The goal of this project was to make these books that people are so familiar with and love dearly come to life in an entirely different way. I read often, but it’s not everyday that you consciously try to make stories like these so much larger. I also hoped to create an interest in different books with different kids, and create an interest in storytelling. I wanted to make this cookbook attainable for kids of different ages, and make these stories accessible in a whole different way. Not only was this an expansion project for the audience, but it also forced me to experiment with forms of writing that were unfamiliar to me. Instructional writing is something that I had never done much of in the past, and felt very uncomfortable with at first. It took me many hours of pouring over different cookbooks, targeted at both kid and adult audiences, to feel comfortable enough to begin writing my own interpretations. 

I was really excited about the work this quarter. I would say that my work is fairly reflective of my work ethic this quarter. I'm not, by any means, a person with a gift for art, but I do enjoy it, and I did enjoy many of our projects this quarter. I chose to copy the artist Picasso, because he is the first artist that really grabbed my attention when I was younger. I also love his sketches of animals, so I chose to remake both his dog and his cat for that assignment. My mosaic was also a really fun project, as it was the first time I had attempted to make one. The wire sculpture was way out of my comfort zone, but I definitely enjoyed trying to manipulate the paperclips into the shapes I wanted. 

The struggle with short stories is the limited space and the need for enough information, enough plot, enough character development, to get the point across. Short stories are speed dating for those not quite willing to commit to a full length novel. Jhumpa Lahiri does not shy away from the daunting task of short stories and her product is nothing short of amazing. 

Jhumpa Lahiri is the daughter of Indian immigrants, born in London but spending the majority of her childhood in Long Island, New York. Lahiri often refers to herself as American, once saying “I wasn’t born here, but I might as well have been.” While The Interpreter of Maladies is Lahiri’s debut publication, it is anything but amateur. The book was even the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize Award, which reportedly came as “quite a shock” to Lahiri. After taking a look at the book, however, it is not a shock to readers. The book itself tells the stories of India natives either still residing in India, or immigrants to America. She wrote the book in 1999, drawing observations from her family, and immigrants she met while growing up. 

Lahiri expertly navigates the world of short stories with an artful hand. The novel contains nine different stories, which delve into idea of marriage and the trials that accompany it.    For the most part, the stories are not about heartbreak. They are not about a climactical moment where everything falls apart, but about the characters. Her stories are not about the drama, not about how many twists she can place in one short story, but how the characters deal with their lives. The characters in these stories all deal with a certain amount of miscommunication. In any of the stories, there is evidence of one character not understand another, and that is what led to the majority of heartbreak.  The novel is about the opportunities that the characters have as they face the collapse of their idea of marriage is or should be. Opportunities to remake their lives, to revitalize the love in their relationships, or to move on. With each page, the sympathetic disappointment one feels is transformed into a thirst for the age old question; what comes next?

With nine different stories in one book, and each one dealing with the struggle of marriage, it would be easy for the anecdotes to become repetitive. Lahiri does not bend to that, however, crafting each character uniquely and constructing each situation exclusively. Her characters appeal to the hearts of readers, and the result is not disappointing. One cannot help but ache for the young couple trapped in the familiarity of their marriage, dealing with the heartbreak of their stillborn child silently and letting their marriage fall around them. One cannot help but hurt for Boori Ma, the old widow who spends her days sweeping the staircase of an apartment building, until the tenants are overcome with greed and chase her out. Each story is a look into our world. Lahiri studies society in a way unlike those before her. She examines cultural restraints, and notes how our affections simultaneously defy and preserve such constrictions. 

Jhumpa Lahiri uses such expressive language that it is impossible to read her work without feeling affected. Her words are used to build a world around the reader, and to invite them into the world she’s created. Her language is powerful, and leaves the reader with a choice. What is taken away from the stories is not printed, it is not handed to you. What is taken away from the book will be different for everyone. 

For me, the highlight of the book lies in the seventh story, This Blessed House. Sanjeev and Twinkle are newlyweds, exploring their new house in Hartford, Connecticut. Whilst looking around, they begin to unearth several garish Christian decorations. Twinkle is immediately drawn to them, laughing, and wanting to put them all over the house. Sanjeev, however, is more conscious of their Hinduism, and fears what his coworkers and neighbors will think if they saw the decorations. Sanjeev begins to regard Twinkle as an unknown; he doesn’t understand her spontaneity, and is uncomfortable with her rash decision making. When throwing a house warming party, his colleagues are immediately drawn to Twinkle’s enigmatic ways. Lahiri intricately designs Twinkle to be a character with impulsive tendencies that directly crash with Sanjeev’s deliberate lifestyle. Twinkle, in some ways, bears a likeness to the book in general. Once acquainted, you’re left with a simple “wow”. 

In many ways, one cannot ask for more if looking for a book of compelling short stories. Lahiri exceeds any and all expectations. While many people have never experienced some of the ideas in the stories, it is easy to look beyond the plot with Lahiri’s writings, and sense the overarching themes and insights that she is making. This makes the book relevant to a very diverse group of people. If you are just delving into the world of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies is an excellent place to start. 

Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri, Published by Mariner Books in 1999, 198 pages, Fiction

How does writing help me connect? Writing is a thread. It weaves people together, and traces out similarities that are often overlooked. Writing helps people understand you, and helps you understand others. The way you write reveals something about you, no matter what the topic of your piece is. No only that, but writing shows things about yourself that you might not have noticed. Writing connects us, in a way, with ourselves. I write to attempt to lay out the contents of my thoughts, and piece them together in a way that makes sense. I read to do the same with others. 

Journal #1: Soliloquy

Act 5, Scene 1:

I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense,

And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio

Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,

Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo,

He calls me to a restitution large

Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him

As gifts to Desdemona.

It must not be. If Cassio do remain

He hath a daily beauty in his life

That makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor

May unfold me to him—there stand I in much peril.

No, he must die. But so, I hear him coming.

In this scene, Iago is breaking off from his conversation with Roderigo to talk to himself/the audience.  I would have his voice be somewhat softer compared to his conversation with Roderigo. He will also be turned towards the audience, side stepping from Roderigo. When he says "Live Roderigo...", Iago will bring one hand up, and when he says "If Cassio do remain..." he will bring the other up, as if weighing the two options. When he says "And besides, the Moor may unfold me to him..." he will wipe his hands away, as if erasing a thought written out in front of him. He will also say this as if pointing out something obvious. This will show that he is changing his thinking, figuring something out for the first time, talking to himself. He will say "No, he must die." gravely, all emotion somewhat gone from his voice, as he shows no regret for the morbid plan. When he says "But so, I hear him coming.." he will say that softly, and walk back over to where he was before this soliloquy. 

Journal #2: Secondary Characters

My character is Bianca. The first time Bianca is seen is Act 3, Scene 4, when she runs into Cassio, on the way to his house. We see that they are in an intimate relationship, and that she is clearly eager for Cassio's love. She becomes jealous when she sees the handkerchief of another woman in his possession. She's then mentioned in Act 4, Scene 1, where Cassio explains to Iago that she is a whore, and he has no intention of marrying her, which she seemed prepared to do. Bianca then appears, apparently having thought that it wasn't possible for Cassio to have simply found the handkerchief, and seems to be full of rage. She sees that Cassio has the token of another woman, and does not know where he got it from. We do not know what Bianca is specifically told, though we do see that Cassio is somewhat agressive with her when Iago is there, and she ends up leaving in anger, basically saying she will not invite him to her house any more. If we only concentrate on the scenes with Bianca, we can see that she is unaware of anything going on with Iago, Desdemona, or Othello, and Cassio's involvement in it. All she sees is the man she loves having something from another woman in his possession, and it's understandable how that strikes her jealousy. 

Journal #3: Character Background

My character is Desdemona. She was born into a rich family, her father being a senator. She had an easy childhood, excelling in her studies, and not having to worry about much else. Her father spoiled her, giving her anything she wanted. Her mother died when she was younger, and she spent a lot of her childhood either alone, or with her tutor, due to her fathers busy schedule. This made her aware of how important it was to show your love for people, as she often felt somewhat neglected. She met Othello through her father, and was immediately drawn to his story. She saw his broken past, and fell for him, wanting to be the one to fill him with love. She knew her father would never let her get married so quickly, but she felt so sure of Othello, and their love, that she decided it was worth it to go behind his back.

Journal #4: Characterization

I'm playing Desdemona in the scene where they appear in the court to justify their marriage. To do this, I have to make sure that I show my respect for my father, as well as my commitment to my husband. I'll kiss my fathers hand, but go and link arms with my husband to enhance both of these things. I tried to make my voice buoyant and kind, because Desdemona is described as gentle and sweet. I think that for my prop I'm going to pile on a bunch of necklaces, because she's rich and probably wore a lot of jewelry. I have a few rings that I might wear as well, just to look more feminine and wealthy. I think that since our scene doesn't have as much action, it's harder to make it stand out, but our characterization is really key. We've decided on some interesting developments regarding voice and posture, so I think that will make our scene really work.

Journal #5: Reflection on Performance

“But here is my husband, and so much duty as my mother showed you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my lord.” Act 1, Scene 3.

This line comes right after Desdemona reassures her father of her respect for him. It shows that, although she does respect him, her husband is where her loyalty lies. When I performed this, I made sure to move from my initial position of standing by my father, to next to Othello, linking arms with him and showing my commitment to my marriage. This line is delivered to Brabantio, which leads me to think that Desdemona in a way kicks a soft spot in her father, and it’s a little bit of a guilt trip. 

Our performance didn’t go exactly as planned, because we were actually missing one of our actors. However, I think we were still able to do all that we planned to do, as far as delivery goes. I think we did really well with characterization, each of us sort of bringing our own twist to our respective character. Our scene didn’t really have a lot of action, so it was difficult to bring it to life, but I think that we were able to do our best with it.

Performing the play made me more aware of key elements within it. It’s easy to get lost in Shakespeare, because there are so many details, and it’s all hidden behind difficult language. Breaking it down, and seeing it performed, as well as performing it, made it not only easier to follow, but easier to notice important parts. 

I sit uncomfortably, my ankles crossed beneath the table, the silk napkin placed carefully over my lap. I keep my legs close together, being sure to tuck the hem of my dress over my knee. 

“Pass the suga’, da’lin.” I hear a sweet coo in my right ear, and turn to smile at my great-aunt. Keeping my lips pressed shut, I reached over and slid the sugar towards her. All around me were the echoes of ‘sweetie’, ‘my gracious!’, and ‘pardon?’. My skin feels hot, and I hear another question aimed in my direction. Passing over the butter this time, I gratefully busy myself with taking sips of my tea. The brightly colored walls are a shock to my system, as are the friendly people sitting at the table next to ours, calling out greetings to complete strangers. The words swirl around me, and I become suddenly aware of how I don’t often call people “darling”, and how I do talk rather quickly. 

“Emalyn, didn’t you go there this summer?” My Nana’s voice is interrupting my sudden realization, and I startle a little bit. But, remembering my formal setting, settle down. 

“Oh, um, yeah. Yes. Yes ma’am.” I stutter, tripping over the words as they come out in a flood of miscommunication. Flustered, I choke up a laugh, ducking my head. “Yes ma’am, I did.” I try again, and the southern ladies around the table nodded. It’s never easy to be the only one in a room that’s different, and it’s even harder when you are distinctly aware that those around you know exactly what makes you different. 

Sitting around the table at a tea room is not something that I often do in my daily routine. However, when I did, I became aware of small things that made me irreversibly different than the women surrounding me. When I responded to their questions, my voice sounded brash, my words sounded rude, in comparison to the slow, drawn out language of Northern Georgia. No matter how many times I go down South, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to being the only one in the room who is decidedly Northern. I will also not get used to having to wait patiently as my questions get answered, in a typical drawn out fashion, or being the subject of so many terms of endearment. 

I may have felt out of place in a southern tea room, but feeling different because of an accent is not limited to Northerners going South. My Grandparents come up to visit once a year, around Christmas. Although they would never come out and say it, they are incredibly uncomfortable speaking in front of people, and tend to keep to themselves when faced with the opportunity. Their accents are heavy, and the southern drawl sets them apart from everyone they’re surrounded with. With every word they say, people scrunch up their noses, ask them to repeat themselves, or look mildly amused. It’s disconcerting, to say the least, when people are listening intently to your every word, trying to decipher what you’re saying. 

James Baldwin says this about language in his essay ‘If Black English Isn’t A Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?’: “It reveals the private identity and connects one with, or divorces one from, the large, public, or communal identity.” In this case, I think that language isolates those who are different, and calls them out on those differences. 

More than once, I have heard people talking about Southern accents in a negative light. People have said that they can’t take them seriously, or that they just sound foolish when they speak. To me, the ones saying those things are more foolish simply for saying that. To judge someone’s intelligence based on how they sound, and not on what they say, shows an extreme lack of character. It is absolutely unacceptable for people to say that someone is inferior to them because of race or gender in today’s society, so why is accent any different? Just like gender and race, accents alienate one person from another, and focus on differences, instead of similarities. 

Two weeks is what the doctor told me today. In a way, it’s comforting. I’ve been waiting... waiting for so long for a date. Half my life, it seems. No, it’d take a lot to be half my life. My nurse told me today that she would arrange everything for me for when I die. She comes to see me everyday, even today even though it’s her day off. She told me she wanted to be with me when I found out. It’s nice to know that someone cares about a haggard old lady. 

I told him today. It was the first time I’d heard his voice. It was the answering machine, but that’s the most I can ask for. Even that is better than nothing. He wouldn’t see me if I told him I was on my deathbed. A part of me wonders if he ever thinks about me. He probably has better things to do than wonder how his old, sick mother is. What was it he said? ‘Driven mad by time’, he told me. A ‘raging lunatic’ he said. Maybe I was, but not for much longer (cough out a laugh hoarsely). I haven’t laughed in a while. Not since Christmas in ’99, I think. Or was it Christmas ’09? Well, not since... since I heard. It took me so long to accept it. I wasn’t sure I ever would. He didn’t. Said I had gone off my rocker. I said he was crazy, because I couldn’t get off my rocker without assistance from a specialist, but he said that joking made it worse. I haven’t seen him since. He won’t let me near my grandkids either. Two little girls. They’ll never really know me I guess. Just how he wanted it. 

How many weeks was it? Two weeks is all I have now. Two weeks, an estranged son, three shabby cats, and this old chair that I can’t seem to get out of. There’s not time, it seems, to fix all that. Well, it won’t matter. Not to me, I guess. I won’t have to worry about standing up from this chair for another minute. Will he come to my funeral, I wonder? There probably won’t even be one. All my friends are dead, who’s left to come to mine? I wonder what he’ll do with this old chair. It’s been here for so long. Ah well, it won’t matter in... what did the doctor tell me? Three weeks? One? It won’t matter when I’m gone, I mean. 

I’ve spent so much time on this planet, you’d think I deserved an award. I’m sure no one from my year in high school is still alive. Good thing they stopped having reunions a while ago, I would be lonely there, dancing by myself. No one else graduated in my year that stayed in Birmingham. In... what year was I? Oh well, no one else stayed around these parts. My old leg’s fallen asleep, but the nurse won’t be here to stretch it till later. She comes at the same time everyday. What time will she come? Soon, I hope. I should probably try to stand up to get rid of those pins and needles. That’s what my mama called them. I wonder when she’ll come see me again. 

My damn old leg. Don’t I have a doctors appointment soon? Yesterday, that’s when. I guess the doctor will call me soon. I should tell my son. I miss him, and the grandkids. I know I saw them yesterday, but days seem so long when you’re sick and old like me. When’s that doctor gonna call?

So far in my research, I’ve noticed that there are many campaigns working hard to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking. A lot of them are actively working to rescue trafficking victims on a daily basis. It’s incredibly wonderful that there are already so many people working hard to end human trafficking across the globe. However, the problem still remains that they can only help people, if other people know the issue and what’s going on.

This being our final post about our topics, it’s time to help make a difference. I think the first step to ending human trafficking is informing people on what it is, and how big of an issue it is. To do this, there are several steps to take. Two organizations that are actively working to end Human Trafficking have released documentaries on their work. I will be hosting a showing of these documentaries, and informing people on the issue of human trafficking. After showing the documentary, there will be a short panel of discussion about the topics shown in the film. This will take place shortly after the school year ends, and will include people from a variety of age groups, from all around the city.

I did an informal survey, which I mentioned briefly last week in my second post. Here is the data that I collected:

What is Human Trafficking? It’s the form of slavery in which people control and exploit other human beings in order to create a profit.

Why is this a problem? Because until slavery and trafficking is fully abolished, the world is not a free one. Because no matter where the slavery is in the world, our freedom depends on the abolishment of it. Because, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, ‘no man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.’

Since my last post, I've taken some time to conduct some research outside of school. As it turns out, 1 out of every 5 people that I interviewed, between the ages of 14 and 18, didn't even know that Human Trafficking was a large world issue.  

Where is Human Trafficking occurring? Everywhere. Almost every single country on the planet is affected in some way by Human Trafficking. This map shows only a segment of the trafficking trade around the world:

Women and girls take up most of the trafficking victims, but that’s not to say that trafficking is not a real threat for everyone. In fact, there are more slaves today, an estimate of about 3 billion, than in any other time in history. While some people would immediately say that they couldn’t see any reason that this would ever happen, the trafficking industry takes in about $32 billion dollars of yearly profit. In fact, money is primarily the reason for trafficking. Poor families often sell of their young girls to rich family members or brothels in order to make some money. 

Human Trafficking is a real issue for everyone in the world- nearly every country is involved as either a country of origin or destination. Not only that, but also only one person gets convicted for every 800 people trafficked.

So why did I immediately think of human trafficking? Well, many reasons. I’ve already been involved in campaigns to end this horrific occurrence. One of the organizations that I’ve researched, and donated to, is the Not For Sale campaign, which essentially raises awareness and money to save victims of trafficking around the world. However, more recently, my good friends uncle created a movie called “Horse & Rider.” The film was created in partnership with Freedom Firm, which is another organization dedicated to rescuing victims of human trafficking, specifically those of sex trafficked victims in India. The film follows the stories of two girls who were rescued from the trade, and are now in a rehabilitation center. I was asked to sing on the soundtrack for the movie, along with a few other girls, and it was a great experience to get connected and proactive in the fight for the end of human trafficking. I realized that human trafficking is a huge issue across the globe, and no one is safe from it.  

So now we know what human trafficking is, and how big of an issue it is. But how can we help? What can we, as citizens, do? I think it’s also important to think about what has been done already, how far has that gotten us? How much improvement has this cause seen, and how much can it expect to see within the next few years?

B. For my cut out, I found negative space in the outlining of the different parts. For the stool, I first focused on the outline of the stools and then looked at the space outside the outline, not inside.

D. I think that negative space enhances a drawing, because you become more aware of the environment that the object you are drawing is placed in.

Hay un familia en la playa de Italia. Hay un papá, una mamá, y una hija. La familia tiene el Castillo grande. La familia tiene una ballena. La ballena es pequeña. La ballena es muy importante. La ballena tiene un secreto. La ballena está muy triste. La ballena llora. La ballena le dice al papá, “La montaña, Adelaida, está enfermo. Adelaida va a morir en tres días.” Hay un problema. Es un problem grande. La llama le dice al papa, ‘van a España, no está enfermo.’ La familia se va a España, pera la ballena no va.

Actividades en la clase: nosotros estudiamos, y topas notas

Responsabilidades: participar, escribir, y hacer atencion

Materiales: un lápiz, y una cuaderna

Opinión: Me gusta la clase, porque es muy interesante y informativo. 

Actividades en la clase: cantamos, bailamos, y estudiamos

Responsabilidades: necesitamos estar preperado, y ser responsible

Materiales: una carpeta, unos lápices, y una computadora

Opinión: Me gusta español, porque es muy divertida y informativa.

There are a few ways to ask for someone’s phone number.

One is: ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? 

This should be used amongst friends and peers. 

To ask someone with higher authority than yourself their phone number, you should change the “tu”, to “su”. So it is now “¿Cuál es su número de teléfono?”

If someone asks you your number, you should respond with “Mi número de teléfono es...” or “Es el...”

There are a few ways to ask for someone’s phone number.

One is: ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? 

This should be used amongst friends and peers. 

To ask someone with higher authority than yourself their phone number, you should change the “tu”, to “su”. So it is now “¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?”

If someone asks you your number, you should respond with “Mi teléfono es...” or “Es el...”