“Song of The Heart” is a book that aims to teach students how to songwrite. The book features basic music theory, song analysis, my personal experiences, and writing prompts and tips to help students navigate the songwriting process. To create this book, I had to plan the chapters and their order, listen to and analyze songs, read sources, find images, and write everything comprehensibly. I spent time editing, creating the covers, planning the format, creating a template for song analysis, and structuring the information. All of my hours were spent creating an over 130-page book. Most of my ideas about how to create the book were run by my mentor, Mr. Speaks, to see if it would help. I also relied on what I thought would be helpful to think about as a songwriter.

Through creating this book, I learned about the history of the different genres I covered. Each section was prefaced with a summary of the historical background of the genre in America that contributed to its evolution through several decades. It helped me gain a clearer sense of the connections between different genres of music, despite how different they sound. I also learned a bit about how music theory can be applied to song analysis. After learning about music theory, specifically chord progressions, I noticed the same concepts in the songs I listened to. If I listened for long enough, I would also be able to hum the progressions.

Song of The Heart: A Guide To Songwriting https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GpTgKHfGaFufm11YPa2ISMoKYDML6OpX/view?usp=sharing

My artwork depicts Bromden’s hallucination/dream when he did not take the medication they gave him from pages 76 to 79. In this scene, Bromden sees one of the staff bring the dorm room down to an underground, dam-like structure beneath the ward. Bromden describes this world below the ward as being very industrial, like a factory or a “tremendous dam”(77). As the floor moves, Bromden sees many things, specifically workers, identical each other, running around, and furnaces. As the floor comes to a stop, one of the chronics, named Blastic, who was pointed out by the men in charge, is taken by a worker and “…with the other hand the worker drives the hook through the tendon back of the heel, and the old guy’s hanging there upside down…his pajama top falls around his head. The worker grabs the top and bunches and twists it like a burlap sack…” (78). This detail can be seen in the piece.

In this part, Bromden says “…there’s no blood or innards falling out like I was looking to see–just a shower of rust and ashes, and now and again a piece of wire or glass. Worker’s standing there to his knees in what looks like clinkers.” (79). He also says “One of the guys takes a scalpel from a holster at his belt. There’s a chain welded to the scalpel. The guy lowers it to the worker, loops the other end of the chain around the railing so the worker can’t run off with a weapon.” (78 - 79). These details are captured in the machinery spilling out of the hole in Blastic’s torso and the hook caught on his heel.

The main scene is placed in the background while the beds are in the foreground, showing the perspective of Bromden, being a witness to a horrible act but not able to interfere or do anything due to fear. The focal point has the most color as it was a scene so vivid for Bromden. Everything else fades into the background as Blastic’s death was the only thing Bromden could focus on. The hallucination is intentionally disconnected from the beds as it is unclear whether this moment was Bromden’s fantasy or reality. This is also represented by the hazy, blurred nature of the drawing. The disconnect also conveys how his death is not acknowledged. They can’t reach him, not even Bromden who is the only one to witness this.

The horrific nature of this scene is captured by the grotesque visual of the hole, stark when compared to the rest of the dark, dimmed scene. The only face you can see is ignorant of his actions and disinterested to the acts he commits. The worker’s face looks “handsome and brutal and waxy like a mask”, shown in the detachment of his features from the rest of his face. I decided to have the machinery falling out candidly to express how sudden the scene was. In place of blood, there are wires and glass, rust and ash. As suddenly as he died, the in-progress nature of the art expresses it.

This artwork portrays how Bromden’s mind alters how characters are perceived. Blastic is depicted as a character that was so far gone, he has no organs or things of human nature left, being reduced to wires like a robot, puppet, or doll. This scene is so significant because it was the first described death in the book. On the ward, the Chronics have no say in what happens to them. They live through the motions set out for them by the staff. Even what happens to them in the night and after death is out of their control. Blastic was forgotten, not mentioned again after this scene, as there are no real treatments for the Chronics, just drawn-out existence and inevitable death. As Bromden would say, they are taken back into the fold by the Combine when their time runs out.

In Chapter 12 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred’s description of her internal struggles presents feelings of reflectiveness and dejection in me. On page 65, she says “I think of the others, those without. This is the heartland, here, I’m leading a pampered life,…and I start to eat the food.” When I first read this part I was immediately taken aback at just how much control is taken from Handmaids. They are supposed to feel thankful for everything, despite having nothing they can truly call their own, not even their own life. They have barely any autonomy over their own decisions or actions. This quote stuck out to me because of my relationship with food at times. I took away my freedom not to eat because I didn’t want to seem wasteful or unappreciative. Food waste is a problem because I care about the environment, but eating to the point where I feel overstuffed isn’t good for my body or health. I have to keep myself from overeating and try to do things to cut down my portions.

Though my situation is quite different from Offred’s as she has to worry about being reported for wasting food, the external circumstances of forcing yourself to eat still stand. I felt obligated to clear my plate, yet the health problems I could be at risk of because of weight gain from overeating sit at the back of my head. There is a never-ending internal debate between my morals and my health, but I am constantly working through them to better myself. There’s a lot that can be changed about my relationship with food, but Offred does not have the luxury of improving her quality of life like I do, which is why this quote had such an impact on me. It really made me realize that I can grow and I don’t need to be forced into “gratefulness” just because of what I have access to.

I also connected to the part of the chapter on page 66 where it says “In my stomach the food balls itself together, a handful of damp cardboard, squeezed.” This part initially made my stomach turn. I was reminded of a time when I was in a similar situation. I have also had points where I forced myself to eat despite not wanting to because of the emotional state I was in. I once got furious after an argument with a family member and burst into tears, but it was in the middle of dinner so I had to go back and finish my food despite not wanting to. I let myself calm down and, after a while, went back to finish my meal. You have an obligation to yourself to provide sustenance for your body, but being in a bad emotional state, whether it’s nerves or rage, keeps you from doing so. It’s hard to take care of yourself while regulating your emotions and keeping yourself calm in front of others, but it is also healthy to let your emotions out loudly, however difficult it may be to do so. For me, the food didn’t necessarily feel like damp cardboard, but an unwanted, yet remaining presence that irritated me. It felt like the cause of my anger personified, something I could not get rid of and would thus have to learn to live with.

On page 66, it also says “My self is a thing I must now compose, as one composes a speech. What I must present is a made thing, not something born.” When I first read this quote, I understood Offred completely and sympathized with her. Society creates a space where people often don’t feel comfortable presenting their authentic selves to the world. When people say they have to keep their composure, they have to maintain the “made self” they have created for public viewing, despite it being extremely challenging when humans aren’t robots that can become emotionless at the drop of a hat. I have done the same in the past because it is easier to deal with things on your own than with other people. Perfection was an image I wanted to portray, and I wasn’t being myself for fear of rejection and unacceptance. I know now that you shouldn’t live your life like that, but past me wanted to seem smart, kind, and incapable of mistakes, always having the right answer. I’ve learned from all of these experiences to focus on what is best for me instead of what some non-existent or irrelevant person thinks of me.

https://www.wevideo.com/view/2605853714

In my first Slate post, I wrote about animal cruelty laws in Pennsylvania and basic facts. I also wrote about the data and number of cases. Currently, people post articles, videos, and blogs about cruelty to animals. This calls attention to animal abuse and shows how severe it is with physical evidence. A change is made even if only one person is aware of the situation, so when adults or children know about this issue and donate, volunteer, or help change it, progress is made. Change comes gradually, like with all issues, so any kind of exposure or article can help. One organization that I found to be the most impactful was the PSPCA. I also found a few sites that contained information that raised awareness about animal cruelty. From my ongoing research, I have learned that spreading awareness digitally to change this issue is effective. Every progression to an issue starts with awareness and then action can be taken. These methods are useful because the world is all online so bringing awareness digitally is the best idea.

I created a website and made a youtube video to spread awareness as my Agent of Change. I did this by using google sites for the website and using Vimeo, voice memo, and a screen recording app for the video. At the time, this was the best option since I had already created the video and it looked how I wanted it to. My experience was simple but frustrating considering both were easy to make but I needed to buy a plan on Vimeo so I used a screen recording app to create and finish it. I was able to make a change by showing people exactly what is happening and bringing attention to an organization that can make a real change. By creating something short and easy to understand, it’s more applicable to a wider demographic and people will pay more attention since it’s shorter.

My project was interesting and contained a lot of useful information. It reflected my feelings on animal abuse while also showing and explaining to viewers what the issue is and the facts and laws that are in place to try and change it. My project could have contained a lot more information, but this could become an “in-progress” thing for me to pursue. I felt motivated yet upset about doing this project. I think that this project was good at explaining the information out there about animal cruelty in Pennsylvania, but it is also upsetting that something like this needs to be mentioned in the first place. Knowing about this issue and continuing to learn more drives me to do more research and try and make a more impactful change. I learned that some people do unethical and morally unacceptable things to animals out of frustration, for personal economic success, or for something as simple as just wanting to because they find enjoyment in it. I also learned that I should do more to help abused animals than what is being done. I want to stay motivated by this topic so I can make more change once I am older.

I felt like I could have done the video-making process better. I also feel like I could have added more content to my website, which I might do over time. To make a change, I still have to bring attention to the cases of animal abuse that some people or police don’t see. Others still have to notice and understand animal cruelty and see how serious it is. Personally, I can still learn about specific cases and learn about how the issue has changed over time.

Above is my video. My website is here.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

When someone asks you “What is one of the biggest problems in the world today?”, what is your first reaction or answer? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. One of the biggest problems in today’s society is cruelty towards animals. This isn’t just every-day domestic animals, but also farm animals and livestock. This topic is relevant and interesting because it is about respecting life in the best way possible. I am personally interested in learning more about animal cruelty because I love animals and I want to be a veterinarian one day and it hurts me to know that some people abuse and intentionally or unintentionally hurt or even kill animals. From learning more about animal cruelty in Pennsylvania, I get a better understanding of the topic and can start with making changes in my state and my surroundings first. Other people should also understand that pets and animals do so much for the human race, supporting, providing comfort, providing food, and just being treasured and helpful to humans. Animals do so much for us, so why can’t we make sure that while they’re alive, they are respected and treated with some type of decorum?

Before the laws are discussed, what about the basic facts? There is a lot to know about animal abuse in Philadelphia, but the most general information helps give a solid understanding of the severity of animal abuse and its effects. Research has shown that animal abuse crimes can be linked to violent crimes towards people. Hoarding also endangers an animal, the hoarder trying to take care of more animals than they can. The gender and age range for intentional animal abusers are mostly men under 30 and for hoarders, it is women over 60. The most commonly reported cases are for dogs, cats, horses, and livestock. The weak protection for livestock under state laws makes it so that only the most shocking cases are reported. “Data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses.”, according to The Humane Society of The United States. This shows that there is a direct link between domestic violence and animal cruelty. With this information, I hope that people can take it into account when reading about the laws. I also hope that people can realize the severity of animal cruelty and know that these things need to change.

Now that the basic information is figured out, what about the laws and punishments for animal abuse? There are set punishments in Pennsylvania for animal cruelty, as stated in Animal Cruelty Laws in Pennsylvania. This site states that animal cruelty is a serious charge the culprit can be fined, be charged with a misdemeanor, a felony, or go to prison. It is illegal to abuse, beat, torture, abandon, or mistreat an animal and the punishment depends on the circumstances of the case. Neglecting an animal in any way, whether it be not providing necessities, locking it in a car during hot weather, or tethering it up for more than nine hours without the needed care, is met with a penalty from a fine to felony charges, all based on the severity of the risk or injuries. Medical procedures that aren’t done legally and by a certified vet fall under animal cruelty. A fine is given for poisoning an animal and if it is done unintentionally, it’s considered a misdemeanor. According to E.A. Gjelten, “ It’s a felony in Pennsylvania to participate in organized animal fighting in any way, from owning or training the animals to betting on a fight or simply attending as a spectator.” After Libre’s law, animal-abuse legislation named after an abused puppy was passed. Libre, a Boston terrier, was found starving, covered in mange, barely alive on an Amish dog-breeding farm in Lancaster County in 2016. He was saved by a delivery-truck man, being saved from his impending doom. When his law was passed, dog tethering laws have been improved, stating that a dog cannot be tied down for more than nine hours in 24 hours and the tether must be three times the dog’s length. In harsh conditions, a dog can’t be tethered for more than 30 minutes and must always have access to water and shade. Animal cruelty penalties are strengthened as well. Humane Society officers and veterinarians can’t be sued for wrongly accusing someone of animal cruelty. The abuse of horses is treated the same as cats, dogs, or other pets. Anyone that is officially convicted of anything animal-cruelty related has to give up their animal (Philadelphia Inquirer).

An official data chart from the AOPC about Libre’s Law, animal abuse, and counties

When researching animal abuse, the data that does and doesn’t exist about cases is astounding. The information about reported animal abuse cases is important to know to see numerically how harsh animal cruelty is. As stated by Pennsylvania Capital-Star “In 2017, 965 offenses were reported. In 2018, that number climbed to 11,836. By 2019, the number of offenses reported was 8,405. The total number of animal abuse cases filed from 2017-2019 statewide is 4,804, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.” Many animal abuse laws and policies have been put in place to prohibit, limit, and, overall, stop animal abuse and cruelty. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) monitors the offenses and provides data on it that can be viewed. The number of cases in 31 Pennsylvania counties ranges from 19 to 888 in 2018, because there is a difference in how cases are reported. In most counties, charges can be directed straight to a district judge, but, in Philadelphia, it has to be brought to a detective. Humane officers also need to notify the defendant that they have been charged with an animal abuse offense, so if they ignore it or let the animal go, the police can’t do anything, explaining the low number of cases in Philadelphia. Overall, Pennsylvania has over 4,000 reported animal abuse cases around 2018. These are only the cases that were officially reported, and it’s counting up to thousands. If all of the animal abuse in Philadelphia were reported and documented, who knows how many cases there would be. So many animals, so many years, but what impact has been made? What has been done to stop this pain?

What can be learned from this research after further inspection? What’s the takeaway? I have realized that animal abuse in Philadelphia is a much bigger problem than I initially realized. This matter is very important and should be taken more seriously. It also should be discussed a lot more than it is. I wonder what other animals are being abused that isn’t really discussed. I question what matters are being taken to not only fine or charge animal abusers, but to also limit the number of cases and make animals safer and treated better than they are. How are livestock being treated? Or farm animals? I hope to learn more about specific cases in Philadelphia and police involvement in these matters and if they are truly doing their job when it comes to animal abuse.

A photo of Libre, the dog that the most prominent Philadelphian animal cruelty law is named after.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Born A Crime, written by Trevor Noah, is an inspiring story of a young man’s youth and life in South Africa. It talks about culture, religion, family, friendships, and many other topics. These events inspired me to create my benchmark about my own sort of culture, introverts. In his story, Noah talks about his identity as a mixed child and how that affected his childhood. He explores his identity by talking about how his parents’ decisions affected how people acted towards him. He talks about belonging by discussing how he never fit in any friend group, but he was able to blend in and move through them, but he didn’t truly belong. One of Trevor’s most notable chapter was Chameleon. This was a chapter that stuck out to me because I know what it feels like to blend into the background and kind of remain unseen and unnoticed. I can relate to some parts of his writing, but others are completely new to me. Our writings are different, and I use my writing style to create my memoir. Trevor’s explanations of his culture were something that really gave me a clear understanding of the different languages and norms of South Africa, and I wanted to do something similar with explaining what an introvert is and how it reflects me as an individual. Instead of using humor in my writing like Trevor Noah, I opted to make references and write small blurbs with references. I also expressed my inner thoughts in the memoir as a part of my writing style. To explain the culture to an outsider audience, I noted the characteristics of an introvert, the definition, and what it means to me to be one. From my writing, you can get a sense of what an introvert is, but also how they are different from one another. My vignette shows how my culture is a part of my identity, but it doesn’t make up the entirety of who I am. It shows that when people accept who they are, they can use it, but don’t have to let their culture define who they are and limit what they can do.

The second piece that I created for the contest is a sonnet poem that I made about my nephew and our relationship. A sonnet poem has 14 lines divided into 4 quatrains and a couplet, which I followed to express my feelings towards my nephew. The poem has many emotions portrayed in it that represent my feelings very generously and I feel a range of emotions throughout the poem. The first emotion that I portrayed in this essay was love. This is love for my nephew and how much we care for each other. This is represented by a light purple color. The next emotion portrayed is family. This is the feeling of being there for one another and knowing we will stay together through whatever troubles we face. This is represented by a light blue The final emotion that I showed is anger or hate. Sometimes me and my nephew don’t get along, so we fight and argue all the time. This emotion is represented by a light red. When I first heard about the New York Times project, I wanted to do two things. First, I wanted to make something informative and personal, like an essay, and secondly I wanted to create an interesting writing piece, like a poem. I wanted both of the pieces to be about the same thing, so both writing pieces are about my relationship with my nephew. I created this piece by thinking of what I wanted to create. Once I had that figured out, I formed my piece and tried to find the right words to use that made sense for my emotions and followed the rhyme scheme I wanted to use. I went back many times and read through the poem to make sure it was good and portrayed what I wanted it to. It was kind of difficult to find something creative that I would be able to do, but I made something that I am proud of that is special to me.

This written piece is a display of how I try my best to put my relationship with my nephew into words. We are close and to me, he feels more like a brother than a nephew. I wanted to write an essay to show the foundation of our relationship and how it has strengthened and changed throughout 2020. As we all know, it has been a very difficult year with many trials and tribulations over only 12 months, but I wanted to write about how my relationship with my nephew has survived this difficult year. I created this piece during October and I immediately thought of writing about my nephew and me in 2020 and the transition of feelings throughout this year. I created an essay to show my feelings about him, but I also created another piece to convey my thoughts and feelings uniquely. I wanted to create this specific type of piece as an elementary way to show how I feel about him and the way our relationship has altered throughout this year. I have not faced many challenges this year, but I have faced the very arduous task of living with my nephew every single day. My nephew and I go through many hardships dealing with one another every single day, but we will always get through the trials that face us together. The theme of this project is how teenagers are growing in 2020, and my project relates to the theme of being a teenager during this year in the fact that I have to handle and deal with my annoying younger “brother” while going to online school. It can be hard to deal with him, but in the essay, I convey my thoughts as best as I can. I created this essay by first, thinking of what I wanted to create. Then, I put all of my thoughts and feelings into one space that helped me format the way I wrote the essay. I went through many processes to improve my writing and make the pieces interesting, but I am pleased with the results of my planning and development. It was hard to find one thing to write about that was personal, but in the end, I found a great topic that was applicable and riveting enough to read.