Lindsey's Assignment: Overcoming Your Roots

Society has not limited many of my opportunities. Being an Asian-American I feel I have been given the same amount of opportunity to succeed as everyone else in my community. Having this Japanese background has probably actually benefited me in some areas like getting into colleges and such. Colleges now love diversity and even in my name, Adam Okimatsu, there's a ton of diversity right there. My life has been fortunate, having a strong family basis at home and parents that have brought me up right. It is hard to overcome such a tragedy as bad parenting. The wrong morals are taught to you that last an entire lifetime. Once you reach a certain age it is hard to change your outlook on things. If I was brought up poorly, I would still try my best to the be the best person I could be. It would be tough to overcome poor morals and proper social activity, but I would pull through. If I was in this situation and wasn't taught the correct morals and how to live in society, then I think I would lie or cheat or steal to get myself out of that situation. There comes a point where there is no where else to turn. There's a saying, "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying hard enough." That is how I see this situation. At that point where your current situation is that bad, you have to do whatever you can to get out. The only thing I really wouldn't do would be kill someone. If I had to deal with this situation I would turn to music and art to express myself. I have trouble talking to people about my problems so I would most likely get it out by writing it down. I don't think my work would be anything that people would want so I probably wouldn't be able to capitalize on this outlet. The best thing I could do for myself would just to be to try and ignore the racism and prejudice put against me and keep working hard in whatever it is I am doing. For myself, I have had to overcome some judgements of me based on racism already. 

A Product of Bad Environment

Based on Toni Morrison's, The Bluest Eye, it is obvious to see that Pecola's life is a tragedy. Her father rapes her and her mother beats her for bringing up the idea that her father would do that. In the end, Pecola becomes practically insane and lives on to be nothing more then a maggot of society. But is Pecola to blame for the way her future played out? Her environment played a huge role on the outcome of her life. She never had a real role model to look up to or idolize with, and her whole life people were telling her how inept and ugly she was. Pecola had to not only fight racism, but also battle the environment in which she was living.

Before you begin your assignment you can check out these sources to better understand how environment impacts character and the effects of racism.


A Little Background...
- Open iTunes and type in "I am Blackness" and watch the video by Lauryn Bryght

- Check out my delicious page for more insight on being a product of bad environment



Assignment Tasks...
- Find a relevant blog relating to living without good opportunites and leave a comment either agreeing or disagreeing

- Create an original poem relating either to racism or the struggle of living in a bad environment.

- Make one blog entry on your blog discussing your environment and how it you benefit or don't benefit from it.

The Bluest Eye: Socratic Seminar Questions

1. Like in "Trading Places", do you think Pecola is just a result of bad environment? Or is there another reason why her life played out as it did?

2. Do you think standards of white beauty exist today? If so in what way?

3. Do you think a certain gender is more understanding to race?

4. Do you agree with the way sex is portrayed in the novel?

5. Is the way Pecola's life plays out an accurate depiction of a black girl in the time period?

6. What in your opinion would be the best way to fight racism for Pecola?

7. What do the blue eyes represent other then Pecola's wish to be beautiful? What does it tell us about Pecola herself?

The Standard of Beauty

 Beauty can be best defined as the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind. There is no conversation of black or white in that definition. In the past and still today, people have set the standard of beauty to simply white beauty. From the media telling white women how they look is beautiful, and that it's even "correct", clouds the images of black women when they look in the mirror (Tracy par 3). Seeking this approved beauty, black women will straighten their hair, apply light shading makeup, and even get surgeries to alter the shape and attributes of their face. The media has actually accomplished the feat of convincing people to what is beautiful and what is not. Granted many white women struggle to be beautiful and find their own beauty, they are constantly reassured by society and the media that their attributes are classic or the "ideal" (Tracy par 3). 

    The Bluest Eye shares this standard of beauty. The main character in the book, Pecola, believes she is an ugly black girl. She desperately yearns to fit the white standard of beauty that has been set by her society. The black female adults in the book have learned to hate the blackness of their bodies and essentially take it out on their children. It is portrayed that once a black girl reaches a certain age it is expected that she will learn to hate the color of her skin and embrace racial self loathing. Pecola relates beauty to being loved. She thinks if she can alter the way she looks to the way people want her to look, people will love and respect her. This is where the "Bluest Eye" gets its title. Pecola wishes she has blue eyes to make her beautiful so she will be loved and respected and escape her life of cruelty. 

    It is hard to escape from beauty no matter what culture you are. Though people strive for certain white attributes, whether you're white, black, yellow, red, or green, everywhere you go aspects of beauty will impact you. It is a fact that if you are not as pretty or good looking you will not be treated as nicely or with as much respect in the world; especially for women. Beauty culture is completely two faced. The media and society preaches this "natural beauty" while at the same time you will never see a model on a magazine cover without being botoxed, airbrushed, or showered with makeup. So why does the world struggle to see what is actually beautiful and what is not? The image of beauty has been labeled by a standard, thus causing so much confusion and struggle to the victims "seeking" to be beautiful. 

Will and Grace

Television today seems to lack a certain level of reality when it comes to homosexuality. Shows do not really depict gay men or women very often or in a real sense. Most programs keep their shows relating to a heterosexual lifestyle and stay out of the realm of homosexuality. This heterosexism is very common to see in television, but not in the real world.
Few shows portray gay characters in a regular sense, but one comes to mind. Will and Grace was a show that broke many barriers of straight vs. gay. This show was the first network series to have more then one homosexual character as principal characters in the plot. The two main gay characters were Will Truman and Jack McFarland. Will was a lawyer and did not fit the normal stereotypes of a gay man. He was not flamboyant or loud, he just went along with his life like a straight man would except his sex life was different. Jack on the other hand was the complete opposite. He was a struggling actor, singer, and dancer who went from boyfriend to boyfriend and fit every gay stereotype one could think of. Jack was very concerned about how he looked all the time and talked in a very high pitch feminine tongue. Will and Grace was set in New York City. This was a smart decision because the city is very liberal and makes the most sense for a show like that to take place there. Homosexuality is embraced in the city and people can live happily being openly gay.
Will and Grace was a rare kind of show. Nothing else on TV contained more then one gay character, especially those that the show mainly revolves around. It was a big step in societal culture. It gave people at home a chance to see beyond their heterosexist lives and glance at the life of two gay men. It was a gateway for people to experience the struggle, the reality, and the normality of a homosexual lifestyle.

TV Dads

Women in the world have come a long way in the past 40 years. They are more respected in society and more importantly, the workplace. With this new found opportunity and responsibility, there has been a shift in household roles. The television industry believes in this shift and portrays it frequently. It is not uncommon to see a T.V. dad who makes dinner and cleans up the kitchen (Hill 1). The world has come a long way since shows like "Father Knows Best" and "Leave It To Beaver" where the father figure was the pure source of authority and power. Now that role in the family seems to be shared among both parents depicting the reality of today's world. According to Stephen Jay Gould, biological evolution happens quickly when a quality of the species is radically modified (Hill 1). This same concept can be applied to social evolution. Men are increasingly having their roles in the household changed due to the constant rise in women's social equality. The time away from home that women are now experiencing is taking a toll on both their motherhood and marriage. Divorce rates have increased along with the number of common-law relationships (Hill 1). Though there are some negatives, many men have embraced their roles as a new type of father. The world is moving in a specific direction and the television industry has been the first one to pick up on it.
The roles of mothers and fathers have clearly been altered throughout the years. In television alone it is evident how these roles in the house have changed. If you watch an episode of "That 70's Show" (a show depicting the 70's as you can imagine) it is easy to see how the father figure was the "head honcho" of the house. He would have "his" chair that no one else could sit in. There would be "his" shows that when were on had to be watched; no exceptions. And there was always the old, "everything he says goes." Things since then have indeed changed and T.V. is trying to show that movement in time. Television shows today such as "Two and a Half Men" include a father figure who takes on the more motherly roles in a relationship. On a daily basis he will make his son lunch and provide him with the careful authority that a mother would give. The stereotypical father figure is played by the child's uncle. This character, like older generic father figures, gives the child insight on women and how to "be a man." Another important aspect of this show is that the child is a normal pre-teen. That preaches an important lesson that this new age of new roles in the household can be successful. Things to not have to be the way they were in order to work. Television provides us with a sense of comfort of even if we do not have the most typical of families, things can still work out just fine.
The future holds an array of changes to come. Whether its flying cars or the role reversal of men and women, things are going to change. The thing we must do is prepare for this type of alteration. T.V shows and programs have already started the preparation of this change by introducing a different type of T.V. dad. This new type of fatherhood is one without "insensitivity, self-absorption, and bungling around in the kitchen"(Hill 1). All we must do now is accept this reality of society and allow television to give us the proper insight we need.

Pitcher

Hey guys, I'm a senior in my high school english class and we had to write a poem about the type of person we are and the rules and responsibilities that come with it. We all contain individual skills and talents but must always abide by the rules that are given. Though you might not always want to follow these rules, in certain fields you have to in order to be successful. 

Ice your arm when you get home to prevent soreness; keep your weight back while in the power position; make sure you finish off your pitches; don't be lazy; make sure when you throw that deuce to really get on top and pull down hard; you don't have to choke the ball just let it be natural; really drive your left arm through to make that shark fin after you throw; keep your head straight throughout; don't take your eye off the catcher's glove; I'm trying but I lose my concentration on that one point; when throwing the changeup keep the ball deep in your hand and with a loose grip; you want that pitch to run and drop; try to get your two seamer to run in on the righty; keep your two fingers close together on the inside of the seams; release the two seam with your index finger releasing last; that's how you'll get that inside run on it; when you finish your pitches your back should be flat; your arm angle should be about 3/4; anything more then that will make you too over the top and your fastball will have no movement; keep your front foot straight; don't let it stray to the right or left when you finish; always keep your eye on the runner; work on having an array of pickoffs to confuse the runner; make sure you and your catcher have an understanding of which signs are which when there's a runner on second; experiment with pick off moves from second; try the fall-off move and the jump move and see which one feels most comfortable; always locate that four-seamer low and away; don't be lazy; after you lift you leg your hands have to separte simultaneously; you have to work hard in the off season; throw whenever you can; as soon as it gets warm enough go outside and long toss; that's the only way you'll develop more arm strength and gain velocity; stick with your pitches; if they fail at first don't be afraid to keep trying them out; it takes time; always run at least 15 minutes after you pitch in a game; running breaks down the lactic acids in your arm so you won't be as sore the next day; never forget to stretch prior to throwing at any time; you'll increase you risk of injury if you forget this process; don't be lazy; balance is everything; you need a strong balance point after you leg lift to get any source of power and have any success; you have to make your arm into a whip; this is how you generate most of your velocity; a straight and stiff arm will limit your range of motion and forbid you from reaching your potential; never leave your changeup up in the zone; if your going to miss, miss low; never throw a pitch a batter can hit when you have an 0-2 count; make them fish for it; never leave it in the zone; don't be passive on the mound; if you're feeling it, throw that duece with a 3-2 count; be aggressive; never lose your composure on the mound; it can get pretty heated up there but always stay calm; showing your emotions on the mound reveal weakness to the batter; never, at all costs, show your emotions to an umpire; if you think a call was bad keep it to yourself; you'll never get a call again if you begin to argue with them; have respect for the game; don't showboat; but most of all, don't be lazy.

For more blogs on diversity click on this link.