Book Discussion Prep: Week #2

I feel that Lauren keeps saying 'God is Change' because Lauren's God is not strict or rigid. He or she doesn’t have to stay a certain way forever just like people do not stay the same forever. She believes people change all the time throughout their life and whatever God they believe in must do the same as well. One God is not made for everyone because everyone is different and they can not all follow the same rules. Much like a utopian community, it is different for everyone.  So I feel that when she says God is change she means God can change. Whatever 'God' is to someone it will always be right because it is right to that person. She does not want to be judged because her God might be different from someone elses and she thinks god should not judge someone because they are different.

What do you think she means when she says God is Change?

Is it a good thing that Lauren is preparing for people to attack their community? Why won’t other people prepare?

What do you think it meant when Lauren’s dad said their guns would be the only things that would save them?

Blog #18 - Fiction Journal: Week #2

Lauren is starting to act different after Amy Dunn is killed. Amy was killed by a random shot that came through the wall. Lauren starts to talk to her friend Joanne about how people should prepare for the end. She says people will come over the walls at some point to take over their community and steal all of their things. She was sounding a little crazy in how she was explaining herself, but what she was saying made a lot of sense. When she suggested “I think we should make emergency packs---grab and run packs---in case we have to get out of here in a hurry”(58) As she is telling her friend Joanne this  Joanne is just getting more and more freaked out when the book said “She looked uncomfortable. I’m still not sure we can really do anything”(59) Instead of being supportive and realizing that it is better to expect the worse and hope for the best she blows off all of what Lauren was saying. I think she was acting this way because she is afraid for her friend, Lauren, but she is also very afraid that what Lauren is saying is the truth and she wouldn’t know how to handle the situation if it happened. I think it is very difficult for people to force themselves to think about worst case scenarios.  The fact that they are hard to think about it also makes it very difficult to prepare for them.  People find it much easier to think that things will work out and everything will be fine.  

Book Discussion Prep: Week #1

Parable of the sower has a type of world with no real governing power. They explain that somehow the world has essentially come to an end. There is not much left in the world, resources are scarce and some supplies are low. Crime is very high where they live because no one really enforces any laws. It has gotten so bad that they have built up a huge wall around their community so they can live in a safe area. They leave one time and talk about all the poor people, drunks, druggies, rapes, murders and even a headless person just laying on the ground. They have to travel in big groups and carry shotguns everywhere they go so people will not try to murder them and steal their things.

How is the main characters problem of not being able to talk to her father about important topics so relatable to kids in the real world?

There are a lot of kids that are still unable to talk to their parents about topics that might mean a lot to them.

How old is the main character?

How do you feel about the parents spending money and putting lives in danger to have their kids baptized? I feel they should have asked the kids what they thought about it first and then the kids that wanted it done would have to have it done inside the walls where it was safe. 

Blog #6 - Fiction Journal: Week #1

The main character in The Parable of the Sower, has the problem of living in a community with a lot of religious people but she does not believe in the same things as all of them. She talks about the time she goes outside of the walls of her gated community to be baptized. When she is doing that she also explains what she believes. She says she believes in something but she has not said what yet. Almost like she thinks there is a higher power of some kind but it does not have the same name as everyone else's god. She does not understand why they are having some adults and kids leave the walls and risking their lives to be baptized. She talks about how a lot of the parents are willing to spend money, that none of them really have, on good water that they are not going to even drink. The problem gets bigger when she is unable to talk to her father about her feelings because she is too afraid of what he might think or say, so she ends up going along to be baptized. I agree with the girl about the baptisms. If they really wanted to baptize kids the kids should be asked first if they are old enough to understand and then take the ones that want to be baptized and just do it in someone's house. It should mean all the same no matter where it's done. Her father should be understanding enough to let her talk to him about this kind of thing.

Blog assignment 15

I do not think a utopian community can thrive long term for a number of reasons. A utopian community is a different idea to everyone. If you asked 100 people what a utopian community was to them you would get 100 different answers. A utopian community can only be made up of people that are happy doing whatever it is they are doing. People working in a an office would have to be happy working in an office and the people digging holes would have to be happy digging holes. It would be nearly impossible to find that many people happy with their jobs in all different types of fields. Money would also have to be taken out all together because when people don't have enough money they are unhappy. It would also be nearly impossible to get people to agree on what would be "enough" money. We would have to make it seem like everyone has enough money all the time so they won't have to worry about anything. A utopian community can only work if made up by people that all think alike and are willing to work together. On the other hand it could also be made up by people who are opposite because opposites are known to attract. For example you may have a leader and a follower in a group and that would balance it out, but to put two leaders or two followers in a group would cause tension. It would be so hard to get any amount of people that think the same or in such a way that problems do not come up. I do not think any amount of change in today's society will make a utopian community. Someone will always want something different or won't agree with what the majority is doing. People also can not work in large groups without a head or a leader but a utopian community can not have a leader because someone will either not agree with them or try to take them over. Also, if you have one person in power there is a very high likeliness that they may abuse their position of power. They would use it to benefit themselves.  With whoever would be in power there is a very high chance of them abusing their power to only benefit themselves. That will cause problems and ruin the utopian society. Personally I don't think a utopian society can exist.  At the very most it would be a group of people, with similar likes, living a very simple life. Another hurdle to get over when making a utopian community is crime and punishment. Sooner or later somebody is going to do something wrong. The people as a whole would have to decide what should be done to punish the crime.  The problem again is getting a group of people, small or large, to agree how severe the crime was, and how severe the punishment should be.  The are too many combinations of factors that would play a part in this and make it practically impossible to be agreed upon.  I think several small groups can live as a utopian society, but for the most part a large group would more than likely never really achieve utopia.

Blog assignment 14

At the end of The Handmaid's Tale, before the historical notes, the story leaves us not knowing the complete story. It ends with Offred being taken away by Nick and two Eyes that may or may not be a part of the network. At that point we are left wondering a number of things and wanting more. This is good however, it keeps it interesting. The historical notes gives us some information on what happened after she was taken away. We end up having to put a lot of the story together ourselves, using both the handmaids tale and the historical notes. I believe that Nick and the two Eyes were a part of the network and took Offred to a safe house. From there she was probably hidden and taken from house to house in basements or addicts and she happened to find a recorder along the way. Whenever she found time she recorded her story on cassettes. Just before the border to freedom she got busted and left the cassettes behind in a footlocker. It just seems like another example of someone breaking the rules and being brought down by the man so close to freedom.

Blog assignment 13

I felt the ending of The Handmaid's Tale was very well put together. It made me continue to think more about the ideas and topics of the book after I finished reading. The Handmaid's Tale itself did not have an ending that summed up everything. It did not answer all of the questions I wanted it to answer and I know that was probably for the better. The Handmaid's Tale ended with Offred being taken away by two eyes that may or may not have been in the Network. The historical notes ended with us questioning what part of the story was true. Overall the ending to this book was definitely done right.

Blog assignment 12

To Whom it may concern,

If you are reading this it means I have decided to end my life.  I saw that my fate was in my hands and there was nothing I could do to change it. I did this to save us all from further pain. First, do not be sad.  Do not mourn me and do not miss me.  I am happy with what I have done with my life.  I have served my purpose.  Our world has become a very messed up place with a lot of injustice, but I have done all that I've could before my time has come and I need you to continue and to carry on my work. I belonged to a group called mayday.  We fought against the injustice of the Republic of Gilead because we believe what they stand for is wrong. I do not leave behind much for anyone because as you know we can not have any possessions. All I can leave you is the benefit of what I know. Stay strong.  Keep your head down.  Don't forget where it is that you came from.  Although it may seem really bleak and very difficult at times you need to keep moving forward in the hope and belief that you can make a difference and that maybe things can change for the better.  

Blog assignment 11

I love to go for hikes or walks deep in any wooded and rural areas with my family and friends to take nature pictures. I distinctly remember this one time I went out with my friend to get pictures just as the sun was going down because that is the perfect time to get pictures. The day started out really well. I picked her up and we drove to the park to start our walk. The weather was really nice, it was warm with a bit of a breeze. It was an easy short walk before the view got really nice. We were taking pictures of everything from little bugs and birds to the trees with extremely green leaves. Everything was so alive and beautiful. Not only was the day picture perfect, but it was crisp and clear. We accidentally walked up on a small creek just as the sun was hitting it so perfectly. We were taking a few pictures and suddenly across the way we spotted a deer and surprisingly enough it did not even run from us. Almost as if it was posing for its picture. At least that's what I would like to tell you happened this day. Unfortunately this was just the opposite and it was a very unlucky day for us. I was running a little late to pick up my friend and when I arrived she was more than a little annoyed with me.  She finally got over it and we arrived at the park.  Just as we got there the clouds started to set in and the day was fast becoming dark.  We were very worried about our equipment and rain so we hurried around taking as many pictures as possible.  The setting was less than ideal as it was early spring and things were still dull and dark.  Not quite the color we were hoping for.  It was at this time when the deer appeared, but as my luck was going, in my rush I had missed grabbing my wide angle lens and the shot was very hard to get.