Unheard Stories
In this project, my class studied social justice. We each interviewed someone who might have a story involving social justice, and made a whole class mural based on it. To learn about story structure (for our mural's story), we also wrote creative stories, and read The Odyssey and Persepolis. Finally, we took a field trip to Writerz Blok and Chicano Park, as well as one to a Muslim school/mosque (the Islamic Center of San Diego).
ICSD Reflection:
In this field trip, we went to the Islamic Center of San Diego. We went on this field trip to learn more about Islam, and possibly interview Muslim students for our project. For the project we had to find a person with a story, whose story may not have ever been heard before. The Islamic Center of San Diego was a perfect field trip for this because Islam has a lot of stereotypes associated with it. During the field trip, we watched a presentation on Islam, got a tour of the school, and watched the noon prayer in the Mosque. Something that surprised me about the school was that, while they said that boys and girls were equal, it didn’t seem entirely true. The two genders were separated for prayer, and the students couldn’t talk to the other gender unless it was for academic reasons. That was especially weird to me because most of my friends are guys. My perspective on the Islam religion and Muslims in general have changed significantly since this field trip. I never knew how similar this religion was to ones like Christianity. They have very similar themes throughout their holy texts, and have relatively similar prayers and things like that (as an outsider to both religions). I’m still wondering what it must be like growing up with the Islam specific classes, and in what grade they start teaching them. |
Writerz Blok Reflection
For this field trip, we went to Writerz Blok; a lot where people can paint graffiti or murals without getting fined. They had a bunch temporary walls that you could spray paint on. Since we reserved two walls to paint on, that’s what we did, along with doing a workshop on using a screen printer. I learned how to use a spray can, and a screen printer, along with seeing many murals. I think that learning (or seeing) those things was important to the project because they all (except maybe the screen printing) were examples of real graffiti and how it’s made. I am still wondering about techniques with the spray cans to make it easier to do certain things. This trip did not change my mural very much. I was, however, reinforced that adding more symbols is necessary. Chicano Park Reflection For this field trip, we went to Chicano Park, underneath the Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan. All of the supports to all of the bridges, the tables, even a small overhang type thing, were painted. It really struck me that there were almost no blank spaces anywhere. Just about every paintable thing was painted. While there, we ate lunch, and looked at the murals. I was blown away by some of them. My favorite mural was one that I think was about the food industry. At the very bottom, there were food crops being picked. A little farther up, was a depiction of people starving, and begging for food. I think that the story in this mural is that people (maybe even the people growing the food) are starving. I still wonder what some of the other mural’s stories were. |
The Odyssey Lit Analysis
Kirsten Zornado
What do you value in a person? It is apparent what the ancient Greeks valued by reading The Odyssey by Homer. The book is about the travels of Odysseus (a hero of the Trojan War) and his son, Telemachus. Trying to come home, Odysseus ran into many obstacles. He fought countless monsters, and lost all of his crew. In Odysseus’ absence, his wife, Penelope, was flocked by suitors seeking her hand in marriage. When Odysseus finally got back to his home of Ithaca, he, Telemachus, and two of his loyal servants killed all of the suitors. In Homer’s The Odyssey, it is apparent that the ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe and get home, and Penelope’s determination to put off any wedding with a suitor.
The ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to get home. “As they talked like this, my companion's greedy thoughts prevailed. They untied the bag. All the wind rushed out -- storms winds seized them, swept them out to sea, in tears, away from their own native land. At that point I woke up. Deep in my heart I was of two minds -- I could jump overboard and drown at sea or just keep going in silence, remain among the living. I stayed there and suffered on.” (Book 10, pg. 188) In this quote, Odysseus was sailing towards Ithaca, coming from the island of the wind god, Aeolus. Aeolus had packaged up all of the winds, sent from Poseidon, that were keeping Odysseus from home. While Odysseus was asleep, his greedy crew members, thinking the bag contained gold or treasure, opened it, releasing all of the winds. When Odysseus woke up and saw Ithaca, also knowing that all of the winds preventing him from getting home had just been released, he considered jumping overboard. His decision not to proves his determination to get home because, as the quote says, “I stayed there and suffered on.” In his determination to return home he chose to suffer, rather than end his life then and give up. “But Odysseus kept on turning round toward the blazing sunlight, keen to see it set -- he so wanted to return.” (Book 13, pg. 253) In this quote, Odysseus was just about to leave the Phaeacians, who he was telling his story to throughout most of The Odyssey. He only needed to stay for the last ceremonial feast, and celebration (ending when the sun set); then, his boat would leave and he would be on his way home. His eagerness to see the sun set and get home showed his determination because of his desire to get home. He would be returning home a war hero, but tragically having lost all of his comrades, he would not be seen as such. Odysseus’ situation would make almost all of those who knew the deceased sailors dislike him, as he had gotten their friends/family killed. As you can see, the Ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ actions.
Odysseus was also determined to keep his crew safe. “Goddess, please tell me this, and speak the truth -- is there some way I can get safely through, past murderous Charybdis, and protect me and my crew when Scylla moves to strike?” (Book 12, pg. 238) In this moment, Odysseus is just about to leave the goddess Circe’s island. She is warning him about two monsters in the way of his destination, Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla being a many headed monster, who lives on a cliff and eats people off of ships, and Charybdis being a monster living in a whirlpool, who sucks up and spits out the sea. Odysseus asks if there is any way to protect his crew from Scylla. This shows Odysseus’ determination to keep his crew safe because he could just lose those six men, and surely come away with his life. He is so determined, in fact, that he challenges Scylla (as shown when the crew finds the monster) to possibly save them. “It seems, Eurylochus, you’re forcing me to stand alone. But come, let all of you now swear this solemn oath -- if by chance we find a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep, not one of you will be so overcome with foolishness that you’ll kill a cow or sheep. No. Instead, you’ll be content to eat the food supplies which goddess Circe gave.” (Book 12, pg 245) Earlier in the story, in Book 11, a dead seer prophesied that Odysseus would come across Helios’s cattle and sheep. He said that if Odysseus even touched an animal, his journey would be greatly delayed, and all of his crew would die. In the quote, Odysseus is trying to warn his crew to not touch the animals. This shows Odysseus’ determination to keep his crew safe because, he would have made it out alive either way. He went out of his way to make it clear to his crew that the animals were dangerous. This shows how the Ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe.
Penelope was determined to put off her marriage with the suitors. “‘Young men, those of you who are my suitors, since Lord Odysseus is dead, you must wait, although you’re keen for me to marry, till I complete this cloak -- otherwise my weaving would be wasted and in vain...’ That’s what she said. And our proud hearts agreed. And so every day she wove her great loom, but every night she set up torches and pulled the work apart.” (Book 2, pg. 30) In this quote, one of the suitors is explaining a clever trick of Penelope’s to her son, Telemachus. Penelope told all of the suitors that once she finished weaving a burial shroud she was working on, she would marry one of them. She tricked them by pulling it apart each night, making absolutely no progress. This shows her determination to put off the wedding because of her sheer unwillingness to marry a suitor. She would have put the wedding off until she died if she could, as long as no one informed the suitors of her deception. “Bright-eyed Athena then placed inside the heart of wise Penelope, Icarius’ daughter, the thought that she should set up in Odysseus’ hall the bow and grey iron axes for the suitors as a competition...” (Book 21, pg. 411) In this quote, Penelope planned a competition for the suitors. They were tasked to do the near impossible. The winner was promised her hand in marriage. The competitor had to string a bow of Odysseus’, and then shoot an arrow perfectly through twelve axes. This proved her determination to postpone her marriage because she knew that no one but Odysseus could string the bow and shoot it perfectly. She set up the competition knowing that all of the suitors would fail. As you can see, this shows how the ancient Greeks valued determination, because of Penelope’s actions
In Homer’s The Odyssey, it is apparent that the ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe and get home, and Penelope’s determination to put off the wedding with the suitors. Do you have any qualities you value?
Kirsten Zornado
What do you value in a person? It is apparent what the ancient Greeks valued by reading The Odyssey by Homer. The book is about the travels of Odysseus (a hero of the Trojan War) and his son, Telemachus. Trying to come home, Odysseus ran into many obstacles. He fought countless monsters, and lost all of his crew. In Odysseus’ absence, his wife, Penelope, was flocked by suitors seeking her hand in marriage. When Odysseus finally got back to his home of Ithaca, he, Telemachus, and two of his loyal servants killed all of the suitors. In Homer’s The Odyssey, it is apparent that the ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe and get home, and Penelope’s determination to put off any wedding with a suitor.
The ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to get home. “As they talked like this, my companion's greedy thoughts prevailed. They untied the bag. All the wind rushed out -- storms winds seized them, swept them out to sea, in tears, away from their own native land. At that point I woke up. Deep in my heart I was of two minds -- I could jump overboard and drown at sea or just keep going in silence, remain among the living. I stayed there and suffered on.” (Book 10, pg. 188) In this quote, Odysseus was sailing towards Ithaca, coming from the island of the wind god, Aeolus. Aeolus had packaged up all of the winds, sent from Poseidon, that were keeping Odysseus from home. While Odysseus was asleep, his greedy crew members, thinking the bag contained gold or treasure, opened it, releasing all of the winds. When Odysseus woke up and saw Ithaca, also knowing that all of the winds preventing him from getting home had just been released, he considered jumping overboard. His decision not to proves his determination to get home because, as the quote says, “I stayed there and suffered on.” In his determination to return home he chose to suffer, rather than end his life then and give up. “But Odysseus kept on turning round toward the blazing sunlight, keen to see it set -- he so wanted to return.” (Book 13, pg. 253) In this quote, Odysseus was just about to leave the Phaeacians, who he was telling his story to throughout most of The Odyssey. He only needed to stay for the last ceremonial feast, and celebration (ending when the sun set); then, his boat would leave and he would be on his way home. His eagerness to see the sun set and get home showed his determination because of his desire to get home. He would be returning home a war hero, but tragically having lost all of his comrades, he would not be seen as such. Odysseus’ situation would make almost all of those who knew the deceased sailors dislike him, as he had gotten their friends/family killed. As you can see, the Ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ actions.
Odysseus was also determined to keep his crew safe. “Goddess, please tell me this, and speak the truth -- is there some way I can get safely through, past murderous Charybdis, and protect me and my crew when Scylla moves to strike?” (Book 12, pg. 238) In this moment, Odysseus is just about to leave the goddess Circe’s island. She is warning him about two monsters in the way of his destination, Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla being a many headed monster, who lives on a cliff and eats people off of ships, and Charybdis being a monster living in a whirlpool, who sucks up and spits out the sea. Odysseus asks if there is any way to protect his crew from Scylla. This shows Odysseus’ determination to keep his crew safe because he could just lose those six men, and surely come away with his life. He is so determined, in fact, that he challenges Scylla (as shown when the crew finds the monster) to possibly save them. “It seems, Eurylochus, you’re forcing me to stand alone. But come, let all of you now swear this solemn oath -- if by chance we find a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep, not one of you will be so overcome with foolishness that you’ll kill a cow or sheep. No. Instead, you’ll be content to eat the food supplies which goddess Circe gave.” (Book 12, pg 245) Earlier in the story, in Book 11, a dead seer prophesied that Odysseus would come across Helios’s cattle and sheep. He said that if Odysseus even touched an animal, his journey would be greatly delayed, and all of his crew would die. In the quote, Odysseus is trying to warn his crew to not touch the animals. This shows Odysseus’ determination to keep his crew safe because, he would have made it out alive either way. He went out of his way to make it clear to his crew that the animals were dangerous. This shows how the Ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe.
Penelope was determined to put off her marriage with the suitors. “‘Young men, those of you who are my suitors, since Lord Odysseus is dead, you must wait, although you’re keen for me to marry, till I complete this cloak -- otherwise my weaving would be wasted and in vain...’ That’s what she said. And our proud hearts agreed. And so every day she wove her great loom, but every night she set up torches and pulled the work apart.” (Book 2, pg. 30) In this quote, one of the suitors is explaining a clever trick of Penelope’s to her son, Telemachus. Penelope told all of the suitors that once she finished weaving a burial shroud she was working on, she would marry one of them. She tricked them by pulling it apart each night, making absolutely no progress. This shows her determination to put off the wedding because of her sheer unwillingness to marry a suitor. She would have put the wedding off until she died if she could, as long as no one informed the suitors of her deception. “Bright-eyed Athena then placed inside the heart of wise Penelope, Icarius’ daughter, the thought that she should set up in Odysseus’ hall the bow and grey iron axes for the suitors as a competition...” (Book 21, pg. 411) In this quote, Penelope planned a competition for the suitors. They were tasked to do the near impossible. The winner was promised her hand in marriage. The competitor had to string a bow of Odysseus’, and then shoot an arrow perfectly through twelve axes. This proved her determination to postpone her marriage because she knew that no one but Odysseus could string the bow and shoot it perfectly. She set up the competition knowing that all of the suitors would fail. As you can see, this shows how the ancient Greeks valued determination, because of Penelope’s actions
In Homer’s The Odyssey, it is apparent that the ancient Greeks valued determination because of Odysseus’ resolve to keep his crew safe and get home, and Penelope’s determination to put off the wedding with the suitors. Do you have any qualities you value?
Persepolis Lit Analysis
Kirsten Zornado
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to experience war as a civilian? In the book Persepolis, the main character and author Marjane Satrapi experiences life in the region of Tehran, Iran from around 1980-1983. She faced the revolution, then the war, as a young 11-14 year old with her family, and friends. In the book Persepolis, the character Marjane’s life has many parallelisms to her country, Iran’s life. Those include their love for religion, and eventual hate for religion and the Islamic regime, and their authority figures misleading them.
One similarity between Marjane’s life and the life of Iran is their love of religion and the regime. “I really didn’t know what to think about the veil. Deep down I was very religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde.” (pg. 6) In this quote, Marjane is having an inner dialogue about the veil that society is forcing her to wear. While her family, and social standard, is more modern, she is very religious. Her dream is to become a prophet, and she even has frequent conversations with God in the book. This shows that Marjane was very religious because of her dream to become a prophet, and her constant conversations with God. “It wasn’t only the government that changed. Ordinary people changed too. ‘Look at her! Last year she was wearing a miniskirt, showing off her beefy thighs to the whole neighborhood. And now Madame is wearing a chador...’” (pg. 75) This quote takes place after the Shah is taken out of power. Marjane’s mother is noticing a neighbor, whose religious viewpoint completely changed since the war. While she used to wear more western clothes, now she wears the most modest, Fundamentalist clothes available. This change in clothes is so significant because of the social standard/norm at that time. At this point in the revolution/war, people were just starting to become more Fundamentalist. Only those who were really adamant about Fundamentalism changed so soon after it was introduced. As you can see, one parallelism between Marjane’s life and Iran is their love of religion/the regime.
Another similarity between Marjane and Iran is their eventual hate for religion/the regime. On page 70 of Persepolis, Marjane’s favorite uncle, Anoosh, is assassinated. God comes to comfort her, and she says, “Shut up, you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! GET OUT!” In this quote, Marjane is throwing away religion, because she feels that if God was real and cared about her, her uncle Anoosh wouldn’t be dead. From this point on, Marjane is either against religion, or doesn’t really care about it. At this moment, though, she throws away her love for religion, and for a short while replaces it with hate.. “For a year now, the food shortage had been resolved by the growth of the black market. However, finding tapes was a little more complicated. On Gandhi Avenue you could find them sometimes.” (pg. 132) In this quote, Marjane is looking for music tapes, and knowing that the regime has banned them, looks in the black market. The black market’s existence shows Iran’s opposition to the regime and religion because of people’s resistance. They don’t want to comply with the religious regime’s banning of western items, so they found a way to get the items themselves. Also, because the black market not only has food, but also luxury items, like tapes, the people are using it to defy the regime even more than just for everyday needs. As shown in this paragraph, another parallelism between Marjane’s life and Iran is their hate for religion and the regime.
The final similarity between Marjane and Iran is the fact that their authority figures are lying to them. “‘As for me, I love the king, he was chosen by God.’ said Marjane. ‘Who told you that?’ asked her father, ‘My teacher and God himself.’” (pg. 19) In this quote, Marjane is talking to her father about the Shah. Her teacher had always said that the Shah was chosen by God, but this is a lie. As Marjane’s father explains, the Shah’s father was put into power because he wanted to overthrow the current emperor, and the British helped him. This shows that Marjane’s authority figures are lying to her because her main source of information, school, is giving her very biased information. They lie about the “You know, my child, since the dawn of time, Dynasties have succeeded each other but the Kings always kept their promises. The Shah kept none...” (pg. 27) In this quote, Marjane is talking to her Grandmother about the Shah. The Shah kept none of the promises that he made when he came into power, and Marjane’s Grandmother remembers this. This shows that the Shah lied to Iran, by making so many promises that he did not keep. As you can see in this final paragraph, both Marjane and Iran have authority figures lying to them.
In the book Persepolis, the character Marjane’s life has many parallelisms to her country, Iran’s life. Those include their love, then hate for religion, and their authority figures misleading them. Through these parallels, you can see the toll that the revolution and war took on both Marjane, and Iran’s people.
Kirsten Zornado
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to experience war as a civilian? In the book Persepolis, the main character and author Marjane Satrapi experiences life in the region of Tehran, Iran from around 1980-1983. She faced the revolution, then the war, as a young 11-14 year old with her family, and friends. In the book Persepolis, the character Marjane’s life has many parallelisms to her country, Iran’s life. Those include their love for religion, and eventual hate for religion and the Islamic regime, and their authority figures misleading them.
One similarity between Marjane’s life and the life of Iran is their love of religion and the regime. “I really didn’t know what to think about the veil. Deep down I was very religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde.” (pg. 6) In this quote, Marjane is having an inner dialogue about the veil that society is forcing her to wear. While her family, and social standard, is more modern, she is very religious. Her dream is to become a prophet, and she even has frequent conversations with God in the book. This shows that Marjane was very religious because of her dream to become a prophet, and her constant conversations with God. “It wasn’t only the government that changed. Ordinary people changed too. ‘Look at her! Last year she was wearing a miniskirt, showing off her beefy thighs to the whole neighborhood. And now Madame is wearing a chador...’” (pg. 75) This quote takes place after the Shah is taken out of power. Marjane’s mother is noticing a neighbor, whose religious viewpoint completely changed since the war. While she used to wear more western clothes, now she wears the most modest, Fundamentalist clothes available. This change in clothes is so significant because of the social standard/norm at that time. At this point in the revolution/war, people were just starting to become more Fundamentalist. Only those who were really adamant about Fundamentalism changed so soon after it was introduced. As you can see, one parallelism between Marjane’s life and Iran is their love of religion/the regime.
Another similarity between Marjane and Iran is their eventual hate for religion/the regime. On page 70 of Persepolis, Marjane’s favorite uncle, Anoosh, is assassinated. God comes to comfort her, and she says, “Shut up, you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! GET OUT!” In this quote, Marjane is throwing away religion, because she feels that if God was real and cared about her, her uncle Anoosh wouldn’t be dead. From this point on, Marjane is either against religion, or doesn’t really care about it. At this moment, though, she throws away her love for religion, and for a short while replaces it with hate.. “For a year now, the food shortage had been resolved by the growth of the black market. However, finding tapes was a little more complicated. On Gandhi Avenue you could find them sometimes.” (pg. 132) In this quote, Marjane is looking for music tapes, and knowing that the regime has banned them, looks in the black market. The black market’s existence shows Iran’s opposition to the regime and religion because of people’s resistance. They don’t want to comply with the religious regime’s banning of western items, so they found a way to get the items themselves. Also, because the black market not only has food, but also luxury items, like tapes, the people are using it to defy the regime even more than just for everyday needs. As shown in this paragraph, another parallelism between Marjane’s life and Iran is their hate for religion and the regime.
The final similarity between Marjane and Iran is the fact that their authority figures are lying to them. “‘As for me, I love the king, he was chosen by God.’ said Marjane. ‘Who told you that?’ asked her father, ‘My teacher and God himself.’” (pg. 19) In this quote, Marjane is talking to her father about the Shah. Her teacher had always said that the Shah was chosen by God, but this is a lie. As Marjane’s father explains, the Shah’s father was put into power because he wanted to overthrow the current emperor, and the British helped him. This shows that Marjane’s authority figures are lying to her because her main source of information, school, is giving her very biased information. They lie about the “You know, my child, since the dawn of time, Dynasties have succeeded each other but the Kings always kept their promises. The Shah kept none...” (pg. 27) In this quote, Marjane is talking to her Grandmother about the Shah. The Shah kept none of the promises that he made when he came into power, and Marjane’s Grandmother remembers this. This shows that the Shah lied to Iran, by making so many promises that he did not keep. As you can see in this final paragraph, both Marjane and Iran have authority figures lying to them.
In the book Persepolis, the character Marjane’s life has many parallelisms to her country, Iran’s life. Those include their love, then hate for religion, and their authority figures misleading them. Through these parallels, you can see the toll that the revolution and war took on both Marjane, and Iran’s people.