that their jealous at how much game the other girl has. If a girl can pull a lot of guys then that doesn't make her a slut, she's just playing the game like every other guy on this planet and the other girls shouldn't be hating on that.
How come it's okay for a guy to do it, but then if a girl shows this kind of behavior, she is 'morally wrong' and a slut? That sucks for girls. All our business is put out there and they are humiliated by being labeled a title that shouldn't be theirs.
I think that the only way that a girl can be considered a slut is if she has slept around with so many guys and she has not even dated them yet. Only in that way can they be referred to by this derogatory word. If a girls is being called a slut for getting guys, then why don't the boys get called sluts as well. It is the same matter, but in their case, they just pimpin' on chicks. We do not have equality among the sexes since guys still have it easy to do as they please and be congratulated by their performances.
All I got to say is that guys need to stop calling girls sluts and girls need to stop with the jealousy amongst other girls.
Don't hate the playa, hate the game!
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