I remember the first time I read Harrison Bergeron was in my senior year of high school. We read it in economics class, but for what reason I can’t be certain. After reading it aloud, we had a few moments of reflection time to answer some guided questions we were given. I remember very clearly thinking that it was the greatest short story I had ever read. I had always enjoyed Vonnegut’s writing, but it seemed to me nothing of his was ever as straight forward as this. Even though I can’t for the life of me remember what that lesson in economics was about, Harrison Bergeron remains my favorite short story to this day.
The whole story is no more than a one shot spanning a few pages, but the lessons conveyed in the story transcend the length. The most important part of the story is the emphasis on the stifling of traits that make one person stand out more than another. Those who were attractive were given ugly masks to wear, those who were intelligent were given a device that rendered them unable to finish a thought, and those who were graceful were given heavy chains to wear. Harrison’s parents are clearly in favor of this systematically created equality and fear regressing back into a time where one person could be deemed “better” than another. Harrison is speculated to be exceptionally handsome and talented person as he bore many “handicaps” to make him “just like anybody else.” He attempts to stage a coup and winds up being killed, while his parents remain in the dark due to their limitations.
Vonnegut’s usage of satire is blatant in this story. He presents this situation in an almost comical way, as it seems to outrages. In reality, we aren’t so far off from this. He is attempting to create a scenario where one can see what would happen if we keep trying to level the playing field so that everyone starts from the same spot; but by forcing people backwards, or forwards for that matter, we are denying what is inherently human about us. That we have different combinations of strengths and weaknesses proves that we are individuals, and this is how we are, naturally. Sometimes, a square really does not fit in a circle, but it is only as big of a detriment as we as a society make it. By handicapping the traits of those who excel naturally we are only harming ourselves. How can we move forward if we are always waiting for every person to catch up? How do we ever reach true equality without hindering people in the process? Although these answers aren’t handed to us by Vonnegut, he nonetheless poses important questions to a people so focused on the differences between perceived perfection and imperfection.
Harrison Bergeron provides important social commentary for issues that remain constantly relevant. Although people seem as though they are free, they are confined to the parameters set forth by those ruling the country. The government did not facilitate a society where people could speak or think freely but a place where there was obedience and forced enslavement. The government in this story is the epitome of fascist rule, and although it is portrayed as a place where true equality has been achieved it is only a place where people have no free will over their lives.I don’t believe that Vonnegut wrote this story without a purpose. He presents the reader with a glimpse into a dystopian world where traditional beliefs about how to create equality goes awry and in its place there are only those who are shells of the people that they might have been. The fact remains that to really level the playing ground, there would have to be uniformity in our society that is unrealistic. It is in our best interest to let people excel at their own rate, while not asking others to regress for them
25.4.09
response to Adam & Ruby (Laura)
After reading Annam’s story entitled Adam and Ruby, I was blown away by how beautifully it was written.
I especially enjoyed the fact she incorporated her Pakistani culture into the story. Words such as salwar kameez and jalebi give you an aspect of her culture and a taste of the traditions. It’s a strong theme to write about but she did it wonderfully.
Annam also does a good job at capturing the reader’s attention, especially if you’re a teenager, by creating characters that stir emotions and are easily relatable. She talks about the feelings most of us feel at that age, where we all just want to escape to someplace where no one knows our name and the pressures of school and families are far behind us. The main character Adam is presented to you and you’re not confused at what type of person he is. You see he’s just this young sarcasm spitting teenage boy who wishes to escape the cultural and religious expectations of his family at times. He’s in some ways an outsider in his own family, not really conforming to the wishes of his parents. Instead of studying to be a doctor or a lawyer, he chooses to play music and rock alone with his guitar in the confines of his room. During a party held by his parents he meets a strange girl called Ruby that entices him with her quirkiness and lets the walls he built up crumble to the ground. Together they talk and open up to each other about music and their families, creating their “own private world” in such a short amount of time. With a tune that had been stuck in his head for awhile, Ruby became his muse. Extracting the words from inside him and giving his song an identity for the first time.
I loved the humorous tone Annam puts into the story, especially the part where Adam prays to Allah. Praying is something he hasn’t done in a very long time, but results to doing it before entering his house, hoping it will help deflect any worries and stress being unleashed on him. Who hasn’t felt that way at one point or another? The dialogue Adam shares with his younger brother Ali also made me chuckle because it reminds anyone with a sibling how exchanges usually end when you’re talking with them, an insult.
The first time Ruby is introduced, you can picture her unusual appearance in your head because she is illustrated so well to the reader. “Her lips were stained an intense red shade and her eyes were painted black, with the tips of her eyeliner bridging out like a blackbirds wings…her clothes, completely disheveled and strangely endearing…Her bleached red hair was in a disarray just like the rest of her bangs that covered her eyes and self made braids which from afar resembled dreadlocks.” She’s clearly the wild child of her family, challenging the rules and sticking to the person she is. She is very similar to Adam in that way, giving you the feeling that she and Adam are meant to be. Even after just meeting Ruby, he can see right through her. “…despite her wild outer appearance, she was fragile. Everything else and an illusion of freedom” In the end when she hears her father going and they say their final goodbyes to each other, your left wondering whether or not these two will ever see each other again. Your reassured though towards the end as Adam starts writing more songs, in hopes of singing them to her one day.
I especially enjoyed the fact she incorporated her Pakistani culture into the story. Words such as salwar kameez and jalebi give you an aspect of her culture and a taste of the traditions. It’s a strong theme to write about but she did it wonderfully.
Annam also does a good job at capturing the reader’s attention, especially if you’re a teenager, by creating characters that stir emotions and are easily relatable. She talks about the feelings most of us feel at that age, where we all just want to escape to someplace where no one knows our name and the pressures of school and families are far behind us. The main character Adam is presented to you and you’re not confused at what type of person he is. You see he’s just this young sarcasm spitting teenage boy who wishes to escape the cultural and religious expectations of his family at times. He’s in some ways an outsider in his own family, not really conforming to the wishes of his parents. Instead of studying to be a doctor or a lawyer, he chooses to play music and rock alone with his guitar in the confines of his room. During a party held by his parents he meets a strange girl called Ruby that entices him with her quirkiness and lets the walls he built up crumble to the ground. Together they talk and open up to each other about music and their families, creating their “own private world” in such a short amount of time. With a tune that had been stuck in his head for awhile, Ruby became his muse. Extracting the words from inside him and giving his song an identity for the first time.
I loved the humorous tone Annam puts into the story, especially the part where Adam prays to Allah. Praying is something he hasn’t done in a very long time, but results to doing it before entering his house, hoping it will help deflect any worries and stress being unleashed on him. Who hasn’t felt that way at one point or another? The dialogue Adam shares with his younger brother Ali also made me chuckle because it reminds anyone with a sibling how exchanges usually end when you’re talking with them, an insult.
The first time Ruby is introduced, you can picture her unusual appearance in your head because she is illustrated so well to the reader. “Her lips were stained an intense red shade and her eyes were painted black, with the tips of her eyeliner bridging out like a blackbirds wings…her clothes, completely disheveled and strangely endearing…Her bleached red hair was in a disarray just like the rest of her bangs that covered her eyes and self made braids which from afar resembled dreadlocks.” She’s clearly the wild child of her family, challenging the rules and sticking to the person she is. She is very similar to Adam in that way, giving you the feeling that she and Adam are meant to be. Even after just meeting Ruby, he can see right through her. “…despite her wild outer appearance, she was fragile. Everything else and an illusion of freedom” In the end when she hears her father going and they say their final goodbyes to each other, your left wondering whether or not these two will ever see each other again. Your reassured though towards the end as Adam starts writing more songs, in hopes of singing them to her one day.
24.4.09
Final portfolio& class anthology (Annam)
I've been spending some time working on my final portfolio for the class, in which we have to submit all of our revised stories plus some extra things like a introduction letter. For the intro, I talked about how books were always my escape as a kid, and I still love to read them whenever I get the chance. I mentioned how I once heard "to be a good writer, you must be a good reader", and this saying holds a lot of truth. Just by reading, I learned many words and improved my grasp on the english language. Reading a good book also makes you aware of different styles that writers use to effectively portray their story to readers, and all those technicalities and formalities of writing. I know how using correct grammer and proper structure in writing a story can be annoying, but just by reading so much through the years, it almost became an instinct to me to do so.
I cant fail to mention that I gave a little reference to this very blog as well. What I wrote was, that the initial prospectives of becoming a "blogger" didnt sound very ideal to me. It amazes me how people can use their online blogs as personal journals. Maybe Im someone who values my privacy on an abnormal level, but I couldnt understand the idea of blogging my thoughts for the entire world to see. But I've actually maybe sort of liked being able to post my responses and what not on here. Its much more conveniant and faster than keeping a journal for class. Also, writing sarcastic, smart alecy posts with my witty friend Laura was fun, even if we're the only ones who are amused by them.
I did get around to editing all three stories. I found many things I decided needed to be changed or corrected, and in the end, I feel like I did everything I could to convey what I wanted to through these stories. "Transience", the first one, was the longest yet easiest one to write for me, because I already had a clear idea of what I wanted it to be about, and it all sort of flowed on paper. "Odd Chance" was the one that took the longest. I spent alot of time scrutinizing over the little details of this one, because i never wrote a story before that didnt have any clear or dynamic plotline. It was just about a guy who is on the subway and is people watching. He happens to see a few random occurences and encounter a few interesting strangers. "Adam & Ruby", the third story, took me just a few hours to jot down. I think I mentally went back to being 16 years old when I wrote that one, because its totally a teenage story that that age group might like and be able to relate to-the pressures of the adolescent years and the awkward transition from child to adult.
Also, for the class anthology, I submitted "Transience" to be published. I think its actually pretty cool that our class will have this chance to become published writers. I dont think many other creative writing classes get to do that as a class.
I cant fail to mention that I gave a little reference to this very blog as well. What I wrote was, that the initial prospectives of becoming a "blogger" didnt sound very ideal to me. It amazes me how people can use their online blogs as personal journals. Maybe Im someone who values my privacy on an abnormal level, but I couldnt understand the idea of blogging my thoughts for the entire world to see. But I've actually maybe sort of liked being able to post my responses and what not on here. Its much more conveniant and faster than keeping a journal for class. Also, writing sarcastic, smart alecy posts with my witty friend Laura was fun, even if we're the only ones who are amused by them.
I did get around to editing all three stories. I found many things I decided needed to be changed or corrected, and in the end, I feel like I did everything I could to convey what I wanted to through these stories. "Transience", the first one, was the longest yet easiest one to write for me, because I already had a clear idea of what I wanted it to be about, and it all sort of flowed on paper. "Odd Chance" was the one that took the longest. I spent alot of time scrutinizing over the little details of this one, because i never wrote a story before that didnt have any clear or dynamic plotline. It was just about a guy who is on the subway and is people watching. He happens to see a few random occurences and encounter a few interesting strangers. "Adam & Ruby", the third story, took me just a few hours to jot down. I think I mentally went back to being 16 years old when I wrote that one, because its totally a teenage story that that age group might like and be able to relate to-the pressures of the adolescent years and the awkward transition from child to adult.
Also, for the class anthology, I submitted "Transience" to be published. I think its actually pretty cool that our class will have this chance to become published writers. I dont think many other creative writing classes get to do that as a class.
22.4.09
Surefire ways to annoy your fellow human beings
Being passive aggressive is not easy. I should know. There are many people and things you despise with the heat of a thousand burning suns, yet for some reason, you dont show it. Maybe you hate confrontation, or your too lazy to say anything and would much rather privately wallow in your sorrows. Us "pass-aggs" as we like to call ourselves, may feel the need to speak up against what we find unacceptable from time to time. But most of the time, we just like to bitch inside our scattered minds and find creative little, unassuming ways to get back at those who wronged us. Say what you want, its our way of life and its definitely better to be passive agressive than to be...agressive-aggressive..?
So here for all the pass-aggs and even to anyone else who might need some passive aggressive wisdom, are surefire ways to tick off, piss off, annoy and just all around be an ass to anyone who deserves it. They dont even have to be directed at anyone in particular, just do them to blow off some steam and get some pass-agg satisfaction. Its completely healthy, believe me. And all can be done in the most passive agressive manners known to man:
So here for all the pass-aggs and even to anyone else who might need some passive aggressive wisdom, are surefire ways to tick off, piss off, annoy and just all around be an ass to anyone who deserves it. They dont even have to be directed at anyone in particular, just do them to blow off some steam and get some pass-agg satisfaction. Its completely healthy, believe me. And all can be done in the most passive agressive manners known to man:
-Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."
-Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."
-If someone says they love something, reply "then why dont ya marry it!?"
-Highlight irrelevant information in your papers/work and hand in to boss/teachers.
-Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
-Signal your bored of someone by pretending to doze off when they are talking, fake snore for extra oomph.
-Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
-Staple pages in the middle of the page.
-Honk and wave to strangers, a toothy grin and thumbs up for added effect.
-Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply nibble on their complimentary mints at the cash register.
-TYPE IN UPPERCASE, and use only online lingo and abbreviations (ex. omg! lol irl, l8r)
-Repeat the following a few times when someone is talking:"DO YOU HEAR THAT?""What?""Never mind, it's gone now."
-Ask people what gender they are.
- Wear graphic t's with obnoxious or random slogans. (True story: I once saw a boy wearing a shirt that said "Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day" It was the most annoying shirt ive ever seen and i couldnt stop looking at it)
- for men, wear v-neck tshirts that showcase your chest hair.
-Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
-Sing along at the opera.
-Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.
-Ask your co-workers/friends mysterious questions about themselves and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."
- Give uncreative nicknames to inanimate objects (ex. pen named "peny", book named "booky") and refer to them in everyday conversations
-Do not add any inflection to the end of your sentences, producing awkward silences with the impression that you'll be saying more any moment.
-Drum on every available surface.
- Ask people if they would like to join your "air band", Say your the lead air guitarist and the only available spot for them is air maracas or air xylephone.
-Start off a compliment with "ooh la la!", creepy smile and a bat of the eyelashes
-Repeat everything someone says, as a question and answer all questions with a question (Ex. If someone says: Where are you going?, you say "Where am I not going?")
-Speak with different accents, Southern and British accent are especially encouraged.
-Never make eye contact.
- Never break eye contact.
- And lastly, as much as possible, skip rather than walk.
18.4.09
Story #1 (Laura)
In my first story entitled “Lost” I was inspired to write about a funny story that happened to my mom and her best friend when they were around my age. Of course I exaggerated some parts and had to add things to make it more interesting but essentially it’s a true story. I tried to be as descriptive as possible when writing it so i could engage the person reading my story and have them picture the scenes in their minds. At the same time though I didnt want to get carried away to the point where it was getting obnoxious. Writing this story gave me my first chance at discovering my own personal writing style. I didn’t tell the story from just one characters point of view but from a third person style. I also tried to put my own experience of being with my friends into the story. Growing up with all brothers I tend to view my three closest friends as my sisters, who like me only have brothers for siblings. As “sisters” we tend to talk to each other in sarcastic tones and make smart-alecky comments towards each other teasingly like the two characters in my story do. This story was the one I had the most fun writing because I wanted it to be humorous and be allowed to use some of my cynical prone behavior in it. I even dipped into a real life incident where my friend was driving and almost ran over a cat that had ran into the road. She pulled over and we proceeded to have the same little chat as Terri and Lee did about her losing her driving privileges. The dialogue came easy to me but I did find myself in trouble towards the end because I wasn’t quite sure how to end it. In real life, my mom and her friend ended up turning around and driving back home so I decided not to stray too far and stick with the factual account.
A pointless rambling on Online Shopping
These days, everything is a click away. The world of knowledge is at our fingertips. In the olden days a la 1990, kids had to find out about all the know-hows and what-nots on the streets. So you want to know if the stork really brought you down from the sky or the proper formula for magnesium sulfate? Try cracking open that encyclopedia of universal knowledge! Or maybe you need to update your wardrobe or buy some milk for your Count Chocula? Well then...put on some pants and go out and buy it! But now, your pantless, encyclopedialess self can sit safely within the confines of your humble abode and order all your neccesities of life on your handy dandy computer. Oh the wonders of the internet. And online shopping is no small feat either pals.
What is it about online shopping that just hooks you up and pulls you in like bait when there are many risks? For example, you need a credit card or your screwed, and even then, your credit card info. can be stolen by hooligans known as hackers. If your a shopoholic (yes, such a disease exists)..especially if your a lazy or anti-social shopoholic, shopping online is a boundless haven that craves all of your materislistic desires. You could be tempted into clicking on things you never knew you needed and sink furthur in your isolated state! Another downfall of internet shopping: what if you dont like what you ordered, the hassle of shipping it back truly sucks.
But put these few minor difficulties aside, and what you have is the start of an epic era known as online shopping! It can also be quite an amazing thing to behold. So simple and so conveniant, so bittersweet and oh so addictive! I am not ashamed to say that I am a proud online shopper. Once you learn the ins and outs and the safety precautions of shopping with respectable sites, your set my friend. Online shopping can unleash the smart shopper in you as its much easier to compare prices and find deals, which is much more difficult when shlepping from store to store. Shop till you drop if you like, and even then, it okay...cause your at home and you can just go take a slumber on your cozy bed nearby!
Online shopping makes my stomach fill with little imaginary, analogical butterflies--as weird as that sounds. Im no shopoholic, and definitely not materialistic in any sense. Shopping to me is a kind of a once in a while, spiritual endeavor that takes time and careful planning...despite the few impulse buys that plague us all, online or not. Going to websites like Amazon.com that are the jelly to my peanut butter, the sun to my moon, is ever so satisfying. If you stay within your limits and know what your ordering, your sure to have a blissful experience. 2-14 business days later...or sooner if you choose expidited shipping, you'll feel like the postman is Santa Clause and your a kid on the nice list at Christmas all over again. As your package arrives safe and sound...you tear it open to uncover the treasure inside. Its a good thing, a very good thing indeed. Now excuse' mua as I click on over to another site where some mighty good looking shoes are calling my name and practically screaming "discount" in my ear...Speaking of ear, I might also order some ear-muffs. Winter's just a short year away and its good to be prepared for those dreadful ear frost bites ya know...
What is it about online shopping that just hooks you up and pulls you in like bait when there are many risks? For example, you need a credit card or your screwed, and even then, your credit card info. can be stolen by hooligans known as hackers. If your a shopoholic (yes, such a disease exists)..especially if your a lazy or anti-social shopoholic, shopping online is a boundless haven that craves all of your materislistic desires. You could be tempted into clicking on things you never knew you needed and sink furthur in your isolated state! Another downfall of internet shopping: what if you dont like what you ordered, the hassle of shipping it back truly sucks.
But put these few minor difficulties aside, and what you have is the start of an epic era known as online shopping! It can also be quite an amazing thing to behold. So simple and so conveniant, so bittersweet and oh so addictive! I am not ashamed to say that I am a proud online shopper. Once you learn the ins and outs and the safety precautions of shopping with respectable sites, your set my friend. Online shopping can unleash the smart shopper in you as its much easier to compare prices and find deals, which is much more difficult when shlepping from store to store. Shop till you drop if you like, and even then, it okay...cause your at home and you can just go take a slumber on your cozy bed nearby!
Online shopping makes my stomach fill with little imaginary, analogical butterflies--as weird as that sounds. Im no shopoholic, and definitely not materialistic in any sense. Shopping to me is a kind of a once in a while, spiritual endeavor that takes time and careful planning...despite the few impulse buys that plague us all, online or not. Going to websites like Amazon.com that are the jelly to my peanut butter, the sun to my moon, is ever so satisfying. If you stay within your limits and know what your ordering, your sure to have a blissful experience. 2-14 business days later...or sooner if you choose expidited shipping, you'll feel like the postman is Santa Clause and your a kid on the nice list at Christmas all over again. As your package arrives safe and sound...you tear it open to uncover the treasure inside. Its a good thing, a very good thing indeed. Now excuse' mua as I click on over to another site where some mighty good looking shoes are calling my name and practically screaming "discount" in my ear...Speaking of ear, I might also order some ear-muffs. Winter's just a short year away and its good to be prepared for those dreadful ear frost bites ya know...
Story #1 "Transience" (Annam)
I took inspiration from a French film I once saw about a strangely endearing girl who constantly traveled from place to place, like a drifter, and began thinking up alternate versions, endings, and characters. I decided I would take this original plot and make it my own, with new characters and a new story...sort of like a spin-off. You could call this film my muse when it came to my first story for class called Transience.
In the story, a homeless girl, named Perry, is found frozen to death in an abandoned barn shed. The only thing she possesses with her are a few scarce items she took as memory tokens from three significant people she encountered in her short life. Thus begins a full fledged investigation which steals headlines and TV time all over. Everyone is obsessed with the idea of uncovering the identity of the mystery dead girl.
I liked the idea of a non-linear, flashback type of format for the story and felt it would have fell flat any way else. The reader is introduced to the only three people whom Perry ever allowed to get close to her, and each character begins heading back to that short time they knew her, telling every detail about the breif meeting and their first impressions of the mystifying transient. Everything starts to fit together and make sense.
Perry is known to be a wild child with a poetic soul. I imagined her to be completely disheveled with dark features. When it came to coming up with the three characters who make up a huge part of the story, I wanted each to be completely different on the outside, but all a bit mentally damaged and insecure on the inside.
The character whom I spent the most time on was River, Perry's momentary love interest, as they make the most noteworthy connection. I sort of imagined Perry and River to be a Kurt Cobain/Courtney Love type couple, expect younger and less "tortured". Perry inspires Gaspard the businessman to fulfill his dream of being a teacher and he moves off to the mountains and leaves his cold, business world behind him. She encourages Belinda, the depressed housewife to run away from her supressive husband, and ofcourse, River to stop being such a recluse and go forth with his dream of traveling and becoming a well-recognized poet and writer.
Perry comes along out of nowhere and becomes the saving grace for each character, but tragically cannot find a saviour for herself. But its not all dark and gory in the end depending on how you take it because I saw it as she didnt live such a solemn life. She took whatever little she had and brought happiness to those she met along the way, sort of sacrificing herself for another. I feel like Perry is one of those beautifully flawed characters you come to admire and sympathize with and Im really glad I could portray her the way I wanted.
In the story, a homeless girl, named Perry, is found frozen to death in an abandoned barn shed. The only thing she possesses with her are a few scarce items she took as memory tokens from three significant people she encountered in her short life. Thus begins a full fledged investigation which steals headlines and TV time all over. Everyone is obsessed with the idea of uncovering the identity of the mystery dead girl.
I liked the idea of a non-linear, flashback type of format for the story and felt it would have fell flat any way else. The reader is introduced to the only three people whom Perry ever allowed to get close to her, and each character begins heading back to that short time they knew her, telling every detail about the breif meeting and their first impressions of the mystifying transient. Everything starts to fit together and make sense.
Perry is known to be a wild child with a poetic soul. I imagined her to be completely disheveled with dark features. When it came to coming up with the three characters who make up a huge part of the story, I wanted each to be completely different on the outside, but all a bit mentally damaged and insecure on the inside.
The character whom I spent the most time on was River, Perry's momentary love interest, as they make the most noteworthy connection. I sort of imagined Perry and River to be a Kurt Cobain/Courtney Love type couple, expect younger and less "tortured". Perry inspires Gaspard the businessman to fulfill his dream of being a teacher and he moves off to the mountains and leaves his cold, business world behind him. She encourages Belinda, the depressed housewife to run away from her supressive husband, and ofcourse, River to stop being such a recluse and go forth with his dream of traveling and becoming a well-recognized poet and writer.
Perry comes along out of nowhere and becomes the saving grace for each character, but tragically cannot find a saviour for herself. But its not all dark and gory in the end depending on how you take it because I saw it as she didnt live such a solemn life. She took whatever little she had and brought happiness to those she met along the way, sort of sacrificing herself for another. I feel like Perry is one of those beautifully flawed characters you come to admire and sympathize with and Im really glad I could portray her the way I wanted.
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