The Beat of Your Own Drum

When I went to the event on October 28 in the basement of Knott Hall, I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew about it was that it had to do with Halloween costumes. Little did I know I would end up staying there for two and half hours completely enthralled in the discussion that took place.
The event began with a YouTube video. It was a video about how people, mainly girls, dress on Halloween. There were several short interviews with students and a couple of clips from the movie “Mean Girls.” From that introduction I immediately knew what I was getting into and that I wouldn’t be home until late because of how passionate I get when it comes to getting my point of view out in the open.
We began talking about the main topic. The general question was “Is it ok for people to dress the way they do on Halloween.” People began arguing that the obvious excuse, “it’s O.K. because everyone else is doing it,” was not one that justified how people dressed. I immediately shot my hand up in disagreement. I explained how this couldn’t be explained in such a black and white way, just how the phrase, “if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you,” is never really applicable. I said that the reason people felt comfortable with the way they dressed was indeed because other people were doing it, but not for the feeling of it being “O.K.” I analyzed the situation and thought to myself, why are people afraid of dressing this way all the time? Once that question arose, the answer was clear, judgment. People normally didn’t dress in this promiscuous manner because they were afraid of the judgments their peers would be making. Contradictory to most weekends, Halloween is a night where everyone dresses promiscuously, so no one judges anyone else. The first theme of the discussion can be related the short story, “A Father,” by Bharati Mukherjee. In this story, the father, Mr. Bhowmick, is afraid of the judgment that his family would undergo if people found out that his daughter was pregnant without a husband. His daughter became pregnant to make herself happy, and once her father found this out, he aborted the baby in a fit of rage. His fear of being judged by other is what caused his rage; and it is the same fear that drives people not to be true to who they are, whether its being promiscuous when going out, wearing comedic costumes that push the envelope, or being happy for your pregnant daughter.
After roughly and hour of discussing Halloween costumes, the discussion moved to a more general topic. We discussed topics such as guys buying drinks for girls at bars versus buying a coffee for a girl at a coffee shop. We also discussed sex. This immediately became a heated debate. On one hand there were people who thought casual sex was wrong and on the other there were people who thought it was allowed. I took a different standpoint on the “allowed” side. I said it should be the choice of whomever it involves. This relates to another reading for today, Directions for Resisting the SAT, by Richard Hague. My interpretation of this poem is that you should break away from the norm and march to the beat of your own drum. Hague talks about “[not observing] the rules of gravity” (line 3), and “[speaking] nothing like English,” (line 11). Both of these are examples that are teaching a lesson of “do what you want to do”. They say that it is O.K. to go outside of what is the usual and mundane and to do what makes you happy and what you believe in, which is a value that I try to live by every day.

An Inspiring Lecture

This past Tuesday, I attended a “common text lecture” given by Hillary Chute with my FE100 group in McGuire Hall. I immediately felt like this was just going to be another boring lecture where I would constantly be counting the minutes that would go by on my wrist-watch. However, to my surprise, I became immediately intrigued when Ilona McGuinness introduced Chute. When she began to speak on stage, she had a very strong and powerful voice that did not necessarily match the size of her body. I could not help but see her as a preacher, who really wanted to persuade the youth of today into really taking the time to interpret, analyze and critically think about particular literary works. She was very clear and concise during her discussion because she was so immersed in this type of thinking. She began to speak about society’s understanding of American literary works and how we apply them to our culture in the modern world. She stated that she was specifically interested in the relationships between fiction and non-fiction that we see in contemporary comics, e.g. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

She explained the influence of comic strips and books that were a large part of American culture in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, e.g. Superman and Batman. Next, she explained the transition of this type of writing that now has become graphic novels. Graphic novels are narrative works in which the story is conveyed to the reader using comic form. Chute clarified that these graphic novels are very important to literature because they convey different messages to be interpreted instead of just words on a page. She has written a book called Graphic Women: Life Narrative and Contemporary Comics, which analyzes the graphic novels of five authors, including Satrapi.

She discussed certain themes of Persepolis and how these themes can influence people in today’s society. Although Satrapi’s lifestyle was very different from many people in America today, the messages that were insinuated are very applicable to many people’s lives. She explained that even though Persepolis is about a young girl that decides to flee from Iran to America during the Islamic Revolution, the story is still a bildungsroman. Everyone on earth experiences many hardships throughout their lives from childhood to adulthood. Chute was explaining the parallels of Satrapi’s story and the fact that it does influence Americans because in many ways it does relate to our lives.

I think that Chute’s presentation can be related to one of our current readings called, “First Practice”, by Gary Gildner. “First Practice” is a poem about a team that is mentally preparing in their locker room before they head out onto the playing field for the first time. The team’s coach, who was previously in the military, is getting them pumped up and excited to go out and do their best on the field. I think that this relates to Chute’s discussion because graphic novels seem to be a bit easier to delve right into and explore. Chute states that people should build anticipation to read these unique literary works because they are a much more exciting way of reading. Just as the coach in the poem, he builds suspense and eagerness of his players to have them become more enthusiastic to go out onto the field.

Hillary Chute’s “common text lecture” gave me much more inspiration to make an attempt to search for new graphic novels. Her speech enlightened my outlook upon these types of novels and gave me a better understanding of their interpretations. I want to expand my horizons by reading more different literary works that are analyzed in different ways. I did enjoy reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and I will hopefully find new graphic novels to read.

A True Love of God

On October 21, Paul J. Griffiths, Warren Chair of Catholic Theology at Duke Divinity School, came to Loyola University Maryland, and presented his “Identifying the Beloved in the Song of Songs” lecture, which relates to the theme of the darkness and love in John Milton’s “When I consider how my light is spent.” In his lecture, he teaches, discusses, and interprets the Song of Songs, as well as the Beloved, who it is written to. He describes the book as a love-lyric, a scriptural book, and a book about God all in one. He also goes into great detail about the speakers in the Song, most importantly the voice of the Beloved, as well as interoperating the Song figurally. The lecture was important because not only did it provide incite on the Song of the Songs, but it also created a connection between theology and our literature class. The love shown for the Beloved by the Delightful Man is the same love Milton shows for God in his poem “When I consider how my light is spent.” They are both devoted to their love and through their words describe how much they care for them.

Griffith’s “Identifying the Beloved in the Song of Songs” was divided into three parts: explaining what the Song of Songs is, a description of the voices in the Song, and interpretations of the Song. He went through all these ideas and explained them in thorough detail. He stated that the Song of Songs is love-lyric, as well as a scripture book about God. He believed the Song could be ready both literally and figuratively. The book talks about the relationship between the Beloved and the Delightful Man, the two main protagonists. It is a dialogue between the two, showing their true love for each other. Not only does it show the relationship between the two, but also Griffiths stated that there is also a metaphor involved in the Song. He believes that the Song stands for the love and relationship between God and the people of Israel. He stated that the Song is God talking to his people, telling them that they are good and beautiful, trying to increase their religious beliefs about Him. He believes this because it is a book of the Bible, and it does not have any religious symbolism, and therefore must be an allegory relating to God. Ultimately, Griffith stated that there are many ways to think about the Song of Songs. It is very easily interpreted in many different ways, but regardless of the interpretation, love is the major theme of the Song of Songs.

The theme of love for God is also a major part of John Milton’s “When I consider how my light is spent.” The poem is about how the speaker is blind and wants to serve good. Because of his blindness, he is not able to, and is very distraught about it. His blindness is ruining his life, and he begins to cry out to God. He loves God so much that he will do anything to serve him. God then speaks to him and says that he does not have to run around and preach the word of God to serve Him. God states that he can wait on him by his side and still be able to enter heaven. Ultimately, the poem is about how bad the speaker wants to serve God. He wants to be with Him in eternity, and serve him forever. This is just like the Song of Songs, as it is a love-lyric. It literally describes the speaker’s love for God. It is also like the Song of Songs because it provides an allegory. The allegory is that to get into heaven, one must serve God in anyway possible, just like the allegory in the Song of Songs is so people are also able to get into heaven by worshiping God. These two ideas provide a perfect connection between the two pieces of literature.

The lecture by Griffiths’s and “When I consider how my light is spent” both have the same main ideas. There is a solid connection between the two, ultimately allowing for cohesion between the two subjects. This truly provides for a liberal arts education, something the Jesuits hold in high regards.

Persistence Makes Education Possible

I went to Dr. Pedro Noguera’s speech tonight where he spoke about how social justice plays a role in education. Though it was clear from hearing about his childhood, he was lucky not to have faced many of the hardships that he began to talk about, his message was still very clear: poverty manifests into people’s lives and make it extremely difficult for a proper education. Noguera made a point to say that a child’s upbringing deeply affects how much education someone is to receive. For example, for a high school graduate coming from an affluent family, university is an option. But, if both parents did not finish high school and are of low economic status, their children are less likely to continue education.

Education is a key concept that many of us take for granted. There are so many people out there that do not have the opportunities that we have, and I can honestly say that I have recognized this and I know I’m blessed. Noguera mentions that we have to take this topic very personally and seriously; comparing it to a civil rights issue. I have witnessed first hand the importance of education when I went on a service trip to Costa Rica in 2008. I taught kids how to read in Spanish and simple English words as well. No one can take away the smiles these kids had on their faces once they realized they were learning, that they were being educated, especially since many of their parents did not have the same opportunities.

Realistically, though, Noguera knows that education can be extremely difficult. He urged those who are compassionate to reach out and do more, because essentially (to quote that terrible Disney movie) “we’re all in this together.” Though it may take a lot of time and effort, it will be worth it. If we could just help a few people, it still makes a significant difference. We must try; our efforts will not be in vain.

The persistence with education that Dr. Noguera urges us to have paralleled, to me, the persistence that Kahu had for Koro Apirana’s love and attention. Constant attention, effort, and works must be applied in order to make a difference. Although it did take some time, eventually all of Kahu’s hard work paid off, just like our efforts for education will. Success in education will only be achieved with dedication and hard work, both which are possible, if only we try hard enough, as Kahu did.

First Service Learning

Although I have been trying to begin my service work as required for the course since the beginning of the year, my first actual service day was October twenty-fifth. Higher Achievement attracted me as it both fit my schedule and offered an opportunity to branch out from the typical Loyola community. The program involves mentoring seventh grade students who have committed to studying three nights a week. I enjoyed teaching during past service experiences and felt as if dedicating one night a week would be an easy way to maintain my previous values on volunteering. Although I was unsure of what awaited me I looked forward to serving with the program and assisting in its goal of academic achievement.

My first service experience at Loyola was a positive one. On arriving at the school which hosts one of the Higher Achievement centers I was immediately integrated into the environment and tasked with helping scholars finish their essays for a course in public speaking. The scholars were surprisingly excited and motivated to finish their work despite it being 7:30p.m. on a Monday. Although I first feared that the studious atmosphere might eliminate any chance for lighter conversation, the public speaking seminar I was assisting with left the door wide open for understanding the lives of the scholars. I enjoyed my first night at service and am looking forward to next week's meeting.

My service learning experience is connected to Richard Hague's "Directions for Resisting the SAT" because both place a strong emphasis on independence. While service learning presented many difficulties and is unrelated to my major, I selected it because I felt that it would be beneficial for me to pursue. My parents and peers questioned me as to my motive and showed disapproval towards the service I volunteered for but I stuck with it because I felt it was something I should do. Similarly, Hague's poem disregards the traditional values and expectations of caregivers and society and instead focuses on being independent. The idea that students about to take the SAT should disregard the test and instead "Desire to live whole" (line 12) and "Make your mark on everything" (line 16) demonstrates that the individual can find success without conforming to the expectations of others. Hague even advises that individuals live "Like an oyster or snail" (line 13), a reference that signifies creating barriers to protect the individual from the dangers of society. Rather than conform to the expected, I chose to pursue an experience that I may not have the opportunity to select in the future. In the process I found success after protecting my thoughts from the opinions of others. Similarly, Hague directs individuals to disregard the expectations of society and instead stay true to who they are. My service learning at Higher Achievement and Hague's poem are both connected by the theme of disregarding society's expectations.

All Inspiring

Last night I attended Dr. Pedro Noguera’s speech on Social Justice in education. The event was sponsored by the Division of Academic Affairs and centered itself upon understanding and responding to the achievement gap.

Dr. Noguera began by describing himself in the simplest fashion, as lucky. He was referring to his upbringing, education, and the various opportunities he received in these regards. Dr. Noguera sought to draw attention to the point that a child’s background and upbringing play a crucial role of their overall progression and success in life. He remarked that the biggest issue in this nation going unaddressed, is poverty, which has now transformed itself into an even larger educational issue. It is clearly evident, that a lower social and economic status creates stress and other problems facing our youth. The compounding of this allocation gap only broadens the opportunity gap. Dr. Noguera remarked that to truly reform educational opportunity in this nation, we must recognize this educational flaw as a political problem. If we were serious about reform in impoverished areas, we must regard education as a civil rights issue.

In making these points, Dr. Noguera passionately conveyed this notion to evoke change on a personal level. As a realist, he understands that this is no easy task that obviously takes time and tireless effort. Yet at the same time, he showed his intended audience of conscious members of our nation, more specifically educators, parents, and anyone else involved in the progression of our youth, that this project is all together possible. This change in educational progression has been proven effective before, and bolstered through his sharing of personal experience, as well as other inspirational stories of institutions and individuals who have elicited drastic improvement.

Dr. Noguera powerful personality, and engaging speaking technique worked together for an altogether amazingly inspirational presentation the possibility for educational improvement. He pointed out that the key to connecting with kids is to develop personal relationships and respect, as a means to show them that they should be excited about knowledge and embrace learning for a better future. Paralleling this idea, Dr. Noguera established this same engagingly connected relationship with his audience in the short hour he spent with us, cementing the effectiveness of his ideas. This was clearly evident in the question and answer aspect after the conclusion of his discussion. The welcoming tone had been set by his speech, and the questions followed suit. Unfortunately one woman completely missed the underlying message of his speech, yet Dr. Noguera handled her, dare I say, with the same level of understanding, attention, and respect, he would apply to troubled youth.

I found Dr. Noguera’s talk to be unbelievable exhilarating, and I can see why his tactics are so effective. He created a an electric atmosphere allowing his energy to rub of on his audience. With he service i am engaged in at Guilford Elementary, I felt inspired to take action and make a difference myself. One of the students I work with loves to draw and in between study session I allow her breaks to blow off steam by doodling in her notebook. I asked her if she enjoyed their art class there, and she responded that they did not have one whatsoever. Art is a passion of mine, and because of Dr. Noguera’s speech I felt compelled to speak with an administrator to attempt to devise a program in which, if possible, i could work with interested students as a means of continuing my service.

I found it easy to connect this event to this weeks readings as it pertained to the article, "Serving Up Hope." In the same inspirational light, Stephanie Shapiro shared the story of a couple who put their creativity and vigor for service together to provide an outlet for the less fortunate. The Sampson's gave former drug users a second chance and an amazing opportunity to turn their lives around by allowing them work and a greater sense of useful purpose. Galen Sampson and Dr. Noguera share the same ability to "hold chaos at bay," in the way that they both embraced a goal and designed apprenticeship programs for the betterment of their fellow man.

We Can All Make A Difference

Two weeks ago I attended the Global Oneness Banquet and it was a very meaningful and revealing event. I didn’t know what to expect I just knew this event was about hunger, poverty, and deprivation. I came out of the event with a better awareness of the situations of the less fortunate and I also learned that I shouldn’t ever take for granted how lucky I am to have what I have. The Global Oneness Banquet revealed to me that no matter who you are you can help the people that are in need of the basic necessities of food that we overuse every day.

I walked into the banquet with my friend Nick and we were given cards that told us what class we were in. We were placed into the upper class and seated at a fancy table while the middle and lower classes were in chairs and on the floor. Soon after we sat down we were showed some videos that shared the common theme of Global Oneness. Then, some people spoke to us about the hunger problems that people all over the world face every day. However, I still wasn’t sure what the point of us being split into different classes was. I soon found out that everyone at the banquet would be served food, but the quality of the food was dependent on what class you were in. The upper class was served first with salad, bread, lasagna, and even dessert while the people in the middle and lower class were only given rice and beans. As I began to try and enjoy my meal I noticed the glaring eyes of the people in the lower classes. I felt awkward eating my meal while they had only rice and beans. Suddenly, the realization hit me that those eyes staring at me represented all the less fortunate people in the world that didn’t have the same access to food that I did.

The Global Oneness Banquet informed me further on the seriousness of the hunger problem. It also helped me realize that I should appreciate the opportunities that I have in terms of food and social status. As I sat at the elegantly set table and ate my three course meal I couldn’t help but feel like I didn’t deserve to be where I was. The people in the lower class just had to sit on the floor for an hour and I felt like they should have been served the most food. But unfortunately they weren’t and unfortunately the people who suffer from hunger go through much worse. At the Global Oneness Banquet I learned that there is more than enough food on our planet for everyone to have sufficient amounts necessary for living. However, the people who need food the most don’t get access to it while all of us, the people who need it the least, have easy access to it. After leaving the Global Oneness Banquet, I gained a deeper appreciation for what I have, and a stronger awareness to the problems of hunger and poverty.

The major point of the Global Oneness Banquet was to remind us that there are people in this world that struggle every day to obtain the basic necessities for living. Also, it is our job to find a way to give to these people the help that they need. I found the themes of the banquet to be relatable to the works “Common Ground”, by Judith Ortiz Cofer, and “When I consider how my light is spent”, by John Milton. In “Common Ground” the major idea being expressed is that we are all one people who share the same world. This idea reminded me of what the Global Oneness Banquet was all about because we do share the same world as the less fortunate people and yet we enjoy the benefits of it while they suffer. In Milton’s poem the speaker is worrying that he won’t be able to serve God due to his lack of vision. His one talent is forever gone and he doesn’t think he can serve a purpose in the world. This relates to the Global Oneness Banquet because some people may struggle to find a purpose in life. However, they can find one in helping these less fortunate people who are in need and giving back. Whether it be through donation or other methods everyone can make a difference in making sure that people don’t have to starve.

It doesn’t matter who you are, you can make a difference in another person’s life. The Global Oneness Banquet showed me the struggle that the less fortunate go through on an every day basis when it comes to obtaining food. It also helped me to never take for granted what I have because I could’ve just as easily been born into a less fortunate family or part of the world. It is our job to reach out and help these people who are suffering by whatever means necessary because we are guilty of the overuse of basic necessities needed for living.