21 Jump Street, a 2012 film by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, follows two undercover cops in modern day high school trying to bust a drug ring. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play a hilarious duo who help each other out during police training and beyond. They are eventually paired together to go undercover at a high school. Their assignment is to find who has been selling this new street drug, and to find the supply. Jenko and Schmidt are now brothers, Brad and Doug McQuaid. Their journey is full with shooting scenes, cars on fire, and intense chases. It is humorous, and action packed simultaneously.

We converted 21 Jump Street to the western genre. The genre is full of tropes that force westerns to stand out. They both share guns, violence, chase sequences, various conflicts, and the good and bad guys. Along with the shared theatrical elements, there are cinematographic traits they both share. These two films rely heavily on tracking, establishing, close up, and extreme close up shots. 21 Jump Street is easy to adapt to a western because of their similar compositions: different plots, but same features.

The scene we chose to adapt was a sequence where Schmidt and Jenko

are bored on bike patrol in a quiet park, until they spot bikers smoking marijuana illegally. When they confront the bikers, they deny everything and run away, initiating a chase scene. When brainstorming for our storyboard, we decided to keep the characters the same. Jenko and Schmidt are now two cowboys who ride horses instead of bikes. We switched their bike helmets for cowboy hats. Instead of a quiet park, their setting is a desert day time scene with mountains in the far distance. Schmidt and Jenko still carry guns in holsters, but their uniforms are now long coats and cowboy boots.

The camera shots and angles are key elements that ensure western films stand out. Landscape, close up, and extreme close up shots are all heavily incorporated into these movies. These were easily convertible to 21 Jump Street. For the intense scenes, we used extreme close up/close up shots to display the violent nature that was about to occur. Tracking shots were used for chase scenes that needed to keep up with the characters on foot or riding horses. Landscape shots are important: they establish the setting which gives clues to the upcoming events.

21 Jump Street and the western genre collide well. The action packed films keep viewers on their toes with dramatic shots and angles. Contrary to usual westerns, we decided that our adaptation should be more colorful. Westerns have neutral tone settings due to the desert setting. We included cacti and a beautiful montainrange in the distance in our desert. We wanted the liviness of 21 Jump Street incorporated into the storyboard. We emphasized the tropes like cowboy boots, horses, and cacti by coloring them brightly. We still didn’t lose the plot of 21 Jump Street within this because the genre plots of dramatic suspense fit well.

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are a few names that come to mind when speaking about success stories of people who have prospered without a college degree. But, not everyone can be the lucky few. College degrees are extremely helpful in developing a career in today’s industry versus only earning a high school diploma. There are more benefits than just the above average annual salary once you have a degree. Below the surface, lifestyle is greatly impacted by attending college. Earning a college degree will help further one’s career which can lead them to a more successful life.

The payoff from earning a college degree is apparent through the amount earned in your bank account. Four years of a college degree earns someone a bachelor’s degree, which is the usual degree one earns as a college undergrad. A report from the US Department of Labor Statistics in 2013 depicted the average wages of people who have a bachelor’s degree in comparison to people who only have a high school degree. In the 2000’s, the bachelor’s degree line stayed between $45k and $55k. The high school diploma line in the 2000’s stayed between $30k and $35k. Paychecks determine a great amount in one’s life. Many life decisions revolve around what a bank account allows. Diet, activities, and clothes are all determined by how much money one earns. The more money earned, more is available to spend or save. The degree average salary is not asCompared to a high school diploma, one can lead a better, more successful life.

In 2013, the College Board released statistics about college graduates lives involving happiness, health, socialness, and personal development. With a bachelor’s degree or higher, 51% of people were satisfied with their job, while people who only earned high school diplomas were 41% satisfied. 68% of bachelor’s degree graduates exercise at least once a week, but only 40% for high school graduates. Only 8% of bachelor’s degree graduates were smokers and 25% of high school graduates smoke. Once someone graduates college, their overall life is impacted, not just their paycheck. Studying a specific career of choice will give someone a better chance of maintaining a job they enjoy. Five out of seven days a week are spent at the workplace, so it is important that their job is enjoyable. Health and fitness impacts happiness. One is more likely to afford a monthly gym membership with a higher salary. When one’s health and happiness is thriving, that means their life will end up successfully compared than no college degree.

College isn’t only working through a path to earn a degree. College is a way to meet new people and network through them. Networking is to interact with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, especially to further one's career. John Bennett, director of the Master of Science and executive coaching and assistant professor of behavioral science at Queens University of Charlotte says, “Research tells us that between 60-80% of jobs are found through personal relationships.” Universities are full of different people with unique backgrounds. Everyone shares the same common ground of the student life, so everyone is willing to help another. A major problem today is finding a job after graduating college; networking allows this process to become easier. Networking allows room for new colleagues as well as friends. The faster a job is earned, the easier life becomes. A steady paycheck ensures more benefits to life at a faster rate. Attending college and earning the degree helps with success further in life.

Attending university has a lot to offer on a closer inspection. Some deem college as unnecessary, while not assessing the full benefits. A high school diploma does not compare to a college degree. According to statistics, people are much more healthy, happy, and successful when having earned a degree. Lifestyle, happiness, income is indirectly impacted by completing college. Earning a college degree compared to a high school diploma ensures a better chance of a better career which brings a successful life.

Why this is my best 2fer:

I believe this is my best 2fer because I have made steady argument regarding my thesis. I feel quite strongly about this thesis so it was easy for me to explain it and argue my position. I made sure to check over my draft several times to ensure that I had the best analysis. It was quite easy for me to repeat myself and over explain, but I corrected some sentences and checked that everything flowed easily with a thoughtful explanation.

Works Cited

"College May Not Pay Off for Everyone   Liberty Street Economics." Liberty Street Economics. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

"Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Pfeffer, Jennifer. "Rasmussen College." Rasmussen College - Regionally Accredited College Online and on Campus. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Taming of Love at First Sight

A Comparison Between “Taming of the Shrew” and “Love, Actually”

As the play “Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare proves, the idea of romantic love at first sight has been around for centuries. Petruchio decides to pursue Katherine Minola, a woman who is undesirable to other men in the play. Petruchio wants Katherine despite the fact that they do not know each other. The 2003 movie, “Love, Actually”, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David, instantly develops feelings after meeting his new assistant, Natalie. She is seen as unattractive to most people, but David is smitten by Natalie.

Although Petruchio and David share the same tactics in winning over their women, they differ in the their motives. The plot in “Taming of the Shrew”, is that Baptista Minola decides his youngest daughter, Bianca, cannot marry until his eldest daughter, Katherine, is married first. Petruchio decides to take this as a challenge to tame Katherine even though he does not know her. He also mentions he prefers wealthy women, which applies to Katherine. His reveals his tactic is to give Katherine endless affection despite her displeasure with him.  In “Love, Actually”, David meets his assistant, Natalie, on his first day and instantly develops feelings for her. His instinct is to treat Natalie with respect and kindness but with intent to know her better. These texts show audiences that romantic love at first sight is only decided by physical attraction or intent for another desire.

Petruchio:

Signor Hortensio, ‘twixt such friends as we

Few words suffice; and therefore, if thou know

One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife—

As wealth is burden of my wooing dance—

Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love,

As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd

As Socrates’ Xanthippe or a worse,

She moves me not—or not removes at least

Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough

As are the swelling Adriatic seas.

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;

If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

(Act 1. Scene 2. Lines 62–73.)

In this scene, Petruchio is describing to his friend, Hortensio, and servant, Grumio, his carelessness for the substance of the girl he will marry. Petruchio says “As curst and shrewd, As Socrates’ Xanthippe” and “Be she as foul as Florentius’ love”. Socrates had a wife, Xanthippe, that was abusive. Florent was a knight that was forced to marry an old woman. Petruchio uses two undesirable women to prove that he is negligent in finding a suitable wife that would fit most men's desires. Petruchio is only worried about finding a wealthy women, no other factors matter. Katherine, Petruchio’s soon to be love interest, belongs to a prosperous family. Petruchio does not need to know Katherine to know that he will pursue her. Her wealthy background draws him in already. Love is not the desire for money. This helps confirm that the idea of “love at first sight” is not actually love, just a desire for one’s attributes.

This scene in “Love, Actually” is a conversation between David and his other assistant, Annie. He asks if she knows Natalie, and she replies as remembering her as the “chubby girl”. Struck by this observation, David asks if she really is chubby. She replies with a rude comment and he simply shrugs it off, but the audience can see from David’s facial reaction and response, that he disagrees with Annie’s statement. Like Petruchio, David wants the “undesirable” woman. Annie voices an offensive comment which can give the audience the feeling that in this movie’s world, Natalie would be the woman most men wouldn’t want because of her physical appearance. David doesn’t care about anyone else’s opinion; he believes Natalie is attractive. This infers that David immediately fell for Natalie’s appearances because he does not know much about her life. Attraction should not be mistaken for love.The audience can see here that love at first sight is can be based on one person’s longing for another’s physical appearance.

Petruchio:

And woo her with some spirit when she comes.

Say that she rail; why then I’ll tell her plain

She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.

Say that she frown; I’ll say she looks as clear

As morning roses newly wash'd with dew.

Say she be mute and will not speak a word;

Then I’ll commend her volubility,

And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.

If she do bid me pack, I’ll give her thanks,

As though she bid me stay by her a week.

(Act 2. Scene 1. Lines 177-186.)

This scene in “The Taming of the Shrew” Petruchio reveals his tactic to win over Katherine. He says that he will give her endless affection no matter what her response. Katherine is known to be a woman with a “scolding tongue”, so Petruchio is declaring that he will counteract this in hopes to hopefully tame Katherine. He will “woo her with some spirit”, something Katherine lacks. Petruchio’s tactic to win Katherine is simply a front. He has never met Katherine before this moment, so he decides on marrying her for the intent of money. Only a wealthy woman will bring Petruchio joy, so he will do everything in his power to do so. Petruchio’s act will give Katherine the impression that Petruchio is truly interested in her despite the fact that they are strangers. Petruchio’s love at first sight isn’t love, only the desire for her money. The reader is able to observe here that love at first sight is the initial need for one’s attributes.

This “Love, Actually” scene depicts David’s instincts in caring for Natalie. He leaves the President of the United States in his office for a moment as Natalie walks in. He returns to find the President on Natalie, who is uncomfortable. The next scene is a press conference with the President and David. David uses the press conference as a subliminal warning to President and a message to Natalie to show her he cares for her. Natalie and the audience are given the impression that David has strong feelings for Natalie, even though they have only recently met and David is Natalie’s boss. Like Petruchio, David is showing he cares. Before this scene, David and Natalie were still only associates in the workplace. This public warning and unknown display of affection caused controversy over a girl he barely knows. The audience can conclude that David’s feelings for Natalie have only been decided on because of her looks, which is not love at first sight.

“Love at first sight” has been branded in Hollywood to romanticize relationships that are brought on by physical attraction. In the real world, most relationships thrive on a deep knowledge of each other. Audiences are given “love at first sight” moments to draw them deeper into the plot. In the end, David reveals his love for Natalie and finds that her feelings are mutual. Petruchio’s tactic works, and Katherine no longer possesses a “scolding tongue”. She has been tamed, which means Petruchio will wed her. Each of the men in these texts decide to pursue women they barely know. Romantic love is affection shared between people. Sexual attraction is attraction towards someone who is visually appealing. Love and attraction should not be confused as it happens in these two texts.

Works Cited

“Love, Actually” (2003)

No movement of the lips or eyebrows. I can always tell by the look on her face that my reaction isn’t enough. If I had said a nonchalant “Okay,” with wide eyes and a slight smile, she would’ve gotten the impression that I cared. Unbothered is the look I went for for. I couldn’t argue with her. There’s nothing to argue about. What are we arguing about? A basket of folded laundry that has been sitting in my room for about three days. The clothes will be put away eventually. I always do everything eventually. I feel that if she knows that I’m annoyed by her unannounced entrance into my room to talk about the laundry for the third time, she’ll feel that maybe my annoyance will get me to put it away to stop her from nagging. I didn’t put my clothes away and won’t until I feel like it.

I could tell this was the start of a week-long silent treatment. Day one: the argument. Usually something stupid occurs which causes her to yell at me. I give her the usual blank stare, which she doesn’t like. Day two is the start of the silence. We both make a mutual unspoken agreement that less interaction will occur between us. Day three is where my dad has to play monkey in the middle. He usually goes back and forth hearing one complain about the other. Day four: usually sitting at the table and being able to slice through the awkwardness with my butterknife. Day five would consist of the start of the comedown. Dad’s words would sink into minds and eventually settle the argument between us.

My mother and father are exact opposites of each other. My dad and I have always had a good relationship. My dad usually tries to see both sides of a situation, while my mom is strictly one-sided. We clashed when I didn’t agree with her and I tried to explain my point. My opinion was usually shut down by questions that favored her side. I would try to argue a point that was already deemed wrong, so I started to end every almost-arguement with “Okay.” My dad would always be stuck between us. He couldn’t side with me, and he didn’t want to side with my mom because he didn’t agree. At night, he would come in my room and talk it out with me. He would reveal what she was saying about me, and I would give my defense. At the end of our secret meetings, he would look me sternly in the eye and say, “But don’t tell your mom,” I knew I couldn’t say anything. We weren’t speaking to each other anyway.

All of this occurred when I was transforming into a outspoken overly-opinionated teenager. When I started to become my own person, I started to grow apart from my mom. If I differed with her on subjects, I let her know and she didn’t like that. Along with my opinions, I did the usual teenage defiant acts such as not cleaning my room, taking naps, and generally being lazy. I didn’t let it show that whatever she scolded me about affected me because of my ever growing teenage angst. Even though she’s my mother, I like to be able to stand my ground. I couldn’t let her walk all over me for something so small. I don’t overdo myself to where I am completely disrespectful, just enough to where I am annoyingly blunt. We are both extremely stubborn, which was the root of our problem. We are more alike than we’d like to admit.

It was warm and sunny outside on our drive to the bank. I was riding shotgun while she took the wheel of our hand me down Honda Accord. I was about twelve or thirteen years old. My preteen body was in full effect. Braces were plastered over my teeth and I was even skinnier than I am now. We were discussing our neighbors’ demon child. He was every parent's worst nightmare, so my mom was extra dramatic when she talked about him. I didn’t care enough to discuss him, but I didn’t make that fully known. Endlessly talking about someone isn’t going to change them. The topic has been discussed plenty of times before and I didn’t think we’d ever come to a happy ending. I don’t remember what words we exchanged, but all I remember is that after a few times of keeping my thoughts to myself, I decided to share my opinion. I didn’t speak in a hostile or sarcastic tone. It was only about a sentence. A moment of silence flooded into the car after I spoke. My chest tensed each second nearing her response.

Finally, she said, “Why are you such a little bitch to me, Maddy?”

There was no escape. I couldn’t jump out of the car. Home was too far by now. The neighborhood we were in wasn’t one that I would want to walk alone in. I just kept quiet. How is someone supposed to respond to that? I consider myself a great kid for not getting mad. I don’t really know why I stayed so calm. About a year or two ago, I confronted her about it. She denied it.

“I did not say that to you,” she laughed. I don’t know how she was so casual about something that was so significant to me.

“Yes, you did.” We both laughed about it, and I still laugh about it. I’ll never forget that though.

The October of my freshmen year in high school was the start of the end. My dad and I both knew it needed to stop. She treated me significantly different than my brother. I got a call from my dad when I was on my way home.

“I talked to your mom earlier. She said she’s going to start to be nicer. So, hopefully things will get better.”

At the time, I doubted it. Or at least I knew it would be hard for her. My dad and I both understood that after this long it would be extremely hard for her to retain her feelings. Life between us gradually changed. My mom loosened up and I noticed.

Now, my mom and I are like best friends. We’re constantly together. Like all mother and daughter relationships, yes, we do still have our differences. We’ve learned to let the small things go. I think our rough patch made us closer. It was a learning experience for both of us. We don’t discuss it now, but it still lies underneath the surface. I hope in the future we never find ourselves in that situation again.

The Social Election

What can a person say in a few lines of text? Twitter, which was created in 2006, has been one of the most widespread social networking services. It is an easy way to interact with friends, family, and celebrities in just under 140 characters. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are active on Twitter daily and constantly share their thoughts, feelings, and views on current events. Twitter is another platform for the candidates to argue, as well as in interviews and debates. Twitter has a negative effect on how the 2016 presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, interact with each other, which indicates to the public their weaknesses in being a potential president.

Donald Trump’s twitter is controlled by himself, not by a managing team, and he has plenty of negative things to say. When reviewing Trump’s account, one will find many tweets towards people and current events. In August of 2016, The New York Times published “The 258 People, Places, and Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List”. Under Hillary Clinton’s name, the word “crooked” appears 155 times. On July 29th 2016, Trump tweeted, “Crooked Hillary Clinton mentioned me 22 times in her very long and very boring speech. Many of her statements were lies and fabrications!” Throughout his tweets there are a wide collection of offensive adjectives. In this tweet in particular, he uses ‘crooked’, ‘very long’, and ‘very boring’.  His use of words and hostile tone towards Clinton’s speech indicates that he certainly wasn’t happy and felt her accusations were false. Instead of disagreeing with her, he chose to complain about it. Trump could easily cover up Clinton’s commentary by clearing the air and discussing the choices he would make if he is elected president. The public can use Twitter to read Trump’s personality.

Clinton’s Twitter reads differently:  future intentions for Clinton’s possible presidency, retweets about articles that praise her , and retweets and tweets that highlight Trump’s accused wrongdoings. For example, Clinton was startled by Newsweek’s article: “How the Trump Organization’s Foreign Business Ties Could Upend U.S. National Security”. The day the article was published, her reaction was to send out this tweet: “In light of @kurteichenwald’s report on the Trump Organization’s dangerous ties, here are 20 questions that Trump needs to answer- now.” This was followed by 20 questions tweeted to Trump, numbered and filled with intense questions about Trump’s future plans on foreign affairs. Since this was on Twitter, he had the right to ignore these questions and he did so. Clinton took the time to prepare thoughtful questions to Trump which she knew may never be answered.  Twitter isn’t exactly the place to fire an abundance of questions to your opponent. These questions would be viable when debating against Trump directly and would be more effective in making Trump answer them. Clinton uses Twitter as an extra platform to connect to the public. She wants to look better to them. Clinton's act does show what she does or doesn’t believe in, but it also reveals her character. The people can see that in Clinton’s possible presidency, she may use in appropriate timing and start unnecessary arguments.

Three students at Sam Houston State University conducted a study on Clinton and Trump’s tweets in July. In June, the students collected 794 tweets sent out by both sides during that month. They deciphered the tweets and examined what each candidate discussed. Their research found that “34 percent of Clinton’s tweets criticized Donald Trump, while only 22 percent of his tweets criticized her.” Criticizing, in Trump’s way, is using offensive terms and phrases and calling the other out on mistakes. Even though Clinton uses more of her tweets to strike at Trump, he spent 17 percent of his tweets bashing other Republicans, Democrats, media, etc.  Clinton tries to make herself seem like the better opponent by scrutinizing Trump. This displays that she wants to cover up her mistakes by shifting the attention on another’s mistakes, a skill she could use in her presidency. On the other hand, Trump focuses on condemning others. A judgemental and subjective person, like Trump, aren’t quality traits for a president. Twitter isn’t too effective in criticizing the other opponent. Each side has the possibility of hurting their image in the end.

Overall, Twitter is a platform that is used by the 2016 presidential candidates to spew their emotions and thoughts on anything they desire. Trump shows he is prone to complaining and judging others. Clinton focuses on calling out Trump’s mistakes. Twitter has helped the public gain an inside look by watching the candidates tweet each other that helps them determine what kind of potential president they could be. On a close inspection, the public can find their weaknesses within their accounts.

Works Cited

Lee, Jasmine C., and Kevin Quealy. "The 258 People, Places and Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List." The New York Times. The New York Times, 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

Dreyfuss, Ben. "Does Donald Trump Send His Own Tweets? An Investigation." Mother Jones. N.p., 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.  

Trump, Donald. @realDonaldTrump. 29th July 2016.

Eichenwald, Kurt. "How the Trump Organization’s Foreign Business Ties Could Upend U.S. National Security." Newsweek. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

Savransky, Rebecca. "Clinton Tweets 20 Questions Trump 'needs to Answer-now'" TheHill. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

Evans, Heather, Kayla Brown, and Tiffany Wimberly. Hillary Clinton Is Tweeting More than Donald Trump and Attacks Him More Often than He Does Her. N.p., 9 July 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel that focuses on a group of young British schoolboys whose plane crashed on a deserted island and they are the only survivors. The book travels throughout their success and failures as a group. Throughout the book, the boys have to make decisions that they wouldn’t usually do at home. The island forces them to act more mature and this causes a loss of innocence. The more dire the situation is for a child, the more they are at a loss for their innocence.

Simon was one of the main characters in the book. He is portrayed as innocent and kind to the other boys. He is the only one to see the paratrooper is what they have mistake for the beast. While he is still in the forest, Ralph has conducted the boys into a dance group. Caught up in the frenzy surrounded by darkness and rain under the influence of hunger, the boys kill Simon, which they mistake for the beast. Later on, Piggy says, “There's them on this island as would laugh at anything. And what happened? What's grown-ups goin' to think? Young Simon was murdered.” (158) Piggy says it bluntly to the boys. Once the job has been done, there is no turning back. This quote establishes that to the rest of the bunch. If the boys weren’t on this island, there isn’t much of a chance they would compose a murder spree. Living on the island for so long distorts their minds. They lose their sense of reality. Once the sense of reality is fading, all rules are gone. “Grown ups” aren’t there to scold them or place them in jail so there aren’t consequences. In their home life, they would still be locked in their innocence where there are consequences to be dealt with when mistakes are made.  It’s more than just killing a pig, they took a human’s life. This was a big step in losing their innocence.

Anne Frank is a big symbol of innocence in crucial circumstances. She went into hiding during World War II and kept a diary to document her time and thoughts. Maturing and innocence was a topic that was highly discussed. She was torn between wanting to fulfill her time as a teenager, but noticing the effects of the war affecting her. In one entry she writes, “Sometimes I wonder if anyone will ever understand what I mean, if anyone will ever overlook my ingratitude and not worry about whether or not I’m Jewish and merely see me as a teenager badly in need of some good plain fun.”(12/24/1943.3). Anne spent a great deal of time trapped away in the  security of an annex in a home in Germany. Nazi Germany to Anne is like the island for the boys. There is no way of escaping. The Nazis are Anne’s grown ups. They have all power over her and live on the outside world. Anne explores the thought of her not only being a Jewish girl in hiding. She wants to be young carefree teenager but is forced to mature faster under the war. One part of Anne is a war victim and the other is a teenager. She is torn between two personas. One she is becoming, and one she is/wants to be. The boys are like Anne in the sense that they still have their innocence in them, but events on the island are maturing them. They can’t help but transform. Survival depends on them developing into more mature teenagers.

At the end of the book, the boys paint their faces in tribal paint to get ready to hunt. The narrator says,  “The chief was sitting there, naked to the waist, his face blocked out in white and red. The tribe lay in a semicircle before him.” (119) This scene portrays the boys as a tribe with a leader. They look strong. In the next chapter, they are found by a naval officer.  The narrator says, “The boys, their bodies streaked with colored clay, sharp sticks in their hands, were standing on the beach making no noise at all.” (219) The island made them into savages, but when exposed to an adult not from the island, they are boys. They all saw each other as wild tribesmen with painted faces but behind their gilded appearance were young schoolboys. The transition from the island to reality is shown here. Once brought back into reality by the naval officer, they are in their innocence once again. When they return back home, their personalities will return back to normal. But their time on the island will always stay with them. The death of Simon and Piggy will always be remembered along with all of their struggles. Their innocence will return, but the island will affect their growth of maturity.

Children in Syria are currently living through a war. A BBC journalist, Lyse Doucet, traveled to Syria to follow six Syrian children. The children play in flooded bomb craters and tanks. One child, Ezadine, age twelve, tells Doucet, “I'm only a child in age and appearance. But in terms of morals and humanity, I'm not. In the past, a 12-year-old was considered young, but not now. Now, at 12 years, you must go for jihad." Ezadine understands the length of mental growth under the impact of the war at only nine years old. She knows she looks her age, but knows in her heart that she is matured. Jihad is an Islamic term that means “struggling” or “striving”. A military jihad refers to protecting their faith against others. Ezadine, only twelve years old, pushed back her fear and was willing to stand up for her faith. The Syrian children can’t control the war like the boys can’t leave the island. They have no choice but to adapt and change. The boys are left to mature and try to make their own decisions like the Syrian children change to protect their religion. If there was no war, Ezadine would still act like normal twelve year old as would the boys if they were back in England.

(picks up a quarter on the ground) Nothing is worth a quarter anymore. Why would I even need this? I’m pathetic.

I don’t want to do this anymore. I know that I can be better than this. I don’t want to be the person I am. I always wonder what people think of me as I sit here. I know they look at me with such pity. ‘Oh, the poor homeless girl. Look at her. Maybe I should give her money so I can feel like a charitable person.’ No, I don’t want to be pitied. I shouldn’t have to. I should be in a home and with a family and not here… Under the bridge with my makeshift bed and pile of clothes.

The man in the red pick up truck has given me singles a few times a week. Sometimes he has a little girl in the back seat. I wonder if I could have been her in another life. I wonder what their life is like.  They’re probably driving to a playdate or going to her grandmother’s house. At the end of the day, he’ll pick her up and they’ll have a nice meal in their dining room, laughing over something that happened earlier. The dog, a golden retriever of course, would sit next to the little girl, waiting for her to drop some of her food. At the end of the night, he’ll tuck her into bed and maybe even read her a stupid bedtime story.

Why was this my fate? Why couldn’t I be born as someone else? Out of all the people in this damn world why was it me that had to end up like this? I never asked for any of this. I never did anything wrong in my life to end up this way. It was my mother. She had to leave my father. She had nowhere else to go. My father was abusive. He controlled everything to the point to where when she left, she had no one else to turn to. We slept in our car for a while and it’s been that way ever since. Where is she now? Probably helping Ronnie sell on some street corner.

(points into the left) I heard she sells on Carlyle Street past the Burger King and a few blocks over. She does it to get some cash. Ronnie doesn’t give her much. Just enough so she could buy herself a new shirt or food. I’m starting to resent my mother more and more each day. I understand she was abandoned once she left my father. Everyone shunned her because of her 17 year old pregnancy and controlling boyfriend. Before she had me, she was warned. She didn’t listen. When she realized her family was right, it was too late. They already forgot about her. She could have tried to pick her life up by now, but she hasn’t. I don’t want to repeat her mistakes.

I want stability. Everyday is different. I never know how much I’ll eat or where I will end up at the end of the night. Or when it will get too cold, that my quilted blank won’t keep me warm anymore. The unknown is what I’m scared of. I want the unknown, but at the same time I don’t know where I could end up. I don’t know where to start. No one is going to give a job to a girl who smells like cheap dollar store perfume and has several knots in hair, that was washed in the train station bathroom. I think I can do this without any help, but I need it.

“You have a stutter.” My first best friend, Brock, said to me. We were about five years old. We were playing with a plastic kitchen setup in my parlor. I was confused.

“What’s a stutter?”

“What you just did with your words.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about. No one had ever mentioned a ¨stutter¨ to me before. I went to ask my mom because I didn’t think he knew what he was talking about. She said I did have a stutter. My mom then proceeded to talk to Brock’s mother about how she intends to inquire about me having to see a speech therapist when I start school. At the time, I didn’t think too much about because I was only five. Eventually, I did end up starting speech class in 1st grade.

“Madison, you have to go to speech.”

I hear the voice of my 2nd grade teacher, Ms.Macy, call out from the other side of the classroom, alerting the class once again that Madison Militello has to go fix her stutter. I feel the eyes of my classmates shift towards me. I quietly sigh on the inside, collect my speech folder, and head out the door. My best friend, Kayla, was waiting outside for me.

¨Did you do the homework?¨ I ask, as we make our way down the hall.

¨Yeah, it was pretty easy.¨

Another speech class with Ms. Robin. Every week twice a week I went to the first floor of my school and met with Ms. Robin, the speech therapist, to work on my stutter. I didn’t like going, but I knew I had to. I understood that a stutter was a natural occurrence and I would never be able to fully control it. I still dreaded going. It wasn’t like the class was bad or anything. We just went over exercises to improve my speech. Not many other kids in my class had speech class. I felt embarrassed. I just didn’t understand why it was me. Out of all the people in the world, why did I have to have a stutter? I was insecure of something I couldn’t control.

Over the years, I’ve learned to accept it. Having a stutter as a young child really affects your self esteem and the way you look at yourself. It made me feel as if I was lesser than the other kids, like there was something wrong with me. Now I understand that no one is completely perfect; we all have something different about us. My stutter is what makes me different. When I was younger, I never realized this. I automatically labeled my stutter as something I should be ashamed of. I’m not fully proud of it now, but I’m more open and accepting about it.

I met my best friend, Kayla, in speech class. From first to third grade we had class together. I don’t know why we were paired together because she didn’t have a stutter. She couldn’t pronounce certain letters correctly. She’s the one person I truly know who is understanding about it. Of course my family is understanding, but they have to be. I like how I can really trust her. I’ve known her for so long and she knows everything about me. That was one benefit of speech class: finding my best friend.

There was one specific time I remember that I was utterly embarrassed from my stutter. I was in 2nd grade and my teacher was going around the classroom asking everyone if they started my school in kindergarten or first grade. The whole room was quiet so my teacher could finish up quickly to move on. When my turn came I panicked.

“Madison, kindergarten or first grade?”

“K-k-k-ki-ki-ki-kin,” I felt everyone’s eyes on me.

“Kindergarten?”

“Yeah,”

I don’t remember finishing the word. Out of all the times I’ve stuttered, somehow it’s one of the few memories I have of it. It’s stuck with me for all these years. I don’t like to remember it but it’s apart of who I am now.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. According to studies, boys are more likely to have a stutter than girls. So in that aspect, I’m not that lucky. I’m lucky in the way that I am someone who doesn’t have a noticeable stutter. I am not fully able to control it, but at times I can. In a more comfortable setting, around very close friends and family, I’m more likely to stutter. This happens because I know there’s less pressure. My family knows and they’ll always accept me no matter what. There’s more pressure around your peers and friends than at home. In school or around people that I’m not fully close with, I feel myself begin to stutter. Pressure is a big part of it. If I feel as if all eyes are on me, I panic and will stumble upon my words. It might not be noticeable when I do or almost do, but there’s a feeling of on the verge of stuttering. I control my speech right before I feel like I’m going to stutter.

My stutter has affected my personality greatly. It changed the way I see myself and others. I’ve become a less judgemental person and realize that everyone is different in their own ways. Sometimes in life there are certain occurrences that you just can’t control. Everyone has their own quirks and attributes that make them the person they are today. Even if we’re not proud of them, we can accept them.

For my visual, I made a flyer that informs people about the ratification of the 13th amendment and what the future held for African Americans after it was ratified. I included section one of the amendment to notify my audience what the amendment exactly said, in case they were not aware already. The bottom of the flyer focuses on what the future held for former slaves. I included how the black codes were in the working and how some plantation owners were still keeping their slaves, even though it was against the law.

The 13th amendment is important to the reconstruction era and African American history because it was the beginning of the road to freedom. The 13th amendment freed many people, but it didn’t free all of them. There were still stubborn masters who refused to follow the amendment and kept their slaves anyway. Some slaves even willingly chose to stay with their masters because they had no where to go if they were free. The amendment gave many people the realization that African Americans were slowly gaining their freedom. The black codes are important also because they took away simple rights that everyone should have. Each southern state made their own black codes. The 13th amendment did exactly mean they were ¨free¨ because the former slaves still faced discrimination and oppression. Even if the amendment wasn’t in its full force at this time, slavery eventually was no longer used in the United States because this. The amendment was just the first step to moving towards full freedom.

One element that might not be clear in my visual is who made the flyer. The flyer is supposed to be made by radical republicans in the north who wanted full freedom for African Americans. Another element that might not be clear is when the flyers were made. If these flyers were real and posted around towns in the north, I made them to be made a two or three weeks after the amendment was officially ratified.

Link to research, flyer, and artist statement: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1818WaGudoTc-dkRtKFYysJ9lgWjk7MoF-UsVchqewms/edit

Tener Información Completa Sobre SLA

¡Hola! Mi equipo nombre es Guapos. Nombres son Keith, Madison, y Destiny. Tenemos quince años Madison y Destiny. Keith tengo dieciseis años. Somos son estudiantes a Science Leadership Academy. SLA tiene 484 estudiantes y cinco pesos. Muchas profesores. SLA es en 55 N 22nd St. Lugares comer ‘7 eleven’, ’Arch Gourmet’, y ‘Trader Joes’. Tenemos proyectos interesante, profesores simpáticos, profesores son trabajar duro, y divertidos. Leemos mucho libros! En almuerzo estamos de vago. Pla Es por eso que encantamos la escuela.

Nuestras clases son historia, álgebra, inglés y español. Las clases favoritas de Keith son  inglés y  bioquímica. En la clase de la inglés que leemos libros y duro trabajamos. Los materiales que necesitas para clase de inglés son una pluma, y cuaderno. Las clases favoritas de Madison son la bioquímica y  inglés. Las clases favoritas de Destiny son el inglés y español. En la clase de la español que juegos, vídeos. Los materiales que necesitas para clase de español son una pluma, y la carpeta. Para tener éxito en esta clase español tenemos que hacer toda la tarea. En la clase de historia que participamos. Los materiales que necesitas para clase de historia son la computadora y dos hojas de papel. Para tener`éxito en esta clase historia tenemos que hacer  tarea y prestar attention. En la clase de la álgebra que resolvemos problemas. Los materiales que necesitas para clase de álgebra son una pluma, y tres hojas de papel. Para tener éxito en esta clase álgebra tenemos que hacer tarea y estar preparado.  Para tener éxito en esta clase inglés tenemos que hacer tarea y ser responsable.

La Srta. Manuel enseña español. Ella es divertida. Nosotros ver la cine y cantar canción en español. Señor Kay es el profesor de inglés. La clase es interesante. En la clase, nosotros leemos el Odyssey. Srta. Giorgio enseña matemáticas. Ella enseña geometría y álgebra Necesitamos tomar apuntes y trabajar duro. Bioquímica es muy interesante. Tu tienes disección cerdos. No me gusta nada!

Nosotros encanta SLA porque es en diferente. Los que más nos gusta de SLA es la libertad. SLA es divertide y chevere excepto tenemos que trabajar duro. Nosotros somos feliz ir a la escuela. Nosotros esperanza tu encanta SLA!

Script

Intro: Hola, te presento a los seres queridos en mi vida.

Yo: Me nombre es Madison. Tengo catorce años. Me encanta ir de compras y pasar un rato con amigos. Asisto a Science Leadership Academy.

Él: Él es Jude. Él es mi hermano. Él cumpleanos es venti tres febrero. Él es muy energético, divertido, y hablador. Jude es rubio. Él mi da risa.

Ella: Ella es mi madre. Ella nombre es Colleen. Mi madre es sociable y lista. Es un amor de gente.

Ellas: Ellas es Emma y Sydnye, mi mejor amigas. Somos amigas por cuatros meses. Emma es súper alta y deportista. Sydnye es divertida. Nos gusta estar de vago los fines de semana.

Nosotros: Te presento a mi familia. Mi madre, padre, hermano, y yo. Tenemos irlandés y italiano. Mi papa es mucho trabajadora. Le quiero mucho.