Book Review 3.1

John Green, a fantastic author, decimates souls with his tragic books. One book, The Fault in Our Stars, is about a teenage girl, Hazel, with terminal cancer, her life slowly coming ever closer to an end, who falls in love with another cancer victim, Augustus. John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, opening the floodgates of eyeballs everywhere, breaks hearts with its tragic love story.

A theme of The Fault in Our Stars is that love prevails through hardship. For example, Hazel and Augustus love each other more and more even as Augustus dies. Hazel continued to love Augustus before and even after he died. Additionally, Hazel's parents love her and each other, saying that they will endure Hazel's death together when it happens. Thus showing how their love will endure hardship. In addition, even Augustus's parents, who actually lost their child, stay together after his death. Their love endures the hardship they face when Augustus dies.

The main character, Hazel, is a very caring character.  For example, she says, "There is only one thing in this world shittier than biting it from cancer when you're sixteen, and that's having a kid who bites it from cancer." She is more concerned about her parents feelings than about herself. The fact that she cares more about how someone else feels than whether she lives is a serious sign of selflessness. Additionally, she says, "I went to Support Group for the same reason that I'd once allowed nurses with a mere eighteen months of graduate education to poison me with exotically named chemicals: I wanted to make my parents happy." She puts up with stuff she doesn't like just for her parents. This once again shows that she puts others before herself. In addition, at one point in the story, Hazel tries to break up with Augustus. She does this because she doesn't want to hurt him when she dies. Even though she wants to stay with him, she wants to save him from herself.

Gender roles don't play much of a part in this story. First, Hazel's parents defy gender roles in that her dad is always the first to cry in a sad situation and her mother is shown to be emotionally stronger. Second, Hazel doesn't try so be some sort of damsel in distress or girly girl. She's just does her own thing. She's completely detached from social norms and what's considered "cool." On the other hand, Augustus fulfills the role of "Prince Charming." He's "gorgeous" and always knows just what to say.

I would recommend this book. It's pretty sad, so I normally wouldn't read one like it; however, I watch the author's videos on YouTube, so I decided to try the book out. It was well worth the time taken to read it. 

Current Connection 3.2

In Karen E. Dill and Kathryn P. Thill's article, "Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles:  Young People's Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media Depictions," they explain how the media and video games influence the thoughts of young people.

For example, in the article, Dill and Thill state, "Research has also shown that exposure to media images of ideal beauty causes college men to find average-looking 'real' women less attractive." Media exposure can affect how young men perceive women. This influence can cause unhealthy feelings towards the females in young men's lives.

Additionally, the authors state, "These findings suggest that failure to live up to the specific media stereotypes for one's sex is a blow to a person's sense of social desirability." If a man or a woman doesn't feel like they fit what they see to be the optimal mate, then they will feel bad about themselves. This is unhealthy and unfair because no one can live up to the high standards the media sets.

Furthermore, in the article, the authors state, "Gender portrayals of video game characters reinforce a sexist, patriarchal view that men  are aggressive and powerful and that women are not healthy, whole persons, but sex objects, eye candy and generally second-class citizens." This causes young people that are exposed to video games to develop unhealthy attitudes about gender roles. They will carry these perceptions throughout their lives and into the national politics of the country.

Similarly, while researching my topic, I read an article that stated that men are typically reluctant to seek help for their problems in real life; however, when they use a female avatar in a video game, they feel free to ignore the social expectation to not seek help. When they use a male avatar, they still feel compelled to fit in with social norms.

The portrayal of men and women in the media and video games has a lasting negative impact on the young people that are exposed to them. As the children who are affected by gender stereotypes in video games more and more each year grow into adults with opinions, social issues in the country are sure to be affected.

Sources:
Dill, Karen E., and Kathryn P. Thill. "Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles: Young People ’ S Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media Depictions." Nouspace. N.p., 17 Oct. 2007. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. <http://www.nouspace.net/dene/475/videogames.pdf>.

Current Connection 3.1

In Jake Weston's article, "Gender Roles and Sexism in Gaming:  The Gamers' Perspective," he explains how females are generally portrayed negatively in video games.

For example, Weston states in the article, "Almost every game released nowadays features a male playable protagonist, but... only 15% of games feature female playable characters." Although nearly as many females as males play video games, there are few games that even have one female that is playable. Unfortunately, this bias towards men is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sexism in gaming.

Additionally, Weston states, "While men in video games are typically portrayed as "macho", manly-men with big guns, women are portrayed as weak, timid, and unable to take action for themselves." While men are almost exclusively the heroes of video games, women are usually seen as a victim or a "prize." Women in games are incompetent and typically must be saved from a situation they got themselves into.

In addition, Weston states in his article, "If a woman is made as a playable character, then she is typically reduced to sexual appeal, with incredibly unrealistic curves made in an attempt to appeal to the teenage male audience that game publishers usually target." Women in games are mainly just a marketing tool to bring in more male gamers. They typically have no character and are just walking eye candy.

League of Legends loading screen

In a game I sometimes play, League of Legends (seen above), females are certainly used for their sex appeal; however, there are female playable characters and they are just as viable as the males. The female characters are still used as a way to market to a male audience, even though the female characters have just as much story and personality as the male characters in this case.

Women's portrayal in video games is not improving, in spite of the fact that more and more females are playing games. This is certainly going to hold the video game industry, as well as feminism, back in the future.

Works cited:
Weston, Jake. "Gender Roles and Sexism in Gaming: The Gamers' Perspective." VGChartz. VGChartz Ltd., 29 June 2011. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

Subordinate clause

Current Connection 2.1

In Ramsey Cox's article, "Senate Rejects Amendment to End Tobacco Farm Subidies," he explains why the Senate rejected an amendment that would have ended federally subsidized crop insurance.

In the article, Cox states, "... tobacco farmers could still buy crop insurance, but it wouldn't be federally subsidized." This would essentially just make crop insurance more expensive for tobacco farmers. Feeling financial pressure, farmers would then be more inclined use their land to grow crops that serve an actual purpose and are still federally subsidized; crops that can be used for food are vastly preferable to tobacco, a crop that cannot feed people, a terminator of lives.

Additionally, Cox states, "...the effects of tobacco already cost taxpayers billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid expenses." Tobacco is a parasite to the taxpayers of America. The parasite constantly sucks money out of their pockets, and they are forced to support the parasite's gluttonous growth by feeding it more and more money.

In addition, Cox later states, "Sen. Richard Burr, who opposed the amendment, said if Feinstein’s goal was to punish the tobacco industry, then she should instead offer an amendment making tobacco illegal." This amendment, ending the transfer of taxpayer dollars to tobacco farmers, would not punish the tobacco industry, but would stop rewarding its farmers with insurance paid for by taxpayers. Senator Burr wants to support the tobacco industry in any way he can, so he colors the bill as a stupid, aggressive proposition and then suggests the impossible idea of making tobacco illegal, knowing that such a bill would never be passed.

The refusal to pass this bill says a lot about the state the U.S. Federal government is in. The American voters' representatives would rather continue paying unnecessary money to the Tobacco Industry than betray the corporations that fund their campaigns, as well as possibly funding a few other things in their lives. This tells just where the senators' loyalties lie.

The Tobacco Industry's farmers will continue to receive taxpayer assistance to pay for their insurance. If the bill had been passed, then the farmers would have been forced to move on to real crops or pay a premium for their insurance, which would most likely cause the price of tobacco increase in order for everyone to keep a very comfortable profit.

Works Cited:
 Cox, Ramsey. "Senate Rejects Amendment to End Tobacco Farm Subsidies." TheHill. Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., 23 May 2013. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.

 Participial   Metaphor   Appositive   Compound Sentence

Current Connection: 1.2

 In Richard H. Thaler's New York Times article entitled, "Financial Literacy, Beyond the Classroom," he argues that most Americans are "financially illiterate" and that their education is failing to help them keep themselves out of financial trouble.


Additionally, in the article, Thaler states, "Those who receive [financial education] do not perform noticeably better when it comes to saving more, for example, or avoiding ruinous debt." High Schooler's basic financial education, a poor excuse for an understanding of finances, seems to serve them no purpose. This is caused by a failure in America's educational system, a system notorious for its numerous shortcomings.

Later in the article, Thaler states, "In the meta-analysis, even the most time-intensive programs — those with more than 24 hours of education and training, almost the length of a college course — had no discernible effects just two years later." Within a couple of years learning the information, the students mostly forget the information, likely due to lack of use; therefore, the attempt to teach them was a failure and there was hardly a point in them learning the information in the first place.

Furthermore, Thaler states, "Although no approach offers a panacea, three types of efforts seem worthy of more attention." Thaler goes on to explain three ways in which financial education could be better delivered to students, none of which are being tried in a large, meaningful way. If new ways of learning and educating are not tried, then how can the current system ever be improved upon?

On a related note, the quote about the most time-intensive programs lasting over 24 hours reminds me of the idea that one must spend 10,000 hours doing one task to become a master at it. Obviously, this is not meant to be taken literally; however, how can one expect to become truly good at something when so little time is spent learning. One could feasibly get 24 hours of experience in and area without even sleeping. Certainly, the student must spend additional time outside of and after his or her class expanding his or her knowledge and experience in order to become truly good at whatever it is that he or she is trying to accomplish.

In conclusion, the current methods of delivering a financial education to Americans are almost completely ineffective and new methods exist and should be attempted.

Current Connection 1.1

In James Holloway's article entitled "School Imposes Compulsory Minecraft Lessons" on Gizmag, he informs the reader that a Swedish school has decided to start using a video game, Minecraft, to educate it's students.

For example, in the article, James Holloway, a writer for Gizmag, states, "A Swedish school has made headlines, first at home and then abroad, by making super-popular build-em-up video game Minecraft compulsory for students aged 13." The school has done something quite uncommon, making Minecraft, a video game about building whatever you can imagine, a component of its students' education. Though the students will only play the game for a short time while they're 13, they will still have the opportunity to enjoy a new way of getting educated.

 In addition, James Holloway also states in the article that "Minecraft, which lets players share a procedurally generated world, and fill it with constructions built lovingly and painstakingly out of a variety of texture mapped cubes, is a stellar example. It inspires thought and creativity without repelling players with rote learning, rigid structure, or the fusty whiff of the classroom." Minecraft allows its players, the students, to freely express their creativity. They can escape the boring classroom to learn in a much more enjoyable way.

Additionally, James Holloway writes, "It's not as if Minecraft has replaced one of the core subjects on the school's timetable. This is merely something the school's students will do for a while when they're 13." The game has not replaced anything important in the students' school careers. Minecraft has only been used to temporarily supplement their education.

On a related note, schools and classrooms all over the world are implementing Minecraft, as well as many other kinds of games, in order to help educate children and get children interested in learning. This fun change could help reverse the idea amongst some kids, especially American children and teenagers,  that school is not a good place to go to.

In conclusion, a Swedish school, by implementing a video game into the curriculum, has become one of the potential leaders of the world as we continue into the future trying to find a way to better educate our youth.

Short Story Reflection

I have been asked to write a short story for my English class. I am to use a character created on Heromachine. I am also supposed to write the story with the purpose of teaching the reader the theme.

Using Heromachine to create a character is probably the only easy thing about this assignment thus far. I found the creation of the character to be an enjoyable thing to do.

The most difficult thing so far has been to come up with a theme and story to write about. I am not very creative when it comes to anything at all, so I find the task of writing my own story rather daunting.

Currently, my main character is called Merica Man, though this will likely change when I come up with a real story. Merica Man is an extremely patriotic senior citizen who is convinced that he must save America from certain destruction. He dresses in flamboyant outfits of red, white, and blue and keeps his gray hair fashioned into two huge spikes.

Writing this story without feeling like a poor writer is probably going to be one of the most difficult writing assignments of the year. I am not looking forward to it, to be honest.