Final Essay In Dubious Battle

Sheila Scharff

Mrs. Knapp

English 1B

In Dubious Battle

Battle for Justice

A Reader-Response on In Dubious Battle

As ironic as it might sound weakness dictates greatness. The apple pickers were seen as the weaker group in the battle of owners against pickers, but in Torgas Valley they unite against the growers association as they stand their ground to fight for justice. In his novel, In Dubious Battle, John Steinbeck tries to show how a strike was common in the 1930s. The Great Depression continued and working men found themselves either without a job, or desperate for work they did. It did not matter if their pay was low. The men could not support their families with low wages, but what could they do? Steinbeck’s story follows two main characters through an apple pickers’ strike. The Communist Party sends Mac McLeod, a veteran Communist Party worker, to start up a revolt against the proprietors in order to gain justice for the working class. As Mac heads to Torgas Valley, California, He brings a new recruit, Jim Nolan. Nolan’s father was killed in a riot, his mother had died, and his sister disappeared one day. Jim wanted to do something with his life that gave it some meaning. He decided to be part of the Communist Party; it might have helped him in finding his purpose in life. Together with Mac they worked to rival up the pickers and lead them to strike against the growers association. These two men faced events that helped lay down the foundation towards the cause. They helped workers fight against unsafe equipment, low wages and horrid conditions, and the power struggle between workers and owners.

              Finding a way to lay down the foundation towards the cause was not easy for these two men. When Mac and Jim arrived in Torgas Valley, Mac seeks opportunities to gain the worker’s trust. Mac was able to take that first step by helping a young woman, Lisa, give birth to her child. Together Mac and Jim were able to unite the men in a common cause, the child. For example Mac says to Jim, “Every man who gave part of his clothes felt that the work was his own. They all feel responsible for that baby” (95). This is a very important scene in the book. This was the first action taken in laying the foundation towards the strike. The men felt as if they were a part of the birth. They learned how to work as a team and unite as a group toward a common cause. This helped Mac and Jim gain their respect and trust by the men and most importantly the men’s leader London, the pregnant girl’s father-in-law.

Laying the foundation for these two labor leaders did start with London’s daughter-in-law but that was only one event. Shortly after another opportunity came forth. Mac and Jim worked in the apple orchard with the other pickers. Jim met Old Dan, a veteran picker. As Mac and Jim kept their eyes and ears open for anything that can get the strike going. Jim starts talking to Old Dan. Mac tells Jim that Old Dan is a waste of time and worthless. The next day Old Dan falls off a faulty ladder and breaks his hip. This caused a man to say, “The ladder, an old ladder!” (106). Mac quickly sees again another opportunity and tells the men that they deserve better equipment. As fear grows within the men, they realize that they need to take action to avoid ending up like the old picker with a broken hip. Mac says to Jim, “The old buzzard was worth something after all” (107). For someone who has been forgotten and was said to be a waste of time he was able to become a symbol to the pickers and the first to be sacrificed to the cause.

In the article, In Dubious Battle, by James D. Hart and Phillip W. Leininger, they say that when the strike begins, Mac advises London concerning methods and finds a camping place for the 1000 strikers on the farm of Anderson's father, Al, a small farm owner who is very proud of his dogs. Mac summons Dick, a “pretty boy” party member in charge of soliciting party sympathizers for donations and who provides supplies. Dr. Burton, a “fellow traveler,” was brought into the camp to take charge of sanitation. There were many people who put in their share to help and participate towards justice for the workers, but it was a loss of a fellow party member that was their first misfortune.

With the strike in full force there were many times in the book that you would think that the strike was doomed and the cause looked like a failed mission. There were distractions that caused the men to continuously reunite such as when the men were being stood off at the train station by the cops. Joy, another party member, was shot by a vigilante. Joy’s death was used by Mac to help get the men to feel hunger and anger towards what they are trying to achieve. With this, Joy’s death was used to fuel the fire. Mac says, “For every man they kill ten new ones come over to us” (333). Mac explains that it is necessary that they use Joy’s corpse, for it can create a sense of sympathy in the strikers. This clearly is another way to get the men riled up. Throughout this novel Mac emphasized constantly that the end justifies whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to individuals. Though, I personally felt disgusted that he had little compassion for his friend’s death. Taking advantage of a person after they are dead obviously for Mac was proving the words he preached.

Mac uses his skills at anything that helped the strike continue during many events in this book by taking advantage of certain situations. Mac used these advantages to help Lisa give birth to her child, old Dan’s tragic fall off a ladder, and the death of his party member Joy. All these events were used to both gain the trust and respect or to put life back into the group by giving them the desire for revenge.

As conditions grew worse and doubt was seen in the men’s faces they were almost ready to turn on Mac. With money running low and the camp was dealing with a food shortage, Dick, who provides supplies, finally managed to scrape up some food for the men. Doc Burton disappears and his absence in attending and caring for the sick and sanitation of the camp grew worse. One night Anderson’s barn burned and ruined his crops that were stored inside. This caused Anderson to call the sheriff to evict the strikers. The following night a boy told Mac and Jim that Doc Burton was wounded in the field. As Mac and Jim rushed to help the Doctor they soon realized it was a trap. Jim was shot and killed running through the fields looking for Doc. Like Joy, Mac once again stood over the body of his comrade. Mac giving a speech to commemorate the death of Jim and as he gathers strength through his loss and pain he speaks of Jim in the abstract. Mac preaches to the men by saying, “This guy didn’t want nothing for himself” (269). This was another example of using any means necessary, even the body of a friend to keep the fight in motion. Jim’s body becomes yet another symbol for the revolution to strike for justice.

Though Torgas Valley was in the grasp of the Growers Association and the workers were at their mercy, there was a struggle for power between the owners and the workers. The owners were known to effectively use communism. It was not easy to live a life as a working man. If you were not at the top of the ladder you were at the bottom looking up as you worked through harsh condition, low pay and crappy equipment. During the 1950’s, an American economics professor Clark Kerr observed and said, “organized labor and management are primarily engaged in sharing between themselves what is, at any one moment of time, a largely given amount of income and power.” In today’s society we see managers and supervisors represent business owners and think that they are the ones that should have the power to fire and hire anyone for any or no reason. These business owners and the workers themselves who represent them try to control the hours we work, and slave us to work at their maximum standards. These big headed power trip bullies give us no choice but to suck it up or tell us if we don’t like it we can look for another job. As we see the power struggle between the workers and owners in this novel we can’t help but to admit that this conflict has shaped our labor history. Till this day neither side has proven or given into who should rule in the workplace.

My personal opinion is that no matter what system is in place we will always be robbed one way or another. Injustice should be fought against. I have family members and know of friends that have participated in a strike. Sometimes in order to be heard drastic actions need to be taken to make a point. The logistics of a strike was captured very well by Steinbeck such as the manipulation by the media against the strikers, and gathering support by soliciting party members. The power between the owners and the workers whom both stood their ground which neither wanted to give in due to it would be a sign of weakness. Taking a risk to give the workers what they wanted would cause the Owners to lose money. If the workers gave in to the owners it would defeat the purpose.  Today we witness these logistics. Steinbeck’s view life as a working stiff and the sacrifices that were made showed how teamwork and self-discipline can help towards achieving a common goal. Till this day we still witness the battle of power in the workplace.

Work Cited:

1.      Steinbeck, John, and Warren G. French. In Dubious Battle. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.

2.    Hard, James D., and Phillip W. Leininger. "In Dubious Battle." The Oxford Companion to American Literature, 1936. Web, 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-InDubiousBattle.html>.

3.     Morine, Nocolas. "John Steinbeck's In Dubious Battle: Book / Literature Review | Suite101.com." Nicholas Morine | Suite101.com. 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://nicholas-morine.suite101.com/john-steinbecks-in-dubious-battle-book--literature-review-a285270>.

HELP MOODLE IS GIVING ME ERROR MESSAGES

MRS. KNAPP MOODLE HAS BEEN GIVING ME ERROR MESSAGES ALL DAY WHEN UPLOADING I AM ATTACHING MY FINAL ESSAY TO MY NEXT POSTING

What I learned this semester..

I really enjoyed this class, not only was the teacher wonderful, but I love how she designed her teaching ways through having us work on our own personal blog, the assignments she had in class and who can forget our group performance. Working on a blog rather than having a personal journal that we would have to bring to class each Friday I think in my opinion would be a hassle. I like to know not only were we able to create our journal online, but that we can easily edit, access and create our thoughts in class, at home, and during any free time. We did not have to worry about writing on paper, crossing out any mistakes or erasing and re-writing. It was so much easier to just open your laptop, get on your computer, or work on them before class in the computer lab. I wish we had more opportunities like this when it comes to taking an English course. I think it was a great idea and more teachers should take this into consideration for their students.

I learned that journal writing may it be on a blog, paper, or a diary really helps bring out our skills. I learned some extra skills in writing process and critical theory. I am still stuck on how to create a thesis and I hope I did it in my final paper. Other things we were able to learn in this class was how to employ critical theory. We also learned how to construct a unified, coherent, and developed essay that defends a position.

My favorite book that I read in this class was In Dubious Battle. I enjoyed the story line and it was so interesting that I think I finished it within two days. Persopolis was ok, I think because it was more similar to reading a comic book. I also did not have that my education in the history from the events that they were speaking of. I did learn a few things from the books we learned and I do not regret getting involved in them. Everyday we learn something new, if its threw a book, reading a peers paper, or just coming to class every Friday. There is always room in our brain to soak up new knowledge.

I also liked how Mrs. Knapp gave us more than enough time to work on any major assignments. I have had previous english teachers that are not even close to how Mrs. Knapp gets involved with the students and how she has an understanding that we too, her students, have a life outside of school. I am sure that other peers in the class have kids, work, or have other things besides school, and homework to juggle in their lives. I was hoping to get Mrs. Knapp for my English 1c Class but hopefully if i do pass and continue on to the next level of english my next teacher can meet up to our teachers standards.

Peer Review Feedback

In regards to the peer review feedback I did not have a good experience. I was only able to get one person to read my paper for their input and since that person did not even start on their paper it seemed like they were more getting ideas from mine on what to write. The only thing I got back from that was that they said that I needed to put it in order and I should move paragraphs around. Even though I was able to learn from my peer in class that my paper needed to be more organized and my paragraphs were jumped from scene to scene, I still wish that I had others read my paper. I tried finding other students but they already were working on another students paper, so I just started examining mine and figuring it out by moving things around, adding stuff, re-writing stuff, tighting it up as best as I could.

It took a while to fix it and then I realized that I practically wrote a whole new paper. It seems that I wanted to get more into detail about some characters I mentioned and so by just saying their name did not give my readers enough information about who they were reading about. I added, and deleted, and moved everything around. I even created a whole new introduction, but now I am thinking my introduction is too long. Ugh the stress and struggles of hoping everything is right. I noticed that if I put to much effort into a paper my grade is poor and if I just write it with little to no effort my grade is excellent. I emailed Mrs. Knapp after I finished fixing everything hoping that I could email her my paper to get some feedback, since I was only able to get one student who did not pay to close attention when reading , I hope she returns my email soon because I really want to send it to her for some last minute opinions.

My essay seems finished to me now, but I keep re-reading and re-reading it. I am sure most of us do that knowing that this is our final paper and our grade on this paper is the deciding factor if we pass or not. Its a do or die paper and the only thing that I feel stumped on is the thesis, ugh the thesis. Its such a difficult thing for me to do and I hate working on it so much because its hard. I am sure everyone in class had positive and negative feedback from their peers and that this final paper is going to be do or die. I hope that the feed back I got and that anyone else got was correct and helps us towards making each and everyone of us have an outstanding essay. Good luck to everyone I enjoyed the class and the other students I worked with throughout the semester hope to see you in the next step of English, English 1c.

Rough Draft Second Formal Paper

Sheila Scharff

Mrs. Knapp

English 1B

In Dubious Battle

Rough Draft

In his novel in Dubious Battle, John Steinbeck tries to show how a strike was common in the 1930s as the Great Depression continued and working men found themselves either without a job, or was so desperate for a job they did not care if the pay was low. Men and their families would travel from place to place if they heard there was a good job available. When they got there they soon found out that the farm owners reduced the pay. Due to low wages the men could not support their families, but what could they do? Steinbeck’s story follows two main characters, depicted by Steinbeck as labor leaders, through an apple pickers’ strike. The Communist Party sends Mac McLeod, a veteran Communist Party worker, to start up a revolt against the proprietors in order to gain a higher wage and justice for the working class. Mac heads to Torgas Valley, California, along with him he brings Jim Nolan. Nolan who had a father killed in a riot, a mother who died, and a sister that was missing is a new recruit in the Communist Party. He wants to do something that will give his life meaning and being included in the Communist Party just might help him in finding his purpose in life. Together with Mac, a "red", they work together to rival up the pickers and lead them to strike against the Growers Association. Mac shows Jim some tricks and how to use things to benefit them in gathering the men together to form a strike. They are able to use their power and influence towards the other characters throughout this novel. There were events that occurred to help lay the foundation for the men towards the cause, the picker’s death with unsafe equipment, low wages, and horrid conditions, and the power struggle between the owners and workers.

                When Mac and Jim arrive in Torgas Valley, Mac seeks opportunities to gain the worker’s trust and at the same time teaches Jim how to do so. Mac was able to take that first step in gaining trust by helping a young woman, Lisa, give birth to her child. Together Mac and Jim were able to unite the men in a common cause, the birth of a child. For example Mac says “Every man who gave part of his clothes felt that the work was his own. They all feel responsible for that baby.” (95).  This is a very important scene in the book. This was the first action taken in laying the foundation for their plan to strike and gain justice. The men feeling as if they were a part of the birth, learned how to work as a team. This helped Mac and Jim gain their respect and trust by the men and most importantly the men’s leader London, the pregnant girl’s father-in-law.

Laying the foundation for these two labor leaders did start with London’s daughter-in-law but that was only one event. Shortly after another opportunity came forth. As Mac and Jim worked in the apple orchard with the other pickers Jim met Old Dan, a veteran picker. As Mac and Jim kept their eyes and ears open for anything that can get the strike going. Jim starts talking to Old Dan. Mac tells Jim that Old Dan is a waste of time and worthless towards the cause. The next day Old Dan falls of a faulty ladder and breaks his hip. This caused a man to say, “The ladder, and old ladder!” (106). Mac quickly sees again another opportunity and tells the men that they deserve better equipment. As fear grows within the men, they realize that they need to take action to avoid ending up like the old picker with a broken hip. Mac soon realized by saying “The old buzzard was worth something after all.” (107) Old Dan became the symbol for the strikers when he fell. This was the beginning of the strike and when Old Dan became a symbol to the other men.

Though Torgas Valley was in the grasp of the Growers Association and the workers were at their mercy there was a struggle for power between the owners and the workers. The owners were known to effectively use communism. It was not easy for the pickers to organize and strike for higher wages and better living conditions, but they could no longer live like they were. In the article, In Dubious Battle, by James D. Hart and Phillip W. Leininger, they say that when the strike begins, Mac advises London concerning methods and finds a camping place for the 1000 strikers on the farm of Anderson's father, Al, a small farm owner who is very proud of his dogs. Mac summons Dick, a “pretty boy” party member in charge of soliciting party sympathizers for donations and who provides supplies. Dr. Burton, a “fellow traveler,” was brought into the camp to take charge of sanitation. The orchardists unsuccessfully attempts to bribe and intimidate London and his fellow chairman and leader of the pickers at the Hunter place, Dakin, but the morale of the strikers is maintained.

With the strike in full force there were many times in the book that you would think that the strike was doomed and the cause looked like a failed mission. There were distractions that caused the men to continuously reunite such as when the men were being stood off at the train station by the cops, Joy, another party member, was shot by a vigilante. Joy’s death was used by Mac to help get the men to feel hunger and anger towards what they are trying to achieve. With this, Joy’s death was used to fuel the fire. Mac says, “For every man they kill ten new ones come over to us.”  (p. 333). Mac explains that it is necessary that they use the Joy’s corpse, for it can create a sense of sympathy in the strikers. With sympathy comes a call for revenge that will lead to the desirable tool to put life back into the group which will bring the men together. This clearly is another way to get the men riled up for the cause. Throughout this novel Mac and Jim emphasize constantly that the end justifies whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to individuals.

Mac uses his skills during many events in this book to persuade or take advantage of a situation to help the strike continue. Mac used these advantages during the birth of London’s daughter-in-law’s child, old Dan’s tragic fall of a ladder, and his companion through it all, the death of his party member Joy. All these events were used to both gain the trust and respect to rally the men further into action or to put life back into the group by giving them the desire for revenge.

As conditions grew worse and doubt was seen in the men’s faces they were almost ready to turn on Mac. With no money or any food for the strikers Dick finally managed to scrape up some food for the men. Doc Burton disappears and his absence in attending and caring for the sick and sanitation of the camp grew worse. One night Anderson’s barn burned and ruined his crops that were stored inside. This caused Anderson to call the sheriff to evict the strikers. The following night a boy told Mac and Jim that Doc Burton was wounded in the field. As they rushed to help the Doctor they soon realized it was a trap. Jim was shot and killed. Like Joy, Mac once again stood over the body of his comrade and friend. Mac giving a speech to commemorate the death of Jim, he gathers strength through his loss and pain and speaks of Jim in the abstract. Mac preaches to the men by saying, “This guy didn’t want nothing for himself.” (269). This was another example of using any means necessary, even the body of a friend to keep forth in a common cause. Jim’s body becomes yet another symbol for the revolution as he did with old Dan and Joy by using them as a symbol to strike for justice.

My own feelings, no matter what system is in place we will always be robbed one way or another. Injustice should be fought against. I have family members and know of friends that have participated in a strike. Sometimes in order to be heard drastic actions need to be taken to make a point. The logistics of a strike was captured very well by Steinbeck such as the manipulation by the media against the strikers, and gathering support by soliciting party members. The power between the owners and the workers both stood their ground. Neither wanted to give in to the other due to it would be a sign of weakness. Taking a risk to give the workers what they wanted would cause the Owners to lose money. If the workers gave in to the owners it would defeat the purpose.  Today we still hear or witness these logistics in a strike. Steinbeck’s view of the life of a working stiff and the sacrifices that were made showed how teamwork and self discipline can achieve a common goal which till this day is still being utilized.

Gender, In Dubious Battle

Throughout the book in my opinion women were portrayed more as a behind the scene woman. Nobody knew exactly what women were thinking in the book. Steinbeck emphasized the male gender more than the woman’s role throughout his novel.

Take for instance the woman who gives birth to a child with the assistance of Mac, a party member who uses any means necessary to achieve a goal towards justice for the workers. It seemed that the female was scene as nothing more as a child bearer and nothing more. Or Dankins wife

In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck obviously gave male genders a bigger role in this story, even knowing that women to striked to gain justic. Steinbeck mostly used the women characters he created to have only been given a role of a weak person lingering in the shadows. Throughout the novel, there has only been one female character that has been mentioned more than once—Lisa. Lisa did not have that much of a role in Steinbecks novel, but the little that she had showed her as somewhat a innocent young lady just waiting to be saved. She was though seen as a helper to the men and to Jim in particular along with some decision making. Although Steinbeck depicts the women in his novel and weak individuals in reality women are stronger than they appear and can achieve just as much as any man can.

Gender play in this novel obviously made this more about the male gender in almost every important event. As little parts here and there were tossed in with a paragraph or two when a woman was finally portrayed in the story, they were no more as just a mere image of a woman standing behind the husband taking orders by a glance he gives her. A woman who sits and listens in silence but her images she makes can only be expressed in silence in hopes that you can unravel her mystery.

Womens view and accounts to a strike obviously was not that engaging to where it was critical for Steinbeck to put in his novel, but I think he should of took the time to visually show us an image of women in that era and time. I am sure if the women Steinbeck created in his story were able to speak the truth throught he words of Steinbeck's mouth we would definitely be just as interested to read and know what the women experienced during the times of a strike.

All in all my feelings about how the women were pertrieved and had little to none significance in this story only made me wish that there was more insight to the female characters throughout the book. At least one character had some significance but little to none more than that, Lisa, London's daugher-n-law. She in a blinding and helpless way was the first person to actually help lay the foundation for Mac and Jim to help get the men to accept them, trust them, and learned by them how to work as a team.

Difficulty Paper (In Dubious Battle)

The book, In Dubious Battle, by John Steinbeck was slow at first and was not a real attention getter but after little bumps on the boring bus I started to get a little more interested. I was confused at first about the time period and how the people were back then. I noticed in the book that there were certain kind of character's that had a way of speaking by certain slang words they used or incomplete sentences, but I soon was able to make sense of it all and sometimes caught myself laughing after I figured out what the heck they were talking about.

I found some characters a little confusing to understand and their real expectations and goals were a bit iffy to me when I was reading, especially with one of the main characters, Mac McLeod. Like I said once before in a previous blog my thoughts of Mac McLeod is a character with a chip on his shoulder, there were times throughout the story I felt like wow, this guy just might have a heart. I noticed that when he speaks to Jim, his companion and new recruit to the Party, his words seem to be expressing a bond, closeness, a protector towards his student. I did believe that he actually cared for Jim and that he looked out for him though out the book. My thoughts of Mac McLeod being a true friend, a person who really cared more about the people and not taking revenge on the farm owners was soon crushed. When Jim dies towards the end of the story I did not expect Mac out of all people to once again, for the cause, use his so called friends body as a symbol to, like Joy’s body, unite the men and regain the strength, anger, and trust back into the cause.

Another thing about this book was how were they able to feed, shelter, and tend to so many workers striking. I could just imagine how much food they had to bring in; I mean these men were also bringing their wife’s and children into the situation. I think a little bit more detail would help, it might be stupid, but it is something that crossed my mind.

Jim was another character that only made me wonder if he knew how much potential he really had. Sometimes I hoped to read that he took control and stepped on Mac’s toes. I think Jim had more of a heart and personal relationship with other characters in the book unlike Mac who used people to gain benefits towards the cause. It seems like the cause was more for him and not the workers. Like I said before I think there is more to Mac than what was shared with us. He obviously has no heart, it is ice cold most of the time, and if it melts he just might melt with it.

Two characters, Mac and Jim, They remind me of the tin man and the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. The camp is the golden brick road and the winning the strike was winning the chance to see Oz and get their wish which is higher pay, better equipment provided for them, and living conditions.

Reader Response theoretical perspective

Although Steinbeck’s character Mac McLeod was recognized as the character who was able to influence and use his power over other characters in the book, I saw him more as a person trying to revenge on something that was held back not only in the story but in his past.

It seems that he used people, created a symbol from a death of a friend, and even lied about his experience in child birthing. Does he not think of the consequences it will be on the people he is taking advantage of.  When His friend Joy dies, he does not have time to sulk, he is quick to take advantage of his death and use him as a symbol to the workers in order for them to come together again and cringe the thirst for revenge. Helping the young girl give birth to her baby was helpful, but what if the baby died, yet the thought of a dead baby did not come into thought, or nor did he even care to think about. The only thing on his mind is that this girl had a connection to London, the leader of the men, and that is who he needed to get in good with so that he can start laying the foundation towards a strike.

Though my thoughts of Mac McLeod is a character with a chip on his shoulder, there were times throughout the story I felt like wow, this guy just might have a heart. I noticed that when he speaks to Jim, his companion and new recruit to the Party, his words seem to be expressing a bond, a closeness, a protector towards his student. I did believe that he actually cared for Jim and that he looked out for him though out the book. My thoughts of Mac McLeod being a true friend, a person who really cared more about the people and not taking revenge on the farm owners was soon crushed. When Jim dies towards the end of the story I did not expect Mac out of all people to once again, for the cause, use his so called friends body as a symbol to, like Joy’s body, unite the men and regain the strength, anger, and trust back into the cause.

Mac always seems to turn events to his advantage by rallying the men even after Jim’s death. Mac seems to feel that everything that occurs is something that has happened in order for the strike to survive.  It seems that the strike was a roller coaster. The men feeling the excitement was extreme anxiety and impatient behavior to gain what they want and the next day, it was sulking, whining, and complaining of no food. One way or another every event in the book was most often used to Macs advantage and with that who knows if the fight he initiates will ever satisfy his inner goal. Maybe there is more to Mac than we know, just like the ending of this book with Jim’s death. It leaves us wondering what ever happened and did it die down or did it live to fight.

Jims progression (Character)

Jim Nolan is a new member of the "Party," whose political development is one of the book's central themes. His father was a Communist himself, and was legendary as one who fought. The son of a working man whose death was caused by policemen’s blows has come to communism by way of starvation, a way of finding his path in the world. Jim also looked to Mac as a mentor. Mac who is a communist labor organizer who organizes a fruit-pickers’ strike with the help of Jim. As Jim and Mac rallies the strikers with a stirring speech over the body of his friend and co-organizer, Jim Nolan. At the end of the book Jim  gets shot when he and Mac are enticed into a trap.

What I want to know about Jim is why did he not take control sooner than he did towards the end of the book. It seems that Jim underestimated himself in this book and there was many times that I found Jim questioning Mac's judgements and rulings in the text. I also wanted to know more about his sister, it seems that he was close to her, but yet her life was very briefly explained as well as his mothers in the story.

Jim's characterization progress in the book is similiar to the growers by how he took control and lead the group. Like growers who take control and lead the pickers, Jim to was able to take control of the group once controlled by growers to help lead them to justice.

Rough Draft - Dubious Battle

Sheila Scharff

Mrs. Knapp

English 1B

In Dubious Battle

Rough Draft

In his novel in Dubious Battle, John Steinbeck tries to show how a strike was common in the 1930s as the Great Depression continued and working men found themselves either without a job, or was so desperate for a job they did not care if the pay was low. Men and their families would travel from place to place if they heard there was a good job available. When they got there they soon found out that the farm owners reduced the pay. Due to low wages the men could not support their families, but what could they do? Steinbeck’s story follows two main characters, depicted by Steinbeck as labor leaders, through an apple pickers’ strike. The Communist Party sends Mac McLeod, a veteran Communist Party worker, to start up a revolt against the proprietors in order to gain a higher wage and justice for the working class. Mac heads to Torgas Valley, California, along with him he brings Jim Nolan. Nolan who had a father killed in a riot, a mother who died, and a sister that was missing is a new recruit in the Communist Party. He wants to do something that will give his life meaning and being included in the Communist Party just might help him in finding his purpose in life. Together with Mac, a "red", they work together to rival up the pickers and lead them to strike against the Growers Association. Mac shows Jim some tricks and how to use things to benefit them in gathering the men together to form a strike. They are able to use their power and influence towards the other characters throughout this novel. There were events that occurred to help lay the foundation for the men towards the cause, the picker’s death with unsafe equipment, low wages, and horrid conditions, and the power struggle between the owners and workers.

                When Mac and Jim arrive in Torgas Valley, Mac seeks opportunities to gain the worker’s trust and at the same time teaches Jim how to do so. Mac was able to take that first step in gaining trust by helping a young woman, Lisa, give birth to her child. Together Mac and Jim were able to unite the men in a common cause, the birth of a child. For example Mac says “Every man who gave part of his clothes felt that the work was his own. They all feel responsible for that baby.” (95) This is a very important scene in the book. This was the first action taken in laying the foundation for their plan to strike and gain justice. The men feeling as if they were a part of the birth, learned how to work as a team. This helped Mac and Jim gain their respect and trust by the men and most importantly the men’s leader London, the pregnant girl’s father-in-law.

Laying the foundation for these two labor leaders did start with London’s daughter-in-law but that was only one event. Shortly after another opportunity came forth. As Mac and Jim worked in the apple orchard with the other pickers Jim met Old Dan, a veteran picker. As Mac and Jim kept their eyes and ears open for anything that can get the strike going. Jim starts talking to Old Dan. Mac tells Jim that Old Dan is a waste of time and worthless towards the cause. The next day Old Dan falls of a faulty ladder and breaks his hip. This caused a man to say, “The ladder, and old ladder!” (106). Mac quickly sees again another opportunity and tells the men that they deserve better equipment. As fear grows within the men, they realize that they need to take action to avoid ending up like the old picker with a broken hip. Mac soon realized by saying “The old buzzard was worth something after all.” (107) Old Dan became the symbol for the strikers when he fell. This was the beginning of the strike and when Old Dan became a symbol to the other men.

Though Torgas Valley was in the grasp of the Growers Association and the workers were at their mercy there was a struggle for power between the owners and the workers. The owners were known to effectively use communism. It was not easy for the pickers to organize and strike for higher wages and better living conditions, but they could no longer live like they were. In the article, In Dubious Battle, by James D. Hart and Phillip W. Leininger, they say that when the strike begins, Mac advises London concerning methods and finds a camping place for the 1000 strikers on the farm of Anderson's father, Al, a small farm owner who is very proud of his dogs. Mac summons Dick, a “pretty boy” party member in charge of soliciting party sympathizers for donations and who provides supplies. Dr. Burton, a “fellow traveler,” was brought into the camp to take charge of sanitation. The orchardists unsuccessfully attempts to bribe and intimidate London and his fellow chairman and leader of the pickers at the Hunter place, Dakin, but the morale of the strikers is maintained.

With the strike in full force there were many times in the book that you would think that the strike was doomed and the cause looked like a failed mission. There were distractions that caused the men to continuously reunite such as when the men were being stood off at the train station by the cops, Joy, another party member, was shot by a vigilante. Joy’s death was used by Mac to help get the men to feel hunger and anger towards what they are trying to achieve. With this, Joy’s death was used to fuel the fire. Mac says, “For every man they kill ten new ones come over to us.”  (p. 333). Mac explains that it is necessary that they use the Joy’s corpse, for it can create a sense of sympathy in the strikers. With sympathy comes a call for revenge that will lead to the desirable tool to put life back into the group which will bring the men together. This clearly is another way to get the men riled up for the cause. Throughout this novel Mac and Jim emphasize constantly that the end justifies whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to individuals.

Mac uses his skills during many events in this book to persuade or take advantage of a situation to help the strike continue. Mac used these advantages during the birth of London’s daughter-in-law’s child, old Dan’s tragic fall of a ladder, and his companion through it all, the death of his party member Joy. All these events were used to both gain the trust and respect to rally the men further into action or to put life back into the group by giving them the desire for revenge.

As conditions grew worse and doubt was seen in the men’s faces they were almost ready to turn on Mac. With no money or any food for the strikers Dick finally managed to scrape up some food for the men. Doc Burton disappears and his absence in attending and caring for the sick and sanitation of the camp grew worse. One night Anderson’s barn burned and ruined his crops that were stored inside. This caused Anderson to call the sheriff to evict the strikers. The following night a boy told Mac and Jim that Doc Burton was wounded in the field. As they rushed to help the Doctor they soon realized it was a trap. Jim was shot and killed. Like Joy, Mac once again stood over the body of his comrade and friend. Mac giving a speech to commemorate the death of Jim, he gathers strength through his loss and pain and speaks of Jim in the abstract. Mac preaches to the men by saying, “This guy didn’t want nothing for himself.” () This was another example of using any means necessary, even the body of a friend to keep forth in a common cause. Jim’s body becomes yet another symbol for the revolution as he did with old Dan and Joy by using them as a symbol to strike for justice.

My own feelings, no matter what system is in place we will always be robbed one way or another. Injustice should be fought against. I have family members and know of friends that have participated in a strike. Sometimes in order to be heard drastic actions need to be taken to make a point. The logistics of a strike was captured very well by Steinbeck such as the manipulation by the media against the strikers, and gathering support by soliciting party members. The power between the owners and the workers both stood their ground. Neither wanted to give in to the other due to it would be a sign of weakness. Taking a risk to give the workers what they wanted would cause the Owners to lose money. If the workers gave in to the owners it would defeat the purpose.  Today we still hear or witness these logistics in a strike. Steinbeck’s view of the life of a working stiff and the sacrifices that were made showed how teamwork and self discipline can achieve a common goal which till this day is still being utilized.

U.S. Farm Workers

We as people who live above the lower class do not ever stop to think about the farmworkers who help us by providing work in the fields, and the pain they endure to gather food so that we can have food in the grocery stores or food on our plate. a farmworker is someone who is hired to work int he agricultureal industry. they work on farms, family businesses and even large industrial operations.

farm workers face many obstacles int he United States and is one of the biggest labor groups int he world. Since a farmworkers job is seasonal there is insecurity among farm workers and can inhibit them  from organizing effectively for better working conditions. they deal with adequate wages, housing, food, working conditions, health care and the poor quality of life for their families.

 Ceasar Estrada Chavez was an American farm worker, labor leader,a nd civil rights activist who was one of the people who in 1962 co-founded the National Farm Workers Association along with Dolores Huerta. As a Mexican American, Chavez is best known till this day as the Latino civil rights activist.

In the artical, The story of Cesar Chavez, they said By 1970 the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry, at one point in time claiming 50,000 dues paying members. The reason was Cesar Chavez's tireless leadership and nonviolent tactics that included the Delano grape strike, his fasts that focused national attention on farm workers problems, and the 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento in 1966. The farm workers and supporters carried banners with the black eagle with HUELGA (strike) and VIVA LA CAUSA (Long live our cause). The marchers wanted the state government to pass laws which would permit farm workers to organize into a union and allow collective bargaining agreements. Cesar made people aware of the struggles of farm workers for better pay and safer working conditions. He succeeded through nonviolent tactics (boycotts, pickets, and strikes). Cesar Chavez and the union sought recognition of the importance and dignity of all farm workers.

This is a picture of Cesar Chavez

Reader Response Dubious Battle

In my reading of, In Dubious Battle,  by John Steinbeck, I found this book to be a turn page by page without any hesitation of putting it down due to sleepy eyes, boredom , or plain uninterested feelings. I enjoyed this book so much that I couldnt wait to wake up and continue my reading. I found myself imagining and picturing the scenery, the era, the people that was spoken about, the main characters, etc.

I felt there were many characters in the book that stood out but the two that stood out the most was John Nolan and Mac McLeod. John Nolan's character was more of a follower in the book, but with a deep sense of leadership just waiting to come out and take charge of everything. John was the new member of a political development which was the main theme of the story. Mac McLeod, more of a mentor to john and somewhat the closest thing to him than family that he had lost long ago was a character who was not only a mentor but who was the leader behind the scenes, someone who organized the movement that took place for the apple pickers.

In the beginning of the book, John Nolan was ready to change his path in life, leaving everything in the past which he had already lost and be apart of something that made a difference. He went to Mr Nilson's office to apply for the Party. After speaking with Mr. Nilson who finds himself in the present of the son of Roy Nolan. It seems that his fathers name, and history made a difference in his application and John was enlisted into the party. He was taken to a place where there were other men all sharing a space and there is where he met his mentor Mac McLeod.

Together they were inseperatable in the book, it was a father and son bond in my mind, but in the book it was a mentor and the follower looking to answers to questions trying to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to help in anyway possible. Mac takes John on his first mission to a town where apple pickers were loosing a good amount of pay for their pickings. Together they accomplish many things with the help of other party members to get a picket started. There were many tasks needed and with the help of people who believe in the party they were able to get the apple pickers together and unite them as one group instead of individuals.

They meet a lot of characters along the way who are in the dark of the movement by helping with food, medicine, and money to help the men along their journey for their rights.

Feedback

I was a little confused by my peer reviews. Before class I had Mrs. Knapp read over my rough draft. It seems I was able to get more of a positive response and feedback from our teacher rather than the students who read my paper. So all in all I was more confused than ever.

On the rough draft peer review where the students have to give their feedback about what my paper included and missed I had checkmarks all under the no section and almost section. I was so confused when I saw this especially getting positive feedback from our instructor I felt like I had to re-write my whole paper. I am though taking into consideration my peers feedback and I am working on all aread to tighten up my paper and making it more presentable.

I tried to incorporate more examples into my paper in regards to the three topics i chose to write about. I tried to go over the TEA in each paragraph to make sure that it was all covered. I stayed traditional and named my essay Persepolis, and I was able to, with the help of Mrs. Knapp, find my thesis that was lodged in the third page of my essay. I found a better place to fit it somewhere between the first and second paragraph of my essay. I think that I revised it and hopefully it is good enough to pass, fingers crossed.

After proof reading and proof reading and proof reading I was able to find the errors and comments that my peers made in regards to my rough draft and hopefully I was able to fix if not all but most of them to help me prepare for my final draft. I also found myself practically re reading my book after I looked over some notes we took as a group when we had to do the sandwhich paragraph and cause and effects on certain things that we had to identify in the book. Actually those notes helped a lot when I was writing my paper. I also was able to get some help from the peers in my class that read my essay. Though they made comments on the paper we were given to write about the essay we were reading by giving our input they also helped me through one one one conversation on how to pin everything together as I wrote my essay.

As I said before getting a positive feedback from Mrs. Knapp was great but when I got the negative feedback from my essay in class I was extremely confused. I was stuck on what to do because the teacher said great, students said no no no, ughhhh so confusing. I hope I got it together and hopefully all the scratching of my head, and anxiety attacks helped me fix it up and make it hopefully a descent work of art, until it is graded we will not know, so fingers crossed and all the I’s all dotted and t’s crossed.

Week 6 Rough Draft

Rough Draft

Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, is a comic book novel about her life growing up in Iran. It was difficult for me to understand because I was fortunate enough to never experience war during my childhood. Though this novel is told by a child’s perspective, I did on the other hand feel like I was seeing her life through her own eyes in this autobiographical novel. Marjane, a child who fights for what she believes in, though her actions seem rebellious, does get her into trouble.  For example, most of us were rebellious and still are till this very day. Though I might be older, at a young age, I was very rebellious towards my parents. I remember at one time I was a Marjane Satrapi, especially during my teen years. There are many memorable moments a child experiences before they hit adulthood such as their first date, puppy love, and looking your best for senior prom. For Marjane Satrapi, she was unfortunate to experience things that most American young girls do. Marjane experienced other things differently. Her adulthood occurred faster than most young girls along with her rebellious acts. I hardly ever hear a young child speak of themselves as the next prophet but for Marjane she started out believing in God and wanting to be a prophet. After seeing war and oppression she becomes a rebel and questions her faith and her social implications.

As I read page after page in this novel at times I found myself shocked at what Marjane had to go through as a little girl in Iran during the Revolution, and how she rebelled against multiple things. For me I could only, at that moment, think of rebelling against my parents for the silliest things that make me look back and laugh about now how immature and selfish I was back then. I still apologize to this day for how I acted and treated my parents when I did not get my way, or get what I wanted when I wanted it. How thoughtless and careless I was, to not see the importance of life, family! Marjane on the other hand, like I had said before did not grow up as a “normal” American girl who experienced “normal” things as a young girl. She lived in a country during a Revolution. Yet in the end she became a strong woman, independent woman, who fights for what she believes in no matter what life throws in front of her. She deals with it in a child’s way at times but everything in the end makes her who she was then and is who she has become now.

Persepolis beings with Marjane in school at the age of ten years old and she is wearing a veil. The year is 1980 and she is with a group of other girls, all wearing the veil, lined up from left to right. It was at this time the girls who attended this school were obligated to wear the veil, though she hated it, it was the rule. Wearing the veil for Majane was confusing; she did not know how to react to this. Marjane says, “I really didn’t know what to think about the veil. Deep down I was very religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde” (6).

Marjane’s deep passion for religion and believing so much that she was the last prophet; she says “I was born with religion” (6). By the age of six years old Marjane says, “I was already sure I was the last prophet” (6). She would have multiple conversations about her future as the last prophet with her imaginary friend, whom in the comic strips within the novel, looks likes God. Marjane identifies herself as the next prophet and yet her family is not spiritual or religious. Her family’s faith lies in the political ideology. Her faith is slowly lost as she confronts the political issues in her world. When she begins to hear stories of torture and imprisonment from her family members. She decides that since she can not hold onto her faith due to the Islamic regime coming into power, she breaks loose from her imaginary friend and her faith.

I am the youngest of four children, and I cannot imagine anything more horrible than being in a world within an environment where my country was dealing with Revolution. I believe the author’s decision to tell her own personal story through the eyes of a child and the experiences she had in childhood allows us to see how a child, during a time of war, was able to grow into a strong woman with opinions of her own and quickly leaves childhood into adulthood at a young age. For example, when Marjane was in the basement, she takes out a cigarette that she had taken from her uncle, and like the people of Iran rebelling against the government, she to rebelled against her mother. She lights her uncle’s cigarette and coughs right after inhaling, but does not give in so she continues to smoke the cigarette. At that moment in the novel, she says “With this first cigarette, I kissed childhood goodbye.” This is the very moment Marjane leaves childhood and enters adulthood.

Marjane’s boldest statement of rebellion was smoking that cigarette in the basement. This was only the first step into adulthood, but soon after she acted on her independence when she met her Uncle Taher who is ironically dying from cigarettes. In order for his son to leave the persecution of the Islamic regime, Uncle Taher sent his son away to Europe to save him from this turmoil surrounding them. Marjane’s cigarette smoking experience did in her mind prove that she was now an adult. The cigarette, a cigarette, I believe is the symbol of freedom but is also a way of destruction since it took her Uncle Taher’s life along with the stress of the war going on around them.

There were many times that Marjane had to fight for what she believed in. By smoking she achieved the first step into adulthood by kissing her childhood goodbye. This was her right by gaining freedom but she also encountered situations where she found herself fighting for her freedom.

Week 4 (Questions for first written assignment)

What is feminism?
How is feminism used in this book?
How are feminism and Marjane connected?
What things or experiences occurred in the book that reflect feminism?


I do not know how to start this essay, I am stressed. I think that I have to re-read Mrs. Knapps articles online on her blog on the steps necessary to complete this assignment. Ugh, the stress and anxiety of writing a paper that hopefully meets all aspects of this assignment.


The one thing that I am confused about that I need to investigate on more is does the thesis come before the introduction or does the thesis lie anywhere in the essay? And also I started to think twice if I should write a feminism essay or a reader response essay but now that I think about it I am leaning more to writing a reader response essay.

What were your feelings after reading the opening chapter of this

book?

What parts of the book made you smile? Explain what connections are there between the book and your life? Explain.

What is the most important word in the book? The most important passage? The most important event or feeling? Who shouldn’t or shouldn’t read this book? Why?

What are the best parts of the book? Why? What are the worst parts? Why?

These are some questions I found that readers usually ask themselves. What I would like to know and would like to write about is what is the role of women in this greatly written factual story? I would like to compare the various women in this book. I want to seperate Marji, Marji's mother, maid and grandmother and see how they are as individual women int his society of Iran.

Im not exactly sure yet what I want to write about burt I hope I will soon, ughhh the stress of writing and getting blanks is a killer.

Week four - #4 Blog entry

Marjane Satrapi as a young girl

In Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi who was obviously born and raised as a strong girl genuinely believed in fighting for what she believes in. Sometimes her actions seem disobedient, and they get her into trouble somewhat frequently.

Towards the end of the book Marjane experiences once again rebellion. After a bomb hits the street where Marjane lives, she finds out from her mother, who is safe, that her friends home had been struck by the bomb in her neighborhood. The bomb had actually hit the home of her friend Neda Baba-Levy. When walking past the damage of her friends house, she notices a bracelet, and what was attached to the bracelet which made Marjane gasp. Her friend was dead.

This caused Marjane's life to take a new turn. She was now fourteen and became more of a rebel and nothing scared her, even her teacher and principal could not control her. One day at school Marjane was confronted by the principal if I recall correctly about wearing jewelry, she rebelled, which caused her anger to hit the principal. Then once again Marjane rebels her religion teacher who is telling the class how the Islamic regime no longer has political prisoners. Marjane quickly argues with the religion teacher that her uncle had been executed by the regime and that the number of prisoners has increased from three thousand to three hundred thousand under the regime. She is quickly backed up by her fellow students who applaud her, which in return angers her religion teacher. Of course her father is proud for what his daughter Marjane had done though it did in the end cause her to get expelled. Her mother on the other hand says “You know what they do to the young girls they arrest? ...You know that it’s against the law to kill a virgin...so a Guardian of the Revolution marries her... and takes her virginity before executing her.” (145).

I do not know exactly what I feel might happen, but I do have some concerns about her actions and how she goes about being rebellious in a country that takes drastic measures in punishment. I have a feeling that there might be some good in Marjane’s reactions, but with good comes bad and negative after maths. I think for the safety of Marjane, her family might actually pick up and move all their things to another country by getting a fake passport or get a visa for them to leave for the safety of their daughter and family. A bomb just went of right next to their home, so things are hitting closer to home the more in depth in the book we get, and now Marjane is having a harder time in school which might cause her to face some difficult consequences which can hurt the family badly. I think as Marjane grows and enters adult hood she will be a strong woman with strong goals in life. She has had a rough, yet rich childhood, but with the war and seeing family die or move away has affected how Marjane is growing into a young woman.

Reading is overwhelming and confusing at times...

I am the type of person that needs to have complete silence and one hundred percent attention when I am reading. Most likely if my mind is not set on what I have to do I struggle trying to juggle a hundred things going on in my brain. Sometimes I have a lot of issues when I am being distracted by household duties that need to be done or the kids constantly saying "mommy", "mommy"! I lose all concentration and I get distracted easily. It is hard being a mother, a part time employee as a leasing agent, a full time student, a fiancé, and a volunteer at my kid’s school and after school sports activities they are in, but I try my best to make it all work.

I am sure that there are a lot of people who have some sort of difficulty when it comes to reading assignments. Either they are lazy because they hate reading, or they cannot grasp what they are reading in order to make sense of everything. I notice that when I do read I also have the issues trying to understand and grasp the story that I am reading. I tend to go blank and forget what I just read, or I don’t understand some words and I have to take out my handy dandy dictionary to try and make sense of everything. It is difficult and time consuming but I know I will soon figure out how to make it all work, since it is a necessity being a student.

The way I try to overcome my difficulties on my negative reading habits is by trying to read when all the kids are in bed or when all the kids are in school. I also try to keep myself on a daily schedule so that I do not overwhelm and stress myself out by procrastinating with school, work, kids, and after school sports with the kids. I do find myself taking my daughters to football and cheerleading practice while I am sitting in the stands with my laptop or any reading material I need for that week or that class assignments.

Sometimes I know that I take on to much than I can handle but if I can just get organized, which I try to constantly, I can achieve every goal I set forth for myself. I also just realized right now, that I over analyze a lot of things or look deeper into something that is just plain simple. I don’t know why I do it, but I just do. I don’t see any positive in it since all it does it make my life harder and I lose precious time when I do such things. Though it may be for reading, class assignments, daily duties I have in my life, it’s just something I can’t help, but I do need to figure out how to solve this problem.  I am sure that I am not the only one who faces these issues and if you are reading this and have some ideas that I could use please don’t hesitate to comment me and let me know. Anything helps and hopefully you have some good ideas.

Group 6 - Newspaper Article - Reader Response

In Search of Common Ground Over Muslim Dress Codes

According to an article in The New York Times , Squad Mekhennet, says that the nonprofit organization entitled “One Young World,” recently met with business people, various religious and political leaders, such as Muhammad Yunus and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Mr. Mekhennet says that,” striking at an “interfaith” discussion after the official panel, during which four women — three of them Muslims wearing the veil, and the fourth a Hindu — tussled with two businessmen, one from Pakistan and the second from South Africa, over the niqab the veil for the face.”

A niqab is also called a ruband. Niqab is a cloth which covers the face, worn by some Muslim women as a part of sartorial hijāb (styles of clothing found in predominantly Muslim societies) . Many of has have seen women and or young children wearing these niqab's either at a social event, school, work, or in public. This was  a serious discussion brought up within the meeting which was suppose to be an “interfaith” discussion. A meeting that started out that each person was feeling  they were a part of one big happy family.

The discussion to debate war in the name of religion or to urge tolerance was cut short when all attention and discussion went to the rights of women wearing the niqab. It was said that life was hard enough, and that tolerance and common ground between different religions, but what is it with the tolerance inside their own religion?  

In my opinion women have the right to chose, not only the right to chose religion, but the right to chose how they view their religion and what they want to wear that is associated with their beliefs. It is every individuals right to chose not only their own path but daily choses that they have to make on their own, and not have anyone else be the leader in their decisions. Telling people what they can and can not wear is in my personal opinion  need not be expressed. If a woman wearing a niqab were to walk down the street or do some grocery shopping, we need to be open-minded and mutually respectful as a society to them and their religion.

This is a battle that has been going on within the Muslim community and the Islamic religion for many years. As we come across articles online, in newspapers, on the news or hear about debates of women and the Niqab, we can not help but dwell on issues and try to to establish the political and economic alternatives that Islam offers the human race. In my opinion Muslims should stop fighting one another over trivial matters, especially if these matters do not stand in the way of the fundamentals. In the end I believe that the Niqab is not required. Let women have the right to chose to wear or not to wear the niqab. How would we like it if someone controlled what we wore, or what we can and can not do? I know that I would not like this type of control at all.


Mekhennet, Squad "In Search of Common Ground Over Muslim Dress Codes." New York Times, 5 Sept. 2002 print.

Persepolis

Persepolis

It was difficult to pick just one passage from Persepolis that affected me, but the one I that got my attention through personal experience within this comic book entitled “The Sheep”, (Marjane, 69) her father says,” Anoosh has the right to only one visitor and it’s you he wants to see”. The difficulty, for me, is understanding why would anyone in their immediate family, or a friend have a child  visit them in jail or a prison without thinking of how this would affect a child’s mind.

I don’t know if it is because it was a natural or normal thing for children to attend visits with people in jail, but in my opinion the affects of a child could be unimaginable. Though this comic book theme of a true story is based on a child’s life through her own eyes, I have realized that a child, this child, Marjane is so delicate in the mind that she is a sponge consuming as much information as possible. Is her parents, family, or friends influencing her growth in a positive or negative way? It seems as we continue her reading she is losing faith in god and her family?

As I continued on in the following passages (Marjane, 71)Marjane writes, “Everything will be alright”. God: “Marji, what seems to be the problem”? Marjane, “Shut up, you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again!. Get out! This group of passages obviously shows how Marjane has lost her faith in god, and that her visit with her uncle clearly affected her mentally and emotionally. I believe she blamed God for some part of what was going on. She blamed God at the moment she most likely saw the newspaper with the headlines reading: RUSSIAN SPY EXECUTED,   with her uncle’s picture on the left hand side of the headline.

Marjane has been so affected by this war mentally and emotionally that visiting her uncle could and most likely do more damage to this child or any child put in that situation. I for one has had the experiencing of visiting family in a prison when I was young like Marjane. I still am affected to this day seeing all those prisoners in emotional pain and sadness expressed on their faces. I believe that being put in that position can traumatize a child who was not able to understand their surroundings and the situation they were put in.

Till this day I have the fear of having someone leave me or hearing the words, “they are on vacation”. It is a devastating issue to be involved in and for Marjane, though mature in most ways might be affected later on in our reading of “Persepolis”. I could be wrong, but I am just guessing that there will be some connection to this scene in our future reading assignments. We will soon see shortly if there is any connection from this scene and into future scenes in this very interesting book.

My mother never...

My mother never hesitated to put her own kids needs ahead of her own. I remember when I was younger my mom was always cleaning, re-arranging the pantry and making sure that all of us kids were dressed nicely and our hair fixed no matter if we were going out in public or just spending a day at home.

My mothers name is Rosario. She was born and raised on the island of Guam. She is the only girl in a family of four brothers, and just knowing that she was the only girl two things might come to anybody's mind. One, she was a spoiled rotten child, or two, she was well protected by her older brothers and parents. In my mom's case it was both. She was so protected that she was practically isolated from anyone outside of her family. My mother was given anything she wanted from my grandma and grandpa because she was the only girl.

My mother loves to cook. I call her the next Betty Crocker whenever I visit and see her baking up some goodies for the family and the grandkids. She is always surfing the Internet or watching the cooking channels to get new recipe's or new ideas on some new creations she has in the works for her dishes. My mom bakes the best cookies, I swear if she could bag them up they would be the next most advertised delicious cookies in this country. I for one cant cook, and boy has my mother tried to teach me but I definitely did not inherit her cooking skills. I am more of a bystander and tester, hey someone has to do it right?

The only hobby my mother has, if you can call it a hobby is her addiction to garage sales. My mom starts planning her route for garage sales when people start advertising them on Craigslist, or in their local newspaper. Her weekend routine for garage sales is this, she wakes up very early, when rooster crow, to make her cup of coffee. Then she pulls out her handy dandy map and starts charting out her course for that mornings route, making sure to not go off course she also double checks the internet using Mapquest. If you have not met a dedicated garage saler, be aware! Get out their way because they are on a dedicated mission to gain the best deals for everything that may be on their Christmas list. If you dare participate in their week long planning of that weekends garage sale, please do not interupt them while driving, do not blink your eyes when looking for a garage sale on the list, and definitely do not cut them off while they are on the hunt!

My mom just may be the next Betty Crocker, the next star on clean homes, or the next person that might tell you off for distracting her on her treasure hunt, but all in all shes my mom, and my best friend. I love my mom no matter what hat she may wear from time to time and I know that without her I would not be here.