Songs About Classism: Atonement Ian McEwan

This is a song that describes the feelings of someone who has been affected by the class system and relates directly to Atonement, as a person of a lower class has been blamed for something because the people of the upper class had no one to blame. This song shows how people of the lower class feel when they have been incorrectly blamed for something that they have not done, just as Robbie felt in the novel by Ian McEwan.

Blog Post #5: Atonement by Ian McEwan

This picture relates well to the main theme of classism in my book, as when a person of the lower class is convicted of committing a crime, they suffer more than people of the higher class. In the picture, a person has been put behind bars, and they appear to be an average person, whereas on the other side of the picture, the woman appears to be of a higher class and has been able to get away from being convicted of committing any sort of crime. In the book Atonement McEwan shows how a person from the upper class can get away without being charged for a crime they have committed, and that by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a person of the lower class, can be convicted of something they had never done. This picture sends a strong message about the topic of classism, which is that people are often proven guilty of things they haven't done, because someone is unwilling to take the blame.

Leadership Qualities - Which is Most Important?

The most important quality that a leader should have is the ability to listen to what other have to say. In governments like democracy, an elected leader should be the voice of the people, not just the voice of a couple of people. When leaders listen to their electorate, it shows the people, that as a leader, they care about what others think, and are willing to take into consideration the viewpoints of everyone. As a leader, it is their job to bring prosperity, whether to a nation, or just a small community. In the book Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, one of the character, Graff, talks about how he should not be able to dictate the protagonist, Ender's, life. In his words, he states, "I don't even think it's right of me to decide the fate of Ender Wiggin,"(Chapter 8, page 98) as a response to Major Anderson, whom Graff was having a conversation with, about who should be able to dictate the fate of the whole world. This quote shows that no one should be able to decide for everyone, based on what they think, and that if Graff was a good leader, then he would choose to take into consideration what Anderson was saying and consider changing his opinion on how Ender's future at Battle School would shape up. A leader may have the best intentions, but things may not always turn out as they like, which is where the opinions of their citizens becomes important. If one mind can think in a million different ways, then imagine how many ways a million minds can think. In Chapter 9, on page 136, Card wrote in Valentine Wiggin's point of view, "Peter knew how to exploit fear in his writing - she had to keep coming to him for ideas". This shows that while Valentine may think of the logical way to do things, Peter chose to use violence to get people to see the way he did. While good leaders may not always do the right thing, sometimes it may be for the best of everyone. In Chapter nine, Graff visits Valentine after Ender has been gone for two years, to ask her to write him a letter. Valentine at first refuses, as she now understands that all of Ender's letters were kept away and not sent to her family because they needed him to be isolated. However, Graff knows that Ender is stuck at a certain point of their game, "The End of the World" to be exact, and cannot get past it. Eventually Graff resorts to writing out his own letter and formatting and styling it in the way Valentine usually wrote her letters. This letter gave Ender the determination to continue o with his game, and eventually succeeded in getting past "The End of the World".  This shows that leaders also need to do what is best for their people, as if Ender had not gotten beyond that point in the game, he could not be their successor against the buggers.

When Frustrations Begin - Atonement

            After a long day at school, constant nagging from parents, frustration with homework, and problems at work, one can very well become frustrated. It may not always be to a specific person, it could just be in general, and there may not always be a way to vent it out. While coming to school may seem as if it is not that hard, the amount of stress one undergoes is tremendous. Lessons, group work, and assignments all pile up and cause frustration when they cannot be done all at once. Not to mention peers who do not do their part, as well as teachers who don't explain things using your learning style. Not knowing what is happening can often cause a person to become frustrated, which may occur regularly.
            Frustration is when you feel disappointed, or dissatisfied with something. In my ISU book, the protagonist, Briony, is disappointed with the way The Trials of Arabella; her play that she was putting on for her elder brother, Leon, was coming together. The fact that her cousins could not understand her vision of the play was setting her off, and making her want to say something. However, as she pitied them over the separation of their parents, she did not want to make them feel any worse than they already did. Her mother, who suffered from massive migraines, nagged her despite her tremors that rolled through her skull. While Briony was on summer vacation throughout the first part of the book, one could tell that her cousins were upsetting her more than what was necessary. Briony eventually gave up on putting on her play, and ran to a meadow that she had once found on the outskirts of Tallis' property. While Briony chooses to find a peaceful place to calm down, other people may have a different approach to coping with frustration. While one person may take a jog, another might take a deep breath and continue on. Everyone copes with frustration in different ways, but it is important to know what triggers frustration, and what one can do to help.

Blog Post #3 - Atonement by Ian McEwan

Although the book was not as well recognized as some other international bestsellers, Atonement has had a movie based upon it, and has won a Golden Globe Award. It was given a 8.3/10 stars by Rotten Tomatoes, showing that despite the twisted plot, people have enjoyed it. The movie itself has been compared to others like Pride and Prejudice, Becoming Jane, and Head in the clouds.  (SPOILER!though many of you may not like this book at all ...otherwise read on) At the end of the book, we see that Briony has grown old and has grandchildren frolicking around. We hear about how Robbie was innocent and how Lola was actually raped by Paul Marshall, a friend of Briony's older brother, Leon. Paul Marshall was of the same class, and due to Briony's hatred for the fact that Robbie and rejected her, she blames him, and Marshall is off the hook. Lola actually ended up marrying Marshall, but it was not said as to if it were forced or if it was her own choice. Briony, during her adulthood, managed to find her sister and Robbie, who were a part of the second world war. By becoming a nurse like her older sister Cecilia, she managed to find her and apologize for her actions. Eventually she took back her accusations, and Robbie remained purely innocent of committing any crime. The ending of this story showed how innocent people can be blamed for crimes that they have not committed, and must take the blame of things that people who are higher up in the classist pyramid have done. While the upper class may have seen this as a benefit, the middle and lower classes were at a disadvantage during this time.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Retell:  
              The movie The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is about a boy named Bruno, who is the son of a Nazi commander, and a Jewish Concentration camp inmate. The boy is forced to move from his old home in Berlin, to a new one in in a place called "Out-With". The young boy loves to explore, and goes out into the forest to do just that. Bruno comes upon a fence, where a boy wearing striped pajamas, no shoes and a cap is seated. The two boys become friends and learn that they have many similarities and differences. Bruno constantly brings the boy food and toys for the both of them to play with. One day, Bruno is told by Shmuel, that his father is missing, as Bruno decides to help him find him. In order to get past the fence, Shmuel brings Bruno striped pajamas, and he brings a shovel from home. The boys are accidentally herded into a group of people going into the gas cambers, and take their last breaths in there together.

Reflect:
            This movie showed how a child's innocence may lead them to do drastic things. While Bruno was fulfilling his end of the friendship, the two of the boys were met with their untimely death. "Out-With", which Bruno heard incorrectly, was actually "Auschwitz", and "the Fury" was actually "the Fuhrer". While Bruno thought it was adventurous to go into the woods and explore, he did not realize the consequences he would have to face later on. Going under the fence was something that Bruno did not think much of, as he did not know what it meant to be inside of it, and it led to him getting killed. Due to his childish approach to things, he did drastic things, which had drastic consequences.

Relate:
          After watching this movie, I can relate it to the quote below, as prior to the Canadians infiltrating the Jewish concentration camps, the soldiers thought that these camps were just a myth. Prior to this, these people thought that concentration camps would not be as bad as others said they were, which was almost as if they were seeing an illusion. The quote relates  both to the Canadian soldiers, as well as The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, because it shows us that ignorance is bliss, and that if one does not know about something, then they have no reason to act upon it. People choose to ignore things, because it may taint the way in which they see things.

Blog Post #2 - Atonement by Ian McEwan

Classist Ways by Kiranjot Assi

Snap! Crack! Whip!
Did I do something wrong?
I never noticed,
the residue on these silver spoons.
The determination in me,
was still strong.
I wanted to impress you,
and change your classist ways.
But I think,
that I have made a mistake.
The only reputation I have,
is the money I earn,
not luck, intelligence, or even concern.
I care  for you,
cook for you,
keep all your trash.
But you only keep me around,
to beat and thrash.
When something happens, that is wrong
I take all blame.
You never look back, do you think I'm insane?
I want to be free,
and not have a tag.
To be known for who I am,
and not by my class.
And then, I think, as I rot in jail,
The only way  out of this misery,
is to come out of my reverie.

Blog Post #1 - Atonement by Ian McEwan

Article: http://soaw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=532

              The book, Atonement by Ian McEwan, discusses many issues about many different topics. However, the major social issue in this book would have to be classism, as the book is set in England in 1935, where society is greatly influenced by the social class system. From the beginning of the book, the third person point of view forces the reader to see that the story is not just about one family living in southern England, but the British society before it is changed by war. Classism plays a big role in Atonement as it builds up the background and helps to create a foundation for tragedy. Robbie Turner, who is at the lower end of the social class system, is imprisoned because of misunderstanding behind a crime he did not commit. Assumptions based on this stereotype contributes to him being arrested many times. What was most important was that the conviction against him was flimsy, and how people’s attitudes towards lower classes changed it into a very strong point.

              The article, ‘Confronting Classism’ by a school in America, talks about how upper class people are seen as more articulate and are smarter than those in the middle and working class. The article also talks about how different criteria are followed for different classification systems. One may include the workforce status, while the other may not. The article then goes to state that classism not only hurts on an economic, but on an emotional level as well. Being classified into a category is not something that everyone wants to happen to them, especially when the people above them have the power to make them feel bad about it. The stereotype behind the working class is that they are unintelligent and inarticulate, whereas others and that they are good listeners.

              This article relates to the book, Atonement, because it shows how classism has not changed from the mid- thirties to now. Just as people were classed in Britain before the war, they have continued to be classed after the war, seventy years later. This article shows how the “intelligent” people can have more power over the “unintelligent” people, and how they have more say, as they do more for their country than what the working class does. Just as Robbie Turner was accused of committing a crime, and the people who had more money were able to use their status as an advantage to sway the decisions of the court, even though he was not the one that committed the crime.

This video, shows how classism plays a role in today's world; through entertainment. We may not always realize, but we face classism everywhere, and fail to notice it happening.

The Sniper

Summary:

The short story, The Sniper, written by Liam O'Flaherty starts off with boy in Dublin, who is amid a civil war between the Republicans and the Free Staters. The story begins with the Sniper evaluating his surroundings, talking about the clouds and the sounds of machine guns and rifles resonating around him. Even though it may be deadly, he decided to smoke a cigarette, not worrying about the fact that he may be spotted, and he was shot at because of it. He then realized that his enemy, was under cover. The action truly began when an armored car comes down the street and stopped to talk to an old woman, who was reporting for the enemy side. The sniper shot both the man in the turret, and the old woman. Just a moment after he shot the two, someone on the opposite roof shot at him, which fractured his arm.

Due to the lack of caution he practiced, he was shot. He could not feel his arm, so to stop the blood flow, he quickly dressed his wound and created a plan to kill the Free Stater on the other roof. The climax of the text was reached when he executed his plan by putting his cap onto the top of his rifle to make the illusion of a person, which the enemy believed and shot. He then let the hat tumble and his hand dangle out. The enemy thought that the Ssniper had really died and let his guard down. Just as the enemy looks over the turret, the Sniper lifts his gun and shoots the enemy, killing him. The falling action occurs when the Sniper no longer wants to be a part of the war, and throws his rifle onto the ground, almost getting shot again in the process. The street was now quiet, and the sniper becomes curious to see who he had shot. When the sniper descends from the roof and turns over the body, he realizes that the boy he had killed was his brother.

Theme:

The theme which the author is trying to convey in this text is that war can hurt the people one love. Because the Sniper strongly believed that the Republican side of the civil war was the right side, he thought of the Free Staters as the enemy. By shooting the boy on the opposite side of the roof, he felt as he had gotten his anger out, and no longer wanted to fight. However, he did not realize the person he had taken his anger out on was his own brother. This shows how war can hurt the people one loves, because one looks for a way to release the pent up anger they have on a certain subject. However, during the process of releasing the anger, the people around you can be hurt, whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. 

Media Influences on the Real World

Article: http://intra.iam.hva.nl/content/1213/propedeuse/maatschappij_en_interactie/lesprogramma/Grossman_Teaching-Kids-To-Kill-1999.pdf
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kEL_LRBSqk

Connections:
Often times, we hear about violence occurring in schools and we do not think much of it. We feel sad or depressed for a few moments, possibly even hours, but we don't think about what could have caused the person to lash out on someone else. In the article (link posted above) the author reported a case study in which a boy learned how to shoot a gun himself, and had the resolution to go and shoot eight people in school. The author thinks that the reason the boy knew how to kill and put the theory to action was because of modern media and video games. Because of virtual reality video games that revolve around violence, children learn how to do things they shouldn't. Often times, we see children playing games which have been rated according to maturity level, which they should not be playing. I know for a fact that some of my cousins play games that they should not be playing, because they are too young to understand the meaning behind them. the author then wrote that children begin truly understanding the world at eight months. Up until about they are six-seven years old, everything they see or her is permanently imprinted onto their brain. They may not recall exactly what it is, but what they saw or heard at that age influences them as they get older. The author then wrote that after fifteen years, children who witnessed rape, assault, or murder on television ended up committing crimes in the real world. This comes to show that at a young age, the things you learn will forever be with you, so it is important to begin with positivity as a base, while you still can. In the video Ishmael Beah was made into a child soldier at age thirteen, and it took him two years to get out of the rebel army in the Sierra Leone civil war, and lost his entire family. It took him time to heal, and UNICEF had taken him in to rehab to try and undo the evils that Beah was exposed to. Beah is yet to overcome what he went through, and because he was so traumatized at a young age, he has been haunted by it ever since. The article also talks about tactics that the military uses to try and make soldiers able enough to kill. Because people become blinded by rage, they resort to forcing people to believe what they want them to. For example, in the video, Beah mentioned that the child soldiers in Sierra Leone were drugged enough to make them numb to their surroundings, and able enough to kill innocent people. However, the article shows the thinking behind the things that children witness everyday, and the video talked about what it was actually like to be a part of the crimes that happened.

Challenges:
While people may assume that media is what influences young children to commit crimes, it is not the only thing. Things that children experience may also impact some of the decisions that they make. For example, if a child witnesses violence within a family, or have a violent parent, this may result in them becoming violent as well. Also, things like assuming that a girl is less violent than a boy may potentially increase or decrease how violent a child is. By continuously telling a child that they cannot do something because they are unable, will destroy willpower in a child and they will eventually begin to believe it. The child will try to lash out at try to make others believe that they can do it, and they will be proved wrong time and time again. This means that media is not the only thing that could potentially change a child's character. All in all, environment can also impact they way that a child thinks for up to two decades of their lives.

Concepts:
I think that the fact that children play games that aren't appropriate to their age level is something that should be considered. Also, things that adults watch on television should not be seen or heard by young children, as it may influence them in a negative way. By changing what children can and cannot watch on television, much of teen violence may be avoided. Just as how there is a ban on under aged children to smoke, or drink alcohol, there should be a law on what types of video games they are allowed to play. However, Beah was not exposed to these atrocities, yet he was still dragged into something that no one should have to experience at such a young age. But, his drive for change made him able enough to get back on the right path, despite his torturous past. I believe the one thing that one should hold on to from the video should be that one can change their path towards negativity in less than a second, but it takes much longer for one to bring themselves back onto the right path.

Changes:
After reading both the article and watching Beah's interview, I believe that media is what everything comes down to. The way that the civil war in Sierra Leone is picturized is not the way it actually is. On the news, channels do not really show the barbarity behind what children who are a part of the civil war go through. Also, just as ingredient labels are placed on all packaged foods, and are followed accordingly, video game labels should be the same. By following and reading the labels, and being strict on what types of games children can play, teen violence could be avoided. That is not to say that it will be erased entirely, however. It is entirely possible for children and teens to find a new way to discover new types of violence.

War Torn South Sudan Cracks Down: Media Rights

http://news.yahoo.com/war-torn-south-sudan-cracks-down-media-rights-093336470.html;_ylt=A0LEV0IbZttUYVEAIC5x.9w4


Journalists are under pressure because of newspapers that are being closed down and reporters who are being attacked in southern Sudan. Because of the Civil war which is ongoing in the country. tens of thousands of people have died, and people who are a part of rights groups have warned journalists that securities have put restrictions on what they can and cannot publish.In the Sudanese capital, five journalists were caught in an ambush. On February 3rd, a Sudanese newspaper, known as The Nation Mirror, was shut down because they had published an article about anti-governance. The article in the newspaper stated that the war troops had receded from the border of Renk, which caused tension to arise. Another newspaper, the Juba Monitor, was also a part of conflict. In one of their published articles, a journalist reported that the war was caused because of ethnic divisions. CPJ or the Committee to Protect Journalists said that the security forces did not have any legal rights to shut down theses newspapers. Along with the ethnic divisions incident, the Juba Monitor was also involved with another conflict. A reporter, by the name of Athiang John, was beaten by crowds, because he was researching about a recent attack. The CPJ have requested the authorities to continue to let The Nation Mirror continue to publish, but they have yet to receive any response from the information ministry. In December 2013, war broke out under President Kiir, when he accused his past deputy of attempting to be reckless. Sudan, the youngest nation of the world, has yet to overcome this Civil war.

This article showed me that people living in a newly developed country not only have to fight for their rights in the world, they also have to fight for their rights in their own country. Despite being in a larger conflict, smaller conflicts arise when a country wishes to become independent. While people may be fighting for the same cause, different viewpoints of the cause may influence people to try to force others to see they way they do. Every person has a different opinion, and by expressing it, one may be dragged into something they did not think possible.

I learned that viewpoints on a larger scale may be the same, but as the topic of interest becomes less and less broad, the viewpoints begin to differ greatly, and people lash out to get what they want.