Reflection

The hardest thing for me to learn this semester was adjusting to specific paragraph requirements. Coming out of a program with the same teachers for two years that gave the same types of assignments I had trouble wrapping my head around a one paragraph response. When I managed to do that, however, my full pieces improved from b-ish to a. But that’s not the important part. I’ve noticed that the whole piece comes out clearer and with more purpose when every paragraph is thought about and revised separately. I always used to think writing was something to be done by what feels right where, and that worked some of the time… but limited my audience dramatically.
I hadn’t known much before about Australia. It was a distant island that had nothing to do with me. Now I can close my eyes and see the crocodile’s aborigines worshipped and the root vegetables being pulled from the soil. I hadn’t realized colonization caused so much pain to the natives of nearly every country affected, and Australia was my first glimpse at the truth of the situations.
Ah, Rwanda. It’s one thing to watch a movie and see that something horrible went on there. It’s another thing to watch a movie and know who was involved and what’s really going on. Its yet another to see a movie having invoked the mindset of the people involved and defended or refuted their position. That segment gave me not only an understanding of what really went on in that tiny African country, but what continues to go on across the whole continent; feelings of hatred, confusion, and entitlement, and inspired me to work towards a solution.
The blogs have given me an idea of what it’s like to have an opinion on a regular basis. Having to come up with a topic you can support, a topic of substance, and a topic a reader will enjoy is excellent prep if I ever want to be a writer. Seeing what other people think of my blogs helps me know if I’m on the right track, and occasionally inspires a new train of thought on the same subject.
Weekly articles turned me on to the real world of big boy news. It had always been so dry to read an article, and I blamed it on the people that wrote them. Now I know how to tackle an article so it will always make sense, and can judge its content accordingly. Reading the articles with notes and questions has already helped me care about current events, and is something that I will have whenever I need to know something.
Over all I've learned a lot this semester. I've enjoyed the class and look forward to next semester.

In my native land.

I would most like to be in the United States at the time of colonization.

As a Native American woman life would little change. Until the country became established and depending on where I was my tribe may be left alone. If we did interact with the foreigners it may be to our benefit, giving us new materials for defense or pleasure. When we are moved around I will be long gone, but my culture will remain. Our songs will continue to be played and our stories will continue to be told, even if we have to struggle for that right.

Some people would say its better to have been a native in Rwanda because they weren’t moved around, targeted as cheap labor, or invaded by other countries. These are all good things to consider, but there is one crucial difference between Rwanda and the United States. The Native Americans have not been pushed against each other. As we go about our days we are not divided by racism, however we can move from the wounds of our past and enrich our culture for tomorrow.

The Little Mermaid

Have you ever wondered what mermaids eat?

In The Little Mermaid, King Triton makes a big deal about how humans are fish eaters because, presumably, mermaids are fish. Also, Ariel is best friends with Flounder, who is a fish. So they definitely can’t be eating fish, as in those with tails and fins.

Sharks are out of the question because while King Triton is in control of everything in the sea, no other mermaid can, and Ariel is afraid of the shark that chases her. You aren’t afraid of things that you eat even if they are dangerous in other situations. Mermaids are lower on the food chain than anything that’s bigger than them.

Crustations are also out of the question. Triton’s second command is the crab, Sebastian. This means they can’t be eating crab, or lobster, or the like. Also, oysters, muscles, and crawfish are portrayed as part of the party in the song “Under the Sea”. Disney wouldn’t have had members of the band gobbled up in 1989 when this movie was made. They were still pure back then.

That leads me to examine plants. She is seen ripping the petals off a flower, and her sisters put them in their hair. Strings of flowers are also hanging around doorways, along with seaweed. Sometimes humans use food as decorations, but the way they interact with the flowers and seaweed, they seem completely inedible. There are of course other plants available in the ocean, but they are all very similar and likely to provide the same story if featured in the film.

Here’s another thing to consider. When Ariel is at dinner as a human, she doesn’t eat anything, and, there’s a cake at their wedding that is untouched except for Sebastian’s swoon.

All this leads me to one conclusion. Mermaids don’t eat.

I mean, think about how skinny Ariel is. Her stomach goes so far in there’s a line where her rib cage starts. It looks like the wind is going to blow her over, and her old father can pick her up with ease. And have you seen her next to Prince Eric? Even in her huge wedding dress she looks less than half his size and even smaller than the other human girls in the movie.

It’s cute to see her on the screen. Her huge head by comparison is so alien its adorable, not to mention societies obsession with hair.

But why does Disney want to put these images in our minds?

It’s not only their cartoons. Every actress on Disney has to be teeny tiny, emphasis on actress. In fact, as soon as Miley Cyrus started gaining weight they decided to cancel the show. It’s crazy, and mermaids are anorexic.

By the way, the movie is very different from the actual story and I had that poster in my old room.