Consider the narrators Marjane from Persepolis and Mark from True Notebooks. What have you learned so far about these characters (i.e. their personality, ideals, beliefs, family background, sense of humor, etc)?
In what ways are you similar or dismiliar to Marjane or Mark? Explain your personal similarities or disimilarities.
In your reading from last night, each of these characters (Mark/Marjane) encounter the emotion FEAR. Remember a time you have been afraid or scared. Describe the situation and use as much detail as possible. Try to write the story by SHOWING, not TELLING.
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ReplyDeleteMarjane from Persepolis is a... well she's a little girl for one. A little girl with dreams of become a hero of her people. The image of the hero is fueled by her culture and the things that she is taught. Things that her parents might not even have much influence on. Like any child I also wanted to be a hero of people I cared for. Set things right that I felt were wrong, whether it was candy for everyone or getting my turn in video games. I wanted the adults I cared about and also cared about me, to be happy because if they were happy they bought me things and that made any chubby little Mexican boy happy. When I was about 11 my uncle was in some out of control rage. Not like running through walls and knocking over grandma's and eating pigeons, but just yelling and breaking a few expendables. He made a violent gesture toward me and it scared me and as he ran out the house I wondered why. We got along great, to my mothers ignorance better than great as the years came along. I learned that he was a drug addict, and he was sort of like our irresponsible adult supervisor when me and my cousin had our first exposure to pot. I later deduced that he was just raging and he figured that I wouldn't really understand. I also understand that he wasn't aware of his own impulse to release his anger, and that was all that it was. None the less to my young mind and body that morning he was a danger. Even though he lives a country a way. I still love my uncle.
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ReplyDeleteIn True Notebook Mark seems like he is a very calm guy around the students he knows, but when gets around the other students he seems like he is kind of nervous around them because he doesn’t know them as much as he knows his other students. He says that he had just got back from his sister wedding so it seems like he is pretty close with his family member. He does have a very good sense of humor because he jokes around with most of his students when he first gets back from his trip. His personality is like someone you can easily get along with and someone you could really talk to and get into detail with. Mark and I are similar because I can be easy to talk to and get really into detail if I know a lot about what we are talking about. Mark seems scared to talk to the guys in the lower level where because he didn’t know them so he didn’t know how they would respond to him. I have had that experience may times before when I was scared to talk to my friends other friend’s. I wouldn’t really say anything because I didn’t know what they like to do or if they would find what I talked about is weird. So I wouldn’t really say anything till I really find out about them and I jump into conversation with them. An example of me being scared of my friend’s friend is that I had met this kid named Ian and I didn’t really know what he like or if he even liked me at all. Then one day I had gone out to eat with a bunch of friends and found out that he like to play video game and he likes most of the music that I like. Now him and I are really good friends now and I found out he really likes most of the things I enjoy in my time. Just like how Mark sits down with the other guys and they have a bunch of writing that he enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteMarjane from Persepolis had an animus personality. In the story Marjane showed courage by standing for what she wanted to do which was is a prophet but at the time a battle was going on. People thought Marjane was crazy because for one, she was a woman trying to do something a man would only do, become a prophet. “I WANTED TO BE JUSTICE, LOVE, AND THE WRATH OF GOD ALL IN ONE” said Marjane, so she sat her dream aside and help fight a battle for her country. I feel I am similar to Marjane in many ways. The major way I believe I’m similar to her is by setting things I want to do aside in order to help my family. It was a time I had an offer to move to Los Angeles for a job, but I didn’t take the offer because my family needed me. I stayed home and got a job to help support my family when they were down and now I’m in college continuing to pursuit my goals. In the story Marjane had fear about being a prophet because of how people would look at her but; she still had in mind of becoming a prophet. In a way, Marjane and I are alike in that way. I’ve always wanted to become a fashion designer. People always poke fun about the way I dress and I almost gave up my dream but, I have enough self-esteem to keep going.
ReplyDeleteIn the book Persepolis Marjane is a very family oriented girl who is growing up in the Islamic revolution.She goes to a school where the children are separated and the girls have to wear veil's.Marjane wants to be a "profit" when she is older.Even though her teachers and parents think that Marjane's fantasy is not common for a girl her age she wants to help people and do what she can to end this revolution and make people happy again.When Marjane finds out that her Grandfather is a prince she was ecstatic to find out the news. But as soon as she finds out that he was imprisoned because of his communist ways, she becomes sad and fearful about what could happen if something like that ever happened to her.
ReplyDeleteA time that I have been fearful was when my dog got bit by another dog and was fighting for his life. I remember the day it happened, I come home from school and no one is home and neither is my dog. My dad calls me telling me what happened and I am in shock. He says that my dog was fighting for his life and didn't know if he would make it. I feared for my dog's life, every minute that went by felt like an hour. Until I heard he was going to be ok I just feared the "what if" question.Even though mine and Marjane's fears were about different situations, I understood why she would be in fear.When something scares you or you are in "fear" your entire perspective on life is different until you aren't in fear anymore.
Marjane from Persepolis wanted to be a prophet in the story. This was in a time where being a prophet would be considered ludicrous to the general public.
ReplyDeleteHowever the protagonist's individuality and determination in the story is what still keeps her wanting to be a prophet regardless of what anyone tells her. The individuality and determination traits, I believe, are the similarties I share with Marjane.
Becoming an entertainer, I had to start somewhere, and many people will ridicule you because they can't believe someone can do such a job. (Well at least not a person they know.) Its my determination and individuality that still makes me continue to succeed in my career.
I had performed at many venues before. Nightclubs and private events for record labels all up and down the state of Illinois. My largest performance was at Solider Field stadium in front of over 1,000+ people. It was an event I had promoted via social networking sites and passing out over 5,000+ freshly pressed up fliers around the city of Chicago. It was my first major event I had organized and invested a lot of money into. My team and I even brought out reality star, Pauly D, from MTV's Jersey Shore.
The day of the concert. Although everyone in the ciy was talking about and promotion had went well. I still had the fear that possibly no one would show up due to the staggering prices in ticket. To my amazement everyone did show. My sponsor picked up Pauly D at the airport, and we performed in front of 1,000 ppl at an exotic car show my team had set up, organized, and profited from. Sure the emotion of fear had overcame me at some point throughout the day because I couldnt know the outcome of people that would attend. It was only when I walked on stage and saw everyone standing that I knew that fear was no longer an emotion associated with me at this moment.
Marjane is very eccentric little girl. She believes that she is a prophet and can talk to god every night. She has made her own codes to live by that I feel aren’t really all that well thought out. Her mom and dad are political activists and spend their days protesting, and by the time they arrive home they are to warn out to do anything. Her grandmother lives with the family and can’t really do much because of her weak knees. Marjane means well with many things and she really cares about her family very much and that probably causes her to think the way she does.
ReplyDeleteI’m definitely nothing close to Marjane. Her belief system I feel is goofy and doesn’t really make a lot of sense. The fact that she is so young and says that she has conversations with god is very difficult for me to understand. She has a very vast imagination, that’s basically the only thing we have in common. She wants to become a activist like her parents and I rather not get involved with the government like that.
“Tony Lets go” Kyle says to me I look at him he is a little ahead of me. Joey is already outside waiting for us impatiently we don’t have a lot of time to play around with. The goods are in a manila envelope in Kyle’s onyx Nike backpack, he darts down another aisle while I keep my heading forward. It seems like everybody is on to me because everyone seems to be staring, is it my imagination I hope it is. I don’t see Kyle anymore I can’t wait for him. I bolt thru the automatic door “Where’s Kyle” Joey says to me as we quickly walked in the direction of the train station. Out of nowhere Kyle is by our side “did you get your stuff” I said “no I put it back” he said we hear somebody yelling something from behind us but we do not turn around. “Let’s run when we get past those bushes” Kyle says, my heart is pounding I cannot wait “F that” I say as I start sprinting. Kyle and Joey are sprinting a little behind me now but then Kyle comes flying past we are now running thru the back of a shipping company. We are almost out of the back drive way when we stop running; as I look back gasping for air I see two men walking in our direction. Then they stop I’m thinking because we are too far ahead now but then I see a police car pull up next to them. We run again straight by the lake into the parking lot of the train station thru to the other side and stop. We look over the tracks and see the police car slowly driving around the parking lot. “We made it” I think to myself I say goodbye to Kyle and Joey and walk home still a little paranoid.
I believe that mark was ambitious. I also felt that he was very confused on what he wanted to do. He would say he wanted to do this, but then write many reasons on why not to do it. Overall he was very laidback, and somewhat shy and a little fearful. I also notice that Mark was very judgmental and always analyze what he was getting into before actually doing it. I would not call him a push over, but he does not seem very aggressive at some point when putting his foot down to decisions he make from others offers and statements that come across to him. Mark is pretty cool and just a good guy. I personally believe that we are not similar. I mean, the cool part, yes we are, but I think I know what I want and focus on that instead of thinking about “what if”.
ReplyDeleteMy first dance performance was my scariest moment. This was my very first show and I felt that I really was not ready for it. I remember sitting backstage and of course I shouldn’t have, but I did look out into the audience and saw thousands of people in their seat. The theater was nothing but silence and that made it worse. In the background I hear “get into your spots” and suddenly I started to fill a little sick. I was so afraid to the point that I did not even want to step foot on the stage, but luckily everything turn out all right, I didn’t fill the rush until we were done. Those handclaps were so loud it seems as if one person was clapping in my right ear then other on the other side that was a very intense night, not too many things scare me that sure did.
I feel that I’m similar to Mark just because of how his feelings are. Meaning that you can tell that he haves a good heart. Where that he wanted to writing about and explain how the young adults in juvenile hall were feeling. To let it be expressed that they still have feelings into be able to share they thoughts. I felt as if he did a great job about taking the chance and helping them. I feel that I would have also not wanted to share the peoples really names in the book. In this year 2010 was the most I was ever scared in my life. I had so much fear in my body. The reason why I was so afraid was because I spent a night out the house. My mother and I have a close relationship so I try not to do things that would make her upset her. So one night I was extremely sleepy and I slipped and slept a night over at my boyfriend house. I woke up about 9a.m. the next day and tried to rush home. I almost made it in good because she wasn’t home because she was still out also. So as I’m making it in the house my cell phone called her back and she heard me coming in. I was so afraid for her to get home I didn’t know what she was going to say I felt so bad.
ReplyDeleteSo far I have found out that Mark is a teacher at a juvenile center. Him and I are not similar to each other, because he worked at a juvenile center with murderers. I personally would not.
ReplyDeleteA time when i was scared was after I watched The Ring. The little girl in the movie scared me so much I slept with my mom that night. Ever since I am scared of the black and white screen on the tv. I had a nightmare that she was coming for me so I did not go back to sleep. I still fear ghost But I do not believe in them.
Another time i was scared was at Six Flags with my friends. Every year me and some friends all go to Six Flags to ride the rides....but me. We would always go and I'd wait around an hour lonely on a bench just so they can tell me how "fun" the ride was. Well this year I did not want to be the lonely fellow on the bench watching the little kids go by. So I decided to ride EVERY ride there...... I HATED THEM ALL!
Well, as far Mark the writer of the book "True Notebooks" in my personal opinion Mark seems like a very compassionate helping person kind of like me but I wouldn’t want to teach at a juvenile place it personally does not fit my character although I am a nice guy and very willing I just wouldn’t want be around such., and down to earth guy to want to actually teach juveniles in a juvenile hall I mean honestly who would want to be in a setting like that, think about it your around criminals, potential sex offenders ect. Me Personally I don’t judge but when you’re putting yourself in an environment that isn’t away safe then something could possibly happen but to want to do something like that just shows how much he loves his profession. I remember a time when I was afraid I was about 16 yrs old I had just gotten my driver’s license and I want to go for a ride but I didn’t have a car at the time so I took my dad car and, yep you guessed it I crashed but it wasn’t my fought ( that’s what they all say) I thought I was going to go to jail that day but I didn’t luckly the damages weren’t that bad but of my consequences were I had so much stuff running threw my head at that time I was terrified.
ReplyDeleteIn the reading last night i realize a lot bout life and how we overlook the small things in life and not cautious of that.Mark was of fear that his life would be threaten if he went to see the criminals in the jail.Mark was an eager man to know what life is as a criminal and wanted to get a deeper meaning of their lives.He believe that every person has a story to tell and a testimony that may be the reason why they do what they do!!I believe I am similar to Mark in some ways.I am similar because I sometimes choose to let little things hinder me from accomplishing bigger things that might change a meaning to my situations.It all started at church were I had to speak in front of a lot of teens and the topic was about not having a father in your life and I thought I was the only in the room with no father in my life and everyone was saying they had their fathers in their lives and I was afraid to say I didn't.I believed that all my life I needed to be like everyone else and have the big family in order to survive but I was scared to speak up and tell my story because I felt like the odd ball but in reality I wasn't alone.Then,my friend spoke up and told her story and it made everyone emotional.Then everyone told their story which they all lied(SAYING THAT THEY HAD A FATHER IN THEIR LIVES) to seem perfect and I finally stood up and told my story!Yes, I did it!Life teaches us that no matter what your situation is it doesn't make you who you are, but it makes you stronger!
ReplyDeleteSo far from my reading last night I have come to meet characters whose ideas and mentality are very much confused or disturbed. So many of the inmates are oblivious as to what is important in life due to their past and what they were previously involved in. In the way that they spoke you could tell where they stood in terms of their educational level. I too have friends or people that I know that speak that way but it is more so just the slang that they use rather then there every day speaking. The individuals that I am around personally, are aware as to when they should talk with slang and when they should tighten up their vocabulary a bit in a more professional or serious setting. For me I have no similarities with Mark. If it were me I would have appreciate going to the juvenile hall to get information more then I would have wanted to read any book or magazine article. I feel that by being in such an atmosphere one could grasp what it truly feels like to be around the inmates and what they are going through or have previously been through rather than reading it from typed pages. By being at the juvenile hall, the feelings that the inmates are going through would most likely impact you and give you a much stronger feeling about what really goes on. With that being said, although the time I was most fearful didn’t take place in such scary and overwhelming setting, I was still very afraid. It was while I was in high school at practice on my dance team for a huge completion coming up. During practices my coach started to get very frustrated and had this bright idea of having each dancer perform the dance solo to see if we really knew what we were doing. If we didn’t later on that hour those people would have to re perform it and later audition for a spot though they were already on the time. Mind you I have been dancing since I was three years old. I stood in the room with bare wall sin the corner, practicing before it was my turn to go. I was extremely anxious and didn’t know if I was going to mess up. For me, if I read over something too many times or keep doing it over and over again, I began to make mistakes. Before I knew it my eyes started to see very small, black dots floating in the air, my left side of my tongue went numb as well as the right side of my face and I was shaking. One of my teammates noticed this and said something to my coach but she didn’t care. I began to cry, not because my coach didn’t respond but because I had never experienced this before and did not know what was going on. Shortly after I began to hyperventilate and couldn’t breathe nor talk normal. I was rushed the hospital and put under a breathing mask to find out I had experienced a panic attack. Since then I have to be very careful because I can have them at anytime from being stressed. It wasn’t so much a scary atmosphere but I personally, did not know what was going on or what was going to happen to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat I have learned about Marjane is that she is a strong woman. She is very determined and is devoted to her beliefs. Marjane wants to help her community get out of the war. Also she is very family oriented because she always wants to help them out. Marjane and her grandma have a close relationship that she wants to take her pains away. It shows she is a sweet girl who is willing to go to the extra mile to get her family through their hard times. Persepolis wants to change her society's choices. In the book, the women had a debate about wearing a veil on their head. Also why they got separated from their friends. Persepolis doesn't understand what's going on but she knows she doesn't like what is happening to her community.
ReplyDeleteI am similar to Persepolis because sometimes things happen and you don't understand why but you know the end result is not good. It makes you want to change and do something about the situation. Persepolis always calls on God and her grandma for help when her parents don't want to be bothered. I know if anything when I can't talk to my parents I talk to God and ask him to help me get through my problems. My grandma is very understanding when it comes to me telling her about the situations I been in. Persepolis is a caring girl because when her parents were marching she wanted to join, but it was too dangerous. I am like that too when my parents encounter harsh situations. I want to help but they tell me stay in a child's place. Its not my concern because they want to handle the situation on their own.
A time when I was scared was I thought I was going to die when I was nine years old. I was at a waterpark and I fell in four feet water and the water got all in my mouth. I was underwater trying to come back to the top of the surface. I had Pneumonia and I was scared because at the same time my grandfather died and I was terrified. I loved ny grandfather so much we were inseparable. I was real close with him and I was scared to go to sleep in the hospital because I thought I wouldn't wake up. Also doctors told me people die from Pneumonia and that made the problem worse. I was little and experienced my first death in the family and that was really emotional for me. My grandfather had a heart condition and he told me when I turn nine years old he would die. I refused to believe it so my birthday came and I was nine then the next year in October my grandfather died. The fear I had in the hospital was the same fear I had when I almost drowned in the water.