Essay Unit

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In class we read an essay entitled "In America we have a little problem with self and society" also known as "The New Lone Ranger". The essay is about the new social 'frontier' teenagers have to face now between when puberty starts, approximately at age 13, till the common age of marriage, over 30. It describes how this time period can be quite frightening, and it explains how teenagers get through it. They create the image of a person who can handle being alone, and does not need anyone romantically. As the author says in the essay, "Now young people face a social frontier of their own. They hit puberty around 13 and many don't get married until they're past 30. That's two decades of coupling, uncoupling, hooking up, relationships, and shopping around. This period isn't a transition anymore. It's a sprawling life stage, and nobody knows the rules." One of the things that makes this time period so frightening to some, is just that. Nobody knows the rules, so how is one to know what is acceptable and what they should not do?

The song "According to You" by Orianthi shows similar ideas. It has the classic girl, who seems not to need anyone romantically, who has no trouble telling off her boyfriend. In the song it describes how her 'boyfriend' constantly puts her down and is unappreciative of her. "According to you, I'm stupid, I'm useless, I can't do anything right. According to you, I'm difficult, hard to please, forever changing my mind. I'm a mess, in a dress, can't show up on time. Even if, it would save my life. According to you." In the chorus she begins to describe another boy who compliments her and appreciates her qualities. "But according to him, I'm beautiful, incredible, he can't get me out of his head. According to him, I'm funny, irresistible, everything he ever wanted." At the end of the song she then turns it around and tells her boyfriend what she thinks of him. "According to me, you're stupid, you're useless, you can't do anything right." This song clearly shows what the essay means by "a social frontier" and "a sprawling life stage". It demonstrates an example of a bad relationship, where the girl is essentially enduring verbal abuse for a while, the confusion of relationships, her all of a sudden having a guy who doesn't insult her while she is still with the other guy, and how this time period is full of trials and tribulations, using a specific example.

Short Stories

In class we read a short story called "The Lottery". The story is about a village, and every year this village hosts a lottery. Doesn't this sound like such a happy little tale? First the man of the family goes up and picks a piece of paper from an old black box. Whichever man picks the piece of paper with a black dot then has to pick another, as does his family. They all pick again and whoever picks the black dot 'wins'. What do they win I hear you ask. Well, they win the opportunity to get stoned to death so the village might have good harvest.

The theme for this story is how people in general are so hypocritical, and that they don't mind something until their in the hot seat. For example, gossip. Everyone loves to gossip, but they hate being gossiped about. In "The Lottery" there is one lady who goes along with it all, however that is until she ends up getting picked to be stoned to death.

I'm going to compare this to an episode of the amazing television show, Supernatural. Supernatural is a show about two brothers who go around and save people from evil supernatural creatures. In this particular episode, the two brothers enter a small town where annual disappearances have been reported just outside. The boys soon find out that the two nicest people in the village are really just preparing couples to be sacrificed to a living scarecrow, in the surrounding forest, who can bring them good crops.

The theme of this is similar, slightly more skewed, but their similar. The people in the village gladly sacrifice people who pass through their town, yet none of them will go themselves. The nice people try to sacrifice one of the brothers, and their daughter, claiming they would do the same, and it was a great service. Though, when the daughter angrily calls them out, they quickly leave.

These stories are similar because both have someone(s) who are behind the killings, who are also slightly weary and scared, but behind it. Until their called out. In one case they make it out, and the other the person is stoned to death. However the main thing, is that both themes show how hypocritical the human population is, or can be.

Welcome Peoples!

Hello! This is my, as in me (Mandi), blog. This is basically just for a Grade 10 English assignment, hench the name of the blog. Eventually this will be going into thematic analysis' of English type stuff related to the Unit we are doing. This is the first unit, and it is about short stories. The next post will be going along the lines of analysing the theme of a short story and relating it to some outside media. Well... that's basically what this whole blog is about, and just to simplify it for you all, it's a grade 10 English assignment. Well, bye's for now!