Response: On Being a Mexican American

"On Being a Mexican American" is told from the viewpoint of a man looking back on his childhood. He was raised in America, but being a Mexican immigrant, he always was told to remember his Mexican culture and roots. The author, Mendoza, reflects on how by living in America, he has forgotten parts of his Mexican culture and customs and taken to new Americanized ones.

We recently discussed this essay and this idea in class. Do we all leave behind the culture that we once had? My teacher referred to this idea as a melting pot, where all sorts of ingredients are thrown in but end up mixing and melting together. Is America a cultural and social melting pot? 

Other people said America is seen to be more of a salad bowl, where everyone is their own person and unchanged in any way. Personally, I see America as a kind of chopped salad, like the kind you would find at Portillo's where you can see what the ingredients but they are mixed together as well. Americans try to be their own person and hold on to their cultural roots, while at the same time finding commonalities with others and taking to new ways of life as well. I consider myself an American citizen with Polish ancestry and heritage. How do you see yourself? Have you been stirred into the melting pot or do you lay free in the salad?

Response: Children of the Sea

"Children of the Sea," is a short story in a book entitled Krik, Krak written by Edwidge Danticat. Danticat is a Haitian-American immigrant who frequently chronicles issues or even personal vendettas occurring in Haiti. Haiti is a country in such a depressing state of turmoil that not many people are aware of.

In "Children of the Sea," Danticat writes as two young Haitian lovers writing letters to one another. The boy is on an illegal boat hoping to find it's way to America while the girl remains in Haiti with her family. The boy is fleeing from the corrupt and propaganda filled terror that is the Haitian government. He writes of the hardships of life on a small makeshift boat, over crowded with people, sickness, and little to no food. She tells him of the terrible happenings in Haiti with people being slaughtered and tortured for speaking out against the government. As you read on you find that they are not receiving these letters which is truly heart wrenching and depressing.

Above all in this except is the lawless love the two share. Their unknowable separation makes their love the only thing and everything they have left to share. They fight to live on only for the one last hope they have which is each other. 

Dantitcat writes in an a compatible essay, We Are Ugly, but We Are Here, that on small boats, such as the one the boy is voyaging on, people would throw themselves into the water after days of hardship and starvation, to sacrifice themselves to the Gods. They give up their life to God because they seek the love and power that a new life can give to them, while the boy Danticat depicts sees to it to stay alive for as long as he can because the love he shares with his girl in Haiti is more powerful that the love of God. When you have nothing, to have something, or someone, is more than everything.

Up From Below: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Music Review

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros is an American band led by Alex Ebert. Their first full-length recording, "Up From Below," was released July 7, 2009 for digital download and July 14, 2009 in plastic. Many people have hear their most popular single, "Home," which has been featured in a YouTube video, "Guy Walks Across America," an NFL commercial, the movie Cyrus, and various television episodes, but Edward Sharpe is much more than that.

They are the modern hippie version of Arcade Fire with ten members. Their sound and presence are unique. Sharpe and his Zeros dip their one hundred toes into the, "sounds of the 1960s." There are handclaps and horns, sprightly choruses and thousand-part harmonies to give the music a very loose, loving, free feeling. Ebert and Jade Castrinos, the other lead singer, have very unique accents with a sort of whiskey and cigar sound, especially Castrinos. This is music that you typically won't hear on the radio which I like. It is fresh music rather than over played radio garbage. I think everybody should have at least one Edward Sharpe song in their music library. It gives you a sense of music out of the mainstream

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

Jay & Nick

Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby are two men who are friends under unlikely circumstances. Nick has lived in his small eye sore house, a neighbor to Gatsby, during his time in West Egg but does not meet Gatsby until he receives an invitation and attends one of Gatsby's parties. They do not immediately hit it off until Gatsby discovers that Nick is a distant cousin of Daisy Buchannan, Gatsby's long lost love. Gatsby then takes more interest to Nick, hatching plans in his head to win Daisy over by using Nick. From there Nick and Gatsby are inseparable.

Many readers believe that this is not a genuine relationship. It would be easy to say that Jay is simply using Nick in order to become closer to Daisy. They come from such different backgrounds, one would think it would be impossible for their classes to mix. Although that may be partially true, Gatsby does share a special bond with Nick that we might not be able to see yet. Gatsby always seeks Nick's opinion or approval before taking action, and also share similar qualities. They are still in the acquaintance phase of their relationship, but with out a doubt, it will soon evolve to more.

Thankful For a Classmate

In the spirit of thanksgiving, we are asked to be thankful for one of our classmates. I am thankful for Dominick Tagler. I am thankful that he lives close to me so that if there is anything that I need or I forget a book or an assignment, I can easily get a hold of him. 

Also I am thankful that he is my friend. Because I am a freshman in a mostly sophomore class I did not know many other people when I walked into class on the first day of school. When I saw he was in the same class as me, it was a sign of relief that I had a friend to talk with or do group work with. 

He is always kind to me which is refreshing, and when he makes a joke, I know he is always kidding. Being able to just complain to him or talk with him is always good. It's pretty funny when he is the butt end of a joke, but probably not to him.

And once again, at this time of year we are asked to look at more than ourselves and be thankful for things in our lives. To be thankful for a classmate, a peer, or a colleague is a way to begin to look within yourself to see what you are thankful for.

King, Still King

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

These words were delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. These words, along with many others were words that moved a nation. But how much effect does Martin Luther King Jr. have on the present? Is he still prominent figure in American society?

Today, Martin Luther King is more of a legend. Young people have heard about him, and understand what he did in a historical sense, but have no inkling of the emotion behind his work. We have come so far and things are significantly better than what they were. He saw a future for equal rights, not only for African Americans, but equal rights for all. 

You don't see people like Martin Luther King. He did not incite violence; his main focus was peace. Although people have respect for him and respect his work. If you think about what he did while the country was in such a volatile state, it can take your breath away.

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation."