Final Literature Circle Blog

Part 1

Part 5 of "Rain of Gold" starts of with Lupe and her sister Sophia not getting paid what they're supposed to because the men would get mad if they did. Sophia leads a strike that results in them not getting hired anymore or getting rides to work either. At the next payday when they are refused to get paid their full amount they earned again Sophia has had enough and she decides to lead a three day strike. This time a sense of accomplishment is felt by all the workers when they are finally paid what their owed. Lupe, Victoriano and Sophia get tired of watching their parents struggle on the fields so they decide to support them instead and let them rest at home. In part 4 Mark had asked Lupe to marry him but she didn't answer. Once again Mark finds her wanting answer but also comes to tell her the good news that his uncle is looking for a bookkeeper, Lupe's dream job. Dona Margarita says that she has "personal conversations" with the Virgin Mary each morning and that she gives her advice. Juan doesn't know what to think but he plays along thinking it's just her old age getting to her. One day as Juan drove up to Lupe's house he caught her practically destroying her home as she attempted to teach herself how to drive. Juan drove up not only to see Lupe but to teach her how to drive just as he had promised her. Lupe wasn't going to let a man tell her what she can and can't do. She surprised everyone as she drove through the field almost running over her own brother. After a lot of praying, Juan's brother Domingo comes back. He's the exact replica of his father and he brought company, his pregnant girlfriend Nellie. Domingo's hot temper soon leads to him fighting with his own brother only to later be made to apologize by their mother. Juan gets help from his good friend and tailor Harry to buy a diamond ring for Lupe. He ends up buying a $2,000 ring for $400 from a man that he later finds out was Harry's brother. Juan's dream of having his brother ask for Lupe's hand is soon ruined after finding out from his mother that Nellie is married and left her her three children to come here. Dona Margarita instead insists that he have the Priest ask for Lupe's hand. Juan finds out that Domingo has exposed his bootlegging business and ends up having to move to a different location. Juan is surprised to find out that Lupe wants to live alone with him and not with her parent's like she had originally said. Juan finds himself falling more in love with Lupe. The day that the Priest was supposed to ask for Lupe's hand he found him drunk and Juan gets drunk too on the way to Lupe's house. The Priest ends up rambling on for quite awhile before finally asking for Lupe's hand. As Juan drove up to the distillery house he is ambushed by Tom Mix and his racists cops. Domingo is handcuffed inside with a bloody unrecognizable face because he refused to talk, Juan soon receives the same beating once their in jail. Juan calls his lawyer and is soon led out but his brother is given five years in jail in San Quentin. It turns out that Domingo had met this guy in a bar and invited him to the house not knowing that he was an undercover cop. Nellie soon leaves hoping to get her husband to forgive her. Juan is mad beyond words when his own people refuse to let him borrow money but his white friend does. Dona Margarita worries for him after seeing his anger and gives him a lecture. Juan later on goes to confession so that he can give all of himself over to Lupe on their wedding day. Their wedding day ends up becoming the biggest celebration with happiness, forgiveness and acceptance.    

Part 2

1. What is the significance of education to Mexican immigrants?


2. What qualities, conditions or circumstances make Racial justice possible or impossible?


3. When is the meaning of feminism misunderstood? 

 

Critical Thinking

The article I will be discussing it "Kids Smuggle food for cents along war border" from CNN World. Kids as young as eight years old smuggle food across the Pakistan and Afghanistan border and are paid twenty cents or less. The journey between the two borders is long and dangerous. Along the way kids have to watch out for suicide bombers and/or getting beat by the border police. On one side these kids are risking their lifes and doing what they have to do to get their families ahead. They are putting their lifes on the line to put food on the table. Living in the most dangerous place on earth, jobs are at an all time low and their parents are struggling to find a job to support their family. These kids are doing this against their own will, but they do it to help out the family. On another side, I don't think that these kids should be throwing their life away. They instead should be going to school and getting an education so that they can get a good and most importantly safe job that pays well. This however is impossible to most kids becuase their parents can't afford to send them to school. Although UNICEF is making it possible for students to go to school they are threatend by the Taliban for going against Islamic rule. Parents can get a loan to start their own business in exchange for sending their kids to school full time but only three hundred children have been placed in school so far. Kids shouldn't have to live their life in fear or danger just to make twenty cents a day. It's good that their helping their families out but in the long run an education will be worth more.

Rain Of Gold Blog

After finishing reading the book "Rain of Gold" I would like to ask Lupe two questions:

1. What happened to Mark? Did he ever come back?
2. Would you still have married Salvador if you knew beforehand that he was a bootlegger?

Questions #1-7 from "The Men we Carry...

1. Sanders noticed that the men he grew up around all had the same physical characteristics . In paragraph three Sanders describes what they look like. He began by using the words twisted and maimed to describe them and then later went into detail. These men had scarred hands, missing fingers, bad backs, ulcers, bad knees, hard hearing, coughing and drinking. Basically these men worked so hard that they looked much older than they were, they wore down faster.
   
2. 
   
   Sanders characterized the other men, soldiers, as being lazy and kind of invisible. In paragraph four he uses words such as boredom, waiting and no say to describe them. They're kind of just there waiting for the day of war to come. Besides practicing for battle, all they do is wait because theirs nothing else left for them to do. They don't have a say in anything that goes on in the military base.
   
   
3. 
   
   Sanders couldn't imagine becoming one of these "successful" men because he grew up seeing the complete opposite. All he ever knew and saw was hard working labor so meeting these new type of men was not the norm for him. He found it impossible to become a man like that.
   
   
4. 
   
   Sanders father went from working in a farm to a tire factory to an assembly line and then finally to the front office. He was lucky that he got out of the slave labor but his body was quick to give up on him. Most of the young men he knew ended up joining the army, working at smoky plants or building highways. His father was persistent and he climbed up the latter to success. These younger boys didn't even try, it's as if they knew that they were destined for hard labor after all it's all they've ever known.
   
   
5. 
   
   Sanders learned that college men automatically thought that they would be leading a pleasureable life becuase of their family. Although he was baffled at the fact that women could be envious of a man's life he soon understood why they would but that didn't mean that he completely agreed. Sander's thought that women were the ones that had the better life. They didn't have to work or go to war, they were free to do anything they wanted and nothing was ever their fault. He envied their life.
   
   
6. 
   
   Sanders has realized that a lot of pressure has always been put on men. The low-class sees it as back breaking work, having to be tough and the fight to live and have territory. The high class women see it the same way only that it's a more sophisticated point of view. The men they describe are already wealthy but they still have to go through the same work that any other man would have to. 
   
   
7. 
   
   Sanders noticed that he had a lot in common with upper middle class college-educated women. They both wanted to have power and have a say in their future. They want to choose a job that fits them, live a peaceful life and be complete.
   

Summary Self-Evaluation

Writing this summary was pretty difficult for me because I have never written one like this before. Usually when a teacher asks for a summary it's usually just a couple of sentences, not a page to a page and a half. The hardest part was coming up with what to write in my own words and paraphrasing to make it my own. I also usually always have problems when it comes to coming up with a thesis and using transition words between different ideas. I always get stuck in the beginning process but once I know what to write I can easily do it. I was satisfied with getting an A- on the summary but I would've been more satisfied with a solid A. I got the grade I did because I followed the rubric. I had an introductory sentence, paraphrasing, no unnecessary detail or personal opinion which was really hard for me to do. I did what was asked and I got the appropriate grade to show it. I think that my biggest strength for this summary was paraphrasing. Until now I didn't know that I was good at putting other peoples words or ideas into my own words. For the next summary I should probably work on using transitions because I don't really use them, I just write. Instead of struggling with that on my own I could ask for help. Coming up with words to transition from one idea to the other is something that has always been a problem to me. For the next essay I will definitely improve on my lack of transitions and get an even better grade.  

Libby's Blog response

1. Feminist would be a dirty word for her students because they don't know the exact meaning or they've only heard the negative stereotype to the word. In paragraph two, one of the student's she interviewed used the words "hate, blame, radical women and bad" in their definition of a feminist. In paragraph ten the word " man-haters" is used in describing a feminist in a movie.
   
2. 
   
   Their aren't many self-identified feminist becuase they don't want to be associated with the word or they don't feel like they can call themselves feminist. They think that to be a feminist you have to actively participate in the whole feminist movement. Males don't consider themselves to be feminist becuase they aren't female. They feel like they don't belong or that they won't be able to contribute much to the cause.
   
   
3. 
   
   More people should be feminist becuase to be a feminist all you have to do is believe in the same ideas they do. Feminism isn't just for women, it's also for men. The whole purpose of the word femininism is to be able to have a choice, a say, a voice. It's about having equal rights and being able to live the life you want.

Memorization

When it comes to memorization I use different types of techniques depending on what I have to learn and how hard it is to memorize. I would have to say that the majority of the time I use rehearsal. I tend to read and repeat things over and over again whether its verbally or silently in my head. It works for me the majority of the time. I especially use rehearsal for math class since I have to memorize the many different equations given to us. Besides having to memorize the equations for math class this year, there is also extra information that I am required to learn, such as: negatives, infinite, real, rational..etc. Rehearsal is something that I have always done     for as long as I can remember, even as far back as elementary school where we were required to memorize poems and recite them in front of the whole class. Rehearsal doesn't work for everything, such as English. English is a subject that I have to take the time to actually sit down and study if I actually want to know and learn the material. To learn something for English I will usually do examples, or match up words with things I can remember or that will help me remember the meaning of what it is that I'm trying to memorize. I would have to say that Rehearsal is something that has worked for me. It's just easier for me to do because I've done it for so long, it just happens automatically. At times it might look like I'm talking to myself but I am actually memorizing the material, in other words I'm studying. Rehearsal has worked for me through grade school and hopefully it will continue working for me in college.    

Transfer Motivational Conference Blog

The Transfer Motivational Conference was the first time that I had ever gone to Sacramento. I was excited to go because I have never been there but at the same time in my head I was thinking that this was going to be a very boring trip. To my surprise, it wasn't that bad. I enjoyed learning the new and interesting information that the speakers provided to us. I especially enjoyed learning about Cruz Reynoso. His story was very inspiring to everyone, having gone from working in the fields to being in the Supreme Court. This made me realize that I can be somebody in life, that I can overcome any struggle and help other people along the way to. I also really liked the workshop I went to, Que toca la banda: Chicano Music. Our instructor for that workshop was great, he provided a lot of information and he made it fun. We learned about different musicians, such as Carlos Santana,   Selena, Rosie Hamlin, and many more. We also learned why this music came to be, the background that led to this type of music being produced. I also thought that the information we got on the UC's, CSU's and Privates were very helpful for the future. Some of the information they mentioned I already knew but some of it was new to me. They gave us websites we could go to for more information or to see our transfer status, if we have enough units to transfer to a 4 year university. We also learned about different types of internships that are available for us through the HACU National Internship Program. Overall I thought that the information I learned was very useful and helpful. What I liked most was seeing and realizing how many puente students there are. I was shocked to see so many people there. Some of the schools I haven't even heard of before. I would have to say that it was fun meeting other schools, they were all so friendly, nice and wiling to talk to other people outside their group. It was a good experience. 

Anzaldua Blog Response #2: The Anti- ...

 

  Most essays I've read usually follow a strict academic format but Anzaldua wrote hers differently although she does follow the academic format. Academic essays have three main parts: introduction, body and conclusion. Anzaldua starts her essay with a metaphoric example first and then the introduction begins after that. Throughout her essay she also has a variety of body paragraphs including music and the origin of the Spanish language. The conclusion is of course at the end of the essay. What I noticed that she did differently was that instead of using transition words to change from one main idea to the other she used quotes. The quotes are not in the paragraph, their in between paragraphs. She also wrote the essay using both English and Spanish, so it's Spanglish. By doing this she's aiming this essay at a Spanish speaking audience. She assumes that everyone reading this knows and understands Spanish. I think that she wrote this essay to educate everyone on the different Spanishes that are spoken and why and how they came to be. It teaches us about the past and present history of the Spanish language. I think that Anzaldua expresses why she wrote her essay the way she did with this quote "A language which they can connect their identity to, one capable of communicating the realities and values true to themselves--a language with terms that are neither espanol ni inlges, but both" (11). This quote expresses everything that she explains in her essay. The Spanish spoken today is influenced by other languages. As a result new words and languages are created. Although different geographic locations have their own versions of Spanish, at the end of the day it's all Spanish. For example, I'm Chicana, and i have to admit that I do make Spanish words by using English words as a base. My Spanish is choppy and definitely not perfect but other Spanish speaking people can still understand me. I like to call my Spanish Chicafornia Spanish. I call it that because my Spanish was influenced by the different cultures in California.

Anzaldua Blog "How to Tame a Wild Ton...

Anzaldua Blog "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Growing up I was thought two languages, Spanish and English. For my first 2-3 years in elementary school I was put in a bilingual class were the language mostly spoken was Spanish. Later on in fourth grade when I was finally in a all English class for the first time I remember one of my teachers saying "Don't speak Spanish in class, it's rude to those around you that don't understand or speak Spanish. You're in the United States, your supposed to speak ENGLISH!". I really didn't know what to do, it was the first time that anyone had ever told me not to speak Spanish. I was offended, mad and confused all at the same time. Apart from this incident, there have been other times as well. Random people on the street or stores would tell us not to speak Spanish. Specifically I remember the bus stop incident. After school we were waiting for the bus to come. The majority of the people waiting for the bus were Spanish speakers. When the bus finally arrived and old white guy came out of nowhere, cut in front of the line and said "If you Mexican kids want to speak Spanish you can go back to Mexico were you belong!". No one did anything to him,  he just said it. Other than that I have had a lot of people criticize my Spanish, especially when I go to Mexico. People always assume that I don't speak Spanish. When they find out that I do they tell me how bad it is, that I don't speak it correctly or that I don't have a Mexican accent in my Spanish (what does a Mexican accent sound like anyway?). I was raised in a dominant white culture where speaking anything other than English gave you dirty looks. I know that my Spanish isn't perfect but I know enough to the point where I know that I can communicate with my family, hold a conversation and survive in Mexico if I had to. To this day I don't know why someone would tell someone else not to speak their language. Spanish is something that I grew up with, it will always be in my life. But most important, it's part of my identity.  

CSI Extra Credit

Part 1

When I first got my results back I was happy to know that my profile described me pretty accurately. What I saw was basically everything I am even though their are a few things that I would like to change. I really liked that each section gave a definition of what it means. It also told me the percentage I got, why I got that score and recommendations on how to improve. The recommendations I got will definitely come in handy either now or in the future. Before this I didn't know that I had so many resources that I could go to get help or advice in. If I had the chance to change some scores I would. For example, I would raise the score of "Desire to Finish College" and "Family Emotional Support" because I feel that in my opinion they are too low. Finishing college is one of my top goals and my family supports my decision to go to college 100%. On the other hand I would like to lower the score of "Personal Counseling" because I am a private person and I would not feel comfortable sharing my life with a stranger. Other than that, every thing seems to be pretty accurate to who I am. 

Part 2

Section A: My grades in high school were pretty good. I got mostly A's, B' and C's throughout my four years in high school. When it came to studying for tests and finals I would usually start studying the day I got the review sheet or a couple of days before but it usually depended on the difficulty of the class. For quizzes I didn't study as much as I should have or would have liked. Studying is always something I have preferred to do alone. If I study with other people I would be tempted to talk to them, fool around and just completely get of track. It would end up being a waste of time so I'd rather study alone, that way I get more accomplished. I prefer to study in a quiet place. If it's not quiet I won't be able to concentrate on what I'm doing. A quiet environment is the only way that I can take in, focus and learn new information. Occasionally I will turn on the radio but that's only when I take a study break. To prepare for a test, I would usually keep reading over my notes and the book. I quiz myself to see if I know the vocabulary by covering up the definitions. If practice tests are given out I will do those to see how much I need to study. I usually study up to the night before the test and maybe some review before the test.

Section O: When I encountered problems with my friends or other classmates I usually dealt with them on my own or with my friends. I don't like asking for help unless I really absolutely need it. I don't think my school offered any personal counseling services, only academic counseling. Although the staff did say we could go to them if we ever needed to talk. When it came to school or some personal problems there was only one teacher that I would go to. It's the only teacher that me and my friends felt comfortable talking to. I am aware of the different resources that are available. I know that they will always be there but I don't know if I will ever use them. Besides taking a long time for me to get comfortable with someone, I'm a private person that does not like sharing her problems or feelings with other people. When I found out that I got a 71% on personal counseling I was surprised. That was the only question that I didn't agree on, it just didn't sound like me at all.