I found “We discovered That a Mythical South-Seas Charm Can Still be Found on Samoa” by Igor Czajkowski, to be extremely interesting and captivating. The reader embarks on a journey through Samoa, an independent Polynesian nation in the South Pacific, from the moment the authors plane descended onto the island. The author wastes no time to grab the reader’s attention by explaining
his view of how the, “Dramatic volcanic craters towered high with exaggerated cartoon-like profiles, and the jungle below, dense in coconut palm trees, looked lush and steamy even from the air.” This travel essay did a wonderful job in descriptively exploring the hostel, market, bus, journey of South pacific, multiple small ornate villages, the surrounding vegetation, sleeping on the beach (and on a platform) and every other captivating moment the travelers experienced. It was interesting to read about a place I had never been and solely allowing the author draw a vivid picture of this tropical and amazing place. The people that surrounded the narrator all seemed to be overwhelmingly welcoming and nice, while they live lives with no where the level of luxury as we do. This essay was jammed pack with short descriptions of the many ventures the author embarked on. Though this aspect did keep my attention it may have been more effective if one adventure or trip was focused on rather than several. None the less, I 
found his descriptions of his amazingly beautiful sightings to be incredibly captivating. An example of this would be when he was traveling up the north-western tip of Savii and saw Taga blow-holes. These were underground funnels in the lava, “where the crashing surf builds up pressure released as jets of water and spray blowing high into the air. Locals throw coconuts into the holes with excellent timing, to have them sent over a hundred feet into the air.” The way that the author described not only the surrounding features but the individuals, created a friendly and approachable tone. Overall, I thought that this was a great example of a travel essay and am hoping to create something similar when I embark on my journey.
.:Detrimental Secrets:.
Today we live in a society that is filled with countless situations that causes us to be aware of our environment. Most of us when focusing on our surroundings examine the immediate possible threats, such as a creepy older man gazing at you or the woman that peers into your office window each day. However, you are likely to overlook your sibling’s child, your younger cousins, your son’s friends, or even your own children. In Adolescent Sex Offenders: A Review of Literature, by Veneziano & L. Veneziano, they verify that juvenile sex offenders represent approximately twenty percent of rapes and thirty to fifty percent of child sexual abuse cases, most of which the offender was either related or family friends with the victim(s). In correlation to this, Righthand and Welch stated in Characteristics of Youth Who Sexually Offend (2004), that the Federal Bureau of Investigation uniform Crime Data (2001) indicated that in 2000, 16% of arrests of juvenile sex offenders were for forcible rape. Even more disturbing is that these children commit their first offense typically while still in elementary or middle school. Currently, our society doesn’t mandate registration of these offenders to be public knowledge, such as adult sex offenders, in most cases. Even though juvenile sex offenders can be just as violent as adult sex offenders, most states believe that juvenile offender information should not be released to the public in order to give the offender a second chance. Thus, we are neglecting to protect the innocent children and adults of our country by not forcing our government to mandate the release of such crucial information to the public that could be used to protect and prevent such malicious acts.
Juvenile sex offenders are interacting with fellow classmates and other peers every day, thus aiding in their likelihood to commit multiple offenses before getting caught; those of which increase in frequency and severity as time progresses. Personally, this gravely concerns me when knowing that the severity of a juveniles attack can range from fondling to brutal rape. Juvenile sex offenders are recognized in varying degrees such as child molesters, rapists, sexually reactive children, fondlers, paraphiliac offenders, and others (those of which could not seem to be categorized) (Prentky et al., 2000). Even when knowing their dangerousness they possess, we are not requiring them in most cases to register as a sex offender to the public. Therefore, these offenders could be attending your local school without any safety precautions being taken for possible future victims, not even having the school officials notified of this threat to safety.
Typically when juveniles are required to register their information is kept with the police department and is not distributed through the internet or other public notification systems. Meaning the communities in which these offending juveniles live are typically unaware of their prior offense(s). Even more troubling is that these offenders are interacting with their future victims, especially since juvenile sex offenders more often than not offend against people they know and feel close to. Also, keep in mind that juvenile sex offenders do not only target children, since the 1980s juvenile sex offenders have constantly represented 15 to 20 percent of sexual offenses against adults (Righthand & Welch, 2001). Youths who victimized peers or adults tend to use more force compared to those who victimized younger children and are more likely to use a weapon (Righthand & Carlann, 2004). Approximately forty percent of the youths display expressive aggression in their sex offenses (Miner et al., 1997). Even though juveniles are less physically violent than adults, obedience of their victim may still be secured by the use of intimidation, threats of violence, physical force, or extreme violence (Righthand & Carlann, 2004).
While the legal systems hopes that they won’t reoffend after attending programs such as offender specific treatment, correctional facilities, integrated treatment, outpatient programs, and residential facilities, the threat still lingers. While treated juveniles hold a recidivism rate of 15%, representing hundreds of future victims, some states are still striving to give the young sex offender a second chance (Righthand & Welch, 2001). Understanding that there are countless instances where juveniles have sexually offended yet weren’t reported, furthers the importance of more details being released to our community in order to understand and learn how to effectively deter this minority group. Statistically our society has been affected by juvenile sex offenders as we see approximately more than 70,000 boys and 110,000 girls are victimized by these individuals each year, keeping in mind this doesn’t include those cases that go unreported (Righthand & Welch, 2004). Among these individuals could be a persona you interact with or a friend that your child, niece nephew or friends child is playing with on a daily basis. Our society needs to take action against juvenile sex offenders in order to protect the children and yourself.
More importantly, when looking at this issue at a national level, one finds that sixty-three percent of victims are younger than nine years old, with an average age of six (Righthand & Welch, 2004). However, over the course of the past years we have been able to identify a basic outline of characteristics of juvenile sex offenders, noting they mark a variety of victims, typically younger (Hunter et al., 2000) yet, their victims ages do range from two to seventy-seven years old (Woodhams et al., 2007). This further stresses the need for adults to be notified when a juvenile has a record of sexual abuse. Many argue that these children who offend deserve a second chance, but don’t the blameless children deserve protection? Shouldn’t teachers and parents of these innocent children be given tools to help protect them? Don’t parents have the right to choose if they want their child being exposed to a possibly harmful situation? Don’t you want to protect yourself? Why do we let juvenile offenders attend schools filled with temptations and live near past victims, yet this isn’t the case for adult sex offenders? Considering that these juveniles are involved with the legal system, there seems no reasonable explanation as to why they should not be required to register for public knowledge, similar to that of adult sex offenders.
Throughout society this topic has been heavily debated regarding giving a juvenile sex offender a second chance. Some believe that these offenders are just children and will grow out of the behavior, that it was a mistake and they didn’t know what they were doing, they are too young to enter into our criminal justice system, and that they will likely not reoffend. Though these are children, we have to identify that these children are taking part in serious offenses towards others. Yes it is true that children make mistakes, however pushing a friend because he took a toy and fondling a friend because of uncontrollable urges seem to be seriously different mistakes. When children are growing up it is the responsibility of parents to teach children what is wrong and right. However, some feel that because many of these offenders grew up in severely chaotic homes they were neglected from a normal upbringing thus providing to their emotional turmoil leading to their offensive behaviors.
Another argument that is brought forth is that some of these children were sexually abused themselves and they were simply recreating what they learned. Though these are all valid points, we need to recognize that these tendencies are something that most offenders will battle with on a daily basis. There have been “relapse-prevention plans” created based on the idea that sex-offending is like an addiction and that sex offenders need to be watchful of any “triggers” (pornography, anger) that might initiate their “cycle” of reoffending. In one therapy session held by Robert Lango (2007), at the beginning of each group sessions the offender introduces themselves much as an alcoholic begins an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting: “I’m Brian, and I’m a sex offender. I sexually offended against a 10-year-old boy; I made him lick my penis three times.” As we understand that treatment is an intense and long process, we also need to focus on the fact that we are dealing with severely disturbed individuals. While I do agree that the most effective forms of treatment should be provided as much as possible, I also feel that we need to take the precautions of having these individuals register to the public; thus, hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.
We live in a society where we strive to educate our community to the highest degree possible. However by withholding information involving the endangerment of one’s child we are neglecting to protect the ones that we are most responsible for. By making juvenile sex offenders register we are helping to prevent further offenses while they attain the help necessary. Currently we are failing to provide knowledge to parents, educators and fellow peers. Sexual offenses are nothing to take lightly by any means. Young children are being subjected to horrific behavior, thus wrongfully fondled and raped. Though the government is concerned about giving juvenile sex offenders a second chance, with only 25 states currently requiring juveniles to register in the community notification system, we need to consider that once such an act has been committed against a victim there is no second chance (Righthand & Welch, 2004). A victim of sexual abuse will be dealing with the pain and emotional turmoil for countless years. There is no second chance for a victim, however there is years of counseling filled with questions and uneasiness. Today we see that our society has created strict boundaries for adult sex offenders, regarding where they can live, work and be present. These restrictions are all taken in order to protect the society in which we live. However, why should offending juveniles be treated any different in these regards? Seeing that juveniles are just as likely to reoffend, it seems that society has lost tract of protection and prevention of the innocent. In addition to the community notification system being put in place across the country, I strongly encourage yourself and families to set and respect family boundaries, speak up when you see “warning sign” behaviors, practice talking about difficult topics such as sexual abuse with other adults, teach children the proper names of body parts, teach children the difference between “ok touch” and touch that is “not ok”, teach children that secrets about touching are “not ok”, and set up a family safety plan that is easy to remember. When compiling all of these safety measures, we are not only protecting ourselves and children, but we are helping juvenile sex offenders by being able to identify their behaviors early.
.:The Secrets to Excellence:.
Sue Monk Kidd exemplified a truly brilliant creative work when completing The Secret Life of Bees, that of which I would read over and over again. Everyday tasks were transformed into interesting events that readers were given the tools to imagine what was being spoken about in specific detail. The author innovatively transformed what could have been bland characters, into dynamic people with imaginative personalities that were surrounded in an intricate atmosphere. Sue Monk Kidd’s work incorporates artistically assembled writings, filled with vibrant characterization, usage of description, and technique of narration.
I am inviting you to an adventure filled with exploration and vivid description. Surround yourself with characters so amazingly developed that you relate effortlessly to them as individuals. Don’t be surprised as you begin reading how quickly you will connect and begin to share their heart wrenching emotions. This novel overflowed with tremendous detail throughout its entirety, luring readers to instantly become captivated from the very beginning. Exploring through everyday challenges, such as death, independence, heart ache, racism, historical turning points, suicide, struggles with ones self-esteem and love, Kidd turns these into intricate detailed situations intertwined with marvelous specificity.
In The Secret Life of Bees, the reader is taken through a journey with the main character Lily Owens, of her crossings through abuse, heart ache, confusion, acceptance, and rejection. When Lily was four years old her mother was shot and died. Lily, who had been living with her abusive and neglectful father, T. Ray, had been convinced by him that she was the one who shot her mother. While holding dearly onto past memories of her mother, she wanted to prove that her mother loved her. However, T. Ray’s persistence began to play havoc on her memories. She soon felt that she remembered when she saw the shiny object on the floor that her mother had dropped, she picked it up and a loud ‘bang’ noise came out of it. Lily soon began to look at Rosaleen, their black full time housekeeper, as a motherly figure. However, since this takes place in South Carolina in 1964, it is no surprise that Rosaleen is faced with racism to the highest degree when in public. Lily didn’t understand why black people were being treated so unfairly, and when Rosaleen was placed in jail for a minor incident, Lily filled with fury caused by T. Ray’s hurtful words freed Rosaleen. Lily and Rosaleen then venture to Tiburon, a name of a city found on the back of a photo of the Black Madonna, once belonging to Lily’s mother. Eagerly searching to discover Lily’s mothers past the two are taken in by three black beekeeping sisters. This is where the true journey begins.
As Kidd guides us through the story, Lily slowly begins to remember bits and pieces of what had happened the day her mother had passed away all the while discovering new lessons. Kidd’s novel is compiled of situations filled with feelings depicted in inspirational ways that allows you to truly feel for the character. A perfect example of this was when Lily reflects back on a memory of her deceased mother:
“When she passed it to me, she held on to my hands for a second. The frame contained a picture of a woman in profile, her head bent toward a little girl who sat in a high chair with a smudge of baby food on the side of her mouth. The woman’s hair curled in forty directions, beautiful, like it had just had its hundred strokes. She held a baby spoon in her right hand. Light glazed her face. The little girl wore a bib with a teddy bear on it. A sprig of hair on top of her head was tied in a bow. She lifted one hand toward the woman.
Me and my mother.” (Kidd 275)
Within the first sentences of this quote, we see the struggle between Lily recognizing the difference between her ‘mother’ and a ‘woman’. We are able to embrace the emotions of Lily, by the emphasis that is placed on the last line and how it is broken from the previous paragraph. Also we see in the next quote how ingeniously the author reaches out to her audience to offer a fulfilling understanding of the insurmountable yearning the young child holds, wishing for nothing more but to be away from her current atmosphere.
“At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzz that hummed along my skin. I watched their wings shining like bits of chrome in the dark and felt the longing build in my chest. The way those bees flew, not even looking for a flower, just flying for the feel of the wind, split my heart down its seam.” (Kidd 1)
Kidd wrote with extraordinary detail, and gained my complete attention. The Secret Life of Bee’s strived to connect to readers by painting vivid pictures, allowing one to relate both physically and emotionally. Sue Monk Kidd created situations so that anyone could relate in either past or present time, fully involving their imagination and attention. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and high quality read.
.:The Power of Verbs:.
Claim:
Before: As T.S. Eliot has said, “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason” (98).
After: As T.S. Eliot has adamantly declared, “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason” (98).
Before: “Paul Tillich has said that sin is separation” (87-88).
After: “Paul Tillich has proclaimed that sin is separation” (87-88).
Agreement:
Before: “It is true that the police have exercised a degree of discipline in handling the demonstrators” (98).
After: “It is true that the police have implemented a degree of discipline in handling the demonstrators” (98).
Before: “I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation” (85).
After: “I therefore am in agreement (or agree) with you in your call for negotiation” (85).
Disagreement:
Before: “You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations” (83).
After: “You criticize the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, falls short to articulate a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations” (83).
Before: “I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes” (98).
After: “I disbelief that you would have so warmly applauded the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes” (98).
Recommendation:
Before: “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right” (91).
After: “We must (are obligated to) utilize time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right” (91).
Before: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (86).
After: “We recognize through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily granted by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (86).
Since the 1980s juvenile sex offenders have growingly received an amplified amount of consideration in research. What was once contemplated to be a trial stage in an adolescent’s life has evolved into its own study, no longer overshadowed by adult sex offender’s characteristics. Juvenile sex offenders signify approximately twenty percent of horrific rapes and thirty to fifty percent of traumatic child sexual abuse cases. Most disturbing is that juvenile sex offenders are likely to have committed multiple appealing offenses before getting caught, those of which increased in frequency and severity as time progressed. Past studies have intended to determine the drive, reasoning, characteristics, psychological standpoints, emotions, and effectiveness of treatment. Yet, considering that juvenile sex offenders are frequently found to have been sexually violated themselves, creates a problem of deciphering if these horrific acts are due to being a learned behavior, indirect revenge, or other such motivations (Veneziano & Louis, 2002). Juvenile sex offenders are destroying their peers’ childhoods by inflicting such unforgivable acts. By infringing the rights of these young innocent children, juvenile sex offenders are forcing their victims to overflow with devastation. Understanding whether these acts are being carried out due to something that has been dreadfully instilled upon them, desire for experimentation, or fulfilling a relentless urge, is a topic still in its early stages of discovery.
.:The Secret to Excellence:.
Sue Monk Kidd exemplified a truly brilliant creative work when completing The Secret Life of Bees. Everyday tasks were transformed into interesting events that readers were given the tools to imagine what was being spoken about in specific detail. The author innovatively transformed what could have been bland characters, into dynamic people with imaginative personalities that were surrounded in an intricate atmosphere. Sue Monk Kidd’s work incorporates artistically assembled writings, filled with vibrant characterization, usage of description, and technique of narration.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, invites readers into surreal situations filled with vivid descriptive talent. The lifelike characters allow readers to relate effortlessly to not only the characters but the story in its entirety on a more personal level. Kidd created characters with marvelous specificity so that the readers are able to connect and show emotion toward their situations. The novel was created with tremendous detail involved in the story lines that the reader instantly becomes captivated from the very beginning. Kidd uniquely produced a novel that discussed everyday topics, such as death, independence, heart ache, historical turning points, love and self-esteem, yet turned those into intricate detailed situations intertwined with creative twists.
In The Secret Life of Bees, the reader is taken through a journey with the main character of remembering how her mother had died when she was only four. As Kidd guides us through the story, the character slowly begins to remember bits and pieces of what had happened the day her mother had passed away. She soon remembered that when she saw the shiny object on the floor that her mother had dropped, she picked it up and a loud ‘bang’ noise came out of it. We see here that a common issue people deal with, such as death, had been given a heart wrenching situational change that further invoke the readers’ emotion and heart ache for the child.
While reading The Secret Life of Bees, the way in which the author was able to create an atmosphere that not only grabbed the reader’s attention but spent great efforts in portraying the character’s features showed true talent. Kidd’s novel is compiled of situations filled with feelings depicted in inspirational ways that allows any reader to feel for the character and be on some sort of personal level of understanding. A perfect example of this was when Kidd has the main character reflect back on a memory of her deceased mother:
“When she passed it to me, she held on to my hands for a second. The frame contained a picture of a woman in profile, her head bent toward a little girl who sat in a high chair with a smudge of baby food on the side of her mouth. The woman’s hair curled in forty directions, beautiful, like it had just had its hundred strokes. She held a baby spoon in her right hand. Light glazed her face. The little girl wore a bib with a teddy bear on it. A sprig of hair on top of her head was tied in a bow. She lifted one hand toward the woman.
Me and my mother.” (Kidd 275)
Within the first sentences of this quote, the author has creatively incorporated a description of the photograph that was being held. While at the same time Kidd informs the readers of physical characteristics of the mother that the child still adores. However, I found it interesting how simultaneously through these descriptions we embrace the emotions of the daughter, by the emphasis that is placed on the last line and how it is broken from the previous paragraph. As we see from the excerpt above, Kidd’s ability to create a detailed character added marvelous depth to the story as a whole.
Another aspect that stands out from this successfully written fiction is when Sue Monk Kidd, used figurative language throughout her work:
“At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzz that hummed along my skin. I watched their wings shining like bits of chrome in the dark and felt the longing build in my chest. The way those bees flew, not even looking for a flower, just flying for the feel of the wind, split my heart down its seam.” (Kidd 1)
The metaphors, comparing the sound of the bees flying to a ‘propeller sound’ or the bees’ wings ‘shining like bits of chrome’ adds to the imaginative elements provided to the reader. Yet, I also found that Kidd’s usage of hyperbole’s, “split my heart down its seam,” further created an imagery of how the child wanted to be able to escape or fly freely. Ingeniously the author reaches out to her audience to offer a fulfilling understanding of the insurmountable yearning the young child holds, wishing for nothing more but to be away from her current atmosphere. Lastly, the usage of onomatopoeia, as seen in the past excerpt, adjoined the sound of the bee’s wings with not only a comparison to something else but a word or phrase such as ‘zzzzz’. This reinforced the motion by the sound of the word, which further conveyed the sensory impressions of sound and even motion.
Sue Monk Kidd uniquely created intricate characters, had exceptional usage of description, and applied complex narration methods that were all essential in creating this thriving literary work. Kidd wrote with extraordinary detail, and gained my complete attention. The Secret Life of Bee’s strived to connect to the readers by painting vivid pictures, allowing one to relate both physically and emotionally. Sue Monk Kidd created situations so that anyone could relate in either past or present time, fully involving their imagination and attention.
.:Reflection Essay - An Unforgettable Decision:.
**I was having difficulty with keeping the format of spacing and paragraphs the same as I had them for some reason…sorry!**
As we venture through life, we are faced with an infinite amount of choices. Often when approached with a decision we subconsciously know what is right or wrong, yet other times we follow our instincts to make a proper judgment call. Since questions range in weight of importance, such as choosing if you should eat another slice of pizza, or if you should throw a rock through someone’s window, we rely on what we’ve learned and observed in the past to steer us in the right direction. However, does each person care enough to incorporate lessons learned in their decisions? The United States is often referred to as the “land of opportunity,” a place filled with freedom, free of judgment, where individuality can thrive. Each person is given the power to make decisions and judgments; however, who is the one that determines if the decision is the right one? When we look at teachers for example, if they scold a student one may consider it to be excessive, yet others may feel it to be appropriate. Is it their freedom to speak and act freely without judgment? Should a higher level of discretion be placed upon individuals such as teachers so that someone can say that they did the right thing to teach you a lesson or if they were just being cruel?
I suppose my first true experience with a situation such as this would reach back to when my parents had enrolled my sister, Amanda, and I into a new school known as St. Joseph’s. The idea of having to enter a Catholic school for Amanda and I was very overwhelming. However, Amanda would often broadcast to my parents and me something along the lines of, “I’m going to be a fourth grader! I wonder how many people are in my class…Even if there is 30 of ‘em, I’m gonna make them all my friends!” This further proved the fact that she was a bit warmer to the idea of change. A couple of days before school started, if she saw me pouting about the idea of the first day of school, she would come over to give me a big hug and say, “School is going to be fun! You’ll get to make new friends!” This was the first time we had ever transferred to a different school and though she was younger, at this point in time she had proven to be the braver one.
Amanda had attended public school for most of her childhood while also receiving the support of a tutor multiple times a week. My parents had made it their primary goal that Amanda would not be faced with frustration, rather provided the tools to succeed to the best of her ability. When my parents decided that we were moving, they went into St. Josephs for multiple meetings to make sure that they would be able to provide Amanda the same help that had been upheld in the past. St. Josephs assured my parents that they had the training necessary for Amanda’s success, including Orton-Gilliamham techniques. The Orton-Gilliamham approach significantly helps learning for students that have Dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Since Dyslexia often runs in families and varies from mild to severe, it is no surprise that my mother and two of my grandparents are also dyslexic. Therefore, since this is a common learning disability in our family, my parents made an extra effort to make sure that Amanda would be taught as much as possible with the Orton-Gilliamham approach to increase the likelihood of minimizing reading and writing problems.
During the first couple of weeks, as soon as the bus stopped at the end of the driveway, Amanda’s feet would hit the concrete and begin to run all the way to the house to rip open the front door letting out a big, “WE”RE HOME!!” Since both my parents worked and didn’t get home until an hour after we arrived, she typically made this announcement to our dog. However, this didn’t discourage her; she would wait for either parent to come home and as they made their way into the door she would begin her proclamation of every activity they had embarked on during the course of the day. With much excitement, “GUESS WHAT WE DID TODAY!?” and a couple moments later we’d hear, “I”LL TELL YAH! First…And then we…But I really liked…” She seemed to be enjoying school and I thought that this was something I needed to take notice of.
Over the next couple weeks as I became more content with my new atmosphere, I noticed that my sister was becoming more detached. Amanda’s daily announcements seemed to be getting shorter, and when she got off the bus one day and didn’t instantly dart to the house, I began to wonder. When we got into the house and she didn’t yell her welcoming message to the dog, I approached her, “Amanda, what did you do today at school?”
She quickly replied, “Nothing, just school stuff.”
Unsure why she wasn’t showing her typical positive energy I asked, “What kind of school stuff? The stuff you do is more fun than the stuff I do.”
A couple moments later she turned and looked at me, “JUST STUFF! LEAVE ME ALONE! School isn’t fun anymore because my teacher doesn’t like me!”
Trying to reassure her, I stated with a smile that I hoped to rub off on her, “Your teacher does too like you, she has no choice!” When Amanda’s mouth didn’t even begin to form a smile, I realized that I had no idea what my nine year old sister was truly dealing with.
It was a Tuesday afternoon when the bell rang in celebration announcing the day had finally come to an end. I quickly darted out of the classroom and headed to the gym readying myself for dismissal. When I walked over to the table where my bus number was displayed, signifying my method to escape, I realized that my mother was sitting on the bench waiting for me. Thinking that her presence meant that we were doing something exciting after school, I was surprised when she greeted me quickly and informed me that she had to speak with one of Amanda’s teachers. Leading me down the hall toward Amanda’s classroom I became excited as I saw Amanda sitting outside the door surrounded by markers and coloring books. Yet, as we came closer I could feel my mother’s fury begin to build through the grip she had on my hand and the pace in which I could barely keep up with. My excitement quickly changed to concern as Amanda slowly raised her head displaying her eyes full of tears pouring down her face. As my mother released my hand and bent down to give Amanda a hug, I knew that something was wrong.
As I sat beside my sister, she didn’t say anything except, “I want to go home.” Even though I was only thirteen years old I knew that for some reason this wasn’t a time to make fun of her for crying or the situation we were in. The two of us sat quietly outside the door on the cold tiled floor as we listened to the voices of three individuals speaking loudly. While our mother’s voice continued to seep through the slots in the door, I looked down at my sister’s drawing that she had been working on before I had joined her. The drawing was filled with water marks caused by the tears dripping off her face. I realized that I hadn’t seen my sister this upset in a long time. Amanda and I sat there not saying a word and simply continued to color. After an hour or so we were startled by the door opening and breaking the deafening silence between the two of us. As we looked up we saw the principal quickly make her way back to her office, and moments later, our mother came out of the room ready to bring us home. On the way out to the car and the entire trip home my mother kept telling my sister that she loved her and that everything was going to be ok. It wasn’t until later that I would find out what was going on.
Once we pulled into the driveway and made our way into the house, we were greeted by our father standing in the kitchen waiting to give his favorite daughters hugs. After giving each of us a big hug and kiss we all sat at the table to discuss what had happened. With my mother’s hand wrapped around Amanda’s she began to direct her sole attention on her, “I know what happened today upset you terribly and I wish that I could change it all because what your teacher did was completely wrong.” She took a second to compose herself as the tears began to fill her eyes. “Amanda, mommy and daddy love you very much. You are a beautiful, funny, artistic, and a SMART young girl. And no matter what happened today, those things about you will never change. Sometimes people say things that are completely wrong, even adults… Is it ok with you that we tell Cara what happened?”
With my little sister’s face filled with sadness she slowly disagreed, “I want to tell her…” A couple moments later she wiped the tears off her cheeks, “Yesterday after my teacher handed back all the science tests she told everyone that had a good grade to come to her desk so that she could put a sticker on it and hang it up in the hall. I thought I did great….so; I went up to her desk just like everyone else in the class and waited on line to get my sticker. When it was my turn she said that I didn’t deserve a sticker. She said that I didn’t do good on the test and that I had to go sit back down in my chair.” I could see my sister’s eyes filling to the brim with tears as she continued, “I didn’t know why she thought I did bad. You know what mommy and daddy always say. ‘As long as you try your hardest, that’s all that matters.’ And I did! So I went to the end of the line and waited all over again. When she looked up at me she said that she had already told me that I didn’t do good and that I shouldn’t be proud of my grade. I didn’t know what she meant by this, because I was proud of it…you know how science is hard for me. Because I didn’t move away from her desk, she ripped the test out of my hand and said that she would hang my test up later.” I could see how my sister was replaying the day in her head, while we all listened silently. “Well, today when I got to school, I saw that everyone’s tests were hanging out in the hall, so I looked to find mine. But when I found mine, there was a sticker over my grade so no one could see how good I did! When I got my teacher and showed her that there was a sticker over my grade she said that she “didn’t want me to be embarrassed.” I didn’t get why I would be embarrassed, so I told her that I wasn’t and that she could take the sticker off. She then got really mad, took my hand and led me into the classroom. She grabbed my desk and dragged it to the front of the classroom so that it was touching her desk. Then in front of all my friends she said that I would get a grade I was proud of if I paid more attention.”
You could see that Amanda was really upset by all that had happened. She honestly couldn’t understand why her teacher was so mean to her the past couple days. With one last big breath she said, “I started to cry in front of everyone… I told her that I wanted to go home and then I left the classroom to go to the main office. That’s when I called mommy and she came to get us.” For the next couple of minutes, I began to tune out everything that was going on around me. I couldn’t imagine being in a situation like she had been in. As my parents continued to comfort Amanda and excuse her from the table, I sat there in disbelief.
Prior to my sister entering the school, my parents had made it a point to inquire about their services that they could provide for Amanda since she is Dyslexic. Understanding that Dyslexia causes difficulty learning to read and understanding written language should have been Amanda’s teacher’s top priority, rather than humiliation. Over the course of the next couple weeks, it wasn’t rare to see my mother leaving meetings at school. Amanda’s teacher had completely changed her attitude, which could quite possibly be attributed to her newly required attendance to Orton-Gillingham programs. However, the following year Amanda left St. Joseph’s and transferred to Kildonan, a Dyslexic school in Amenia, New York. She welcomed this idea especially since she attended Dunnabeck, a Dyslexic camp founded in 1955, which was held at Kildonan during the summer time.
Did you know that you live in a country with an estimated one out of five people possessing a learning disability? Approximately twenty percent of your country struggles with such situations, yet eighty-five percent of those people, are known to have Dyslexia. Dyslexic students often have difficulty making basic connections between letters and their sounds, thus increasing the complexity of spelling, writing, and speaking. You are surrounded by people that have been diagnosed with Dyslexia without even knowing it in most cases. Leonardo da Vinci, William Hewlett, Muhammad Ali, George Washington, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, and Roger Williams are only a selected few of the many people that have Dyslexia yet accomplished amazing successes. It is believed that each person is comprised of a certain level of merit, yet judging one’s merit has at times become the prime focus of some. It seems hard to grasp why there are so many levels of obstacles still to this day, not only for those with learning disabilities but race, gender, religion, and so on.
Az the hiztory of onr cuontre continus to be mrittin we cau only hoqe to lern from the qast instances aud iwbrace eht distinktiveness of qoeple, snch az Amanda and me.
.:Action Speaks Louder Than Words:.
I suppose my first true experience with a situation such as this would reach back when my parents had enrolled my sister, Amanda, and I into a new school known as St. Joseph’s. The idea of having to enter a Catholic school for Amanda and I was in itself very overwhelming. However, Amanda would often broadcast to my parents and me something along the lines of, “I’m going to be a fourth grader! I wonder how many people are in my class…Even if there is 30 of them, I’m gonna make them all my friends!” This on further proved the fact that she was a bit warmer to the idea of change. A couple days before school started if she saw me pouting about the idea of the first day of school, she would come over to give me a big hug and say, “Schools going to be fun! You’ll get to make new friends! We get to be on the school bus longer too!” This was the first time that we had ever transferred to a different school and though she was younger, at this point in time she had proven to be the braver one.
During the first couple of weeks, as soon as Amanda’s feet hit the concrete at the end of our driveway at the end of each school day, she would run all the way to the house and rip open the front door letting out a big, “WE”RE HOME!!” Since both my parents worked and didn’t get home until an hour after we arrived, she typically made this announcement to our dog. However, this didn’t discourage her; rather she would wait for either parent to come home and as they made their way into the door she would begin her proclamation of every activity they had embarked on during the course of the day. With much excitement, “GUESS WHAT WE DID TODAY!!??” and a couple moments later we’d hear, “I”LL TELL YAH! First…And then we…But I really liked…” She seemed to be enjoying school and I thought that this was something I needed to take notice of.
Over the next couple weeks as I became more content with my new atmosphere, I noticed that my sister was becoming more detached. Amanda’s daily announcements seemed to be getting shorter, and when she got off the bus one day and didn’t instantly dart to the house, I began to wonder. When we got into the house and she didn’t yell her welcoming message to the dog, I approached her, “Amanda, what did you do today at school?”
She quickly replied, “Nothing, just school stuff.”
Unsure why she wasn’t showing her typical positive energy I asked, “What kind of school stuff? The stuff you do and the stuff I do is different.”
A couple moments later she turned and looked at me, “JUST STUFF! LEAVE ME ALONE! School isn’t fun anymore because my teacher doesn’t like me!”
Trying to reassure her I stated with a smile that I hoped to rub off on her, “Your teacher does too like you, she has no choice!”When Amanda’s mouth didn’t even begin to form a smile, I realized that I had no idea what my nine year old sister was truly dealing with.
Before:
I suppose my first true experience with a situation such as this would reach back when my parents had enrolled my sister, Amanda, and I into a new school known as St. Joseph’s. The idea of having to enter a Catholic school for Amanda and I was in itself very overwhelming. Amanda, who was entering the 4th grade, seemed to be a bit warmer to the idea of change. This was the first time that we had ever transferred to a different school and though she was younger, at this point in time she had proven to be the braver one. During the first couple of weeks, it wasn’t uncommon for Amanda to come home from school and announce to the entire family each and every activity they had embarked on during the course of the day. She seemed to be enjoying school and I thought that this was something I needed to take notice of. Over the next couple weeks as I became more content with my new atmosphere, I noticed that my sister was becoming more detached. When I asked her why she wasn’t as excited as she used to be, she would simply indicate that school wasn’t any fun and she didn’t think that her teacher liked her very much. Without elaborating, I had no idea what my nine year-old sister was truly dealing with.
.:Reflection:.
The United States is often referred to as the “land of opportunity”, a place filled with freedom and where individuality can thrive. However, in a place that holds such an ambitious and equal opportunity atmosphere, how is it that discrimination has consumed such a large portion of our conflicts? Throughout history we have seen an internal battle taking place, judging one’s qualities and taking notice of the differences people hold between each other. How is it that we live in a society that can be seen as accommodating to success and prosperity yet harmful to others due to certain characteristics they hold? It is believed that each person comprises a certain level of merit, yet judging ones merit has at times become the prime focus of some. Over many years our country has strived to attain freedom and create a society filled with unique individuals of varying races, religions, ages, national origins and other such attributes. However, have we reached a point in time where these wonderfully unique qualities are acting against individuals in a society that is supposed to be filled with equal opportunity? Is treating someone less favorably because of their race, age, gender, family status, disability, and/or language spoken morally justified? It seems hard to comprehend that in a country filled with opportunity there are so many levels of obstacles. As the history of our country continues to be written, we can learn from the past instances of discrimination that have consumed decades at a time. In a country filled with individuality the presence of discrimination must be discriminated against. The elimination of unjust reasoning will reunite our country with its distinctiveness.
.:Mind Twisting Aphorisms:.
1. The keyboard cannot type untouched.
2. My mind works without knowing.
3. Anger cannot exist without action.
4. Beautiful icicles can tear trees down.
5. We write quickly but often don’t know how to spell.
6. Dull paper still cuts.
7. The ink in a pen is useless without a mind.
8. Time can run but also crawl.
9. Wet puddles have a dry sense of humor.
10. Advice when most needed, isn’t heeded.
11. Sadness cannot occur without happiness.
12. Water cannot quench without thirst.
13. Impatience befriends frustration.
14. Individuality exists only in a group.
15. Nothing is more numbing than anger.
16. Words can please but also hurt.
17. The oil lives in the ground but heats my house.
18. Confusion creates clarity.
19. Beware when confusion marries ignorance.
20. One’s thoughts can create a flood.
21. Tears come from all emotions, yet smiles only come from one.
22. You can never hate someone more than the one you love the most.
23. Regret can make one paralyzed.
24. Even unplanned journeys leave a path.
25. One can be tough but quiver inside.
.:Description:.
In The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards, there are many instances of where the author uses descriptive language to describe the characters surroundings and themselves. I thought it was interesting how the author would pay attention to such detail as a strand of hair running across her face, or other features that stood out to him/her. By incorporating such detail I felt the ease to relate and captivate my attention heighten. The personal level between the reader and the writer that is created due to this technique not only brings a comfort but strengthens the work itself as a whole.
Descriptive Paragraph:
As I watched the water rush by my feet, my eyes began to focus in on how the water wrapped itself around each stone lining the floor. With its speed of pushing downstream, the gurgling rumble became deafening, muffling out everything else around me. Placing my fingers in the brisk winter water, it instantly wrapped around each one as if they too were part of its path. The snowy banks were slowly being washed away, causing small white chunks to be whisked around with the motion of the water bouncing from one stone to another. Each chunk of snow would take a different path. The snow was carried downstream until it could no longer hold together and completely melted. Lining the edges of the stream were countless types of footprints from all the animals that had earlier come for a drink. With my bright red cheeks from the cold winter weather, I sat on a rock bundled in my jacket admiring the never ending motion and change. What I loved even more was how this stream allowed for the past fifteen minutes to feel like a calming hour had gone by.
