Ken

Despite the class speaking primarily about Barbie, I think that there is also a person standing in the background that many people overlook when speaking of the Barbie controversy, Ken. Although we spoke exclusively about Barbie during our class discussions, in the back of my mind I thought, "what about Ken?". I know that Prager speaks about the impact that Barbie has on young girls, but what about the impact that Ken has on young boys. Although I never had a Ken doll of my own or played with one before, he still changed my perspective of what a man should be. I would see my sister playing with her Barbie and Ken dolls and wonder "why can't I be big and strong like Ken?" Women speak of how they must always look pretty and care about their looks unlike boys; however, in our modern era society has also caused boys to care about their looks and wish to be like Ken, muscular and big. I myself have changed the way I dressed or looked simply on things people have said. Women say that society does not pressure men to look a certain way like they do to women, however, society has told young boys what they must strive to be, a tall, muscular man just like Ken.

Expectations

Over the weekend I got the chance to go to Erebus, the four story, Guinness book of world records largest haunted house. As you may guess my stomach was in knots the entire day Saturday as I anticipated the excruciating fear and anxiety that I would experience. My expectations were held high for this haunted attraction due to the numerous friends that have told me of their terrifying and amazing experiences. Standing in the line with Eric Cheng (a fellow AP english student) and other friends, we all grew more and more anxious as we waited through the three hour line (which was Eric's fault by the way), as workers at Erebus scared you in line as if your heart wasn't beating out of your chest already. As we finally entered the haunted house, the experience was short lived. In what seemed a very short time we were already out and rather disappointed at the fact that it didn't live up to its many titles and stories that people have told us about.

Worst haunted house ever, don't go there

Now I bet you are all probably wondering how this has anything to do with what we are learning in class and this is where I will finally tell you. In Brent Staples piece, Black Men and Public Space, he speaks of his encounters with frightened people as he walks down the street, and simply because of his color. Why is this? Who taught us to fear someone just because of their color or race? The truth is that the people around us have taught us what to believe through a single opinion or view on what to expect. The people who fear Staples are judging solely on things they have heard and their expectations of what he is like, just like Eric and I did as we waited in the line of Erebus. You should not let other peoples opinions and views shape how you see the world but rather form your own views by your own experiences (but I would recommend that you follow my advice and don't go to Erebus because it is a waste of money and time).

Finished But Never Forgotten

Although we are done reading The Scarlet Letter in class, I believe that this will not be the last that i'll hear of its everlasting lessons. Despite The Scarlet Letter being such an old novel, many instances in our recent day and age has the novel used as a basis for many television shows, novels, and movies to flourish off of. I have already spoken of one example of a modern rendition of the novel being the movie Easy A, which conveyed a similar, yet, different form of the novels message. Recently I stumbled across a show called Faking it, which is obviously based off of The Scarlet Letter; it portrays one of the novels key lessons perfectly, that no one should be judged for what they wish to do. The show takes place at a high school in Texas that's called Hester High, ironically named after the main character of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynn. Hester High is not your average, modern high school; The students at the school express themselves freely and are even encouraged to not be ordinary. However, in this effort to encourage everyone to be different has caused normal to be unwanted, which causes the protagonists of the show, Amy and Karma, to fake being a lesbian couple in order to fit in, hence the title, Faking it. The show takes the theme of The Scarlet Letter and reverses it into a sort of parallel universe where being different is better than being normal or ordinary, which, in reality, is the same situation that Hester faced. The show conveys that it is impossible to escape judgement, which is one of the everlasting messages that The Scarlet Letter will continue to tell.

Chivalry Is Dead Because Feminism Killed It

Reading There Is No Unmarked Women by Deborah Tannen had me thinking a lot about feminism and equality over the weekend. While reading my daily twitter news I came across a tweet that really defined my view on feminism. I myself believe that everyone should have equal rights in every way possible, but feminism in my opinion isn't about equal rights anymore, but rather to shame men for everything that they do.

Her grammar is atrocious...

All the time I hear girls speaking about how chivalry is dead; how no man holds a door open for them, or pays the bill at a restaurant, and this picture describes why many men aren't always reluctant to do so. Simple things that a man can do for a women as an act of kindness is for some reason viewed as seeing women as weaker. The title of this picture that stuck in my mind this whole weekend was "Chivalry is dead because feminism killed it". Many people will probably say that she isn't portraying feminism correctly, however, I believe that this IS how many people interpret feminism, shaming men for anything they do. There are many people that like this women that give the feminist movement a bad name and cause many to disapprove of the the feminist cause. However, this picture makes me wonder if Tannen herself views feminism in the same way, shaming men for their wrongs, which makes me wonder if Deborah Tannen would graciously accept an open door, or remark that she is capable of opening it herself.