Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Writer's Choice: You Know What Sounds Good Right Now...?
You Know What Sounds Good Right Now...?
After handing someone their sandwich for the hundredth time, I couldn't help but speculate: what drives people back here, week after week? Lunch is the obvious factor, but outside of that, what makes someone choose a sub sandwich over, say, a burger or pizza? Looking at the trends, we (the “sandwich artisans”) are usually able to pin-point the “spontaneous” cravings people get for our food. Here's an easy one: a sunny day. Sunshine, especially in Washington, is reminiscent of picnics, and everyone knows that sandwiches are eaten at picnics. While most people don't pack up the basket and set out, there is still an inclination to go outside and relax, and that's close enough to make them think, "Hey, a sandwich sounds really good right now!" The funny part is when our customers don't understand why we're so busy. The concept that everyone "feels like" eating a sub at the same time is foreign to them --probably because they're caught up in the middle of it. The phenomena is undeniable though; our numbers spike with the temperatures (no wonder summer is our busy season). So conscious decision or not: if it's a nice day, go buy a deli sandwich.
Introduction to the Writer's Choice
This blog entry would have to be my writer's choice for the portfolio. I am not going to claim that it's my pinnacle masterpiece --no. I just had a lot of fun with it. It's purpose was to explore a tradition related to food in our culture, and the most prominent to me was, of course, related to work. What I liked best about this was that I didn't need to follow my usual format of intro, examples, explanation, conclusion; I just let my thoughts flow. I don't think the voice is too chatty either, because it stays on topic with every sentence. It uses a conversational tone like, “ Looking at the trends, we (the “sandwich artisans”) are usually able to pin-point the “spontaneous” cravings people get for our food. Here's an easy one: a sunny day.” Unlike most of my writings, this paragraph sounds like I'm writing because I really want to. That doesn't mean I despised writing the other pieces, rather, this one shows a side of my voice that would have been missing otherwise.
Voice and Audience: Discussing a Name
I find it hard to complain about my name, but that didn't stop me from trying. As soon as someone could get me to say it, I would be reassured, "oh, that's a nice name," which would then be my cue to explain. I would admit, Kimberly Rose Sangwin isn't an ugly name, but for a long time, I felt disappointed by it. While I couldn't complain that it's too common, I have had the sneaking suspicion that it's popularity ran out a while ago (oh, woe is me).
At this point, I could continue on about how both "Kimberly" and "Rose" are old-lady names but I never could captivate an audience by just complaining. Instead, I learned to bring up solutions: nicknames. Officially, I jumped from "Kimberly" to "Kimmie" to "Kim" but ran out of stepping stones in high school (the whole "Kimby" thing didn't quite work out). Not satisfied with twisting my original name, I encouraged others to name me and I've been honored with "Kiwi", "Bubbles", "Autumn", "Captain", and "Chelsee". This was usually fun and welcome, but despite going through as many nicknames as I did "fashion styles" in high school, I've had about the same success with them: nothing really stuck, but I like to think I made progress. Eventually, I thought I would change my name for good.
The best way I can think to describe what happened next is... an eventual epiphany.
I realized that despite any of the meanings my name has or associations made with it, it's really only a word that was given to me at birth. That's not to say that I'm viewing it as unimportant, but rather, previously undefined. I don't look at it as some symbol that I'm supposed to fulfill, but a word whose definition is "me".
If it felt stale before, that's only because I thought it was, whereas now, I feel no need to create something new, when I can reinvent what I've already been given.
"Kim" is still too short though; my friends call me Kimmy.
At this point, I could continue on about how both "Kimberly" and "Rose" are old-lady names but I never could captivate an audience by just complaining. Instead, I learned to bring up solutions: nicknames. Officially, I jumped from "Kimberly" to "Kimmie" to "Kim" but ran out of stepping stones in high school (the whole "Kimby" thing didn't quite work out). Not satisfied with twisting my original name, I encouraged others to name me and I've been honored with "Kiwi", "Bubbles", "Autumn", "Captain", and "Chelsee". This was usually fun and welcome, but despite going through as many nicknames as I did "fashion styles" in high school, I've had about the same success with them: nothing really stuck, but I like to think I made progress. Eventually, I thought I would change my name for good.
The best way I can think to describe what happened next is... an eventual epiphany.
I realized that despite any of the meanings my name has or associations made with it, it's really only a word that was given to me at birth. That's not to say that I'm viewing it as unimportant, but rather, previously undefined. I don't look at it as some symbol that I'm supposed to fulfill, but a word whose definition is "me".
If it felt stale before, that's only because I thought it was, whereas now, I feel no need to create something new, when I can reinvent what I've already been given.
"Kim" is still too short though; my friends call me Kimmy.
Introduction to Voice and Audience
At this point, I could continue on about how both "Kimberly" and "Rose" are old-lady names but I never could captivate an audience by just complaining. Instead, I learned to bring up solutions: nicknames.
The point of this casual writing is to pull the readers along as I would in a real conversation. This also serves to ease the reading along, since my audience was reading so many of these things.
Revising and Reseeing: "Rabbit-Proof Fence"
Kim Sangwin
In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race, and while the existence of this boundary is wrong, it is a real example of what it means to belong.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. Most notably, Molly and her sisters feel like outsiders during their time at Moore's. Because they were new, they still belonged to the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Another person who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet their standards. This is the basic justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as appearance. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions.
---
In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race, and while the existence of this boundary is wrong, it is a real example of what it means to belong.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. Most notably, Molly and her sisters feel like outsiders during their time at Moore's. Because they were new, they still belonged to the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Another person who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet their standards. This is the basic justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as appearance. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions.
---
In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race. While the existence of this boundary is wrong, it confirms how belonging really works.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. However, certain people at Moore's were out of place in the white culture. Most notably are Molly, Gracie, and Daisy. Because they were new, they still felt a part of the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were unfamiliar with this. They were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Someone else who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet the whites' standards. This is really the justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness of friendship. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as a clique. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions. The overall rule is that meeting the standards grants acceptance, and failing to do so causes exclusion. This basic system is affirmed entirely in “Rabbit-Proof Fence.”
The movie has prime examples of what it means to be an outsider, and these examples line up perfectly with the truth. Molly and her family as well as the tacker are outsiders at Moore's because they belong to their original culture, but live in the midst of another. Their culture does not meet standards, and therefore they do not belong. This system can be expanded and seen all throughout human culture. In general, if a person or group are not good enough for the local majority, then they are cast out.
Introduction to Revision and Reseeing
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