Writing Topic: Chapter 51

Since last time I chose to read and write about plagarism, I figured knowing how to evaulate your sources would be a good idea. Therefore this week, I picked Chapter 51 which focuses on how to evaluate resources. First off, you have to get a well broad idea of what you are researching. You have to know what you are looking for in order to get the sources you need. Then, when browsing through all the resources that will come up, especailly online through servers, or periodicals you must pick the ones that will benefit you. Briefly read through them, evaluate the information including the source and the organization it comes from. You always want to make sure the information you are citing benefits your argument and that its a current article. Outdated articles from 20 years ago will not be a valid sources for a current topic. Also learned the difference between primary sources and secondary sources.

I found this chapter helpful and interesting as it gave great information on how to evaluate a resource. When I type in my sources into google or yahoo, thousands of related articles come up. With the information I have learned in this chapter, Im now able to narrow my searches to resources that will help me in my writting and/or argument.

Week 14 All I Asking For Is My Body, Part I, Dialogue

Makot, is a young teenager who lives in Hawaii with his family. His family is the only Filipino family inside the Japanese camp. Not only does his family have the known factor that they dont share the same ethnicity of the others, his parents are outcasts of the camp. His mother is a well known prostitute and his father is always absent. His family always seems to have more money than the others, and this causes talk within the camp.

Makot, is unable to be friends with kids his own age, due to the fact that kids his own age are not allowed to be friends with him due to his parents poor status in the community. Kiyo, one of Makots friends actually confronted Makot with the fact that he no longer can be friends with him due to his mother and father. It didnt take much from Makot to get the point that the community looks at his family so horribly.

I feel extremely sorry for Makot. Yes, he does treat his mother poorly. Yes, he does disrespect his parents and unappropiately handle certain situations. But, his parents are at fault for his wrong doings since they are so absent in his life. I believe Makot is acting out due to his lack of affection from his own parents.

WEek 13: Rough Draft of Essay 3

Lovey, a young Hawaiian girl is often seen referring and comparing herself to people or images seen in mass media. She comes from a lower class family, lacks a formal education and yet is still able to find comical relief in her life. She has a very sharp way of thinking and is able to add humor to her daily activities. She takes images in the media like Shirley Temple, rich kids on contestant shows, Oompah Loomphas and compares herself to these images, only to end up with a feeling of low self esteem. She finds herself lacking in many areas, mainly physical beauty due to what she sees on the television. Lovey takes what she sees in the media and incorporates this information to what she is not.
In the short article, “Happy Endings,” Lovey is infatuated with Shirley Temple. From her hair, lips, bright eyes to her very own happy ending. Lovey wants to be just like her and even mimic her lifestyle. Lovey and her best friend Jerry watched Shirley Temple movies every Sunday and would often mimic their own happy endings. Lovey states, “ And I used to wish I was just like her, with perfect blond ringlets, and pink cheeks, pout lips, bright eyes and a happy Ending every Sunday…” Lovey jokes that her own happy ending would involve her never having to attend Sunday school and her and Jerry lost in New York City. Shirley Temple and the way Lovey idolizes and compares herself to her is just another way the media points out what Lovey is missing.
Lovey comes from a lower class family, and although happy and compassionate about one another, large income is a lacking factor. Lovey’s envies the “rich Honolulu kids” in the television contestant show The Checkers and Pogo Show. Lovey states that’s there’s no way she’d ever be able to go on the show due to lack of money. She says “What I would give to be there sitting on those wooden bleachers in the studios of Channel 9 with all those rich Honolulu boys and girls.” She longs to be those kids and actually states “Maybe I could be the Merry Unbirthday girl.” These rich Honolulu kids are just another representation in the media that Lovey compares herself to.
What Lovey sees in the media negatively shapes her own identity. Like many girls her age, she is constantly measuring herself up to unrealistic characteristics and only can focus on what she does have, like income, education, beauty, clothing, etc. This comparison of herself and images in the media continue to affect her everyday life which is seen when Lovey compared herself to a fellow classmate, Pillis. “If I were a girls size 12, I figure she must be a girls size 6. So small. Sometimes I wish I could have a sweater with a chain like hers.” ( Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers). She also calls herself Oompah Loompah due to the Toni perm her mother gave her. Lovey stated, “I want curly, fine baby hair. I want Mary Magdalene wavy hair. I want to look like an angel.” Even Lovey’s mother plays into the images seen on television, stating to Lovey “When I pau, you gonna look just like Farrah Faucett or if you change your look, Angie Dickinson or if you put ringlets, just like Shirley Temple.” But, instead of beautiful curly fine baby hair, Lovey was given an Afro. She says “Not like Shirley Temple but tighter. Like get Christie Love. Frizzy and borinki.” There is not one positive image that Lovey has described that has made a positive influence to herself image.

This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona

For this weeks dialogue I chose a quote from the reading and will write my critical response to it.

Once their travels come to an end and they arive to the reservation, Thomas goes into a long story about what he's going to do with Victors dads ashes. He states that Victors father will rise like a salmon. Victor states " I was planning on doing the same thing with my half, but I didnt imagine my father looking anything like a salmon. I thought it'd be like cleaning the attic or something. Like letting things go after they've stopped having any use." Thomas states: "Nothing stops, cousing, nothing stops."

Victor has not had a relationship with his father in numerous years. He has unresolved problems with his father due to the fact that he left him and the rest of his family on the reservation. Therefore, Victor seems to feel his relationship with his father has stopped having any use. But Thomas makes a good point, yes his father has passed on and a relationship living is unatainable. But, a relationship with him gone, is still possible. He can let go of his harsh feelings and forgive. The memories, feelings, pain, happiness and all those emotions and feelings will never end, it will never stop.

Smoke Signals- Relationship of Victor and Thomas

Victor and Thomas developed a strong relationship after they took a road trip together to Arizona to pick up the ashes of Victor’s father. The beginning of the boys connection began at a young age when Victor’s dad actually saved Thomas life by rescuing him from a fire. As they grew up it seemed like Victor was the more reserved one, almost getting annoyed by Thomas at times, while Thomas was the more outgoing, storytelling type. What kepy their bond strong, even when at times this bond was not visible was their poor relationships with their fathers. Victors father, Joseph left him at a young age and Thomas father died at a young age. They both lacked a father figure, and turned to each other for support. The boys trip to Arizona was full of arguments, actually Victor getting annoyed of Thomas by his story telling and his liking of a female they found along the way. In the end, Victor actually gives Thomas part of his father ashes. Thomas was thankful for Victors father, cared for his father and was thankful to take such a intimate part of somebody.

Chapter 16- Rules for Writers

I chose this chapter because I often find myself using "filler words" or uneccessary words in a sentence. The text states these words are repetitive, redundant and inflated. This chapter gave us tools, such as conside words and strong verbs to strengthen sentences without a bunch of repetetive words. I always thought that in order for a sentence to be too wordy, it must be very long. But this is not the case, any words that are just fillers or unneccessary make a sentence wordy. If you are able to condense a sentence to a more precise one, then do so.

Like I said earlier, I have a hard time constructing my sentences. I also find myself saying things like "I believe that...", which according to the text is unecessary. One of my issues is using unneccesary words just fill up space. With the help of some of the consice words given in the text along with the some of the strong verbs I hope I can better my essay the next time.