Life Is Beautiful Post

The movie, Life is Beautiful, portrays a serious matter through the eyes of an individual who brings humor and happiness to situations. Roberto Benigni, the writer and director of this movie also plays as the main character. I find it extremely inspiring how his sense of humor leads him through life. Throughout the beginning of the film the character, Guido Orefice, puts himself in funny and crazy situations just to be around the girl he loves. For example, he shows up at a children school and pretends to be the Italian inspector. Amongst asking the woman her whereabouts on the upcoming Saturday he also shares the incredible sight of a belly button. Guido is able to win her over with his charm, humor, and persistence.
After the two lovebirds get married they then have a child. It is a baby boy named Giosué whom Guido and Dora love very much. This story is during the Great Depression though therefore this happy family is forced to an internment camp and Dora is separated from her husband and son. At least Guido gets to protect his son and stay with him. And since he is just a child Guido convinces Giosué that it is all a game. When the German officers come in, Guido tells his son that they are explaining the rules and that they must survive to win the big prize! Even in a time of crisis and desperation Guido is able to lighten the mood and protect his son.
In reading History and Memory in Life is Beautiful by Ryan Scoot I found it interesting that the author touched upon the fact that the story is a family story. It has been shared from generation to generation. And family stories can be altered by memory which reminded me of the earlier piece we read Memory and Imagination and I was reminded that i must always remember that stories are often altered by the writer but only in the intent so the reader better likes it. Life is Beautiful is a great depiction what internment camps were really like for Jewish people. Even though Guido protects his son by telling him it is all a playful game, he cannot hide the truth forever.

The Concept of a "Border"

As John Washington employs in The New Colossus: Exploring the Idea of Border, a border can possess several different meanings. A border can be a simple line drawn on a map or it can be a terrifying experience for an individual to cross. A border stretches as far from the simple border around the University of Arizona to the borders that surround the United States. Although they are contrasting, each so-called border blocks out someone or something.
The author of this piece is extremely biased to the idea of an individual being "dumped" back to their home town. Johh Washington has experienced several first hand encounters with migrants who are tattered and worn. Those who have risked everything to come to America in hope to better their family.
It can be determined that the author chose to put himself in a position where he would be seeing to gruesome aspects of migration. Yet in choosing to volunteer at Nogales, Washington has seen how harshly migrants are treated and subsequently has this opportunity to share a taste of what he has witnessed. In choosing to share with others the extremities he has witnessed, hopefully action can be taken to lesser the treatment of migrants. Although there are reasons as to why they are treated in such a way, it is still inhumane. I wish that migrants would learn how brutal the experience will be and that less will partake.
Washington brings in several specific examples to prove his point. For example, he brings up "the line of control" which is the border between India and Pakistan and how it has sparked wars and violence since its existence. Washington is iterating that borders cause violence, although they are necessary Washington hopes to bring awareness to citizens of America of the extremities of borders. Washington has several accounts where he meets an individual who has gone through more than they can handle. He sees their pain and hears their cry. I know if I was in that position I would want to help them and bring them back to health. But it is not as easy done as it is said. If an individual is here illegally there is no other chose but to "dump" them based on our laws. Washington brings up the Halloween costumes sold in local stores last Halloween of an illegal alien. This proves how America feels that illegal aliens are not worthy to be here. Yes it is illegal and legal actions will be taken. But if a child sees that costume they will feel as though the matter is comical and that illegal aliens are somehow aliens and inhuman. Washington brings up several strong arguments as to support his claim that no human should merely be "dumped" as if they are garbage. Hopefully this essay will bring more awareness to American's the extreme measures that are taken towards migrants.

Community Identification Project

I have interviewed two members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Arizona. I first interviewed my "big sister" Annie McGlothlin and secondly a sophomore named Alice Clyde. With my first interview Annie enlightened me about the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma which I discussed in my previous blog post. In my succeeding interview with Alice she talked about Kappa specifically at the University of Arizona. We discussed the different community service projects Kappa takes part in as well as the ones that we put on, Rose McGill Fund, Reading is Fundamental, and Hoops for Hope. Rose McGill helps Kappa's who suddenly and unexpectedly needs financial help. Reading is Fundamental is a national philanthropy that works to build a literate nation by assisting young people to discover the joy of reading. Hoops for Hope is a basketball tournament where we usually raise between $8,000-$12,000 to give to a different organization in need, this year we are helping the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Also in this interview Alice mentioned our badge is the golden key, our flower is the stately fleur-de-lis, our colors are light blue and dark blue, and our mascot is the owl. These symbols all represent Kappa and all members where them with pride.
I am eager to partake in all the events Kappa has and I want to be as involved as I can. Next year I plan on living in the house and holding a leadership position. Kappa is a large part of my college experience and I want to make it the best I can. As in any situation the more effort you put into it, the more you get out of it. I know that I will be a proud and very involved member.
I can compare my experiences with Sonny Blues because Sonny knows that he wants to be a musician and I know that I want to be a very involved member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Although Sonny had to overcome several obstacles to finally get into his jazz band and perform, he did it! I know that I will be extremely busy with classes and school events but I believe in myself that I can make it to where I want to in college and eventually in life.

Kappa Kappa Gamma

Bid Day (August 22, 2010)

The community that I have chosen to identify myself with is the sorority I am a member of, Kappa Kappa Gamma, within the Gamma Zeta chapter at the University of Arizona.  I chose this community because I have recently become a new member and I will be initiated on October 16th, 2010 therefore I am currently learning the history of Greek life and of my specific sorority.  Kappa Kappa Gamma is a wonderful "organization of women who seek life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for growth, respect for intellectual development and an understanding of and an allegiance to positive ethical principles."  

Up until 1870, Greek fraternities were only available for men.  But that year two Greek fraternities were founded for women, one of those being Kappa Kappa Gamma.  There were six founders by the names of Mary Louise Bennett, Hannah Jeannette Boyd, Mary Moore Stewart, Susan Burley Walker, Martha Louisa Stevenson, and Anna Elizabeth Willits.  They wanted to cultivate intellectual stimulation as well as good friendships.  I feel that I can identify with these women, especially Anna Elizabeth Willits.  She received her bachelor's and master's degree as I hope to do.  She is remembered as winning many friends due to her personality and hospitality which I feel I can greatly relate to.  These women were motivated to create an organization of loyalty, sincerity, and friendship to all members.  

If I was not apart of this sorority my life would be very different right now.  I eat all my meals at the house, I spend my weekends with my sorority sisters spending time together and participating in community service projects.  We all relate very well having gone through the process of "rush" and choosing the house that fits our personality best.  I have met several people from classes and school functions but I feel that at the end of the day my sorority sisters will be the ones there for me.  Although I have recently become affiliated with Kappa Kappa Gamma, I already feel entirely welcome and at home with these girls and in the house.  We partake in several fun activities and have created an unbreakable bond amongst our pledge class of 2010.  I am proud to be apart of Kappa Kappa Gamma and am eager to learn more about its origin and foundation.

The Significance of Relationships

"Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind" (Lilo & Stitch).  The importance of family is large in our culture.  Mother's share a very unique bond with their child since they gave birth to them and father's tend to be role models for their children.  Siblings may disagree at times but they love one another and look out for eachother.  Husbands and wives are married because they posses the most powerful emotion towards one another, love.  The relationship between individuals and friends is also extremely important for our culture since human beings are social beings.  
In the short story, Sonny's Blues, by James Baldwin the relationship between individuals is exemplified.  The characters in this text do not openly communicate with one another on a regular basis, but when the final chance approaches they finally open up.  For instance, the narrator does not possess the knowledge that his father had a brother until he is talking to his mother for the last time before her death.  Also while visiting his mother she asks for her son to promise her that he will watch our for his brother Sonny because she senses that she will not be around anymore and that Sonny will need guidance (mother's intuition).  Yet the narrator loses contact with his dear brother for over a year and then one day see's his brother's name in the newspaper because he has "peddling and using heroin" (Baldwin 402).  But later that day a friend of Sonny's comes around and discusses Sonny's situation with his brother.  The relationship of beings is what gives us the will to push through.
Some of the relationships in this story are bumpy and the individuals do not always know exactly how to communicate with one another.  Not all families are completely open though so this scenario is perfectly realistic.  At one point the narrator attempts to communicate with his brother after the service for their mother had ended but he did not know how to say what he wanted to in a way that his brother would listen and actually take into consideration what he was saying.  The relationship between Sonny and the narrator break the cultural code of siblings watching out for one another at all times.  And the mother breaks a cultural code by keeping a secret from her children about their father's brother until her children's adulthood.  Families are supposed to be there for each other and share important things with each other whether they be good or bad.  Family is supposed to be of utmost importance to all.

The Importance of Memory

This piece was very intriguing to read. It opened my eyes to a lot of concepts. At first I just thought it was a silly story about a young girl. Yet after the memoir she went into so much detail and description of the process of memory, writing a memoir, and the significance of first drafts. I usually tend to loathe first drafts but now that the author of “Memory and Imagination,” Patricia Hampl has shown me the significance of first drafts I understand them. Hampl compared first drafts to the first time you meet a person. A sort of first impression you have. Whether it is good or bad it can lead to something beautiful and elaborate.
Throughout this text I was thinking about events that have happened to me, particularly negative ones that stick with me. I know I must let them go or conquer them but Hampl is right when she states, “We carry our wounds and perhaps even worse, our capacity to wound, forward with us” (53). In personal experience I have carried this particular wound with me for a few years now and I still let it affect me. It can be quite difficult to forget the bad and focus on the happiness. I try to remember that the bad times make us stronger and help build us into the individual we are.
I had never specifically heard of memoir writing in such detail and in reading this piece I definitely learned a great deal about how wondrous memoir writing can be. Memoir writing can help writers find out who they are and assist them in piecing together events to find the meaning and reason. This piece did not particularly make me question anything I believe; yet it gave me a better understanding on memoir, negative events, and life in general. I had never thought that writings may not all be truthful and factual. I had always put trust in the writer and believed all that they had to tell. I enjoyed this reading because it made me think and I love when I am led to deep thought and contemplation of events or concepts. I hope to write a memoir myself in the near future.

After reading "A Good Crot is Hard to Find"

A Good Crot is Hard to Find by Tita French Baumlin is a piece of writing out of the norm.  This piece had several compelling aspects in it.  I found it incredible that such an assignment could be given to the class, where students are asked to write in "Grammar B" and find a technique that suited them.  The fact that they thought it would be an easy assignment interests me.  Students always say how tedious writing can be and how they want to write their own way.  But given a situation where they have the opportunity to write in fragments, crots, personal techniques they hit a wall.  I never really thought about how we are "so locked into traditions."  It sort of makes sense though, I mean we've learned since early schooling days to write this way and complete your thought and add your thesis in here.  I feel that if more students kept a journal where they wrote whatever they wanted they might have had an easier time completing this assignment.  I know from personal experience having a journal was nice for me because last year we were required to write a page in our journal everyday.  But we knew that nobody would be reading it, it was just a chance for us to write and express ourselves. 
This text was different and none of it made me feel uneasy or resistant but rather I remained open-minded and excepted the differences.  I like the fact that students were helped by the teachers example but made up their own ways to complete the assignment.  "A Good Crot is Hard to Find," it may take practice but do not be scared by it's irregularities.

Inspired by Graff

While reading this story of a man learning to love something that seemed unobtainable and boring I was enlightened.  School is not always fun and enjoyable; each student has their favorite classes and ones they are not in favor of.  But hearing how somebody can have such a life-changing experience is beautiful.  He never thought he would enjoy literature let alone teach it; and learning that fact made me think.  I know that personally I have never felt that English class was my favorite; in fact I am a math person.  Although I have nothing against English or writing I just feel confident when working through a math problem and when writing an essay I feel that the person grading it will be subjective and not care for my style.  In fact in my high school senior year English class (AP Literature), my teacher told me that I do not know how to write a paragraph.  After hearing that I just wanted to give up and cry, of course I did not do that considering that I am here today in a college English class.  It is hard because I really do love writing and I know the rules, it just is not natural for me to be coherent from sentence to sentence sometimes because I have so much I want to say.  And it is difficult when you are evaluated and expected to write in a certain structure and in the liking of the instructor/professor. 

That is why I can relate with Gerald Graff.  Graff’s story is inspiring because his love for literature was unexpected and occurred in the midst of an essay.  I never pondered the concept Graff shared “that what literature teachers teach is not literature but criticism, or literature as it is filtered through a grid of analysis, interpretation, and theory.”   Why is it that we must break down each piece of literature?  Why can’t we just read the piece, as it is, unbiased and open-minded?  I do not understand the concept of analyzing another person’s thoughts and criticizing the way they think and write.  That is why I have turned to math my whole life; it has a specific answer and is unbiased.  I do understand that English is our language and it is the way we communicate with one another but I do not understand why we must criticize it and tell others to write in a certain manor.  I hope to learn the answers to these questions throughout this course and the rest of my college career.  I would love to understand the importance of past, present, and future literature and have a life-changing experience as Gerald Graff did because his story was remarkable!

All About Alison!

High School Graduation

My little sister and I at my senior year cheer banquet

Me in my backyard before my b-day party

My friends on my 18th with my cake

Hello fellow classmates and teacher :)
First of all, my name is Alison Althof.  Most people spell my name wrong and pronounce my last name wrong, but it's all good.  I have lived in Orange County, California all my life but am happy to be in Tucson, Arizona for college.  My major here is Mathematics, yes i know most people hate it but I love it.  I have excelled in math my whole life and throughout high school I tutored in several math courses as a kind of hobby/job.  I hope to be an Algebra teacher some day so that i can make more people love math and see the fun in it (sounds crazy, right?)  Well anyways, I recently turned 18 on August 7th and had a DJ dance/pool party, it was pretty legit.  My favorite color is orange and all my friends know that.  I was a dancer for 9 years and a cheerleader for 12; and yes cheer is a sport, if you don't think it is then you do not understand what competitive cheer-leading is.  I have an older brother named Brandan, he's 21 and is going to be a senior at UCLA.  After graduating he wants to go to dental school and be a dentist like my mom!  I have a younger sister who is only 9!  She is adorable, I got to name her because my brother named me.  I have a big family considering my mom is one of 12 kids and my dad is one of 5 so I have several cousins.  I enjoy spending time with friends and during the summer I went to the beach often with a fun group of people.  I also attended a few concerts and saw all the good movies that were in theaters.  I am always smiling and am usually pretty optimistic.  I like to have a positive outlook on life and brighten the lives of others.  I am laid back but I love to dance and have fun!