My Inquiry Blogpost

     "It's a good start to write documents and stuff, but it's time to stop theorising and start doing work to end this." -I. What the unknown 13 year old I is saying is that, although we can be aware of the issues around us we need to fix them. After looking through the books that I read and the world around me, I have come up with a couple of large issues with small solutions.

     After looking at how men and women are shown differently in books and the world I have come up with ideas to help create a world with more equality. In "Children at War" women are usually behind the battle field and serve as nurses or chefs. Men are usually soldiers, fighting rebels in hand to hand combat or with guns. Even now, as our own accomplishment, women serve in our military on the battlefield. This has been an issue of who is superior, showing that men are powerful and more dominant to women because they are stronger. This has been an ongoing issue from when labor unions protest for equal pay to equal rights. A simple solution to that, that was not shown in the books that I read was to make the idea of women having different powers more common. Also in the news, men in Saudi Arabia don't want women to know how to drive. Although America has been pushing for this right for a long time it is a new topic to many places, such as Pakistan, where Malala Yousafzai was shot for supporting women rights. By including these "new" ideas in our books that are read on a global scale, perhaps people will become more familiar and open to the concept.

     This is just one example of how we can stop thinking of our ideas and instead, take actions. If picture books starting from a young age show women and men as equals the generations to come will know of equality and not be shocked by indifference. With this mindset and need for change, we can, "end this."

-Aleyna Ndaw

Writing Challange: A Loud Thump in the Silent Woods

Sometimes, I wish I could be a tree. But it's not always easy to stand tall in the storms of life. To look over the horrors as they go by and be oblivious to it. But we have to strengthen our backbone and face the wind, even if it blows off a couple of our leaves.

They start over from a blistering freeze every spring. But it's not always easy to pick up from where we left off. To grow new leaves every year that glisten in the sun but somehow they manage to do so.

A tall figure standing in the wind, sun and cold. A symbol of determination and strength is something I wish I could be compared to. But trees fall with a loud thump, and I. 

I leave silently. 

-Aleyna 

Social Injustice in Today's Music

Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke

"I know you want it

But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me"

      "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke was by far the 2013 song of the summer. After listening to the song over and over again as it came on the radio and on own iPod I finally began to listen to the lyrics, evaluate and understand what the catchy tune was really saying. As I listened and analyzed the song I noticed it portrayed women in a derogatory manner. 

     The quote written at the beginning of the of the blog post was the part of the song that especially angered me. As I listened, read and reread it, I noticed it was portraying women as "sex objects" saying they were, "good girls" and that they "want it." In other words the quote was saying that women were desperate and needed to get it in order to be happy. As a young women myself, I felt rage because we as people have come so far in achieving sexual equality yet to see that in 2013 this song was like a blast from the past. 

     As I further analyzed the song and watched the music video, I was once again stunned that the women were practically naked, in skin tight and skin colored bikinis. As I researched why, Robin Thicke and the videos producers had the girls so exposed was to gain views, which are equal to "popularity points." i was even more shocked that there was a X-rated version of the video in which the girls were naked. This once again proves my point of that the girls were just used for their body and sex appeal. 

      Although I thought our nation had overcome sexual inequality, I and those who read this blog post may be stunned at how little we have actually accomplished. After finding this out, I have deleted "Blurred Lines" from my iPod but the damage is already done, they have earned $1.29 from me. This really shows me and I'm sure others around me to open our ears and eyes and really notice, what our music and the other things around us are saying. 

-Aleyna Ndaw :)

Banned Books Response!

        Ellen Hopkin's article, "Banned Book Week 2010: An Anti-Censorship Manifesto" talks about how, although her books involve saucy topics, she has the best interests for her readers. An example of how her books have affected her readers was when a young girl approached her after a book signing. She shared her own story and said "She saw herself in those pages, and suddenly knew she didn't want to be there. That book turned her around. Today she's been sober two years, is graduating high school and has embarked on a modeling career." This shows just some of the influence Ellen Hopkin's young adult literature has had on teens. 

        Another way that Ellen showed that her books were meaningful and life changing was through her artistic choices. Ellen opened the article with a personal story which hooked on the reader and served as a point to which I could connect. She also added many loaded words, which expressed her emotions and showed her views on the banning of her books. Her artistic choices in adding the part of "Manifesto" showed her opinions on the topic and was a way of rebelling, to provide and example of what she does best.

        I really enjoyed reading Hopkin's article, because it was intriguing and believable. I agree, being that I have read a couple of her books, that although some of the things in her books might be seen as racy they are educational and I have learned a lot from her. I feel very strongly about keeping Ellen Hopkin's books in libraries because it has changed me as a person and it has affected others in the best of ways. Like Ellen said in her article, "Ignorance is no armor." and I completely agree with that statement. You can't live a completely sheltered life, and must acknowledge reality and I think reading a piece of Ellen Hopkin's young adult literature is a great way to face the truth.

Elephants and Humans are Not That Different!

Aleyna Ndaw

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Imagine you are a strong Elephant, living a perfectly fine life in the Ueno Zoo till one day you stop being fed. You begin to weaken and weaken in front of the eyes of people you once called friends. This is what the three elephants, Tonky, Wanly and John in “Faithful Elephants” by Yukio Tsuchiya faced. They were all strong animals at the Ueno Zoo until the horrors of the war took place and they were ordered to put down by the army. I think Yukio Tsuchiya wanted the reader to feel and connect to the elephants struggle as well as relate to the issues they face.

“The elephant keepers stopped feeding Tonky and Wanly” This moment shows an example of the elephants being helpless. “At last Tonky and Wanly could no longer move. They just lay on their sides.” I think Yukio Tsuchiya wanted the reader to feel the elephants struggle and relate. As a teen, I can relate to this helpless and as if no one was there for me. People you love, for example friends, who were once loyal can easily turn and betray you like the trainers had done to the elephants. The once strong, bold and beautiful animals had turned into saggy piece of skin.

The elephants also tried “to do their banzai trick for the people who once fed them.” This to me shows that the elephants tried to get the approval of the trainers they once called friends, but died trying. I think this is yet another thing that readers can relate to, when you try so hard to impress someone and be noticed but they don’t see you. I think a of of people my age can relate to this action and struggle that the elephants faced. one way is because of conformity, a lot of us try to conform to someone or something we ar not in order to be approved by society.

What i’m really trying to say is that, I think that Yukio Tsuchiya tried to make the story relatable. He tried to make the reader see themselves in the elephants and put themselves in the elephants shoes. This is important because the author is showing very humane issues through elephants. He is showing us, the reader that the feeling that the elephants felt were very real struggles and things that humans also face.

8th Grade Bloggin'

A "Native Son" Inspired Piece

         Yay! I have made it to the 8th grade! I created this blog in 7th grade and since we will be blogging again this year, I decided to keep it. My first blog post in the 8th grade will be a creative piece of writing inspired by "Native Son" by Richard Wright. I read this book over the summer and am OBSESSED with it! To give you (the reader of my blog) a summary here it is (SPOILER ALERT!!!): Bigger Thomas an African-American young man from a rough background in a black community. He goes out in the real world a gets a job in the 1930's and ends up  killing his boss's daughter by accident. He tries to hide the evidence but ends up in a lot of trouble because he's black and killed a white person (a woman to add on). This point in History also wasn't good for Aftican Americans.
Enjoy!

We left in the middle of the night so we were not to be seen. “Renae! pack up and tell your brother. There was a fire the week before where daddy worked at. They told us it was an accident but we all knew what that fire was all about. So now me, momma, daddy and Tommy are leaving on a bus going to where daddy calls “a better life” but i’ve heard that before. 

We packed our bags with what little we had to eat, drink and wear but nights are cold and helpful hands are hard to find. A nice lady gave us a bite as we passed by her home, a simple one and I wished we lived in it. We finally made it, and it is just what I had thought. Detroit, a bustling city with whites and blacks walking amongst each other, still keeping distance but nothing like Arkansas. Daddy's going to find work at the factory tomorrow and Tommy’s gonna tag along to see where he can help. Momma’s working for a white woman named Margaret-Ann but i’m going to the local school. We’re living with 2 other families in a stuffy second floor apartment till we find our own place.

I heard a pretty, young white girl, probably my age talking about her side of town. Dem large homes with big parties and so much more but here we are...still waiting. I guess that's a while a way. Momma always tells me to get my mind off of that cause she knows it ain't never gonna happen, but a girl can dream. Maybe one day my hard work and prayers might pay off...Maybe.

              Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. I researched this time period (1930's) and looked at the Great Migration to add relevant historical details. I also used writing tools of Richard Wright such as grammar and spelling to give it a realistic touch. I tried to get in the character and hope I did a good job. Comment below (feedback is always great) and stay posted for more posts. (No pun intended.)

:)
-Aleyna Ndaw

Hurricane Song

     Paul Volponi's "Hurricane Song" is about a boy named Miles, and his dad, pops living in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina. Throughout the book, we see the protagonist, Miles and his dad grow individually as well as in there relationship.

     At the beginning of "Hurricane Song" we view Miles as a young boy trying to find his place in his music loving family. Through the course of the story we see Miles mature. One example of Miles maturing is when he Miles fights a guy stealing a piano from a jazz club is father played at. This shows that Miles has matured because it portraits to the reader that Miles has accepted his dad and his own differences it also shows that Miles cares about others.

     Pops, The father of Miles also grows as the story takes place. In the beginning of the story pops only cared about his horn and wasn't much of a father to miles. Towards the end of the story, Pops even smashes his horn to save Miles even saying, " I just couldn't lose you Miles. Not for anything." This shows that pops has changed his priorities and shows Miles how much he loves him. 

     Not only do Miles and Pops grow individually during "Hurricane Song" but so do their relationship. At the beginning of the story Pops and Miles don't have much of a relationship. One example of Pops and Miles' relationship growing is when they both make an effort to show there love. Before Hurricane Katrina, Miles was second to jazz which was his fathers first love. One example of this was when Pops grabbed his horn before taking Miles to safety. However later in the book Pops smashes his horn to save Miles. This shows that Pops wasn't showing his love to Miles but that has changed. Miles also was stubborn and didn't accept or approve of his fathers love for music. Later in the book he acknowledges his fathers love for music and accepts it as well as respecting it. These examples show that Miles and Pops didn't have a relationship in the beginning of the book but by the end they created a special bond and had a mutual loving relationship. 

     In conclusion "Hurricane Song" by Paul Volponi is about a father and son growing as people and as a whole in tough times. I think everyone can learn from this because in some or the best things can come out of tough times. 

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;   Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,   And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.   I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.         In the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost the protagonist shows remorse and regret about the story he tells telling the reader about his choice taking the road less traveled. He chose his path in life, but the fact that he revises what he did to his future reader suggests that, perhaps he wishes he had lead a more courageous and adventurous life.      In the first stanza the protagonist has come upon "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" meaning a crossroads in his life. He is faced with a decision and must choose one or another.      In the second stanza the speaker "Then took the other, Just as fair" showing the two roads were equal to each other and no one was "better" than the other.      In the final stanza the protagonist says "I shall be telling this with a sigh" implying the speaker has remorse. It shows he wishes he had lived a more adventurous life and maybe taken the other road.      The poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is about a man with remorse for his past decisions. This makes me think about humans as a whole because everyone has at one point made a choice they regret and no one is perfect. -Aleyna :)

The New York City Soda Ban

                                                                                                        

    The New York City Soda Ban

     The New York City soda ban is a new law that, if passed, will ban sodas over 16 ounces from city regulated restaurants. The soda ban should be opposed because it has several loopholes and is less effective then it should be, because of the ways there still are to get soda. The New York City soda ban also takes away New Yorkers choice; New Yorkers don’t need the government to tell them what to drink. Therefore the New York City soda ban should be opposed.

     The New York soda ban would not be effective because there are too many loopholes. Only city regulated establishments are affected, these restaurants include, Subway, McDonald’s and Wendy’s. Convenience stores such as 7-eleven and Rite Aid will be exempt from the ban. The ban also states that if the establishment doesn’t put the sugar in the drink its ok. So you could potentially go to Starbucks and buy a 31-ounce Trenta and add as much sugar as you want but yes, it’s legal. The ban also says that if the drink is 50% milk or over its ok.  So the Oreo Vanilla Bean Coolatta with over 150 grams of sugar from Dunkin Donuts is legal. There are so many loopholes and ways to still buy sugary drinks. There must be a better way to solve the problem then this ban. Although supporters of the ban may argue, the ban is a start to a long fight against obesity and other illness’ sugar causes, it’s not a big enough step. The ban still has so many loopholes and ways to buy the big sugary drinks consumers want.

     The New York City soda ban should also be opposed because it takes away New Yorkers freedom of choice. In a 2012 poll taken by Eliot Hoff, a spokesman for New Yorkers for Beverage Choice, Eliot wrote that 60% of New Yorkers believe the ban was a bad idea. Zara Atal, a 20-year old college student from New York says “If people want to drink 24 ounces, it’s their decision.” Supporters of the ban may say that this ban shows that the government cares about its citizen’s health, but the question is, how far can the government go?  The majority of people don’t like nor approve with the ban. The people are effected should have a say.

     At the end of the day we have to look at the fact that the New York City soda ban has too many loopholes and take away citizens freedom of choice. If the ban is passed it will take effect in March of 2013 and ban drinks over 16 ounces from New York City regulated restaurants. The ban will affect all soda loving New Yorkers from drinking what they want. Your voice counts, so stand up for your big sodas and enjoy them while you can.

-Aleyna Ndaw

Q3 BP#1

Building Bridges by Andrea Davis Pinkey

     Building Bridges by Andrea Davis Pinkey is a short story about Bebe a 17 year old girl growing up in Red Hook, with big dreams. Bebe wants to be an engineer so when she gets her chance to repair the Brooklyn Bridge she cant resist. The protagonist shows its important to persevere and have passion for what you want. 

     One way Bebe shows perseverance is when she declined the chance to work at Rimley's Beauty Parlor. Even though she had the opportunity and potentially a long term job she passed it along for the once in a lifetime opportunity to do what she loves. Engineering. 

     The protagonist shows passion for what she wants and the bridge when she said "The bridge is where my heart is." This shows the passion and love she has the bridge. Bebe also talks about the bridge as a person calling it "Brooklyn Belle." These examples show the love and passion she has for the Brooklyn Bridge and engineering. 

     Another example of Bebe's perseverance and passion for what  she wants is when after getting multiple rants from mama Lil saying "Ain't No black woman doing engineering" she stayed strong and even found comfort in the shadow of the bridge. 

     Building Bridges by Andrea Davis Pinkey was a story about passion and perseverance for what you believe in. The protagonist Bebe shows love and determination for what she believes in throughout the story, in her journey to success. 

-Aleyna

Q2 BP#8

The Rose that Grew from Concrete By Tupac Shakur

     I just started The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur.It's mixed journal entries and poems/raps by themost influential rapper Tupac Shakur.

     After reading this I thought about the legacy of Tupac and the question we all want answered, Is Tupac alive? I've done some research and I think he is. One reason why I think Tupac is alive is because he changed his name to Makaveli. Makaveli was a Italian escape artist who was best know for faking his death. Also in many songs such as "Time 2 Dump" Tupac says " my alias Makaveli" meaning my fake identity Makaveli.

     Another example of why I think Tupac is still alive is because of the number 7. (And I know it sounds weird) One of Tupacs album was "The 7 Day Theory" and the number keeps coming up. Tupac was shot on the 7th, died 7 days after being shot, was 25 (2+5=7), died at 4:03 (4+3=7), he is supposed to come back in 2014 (2+1+4=7) and he will be 43 (4+3=7) this proves that the number 7 has a significance to his "death" and "rebirth"

     Last but not least in many of Tupac's songs he predicts his death, the car stopping at the red light and then shots being fired. (Strange huh) The police also never looked into his death which is strange because he was and still is an icon. His funeral was also canceled and the his death certificate was never released. Tupac was and still is no question about it the most influential rap pest of his time. He remains in our thoughts and leaves us all wondering...Tupac,where are you?

-Aleyna

Holiday Blogpost

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

      Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie is a book about Steven Alper who is a typical 8th grade boy in middle school. He is facing the challenges of middle school, until his brother is diagnosed with Leukemia. The book takes us through the journey if Steven learning how to deal with his brothers illness. At the end of the book we see how Steven has matured through the personal sacrifices he makes.  

     Steven shows his maturity when he skipped his concert he had been practicing for all year. The concert was important for him because Steven had a big solo. Steven also gave up his personal glory to be there for Jeffery.

     Steven also shows his maturity through his personal sacrifices when he didn't let Renee in to his house. Renee has been Steven's love since the third grade and it was finally his chance to have her in his house. Since Renee had a cold, Steven kept her out so Jeffery didn't catch anything. This shows the personal sacrifice of Steven because he gave up his long waited romance to protect Jeffery.

     Another example of Steven's maturity through personal sacrifice was when he stopped his drum lessons. Steve's drum lessons were everything to him. He caught a sliver of peace and all the issues left his mind. Steven was also preparing for his big solo in his concert and needed all the practice he could get. This sacrifice shows Steven's maturity through personal sacrifices because he stopped his drum lessons to save money for Jeffery's illness.

     Steven Alper shows maturity in the personal sacrifices he makes throughout the book. He teaches us how to be a good sibling and cope with change. We see the ways that he grows as a brother, person, son and friend.

-Aleyna