5. Original Response

“Thanatopsis” Response

This poem was excellently written. It was intriguing to go through each line of the poem and decipher what is meant to be said. It’s like a creative puzzle. The overall message of this poem is that when we die we will become one with the Earth. “The all-beholding sun shall see no more in all his course…” .This idea goes along with the transcendentalist way of living. This idea of what happens after we die will clash with many religions. It’s commonly accepted in society that when people die they will either ascend or descend into lands unknown. Not stay on Earth. Since Transcendentalist isn’t popular these days its ideas aren’t popular either. Lots of parts of the transcendentalist sound good but there is no back up or “evidence” to show that you should follow them. It’s a thing where people just have to trust and do. It needs an incentive like an item of significance, a written text, or an idol. These set a bit of structure. That’s what people look for when they find a religion. It brings them order in their life when everything else is hectic. So the ideas in the Thanatopsis can be heavily followed but there needs to be some set structures.   


“First Curl of Smoke” Response

This article has an enlightening message to it. It’s almost like an indirect persuasive essay. It says that the man in the story is using nature as a get-away from his horrible working life in the city. “I guess you could say I fell in love at first sight.” This line is mentioning the first time he sat in the wilderness. The simplicity of nature overpowers the stressful city life. I want to try this out myself because I’m living a prime example of a stressful city life. I wake up early every morning to get to school. I have work to do there then work to do at home. I have two extracurricular activities as well take up time in the morning and in the afternoon. Once I finally get home I do my homework then sleep because I’m so tired. This type of lifestyle can have you going through life without breathing and knowing that you are alive. This is what the writer is saying. Sitting in the wilderness helps you relax and get rid of all your worldly issues and responsibilities. Looking at the world in its natural form helps you look back on yourself. This idea holds true today. People go camping for the exact reasons. Sometimes people with high blood pressure are encouraged to do it because the simplicity of the wild is relaxing. (215 words)

“Walden” Response  

I felt that this reading didn’t have a pushing message. It tells of one man’s experience about leaving society and living in nature. He does discover lessons through his experiences that you can learn from but they aren’t directed toward the reader as other pieces are. It’s highly similar to “First Curl of Smoke” because both people leave their normal lives and go into the wilderness.  The difference about this piece is that the writer plans on staying in nature while the person in “First Curl of Smoke” is visiting.  This one pushes to the “extremes” more because he desserts all life for the solitude. That aspect makes it hard to be relatable in this day and age. So many people are attached to the aspects of their society driven lives. So breaking away from it all would be difficult to do for some. In “First Curl of Smoke” the time in spent in nature is only temporary because he’s on vacation from work. It’s something similar to going camping. “…I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”  He finds that living in complete solid without any worries is the best way to experience life. This makes a good point because going on a vacation means you have to go back to your normal life, which leaves worry.  (216 words)

“Nature” Response”

This piece lists the specifics of the benefits of living in nature. Everything is in a positive light so it’s almost as if it’s biased. There are no negatives of living in nature. “Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic or a mourning piece.”  It has a wide range of coverage because of its simplicity. To further explain that, nature is like a plain hamburger. Any condiments (situations) would go on it. “There I feel that nothing can befall me in life.” In this quote the writer is saying that no bad can happen to him while he is in nature because there are nothing but good feelings circulating through him. In a way he is right but there are all of the physical dangers that can befall him. He might consider those possibilities as good things as well because its nature’s will. These ideas hold true today because whoever takes a trip in barren nature has a reason. Since there are many people with just as many reasons the possibilities are endless. (198 words)

Self-Reliance Response

This piece dictates exactly what the title says: Self-Reliance. It’s saying to find yourself through the simplicity of nature. I find that this is to be something true. “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.” I agree with this statement because society has a permanent structure that can’t be deferred from. You must grow a certain way and go through life in a “pattern” in order to be successful. It’s set up to fail man because if you don’t meet the requirements, you fail. As a man you feel the need to be successful in life through the “system”. When that goal is unachievable, the failure does affect the pride of your manhood. The text says “Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus…” its saying that some of the great people in life had to step outside of the narrow minded style of society just so that they could prosper. These ideas hold true today. During a time when people take part in trends and “norms” just so that they can fit in, more often than not people step outside. Sometimes stepping away from society is a form of rebellion but in some cases it has a greater plan. Similar to many of the separations and growth in history like the Pilgrims leaving England and the Americans breaking away from Britain.

6. Reactions to Essays

As a whole, I feel these essays are challenging the "normal" way of thinking. They are taking different views on common topics and engaging them in new ways; challenging the status quot with attitude. Its quite interesting to see society norms being challenged at such early times. The first article I read was by Sarah Orne Jewett, written in 1881. Jewett writes about the death of animals in relation to the death of humans in a "chain". "But there is something distressing about being eaten, and having one’s substance minister to a superior existence! It hurts one’s pride." This idea seems to be one of an environmentalist who is a vegetarian in current times. Being a vegetarian and animal lover is almost like a trend in this day-in-age but in the 1880's the life of the meatless hadn't arrived. The second article I read was by John Burroughs, written in 1908. Burroughs writes about how people always want a supernatural occurrence to explain the plain and normal. "You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think. The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive." Discoveries in all fields of life have solved our mysteries that have lingered but before in the early 1900's development and discoveries were slow to appear so the "supernatural" could still have been plausible. Burroughs seems to have foresight on all unexplainable events. The third article I read was written by Annie Dillard, written in 1973. Dillard seems to have comical elements in the essay. "In a town where resourcefulness and beating the system are highly prized, these primitive trees can fight city hall and win." The sight of humor doesn't necessarily mean its before its time but it does show that a topic isn't something that has to be taken so seriously. Dillard knows there are matters to be attended too that will need a serious view. All of these are essays are challenging society accepted ideas on nature.

3. Native American Creation Story

 

The Origin of Duct Tape

            In ancient native times when the sun was the only source of light and the stars were peaceful nightlights, lived two giants on the clouds; a husband and a wife. They were both five stories tall. They once lived on earth with normal sized humans but the Chief of the Sky forced them to live in a deserted area on the clouds. They were a couple who argued everyday over a wide span of topics. Their spats contained ear shattering shouting and physical violence. The normal humans were often disturbed and injured so they complained to the giants. The giant couple wouldn’t cease so the people complained to the Chief in the Sky. He listened to their complaints and saw the damage that the couple caused so he forced them to move to the clouds. The reaction of the giants wasn’t so peaceful considering they were very angry people.

            The husband giant had a strong love for berries. He was addicted to the taste and could never have too many. When he ate them he would always make a sticky mess. He would be covered in the berry juice. His habits made his wife furious because he would get their furniture dirty and leave stains on the wall. One day she got completely fed up with him. She yelled at him to get out of the house and sleep outside. He gladly followed her orders because he knew he could eat as many berries as he wanted while he was outside.  He left the clouds and climbed down a mountain. He went in the forest and found bushes with his beloved berries on them. He ate them till he was full and happy. As a result he was sticky all over but he didn’t care since he didn’t have to listen to his wife nag at him.

            The night was quickly approaching so he found a place to sleep. He came across a soft field of grass that would be the perfect fit. He forgot to bring a blanket from his house and knew his wife wouldn’t let him come in and get one while he was sticky, so he had to be resourceful and make one. He thought about using leaves but they were too brittle. He thought about using tree bark but it was too hard. He gazed across the forest and looked for some fitting material. A pack of grey wolves strut across the forest. An idea struck him. He would use the fur from the wolves as a blanket. He quickly overpowered them since he was a giant and ripped their fur off of them, made a blanket, put it on him and went to sleep. In the altercation lots of the fur was stripped and what looked like grey clothe remained. The giant slept peacefully.

 In the middle of the night a group of travelers walked through the forest. They were traders and sellers so they constantly moved around to find new merchandise to distribute. As they walked they began to smell a fruity flavor. They followed the smell in hopes of finding food to trade and sale. They walked into a large grey heap. They continued to smell the fruitful flavor yet saw no food. They poked and probed at giant grey heap until someone peeled off a piece. They noticed it contained the smell and it was sticky. They looked at it as of no use until one stopped them with an idea. He proposed it would be used to hold things together and that they could sale it in rolls. The travelers peeled away all of the sticky grey material off the heap. They had tons of it and wrapped it on rolls.

The giant woke up in astonishment due to the fact that his blanket was gone. He came to the conclusion that the wind blew it away. The sticky grey material sold well so the travelers were in search of more. The giant made another wolf fur blanket and the travelers found him and peeled it off. The travelers needed a name for their discovery so that they could tell more people about it. They named it Duct Tape. The giant was dumbfounded. He didn’t know where his blanket was disappearing to but as long as he had his berries he never got angry and continued to make a new one every day. He stayed in the forest and never went back to his wife and the travelers discovered something that would revolutionize the world.    

 

1. A Nature Poem

Black Blaze

 

Clouds filled with thunder cracked their sound;

Tree tips were snapped with sharp lightening.

Under the mayhem was a man made barn

Branded with red paint, now soaked with rain.

 

Inside was the transaction of a being to life.                                                                                           5

A blessing of innocence was gracing the stable;

Something no evil soul could deny its truth.

The power of a mother to produce life.

 

An elderly mother horse on her last birthing,

Lie on her side, throbbing.                                                                                                                    10

She squealed in the midst of pain she found familiar,

Waiting for its pass.

 

The farmers took on doctor gloves,

Aiding the mother horse.

They tugged at the legs of the new gift                                                                                                 15

To the world.

 

Slowly but surely pulling to completion.

The mother Stallion rocked her head,

Feeling every inch of her newborn leaving her grasp.

She sustained calmness,trusting the farmers hands.                                                                              20

 

Out slid a baby horse 

Covered in pink sticky remnants of his mother.

Taking no time at all it rose,

Looking to get rid of his helpless aura with a firm posture. 

 

Its legs snapped straight at the presence of lightening.                                                                         25

Its head ascended at the beat of a thunder clap.

Its tail whipped like the rain against the barn

A majestic Black Stallion stood.

 

In a pool of pride and arrogance,

As if it knew it would be born                                                                                                               30

And how it would make its grand entrance.

Covered in Black Blaze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 







2. The Most Beautiful___

The beginning of the fall season was the first time I saw it. It was the morning of the day of my school’s Homecoming dance. The way the sun shined and warmed my insides let me know that the day was going to go well. I woke up at 7:00a.m. because I’m in Student Council and we had to be in the school’s gym to decorate by 8:30a.m. Slightly sleepy, I went through my normal preparations of getting ready for the day. I ate a small breakfast then headed out the door. I got on the Ashland bus, which would take me directly to Whitney Young. I often fall asleep on the bus because I’m exhausted from school but that morning my eyes weren't very tired.

 Since most of my friends weren’t awake that early on a Saturday morning my phone was of no use to me. There was nothing else to do except drop in on other people’s conversation or gaze out the window. I managed to incorporate both into one activity to pass the time. The people next to me were talking about a man’s blue jacket. They discussed how nice it looked and the cheap price. They also mentioned how warm it was, which made it good for the changing season. The bus came to a stop as it ran into slow traffic. My eyes gazed the outsides. I saw scattered leaves on the sidewalk moving in the wind. That’s when I saw…it. The most beautiful scene of nature you could come by in the middle of a city. The mother trees to all the loose leaves on the sidewalk were going through their seasonal changes. The leaves on them shed the traditional green color and had taken on an array of oranges, reds, and purples. It was bouquet perfectly set to inaugurate the season. The sun embraced the colors and highlighted their brightness even more. It was impossible not the see the beautiful color.

It was a scene that couldn’t be duplicated by any pair of crayons and coloring book. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them but my gaze soon had to be ripped away as the traffic cleared and the bus began to move. The colorful leaves were now behind me. I was left in awe. A little disappointment sunk in me because I didn’t take a picture but the sight of the bright colors brightened up my day a little more. Something so beautiful seemed to slow down time in such a fast paced city. The colors were even more beautiful than the young ladies’ dresses at the Homecoming dance.  ;-)
(437 words)
 

4. Weather Experience

Double Ties

Its so dark and ominous,

The trees run back and forth as the wind chases it,

The clouds propel liquid bullets at the ground

Deeming every living thing to take cover.

A sharp blinding blade murderously tor apart the sunken clouds                                                           5

And was accompanied by an earth shaking bass.

Striking the thickness of your core
And strummed your spine.

My window on the bus is shedding uncontrollable tears
Yet, I look through its false emotion.                                                                                                    10
I see that what's on the outside of this transportation is to be a dreadful challenge
Because Mother Nature didn't breast feed me the nutrition to withstand it.

The gusting wind piercing my eyes,
The rain drenching my unspeakables,
The damp leaves clinging to my shoes;                                                                                                15
Those thoughts made me want to look my stop in the eye and keep going.

Water pounded on the roof like migraines in an unsteady beat;
Every stop past was a continuation of the count down unto witch I would get off
At the build up and brace of it all...                                                                                                       20
An unexpected calmness pushed itself against the atmosphere.

Unheard sighs of relief emitted from all the passengers
Because of the ceasing rain.
Pig tails and school jumper fancifully reflected her
Mothers focused beam to the outside.                                                                                                   25

"Two rainbows!" exploded through her snag-a-tooth mouth
Her excitement lifted the heads of every passenger.
A shabby coat and sunken face leaned over and uttered
"It's a sign from God" out of his under grown beard.

They were shoelaces tying up nature's stumbling mess;                                                                       30
Their presence brought praise and approval from even the ground
As its scattered puddles glowed in colorful reflection.
...A happy ending to a scary movie.

I arrived at my stop, standing under the arch of the Double Ties in the sky.
They held up the sunken clouds and all the rain with their beautiful power.                                       35
Looking at their endless trail in the sky,
You wonder...will there be twice the gold at the end of them?

 

Community Sories

An Account of Experience with Discrimination Response:

     When Sojourner Truth mentions the idea of "the old slave holding spirit" she's referring to the fact that she's so accustomed to being a slave and obeying every order she was given without second thought. This idea relates to community shaping a person and their beliefs because Ms. Truth spent many of her years in the "slave" community. You were expected to do what was told of you without rebellion or you would be severely punished. This lifestyle was embedded into her so when she made the transition to freedom she had to realize she could say "no" to situations she didn't like and fight against them.
     The primary documents differ from secondary sources in the perspective of a community by showing more biased appeal tot he community whether positive or negative. The primary sources do go into depth but that depth can be a shifted point of view. Secondary sources such as reporters give unbiased facts of the situation they were given. Reporters can change the tone of the facts to make it seem more or less important.

Here is New York Reponse:

     White begins to describe New York for what it isn't to show contrast "lighting". Sometimes you get more of an idea of what something is by contrasting and comparing it to others. It also makes the reader use their imagination more than if White described New York directly.

The Crucible Response

The Crucible is an excellently written story. Its drama leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting more after every Act. It takes facts of the past and intertwines it with a story. I feel like it teaches a lesson throughout all of its drama and that is to be a morally good purpose because it's the right thing to do. You don't need to feel pressured by the rest of society or a higher being to do so. In The Crucible the Puritans faithfully follow their religion which consists of them being good, holey people yet when tested on their real character most falter and don't confide in the religious morals. There is a major ironic statement within the whole story. That is selfishness, greed, and lies are considered sins yet these religious people find themselves sinking into the temptations of the three. A prime example is of the character Paris, a well respected member of the church. He wants the character John Proctor to be prosecuted so that he can take his land. That is an act of greed on Paris's part. As a final note I feel as if the story reveals a psychological point about humans. By this I mean that greed, selfishness, and lies are apart of human minds. It's like they are natural character traits for some. No matter how the society you are in perceives those sinful traits it all comes down to how deep it has sunken into your character. If it is not deep then you are most likely not to be be affiliated with them but if it is deep in you then you have a high chance of being affiliated with them. That's how some of the characters in the story seem to be. Its like lies, greed, and selfishness are natural reactions to some even though their Puritan society despises it.

(314 words)

The Crucible Act III Response

The Puritan’s of Salem are breaking down. Their court system that doesn’t rely on solid proof for accusations is turning out to be inefficient. For example if they had actual proof as to whether Abigail was a real witch then much time would have been spared and there would be less drama. (Although without the drama there would be no story.) The fact that they don’t rely on real proof makes the people even more under-handed and shady than they are. I say this because they can falsify situations just to put a disliked person “away”. For example Parris only wants John Proctor to be sent to jail or hanged so that he can take his land. I’d compare these Puritan people to the American Government because both are supposed to be symbolized with great morals yet they both take advantage of their positive reputations to commit their ill-advised deeds.

(150 words)

The Crucible Act II Response

In Act II there is an in-depth perspective on how these Puritan people operate. In Act I we learn of their vague accusations and beliefs without any real reasoning. In this Act we learn that they accuse people to be witches based on coincidental happenings. Now this technically means they still don't have actual reasoning but it still provides detail on their decision...On another note, their seems to be so much mistrust between these church centered people. They work on living a good life inspired by God yet they carry on accusation and underhanded deeds that aren't ideal. I think this happens because they strive to make their society perfect that they will do whatever it takes to get rid of the flaws such as accused witches. Hales seem to be the only one that is "stepping out-side the box" of the Puritan lifestyle.

(157 words)

The Crucible Act 1: Response

    

     My first reaction to this story and the characters in it was: “These people are tremendously religious and nothing could come between them and their worship.” As I began to read on through Act 1 I took on a new perspective. When everyone starts to find out that Betty, Abigail, and Tituba are associated with witchcraft, their motives seem to come from a strong faith in their religion that makes them despise the girls act. However as you receive more background on the Puritans lifestyle you see it is driven by fear. Some instances are during church sermons two people are sent out to make church everyone is in church at that time and if they are not then they will be punished, pastors tell everyone if they don’t follow the laws they will go to hell, and anyone who is even thought to be a witch will be severely rejected by the community. This fear can be sunk into the people so much that the Puritan religion is fear based instead of actual faith. If someone knows they are in the midst of being accused for any law breaking they will do whatever it takes to get the negatives out of their reputation. That includes actions such as lies, betrayals, and selfishness. I feel this is most portrayed at the end when everyone starts accusing others of being with the devil. They could be telling a lie just so they could protect themselves.

(244 Words)    

NoteCards

(3) The Chicago Race Riots occurred in July of 1966. Martin Luther King Jr. went to Chicago to campaign against housing segregation. The riots lasted for three days until 1,500 National Guards men and 1,000 police officers put a stop to it. Later in July some three hundred civil rights activist marched through Cicero street into a white neighborhood to protest the housing segregation. Unfortunately for them they were chased away by "mobs of angry whites". Dr. King ended his campaign after officials said they would end segregation.

(4) Dr.King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, into church-center family. His grandfather, father and brother were all pastors. King went to Booker T. Washington high school and then Moore House College where he received a sociology degree. In 1948 he went to Crozer Theological Seminary and earned a bachelor in divinity. After Crozer Dr. King went to Boston University where he met Coretta Scott (his future wife). King organized the Montgomery bus boycott and as a result bus segregation was unconstitutional. The Gandhi inspired Civil Rights activist engaged in getting federal action on civil rights. He met with the president to do so. His fight to end segregation in Birmingham led to him being sent to jail but after he got out things changed. King continued to organize protest walks, say speeches, peacefully fought against segregation until he was assassinated in 1968 by James Earl Ray.

(6) On a Friday in April of 1968 the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination riots began. Looting broke out on the city's West Side in the Lawndale and Austin areas and on the city's South Side in the Woodlawn area. White owned businesses were specifically attacked and vandalized. That Friday night Army units and Illinois National guards were sent in to control the streets. Rioters hit them with sniper guns but none were killed or heavily injured. During that Saturday soldiers calmed the rioters along the Eisenhower expressway with their machine guns. Sunday was continued to up hold violence but by Monday peace had returned. Mayor Daley ordered police "to shoot any arsonist or anyone with a Molotov cocktail in his hand...and...to shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting any stores in our city."  There is no official death toll but accounts say 9-11 people died. 350 people were arrested and 162 buildings were destroyed. The areas where the buildings were located became vacant lots.

(7) Illinois State rep. Art Turner gives reasons as to why the Lawndale area should have returned back to a prosperous area after the riots. He says: Chicago's downtown area is very close by, two interstates and three El lines are near and "Historic grey stone houses line the streets". In 1960, 124,937 people lived in North Lawndale. Now 41,768 people live in the area and more than 40% of the families are below the poverty line. There are new living spaces that are built but the poor area leaves them unsold. Businesses such as grocery stores could close soon because these anchor stores don't survive financially. This means the franchise can't expand. Since these areas are high-crimed and have police surveillance around the new businesses it discourages some residents. In the 1950's "Many white families moved away..." to the suburbs and North Side. The riots broke after King was assassinated and the area burned down in flames.

(8) Martin Luther King Jr. moved to Chicago in 1966 in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. His purpose was to draw attention to "the plight of disadvantaged African Americans." When he was assassinated rioters took to the streets and looted and burnt down buildings. 36 major fires were reported between 4p.m. and 10p.m. During this time more then 2,000 firefighters were out in the City on a 2-mile Madison Street stretch. Although there was a great number of fire fighters, rioters still held them from doing there job. They were met with bottles, rocks and sniper weapons. They were also met with the challenge of low levels of water because rioters would let off fire hydrants to lower the pressure. By Saturday 6,000 National Guard troops arrived to suppress the rioters. Then the next day 5,000 army units arrive in as well. The rioters were settled and as a result of this weekend one firefighter was wounded, 170  buildings were burned down and 1,000 people were left homeless.

(9) Over 100 cities were affected by the assassinations riots due to the effort of 100,000 black people. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered 50,000 National Guardsmen to control and "squish" the violence. During the week of riots in the U.S. cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, and Cleveland issued curfews and had National Guardsmen arrest and shoot offenders. The chaos resulted in "...46 people dead, 4,000 injured, massive arrests and about $500 million dollars in damages." The F.B.I. was sent out to find the assassin of Dr. King. They found James Earl Ray who confessed to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in jail. Negroes were also given the right to vote.

(10) After Dr. King died his organization called the SCLC put together King's funeral. Marches were held in multiple countries to honor King's legacy. Some schools and work places were closed so that people could participate in commemorative events. He was buried in Atlanta. The riots in Chicago took up 28 blocks on West Madison. Rioting also occured "...between Roosevelt Rd. on the south and Chicago Ave. A curfew for everyone under 21 was imposed,streets were closed, guns and ammunition were banned from being sold, and police officers were ordered to shoot to kill. Over 125 fires were created, eleven black people died, and 3,000 people were arrested. Some 1,00 people were left homeless due to the 210 buildings affected somehow. The south side of Chicago managed to stay away from the riots because gang leaders of the Blackstone Rangers and East Side Disciples worked together to use their influence and stop it from happening.

SOURCES:

"A Nation in Upheaval, 1954-1975." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.(1)
This article gives the "when" of the race riots.


"Chicago Race Riot of 1966." Image. AP/Wide World Photos. American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (2)
This picture(although not nessacary) is of riot police in Chicago.


"Chicago Race Riot of 1966." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012 (3)
This is about the build up and riots that happened before Martin Luther King Jr. died.


"Martin Luther King Jr." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (4)
This is in depth backgroung knowledge on Martin Luther King.


"Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: Background." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (5)
This is about Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful protest which he is known most for.


Coates, James. "Riots Follow Killing of Martin Luther King Jr." Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-kingriots-story,0,4609945.story. (6)
This is a summary of what happened during the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination sparked riots and how the mayor responded them it.


Bello, Marisol, and Judy Keen. ""40 Years after the Riots, King's Vision 'unfinished' "" USA Today. Gannett, 20 Jan. 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-20-riots-cover_N.htm. (7)
This gives a brief summary of the riots after Martin Luther King Jr's assassination with the help of actual numbers and statistics. It also gives insight from people who lived during the time.


Groves, Adam. "MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR, ASSASSINATION RIOTS, CHICAGO:APRIL 5-8, 1968" N.p.: Illinois.edu, 2006. PDF. (8)
This gives specific on the damages and all other effects of the riots.


Brooks, Marcus. "The Immediate Effects of Martin Luther King Jr's Assassination." Helium. Helium, 11 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. http://www.helium.com/items/1178355-the-immediate-effects-of-martin-luther-king-jrs-assassination. (9)
This gives an overview of many effects of Martin Luther Kig Jr's assassination such as the riots in different parts of the U.S. and how African American were treated then.


Freeman, Jo. "The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King Funeral, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.jofreeman.com/photos/Kingfuneral.html>.(10)
This has information on the riots in Chicago in 1968.


"Where Were You When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Was Assassinated in 1968? The Aftermath of the Chicago Riots." HubPages. HubPages Inc., 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2012. <http://nina64.hubpages.com/hub/The-Chicago-Riots-of-1968-The-Aftermath>.(11)
This gives a personal account and view from a Chicagoen about the Martin luther King Jr's assassination riots.

Paral, Rob. "Rob Paral and Associates - Metro Chicago Poverty." Rob Paral and Associates - Metro Chicago Poverty. Rob Paral, 1998. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.robparal.com/ChicagoCommunityAreaData.html. (12)
This is a chart that gives information of the population of all the 77 areas of Chicago from the 1930's until the 2009.

City of Chicago. "Austin." Explore Chicago. City of Chicago, 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/neighborhoods/austin.html. (13) This gives a summary on the origins of Chicago's Austin area.

Yue, Lorene. "Merchants in Chicago's Deadliest Neighborhood Are in the Line of Fire." Crain's Chicago Business. Crain'sChicago Business, 23 July 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120721/ISSUE01/307219983/merchants-in-chicagos-deadliest-neighborhood-are-in-the-line-of-fire. (14) This gives a personal account of some vendors who operate small businesses yet have trouble prospering.

Moser, Whet. "Austin: Chicago’s Deadliest Neighborhood?" Chicago Magazine. Chicago Magazine Staff Blog, 25 July 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/July-2012/Austin-Chicagos-Deadliest-Neighborhood/. (15) This article proves that the Austin area of Chicago is the deadliest neighborhood with numerical facts.

Frank, Berwyn. "North Lawndale." Forgotten Chicago.com. N.p., 10 Apr. 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.forgottenchicago.com/forum/1/3084. (16) This talks about the ethnic origins of the Lawndale area to its now vacant lot scattered area.

Solomon, Alan. "North Lawndale." Explore Chicago. City of Chicago, 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/neighborhoods/lawndale.html. (17) This article gives a summary of the origins of the Lawndale area.

Ralph, James. "Martin Luther King, Jr., in Chicago." Martin Luther King, Jr., in Chicago. Chicago Historical Society, 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1438.html. (18) This article tells about Martin Luther King Jr.'s presence in Chicago.

"North Lawndale, Chicago, IL Cost of Living Index." Areavibes. AreaVibes Inc., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.areavibes.com/chicago-il/north lawndale/cost-of-living/. (19) This gives the specific numbers and percentages of housing costs and its changes.

Seligman, Amanda. "North Lawndale." North Lawndale. Chicago Historical Society, 2005. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/901.html. (20) This talks about the origins of North Lawndale and how it was effected by the riots.

Community Song Post

Kanye West: "Homecoming"
YeahAnd you say Chi CityChi City, Chi City
I'm comin' home againDo you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
I met this girl when I was three years oldAnd what I loved most, she had so much soulShe said, "Excuse me, little homie, I know you don't know meBut my name is Wendy and I like to blow trees"
And from that point I never blow her off Guys come from outta town, I like to show her offThey like to act tough, she like to tow 'em offAnd make 'em straighten up their act 'cause she know they soft
And when I grew up, she showed me how to go downtownAnd at nighttime my face lit up, so astoundin'And I told her in my heart is where she always beShe never mess with entertainers 'cause they always leave
She said it felt like they walked and drove on meKnew I was gang affiliated, got on TV and told on meI guess it's why last winter she got so cold on meShe said, "YeKeep makin' that, keep makin' that platinum and gold for me"
(I'm comin' home again)Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?Oh, now I'm comin' home againMaybe we could start again
But if you really cared for herThen you wouldn't've never hit the airportTo follow your dream, sometimes I still talk to herBut when I talk to her, it always seems like she talkin' about me
She said, "You left your kids and they just like youThey wanna rap and make soul beats just like youBut they just not you and I just got throughTalkin' 'bout what guys tryin' to do just not new"
Now everybody got the game figured out all wrongI guess you never know what you got 'til it's goneI guess this is why I'm here and I can't come back homeAnd guess when I heard that when I was back home
Every interview I'm representin' you, makin' you proudReach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloudJump in the crowd, spark your lighters, wave 'em aroundAnd if you don't know by now, I'm talkin' about Chi Town
(I'm comin' home again)Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
Baby, do you remember when fireworks at Lake Michigan?Oh, now I'm comin' home again, 'min' home againBaby, do you remember when fireworks at Lake Michigan?Oh, now I'm comin' home again, maybe we could start again
Loyee, oyee, oh, loyee, oyee, ohComin' home againLoyee, oyee, oh, loyee, oyee, ohComin' home againMaybe we could start again



Read more: KANYE WEST - HOMECOMING LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/homecoming-lyrics-kanye-west.html#ixzz26fsbcJjR
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The artist's approach to describing the community was through an extended metaphor. He is talking about Chicago as if it is a girl named Windy.(One of the multiple nicknames for Chicago is "The Windy City" hence calling it Windy ). Through this creative approach Kanye tells about all the aspects and things of his city. He supports Chicago to the very fullest. He even displays his feelings of missing the city since he had to move to pursue his musical career. The way he describes the city makes it seem like a fiery place. By this I mean that there are some aspects that "burn" but the "glow" of the place can be beautiful at the same time. "She said it felt like they walked and drove on me knew I was gang affiliated, got on TV and told on me" This line here talks about the bad side of the city which are the gangs. "...downtown and at night time my face lit up, so astoundin'...". Here he's talking about how great the lights of downtown are. In this song he adores the uniqueness of his city which makes up his community.

Community Post

     The word community is a term used loosely in a lots of cases. It's miscorrectly used to describe a broader form of a neighborhood and the area you live in. This can be right at times but when used to describe the geographical point of it is incorrect. A community is a group of people that can be categorized together because of their specific similarities. With this being said a community can span across a nation as long as the people are connected through an equal quality. For example I am involved in three different communities. Those are Student Council, poetry, and my church. Each of these have different aspects that make them unique communities.

     The Student Council community I'm apart of is a club. This is located in the Whitney Young high school building. We operate in our own office where all of our supplies is on the first floor of the school. Since that room is small for all of us to fit in comfortably we use a chemistry room on the third floor where we have meetings to plan for events. This room has tables instead of desk which are better for working on. What sets us apart from other school's Student Councils are our original designed tee-shirts and the fact that we stay within our own school.

     Our level of work is high so expectations are even higher. Everyone is expected to be efficient and responsible for there job. Any slacking is unacceptable and not only hurts you but Student Council as a whole. To be a member you must fill out an application and have a year of being a devoted generally assembly member and making your presence and effort know. Once you are in you are given a position that holds a specific job. For example I am newsletter chairman. I write the newsletters that are posted in the bathrooms of the school. This newsletter is important to Student Council and the school because I put important information on there such as dates of school events that some students might not have known.

     This particular community feels comfortable and feels "me" because I enjoy the feeling of helping my school. I'm there for such long hours anyways that I might as well have an input in what goes on. Just knowing that I help build our famous balloon arches in the gym for pep rallies give me more respect for it. Every one is friendly and easy to talk to so becoming friends with each other is easy. Its as if we become a family because of all the hours we spend together working toward our common goals.

Response to Crevecour

     From only reading one piece Crevecour's writing, I have discovered the reason why he is a famous writer. He finds a way to state facts, although general, in a poetic way that helps you visualize the things happening. For example he compares the emigrants to "useless plants, wanting vegetable mold and refreshing showers..." That sentence there shows you how bad life was for them by comparing their situation to a withering plant.
     The way he describes an American is very controversial because he's basically saying a non-American is an American but I personally think its a correct idea. If you were to be born and raised in America then you are expected and even forced in some cases to follow the normal lifestyle of the American way. Its as if you are programmed so that nothing can detour you from your task. Its automatic and not effected. However on the contrary there are emigrants who have been raised to differently with different aspects of life and the way of living. When they come to America they go through the adjustment processes and depending on how well they "turned into" an American shows how well America's systems works. The newly adjusted emigrants are like products of America and therefore they are American.