Works Cited

 

Hwang, David Henry.  “Sound of a Voice.”  Class Reader 26-40. Print. 

Hwang, David Henry.  “Trying to Find Chinatown.”  Class Reader 41-45. Print.  

Neruda, Pablo.  “Walking Around.”  Class Reader 1. Print.  

Satrapi, Marjane.  Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003.  Print. 

Wasserstein, Wendy and Anton Chekhov.  “Man in a Case.”  Class Reader 19-25. Print.

Bye Bye Blog: Final Malcolm Dialogue

Wow, It has been quite the journey. I went from truly disliking this blog process, to having a really good time writing these blogs. I hope you will read my blogs and enjoy each and every one of them. This was a great experience and I learned a whole lot. I took something out of every play, every book, every poem we read and it has made me better. So here's to a final conversation between me and Malcolm.

Me: So Malclom, do you think that I've become a better student from reading Persepolis, Man in a Case, Sound of a Voice, Trifles, and Trying to Find Chinatown and blogging about them with you. 
X: I think that you have matured greatly Idris. You're still a dumb kid who stands for nothing, but you're definitely a lot more knowledgable. So for that, I commend you. 
Me: Why thank you, Malcolm 
X: Please call me, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. The name I died with. It was a nice waste of time conversing with you kid. 

Me: Thanks..... I guess.

Walking Around

Walking Around by Pablo Neruda is a very dark play that represents a lot of the different things I have discussed throughout my blog posts. From the very first line, we know that he wants nothing to do with this life. "It so happens I am sick of being a man"(Neruda 1). The play represents a run-down look of a struggling class in society and even takes shots at the Communistic Government. Very similar to the oppression we saw in Persepolis also. He states all the things he doesn't want to say any more. "No more stores, no gardens, no more goods, no spectacles, no elevators"(Neruda 1). These represent all of the man-made things of life. I think he correlates all of these man-made things with oppression. He would rather we take it back to nature and all the natural things that made life simple, which in turn, happiness? Purity and happiness can only be achieved without all of these things. These things represent money, oppression, power, communism, centralization and all things that make our society terrible. To move forward, we have to step back. As ironic as it sound, it makes perfect sense to me.

Me: I know post-pilgrimmage Malcolm will agree with me on this one 

X: Yes, I do. We've become lost in all this materialism, that we have forgotten about the beauty of nature and what makes us truly happy. 

Me: So without this value of materials, the speaker won't be feel like he is in this "hell on earth" 

X: Correct. I'm starting to kind of like you Idris. Kind of.

Trying to find Chinatown Response

"You're on of those self-hating, assimilated Chinese-Americans, aren't you?"(Hwang 44). Trying to find Chinatown is an extremely funny dialogue between two "Asian" Americans. One is a white male(Benjamin) who was adopted by Asian Americans and the other is an actual Asian American(Ronnie) who has assimilated to the New York City lifestyle. The conversation is funny and it involves a lot of stereotypes and racism. Ronnie has stereotyped Benjamin to being a white guy and can't believe that he know so much about being Asian. I can sympathize with this because I am always stereotyped in all different ways because I have a unique look. Some people think I look Indian, some say Mexican, Afghan, Black/White combination. I get all sorts of different stereotypes because of my unique look. So I tend to get the bad frustrated easily because of this. When I was younger, it was hard for me to find a true identity. Thankfully, as I got older I started to look more like my race. The only problem was that very few people know where the country my parents are from is located. Some haven't even heard of it at all. Being a Libyan-American is harder than being a more commonly known race, in my opinion.

Me: Malcolm, how do you feel about this. 

X: All of you need to shut up, i'm dead because of the stereotypes and racism I received in my life. 

Me: But.... 

X: But nothing, without me, none of you would even have the rights you do today. 

Me: Alright, jeeez. Thanks Malcolm

Trifles

In class, I played the Sheriff in the Trifles play. This was a cool experience as I don't do acting scenes very much. I could definitely feel the authority in my veins when I was wearing that plastic badge. I tried doing a country accent and I failed miserably. I was also a terrible actor. This play was about a murder investigation in which a wife is suspected of strangling her husband. Two women find evidence and decide to hide the evidence, allowing the women to be acquitted. I believe the women did this because they had felt sympathy for the wife because she was so unhappy. This was scary and very twisted. Not unusual for Malcolm.

Me: Malcolm, you're no stranger to injustice, tell me what happened here. 

X: Well, just people hiding evidence messing with the system, happens all the time for the black community so they can put us in prison longer. 

Me: I see, do you think things will ever change. 

X: When people treat each other equally and stop sympathizing with their particular group, then things will get better. Until then, there will be no justice. 

Me: Sounds deep 

X: Yea, too complicated for a simpleton like you, Idris

Sound of a Voice

The Sound of a Voice was the perfect story about what isolation can do to people. As serious as this story was, I took it very lightly. I almost took it as a joke. I looked at it like it was a reality TV show like Big Brother. Put two middle-aged lonely people of the opposite sex in a house together and see what happens LOL. The man and the woman have a lot in common. They're both don't enjoy solitude, they're both lonely, and they're too scared to get hurt by love. Both characters have a lot of mystery to them. They are both very polite and even kind to each other. They have identical traits and identical flaws. I'm telling you, this is the perfect scene for a reality TV show. Better than Jersey Shore, Big Brother, and Survivor. On a more serious note, this play was very somber and sad. It was the true epitome of isolation. Malcolm knows quite a bit about isolation as he spent several years in prison.

Me: So what do you think, is isolation that bad?

X: It really is, but it's an opportunity to find yourself. 

Me: Do you think isolation helped or made things worse for the characters in Sound of a Voice? 

X: Definitely worse. There is no way that people can remain sane in the conditions they were in. Especially not you Idris, you're soft and you like to hear yourself talk too much. 

Me: Wow, Thank Malcolm 

X: Shut up bro

The Man in a Case

      A man named Byelinkov who is very strict, organized and educated is to marry a free spirited, immature, and playful girl named Varinka. Until something seems to bug Byelinkov. The Man in a Case is the perfect example of how things are like right now. How, do you ask? Because it's so tough to find someone that you can be compatible with. This play was refreshing at first. You see that two polar opposites were going to be married yet they still seemed to be in love with each other, or least "trying" to be in love with each other. I believe that this was short-lived. As the end of the play suggests that their relationship may not work out after all.  Let me give some background on the play first. Byelinkov and Varinka seem to be prepared to marry each other and throughout the play, they are conversing with one another about this possible marriage. Although they were very different from each other, they seemed to still be interested in each other.
      Until, that is, the bike comes up. Byelinkov doesn't seem to like the fact that Varinka rides her brother's bike around because she is a women and people have seen her doing this. Apparently, this seems to be the deal breaker for Byelinkov. When talking about her brother, he states "he has been careless-oh so careless- in giving you the bicycle (Wasserstein 24). The bike represents everything wrong with society and its' expectations. I feel as though Varinka is just a playful, innocent good girl and Byelinkov likes that about her but he couldn't man up to what the community will feel about Varinka and some of her actions. Things like this still occur today, we care too much about our image rather than about what we want. It seems as though Byelinkov may have thrown away something that he wanted and may have been good for him just because he couldn't man up to the judgment of society. That is very unfortunate.

X: He did the right thing. Society can be scary sometimes. I stood up against society and I got assassinated for it. 

Idris: Would you do it differently if you had the chance? 

X: Not in a million years. 

Persepolis Conclusion

   The ending to Persepolis is a very bittersweet one. Marjane is going to have a better opportunity and a second chance at her new school in Austria, but this could mean she will never live with her parents again. This is a sad moment, but we all knew that there was no place for Marjane in Iran anymore and it was time for a new beginning. 

   Much like when Malcolm X went to the pilgrimage and became a peaceful person rather than the cutthroat, "by any means" kind of leader. This was a new beginning for him. Finally, I had a new beginning by coming to De Anza, I had a second shot to do whatever I wanted. What I make of the next few years is entirely up to me. Once again, everyone needs a new beginning, and the end of Persepolis was a new beginning for Marjane Satrapi. Let's hear what Malcolm has to say about this! 

Me:  Malcolm, you know a lot about change and transformation. What do you think?

X: I think that it's important to really find yourself and what needs to be done for you to become a better person and blossom. 

Me: Is that what you did? 

X: I got lucky, my life changed in Prison. I could've gone either way. Luckily, I found myself as a leader rather than the life of a young thug I was living before. 

Me: So you think can your identity can be found in places you never expected? 

X: Exactly Idris, you're starting to catch on. 

Response to Persepolis: Michelle's Blog

       Me and my avatar are no strangers to Revolution. We grew up in different eras, yet we share this in common. He was a part of the African American and Muslim civil rights revolution that occurred in America. I, on the other hand, witnessed a revolution through social media. I would get phone calls from family members in Libya who would describe their shootouts with mercenaries. I heard about all sorts of things during the Libyan revolution. After it was over, my dad went to his home country for the first time in 35 years and I visited for the first time ever. I saw people who had been oppressed by a dictator for over 40 years and have finally found freedom for the first time. This was all because of a Revolution.

      In Persepolis, Marjane speaks of oppression all the time, the Iranian people had a revolution(Islamic), but this brought more oppression. They were in need of another.  The dictionary describes a revolution in 2 different definitions. One definition is "a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, especially one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence." Another definition is "an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed." The latter describes the revolutions in Libya and in Persepolis. The former could be used to describe the revolution that Malcolm X was a part of in America. Who would've thought that Malcolm X, Marjane, and I could have so much in common through revolution? 

 Me: Malcolm, you think we have a lot in common? 

X: You're just a young-minded child who still has a lot to learn 

Me: Well, isn't that what you were before you became a leader? 

X: hmmmmm... good point, maybe we do have something in common.

Veil or No Veil? Response

        Well, Marjane Satrapi makes a claim that Islamists during the Islamic Revolution in Iran made women wear the veil because their shiny hair is too seducing. I know, you might agree with this young, revolutionary Malcolm. This may not be the case. The veil is truly a beautiful thing and carries a beautiful concept with it. With that being said, no woman should be forced to wear anything.
        Even in Islam, women are recommended to wear the veil but should never be forced. When a woman feels she is ready and comfortable to wear one, then it it can be a modest, yet beautiful symbol. If she isn't ready or doesn't want to, she shouldn't be faulted for it. I know older Malcolm would agree with this after he learned about the REAL, peaceful Islam.

Me: What do you think Malcolm? 

X: You want my young thug opinion, my violent activist opinion, or my peaceful civil rights opinion? 

Me: Give me a little bit of everything 

X: Well in my youth, i'd say no veil so i could see all these beautiful women. My violent activist opinion would be for all women to completely cover up!! My peaceful, post pilgrimmage opinion is somewhere in the middle. Women should cover up but it should be their choice! 

Me: Wow, thanks Malcolm 

X: You're still soft Idris 

Me: ): 

Malcolm Avatar and Introduction

X: "Aggressive, by any means necessary"                            Idris: "Passive, let's talk it out over Facebook"

Malcolm X: You kids stand for nothing these days                             
Me: That's not true

X: All you guys stand for is twerking and social media    
what happened to all of the good youth?                                       

Me: There's still some of us who actually still care.  
You'll see through my blog the experiences that have shaped me and other youth of my generation into good people.

X: LOL I doubt it bro!                                                                    

Me: Oh Malcolm 

Hello Everyone, this is an introduction to my blog that I will be writing in for the next few weeks as a part of Ms. Patton's EWRT1A honors class. I've never blogged before, and I believe that I'm going to be absolutely terrible at this. So please, bare with me and Malcolm as we document these next few weeks of the things I learn about in English.