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Friday, April 26, 2013

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Response to Movie


After reading the story and watching the film of A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, you start to realize what makes a movie so great compared to the book, or what makes the book so great compared the movie. In this short passage written by Ernest Hemingway, the film stays very similar to the original text. Simply because all parts of the story were important, verse a longer movie where the little details may not be as important.  Watching Part One of the video, the introduction was very strong when they added the music. It really enhanced the tone of the piece. The sadness and loneliness really showed throughout the music. Killing the music once inside the café, added the amount of boredom and tiredness the two waiters had while waiting for the old man to finish his drink. Once the younger waiter kicked the old man out, the same music for the ending came on. The emotion changed again while you watched the old man walk out of the café.

Although most of the text stayed the same, bits and pieces were changed. In the story the old man was sitting in the dark, but in the film was sitting in the light. However, he was sitting in the only booth that was padded with black. I took this as symbolism, because black normally means death or depression. Since this I thought that the director decided to add this to still relate back to the original version.

Part Two generally stayed the same as the writing. Since nothing really changed I thought that the first video was more interesting, especially with the three different types of generations in the same café and the level of respect you always need to have for one another. I liked this exercise and the overall point of the story.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Reading Response--A Clean, Well-lighted Place


Write a brief analysis of the two waiters.  What do they represent about life? What does the café symbolize?

The younger waiter is disrespectful compared to the older waiter. I think this is because the younger man has a family to get home too, while the older waiter may understand of know where the man is coming from. The waiters correspond to a impolite man that may not care about anyone but himself and a kind and wise man that is attentive to others. I think that the café symbolizes that the old man is alone, depressed, because normally when people go to a café/bar late at night and continue to drink the rest of the night away they have a problem or situation currently going on in their life and going to the café is their solution to solving this problem. 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Title IX


Author’s Note:  This research piece is about the enactment of Title IX.  Title IX is best known for taking down and removing barriers for women and girls in athletics.  The overall objective of Title IX was to prohibit sex discrimination in education.  Regulation of Title IX revolved around key areas such as opening doors for females to pursue math and science, creating standardized testing, increasing opportunities for more female employment at colleges, changing the learning environment and much more.  My focus is on how Title IX impacted women in athletics to play competitive sports throughout the country.  Without Title IX women of all ages would not be offered the same opportunities as men.

“Your all just a bunch of wanna be’s! You’ll never be as good as us. Now get off our court, we are going to practice!” Imagine being screamed at by a boy who truly believes he is better than you.  Since this boy believed girls were not supposed to play sports, he felt he had the right to harass you?  Women were not allowed the same opportunities to play sports as men until 1972.  Women were discriminated against in more ways than one in sports and other areas surrounding education.  (Tite IX History )

Athletic programs for high schools and colleges must now offer an equal number of athletic programs for females and male students, and provide the same amount of money and time into both genders. Before Title IX, only 1 in 27 girls participated in high school athletics.  The main activities offered to women were cheerleading and square-dancing.  Today, 1 in 2.5 girls participate in high school sports.  Before this law was enforced, women were never given the same rights as men. (40th Anniversary of Title IX: The Next Generation, 2013)

Title IX fought an uphill climb through the courts and being enforced by the government in the 1980’s.  Title IX gained strength with the Supreme Court case in 1992 in Franklin vs. Gwinett County Public Schools.  The court rule victims could be awarded monetary damages in sex discrimination cases.  The ruling from the 1992 case scared colleges they could be sued by women filing lawsuits based on the rights of Title IX.  The ruling proved powerful as levels of participation by women and girls increased.  Before Title IX, young women were 7% of the students participating in high school sports.  By 2001, 41.5% of the students participating in high school sports were young women.  (Gender Equity in Athletics and Sports, 2013)

Girls were treated differently than boys through the changes of Title IX.  Girls were given charms for their athletic participation instead of the traditional letter jackets worn by the boys.  Girls wore pinnies while boys wore the full-blown jerseys for games.  Girls were shoved to the corner not being allowed to play on the main wood court, but rather given the sport court off to the side.  In Wisconsin, the first state basketball championship game was held in 1976.  Today, female high school athletes wear athletic jackets like the boys.  Girls wear true-team uniforms representing their high school and play on the main floor.  Today, the WIAA has five divisions for high school teams to participate in the state basketball tournament.  Participation in girl’s athletics has grown and programs offered have improved through the strength of women fighting for women under the guidelines and influence of Title IX.  (Source – Mrs. Muench)

Since 1972, Title IX has greatly influenced the changes in many areas of education for women.  Universities have enhanced their women’s sports programs and have increased funding for these programs.  While funding for women’s programs and opportunities for women coaching may not be equivalent, Title IX continues to chase equality and remove discrimination in athletics for women.  The rise of female participation in athletics and college classrooms has provided strength in numbers to ensure women will never endure living through the days prior to Title IX.

(This is an example of the small charm bracelets given to the women.)

Poems


Main Author's Note: My goal was to complete three poems, because I do not take to time to write some. I looked and fusion and talked with peers to try and create the best poems. 


Devastated
As I was writing this poem my inspiration was a girl who’s team doesn't always have the best of luck. This happened to my team but we ended up scoring so I took it in the other direction, by not making the final shot.

My skin: cold and wet,
My heart: racing uncontrollably,
My shoes: sopping  with mud and water.
My breath: racing in and out of me
The ball: skidding quickly towards me
I turn
I know that I have to score
I know that we can’t lose
We need to win
There is no other option.
There is no other choice
I dribble down the field
I shoot
I hear the cheers
But they’re not for me
They’re for the goalie that saved the game
They’re for the goalie who made us lose
I sank to my knees
Devastated.


Rain 
Weather is a complete mood changer.  On a nice warm day everyone is joyful, but on a stormy day, it feels like the worst day.

As the clouds overpower the sun
Darker and darker it became.
The wind tearing through the trees
Watching all but one leaf all to the ground.
Listening to every splash, every rumble, every movement.
Cold droplets stream down my face.
My numb hands continue to catch the chilling water.
Looking up at the clouds.
Pure blackness.
A beam of light appears out of nowhere.
The downpour carries on,
But with more speed, more water, more excitement.
Spinning in circles,
The puddle ripples.
Glancing down at my reflection.
Studying the fade image.
Emotionless.
As the picture disappears.
I feel my cheeks curve upward.
Even though it’s raining now,
It cannot rain forever. 

Together Forever
Writing about love is something I am not used too, however a friend told me to try a technique that you write something outside the box. I decided to try it because from her personal experience it has ended up being some  of her best work.

My heart stops every time I hear his name.
His smile.
His laugh.
His eyes.
His personality.
His everything.
He is perfect.
When our eyes meet the butterflies awaken.
Trying to escape from the sudden rush of excitement.
When our hands touch,
The world freezes.
Motionless, but spectacular.
Feeling lost without him.
You know he is right for you.
Imagining him holding you close,
Never letting go.
You were meant to be.
Together.
Forever.