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In book All Over Creation, Yumi is a character with strong personalities. At first, I really do not like her: rebellious, ran away from parents, impatient, selfish, etc. Then I realized, I was judging her with social norms.
I am really enjoying Ozeki’s All Over Creation. Ozeki’s third person portions about the other characters adds more perspective, but I also like how the first person portions belong only to Yumi. It’s interesting because the story is about Yumi, yet the actions and feelings of the other characters obvious play an important role in her life. To me, Yumi is a very realistic and relatable character. It’s hard to accept all of her traits; her family and friends also struggle with this.
It’s not the first time a genetic engineering problem is addressed. Genetic engineering has long been concerned by people because of the health and ethical issues it leads to.
saw that someone on my facebook newsfeed posted this article and thought it might be interesting to share:
One of the interesting aspects Adichie explores in Ifemelu's transition to the United States is the role media plays in Americans' self image, and the ideal of happiness. Ifemelu has watched American television programs and films for much of her life because they are available in Nigeria, but she is first exposed to American advertisements when she arrives in the U.S.
Hey all!
This is a link to a really fascinating/frustrating/moving episode from This American Life that's all about discipline strategies in schools (a lot of it focuses on connections between race and discipline) and I thought it was definitely worth sharing. The full episode won't be up on their archives until 8 pm tonight, but I highly suggest listening if you have the time.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/538/is-this-working
Throughout these first chapters and moving forward through the book, Adichie makes many allusions--some more obvious than others--to the connections between Americanism, class, and language. Being a part of American culture is seen as desired for many of the people around Ifemelu because, as Obinze told her and his mother, "America is the future" (84). America is the place to go to be educated, to get a stable career and perhaps send money home. But this mindset is also restricted when we look at the glorification of America as framed by class.
Sun. 10/19:
Note: No Sunday post for Kristin’s class
Mon. 10/20:
(ENGL) 5 p.m.: make a webby post of your initial reactions to Adichie's novel:
What interests (grabs/puzzles/troubles) you? What would you like us to talk about?
(ICPR) NO CLASS -- but sometime over the course of the week I'd like you to read these pieces that put disability in conversation with other identity categories.
Alison Kafer, "Time for Disability Studies and a Future for Crips," from Feminist, Queer, Crip (pdf)
"What would it mean to explore disability in time or to articulate "crip time"?
Robert McCruer "Compulsory Able-Bodiedness and Queer/Disabled Existence" in DSR
Charter Schools: A Possible Threat to the Integrity of Public Education
Name--
so: a couple of directions I’d like to pick up here. First: the potential of on-line forums as a site for real conversation (and/or the degree to which they inhibit such exchange): how much do you think the lack of mediation (or in-person encounter) opens up the conversation? Makes it more-or-less productive?