camping

Cat in the Hat blog

In the book the Cat in the Hat there is one character that’s stands out to me as a super ego. A super ego can be explained as a person who’s personality is very morally orientated. A super ego is explained as the dictator who’s values and morals are determined from the right thing to do. This super ego is usually represented as an angel sitting on ones shoulder. I feel that the character that is a super ego in the story Cat in the Hat is the fish.

One reason I feel the fish is a super ego is because from the beginning of the story, once the cat is in the house, the fish starts testifying that the mom clearly stated no one can be in the house when she is out. So once the cat arrives in the house the fish keeps saying “No,no,no” to the cats games. This is an example of a super ego because in this situation the fish is being very cautious about the children’s activities in order to please mother.

Another example in which the fish portrays a super ego is when thing one and thing two are introduced to the house an released by the cat. In the pictures you can see the saddened and angered look on the fish’s face. His expressions shows that he knows that this is not acceptable and eventually his feelings wear off onto the kids. This is an example of a super ego because both examples show how the fish was listening to his angels voice on his shoulder, or the mothers words in the beginning of the story. This decision about the whole events in this day were formed by others morals, that is one prime example of a super ego.

The fish, throughout the book, showed several examples of a super ego. From the beginning in which he protests that the cat should not be in the house because of mothers rules to when the fish persuades the kids to put and end to thing one and thing two. These are both two examples of how the fish demonstrated being a super ego throughout the book.

PERSEPOLIS Blog Response number dos

Describe the writers voice. is it appealing? which aspect of Marji's character do you identify with or like the most, the least? did your reaction to the little girl affect your reading experience?

Satrapis voice throughout the story is one of thoughtfulness and opinions. She always has an opinion or thought about something her father says or her teacher says. She is the kind of girl who appears to herself as if she knows it all and is always right. In real life if I knew some one like this they would probably annoy me, but for the books purpose its appealing. Heres this little girl, who in the midst of this "revolution" and chaos is sticking strong and going against the grain. The main aspect of Marji that I can say I am the most similar to is her strong opinions. I am a very opinionated person and I feel she is too. The aspect of her that I dislike the most is when she brags to her friends about her grandpa. The reaction to Marji, I could say, affected my reading in the sense that it intrigued me to see this eight year old girl thinking so deeply about her environment.

"Every situation has an opportunity for laughs"(pg97) give some examples of how the ordinary citizens of Iran enjoyed life despite the oppressive regime. What made you laugh? How does Satrapi add comic relief? How are these scenes relevant to the story as a whole?

An everyday example of how the citizens of Iran enjoyed life was by parties. Even though they knew they were against the rules of the leaders it was said that if there was no parties that people would go crazy from all the other drama going on. It was the only way to forget about the craziness of the other aspects in their life. In a way a party was like a way for the citizens to step out of their life and into another they wish they could have, but know they couldn't. I cant really think of anything that made me laugh honestly. Satrapi adds comic relief in the book by Marjis opinionated comments and her far out thinking. These scenes are relevant to the story as a whole because the whole book involves Marjis opinions and thoughts.

"In site of everything, kids were trying to look hip, even under risk of arrest." (pg 112) How did they do this? What do you think you would have done had you been a child in this environment? What acts of rebellion did you do as a teen? In what ways is Satrapi just a normal kid?

A perfect example of how Marji tried looking hip was in the chapter Kim Wilde was after her parents came back from Turkey and got Marji what she asked for. She asked for a jacket, two posters and a pin of Michael Jackson. Since these things all represented the West it was against the rules to wear them. Yet Marji did and this was her way of rebelling. I think that if I were a child in that physco environment i would probably be in jail. I don't take lightly to doing things I really don't want to do and I feel I would probably be the same there. I think I would have started a demonstration and tried to get rid of all these crazy sexist rules in Iran. As a teen, which I am still, I think I havn't really done anything rebellious. My parents are really cool and well liberial if I had to label them. So like piercings and tight showy clothes to other families would be considered rebellious but to my family its how I am. So I cant really rebel I guess, I have nothing to rebel over anyways.

PERSEPOLIS Blog Response number uno

Written as a memoir, is Persepolis more powerful than if Satrapi had fictionalized the story? Why or why not? Compare this book to other memoirs you have read. What are the benefits and drawbacks of memoirs?

Well it could be said that if the book was fictionalized it could be just as powerful of a story. Yet I feel that the reason the story was not fictionalized and was kept as a memoir is because it is the truth. Satrapi wants to represent her truth and I think it is best conveyed in the way she made her graphic novel. I feel this book is more powerful then if it were fictionalized because this book is written form truth. This book is not only interesting and educating yet powerful because it is real! I have not read nay other memoirs, i don't read much so I cannot quite compare this memoir to another. I believe the drawbacks of memoirs is that one is speaking the truth, and some people don't like to hear the truth so the author could upset the readers. Yet the benefits to a memoir is that it is a personal story that others could relate to.

How is Persepolis organized and structured? What has Satrapi chosen to emphasize in her childhood? How is the passage of time represented? Describe Satrapis drawings. How do the drawings add to the narrative of the story?

I have noticed from the story that Satrapi has appeared to emphasize her childhood thoughts and opinions through out the book. I also feel that her views of how her country is being ruled are very emphasized just by the comments/thoughts she makes. For example when Marj declare that she is going to protest and goes and protests though told not to. she emphasizes the way she feels about the "current" situation. The passage of time is represented by the current and telling stories of the past. The two time aspects intertwine to give a good idea of time.  Satrapis drawing are not very detailed or colorful, yet they do get the main point across when looked upon. Though not detailed, the pictures are powerful to the story. The drawings add a sense of narration to the story. The pictures in the book give the reader the sense of understanding the context of the book. They pictures also add to the narrative in the sense that Satrapi drew them herself which shows how she represents each situation, in which the reader can try to understand what Satrapi feels/felt.

What is the role of woman in the story? Compare and contrast the various woman: Marj, her mother, her grandmother, her school teachers, the maid, and the neighbors.

From what I have read so far in Persepolis I have picked up on the fact that where Marj lives women are expected to be submissive and "protect" themselves from dangers, for example woman are suppose to wear the veil because if a guy sees there hair it "turns" them on. Its like natural beauty in the woman is hidden. woman are also viewed that they are basically trash and can be used for sex if they don't follow the rules of the leaders. So overall the woman in the book seem to suppose to be very submissive. yet Marj and her mom are very out spoken. Marj speaks up for what she believes and her mother participates in demonstrations against the new rules, they even refuse to wear the veil. The grandmother seems neutral to me so far. She tells stories of her life and it seems that she always lived in fear for her husband. It makes it seem like woman are dependent on the man. The school teachers don't seem to think for themselves and they even impose this on the children by telling them to all wear the veil. The maid is viewed as lower then other woman because off her class. This is how the woman in Persepolis compare in the story. 

Feed final (paper edition)

What does your feed contain and why? My feed contains:

• Pictures of friends- this is in my feed because I think about my friend’s daily. They also are a big reason that I am always smiling and laughing.
• Homosexual ads- this is in my feed because I feel that ALL humans have the same right. A gay person is still made up of the same parts as a straight person, still has the same feelings and should have the same rights. I strongly believe in equality for all and that is why I have the gay ad in my feed.
• Comic strip- the comic strip is in my feed because I love being funny! And it shows a sense of humor I like.
• My boyfriend Zach- well this is the person that is always on my mind. I miss him when im not with him and ive been with him for 2 and ½ years so he’s a big part of my family and me.
• Butterflies- I just love butterfly. They’re so beautiful and they’re the symbol of free to me. That is why they are in my feed.
• Animals- well I have always loved animals and never lived without one. So they’re a big part of my life too. Also they are the reason I know what I want to be when im older, a veterinarian.
• Drawing of a couple – this is part of my feed because to me it symbolizes love and romance. That is important to me and would be in my feed all the time.
• Smiley face- well I love smiling and laughing. Im so happy all the time my nick name is giggles (-:
• Chipotle burrito-OMG my addiction they are delicious and chipotle ads would be in m y feed whenever I was hungry!
• Music notes- music is my entertainment! Music can make my day and set my moods it also occupies me when im bored. Also I love listening to music and then signing along.
• Thought bubbles- those three thoughts are literally what goes through my head every friggin day (not lying) so they had to be in my feed!

 

What does this say about how this defines American culture and identity?

From what would be in my feed it could say many things about the American culture and their identity. I believe that from my feed one can only make generalizations about American culture and that ones feed cannot represent the main parts of American culture. Yet what my feed could say about American culture is that the value food, politics, happiness, and relationships.

 

What are the social implications of technology use, consumerism or anti-consumerism? Are these good or bad? Is it okay to resist?

            The social implications of technology use and consumerism tie together. It seems that every week a new device is coming out. This is implying that it is ok to toss the old and get with the new. Yet it is so wasteful. Most the time the device is a piece of crap or super similar to the last version. It forms our country to be on of waste! Well the main social implication is bad, since when is wasting good? And of course it’s okay to resist. A perfect example of these is all the people who jumped on the “ go green” wagon. It is okay to resist but it is very hard!

How does media, consumerism, reliance on technology, and/or popular culture personally affect you? Do they mold us? Or do we mold them?

Personally reliance on technology and consumerism affects me quite a bit. But not any more then others I know. I shop at least two times a week, yet every time I go shopping there’s always something that “ we need” when really we don’t. We always find something to need. And I go a little crazy without my cell phone. It’s the way I connect with people. I think technology molds us in a way but cannot complitly mold us. We mold technology though too. The only reason it exists is because we want it. We design it to what we want, so yes we mold technology too.

 

How does it impact you? Define you? What does it say about your personal habits, your individuality?

            Technology and consumerism impact me in a good way. I mean it makes things ten times more convenient. I don’t even need to memorize phone numbers, or have a calculator, or worry about a schedule. My devices can do that all for me.  It defines me in not such a big way. If I had to say it defined me I would be lying, I CAN live without a cell phone or going shopping all the time, it would suck, but I could do it. This says about my personal habits that I rely on the current situation of my life to keep me going and it also shows that I an like the whole world are getting lazy since these devices do everything for them.

 

If there is a moral to the story, what is it?

         Yes there is a moral to feed. The main moral is that if we keep up the technological usage like today and only advance it we could end up brainless and having technology control us. It is a symbol of how we are today.

 

Are people anything without the feed, in the world of the story?

What does the feed interlude at the end of the book mean (everything must go…)?

             Yes people are “anything” without the feed. They don’t fit in as well but they are way smarter and are more then the people with feeds will probably ever be. Look at Violet. When “Everything must go.” is being repeated over and over at the end of the book it is saying that our habits of today must be left behind if we as a country and world don’t want to be a bunch of mindless idiots letting a corporation and a microchip control their life, CHANGE!

watch this to laugh ( has nothing to do with FEED, yet is funny)