Persepolis Journals

Discuss the graphic memoir genre.

Upon purchasing Persepolis I was excited to dive into this book because of its interesting written format. Although the story being told is about oppression, I love the way Marjane begins to tell her story, "This is me when I was 10 years old. This was in 1980". I really wonder how long it took her to come up with the perfect beginning but this was the best one. The first couple of pages her it is very effective, especially when she recounts the children not knowing why they had to wear the veils. But as I kept reading the memoir I eventually began to forget that it was a true story. I guess it is a mind boggle because on most occasions, upon reading a comic book, I automatically deduct it as fiction. The intensity of what Marjane is retelling is what brings me back to realize that it is a biography, for example when she describes the scene of the mass killing at the Rex cinema.

Compare and contrast Before Night Falls and Persepolis.

Well the obvious difference between both these memoirs is the manner in which they were written. Heh I just imagined Before Night Falls written as a comic book. Now that really would be GRAPHIC! I don't think that would even be accepted as something serious. Some other differences are the fact that in Persepolis, Marjane does not need to describe the scene as much as Reinaldo does because it has already been illustrated in the memoir as a comic. Although Persepolis has great illustrations that make the story take on a lighter note, Reinaldo's memoir has a stronger effect upon the reader because you are left to imagine the scene on your own. In my opinion, the way in which Persepolis was written gives a lighter account about the revolution in Iran because of the comical illustrations, in comparison to Arenas descriptively written account of the revolution in Cuba and his homosexuality.

Before Night Falls: The role of the Sea

When Reinaldo Arenas first began to mention his attraction to the river I automatically noticed the connection with the Awakening. Just like Edna Pontellier, Reinaldo felt that the raging waters was the only place that could offer him freedom to just be and escape. Both fearful of where the waters would take them, they wanted to jump in anyways and lose themselves in the hopes of finding inner peace. This is where Reinaldo felt accepted, just like Edna felt towards the ocean.

Before Night Falls Journals

Discuss the role of sexuality in the memoir.

Sexuality is highly dominant in this memoir. I had overheard that it was pretty graphic and disturbing so I was ready for it when I began reading it. At first it was neutral but eventually when he began to speak of his country, specifically his town is when I began to realize the honesty Arenas wrote within his stories. It was baffling to read his experience with his uncle on the horse. Although it is not abnormal to occur, it was still astonishing to me because I have never experienced something so intimate with a family member! Another instense scene he described was his first consummated act with his cousion Orlando. Because I am not of the male gender, it was awkward reading this part. Honestly I have nothing agaisnt homosexuality but to tell you the truth I find male homosexuality a bit strange to witness. When I have seen women act sexually with each other it has never struck me as odd, I guess because I can date back to the time when I was five years old that I first witnessed the act the sex with lesbians rather than with heterosexuals. Although it is strange to read, it made me chuckle when he went on to say that they not only did it once but twice! The use of animals for sexual pleasure is another perfect example of the role of sexuality in this memoir. These youngins would try to find anything with a hole or anything with moisture to spaz with. From chickens, to mules, to horses or goats and it wasn't anything abnormal in their society.

Ishmael Project Blog

Ideas come from:

- Cacophony Society is “a randomly gathered network of free spirits united in the pursuit of experiences beyond the pale of mainstream society.”

- Kibbutz

- Burning Man


* There are no rules about how one must behave or express oneself
* It is up to each individual to decide how they will contribute and what they will give to the community
* There is not trace of waste
* There are themes each year to encourage a common bond to help tie each individual's contribution together in a meaningful way
* Individuals are encouraged to find a way to help make the theme come alive.
-it can be through art, costumes, theme camps
* Gifts are given to one another
* This is a community that needs you and relies on you


Ideas:

- General Assembly: formulates policy, elects officers, and approves new ideas. It is also a forum where people share views and opinions.

- Affairs are handled by elected committees; housing, gifting, production planning, health, and culture.

- Executives: Chairpersons of committees and secretary

- Secretary, Treasurer, Work coordinator work full time while others work part time. (this can be there gift to the community)

- Children grow up knowing the value and importannce of work and gifting and that everyone must do their share.
As young children it its emphasized to the them the importance of cooperation in daily life.
Later, they are assigned duties and take decisions with regard to their peer group.

- Different ages perform age appropriate tasks.

- Communal society assumes responsibility for its member's needs throughout their lives.

- We strive to allow individuals to develop their fullest potential, while demanding responsibility and commitment from each person to contribute to the welfare of the community.

- Ecovillages- 50-150 people per eco village (theme camp?) Goal: to have a sustainable habitat providing for most of its needs on site. Human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world, in a way that is supportive of healthy human development, and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future. Renewable energy. Autonomous building or clustered housing, to minimize ecological footprint. Cohousing or other forms of supportive community.



Principles:

Radical Inclusion
Anyone can be part of this society. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.

Gifting
Devoted to the acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.

Decommodification
In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by the transactions or advertising. We are ready to protect our culture from this exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

Radical Self-reliance
Encourages the individual to discover, exercise, and rely on his or her resources.

Radical Self-expression
Arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respected the rights and liberties of the recipient.

Communal Effort
We value creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of arts, and methods of communication that support each interaction.

Civic Responsibility
We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with our principles.

Leaving No Trace
Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state then when we found them.

Participation
Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in the society can occur through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.

Immediacy
Immediate experience is, in many ways the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner-selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human power. No idea can substitute this experience.

Does history determine you?

In the novel, does history determine you or do you determine your history? What's the relationship between one's ability to act, on the one hand, and being acted upon, on the other? Look at the comments on history on pages 126-27, 129-31, and 138.

I believe that within the novel Mama Day, history does determine you. It is strange because Cocoa ventures out into the city, far from the limits of Willow Springs, and manages to adapt to completely different custons. No matter how far Cocoa ventured from the influence of her town, her family history still manages to capture her free will. What is up with all this free will and history determining you? I am starting to sense a connection. I recall writing about free will in my posting for "Sweat". Comparing and contrasting both stories I still believe that history determines you in the novel in one way or another. You may feel like you're acting freely but you're unconsciously going down your historically destined path. That is...within the novel Mama Day. In real life, I could never terminate that arguement. The act that one may believe they're doing for their own desire, just may be a causally determined act. I am only stating this in the context of Mama Day...as for my beliefs...they constantly differ.

The Quilt

1. Read the quilt (137-38). What stories does it tell? What sort of narrative? George and Cocoa disagree over its use (147): what's the significance of their disagreement?

The Quilt basically recounts the past about Cocoa's ancestors. It is interesting to note that Mama Day notices a pattern in the history of her family and suddenly stops making the quilt because she hopes that the same story will not be repeated again by Cocoa. George and Cocoa disagree about its use because they both have different backgrounds and Cocoa has an actual connection with the quilt, which she feels is a part of her.

Loss of Myself

I am losing inspiration as the day slowly dwindles into night. Where's it going? Is it sinking back into the depths of my subconscious? Every couple of days my thoughts, that is my depressed thoughts, resurface and inhabit my mind for several hours of the day. Why is it that they decide to come out on my busiest day? I have so many responsibilities on my schedule. I am realizing a couple of details about myself. I have become dependent on the money I have saved up. I don't want to see it dissipate down to Zero. Therefore I cannot quit my current job...I have this dilemma at some point almost everday. Yeah I know, I only work three times a week and it's quite spread out...sort of... but I just cannot stand having to structure myself within the two brackets or the schedule school has provided me with and the schedule work has given me. Well unfortunately I must attend to what I have been scheduled for today. Farewell.

Sweat

Well maybe Delia's act is considered somehwhat immoral. Although Sykes may have mistread her and tried to kill her with the possibility of the snake poisoning her, she shouldn't commit the same mistake just as he did. Yeah maybe it is to defend herself but I am not really even sure if she was going to inform him of the danger that the hamper withheld.

But wait! Perhaps this was her only outlet to freedom? When I ask myself this question I can honestly say that her act can't really be defined as immoral or amoral. Forget about the ethics held high in society. The gift of having free will upon this planet is something that should be taken with much gratitude and you only live once so what happens when you have someone taking this ability from you? Could your only solution be to cease his existence? If so then are you brave enough to actually take this persons life? Sure, if you feel passionate about your belief in free will then maybe your strife overcomes your fear. Delia may have not had the power to take Sykes life, but she did find a loop within her tangled life.

The Storm

Hehe well I believe that Calixta's actions are a bit immoral because she is supposedly commited to Bibinot and in my opinion her sexual rendezvous with Alcee isn't in anyway acceptable within her relationship with Bibinot. It is difficult for me to just give one answer to this question because I tend to view situations from different points of views and if for example I were to be looking at it from Calixta's perspective...well I'd consider it amoral. She was obviously enticed and seduced by the her whole past with Alcee. There were so many variables such as the rain and Alcee's comfort that caused her to just stop being so conscious about everything in her life at that point in time. Yet, I question how could she easily continue to be so content around Bibinot and their son? When they arrived after the storm everyone was so gay and jubilant. It was like as if nothing had ever happend! Does this mean that she's come to terms with the fact that yeah she had a sexual encounter with Alcee whilst being commited but that it'll never happen again? Maybe to her it was unfinished business and tending to it at such a point in time didn't make it an immoral act?

Desiree's Baby

The ending of the store, "Desiree's Baby" suggests that Armand's mother was an African American and that she most likely was a slave. It is unfortunate for him to figure it all out after his bout of irrational attitude towards Desiree and their child. How could he be so ignorant and just automatically assume that it is Desiree that has an African American background rather than maybe realizing that it could not be certain until maybe it was proven. After feeding upon his rage about the whole situation he is finally disproven with the letter that he found written by his mother. I am not really sure what message Chopin is trying to convey about the institution of slavery and racism. Perhaps she is trying to depict such a situation in order to portray to her readers the sorrow of an enslaved African American woman and the uncontrollable racism Armand had towards his only child and first love.

The Awakening

Well it is quite interesting how several times now during this past year and a half of college my English and Literature class somehow relates to me. This time in my current literature class, its an intricate novel known as, "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin. I had no idea what this novel withheld until a significant other read the summary out loud to me one night. It was unbelievable how much I already felt I had in common with the book with just a simple paragraph. What I specifically relate to within this novel is the whole idea of being connected with nature. Edna Pontellier had to live with the unbearable pressures of the traditional aspects of society at that point in time, but once she stepped out into nature and just flowed with the beauty of it...she felt at ease. Throughout the novel she has several "Awakenings", that in my opinion created wonderful imagery and were majestically written, in which she escapes from her troubles by marveling at the beauty and significance of nature. I am enticed by her awakening and comparison of the ocean to that time in her younger years that she walked through the vast grassland at the plantation she used to live in. Now arises the question of...."How does this relate to me?" Well it's difficult to just cut it down to several sentences but I have had several troubles in my life recently in which I've had no one to really vent with about. Yet, when I encounter the essence of nature...it's the perfect remedy for my troubles. I too feel a special connection with the world and our universe... I cannot simply inscribe in here the emotion that lives within me for mother nature but I do have two poems I wrote that can give you a bit of insight of how I feel:

Earth Literacy Field Experience

By Manuela Aguilar

To abstain from society is a great way to heal,
Every sound, sight, scent and feeling can give me a therapeutic feel.

Out here amidst the mountains and dense foliage,
I can experience the purity of nature without any human damage.

The diversity of birds singing their unique songs,
Echo like a symphony all day long.

A huge bee just randomly crossed my path,
Which at first was quite startling,
But I questioned it reason for being
And decided to just sit quietly.

Although I am foreign to this new forest community,
I am positive we can all live in harmony.
And this was naturally proven to me when the furry bee
Just flew by me.

It’s interesting to stand amongst the trees,
And hear the wind in the distance,
Rustling swiftly down the mountain,
Finally reaching and surrounding me with quiescence.

Darkness paints the sky a different hue,
While the wilderness gives rise to a new singing crew.
Above me spans a spectacular galaxial view
And as my eyes wander to find each constellation,
I am enlightened by our connection and cosmological relation.

What brings me much sorrow is what’s in store for me tomorrow,
And the sad truth is things are still the same back at home.

Instead of the peaceful awakening to the birds,
And constant songs to mother earth,
I’ll be domed by the negativity and insecurity
Society saturates upon my urbanized community.

Although the unlikable and unnatural is my daily habitat,
Within me lies a universal being that has the power to change that.

Everyday and night that I live upon this planet,
I dive into my subconscious to find my inner self,
And this journey I was fatefully chosen for has allowed me
To find the perfect remedy for me and for the world.

Well thats it. I don't have access to the other poem at this moment but I'll add it later. But anyway, I also must mention that I never knew about Eco-Feminism up until now that I've encountered, "The awakening". I honestly find the whole movement extremely interesting and very idealistic at some points. But to be ideal is not a bad thing.

Labyrinth of my mind

As I journey through the tangled vessels of my complicated mind I come upon the path towards my inner self. Exploring my subconscious has always been a favorite hobby of mine which I delve into everyday of my human life. My past experiences that have caused me extreme amounts of emotional distress have led me to call my subconscious my realm of absolute isolation from all of the egotistical vibes I get from society. From so much time spent with my inner ghost I feel as though I am much more comfortable searching for the answers within myself rather than with the use of technology. I love technology but in my opinion it is being used in excessive amounts. Each day that goes by I never fail to reflect on what I have done throughout the day and I do not repose until I revise the decisions I have made. It may seem as though I spend an excessive amount of time configuring the complexities of my subconscious but even in my sleep I keep wandering around its many vectors because illusive dreams distort my psyche in the midst of the night while I am in deep slumber. I will now tour you through an adventure beyond my ego that may seem like an endless labyrinth at times, but I promise to try my best to not get lost within it all.

I believe that the more hardships you encounter in life, the more in unison you become with yourself. My middle school years involved a lot of growth and metamorphism. I was faced with constant superficial rumors, betrayal, and most of all unknown fear, fear of what the occult had to offer. This fear ignited within my fiery circle around the time that I was already in the 8th grade. It was the fear of what reality consisted of, what the point of living was and mainly the question of god’s existence. I bursted out in a cascade of tears and yelps, roaring to my mother, my best friend and her mother as well, that life seemed pointless, that the holy one was not absolute and that humanity was doomed to commit mass suicide. When this occurred it was like as if I had been quenched with the true fruit juice of humanity and it sure was distasteful. Life’s rancidness has been disgusting me ever since then, but I am glad I am able to invite the truth into my conscious and not be as blind and ignorant as others. From this derives my random ability to write poetry. I recently wrote a poem which hasn’t been named, that explains my opinion about civilization today which I’d like to share with you.

The manner in which my mind is fueled is quite simple and all it needs is negativity. This may sound rather melancholic but I am a masochist which I recently came to that conclusion recently while analyzing myself. A smile may span my façade but the reality is my mind is an entirely distinct dimension. I honestly feel like I inhabit more of my subconscious rather than the person I am out here in the general public. Never judge a book by its cover, because seriously I am not who you think I am………(to be continued)