BLOG ENTRY ON ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
A. APPLY ONE OR MORE OF THE POSTCOLONIAL TERMS TO RABBIT PROOF
FENCE: MAKE A CLAIM, SUPPORT WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE FILM
B. YASMIN’S
CHALLENGE TO AUTHORITY, HER STRUGGLE, HER TRIUMPH—WHAT DOES SHE LEARN?
C. COMPARE MOLLY AND YASMIN: WHAT DO THEY HAVE
IN COMMON? HOW DO THEY DIFFER?
D. DEVELOP YOUR OWN THESIS OR CLAIM ABOUT THE MAJOR CHARACTER IN EITHER THE FILM OR THE MEMOIR--HER SPECIFIC STRENGTHS, HER GROWTH, INSIGHT.
E. DEVELOP A THESIS ABOUT A MAJOR THEME IN EITHER WORK, WHAT THE FILM OR THE MEMOIR ("YASMIN") SHOWS US ABOUT LIFE, ABOUT CULTURAL DIFFERENCE, ABOUT HUMAN NATURE.
D. DEVELOP YOUR OWN THESIS OR CLAIM ABOUT THE MAJOR CHARACTER IN EITHER THE FILM OR THE MEMOIR--HER SPECIFIC STRENGTHS, HER GROWTH, INSIGHT.
E. DEVELOP A THESIS ABOUT A MAJOR THEME IN EITHER WORK, WHAT THE FILM OR THE MEMOIR ("YASMIN") SHOWS US ABOUT LIFE, ABOUT CULTURAL DIFFERENCE, ABOUT HUMAN NATURE.
Note that each of these topics may be expanded into your first essay. The purpose of the blog is to draft your claim (thesis) and give some examples so we can discuss essay topics in class Thursday.
C. COMPARE MOLLY AND YASMIN: WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON? HOW DO THEY DIFFER?
ReplyDeleteIn the stories of Molly and Yasmin, both young girls display common similarities and differing traits. In the film, “Rabbit Proof Fence”, Molly and her younger sisters are taken away from their mother to camp where they then flee on a physically long journey back home. In the story of Yasmin, she is a young Muslim woman who faces rejection and racism in an American society who has associated her race with terrorism. She also embarks on a journey, mentally and emotionally, of fighting to bring light those who have the right to exercise their religious rights without suffering consequences in societal activities. Both are young women fighting against an upper force that is keeping them from the freedom they are seeking; justice and a type of equality. They challenged and out smarted the “law”. In the end they continued to stand up for what they believed in no matter what. The way they would differ is both young girls come from a different time. Molly fights for a full fledge freedom with her, her sisters, and mothers while Yasmin fights for religious freedom. In the end, Yasmin gained some type of rights but still had a journey ahead of her. Molly never seemed to gain her full freedom because she was captured again and then eventually her child was taken away.
Hi Lysandra--you've got a strong thesis in arguing that both characters embark on a journey, fight for their rights and outsmart the "law."
DeleteYour conclusion about their differences could be made stronger (more specific) but I'm sure you will get to that in the essay.
The journeys of both Molly and Yasmin prove that the human spirit cannot be crushed and that with perseverance, impossible goals become attainable. Born years and worlds apart, both girls are forced to embark on journeys for an entirely similar reason against an entirely similar antagonist. They both fought for their freedom and resolutely stood on the opposite side of the authority that sought to deny them fundamental rights that all humans have. Numerous lists can be compiled on their similarities but equally important are the girls’ differences. Such differences range from their belief systems to their families. Molly’s religious belief was not touched upon in the film whereas Yasmin’s story centered on her identity as a Muslim. Molly’s family was matriarchal whilst Yasmin’s seemed to be patriarchal.
ReplyDeleteA. APPLY ONE OR MORE OF THE POSTCOLONIAL TERMS TO RABBIT PROOF FENCE: MAKE A CLAIM, SUPPORT WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE FILM
ReplyDeleteIn the movie Rabbit Proof Fence binary opposition is displayed between Molly and Mr. Neville Molly’s unfathomable mind made it difficult to pin Molly and her two sisters down. They escaped the cultural desolation Mr. Neville has bestowed upon the indigenous people. Both Mr. Neville and Molly are opposites because Mr. Neville wants to control Molly and her sisters but Molly wanted to escape and go back to her mother and family. Molly’s rebellious behavior questioned the status quo and set the grounds for a binary opposition. A power relationship that is displayed is when Molly and all the other kids had to sing Mr. Neville favorite song while he looked down upon them declaring them unworthy of functioning in normal society. This shows Mr. Neville having political power over the indigenous kids who were empowering him because he felt he was doing them justice. Oppose to when Molly escaped and herd the singing of her family which empowered her to make it back to her home village.
Laws are systems of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and may enforce imposition of prenalities. But what happens when a law is unjust, when it segragates members of the community, shouldn't that law be eradicated? As we trek through the dessert alongside Molly and her two younger sisters in "Rabbit Proof Fence" and shadow Yasmin in "How Does It Feel To Be A Problem" , we are reminded that some laws should be challenged. Molly along with her two younger sisters were captured from their home and placed in a camp simply because they were considerd half castes, belonging to two races. The camp promises to reform and retrain half castes and make them better members of society but ultimately, the camp produced modern day slaves. Molly courageously freed herself and her sisters from capitivity and with the kindness they encounters from strangers along the way, they were reunited with their families. However, months later, they were once again captured. While Yasmin, a Muslim high school student, battled against a law that exempted her from participating in the student government due to her religious obligations. Voted in as secretary, it was compulsory for Yasmin to attend the schools dances but her beliefs forbid that environment. Yasmin approaches the Coordinator of Student Affairs (COSA) in attempts to get exempted from such activities but COSA maintaines their ground and encourages her to resign. Dedicated to her cause, Yasmin seeked free legal council, where her attorney Mr. Yan fought alongside her to amend the schools law so that it acknowledged diversity. Indeed Yasmin was successful in her battle against COSA and her school, however years later while in transit, she was a spectator of racism against a Muslim mother carrying her child and passengers speculating weather it was a bomb or a baby. Instead of advocating against the racism, Yasmin kept silent. As young Molly and Yasmin proved victorious against their oppressors, their triumphs are short lived since they succumb to oppression. The fight for change is an everlasting uphill battle that requires dedication and is most effective when done by numbers.
ReplyDeleteSadie--you have an excellent set of observations here, starting with your opening sentence. I am wondering how you can go deeper by taking a second step: here you summarize what they do (observations). What if you asked the question, how do their actions help us see the unfairness of the system? (analysis)
DeleteC. COMPARE MOLLY AND YASMIN: WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON? HOW DO THEY DIFFER?
ReplyDeleteMany can agree that sometimes life seem to become darker as it progresses, but there are always those who challenge such notion. Of course this is the case for Molly and Yasmin. They both with perseverance showed us that light can be shed in these situations, no matter how hard they may seem. To this they had to share some attributes, because to light the darkness one has to have certain aspects that allow this triumph. For instance, they both have a knack for leadership. in both of their journeys we can see that they enjoy leading, Yasmin's whole journey was for an opportunity to right the wrong to get a chance to lead, while Molly knew that if she led her sisters, she'll be able to escape the hell they were in. Also, they were both very intelligent. Molly outsmarted many adults, whilst Yasmin through bloody hard work was able to achieve what she wanted, and to do that amount of research and have this thirst for knowledge is a sign of intelligence. Now I am not saying that they are the same, they do have their differences. For example, Molly strikes me as a quiet and pensive girl, while Yasmin was a seeker of the spotlight. so one might say that Yasmin is an ambivert while Molly was more of an introvert. Also, their beliefs were different. And lastly, they are both from a different era and society which led to a different behavior for each girl.
Julien--I love your sentence: to light the darkness one has to have certain aspects (maybe qualities?). Naming those qualities as you do here will help develop body paragraphs. Your last few sentences about their differences wanders a little from your thesis--keep the differences connected to your main idea--what are their DIFFERENT qualities that help them light the darkness?
DeleteIn both Yasmin and Rabbit Proof Fence, fear of cultural difference is a common theme. Both Mr. Neville and the American society in Yasmin lash out violently forward the Aborigines and Muslims because they do not understand them. Their own ignorance terrifies them, and causes them to marginalize and dehumanize these groups in an effort to regain control. Neville attempts to convert the girls, force them to speak a language other than their own, and force them into a life of servitude, believing that by replacing their culture with his ideals he will also reassert his dominance in their group and keep his power unchallenged. Likewise, in Yasmin, American society attempts to dehumanize Yasmin to assert control over her because they are intimidated by her cultural differences. They bully another Muslim woman on the train, sabotage Yasmin’s political ambitions and call her a poor political candidate due to her religious beliefs. All in all, it goes to show that when society is threatened by cultural differences that is lashes out in a senseless and violent way, that indicates how fearful society is of what it does not understand.
ReplyDeleteI really admire your emphasis on the ignorance and fear of the two societies--you make it clear that they are the antagonists, and that, contrary to a surface reading, these dominant cultural forces (the people who represent them) are actually weak and intimidated and fearful! Who are you?
DeleteThe main purpose of a movie or documentary is to not only educate but also to make the audience reflect on their own lives and try to relate to what they have just seen . In the documentary Rabbit Proof Fence , the main character Molly tries to find her family after being pulled away from her them by a Man who believed that she would be better off in a more diverse environment . Mr . Neville who is the chief executive of the town believed that the third generation was a waste of time and that they should just try to fit in with the whites . This also shares a correlation with the novel "yasmin" , the main character yasmin finds herself in a circumstance where she has to choose between her personal beliefs and the expectations of others. Both Molly and Yasmin are determined women , they both had a belief , this ideology of expressing themselves and they are both smart women , with a very different background and different experineces .Although, they may be similar in may ways it also goes back to helping the reader or audience view their own lives , or relate to their own experiences , helping them understand that you do have the right to fight for what you believe in . As we were raised , we were all thought right from wrong , we could choose to either be virtues or an ethical egoist or a utilitarian ; either way we know not to let others change us but some of us sometimes forget that .
ReplyDeleteKenny--I think your key idea here is something about the conflict between personal beliefs and the expectations of others: both characters fight to defend their personal beliefs and not give in to others. You are right about how literature, film get us to relate to these conflicts--that is fine for intro but your body needs to focus on the two characters' strengths and what that shows about them!
DeleteB. YASMIN’S CHALLENGE TO AUTHORITY, HER STRUGGLE, HER TRIUMPH—WHAT DOES SHE LEARN?
ReplyDeleteIn the story "Yasmin" from "How Does It Feel to Be a Problem," a protagonist, Yasmin resigns from the secretary of the student government because she is not able to attend a dance event at the school due to her religious beliefs—Muslim. The Coordinator of Student Affairs doesn’t accept her excuse and asks her to stay at the basement instead while the event. Moreover, her application is no longer accepted since the new policy requires student governors to attend all school events. As a result, Yasmin’s dream of becoming an officer shatters and she is overwhelmed with prejudice against religious ideology. She is treated unfairly and struggles with injustice, inequality, and even discrimination. With her positive attitude and strong will, she is able to receive the support from the lawyer and eventually wins the status as a president. Through this experience, she learns that even vulnerable people can achieve their legitimate right before the law. At the same time, she also learns intractableness to acquire the certain rights. This is the reality that people have to fight to achieve their rights equally. On the other hand, she realizes that there exists paradox in the society which consists of unjust and it is not easy and simple to demolish it. In consequence, she doesn’t help the Muslim mother who is holding her baby boy on the bus. What is justice? Who is it for? Regardless of differences of culture, religion, and ethnicity, people should be treated equally and should respect their differences as well.
Kumi--your thesis seems to be that even vulnerable people can achieve their legitimate rights--Yasmin certainly achieves this. I wonder if you can specify what you mean by vulnerable here. Also I wonder if you can say more about her character. Are you saying that the laws seem "intractable" or that she must become intractable to achieve her goals?
DeleteA. APPLY ONE OR MORE OF THE POSTCOLONIAL TERMS TO RABBIT PROOF FENCE: MAKE A CLAIM, SUPPORT WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE FILM
ReplyDeleteEurocentrism is evident in the film Rabbit Proof Fence. Mr. Neville, the antagonist in the film, is the "Chief Protector of the Aborigines". This title is ironic since he does the opposite of protecting. He wrongfully separates children from their families and places them in a "camp" called Moore River, so they can learn European customs and routines, including practicing a new religion -- Christianity. Mr. Neville insists that he is attempting to help these people who he refers to as the "unwanted third race"; yet he holds a meeting with a group of white women, focusing on how the Aborigines will soon be "bred out" if their marriages are arranged to be with white people. Mr. Neville attempts to assimilate the aboriginals into European culture, and truly believes that he is helping them. He says, "If only they understood what we were trying to do for them". The only person he is trying to help is himself. Nobody asked for their children to be taken to a camp to learn European culture.
Anabel--a strong analysis of Mr Neville's ironic position--and of eurocentrism in general. You already have your examples here. My question would be, how can you push your point about the contradictory perverse nature of his position--as in, for example: the film shows us precisely the failures of this ideology!
DeleteA. APPLY ONE OR MORE OF THE POSTCOLONIAL TERMS TO RABBIT PROOF FENCE: MAKE A CLAIM, SUPPORT WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE FILM
ReplyDeleteRabbit Prof Fence tells the journey of Aborigines Molly and Grace, who are literally ripped away from their mother in the Jialong community at the orders of A.O. Nevlle. The girls upbringing in the outback is in direct opposition of Mr. Neville's ideology of modernizing Aborigine communities through biological separation and social training of all mixed race, half-casts to produce citizens in Australian society. And just as natural a thought Mr. Neville thinks of his theory, Molly's raising in the open is used to her advantage as the driving force to escape the Moore Settlement.
Brent--it sounds like you want to contrast the "modernizing" of the Aborigine (Neville's ideology) to Molly's own cultural strengths--you just need to phrase this a little more directly and then give your examples.
Delete. Again, I lay a ramp down for the little-uns, although they are all now (except one injured in the dog attack!) able to jump up and down independently. white vinyl fence
ReplyDelete