English Composition II Blog
Jillian DiLucido and Scott Exler Professor Sabatino Mangini 5-10-17 Eng 112 Juliana and Frank: Love and Conforming Section 1: Introduction: In this project I (Jillian DiLucido) and Scott Exler are using multi-genres to retell the major theme of conformity in season 1 of The Man in the High Castle. The episodes we covered vary from later in the season to the first five. Conformity is a fickle thing, and we decided that it was best to focus on the episodes in which conformity appeared the most. The love between Frank and Juliana helped both of them challenge the bonds of conformity. Although conformity is the main theme of this project, anger and hatred also play an important role in the retelling of this series. Section 2: Summary of The Man In the High Castle: On the west coast, there is Juliana. Juliana is an American woman who studies in Aikido. She is tolerating living in the Japanese controlled city of San Francisco with her boyfriend, Frank. That is until her sister mysteriously shows up with a film explaining that this film could change everything. After Juliana’s sister is killed by the Japanese, Juliana takes it upon herself to take the mysterious film into the neutral zone to a town called Canon. Here she is supposed to meet someone to take the film off her hands. Juliana, while in Canon is still waiting for her contact to find her and tell her what to do with the film. . Juliana Meets a nice elderly man who introduces her to the Bible, and after hearing a verse that particularly strikes her she decides to go and by it from a local book store. Juliana, upon meeting the man, and learning he is her contact is relieved, until the man tries to throw her off a bridge. Luckily Joe comes and together they kill the man and appear to be becoming even closer. Frank back in San Francisco. He has been captured by the Japanese and is being tortured for information about Juliana. After hearing that the Japanese killed his sister and her children as a torture technique to get him to talk, it is revealed, to the Japanese, that that Juliana is not the woman they are after, we of course know that she is. Frank is then released. After killing the Assassin Joe and Juliana head back to the hotel to calm themselves and re-gather their wits. Realizing that this was not in fact the man Juliana was supposed to meet the two surmise that they must leave. Surmising if the bounty hunter finds to body of the assassin he might put everything together, Joe and Juliana find the body and put it to the bottom of the river. Frank, after being released he goes to visit his brother in law. Telling him everything that happened. Frank continues to love in depression until his friend from work comes to check on him. The friend continues to make excuses for Frank as to why he isn’t at work, but his patience is running thin and he wants his friend back. Eventually Frank does go back, but he goes back with a purpose. Why there he makes an illegal gun. His intentions are to get back at everyone who has recently wronged him, starting at the top. Juliana continues to be pursued by the bounty hunter through the abandoned building. While trying to escape, she is cornered. Before the Bounty hunter can kill her, Joe hits him over the head and the two are able to escape. While trying to escape, Juliana stops Joe and tells him they must go find Lem, the local diner owner. Juliana goes to talk to him only to find out that he is the contact she was supposed to meet. Lem then leads them into a trap and takes both of their tapes and leaves them stranded. After Juliana gets away, she gets a call from Ed, Franks work friend. He tells her she needs to get back because Frank is about to do something crazy. Juliana leaves immediately. Frank has decided that he wants to kill the Prince of Japan, as revenge for what happened to him and his sister. After making a gun he goes and purchases bullets at great cost. Frank had the gun at the ready, but after looking at a young Japanese boy, he decides not to and lowers the gun. At that moment two gunshots are fired and the Japanese prince is shot. Frank, worried people who saw he had a gun might think it was him, so he flees. Frank quickly hides the gun and runs away. . Juliana has gotten home, only to be embraced by a cold and distance Frank. He wants nothing to do with her, and that causes Juliana to worry. Juliana then goes to visit her parents for they have been worried about her. They inform her about Franks situation and what happened to Franks sister and children. Juliana tries to comfort Frank but to no avail. Juliana tries to seek some warmth only to find she has been banned from the dojo in which she practices. She eventually decides she wants to continue helping the resistance, so she goes for a job in the Japanese government. In her interview, she decides she can’t take the job and runs out. Juliana and Frank. After a fight, in which Frank learns Juliana killed a man, with the help of another man he storms out. Franks life is falling apart, and while this turmoil is going on with Juliana, the Japanese are now looking for who shot their prince. The Japanese boy and father who saw Frank with the gun have led the chief investigator to Franks work, and to the man who sold him the bullets. After a violent altercation with the man who sold the bullets to Frank, the two agree that their continued silence on the subject is the best solution for both their problems. Juliana on the other hand goes another route. She gets a job for the Japanese government. She is working for Tagomi. Juliana, on the other hand, is starting to make amends with Frank. They are talking and apologizing to each other. Then, as Juliana is walking from work, she sees what she believes is Trudy, her sister, in a crowd. She tries to follow her but quickly loses sight. Back at his shop Frank confronts him. Frank puts a business proposition in front of him. Frank will make counterfeit antiques and Childan will sell them. Frank and Childan attempt to have their first deal. Frank drops off the necklace to Childan, who, in turn takes it to a family that is interested. Childan makes the sale, and promptly returns to Frank to give him the good news and to discuss further ventures. Frank turns him down saying it was a one and done sort of deal. Juliana gets back in touch with Lem. Together they come up a plan to get to tape after learning that it has been taken by the Yakuza. Juliana and Joe have been captured by the Yakuza. Imprisoned at their hideout they confer on how they are going to escape. That is until someone comes and grabs Juliana and drags her out of the room. She is taken to the Yakuza boss, and is met as well, with Lem and Karen. With the agreed price of 10,000 yen, they buy Juliana’s freedom. Meanwhile Frank is waiting at the bus station with Ed. He is waiting for Juliana so they can escape, since he Kempetai are after Frank. With the Bus about to leave, Frank refuses to leave without Juliana and goes to find her. Frank and Juliana meet back up at Ed’s grandpa’s house. Whiles there Juliana asks for Franks money from selling the fake antique, in order to free Joe. Frank is reluctant, but eventually agrees. Grabbing the pistol, he hid after the “assassination attempt” Frank heads to the Yakuza hideout to free Frank. With only 46,000 yen out of the 50,000 demanded Frank is worried. However, the Yakuza agree. Frank and Juliana go to the abandoned school they told Joe to meet them at, and decide to watch the tape. What they see on it is shocking. On the tape, they see Americans being lead around by German soldiers and put on their knees. One by one they are executed. The last man executed is none other than Frank, and his executer, Joe. Frank attacks Joe, calling him a Nazi. Juliana begs to hear Joe say it isn’t true, that he isn’t working for the Nazis. Joe doesn’t respond, and leaves with the tape. Frank and Juliana head back and meet up with Lem and Karen. They tell them what happened, and they need help getting out of Japanese controlled territory. The resistance will help them, as long as Juliana helps get the tape back, and kills Joe. Juliana takes him to the docks where there is a boat waiting to take him away. Joe confesses everything from feelings to loyalties. After a pause, Juliana decides she cant go through with the plan, and allows Joe to escape on the boat. Frank learns that Ed had been caught trying to dispose of the his gun. He is now being brought in front of the Kempeitai for questioning. Frank rushes to his aid. Ed confesses that it is his gun and he is being taken away just as Frank arrives. While being restrained Joe yells at inspector Kido. Telling him he was the one that he was after, and to let Ed go. Section 3: Re-Genre Project Episode 2: Frank's Inner Monologue Inner Monologue/Haiku How could this be happening? What had Juliana done? She should have just stayed here, stayed where it was safe…they don’t bother us we don’t bother them. Juliana had broken that trust. Why did she do this. Ok, pull yourself together, Frank. Whatever they want we will give it to the, but what about Juliana, I can’t give her up…I love her…. but Inspector Kido seems hell bent on finding her. Whatever happens, no matter the cost, I won’t give up Juliana, I can’t. Prisoner for my love I have defied my leaders For Juliana I get it Randall, please stop talking to me. I need time to think. Stop! Stop! STOP! Don’t piss him off Frank, he’s the only friend you have in here. Keep listening to him, keep these thoughts to yourself. He isn’t wrong though. He believes the same things that Juliana does. Maybe there is something to that film. They are going to kill him. Kido knows he’s part of the resistance and will kill him. Shit! I can’t imagine being in here without him. Why is there yelling, why is my name being yelled? NO! NO! NO! think Frank think…. there is nothing you can do for him, there’s nothing you can do for anyone. Death comes to us all all a man can do is smile Stay strong for love and for hope The bastard has my sister! IM GOING TO KILL HIM HOW DARE HE DO THIS THAT DIRTY JAP BASTARD IF HE LAYS ONE HAND ON HER ILL RIP HIS HEAD OFF! What do I do? How did it come to this? If I don’t tell him about Juliana, Kido will kill her, but if I tell him, I’m risking Juliana and there is no guarantee he won’t kill us anyway that bastard. How the hell is a person supposed to make these decisions, how did I end up in a situation where I had to make these situations dammit! SHIT! I made Juliana a promise, i made Randall a promise, stay strong Frank, stay on your path. You are doing this for Juliana. I must sacrifice For what I hold dear I must God will understand. Episode 2: Frank's Journal Entry 1st June 1962 I’ve just arrived home after being held captive for weeks. They killed Laura and the kids. They killed my own sister for a crime that I didn’t commit. “You are free to go,” they said. Free to go? Who the hell says something like that after they murder a woman and two children? What kind of person does something like that? Who would do something like that? Why am I even asking? I know who would. The Japanese. They’ve ruined everything. Now, what to do? Juliana is nowhere to be found, she could be dead for all I know. Maybe Ed will know what to do. Ed will preach peace as he always does. I need to take some form of action. I can’t sit here idly after they murdered my family. Someone needs to pay. I believe I have an idea as to who. Episode 3: Juliana's Journal Entry 1st June 1962 I did something I never thought I would have to do. I have been taking Aikido classes for a long time, and have become very proficient in my abilities. I just never thought I would have to use them on someone. The way Frank and I live, the way most people live, stay out of everyone’s way and they will stay out of yours. Do what your told and no trouble will come your way. That’s all fine, but now, now I’m in the middle of nowhere and the rules don’t apply anymore. I didn’t know what to do. It was odd, I panicked, but kept my cool at the same time. It was my only option. When that man, the man who made the origami came charging at me, as scared as I was, the training I had received kicked in and I was able to toss him over the bridge. I have never felt so sick in my life. I just killed a man. I just killed a man. What has this mission turned me into. Joe keeps trying to tell me I had to do it. I know I had no other choice, but still, this is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. I only hope Frank will understand and be able to Forgive me. Episode 4: Frank's Speech You want to know why I’m buying these bullets, Robert Childan? I’m buying these because it is my right, my duty to use them as they were meant to be used. I’m tired of letting these narrow-eyed bastards dictate my life and what I’m allowed to do with it. This is my life. I intend to use it as I see fit. Why am I buying these bullets? I’m going to kill their precious prince. I want him dead, I want him left bleeding on the ground for the whole world to see. Then maybe they’ll understand what it’s like to have something important taken away from you. I know what that’s like. My family was ripped away from me. And for what? Nothing I’ll tell you. It was useless. You know what that’s like. Hell, every American around here knows what it’s like to lose everything. We lost the war. I’m tired of sitting around, doing what they tell me to do. I do the same thing day in and day out and I’m not getting anywhere. It’s time to lift my head up and do something. I’m going to rock their world. I’m going to destroy it. And if I die in the process…. then so be it. At least I’ll have died doing something of my own free will for once. I suggest you do the same, Childan. Good day. Episode 10: Frank's Letter: Dear Jules, I hope this letter reaches you okay. With everyone going on nowadays, who’s to say if you’ll ever even read this? I know we had planned to be on the ship to Mexico together. I know that’s not exactly what we wanted to happen, but it had to be that way. I’m writing to tell you that Ed was in trouble, and I had to go back and find him. I probably shouldn’t be putting this down in writing, but you need to know. And I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever see you again. The Kempetai think that Ed shot the Japanese prince. He had the gun I made. I think they’re going to kill him, Juliana. I know you’ll understand, forgive me okay? This was something I had to do. I hope you’re liking Mexico. All my love, Frank Episodes 1-10: Dual Poem Juliana Better than a broken heart words of which, now escape me Once upon a time, controlled, normal, safe Now is a time of discontent if only for a little while Danger lurks, ever present I long to be free of this mess To be free, safe, back in your arms A dream perhaps, but a good dream The aim is small, but the target is smaller The grey shade that is this world the quest to bring light back to us I do not take lightly I will not yield I will not break Take comfort in the small The smell of the air I feel of the breeze There will be peace again There will be freedom Frank The Heart that has been broken Taken from its home and shattered Words that once spoke peace Now only form those of hatred The life once held, is now collapsing Fear, danger, everywhere perhaps there once was hope Now only vengeance is sought There is no light left in this world Darkness has consumed us all The oppressors, the chain ever tightening Will has been taken from us all Desire, creativity, love, all gone beauty, grace, sense of self Perhaps that came from someone else The love I once held If there was ever a light that pale hope is all that is left There can be no freedom from this Episode 1-10: A Fable for Frank and Juliana's Future Child: “Dad, tell me another scary story!” “Another one? Didn’t mother just tell you one last night?” Frank Fink adjusted his wide rimmed glasses, sighing heavily. Was I always this tired? “Please! You always tell them better than Mom does.” *cough* PATRIARCHY *cough* “Okay, okay, Georgie. Now, where to begin?” Frank clasped his hands together, staring at his son menacingly. Georgie’s wide eyes stared back, almost all white. There once was man…now this man was no ordinary man. He had pointed ears, pitch black hair and dark slanted eyes. Wherever he went, people quaked with fear. “Why did they quake dad?” They quaked, not only because of his appearance, that was scary enough. They quaked because he had the power to emit a gas that could kill anyone in a matter of days. It was deadly to everyone except himself. One day, an American got into trouble with this man. The man thought that the American had hurt someone when he didn’t do anything. So he took the man’s sister, niece, and nephew, locked them in a room and poured his gas into the chambers they were kept in. The American spent three days and nights pleading and pleading with the slant eyed man. He tried to explain that he hadn’t hurt anyone, that he was a good man. All he wanted to do was take care of his family. Beg as though he may, all the slant eyed man did was laugh. His laugh was a terrifying thing, a quiet chuckle that sets a person’s hair on edge. But alas, they died, and ever since then, the American has vowed to take revenge on the slant eyed man. “Did he ever do it? Did he get to take revenge?” “No, son.” Frank sighed, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. “Will he ever?” “Perhaps one day. He’ll need help though.” “I’ll help him!” Georgie exclaimed. “I’ll destroy the evil slant eyed man!” “Perhaps you will, Georgie.” Frank kissed his head, smiling slightly. “Perhaps you will.” Episode 10: Photo We’re going to die, but first we’ll live.
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The Story of Thomas Smith Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith was huddled at a pristine office desk, twiddling a coin between his fingers. Heads…or tails?” He couldn’t stop himself from repeating that question over and over again in his mind. Heads or tails? Heads or tails? Heads or tails? He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he shouldn’t leave this decision to mere chance. It was foolish, he wasn’t even sure that he would go through with the decision if the coin didn’t land in his favor. Or better yet, in his son’s favor. Thomas’ condition had slowly begun to worsen. Once upon a time, he only fell down the stairs upon occasion. Now, he was having trouble simply picking up a fork. The entire thing was enough to make someone ill. How could Thomas do this? How dare he? Heads or tails, John? Heads or tails…. “John?” Helen popped her head into the office. Her blonde curls were neatly in place, not a single hair askew. John grunted, signaling that he had heard her. “Dinners ready, we don’t want to start without you.” Of course, you can’t start without me. John was the man in the family; it would be considered incredibly rude if his wife, son, or daughters took the first piece of whatever food was laid out on the table. John nodded. “I’ll just be a minute.” He turned and pulled his lips upward to make a smile. “Okay, dear. Take your time.” She grinned back and soared back into the dining room. John rested his head in his hands, resisting the urge to pound his forehead repeatedly into the desktop. He knew what he should do. But what he should have been doing and what he wanted to do were for once, two completely different things. Heads or tails? Damn it, damn it, damn it. He dropped the coin into his pocket, pushed back from the desk and stood up. Had the chair always been that uncomfortable? He loosened his tie a bit and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. Everything was suffocating him nowadays. He shuffled out of his office, closing the door with a slight click. Heading into the dining room he was greeted with a burst of noise. “Father!” the two girls exclaimed. He smiled tightly at them as he took his seat at the head of the table. Thomas sat to his left, pristine as ever in his Hitler youth uniform. “How was your day at school, Thomas?” John asked as Helen dished out piles of roast beef onto his plate. “It was fine.” He offered no more explanation. “Just fine?” “Yes, just fine.” “What was just fine about it?” Helen was now pouring peas onto his white ceramic plate. “We had gym class today.” Oh, I know where this is going. John struggled to control his face as he asked his next question. “And, how was gym class?” “Fine.” Oh, this is worse than torturing a man. They at least speak more than what Thomas is doing now. “What did you do in gym class today, Thomas?” “John, could you pass the salt and pepper please?” Helen was giving him that look. That look that said, please don’t. Thomas still hadn’t replied. “I asked you a question, Thomas.” Thomas picked up his fork, his hand shaking slightly. “We played soccer today. I was the goalie, and my team ended up losing.” Ah. “And why did your team lose?” “My legs kept cramping up, I couldn’t get to the ball fast enough.” “How do you feel now?” He shrugged his skinny shoulders. “I feel okay, my legs still feel odd.” “Those growing pains are hitting you hard honey.” Helen reached over and patted Thomas’ hand reassuringly. Heads or tails. “Amy.” John looked at his youngest daughter. “Yes, papa?’ He reached into his pocket and drew out the coin, striving to make sure his hand didn’t tremble. What was he doing? Even John Smith himself wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he couldn't make this decision himself. He couldn’t decide the fate of his only son. What other way was there to do it? “Let’s play a quick game. Flip the coin. Heads you get dessert now, tails you get dessert after you wash the dishes.” This was cruel, and he knew it. If his daughter ever learned what that simple coin flip would do. She would be scarred forever. Hopefully she would stay ignorant. Please let it be heads. I cannot kill my own son. Amy’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I hope I get dessert now!” “John,” Helen was looking at him. “Do you think this wise…?” “Not particularly, but a decision must be made.” he could feel the cold sweat dripping down his back. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair, leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table. His eyes shifted restlessly between the coin, Helen’s worried face, and Thomas’ blank stare. “About dessert? Right now?” her eyes were wide. “Yes right now, Helen!” She placed her hands in her lap meekly, not replying. Amy flipped the coin. John watched the silver shiver through the silent air. The light from the lamp above made it glimmer. Time seemed to slow down. It flipped, heads over tails. John’s breath hitched ever so slightly as it landed on the table with a clatter. Everyone leaned over to look. None so far as John. Tears glistened in his eyes. He did his best to hide them. “Darn it!” Amy exclaimed. John paled. “I really wanted that cheesecake now.” “Get the dishes done, then you can have it.” John pushed back from the table, the chair squealing on the ground. Of course, it had landed on tails. What had he expected? That night as he climbed into bed, his mind was racing. The syringe was in his bedside drawer, beckoning to him. When should he do it? How should he do it? Helen was already sound asleep, breathing deep and evenly. With her eyes closed, she looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world. And she didn’t. She had no idea what was going on, no idea that her only son was about to die. But it had to be this way. Thomas couldn’t live when all he would be was a detriment to society. Thomas would understand. After tossing and turning for some time, John got up and went into his office, sitting down in the uncomfortable chair again. He looked up when he heard the door creak open. “Thomas?” his heart stopped looking at his pale face. “What are you doing up at this hour?” John heard the click of the gun before he saw it, shining in his own son’s hand. For once it wasn’t shaking. “Why haven’t you killed me already, father?” He knows. “So you know about…?” “Yes. I overheard you and the doctor talking. I’m not stupid! Why haven’t you killed me yet?” “You’re my son, Thomas. It’s more complicated than just a matter of pulling the trigger.” “No, no it isn’t. If you were a loyal subject to the Reich I wouldn’t be here right now. You’re committing treason. What happens to people who commit treason?” he pulled the trigger. John slumped to the floor, unmoving, unable to draw another breath. “Well.” Thomas heaved a huge sigh, raising the gun to his temple. “For the Reich.” BAM Scott Exler/Jillian DiLucido
ENG 112 M/W 3:35-5:00 Formal #3 5/1/17 Does America Resemble a Utopia or a Dystopia? Perception on the State of America can be interpreted in many ways. In today’s society, does America resemble more of Utopia, or a Dystopia? It has been argued, that with Trump as President, his plans are pushing us into a fascist dystopia, while other content that he is saving America. Around the world, as well America is viewed in the same light. Some, seeking refuge here, still see America as a land of freedom and opportunity, their own Utopia away from their former life. While others mock, saying America is full of greedy fools, that in our arrogance elected a man who is not fit to lead, and will force America to its knees. We see many instances in the T.V show “The Man in the High Castle. In this show America has lost WWII and is under the control of both German and Japanese empires. We see characters who are America subject to outsiders’ rule. They are treated like second class citizens. They are lacking basic rights just because they are different. The Americans are forced to work laborious jobs, for little pay, and no security in their lives. The Man in the High Castle may be a work of fiction, but was it really that far off from what could be? America, is not the Utopia it used to be, however, with its racial divide, forming in black lives matter, Sectional divide mainly between upper and lower classes, America may find itself falling into a dystopic land. Throughout our history, America has always been racially divided. Slavery, Martin Luther King Jr.’s movement to today, with Black Lives Matter. This movement has caused mass divide in America. Today, 4 in 10 Americans support black lives matter (Horowitz/Livingston, 2016). Among white, democrats and those under 30 are particularly supportive of Black Lives matter (Horowitz/Livingston,2016). This is a large portion that supports, but it is not the majority of people who support their movement. 1 in 5 are against it (Howowitz,2016). This causes many violent outbreaks to happen at protests. Injuries, both civilian and police officers trying to contain the situation have been victims. While Black Lives Matter maybe be good at heart, and have the best interests at heart for the nation, it is unveiling a divide that has plagued this nation for centuries. This is not a simple problem that can be over looked and that worries citizens of the states, as well as our neighboring nations. Much of these problems can be chalked up to a growing sectionalism happening in our nation. The nation is divided between the rich and poor. Among racial and ethnic groups, African Americans had the highest poverty rate, 27.4 percent, followed by Hispanics at 26.6 percent and whites at 9.9 percent (State of working America, 2017). The first step in helping the nation, and pushing it towards the Utopia it needs to be, is to help those in the nation in need of help. Much of racial outbreak can be stemmed from the inequalities in class structure. It is perceived that upper class have all the power, while they sit in their ivory towers and look down on the lower class, perhaps even trying to keep them from advancing in society. According to Stephen Rosenfeld, also completely gone are the fed’s community based lenders, which made loans to areas ignored by commercial banks, like inter cities and Indian reservations, or financed affordable housing projects (2017). This is one of Trump’s plans to rid help to areas of the world that are affected by poverty. While it maybe be a way to save money, at what cost? This has the capabilities to put even more people on the street, and ruin inner cities forever. Trumps plan has similarities to what is seen in the Show, “The Man in the High Castle”. In this show, Japan and Germany have won WWII and are now in control of the United States. We see the Japanese living high and mighty, while Americans love in rundown houses, all working terrible jobs. In the show, Tagomi says, “Fate is fluid, destiny is in the hand of men” (2015). This is a powerful quote, one that we Americans believe in. Manifest Destiny, is a strong concept. However, with much of what Trump plans on imposing, man will lose much of his free will, and the ability to decide could come dangerously close to extinction. America is still perceived as a Utopia, especially to those outside of the United States. However, in lieu of this most recent election, that might not always be the case. Trump is not a friend to the Black Lives Matter movement, and he seems to be imposing policies that strongly favor the upper and middle classes, while leaving the lower class in the dust. If America continues to fall, much of what makes America great, its culture, its freedom of choice, its ability to make something out of yourself from nothing it will no longer be a place of refuge, both for its citizens, and those seeking sanctuary from across the seas. Without the influx of immigration, our economy will falter. America will no longer be looked at as nation of freedom, or a place for one to meet his or her own Manifest Destiny. America is not the Utopia it used to be, however, neither is it a dystopia. If we, the people of these United States lay down and do nothing, “Evil Triumphs only when good men do nothing” (Tagomi,2015), then America will eventually fall into the dystopia we claim to always be fighting against. Works Cited Rosenfeld / AlterNet, Steven. "Trump's Budget Vision Would Transform America Into War-Obsessed, Survival-of-the-Fittest Dystopia." Alternet. N.p., 16 Mar. 2017. Web. 01 May 2017. Green, Walon. Man in the High Castle. 2015. Television. Horowitz, Juliana Menasce, and Gretchen Livingston. "How Americans View the Black Lives Matter Movement." Pew Research Center. N.p., 08 July 2016. Web. 01 May 2017. "Poverty." State of Working America. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2017. Scott Exler/Jillian DiLucido
ENG 112 M/W 3:35-5:00 Formal #3 5/1/17 Does America Resemble a Utopia or a Dystopia? Perception on the State of America can be interpreted in many ways. In today’s society, does America resemble more of utopia, or a dystopia? It has been argued, that with Trump as President, his plans are pushing us into a fascist dystopia, while other contend he is saving America. Around the world, as well America is viewed in the same light. Some, seeking refuge here, still see America as a land of freedom and opportunity, their own Utopia away from their former life. While others mock, saying America is full of greedy fools, that in our arrogance elected a man who is not fit to lead, and will force America to its knees. America, is not the Utopia it used to be, however, with its racial divide, forming in black lives matter, Sectional divide mainly between upper and lower classes, America may find itself falling into a dystopic land. Throughout our history, America has always been racially divided: slavery, Martin Luther King Jr.’s movement to today, with Black Lives Matter. This movement has caused mass divide in America. Today, 4 in 10 Americans support black lives matter (Horowitz/Livingston,2016). Among white, democrats and those under 30 are particularly supportive of Black Lives matter (Horowitz/Livingston,2016). This is a large portion that supports, but it is not the majority of people who support their movement. 1 in 5 are against it (Howowitz,2016). This causes many violent outbreaks to happen at protests. Injuries, both civilian and police officers trying to contain the situation have been victims. While Black Lives Matter maybe be good at heart, and have the best interests at heart for the nation, it is ******* a divide, that worries citizens of the states, as well as our neighboring nations. Much of racial outbreak can be stemmed from the inequalities in class structure. It is perceived that upper class have all the power, while they sit in their ivory towers and look down on the lower class, perhaps even trying to keep them from advancing in society. According to Stephen Rosenfeld, also completely gone are the fed’s community based lenders, which made loans to areas ignored by commercial banks, like inter cities and Indian reservations, or financed affordable housing projects (2017). This is one of Trump’s plans to rid help to areas of the world that are affected by poverty. While it maybe be a way to save money, at what cost? This has the capabilities to put even more people on the street, and ruin inner cities forever. Trumps plan has similarities to what is seen in the Show, “The Man in the High Castle”. In this show, Japan and Germany have won WWII and are now in control of the United States. We see the Japanese living high and mighty, while Americans love in rundown houses, all working terrible jobs. In the show, Tagomi says, “Fate is fluid, destiny is in the hand of men” (2015). This is a powerful quote, one that we Americans believe in. Manifest Destiny, is a strong concept. However, with much of what Trump plans on imposing, man will lose much of his free will, and the ability to decide could come dangerously close to extinction. America is still perceived as a Utopia, especially to those outside of the United States. However, in lieu of this most recent election, that might not always be the case. Trump is not a friend to the Black Lives Matter movement, and he seems to be imposing policies that strongly favor the upper and middle classes, while leaving the lower class in the dust. If America continues to fall, much of what makes America great, its culture, its freedom of choice, its ability to make something out of yourself from nothing it will no longer be a place of refuge, both for its citizens, and those seeking sanctuary from across the seas. Without the influx of immigration, our economy will falter. America will no longer be looked at as nation of freedom, or a place for one to meet his or her own Manifest Destiny. America is not the Utopia it used to be, however, neither is it a dystopia. If we, the people of these United States lay down and do nothing, “Evil Triumphs only when good men do nothing” (Tagomi,2015), then America will eventually fall into the dystopia we claim to always be fighting against. Works Cited Rosenfeld / AlterNet, Steven. "Trump's Budget Vision Would Transform America Into War-Obsessed, Survival-of-the-Fittest Dystopia." Alternet. N.p., 16 Mar. 2017. Web. 01 May 2017. Green, Walon. Man in the High Castle. 2015. Television. Horowitz, Juliana Menasce, and Gretchen Livingston. "How Americans View the Black Lives Matter Movement." Pew Research Center. N.p., 08 July 2016. Web. 01 May 2017. Option #2 [Primary Rhetorical Mode: Narration | Primary Genre: Fable]: For Informal Assignment # 15 I decided to make a fable as my primary genre. Below is a story of how I riddled my way through procrastination, writer's block, uncertainty, and distress due to impending deadlines. My Fable: Formal Assignment # 1: The Evil Sorcerer Jillian of the House DiLucido had always prided herself on her wit and courage. She had boasted from the tender age of five that she could read anything anyone put in front of her. That was a great feat for someone who resided in her country. Literate folk were hard to come by, and anyone who could write as well as read was considered a magician. Jillian loved coming up with her own stories to share with other people. She put her heart and soul into those stories and hoped that one day they would be called the greatest in the land. But alas, that day was yet to come. One day, she was going about minding her own business, when an evil sorcerer by the name of Sabatino Mangini approached her. She felt no fear, because she knew that she could read and write as well as he. He approached her, stuck his finger in her face and said, "I command you to write a fan-fiction!" Outwardly, Jillian showed no sign of her distress. Fan-fiction? she thought. She loathed fan-fictions. She considered them to be sloppy copies of other people's work, and had never enjoyed one that she read. As stated before she enjoyed making up her own stories. Stealing from someone else was inherently wrong. But of course, Sabatino knew that. She could not ignore his command, although. Whatever the evil sorcerer said, had to be done. "I will give you one week to complete this fan-fiction! Make sure it's good and over one thousand words!" "Ha!" Jillian laughed back. "I scoff at one thousand words. I'll make it two thousand!" With an evil glare, Sabatino snapped his fingers and vanished in a puff of sulfurous smoke. Jillian raced back to her cottage and began to write furiously. After an hour or two of writing, she ripped up her work, unhappy with it. What in the world did she want to write about? Fan-fiction's were so new that she hadn't had much time to study up on them. How did one begin writing a fan-fiction? What play should she write the fan-fiction about? Jillian pondered for three days and nights before she finally decided what play she would write about. It was a relatively new play, not one that many people were familiar with but Sabatino had commanded many people to watch this play and take notes on it. It only seemed fitting that she write about it. Once she had decided what play to write about, it took her another three days to figure out what characters she wanted to write about. She only had one day left before Sabatino required his fan-fiction. What would happen if she happened to show up with no fan-fiction at all? The thought crossed her mind many a time as she sat with her quill, ink, and paper. She decided that she didn't want to find out. It was around midnight of the day it was due that she finally put down her quill, scattering sand across the paper to dry the ink quickly. She was finished. When the sun finally rose Jillian strode out into the village, extremely confident of her work. When the evil sorcerer appeared she thrust the pages at him with her head held high. "I'm sure you'll find this suitable." He snatched the papers from her hand and replied, "We'll see. I'll have these back in two days." "Good." "Good." My Fable: Formal Assignment # 2: The Brain and the Fool Word of Jillian of the House DiLucido's triumph against the evil sorcerer Sabatino Magnini had spread like wildfire in the village in which she resided. Everyone she knew visited her at various times to congratulate her on a job well done. Everyone, including a jester known as Scott Exler. Now this fool, upon hearing of her great triumph, and upon looking on her serene beauty, fell in love with her. But Jillian scoffed at him as she had scoffed at the one thousand words Sabatino had told her to write. Scott was but a fool, certainly not worthy of her attention, let alone her love. But alas, he visited her so it was only custom that she strike up a conversation. Upon talking to him she became firmly convinced that there was nothing she could do to smarten up the man. Albeit rather stupid, his tricks and jokes were entertaining. There was a part of her that was sad to see him go. The next day as she was walking about the village, Sabatino appeared again. But this time he had a different proposition for her. "I command you to make a multi-genre project, about the same play on which you based your fan-fiction! And this time, you'll have a partner!" Oh, goody. Jillian sarcastically thought. Who in the world could match her wit and expertise in literacy? "Your partner will be......SCOTT EXLER!" It was as if Scott had appeared from nowhere. He was suddenly at her elbow, grinning widely. "What? This can't be! This is torturous! The man has no wits!" Sabatino did not reply. All he did was cackle maniacally as he vanished in another puff of smoke. So Jillian was forced to work with Scott on the multi-genre project. Throughout the process they disagreed on many things but she soon came to realize that he was smarter than he looked. When the project was finally done she breathed a huge sigh of relief. How did the Man in the High Castle intertextually impact your own narrative writing in this course?
The T.V. series Man in the High Castle impacted my writing in this course because it made me think of different situations and scenarios that I wouldn't normally think about. The Man in the High castle in of itself is set in a dystopian future, sort of a "what if" scenario. What if Japan and Germany had won World War II? What would life have been like then? This T.V show has impacted my writing by making me ask the question "what if?" more often. By asking this question I have been able to come up with new ideas and therefore expand my literary and narrative writing. How did at least one other course reading intertextually impact your own narrative writing in this course? Out of all of the readings I have done for this class, I would have to say that Bullet in the Brain by Tobias Wolff stands out to me the most. This reading was particularly interesting because it showed how to make an extremely amusing, life-like character. Through this reading I was inspired to make my narrative characters seem more real and relatable. Having relatable characters is what make for a good narrative story, whether it be a short story or an entire novel. How did at least one other text outside of this course intertextually impact your own narrative writing in this course? A specific text that had stood out for me for a long time is the young adult novel Inkheart. This text is another example of a reading that has extremely relatable characters. The author's writing style is easy to read, yet evocative at the same time. As a narrative writer I have tried to emulate that style. Writing that is simple, yet strong is my goal at the end. Section 1: Introduction: In this project I (Jillian DiLucido) and Scott Exler are using multi-genres to retell the major theme of conformity in season 1 of The Man in the High Castle. The episodes we covered vary from later in the season to the first five. Conformity is a fickle thing, and we decided that it was best to focus on the episodes in which conformity appeared the most. The love between Frank and Juliana helped both of them challenge the bonds of conformity. Although conformity is the main theme of this project, anger and hatred also play an important role in the retelling of this series. Section 2: Summary of The Man In the High Castle: On the west coast, there is Juliana. Juliana is an American woman who studies in Aikido. She is tolerating living in the Japanese controlled city of San Francisco with her boyfriend, Frank. That is until her sister mysteriously shows up with a film explaining that this film could change everything. After Juliana’s sister is killed by the Japanese, Juliana takes it upon herself to take the mysterious film into the neutral zone to a town called Canon. Here she is supposed to meet someone to take the film off her hands. Juliana, while in Canon is still waiting for her contact to find her and tell her what to do with the film. . Juliana Meets a nice elderly man who introduces her to the Bible, and after hearing a verse that particularly strikes her she decides to go and by it from a local book store. Juliana, upon meeting the man, and learning he is her contact is relieved, until the man tries to throw her off a bridge. Luckily Joe comes and together they kill the man and appear to be becoming even closer. Frank back in San Francisco. He has been captured by the Japanese and is being tortured for information about Juliana. After hearing that the Japanese killed his sister and her children as a torture technique to get him to talk, it is revealed, to the Japanese, that that Juliana is not the woman they are after, we of course know that she is. Frank is then released. After killing the Assassin Joe and Juliana head back to the hotel to calm themselves and re-gather their wits. Realizing that this was not in fact the man Juliana was supposed to meet the two surmise that they must leave. Surmising if the bounty hunter finds to body of the assassin he might put everything together, Joe and Juliana find the body and put it to the bottom of the river. Frank, after being released he goes to visit his brother in law. Telling him everything that happened. Frank continues to love in depression until his friend from work comes to check on him. The friend continues to make excuses for Frank as to why he isn’t at work, but his patience is running thin and he wants his friend back. Eventually Frank does go back, but he goes back with a purpose. Why there he makes an illegal gun. His intentions are to get back at everyone who has recently wronged him, starting at the top. Juliana continues to be pursued by the bounty hunter through the abandoned building. While trying to escape, she is cornered. Before the Bounty hunter can kill her, Joe hits him over the head and the two are able to escape. While trying to escape, Juliana stops Joe and tells him they must go find Lem, the local diner owner. Juliana goes to talk to him only to find out that he is the contact she was supposed to meet. Lem then leads them into a trap and takes both of their tapes and leaves them stranded. After Juliana gets away, she gets a call from Ed, Franks work friend. He tells her she needs to get back because Frank is about to do something crazy. Juliana leaves immediately. Frank has decided that he wants to kill the Prince of Japan, as revenge for what happened to him and his sister. After making a gun he goes and purchases bullets at great cost. Frank had the gun at the ready, but after looking at a young Japanese boy, he decides not to and lowers the gun. At that moment two gunshots are fired and the Japanese prince is shot. Frank, worried people who saw he had a gun might think it was him, so he flees. Frank quickly hides the gun and runs away. . Juliana has gotten home, only to be embraced by a cold and distance Frank. He wants nothing to do with her, and that causes Juliana to worry. Juliana then goes to visit her parents for they have been worried about her. They inform her about Franks situation and what happened to Franks sister and children. Juliana tries to comfort Frank but to no avail. Juliana tries to seek some warmth only to find she has been banned from the dojo in which she practices. She eventually decides she wants to continue helping the resistance, so she goes for a job in the Japanese government. In her interview, she decides she can’t take the job and runs out. Juliana and Frank. After a fight, in which Frank learns Juliana killed a man, with the help of another man he storms out. Franks life is falling apart, and while this turmoil is going on with Juliana, the Japanese are now looking for who shot their prince. The Japanese boy and father who saw Frank with the gun have led the chief investigator to Franks work, and to the man who sold him the bullets. After a violent altercation with the man who sold the bullets to Frank, the two agree that their continued silence on the subject is the best solution for both their problems. Juliana on the other hand goes another route. She gets a job for the Japanese government. She is working for Tagomi. Juliana, on the other hand, is starting to make amends with Frank. They are talking and apologizing to each other. Then, as Juliana is walking from work, she sees what she believes is Trudy, her sister, in a crowd. She tries to follow her but quickly loses sight. Back at his shop Frank confronts him. Frank puts a business proposition in front of him. Frank will make counterfeit antiques and Childan will sell them. Frank and Childan attempt to have their first deal. Frank drops off the necklace to Childan, who, in turn takes it to a family that is interested. Childan makes the sale, and promptly returns to Frank to give him the good news and to discuss further ventures. Frank turns him down saying it was a one and done sort of deal. Juliana gets back in touch with Lem. Together they come up a plan to get to tape after learning that it has been taken by the Yakuza. Juliana and Joe have been captured by the Yakuza. Imprisoned at their hideout they confer on how they are going to escape. That is until someone comes and grabs Juliana and drags her out of the room. She is taken to the Yakuza boss, and is met as well, with Lem and Karen. With the agreed price of 10,000 yen, they buy Juliana’s freedom. Meanwhile Frank is waiting at the bus station with Ed. He is waiting for Juliana so they can escape, since he Kempetai are after Frank. With the Bus about to leave, Frank refuses to leave without Juliana and goes to find her. Frank and Juliana meet back up at Ed’s grandpa’s house. Whiles there Juliana asks for Franks money from selling the fake antique, in order to free Joe. Frank is reluctant, but eventually agrees. Grabbing the pistol, he hid after the “assassination attempt” Frank heads to the Yakuza hideout to free Frank. With only 46,000 yen out of the 50,000 demanded Frank is worried. However, the Yakuza agree. Frank and Juliana go to the abandoned school they told Joe to meet them at, and decide to watch the tape. What they see on it is shocking. On the tape, they see Americans being lead around by German soldiers and put on their knees. One by one they are executed. The last man executed is none other than Frank, and his executer, Joe. Frank attacks Joe, calling him a Nazi. Juliana begs to hear Joe say it isn’t true, that he isn’t working for the Nazis. Joe doesn’t respond, and leaves with the tape. Frank and Juliana head back and meet up with Lem and Karen. They tell them what happened, and they need help getting out of Japanese controlled territory. The resistance will help them, as long as Juliana helps get the tape back, and kills Joe. Juliana takes him to the docks where there is a boat waiting to take him away. Joe confesses everything from feelings to loyalties. After a pause, Juliana decides she cant go through with the plan, and allows Joe to escape on the boat. Frank learns that Ed had been caught trying to dispose of the his gun. He is now being brought in front of the Kempeitai for questioning. Frank rushes to his aid. Ed confesses that it is his gun and he is being taken away just as Frank arrives. While being restrained Joe yells at inspector Kido. Telling him he was the one that he was after, and to let Ed go. Section 3: Re-Genre Project Episode 2: Frank's Inner Monologue Inner Monologue/Haiku How could this be happening? What had Juliana done? She should have just stayed here, stayed where it was safe…they don’t bother us we don’t bother them. Juliana had broken that trust. Why did she do this. Ok, pull yourself together, Frank. Whatever they want we will give it to the, but what about Juliana, I can’t give her up…I love her…. but Inspector Kido seems hell bent on finding her. Whatever happens, no matter the cost, I won’t give up Juliana, I can’t. Prisoner for my love I have defied my leaders For Juliana I get it Randall, please stop talking to me. I need time to think. Stop! Stop! STOP! Don’t piss him off Frank, he’s the only friend you have in here. Keep listening to him, keep these thoughts to yourself. He isn’t wrong though. He believes the same things that Juliana does. Maybe there is something to that film. They are going to kill him. Kido knows he’s part of the resistance and will kill him. Shit! I can’t imagine being in here without him. Why is there yelling, why is my name being yelled? NO! NO! NO! think Frank think…. there is nothing you can do for him, there’s nothing you can do for anyone. Death comes to us all all a man can do is smile Stay strong for love and for hope The bastard has my sister! IM GOING TO KILL HIM HOW DARE HE DO THIS THAT DIRTY JAP BASTARD IF HE LAYS ONE HAND ON HER ILL RIP HIS HEAD OFF! What do I do? How did it come to this? If I don’t tell him about Juliana, Kido will kill her, but if I tell him, I’m risking Juliana and there is no guarantee he won’t kill us anyway that bastard. How the hell is a person supposed to make these decisions, how did I end up in a situation where I had to make these situations dammit! SHIT! I made Juliana a promise, i made Randall a promise, stay strong Frank, stay on your path. You are doing this for Juliana. I must sacrifice For what I hold dear I must God will understand. Episode 2: Frank's Journal Entry 1st June 1962 I’ve just arrived home after being held captive for weeks. They killed Laura and the kids. They killed my own sister for a crime that I didn’t commit. “You are free to go,” they said. Free to go? Who the hell says something like that after they murder a woman and two children? What kind of person does something like that? Who would do something like that? Why am I even asking? I know who would. The Japanese. They’ve ruined everything. Now, what to do? Juliana is nowhere to be found, she could be dead for all I know. Maybe Ed will know what to do. Ed will preach peace as he always does. I need to take some form of action. I can’t sit here idly after they murdered my family. Someone needs to pay. I believe I have an idea as to who. Episode 3: Juliana's Journal Entry 1st June 1962 I did something I never thought I would have to do. I have been taking Aikido classes for a long time, and have become very proficient in my abilities. I just never thought I would have to use them on someone. The way Frank and I live, the way most people live, stay out of everyone’s way and they will stay out of yours. Do what your told and no trouble will come your way. That’s all fine, but now, now I’m in the middle of nowhere and the rules don’t apply anymore. I didn’t know what to do. It was odd, I panicked, but kept my cool at the same time. It was my only option. When that man, the man who made the origami came charging at me, as scared as I was, the training I had received kicked in and I was able to toss him over the bridge. I have never felt so sick in my life. I just killed a man. I just killed a man. What has this mission turned me into. Joe keeps trying to tell me I had to do it. I know I had no other choice, but still, this is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. I only hope Frank will understand and be able to Forgive me. Episode 4: Frank's Speech You want to know why I’m buying these bullets, Robert Childan? I’m buying these because it is my right, my duty to use them as they were meant to be used. I’m tired of letting these narrow-eyed bastards dictate my life and what I’m allowed to do with it. This is my life. I intend to use it as I see fit. Why am I buying these bullets? I’m going to kill their precious prince. I want him dead, I want him left bleeding on the ground for the whole world to see. Then maybe they’ll understand what it’s like to have something important taken away from you. I know what that’s like. You know what that’s like. Hell, every American around here knows what it’s like. I’m tired of sitting around, doing what they tell me to do. I do the same thing day in and day out and I’m not getting anywhere. It’s time to lift my head up and do something. I’m going to rock their world. I’m going to destroy it. And if I die in the process…. then so be it. At least I’ll have died doing something of my own free will for once. I suggest you do the same, Childan. Good day. Episode 10: Frank's Letter: Dear Jules, I hope this letter reaches you okay. With everyone going on nowadays, who’s to say if you’ll ever even read this? I know we had planned to be on the ship to Mexico together. I know that’s not exactly what we wanted to happen, but it had to be that way. I’m writing to tell you that Ed was in trouble, and I had to go back and find him. I probably shouldn’t be putting this down in writing, but you need to know. And I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever see you again. The Kempetai think that Ed shot the Japanese prince. He had the gun I made. I think they’re going to kill him, Juliana. I know you’ll understand, forgive me okay? This was something I had to do. I hope you’re liking Mexico. All my love, Frank Episodes 1-10: Dual Poem Juliana Better than a broken heart words of which, now escape me Once upon a time, controlled, normal, safe Now is a time of discontent if only for a little while Danger lurks, ever present I long to be free of this mess To be free, safe, back in your arms A dream perhaps, but a good dream The aim is small, but the target is smaller The grey shade that is this world the quest to bring light back to us I do not take lightly I will not yield I will not break Take comfort in the small The smell of the air I feel of the breeze There will be peace again There will be freedom Frank The Heart that has been broken Taken from its home and shattered Words that once spoke peace Now only form those of hatred The life once held, is now collapsing Fear, danger, everywhere perhaps there once was hope Now only vengeance is sought There is no light left in this world Darkness has consumed us all The oppressors, the chain ever tightening Will has been taken from us all Desire, creativity, love, all gone beauty, grace, sense of self Perhaps that came from someone else The love I once held If there was ever a light that pale hope is all that is left There can be no freedom from this Episode 1-10: A Fable for Frank and Juliana's Future Child: “Dad, tell me another scary story!” “Another one? Didn’t mother just tell you one last night?” Frank Fink adjusted his wide rimmed glasses, sighing heavily. Was I always this tired? “Please! You always tell them better than Mom does.” “Okay, okay, Georgie. Now, where to begin?” Frank clasped his hands together, staring at his son menacingly. Georgie’s wide eyes stared back, almost all white. There once was man…now this man was no ordinary man. He had pointed ears, pitch black hair and dark slanted eyes. Wherever he went, people quaked with fear. “Why did they quake dad?” They quaked, not only because of his appearance, that was scary enough. They quaked because he had the power to emit a gas that could kill anyone in a matter of days. It was deadly to everyone except himself. One day, an American got into trouble with this man. The man thought that the American had hurt someone when he didn’t do anything. So he took the man’s sister, niece, and nephew, locked them in a room and poured his gas into the chambers they were kept in. The American spent three days and nights pleading and pleading with the slant eyed man. He tried to explain that he hadn’t hurt anyone, that he was a good man. All he wanted to do was take care of his family. Beg as though he may, all the slant eyed man did was laugh. His laugh was a terrifying thing, a quiet chuckle that sets a person’s hair on edge. But alas, they died, and ever since then, the American has vowed to take revenge on the slant eyed man. “Did he ever do it? Did he get to take revenge?” “No, son.” Frank sighed, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. “Will he ever?” “Perhaps one day. He’ll need help though.” “I’ll help him!” Georgie exclaimed. “I’ll destroy the evil slant eyed man!” “Perhaps you will, Georgie.” Frank kissed his head, smiling slightly. “Perhaps you will.” Episode 10: Photo Hey everyone! Down below is about 10 pages of a story that I've been working on. Feel free to leave any comments as to whether you liked it or not. Thanks!
I was fourteen when I met Finn. I met him in algebra class in our freshman year of high school. Both of us were social outcasts of sorts, so we decided to stick together. It was almost like a marriage ceremony really, we stuck together through better and worse, thick, and thin, sickness and health. Death....well, that was a different matter. Freshman Year: October There was a speck of dust in my eye. That damn speck of dust made it feel as if there was a dagger digging into the center of my pupil. I rubbed my eye gently, attempting to alleviate the stupid pain. It wouldn’t go away. Now my eyes were watering and everyone would think I was crying. The plastic chair that pressed against the back of my thighs was so slick with sweat that I slid whenever I adjusted how I was sitting. Why was it ninety degrees in the middle of October? Wasn’t it supposed to feel like fall by now? Damn global warming. Or climate change. Whatever it was called nowadays. That stupid piece of dust, dirt, whatever it was. God damn my eyes hurt! I pressed the heels of both my hands into my eyes. It was only eight a.m. Still had seven hours to go until school was over. I probably wouldn’t make it at this rate. Luckily the bell to signal the beginning of class hadn’t rung yet. I still had about five minutes to get my eyes cleared up before the teacher started lecturing. We were working on factoring methods already and I had absolutely no idea how to solve any of the problems. It seemed as if for once I had to actually pay attention. That was, until the new guy showed up. He entered the classroom walking on the tips of his toes. Whenever he took a step he seemed to bounce. His school bag was way too large, that was plain to see. It was so big that he almost had to hunch over to carry it. His wire-framed glasses were slipping down his nose and his brow was slick with sweat. He looked over the top of his glasses at the seats arranged before him. Every single one was occupied except for the one next to me. I sat in the back-left corner of the room, as far away from people as I could get. Well, in truth, no one ever deigned to sit next to me. He slowly ambled over, stopping right next to me. I stared at the white board in the front of the room. “C-can I sit here?” Damn. Guess I should look at him. I looked over. His watery green eyes were staring at me, so wide and white on the edges. My elbows rested on the desk. I rested my chin on my hands. “I guess.” “Thank you” His school bag dropped to the floor with a clunk. He stretched his skinny arms into the air, joints cracking. I winced. I hated that sound. Then, he moved his neck from side to side causing that to crack. God, how utterly disgusting. He pushed his glasses up nervously, his hands visibly shaking. “I’m Finn, by the way.” He turned in his chair to look at me, his bony knees in the aisle. I continued staring at the whiteboard, trying to avoid conversation as much as possible. “Cool.” My tone was short, clipped. “And…what’s yours?” “What?” I finally turned to face him, exasperated. “Your name?” he raised his eyebrows quizzically. “Who shoved a stick up your ass this morning?” I smiled despite myself. “Ha.” I let out a quick breath of air. “No one.” I extended my hand. “Stella. Nice to meet you, Finn.” He grasped my hand tightly, with more force than I thought he was capable of. “Ah…so I see being an asshole is the way to get your attention.” “More like having a sense of humor.” “So, you think I’m funny?” he grinned, still holding onto my hand. “I wouldn’t go that far.” I yanked my hand back, wiping it on my leather jacket. “Are your hands always this sweaty?” I wrinkled my nose. He nodded vigorously. “Usually, especially in situations like this.” “Like what?” I questioned. He gestured around the room. “Well you see, I’m in a new school, in a new state, with no friends whatsoever. I’m going to be a little nervous starting off, obviously.” “Well you picked the wrong person to talk to.” I huffed, turning back to face the front of the classroom. “No one really likes me anyway.” “You seem, pretty A-Okay to me, Stella.” He smiled at his little jest. Rolling my eyes again, I replied, “That’s a first.” “Why doesn’t anyone like you?” he questioned. “Why would I tell you?” I snapped, frowning. “I just met you, stupid.” “I thought we were getting along famously.” “Just because I said hello and talked to you doesn’t mean I actually like you.” I reached down to my knapsack and pulled out my textbook, copybook, and a pencil. “Now leave me alone, before you catch Stella cooties.” I saw him narrow his eyes, but he finally left me alone. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god. Finally, the teacher arrived. Mrs. Bolt, her name was. She of course had Finn go up to the front of the room to introduce himself to the class. He stumbled on his way up and everyone snickered except for me. “Hi…everyone.” He mumbled. “A little louder, honey.” It looked like Mrs. Bolt hadn’t even attempted to brush her beehive of a hairdo this morning. “HI!” he exclaimed a little too loudly. “Um…. I’m Finn.” He went back to mumbling. “I’m from Orlando, Florida, and I moved here because…. I had to.” “Thank you, Finn.” Mrs. Bolt smiled tightly, and clapped her hands together. Finn shuffled back to his seat, face as red as a tomato. “You’re from Florida?” I hissed at him as Mrs. Bolt began lecturing. “Yeah.” He whispered back. “I’ve always wanted to go down there. Never had the chance though.” Up in the small New Hampshire town I lived in, Florida seemed millions of miles away. “It’s pretty nice.” He admitted. “Too humid though, I like it better up here. Doesn’t feel like I’m breathing through water all the time.” I tried not to smile. “Wait until it gets cold around here.” I widened my eyes dramatically. “Then you’ll be begging to go back to Florida.” “Yeah, we’ll see.” He chuckled. After that we sat in silence. I dutifully took notes and attempted to learn how to do the complex algebra problems on the board. When the bell finally rang, I gathered up my things and made my way to the door. “Hey!” I turned around. Finn had donned his backpack, and was hunched over, again. “What class do you have next?” “Uh…world history, why?” “I was just wondering. I have biology next and I have no idea where it’s at.” “The science wing is on the third floor to the left. I’m sure you’ll be able to find it.” I began to walk away. “See you at lunch?” he called. I rolled my eyes and continued walking without so much as a glance backward. Lunch was at 12:05 every day. So far, I had been in this school for a month, and so far, I hadn’t been able to make any friends. To make myself look as normal as possible, I sat on the end of a table of nerds. They didn’t talk to me, and I didn’t speak to them. It was a sort of silent agreement. I sat on the end of the table and they left at least two chairs on either side empty so I could have space to myself. Every single day they played some sort of magic card game. It looked and sounded ridiculous. They were constantly screaming about how their wizard just got demolished by a troll, or a gremlin, or something equally as stupid. I tried not to pay attention, but sometimes they were so loud and obnoxious I couldn’t help but overhear what they were screaming about. Other than that, for the most part I was left alone. That was, until today. Today, Finn decided to plop himself down next to me, exactly as he had done in algebra class that morning. I was sitting peacefully, munching on a tuna sandwich, with The Hobbit propped open on my schoolbag. I was just reading up on details about the Shire when I heard his voice. “Hiya, Stella!” he sat down next to me. I didn’t look up from the book. “Hi.” “Watcha reading?” “A book.” I took another bite. A piece of tuna fell on the plastic top of the table. “Well, I can see that.” I nodded, continuing to read. Finn was like a wasp, if you ignored him he hopefully went away. At least that’s what people hoped. It never really worked out that way though. The wasp would sting you anyway, just because wasps are incredibly and indescribably annoying. He stung again. “So…. what book is it?” I sighed loudly. “The Hobbit.” I intoned. “Hmm. Interesting.” He mused. “I could never read that, can’t get used to the old English language.” Finally, I rose my eyes to meet his. “Wow, Finn. That’s fascinating. Now, as you can tell, I’m a little busy, so please for the love of god almighty, leave me alone.” I kept my voice as calm as possible. “Busy?” he raised his eyebrows. “You’re sitting by yourself, which I’m guessing you do in every other class you have as well.” “And if I do?” I challenged. “Don’t you want someone to talk to?” “Everyone here is an idiot. Why would I want to talk to them?” “You didn’t answer my question.” “Of course, I would like someone to talk to. But who? You?” I scoffed at the last word. “You might not seem like an idiot, but I’ve never met someone so annoying.” Rolling my eyes, I turned back to my book. After a few moments of silence, I snapped, “And once you get to know me, you won’t want to be friends with me anyway. No one ever does. Why do you think I sit by myself?” I gripped the book tightly and forced my eyes back on the page, slightly embarrassed by my outburst. Why had I said all that? Finn never replied to my rant. From that day on though, he sat next to me in the cafeteria. Most days we never even spoke a word to each other. I continued reading my books. One day, near the end of October he brought in a book. I was curious, so I peeked to see what the cover was. It was the Hobbit. Freshman Year: Halloween Day October 31st, possibly my favorite day of the year. It was Halloween time, and the school showed it. Paper skeletons lined the walls of the hallways, and orange and purple lights were strung up in various classrooms. No one was required to decorate their classroom, but the “cool” teachers often did it. Since Halloween fell on a Monday that year, school was sadly in session. On the Friday before, the principal herself had made an announcement over the loud speakers. “All students will be permitted to wear an appropriate Halloween costume on Monday. Any student caught with a costume deemed disrespectful will be required to go home and change into suitable clothing.” I didn’t dress up, I hadn’t done that since I was at least ten years old. Finn had though. The idiot was wearing a batman t-shirt, black jeans, black army boots, and to top it all off, a cape with the batman symbol in bright yellow on the back. The cape was splayed over his enormous schoolbag, and as usual, he was hunched over as he headed to the seat beside me. Even though I hadn’t said much to him in the past three weeks I whispered, “Good lord, look at you.” “You like it?” he whispered back, grinning from ear to ear as he dropped his schoolbag to the ground. He made sure he wasn’t going to sit on his cape as he plopped down on the chair. “I made the cape myself.” “Really?” Genuinely surprised, I inspected it closer. From far away, one couldn’t tell, but up close it was obviously made from wool, the batman symbol was stitched into it ever so crookedly. Besides that, it was very nicely made. “Yeah.” He was still smiling. Even though he was extremely annoying, he had a nice smile. “I could make one for you too, if you wanted.” I rolled my eyes. As if. “What’s your favorite superhero? I know you have one.” “Hmm…” I toyed with the pencil in my hand. “Haven’t thought about that in forever. I don’t really watch superhero movies.” “What?” Finn yelped in mock horror. “What do you mean you don’t watch superhero movies? How do you live, Stella?” his eyes widened dramatically. Amused, despite myself I replied, “I just don’t. You know, I like reading more than watching things.” I paused for a second. “And besides, watching too many movies rots your brain. Guess that explains why you’re so stupid.” “Ugh. I missed having you make fun of me.” “Whatever.” I rolled my eyes, forcing my attention back to the front of the room. The teacher had just arrived and he was placing his laptop down on the dark wooden desk. “So…any plans for tonight?” I glanced over at Finn. He raised his eyebrows expectantly. “No, just me, my cat and a book most likely.” I tapped my pencil on the desk. Rap Rap. Rap Rap. “What about you?” “Just myself and some movies. Wanna join me?” The pencil stopped. I stared at him blankly. “You want me to come over your house and watch movies with you?” “Yeah.” He smiled. “Do you realize-“ “It’s not like a date!” he exclaimed too loudly. “Just as friends of course. We are friends, right?” “I suppose.” I relented. “More like acquaintances.” “Fine, then just come over as an acquaintance. It’ll be fun, I could show you some superhero movies, and maybe you could bring over a book or two you think I’d enjoy. Plus.” He held up a bony finger. “There will be an immense amount of buttered popcorn.” “You think buttered popcorn will bribe me into coming over your house?” I scoffed. “It better be buttered and salted.” Finn displayed his white teeth in a grin. “Alright, then it’s a deal, Stella-bella.” I glared at him, pointing the pencil menacingly between his eyes. “You ever call me that again, and I will hurt you.” Freshman Year: Halloween Evening “Do you even know this boy, Stella?” my mom asked, flipping the ground beef over on the stove. The aroma made my mouth water. “Not really.” I admitted. “He’s in some of my classes. He seems alright.” “So…is this like a date?” “NO!” I exclaimed, slamming my book down on the rickety wooden table. “No.” I said softer. “We’re just hanging out as fr- as acquaintances.” “Just as friends, huh?” she raised a thinly penciled eyebrow. “Sure, sure.” I raised my eyebrow right back, staring her down. “Don’t make this out to be anything big mom.” I hissed. “It’s just exciting.” She smiled too broadly. I sighed as she opened the oven to stick the beef in. Looking at her I pondered at how two people could be so different from one another, even though they were related. My mom was the epitome of grace; she had long blonde hair and bright baby blue eyes. I, on the other hand, had frizzy brown hair and eyes that couldn’t decide whether they wanted to be green, brown, or gray. My hair hung slightly past my bony shoulders. My body still seemed to be at the awkward lanky stage. My arms and legs were too long for my body and I often tripped over thin air. I was hoping against hope that one day my body would straighten itself out and not look like a fricking stick figure all the time. Unlike my mother, I also had a smattering of light freckles across the bridge of my nose, spilling out onto my cheeks. She had said since I was five years old that I looked exactly like my father. But in girl form, of course. I wouldn’t know what he looked like; I had never met him. My father and mother had never been married. They met in high school and hit it off instantly. She was the head cheerleader, he was the captain of the baseball team. They “fell in love,” as my mom likes to say. In my father’s senior year of high school, he got my mother pregnant with yours truly. He stayed with her throughout her pregnancy until she went into labor. That was when he decided to bail. He cut her off from his life, transferring to an entirely different school and graduating from there. She never saw him again and she insists that she never wants to see him again. I don’t quite believe her about that. The way she spoke about him was always kind of…adoring. Besides hearing about how my parents had met, I never asked much about my father. He wasn’t here with me now, so I didn’t care much about it. No sense grieving over a lost cause I’d like to think. “Dinner will be ready in a half hour, probably. What time are you going over to…what’s this kids name again?” “Finn.” I replied, picking up my book again. I had recently begun reading Edgar Allan Poe and I was in love. “Hmm. Unusual name.” I curled my lip, not looking up from the small black print. “So’s Stella. All names are unusual if you think about it.” “I suppose.” She sat down at the table, causing it to shake. “Now listen, honey.” She steadied the table with her knee. “Could you please put the book down for a minute?” I held up a finger. “Let me just finish this story, real quick. I only have like, a page left.” Her hand blocked the print as she grabbed the book, gently lowering it to the table. I looked at her. “Listen.” She repeated. “If at any point you want to leave early and come home tonight, just give me a call okay?” “Yeah, mom.” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I think I’ll be okay. I’m pretty positive he isn’t a serial killer or anything.” “You know what I mean, Estella.” I cringed as she said my full name. “If he makes you uncomfortable in any way, come straight home.” “Okay, mom. Really, I get it.” “Alright. It’s just…I know you’ve had a hard time adjusting to high school and I want everything to go well.” She stood up, causing the table to shake on its uneven legs again. “I know you do.” I murmured, fingering the book’s cover. “This is me trying. You told me to at least try and make some friends. That’s what I’m doing.” “I’m glad you’re trying. I’m sure you and…Finn will be great friends.” She paused for a second before continuing. “Is he cute at least?” “Mom!” I exclaimed. “Sorry, sorry!” she laughed, dancing out of the kitchen, away from me. I snatched my book up, flipping to my dog-eared page and began reading again. Freshman Year: Halloween Night “Now, call me if you need anything, Stella.”’ My mom called as I stumbled out of the car. “Yeah, of course.” I mumbled, hoisting my bulky backpack higher up on my shoulder. It was filled to the brim with books. I was hoping that I could distract him from his superhero movies with a few good books. I heard my mom’s car rattle away, up the street. Finn’s house was a quaint single home with a wraparound porch. The windchimes sang softly as I treaded lightly to his front door. The porch light was on, casting a ghoulish yellow light on the front lawn. Perhaps that is what caused me to see what I saw that night. Perhaps not. I saw the man for a split second. He was there and gone so fast that later I attempted to convince myself that he wasn’t there. A man appeared on my left, about 50 feet away from me. He was dressed in a plain black button up shirt and black pants. His bare feet were milky white, and deathly pale. His hair was jet black and messy, curling around his ears. I wasn’t close enough to see what color eyes he had, but what scared me the most was his mouth. Or the fact that he didn’t have one. Where his mouth should’ve been was just skin, unbroken skin. As soon as I saw him he was gone again. I stumbled backwards. Maybe it was just a Halloween prank. If so, it was a good one. I should’ve rang Finn’s doorbell right there and then, but I didn’t. I needed to see who this man was. I dropped my backpack to the floor, and hopped down the steps. I had seen him on the front lawn…. maybe he had walked behind the house? The wind was blowing ever so slightly, enough to make me shiver. I clutched my flimsy jacket tighter around me. How could he have walked away so fast? No one moved that quickly. My breath was misting in the air in front of me. Jesus, why was it so cold? How do fan fiction and other texts such as our our re-genre project challenge notions of authorship and ownership of ideas?
In this day and age, there are many copyright and plagiarism laws. Authors who come up with "original" story ideas will sue anyone who looks as if they might be stealing their idea. Fan fictions, such as the ones my English Composition II class wrote challenge the sense of ownership that authors have with their ideas. The question here is, can someone own an idea? Lets take an idea for a book. Books are made up of letters which in turn make up words. Can someone say they own the alphabet? No idea is truly original because it is guaranteed that someone came up with the idea before. Hey everyone! This is the first draft of my fan fiction narrative. You can get the details of this assignment here!
This is a story about the Obergruppenfuhrer and his son, Thomas. Enjoy! Fan Fiction Narrative The Story of Thomas Smith Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith was huddled at a pristine office desk, twiddling a coin between his fingers. Heads…or tails?” He couldn’t stop himself from repeating that question over and over again in his mind. Heads or tails? Heads or tails? Heads or tails? He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he shouldn’t leave this decision to mere chance. It was foolish, he wasn’t even sure that he would go through with the decision if the coin didn’t land in his favor. Or better yet, in his son’s favor. Thomas’ condition had slowly begun to worsen. Once upon a time, he only fell down the stairs upon occasion. Now, he was having trouble simply picking up a fork. The entire thing was enough to make someone ill. How could Thomas do this? How dare he? Heads or tails, John? Heads or tails…. “John?” Helen popped her head into the office. Her blonde curls were neatly in place, not a single hair askew. John grunted, signaling that he had heard her. “Dinners ready, we don’t want to start without you.” Of course, you can’t start without me. John was the man in the family; it would be considered incredibly rude if his wife, son, or daughters took the first piece of whatever food was laid out on the table. John nodded. “I’ll just be a minute.” He turned and pulled his lips upward to make a smile. “Okay, dear. Take your time.” She grinned back and soared back into the dining room. John rested his head in his hands, resisting the urge to pound his forehead repeatedly into the desktop. He knew what he should do. But what he should have been doing and what he wanted to do were for once, two completely different things. Heads or tails? Damn it, damn it, damn it. He dropped the coin into his pocket, pushed back from the desk and stood up. Had the chair always been that uncomfortable? He loosened his tie a bit and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. Everything was suffocating him nowadays. He shuffled out of his office, closing the door with a slight click. Heading into the dining room he was greeted with a burst of noise. “Father!” the two girls exclaimed. He smiled tightly at them as he took his seat at the head of the table. Thomas sat to his left, pristine as ever in his Hitler youth uniform. “How was your day at school, Thomas?” John asked as Helen dished out piles of roast beef onto his plate. “It was fine.” He offered no more explanation. “Just fine?” “Yes, just fine.” “What was just fine about it?” Helen was now pouring peas onto his white ceramic plate. “We had gym class today.” Oh, I know where this is going. John struggled to control his face as he asked his next question. “And, how was gym class?” “Fine.” Oh, this is worse than torturing a man. They at least speak more than what Thomas is doing now. “What did you do in gym class today, Thomas?” “John, could you pass the salt and pepper please?” Helen was giving him that look. That look that said, please don’t. Thomas still hadn’t replied. “I asked you a question, Thomas.” Thomas picked up his fork, his hand shaking slightly. “We played soccer today. I was the goalie, and my team ended up losing.” Ah. “And why did your team lose?” “My legs kept cramping up, I couldn’t get to the ball fast enough.” “How do you feel now?” He shrugged his skinny shoulders. “I feel okay, my legs still feel odd.” “Those growing pains are hitting you hard honey.” Helen reached over and patted Thomas’ hand reassuringly. Heads or tails. “Amy.” John looked at his youngest daughter. “Yes, papa?’ He reached into his pocket and drew out the coin, striving to make sure his hand didn’t tremble. “Let’s play a quick game. Flip the coin. Heads you get dessert now, tails you get dessert after you wash the dishes.” Please let it be heads. I cannot kill my own son. Amy’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I hope I get dessert now!” “John,” Helen was looking at him. “Do you think this wise…?” “Not particularly, but a decision must be made.” “About dessert? Right now?” her eyes were wide. “Yes right now, Helen!” She placed her hands in her lap meekly, not replying. Amy flipped the coin. John watched the silver shiver through the silent air. It landed on the table with a clatter. Everyone leaned over to look. None so far as John. “Darn it!” Amy exclaimed. John paled. “I really wanted that cheesecake now.” “Get the dishes done, then you can have it.” John pushed back from the table, the chair squealing on the ground. Of course, it had landed on tails. What had he expected? That night as he climbed into bed, his mind was racing. The syringe was in his bedside drawer, beckoning to him. When should he do it? How should he do it? Helen was already sound asleep, breathing deep and evenly. With her eyes closed, she looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world. And she didn’t. She had no idea what was going on, no idea that her only son was about to die. But it had to be this way. Thomas couldn’t live when all he would be was a detriment to society. Thomas would understand. After tossing and turning for some time, John got up and went into his office, sitting down in the uncomfortable chair again. He looked up when he heard the door creak open. “Thomas?” his heart stopped looking at his pale face. “What are you doing up at this hour?” John heard the click of the gun before he saw it, shining in his own son’s hand. For once it wasn’t shaking. “Why haven’t you killed me already, father?” He knows. “So you know about…?” “Yes. I overheard you and the doctor talking. I’m not stupid! Why haven’t you killed me yet?” “You’re my son, Thomas. It’s more complicated than just a matter of pulling the trigger.” “No, no it isn’t. If you were a loyal subject to the Reich I wouldn’t be here right now. You’re committing treason. What happens to people who commit treason?” he pulled the trigger. John slumped to the floor, unmoving, unable to draw another breath. “Well.” Thomas heaved a huge sigh, raising the gun to his temple. “For the Reich.” BAM |
AuthorHey everyone! This is my blog page for my English Composition II class. In here I will post assignments, thoughts, and drafts of current writing pieces I'm working on. Enjoy! Archives
May 2017
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