Author: nath.55

Text Review over Wonder

by

Interview: R.J. Palacio, Author Of 'Wonder' : NPR

I’ve always believed that books redefine the boundaries between reality and imagination. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is no different to my notion. Renowned author Palacio published this work in early 2012, and from there, it has changed the generational outlook on the relationship between facial deformities and prejudice. A tale about a young boy named August, or “Auggie”, Pullman diagnosed with Treacher Collins syndrome, this novel explores various heartwrenching concepts such as identity, power, and injustice. 

His story is shared through the perspective of those closest to him, and this gives readers a better glimpse of his struggle to accept himself, particularly in unforeseen circumstances like at school or even familial interactions. To highlight, throughout the beginning, Auggie has a Padawan-style braid. As the story continues, it’s revealed that the protagonist uses the braid as a safety net for his identity as it’s one of the few physical features he can control. Once Auggie cuts his braid, it signifies to readers that he’s willing to define his identity beyond physical traits. Rather, Auggie can

embody his personality without shielding himself through trivial hairstyles. Unfortunately, Auggie only came to this realization because of the innumerable amount of prejudice he faced from classmates through verbal and physical abuse. Unfortunately, encounters between those who are disordered and those who are can be detrimental, as seen in Palacio’s work. 

Reflecting on Wonder, I’m once again reminded of Adichie’s Ted Talk, Dangers of a Single Story. Far too often did strangers use their assumptions to define August Pullman’s story. It’s this behavior that results in negative portrayal. Adichie perfectly documents this feeling by saying, “ She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me.” Likewise, even those closest to Auggie like his family, with the exemption of his sister, immediately resulted in pity. 

Wonder continues to leave me pondering. Now, I’ve acknowledged how Palacio wanted his readers to fixate how materialism and eurocentrism deteriorates societal progression. As depicted in the novel, humans see differences as motivation for garnering power over others or for inflicting injustice. This piece challenges readers to be mindful of microaggressions against targeted groups, hopefully encouraging conversations that move towards positivity.

Diary of Systemic Racism Showcase: Race and Education

by

I’ve decided to focus on the relationship between race and education. Through extensive research, studies have shown that disparities in schooling can be contributed to historical discrimination. In this essay, I will focus on media sources from Southside Weekly and The JapanTimes.

In the first article, the organization highlights that children of Black and Latino descent face lower rates of math and literacy comprehensions. This can largely be traced to injustices such as Jim Crow Laws that enabled segregation for students. Though Brown vs. Board of Education ilegalized segregation, the effects are still everpresent today as primarily Black schools are more likely located in poverty stricken areas. Take author Ismael Cuevas Jr. ‘s ex

Increasing the visibility of providers of color

perience. As one of the first Mexican families to move to a majority Black neighborhood, he took notice of the “Whitelash ” that stemmed in his street’s history. Like Cuevas Jr. mentioned, violence due to integration was met with backlash from many protestors, which caused funds to be withheld. The aftermath of this funding lack highlights how these minority students have been disadvantaged by the system, when compared to white students who generally have carried more privilege throughout society.
On the other hand, minorities like Asian Americans are often on the opposite spectrum. Once again, much of this can be credited to past injustices against them. Specifically, the transition period after the Chinese Exclusion Act marked a time where only certain Asian Americans who met specific quotas regarding high achievement in education were allowed to immigrate. This fluctuation of the concentrated “elite” has continued the cycle of segregation in present day America. This is highlighted by author Andrea Gambor as she notes that “Three-quarters of the students enrolled in gifted-and-talented programs are White or Asian” in New York City.
In summary, both of these articles highlight how segregation among diffe

rent races such as Black, Latino, Asian, and White play a role in modern society. In these two situations, Spivak’s elements of othering are overarching. Throughout time, systems such as corporate institutes and the law system have used “othering” tactics to marginalize minorities in educational facilities through whitelashing and legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and Jim Crow Laws.

https://www.teachforamerica.org/what-we-do/the-challengeA Guide to the Model Minority Myth — Courtney Ahn Designhttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021/11/01/commentary/world-commentary/segregated-classrooms/

Week 7 Context Presentation – Summarizing and Analyzing Persepolis and its History

by

 

In The Complete Persepolis, Satrapi details her personal harrows and delights as she undergoes the issues imposed by the Iranian Revolution. From the beginning, the readers see Marji struggle to adjust from a non-religious French school to a strictly regulated all-girls school where wearing of the veil was mandatory. From then on, she sees her parents attend protests, which initially sparks her rebellious attitude towards her surroundings, whether it is by making her own Holy Book or through her career-driven dreams. As she grows older, Marji learns more about the political terrors regarding the Shah’s actions from her neighbor and teachers. Yet no story impacts her more than her Uncle Anoosh’s, who remains her hero for a large part of the novel. Eventually, as the Iranian conflict grows and Marji becomes more rebellious, her parents send Marji to a boarding house in Vienna. As a young girl in a completely new environment, Marji attempts to assimilate with others to navigate the unfamiliar customs of Austria. However, Marji realizes the consequences of blind societal conformity as she overhears two girls disparaging her. Finally ready to reclaim her identity, Marji shouts, “I am Iranian and proud of it!” (Satrapi 197). As her mental health takes several tolls due to experiences such as homelessness, relationship complications (Markus), etc., Marji later returns to Iran. Spending time with her family rebalances her, until she finally feels ready to return back to her life in Europe, determined to live better. 

 

To understand Marjane Satrapi’s narrative, it’s vital that we also analyze the historical time period it takes place in. Satrapi’s work centers around the Iranian Revolution, which was largely due to the end of the Shah’s reign. This transitional revolt occurred around 1979. At the time, the Shah could be described as quite western, as he encompassed more progressive ideals. This spurred a religious movement around the country, where Marjane and her fellow classmates were required to wear burkas or even extremists depicted in her family’s newspapers burned statues of the Shah. Like Marjane’s family, there were oppositions to this religious shift. They often conducted protests attended by her parents, which led to wide-spread riots and violent demonstrations. The Iranian Revolution was a period of polarization, where Marjane was often forced to left feeling confused about her nationalistic identity and personal morals. As a way to cope with her confusion surrounding the Iranian Revolution, Satrapi used games like the “torture game” with the neighbors in an attempt to understand the situation (Satrapi 56).

 

This book was quite touching, and I often felt like I knew Marji on a personal level because of how raw of an author she was. Frequently, Satrapi utilizes a candid tone, effectively echoing how Marji recognizes the potential consequences of being honest, yet she choses to stay true to herself rather than conform to the expectations of the Iranian leaders. For example, while every student aims to sound conservative in hopes of passing the exam, Marjane once again challenges the norm and speaks her truth, which ends up being the reason she passes. 

 

Reflecting on Satrapi’s work, I’m once again reminded of Adichie’s Ted Talk. There are many instances where Marjane is often depicted as the “other”, which leads individuals to create false perceptions of her that force a single story upon her. A prime example is when she overhears two girls talking about how Marjane wasn’t an authentic Iranian because of her attempts like falsifying a french accent. This leads Satrapi to scream, “I am Iranian and proud of it!” (226). Clearly, the two girls used their narrow interactions with Satrapi to create an image of her that didn’t match what Satrapi stood for. 

 

Works Cited 

Adichie, C. N. (2009). The danger of a single story. TED. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story. 

Afary, J. (2021, March 25). Iranian Revolution. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica. com/event/Iranian-Revolution

Satrapi, M. (2000). The Complete Persepolis.‎ Pantheon.