Day 8 Question: Allie

In True Notebooks and Persepolis, family or lack of one is a big part of each story.  How are the characters affected by their families? In what ways does it affect them?  Has it shaped who they are today?

Write about someone who in your family who has affected you, whether it be in a negative or positive way.  How have they shaped you into the person you are today? What's interesting about your relationship with them?

Day 7: Allie

Jimmy has lost in faith in God because of the situation he's in.  Like he says to Francisco, he's not saying that God doesn't exist, he just can't believe in him anymore.  He has been put in situations that are testing his faith and making him question what he truly believes in.  I think his belief in God has went from negative to positive because he says that when he was younger he was a "firm believer in the Almighty" (page 82) but now he questions whether God really exists or not.  He has a lot of reasons for the way he thinks the way he does now.  He is constantly being influenced by the people around him daily, and because he is in a bad position, his view on God and religion in general is becoming negative.  Jimmy thinks he has been pushed to his limit and is now questioning God's existance period.  He is facing issues with himself and because he doesn't think he has anyone to turn to, including God, he is no longer a believer.  I think Jimmy has gotten to the point where if there's no way to prove that God is real, then he simply can't believe God is really out there watching over him and his family.

I think religion and society are constantly having affect on my life and everyone elses, sometimes without us even knowing.  You can simply be watching a tv show and a commercial will come on having to do with God or church or Christian music.  It can indirectly get to you without you knowing and it can take a negative or positive affect on you.  Some people find their calling and discover things about themselves they never knew before by watching a Christian channel, listening to preachers talk about Jesus.  Other people are more hindered when they see tv shows about people magically being healed.  I think society has put a lot of misconceptions about religion out to the public, which has harmed more than helped.  Often in tv shows Christians are shown as do gooders, homophobes, and people who all around live a pretty great life.  The Muslim people are always like the anti-christ; they are always shunned in school and all pictured to look and sound the same way.  I think society can often give younger kids the wrong view on religion; often times little kids only follow exactly what they're being told, which is not always the truth.  I think it's most important to teach young kids that they should learn things for themselves, and not just take exactly what's being fed to them.  I try not to let society tell me what religion is and I try not to let religion take over my life.  I can relate to Jimmy in the sense that when things get really hard it's sometimes difficult to tell if you're faith is being tested, or if this is all just some kind of joke.  I think it's always important to keep a good head on your shoulders, and not let anyone or anything hinder you from believing what you know is real in your mind and in your heart.

Day 6: Allie

Bashkim

In True Notebooks, I think Mark faces a lot of obstacles.  They are a lot different than what the boys have to face but they are still just as important and difficult to deal with.  A lot of them are within himself, for instance in the beginning his first obstacle is that he can't get the character in his book right. He's at a loss for how to write him correctly and goes to his friend Duane for help.  Mark is just trying to be a successful writer when he's thrown into a completely new situation.  I think Mark is struggling with being the writer he wants to be and being the person he wants to be.  When he comes to work at the juvenile hall he struggles with just keeping the boys on task and helping them to write.  He faces struggles just as the boys do and even though it may seem like his problems are nothing compared to what they're going through, they are just as hard to deal with.

I'm a dancer and even though some people may think dance is not that competitive, it's one of the most competitive sports out there.  Whether it's in class, at a competition, or at a convention, every single person there is focused on being the best and standing out from everyone else.  Each dance class is like an audition and you always want to be the one that's being picked for the star spot.  I was at a dance convention last weekend and we were taking a jazz class with a guest celebrity teacher.  I moved to the front and danced harder than I've ever danced because I wanted to be noticed and I wanted him to see my talent.  He noticed me and it felt good to see my talent being recognized but being in dance and going to dance conventions can really take a toll on you.  It helps you build a tough skin and to not be so afraid or intimidated but competing with people all the time, especially your friends, can be really hard on you and sometimes take the fun out of a situation.  I think it's always best to remember that you can work hard and have fun at the same time.  Don't let all the seriousness of the situation take over and ruin it, you can balance it out and you can have both.

Carmelo

The writing class has helped the boys conform into a positive group by letting them express themselves freely.  Mark doesn't really make any rules for their writing; as long as they write he's satisfied with that.  Because there aren't really any boundaries, it helps the boys to get out all of their feelings and say things they can't usually say out loud or are afraid to say out loud. When they write it takes them somewhere else and their mind wanders off to places they have been avoiding or tried to ignore.  The writing class is really helpful because they can write without judgment from Mark and even though the other inmates may make slick comments, they can all understand what the other person is going through.

I've tried to stay away from conforming into certain groups because I feel like there's so many different types of people that I talk to I couldn't just stick to talking to the same group of people forever.  Because I never really conformed to one group of people I think I have a more open mind and am less judgemental about everyone.  When you conform to a group, you only hang around those people and kind of almost get stuck in those ways.  Going to an arts high school has really helped me to not conform and to open my eyes and understand people who are not exactly the same as me and may not necessarily have the same views or interests as I do.  Almost always, conforming affects you more negatively than positively because it closes you off from other groups of people and hinders you from seeing the full picture.  If we all focused less on conforming and more on coming together as a whole, things can only go up from there.

Day 4: Allie

Ashly

A lot of times I have made decisions out of anger and regretted it later.  I used to be the type of person to give up on things when they got hard and I would pay for it later when I saw what I missed out on.  When I was younger I used to dance all the time until I thought it was getting too hard or I simply did not want to go because I was in a bad mood.  Later I would go to the recital or go to someone elses class and regret quitting because I knew I had just as much potential to do what they were doing and that if I had stuck with it just a little longer it could've been me on stage with them.  I would feel really bad about letting everyone else down and myself and wish that I could go back in time and stick with it.  Because of this I always tell myself that not everyday will be a good day but if I stick with it, the reward will be worth it in the end.

In True Notebooks, Francisco is working really hard to change his ways.  He knows he's done wrong, and is now fighting for a second chance to prove that's not who he really is as a person.  I think he has a problem keeping his feelings and emotions under control, which is how he got himself into jail in the first place. On page 40 he says he was letting all of his problems get to his head.  Because he was able to realize that he was trying to run from his problems instead of facing them, he can now fix them and begin to start over and really take charge of his life.  It takes a strong and courageous person to realize their problems and take a step to fix them, even if he is learning the hard way.
I think everyday we're all trying to face our problems and our fears and are trying to overcome them. Some of them are bigger than others but they're all something we constantly struggle with. Somedays for me just getting out of bed takes all my effort and energy but I know I was woken up for a reason and there is a plan for me and whatever obstacles may come my way that day I will face them head on and with 100% effort and keep a strong attitude.


Natalia

I think it's ridiculous that they would have to stop seeing each other because of social class.  When you teach your children that all that matters are things like status, it makes them ignorant and unaware of everyone else around them and teaches them to love people for what they are instead of who they are. Just like in True Notebooks, Mehri was judged instantly because of her class just like Mark automatically judged and made assumptions about the inmates without knowing anything about them.  At my high school there were no cliques or groups or anything, you could come to school and talk to whoever you wanted to without fear of being judged or being discriminated against because of your status, what you wore, or what you looked like.  I think if the characters in Persepolis and True Notebooks both had perspective on sides other than theirs, they would see what's really important which is that people really are all the same underneath it all and when you judge someone you're only hurting yourself and reflecting on yourself.

Day 3: Allie

George

I think the problem most of the characters in this book have is that they have fallen into the wrong crowd and gotten concerned with the wrong people.  Like Ruben said on page 20, he was "hypnotized" which I think happens often when we're young.  We're so focused on what's in front of our faces instead of seeing everything else around us. In the case of the inmates in this book, a lot of them were influenced by what was around them which turned into all they knew; gang life became their whole life and they didn't know anything more than that. A lot of times when we're young we get focused on one thing and it becomes our only focus.  We think that as long as it's making us happy in the moment that's all that matters; we don't think about the future or the consequences.  I always try to look past my own struggles and realize that struggle is just temporary and good will always come out of it.  If you remain positive and keep your head up, you can accomplish so much more than if you get stuck and concentrate on just one thing.  I always tell myself to look at the bigger picture and to see through what's not important and focus on what really is.  You always have to enstill confidence in yourself and have that voice inside of your head telling you that life is what you make of it so you should make the best of it.  If you focus more on the future instead of living in the past or only living for the moment you will get so much more out of your life and out of yourself, which I think all the characters in the book need to and are learning to do as they face their reality.


Michelle

A. All of the inmates struggle with internal problems and secrets.  A lot of it is they know that they're wrong and they know why they're wrong and why/when it happened. They have to put on acts and be tough to prove who they really are in the jail so that they don't get beat up or walked over.  Francisco struggles with a lot of personal pain and tragedy in his life that he internalized and kept secret, which I think added to the way he is now and why he is in jail. 

B. There has been many times in my life where I've wanted to tell someone something but couldn't because I was afraid of how I thought they might react. It's hard to face the person on a daily basis and carry on a regular conversation with them when you know there's something you're keeping from them and you're dying to tell them but you can't because of how it might affect your relationship or how they might react.  But I believe all things will come out when the time is right and I know that as soon as I tell them I'll feel relief and however the situation plays out, it will all happen for the best. The most important thing to remember with secrets and the person you're telling them to is that if they love you, they will still love you regardless of what the secret is.

Day 2: Izzy

1. Ruben Barreda is one of the prisoners at the juvenile hall where Mark is teaching.  When he goes to read first Mark discovers that he's not just some dumb kid, but a writer with a purpose.  Ruben's story about clouds was more than just talking about clouds and describing them, but it was really about how he never had time to notice them because he was too busy wrapped up in things that he thought were more important.  He admits that all he cared about was tagging and hanging out with his friends; he never stopped to appreciate what really mattered in his life.  He was too busy being influenced by his peers to realize what was right in front of him and see everything he had.  Being influenced negatively by others brought him down and he was begging for a way out but had no way of coming out and saying it.  He was distracted and his fear of being shunned by his friends shyed him away from thinking and being himself.  On page 20, he says how he was "hypnotized" and that even if he had wanted to see more, his eyes wouldn't let him. He knows what he's done was wrong and that if he hadn't been influenced so heavily and had just opened his eyes he could've prevented being in the situation that he's in now.

2. I think often that I, along with other people my age, get influenced by a lot of our pop culture such as music, movies, and television.  What we watch and what we listen to affects who we are as a person. Sometimes I think it's a good thing, for instance if you listen to music that really makes you think and opens your mind, it can mature you in a way and expand your mind, but sometimes I think the music that we can listen to can affect us negatively and sometimes without us even knowing it.  You may not be a violent person but the music you listen to can hit you on a subconscious level and before you know it you could start acting out.  Often though I believe you are influenced the way you want to be influenced.  If you don't want something to affect you negatively, it won't; if you want something to affect you positively then it will.  As young adults, influence is a large part of our lives and I think it's important for us to open our eyes and realize what's influencing us and how it's going to affect us.

Day 2: Hafizah

1. In True Notebooks, it seems as if Mark feels like an insider when he's with his friends or just by himself writing, but as a teacher in general it seems as though he sometimes feels like an outsider in his own classroom. On page 11 he describes the class where a girl was reading a piece of her writing and became emotional.  He pointed out how uncomfortable the situation was and how even he was unsure of what to say after it was over.  Mark knows how when and if he goes to teach at the juvenile center he will most definitely be an outsider.  Throughout the first few chapters he makes lists of his advantages and disadvantages of going and the disadvantage list is always longer.  As soon as he enters the hall, his tone and the way he describes his surroundings you can tell he already feels as though he's an outsider.  When it comes to the prisoners, Duane, and even the guards it's as though he's a small fish in a big pond.  Even though the young boys are imprisoned, the way they talk and are comfortable with each other is almost as though this is one of the only places where they feel like insiders.  When they write they talk about how much they were influenced and did so many things for other people instead of themselves, and now they're learning from their mistakes and realizing that life doesn't have to be that way.  In a way, both Mark and the boys are outsiders because of the experiences and situations they have faced, and they can learn from each other.

2. Often when I was younger if I was put into situations where I didn't know anybody or knew very few people, I would feel like an outsider.  I was really shy so being put into a situation where I felt like I was out of the loop was very intimidating. When I moved to Milwaukee to go to high school, I felt like an outsider because I was from a different city and mostly everyone knew each other. I feel the most like an insider at my dance studio; I'm friends with everyone and it's so easy to be comfortable and be myself without any worries.  It's like a safe haven for me and basically like my second home.