Linda Sue Park Article

I completely agree with what Linda Sue Park is saying about demanding quality books for children. Children generally do not know and do not care whether the book they are reading is written by a celebrity or not. Good literature is very important for children, because they are still learning what good literature means. It would be a complete shame for a child to read a bad book that is popular and recommended on the shelves simply because the author of it is a celebrity. All children deserve to learn by reading the best literature that is available to them.
An example of good literature, in my opinion, is the book Esperanza Rising. In this book, the characters are all believable and the author makes sure that the readers understand why Esperanza acts the way she acts. I think that it is a very enjoyable book that offers important lessons for children. They are able to read Esperanza’s story and learn from it. I think that the lesson of being humble is applicable to all school children; every student could benefit from reading this book. Copper Sun is also an example of good literature for children to read. It introduces them to a scary topic in a way that they can handle.
A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park, is another example of excellent literature. The story was a great read and had a lot of meaning in it. I believe that Park took a great deal of time and effort in writing this novel. This book is interesting to analyze in terms of the article, because both the book and the paper were written by the same author. It is very reassuring to read the article by Park and know that she values children’s literature in such an intense way.
While adult literature is very important, children’s literature may be the most important thing written. Children are introduced to so many topics through the books they read. They also are strongly influenced by what they learn in these books. It is important that children are introduced to quality literature from the second they begin reading, because it will impact their outlooks from that moment, on. I really hope that all children’s book authors realize that they are helping to sculpt the minds of the next generation and take their jobs as seriously as Linda Sue Park.

Beach Article

In Esperanza Rising, Esperanza’s little friend, Isabel, did not win the Queen of May award in her class, even though she had the highest grades out of everyone. Isabel did not win the award because one of her classmates, a white girl, was selected by the teacher. This book demonstrates the argument that the Beach article makes about Affirmative Action. Although many are opposed to Affirmative Action because they think it is unfair, they do not realize that the “playing field” is also unfair. For example, Isabel clearly did not win the award simply because she is a minority. After a few more big disappointments, Isabel may decide that school and education is just not for her. This is unfair because Isabel is actually very smart; she just didn’t get the support and encouragement her classmate got from her teacher. If Isabel continues to try her best in school, she deserves extra consideration because of the outside prejudices that she had to deal with that her classmates did not.
Fender also plays a large role in understanding and relating with characters in literature. For example, in Fresh Girl I could identify with Mardi because I remember what it is like to be in school and have a crush on the cutest boy in class. Although my life has been absolutely nothing like Mardi’s life, I definitely understood her feelings for Santos and could relate to her. Although I am sure that the boys who read this novel were definitely able to somewhat relate to her (because they have had crushes on someone in their class before), I think that as a female I can better relate with her character. This proves that race and ethnicity are not the only important characteristics to consider when an audience tries to relate to a character.
It is very important to discuss perspectives in class because students in the classroom are different genders, come from different backgrounds, and have different experiences. While a student may not understand a character at first (when reading the book), the student may gain a better understanding when a classmate relates to the character. Each student has different perspectives and brings something unique to the discussion. I think that classroom discussions are the most important part of English classes. Discussions are usually much more beneficial and informative for me than writing papers or listening to lectures. Students listen and learn from each other when discussing books. Even if they cannot relate directly to a book, classmates CAN relate to their classmates; hence, if a classmate can relate to a novel, so can they.
The section where SM, KK, and MM are arguing reminds me of Copper Sun. Amari is repeatedly raped by her master because to him she is simply a piece of property. Throughout the novel, however, it does seem that he begins to develop tender feelings towards her. Although he does seem to begin to like her, I believe that it is strictly sexual. Even if he did begin to love her, he never would respect her or treat her the way he would treat a white woman. His affection is worthless because it could never develop into anything because of their race (and the fact that he is evil). Sure enough, in the end, he chases her as she runs for her freedom. Ultimately, he views her as his property, not as a human with real thoughts and feelings who has reasons to desire her freedom.

Research Paper

I will be doing my research paper on how females are treated and valued in different cultures and societies. A woman’s role is different in every culture. In some cultures, women are valued and respected more than men. In other cultures, they have no rights and are not allowed any privileges, including decision making (even for themselves). In yet, other cultures, women have the same rights and privileges as men. I want to examine the role of females in different cultures and how they are portrayed in adolescent literature. My major points will include the roles of grown women: are they the head of the household, the breadwinner, the decision maker, or are they basically a servant to their husbands and society? How are these women portrayed in various children’s books: are they strong or weak characters? I will also examine young girls within different cultures and literature. Are young girls treated the same as young boys? Are they given more or less responsibility? What sorts or choices are they responsible for and how are they raised in comparison to boys? An example of this is that within the Chinese population, baby boys are considered to be worth more than baby girls. Baby Chinese girls are often left in bitches or on the side of the road because a family does not want to raise a girl. I will examine different young females in different children’s books and see how they are raised and treated compared to boys as well as other girls in other cultures. I chose this topic because my best friend’s little sister, Mia, is adopted from China. I have known Sarah and Mia for fifteen years, so the issue of sexism within different societies has always been prevalent in my life. It is something that I have never liked or understood, but also something that intrigues me very much. I will actually enjoy writing this research paper because it is something that I am interested in studying. So far I don’t have any questions about this topic; I think I have a good topic and am excited about learning more through research.
Some sources I have found include:
Ethnic Differences in Sexual Attitudes of U.S. College Students: Gender, Acculturation, and Religiosity Factors.
PROMOTING EQUALITY? GENDERED MESSAGES IN STATE MATERIALS FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS.
Malay Women's Responses to a Changing World: A Feminist Postcolonial Reading of Ellina binti Abdul Majid's Perhaps in Paradise.
Playing with fire Gender at work and the Australian female cultural experience within rural fire fighting
Status and Gender: The Paradox of Progress in an Age of Narcissism.