Part 2 Of Graphic Novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

For me, the second half of the graphic novel took a turn and was slightly different from the first half. Although it was different from the first half, it still mirrored the novel by splitting it into the narrative of Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case. This part of the book lacks dialogue and is made up of naration just like the novel. Without dialogue and just the narrator’s thoughts, the suspense has disappeared from the plot. The images and narration present Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll’s point of view in an interesting way. In my opinion, the novel’s representation of Lanyon’s narrative and the full statement of the case were better. The reason why I think it was better was because this was the most significant part of the story when everything is revealed and the case is solved. I think words, details and description are essential to inform the reader on the situation and everything that happened. Everything seemed short or cut down in the graphic novel. I feel like without description and elaboration, the graphic novel misses emphasis on important details. Although suspense and description are missing, the graphic novel still manages to convey the basic message with the help of little words. Through reading this I have come to realize that images and words share the same amount of importance and work together to balance a piece of work.

An image that I found interesting was on pages 92 and 93. In these images Jekyll sees himself as Edward Hyde in the mirror for the first time. The words suggest that he is surprised with his new appearance but not shocked that he is evil. He felt good about the change. This thought delighted him and he smiles and shows that he is satisfied and liked Edward Hyde. Out of many images, I felt that this one was a fairly good one and was like sort of a turning point for Jekyll. The words and graphics worked well in this picture to create an idea and there was no struggle.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Graphic Novel

Robert Stevenson’s novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was turned into a graphic novel with the help of Klimowski and Schejbal. In my opinion, the graphic novel presents many similarities and differences to the actual novel. I’ve never actually taken the time to read a comic book or graphic novel because I felt that it was only images with an incomprehensible plot. This graphic novel actually tells a story that is comprehensive. I’m sure that even if I did not read the novel first, I would still have a great understanding of the plot. I feel that the original novel and this novel did the same exact thing and equally told the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Even though they did the same exact thing, the graphic novel did present some differences. The first obvious difference was the presence of images. In the graphic, there are few words. The pictures and words that are present get straight to the point in the plot. This difference is both good and bad. It is good because there are no extra and unnecessary information to be read. It gets straight to the point and it is a fast read. The bad thing is that there is no suspense or anything to really guess about without the extra words and description. Besides the absence of suspense, the graphic novel enhances the novel’s message because it provides an image of things in the story and creates a better understanding. Pictures allow a reader to see what things really look like. Although a graphic novel allows a visual to a reader, the downfall is that the reader might not be able to pick up the theme as easily due to the lack of words, explanation and detail.

An image that caught my attention was an image on page thirty-nine. On this page, the clerk Mr. Guest and M. Utterson are sitting down examining and making out the writing of two letters. I think the drawing is interdependent. It can be viewed as interdependent because the pictures and words go hand in hand to convey a message that each could not do alone. They balance each other out. The images includes Mr. Guest and Mr. Utterson looking at the handwriting and is balanced with Guest’s dialogue, “You are right sir, a very odd hand.” In the second panel, representing a moment to moment time pass, they came to the conclusion that the two handwritings were similar in many ways. The message is very clear and could have been more enhanced if there were actual graphics of the two handwritings for the reader to see. There is no struggle to understand what is going on though. So far, I am enjoying the graphic novel.

Scholarly Article 2

There's Something about Hyde. By: Law, Jules, Novel: A Forum on Fiction, 00295132, Fall2009, Vol. 42, Issue 3

http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ehost/detail?sid=894dac3b-64e7-467d-928e-b827b242b06a%40sessionmgr112&vid=2&hid=125&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=47813591&anchor=AN0047813591-2

In this article Jules Law discusses Hyde and his inhumanity. She also talks about the rest of his characterisitcs and how they portray him as weird. She uses quotes and descriptions from Stevenson's novel to emphasize the type of character he is. THe article could be used for someone who is arguing the type of person Hyde is.

Scholary Article

Stiles, Anne. “Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde and the Double Brain”. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 46.4. pp. 879-900. Autumn 2006. Print.

In this article Anne Stiles discusses the theory of the double brain. She shares the idea that the left and right hemispheres have totally different characteristics that can both function individually. She believes that each hemisphere might house a separate personality and possibly a separate soul. This article definitely relates to the characters Jekyll and Hyde. This article is objective and not biased because it gives multiple ideas about the double brain theory. Anne Stiles’ work would be useful for someone arguing about the brains structure and how it influences personality and human behavior.

The Strange Case od Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde chapters 8-10

These last three chapters bring the novel to a close in an interesting way. The way the novel is written takes a turn and changes perspectives. In chapter 8 the novel is told as Dr. Lanyon’s narrative. In his narrative Lanyon reads and describes a letter that he received from Jekyll. He also shares his experience of visiting him. In this letter, Jekyll designates Lanyon as one of his closest friends and he gives him multiple tasks and responsibilities to complete for him. What he tells Lanyon to do is very important and if it isn’t done Lanyon will be responsible for Jekyll’s life. In this letter Jekyll orders him to go to his house, meet Mr. Poole and a locksmith and remove all the contents from the drawers in his room. He was told to bring these things to Cavendish Square exactly the way he found them. All of this made Lanyon think Jekyll was insane. He does everything he is ordered to and meets up with a man at the Square. He watches this man mix powders and chemicals and drink it. He watches in terror because the man that once a stranger had now become Henry Jekyll. After all this happens, the novel changes to Jekyll’s full statement of the case. In this chapter he talks about his dual personality and how they began. He discussed the differences between Jekyll and Hyde. He was once able to control the changes between personalities but then Hyde became so powerful and chemicals were no longer needed for the change. It became voluntary and it was ultimately hurting Jekyll. At the end of the case, there is the death of Jekyll and Hyde prevails.

A quote that caught my attention was, “[…] that man is not truly one, but truly two” (48). I totally agree with this and not only do I agree with this because of Jekyll’s case. I believe everyone has different personalities because of the structure of the brain and also depending on the situation and environment they are in. Another quote that I found interesting was, “I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness even I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both […] elements” (49). I think it took a lot of courage and acceptance for him to admit that he is both of these people no matter what anyone or himself tells him. Many people would deny this. I think that him admitting this, brings a type of closure to the novel.

I would like to ask the author why did Jekyll ultimately choose to live as Hyde is he brought him so much pain?

What will happen to Hyde? Will he be discovered and killed?

Wallen, Jeffrey. "Falling Under an Evil Influence." Promoting and Producing Evil. Ed. Nancy Billias. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Rodopi, 2010. 67-93. At the Interface/Probing the Boundaries 63. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Chapters 5-8

 

These four chapters were very intersting. As I continue to read the story continues to grow more intriguing. I feel that these chapters are very significant to the story because this is where secrets start to unfold and the mysterybegins and builds up. After Mr. Hyde kills Carew he disappears. After this event of murder, Dr. Jekyll coincidentally begins to act strange and his behavior starts to change. Utterson and everyone else start to become suspicious and worried aout him. At one point Dr. Jekyll gives Utterson a letter to read, and he said it was delivered by someone anonymous. This letter is supposedly from the murderer. Utterson reads it and compares the handwriting to something Jekyll had written earlier and he realizes that it is the same handwriting, just with a different tilt. After this strange event a couple of other events occur. Mr. Poole and other people in Jekyll's house start to fret because he is acting very stange and is not himself. They witness that he wants to be isolated, he has a voice change and is asking for strong drugs. Mr. Poole also says that one day he seen Jekyll with a "mask on. He descibes the mask and body to Utterson and they discover that this is the identity of Mr. Hyde. This pushes them to take action and break into Jekyll's room to see what is going on. They hear yelling and weird noises but once they enter the room they find the twisted and twitching body or Hyde and Jekyll had dissappered. At this point in the story everyone is confused and left with questions to be answered.
A quote that drew my attention was, "there's a rather singular resemblance; the two hands in many points are identical:only differently sloped. [...] "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!"(28). This is significant because it is an event that leads Utterson to question Jekyll and the type of person he really is. I feel that the resemblance int he writing also represents the similarities in Hyde and Jekyll's characters. Another quote that caught my attention was, "Now that the evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr. Jekyll. He came out of his seclusion, renewed relations with his friends, became once more their familiar guest and entertainer; and whilst he had always been known for charities, he was now no less distinguished for religion" (29). This was seen as important to me because it seems as if he is relieved because Hyde is "gone". It interests me that he feels like this so only to find out that he will become extremely ill with the situation.
Two questions that I would like to ask the author are:
1. How does Dr. Jekyll's alter ego Mr. Hyde come about? Does he appear with guilt, whenever he wants, or with the help of drugs?
2. If Mr. Hyde's unmoving body is left at the house, then where is Jekyll? How does this alter ego thing work?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Chapters 1-4

This book, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is a book that is written in a peculiar way, but it is still an engaging mystery. Chapters 1-4 were very interesting and stopping at Chapter 4 was bittersweet. The actual mysterious plot starts to develop and pick up. In these chapters we are introduced to Mr. Utterson, Mr. Richard Enfield, Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson is a lawyer and a friend of Mr. Richard Enenfield and Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Hyde comes into the triangle when Mr. Enefield sees him at a suspicious and this special building belongs to Dr. Jekyll. He also finds out thar Mr.Hyde is in Dr. Jekyll's will. He is concerned about Dr. Jekyll's well being and confronts him about the situation and shares his thoughts and feelings about Hyde. Jekyll is a nice man that is concerned about Hyde's well being and tells Utterson he knows what he is doing and makes him promise to leave the situation alone. Time passes and then an incident occurs that adds to Utterson's suspicion of Hyde. A man amed Mr. Carew was delivering an envelope to Mr. Utterson but was delivering an envelope to Mr. Utterson but was murdered by Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde and an inspector go tohis house to find that he isn't there. They search the rooms of the house and find a piece  of the murder weapon which further adds to the suspicion. Now they have to figure out the whereabouts of Mr. Hyde, further investigate and solve the case.
These chapters were very intruiging and a quote that caught my attention was "If he be Mr. Hyde," he had thought,"I shall be Mr. Seek" (15). This quote showed that Mr. Utterson knows that something is up with Mr. Hyde and he is determined to find him. It sets up the plot and Utterson's purpose in it. Another quote that caught my attention was, "[...] Mr. Hyde broke out all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next mommwnt, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot, and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway"(22). This really stunned me and I think it is important because it satisfies Utterson's suspicions and thoughts about Hyde. He is now a suspect and creates the plot even more.
Two questions that I would ask are:
What is the history and background of Hyde and Jekyll, and Utterson and Hyde?
Why is Hyde in Jekyll's will?
Why does Utterson start to investigate Hyde in the first place, and why is he so concerned about Jekyll?

The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky

1. Shape: The author’s writing follows the form and sequence of a fiction story. It is told chronologically and broke down into flashbacks and it follows logically. This form and sequence help establish and fulfill my expectations. It is written as a fiction and chronologically so I expect it to have a beginning, middle, and end. Its set up is very clear and the shape affects all other elements because it is like the background in a sense.

2. Language: The author’s choice of words, sentences, sounds, silences and figures of speech also suggest that this writing is a fictional story. The way something is worded and created suggests what type of writing it is.

3. Participants: The relationships, conflicts and changes that can be observed within or among the characters are between Jack and his wife and Jack and Scratchy. If the story was looked at from different characters’ point of view, everything would be told different and seem different too. From the author’s point of view, it seems that he is on Jack’s side.

4. Setting: The work’s situation in space, time and cultural circumstance influence the assumptions, actions, behaviors and events within the work. The setting presumes the behaviors, values and social understandings of being a hero in a town, having it be okay to have gun fights. It is totally a different time and place, therefore different thing are accepted.

"A Person is a Person Because of Other People"

1. In this poem, Jeremy Cronin a South Africa got arrested for supporting the African National Congress and their efforts to gain political rights for non-white citizens in their country. He shares his prison experiences. A prisoner has to keep silent while trying to communicate with another prisoner. They secretly communicate with each other and tell each other to stay strong through a mirror.

2. From this poem, I learn that this man is a supportive and not prejudice against non-white citizens in his country. He is an individual that will do anything to gain justice and do what is right. He does what he does to help gain political rights for these specific citizens. He wants to maintain communication and strength between the prisoners and he gets hat he wants. This is important because it shows that there is still hope.

3. This situation influences the events and behavior in the general setting of a prison and the particular setting of a South Africa prison because it established a form of communication for prisoners. It affects the emotional impact of the work because they feel closer and more connected which forms a bond. They’ll he happier and get work done more efficiently.

4. I think that it was really brave and courageous of Jeremy Cronin to do this. It makes me feel impressed and like there is hope and you should fight for what you want, because you can make a difference, have a story, make history and inspire others to do the same. I’ve felt this way with learning about the stories of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Ghandi and other leaders who made history.

5. I believe the title of the poem means exactly what it says. It fits the poem. I think the title is saying we need each other for company and to validate and support each other. People and their interactions make the world go around. We feel important or needed because of others.

Man's Nature is Evil

Hsun Tzu wrote a contrasting article to Mencius, entitled Man's Nature is Evil. Although Mencius had some great points and ideas on humans and Confucianism, Hsun did too. Both of these philosophers have credible topics and ideas about human nature. Hsun Tzu believed that there is no way that human nature is inherently good. He believed tht our nature is evil and in order to have some type of discipline we must be ruled by strict law and harsh penalty for disobedience. His main idea and theory is that goodness is only the result of concious activity. Throughout his wrting, he also gives good examples, analogies and other writing tools to emphasize his idea that man's nature is evil. He believes that there is a difference between nature and concious activity. It seems that he says people are only good when they are concious, disciplined and actually thinking. In his eye's our nature is evil, and there is a difference between it and the good. A quote that drew my attention was when he said, "Man's nature is evil; goodness is the result of concious activity" (100). I feel like both of these philosophers can be combined after reading this statement. Mancius says that if we practice good it will become permanent. Something being practiced is concious activity. With this being said I think man's nature is both good and evil. Another quote that interested ma and made me believe that man's nature is half and half is when he said, "Similarly, since man's nature is evil, it must wait for the instructions of a teacher before it become upright, and for the guidance of ritual principles before it become orderly" (101). I do agree that humans need rule. This made me think that this is why God made the ten commandments to keep his people in order. I think that there is a combination of both in human nature.

Man's Nature is Good

I dont know where to start to describe this article. Man's Nature is Good was far beyond interesting and had many debateable ideas. Chinese philosopher Mencius shared his ideas and thoughts on the development of Conficianism and how he believes that it is human nature for a person to be good. I found this article to be very credible and he did a good job and gave good examples, analogies and other writing tools to discuss human behavior and claim that ournature is good. Mencius believed that humans are inherently good and can be perfect if they have theproper leaders and training. His ideas overide Hsun Tzu's ideas and influenced and shaped future genrations of Confucians. Although his ideas made sense I also agree with Kao Tzu's idea tht human nature is a "blank slate". Everything depends on the conditions. There were many ideas in this article that caught my attention and changed my insight on the nature of humans and Confucianism. A quote that interested me was when Mencius said, "Think about water: if you slap it, you can make it jump over your head; and if you push and shove, you can make it stay on a mountain. But what does this have to do with the nature of water? It's only responding to th forces around it. It's like that for people too: you can make them evil, but that says nothing about human nature"(95). This makes total sense. I like the idea and agree that humans are like water and are shaped and respond to the forces and conditions around them. Another quote that caught my attention was when he says, "They're part of us from the beginning [...] what you seek, you will find, and what you ignore you will lose" (96). I totally agree with this. If you persue and practice goodness, you'll keep it. This also works for anything else, such as sports.

Annotated Bibliography for Carl Jung's Shadow Self

Carl Jung's article Shadow Self  gives his view and insight on the contents of personal unconcious and the collective unconcious. The point of this article was to present the contents of the unconcious and their accessible archetypes the shadow, the anima and the animus. Carl focuses on the most accessible archetype which is the shadow. In his article he covers moral problems and effort, personality, emotional nature, projections andits affects, and anima and animus. Overall, this article gives an insight on the unconcious and its subtopics.
The goal of this article was to discuss the contents of the unconcious. This would be a useful source for someone who is interested and evaluating human behavior and the self. This article is not biased at all. It discusses the self in general and is written for every and anybody. Some ideas are unclear and could have more detail and explanantion to create a better understanding for readers.
The article was helpful and allowed me to gain a better insight on the individual and conciousness. This is an arguable subject but Carl Jung's is credible and I would use it as oneof my sources.

Carl Jung's Shadow Self

Carl Jung's article Shadow Self  was an interesting piece of writing that discussed the contents of the personal unconcious which is said to be acquired during the individual's lifetime. The contrasting idea was the idea that the contents of the collective unconcious occur since the beginning. These things are said to have an influence on someone's ego. The most acessible archetypes that has an affect on ego are shadow, the anima and animus. The shadow is most accessible and the easiest to experience because it can be inferred from the personal unconcious. Shadow challenges the whole ego personality. The emotional nature and conciousness also comes into play when shadowing takes place. Moral effort, and aspects of the prsonality are also recognized and involved. When examining these characteristics, the emotional nature is revealed. After dicussing the emotional nature, Carl talks about projections which are characterized as a moral achievement because it means one would be concious and aware of what they are doing. He also discussed anima and animus. Overall this was an interesting article about shadow and self. A quote that I found interesting was when Carl said, "The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become concious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become concious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real" (145). I agre with him and how he says that the shadow is a moral problem. I also think that personality and ego are both parts of conciousness that a person has to recognize. Another quote that caught my attention was, "[...] the contents of the prconal unconcious are acquired during the individual's lifetime, the contens of the collective unconcious are ivariable archetypes that were present from the beginning" (145). This is an interesting way to catagorize conciousness. I would have never been able to think of it like this. THis quote is a good introductory line and it sets up the article and its ideas. Some things wee unclear, but I enjod the article as a whole because I gained a new insight on conciousness and the self.

Hospitals and Spacing (essay)

Rayana White

Professor Rowley

English 114B

14 March 2012

Hospitals and Spacing

What comes to mind when you think about the hospital? Are you excited when you have to take a trip there? When someone has to visit the hospital, it is most likely not for a good reason. Since many people dread the hospital and what goes on there, it is a good idea to make them feel as relaxed, safe and comfortable as possible. Creating a comfortable and well organized environment can be executed through using the appropriate spacing and design. Specific spacing and design can improve people’s view of a hospital, its actual appearance, and responses and recoveries from patients. Great spacing and specific organization can ensure quality performance from staff and satisfaction for patients. The hospital plays a huge role in our society and it is very important that they execute their tasks to the best of their ability to lead the public to believe that they have a reliable place where they can receive the proper care when necessary. The hospital is a health care institution that provides patients with the service and care that they need in order to regain all means of good health. In addition to meeting all of their patients’ needs, the hospital must create a comfortable environment and be highly aware of spacing, design and organization to ensure a well functioning society. The appropriate spacing, design and organization can help keep the hospital in order, assist in providing the proper care and make patients feel at home.

Space is an aspect that has many effects on the people and things occupying it. Space develops a relationship with the things around it. It is often overlooked, but it is very important to the world. Spacing affects allocation, communication and responses, and how people feel, act and behave in a certain place. These affects emphasize that the quality of space is more important than the quantity of space. These are multiple types of spaces that satisfy people’s needs and affect their behavior. Oscar Newman adds to argument in Human Behavior and Housing when he says, “defensible space […] includes public, semipublic, semiprivate, and private territories (1972)” (3). All of these spaces are territorial areas that meet the certain needs of a person. Semipublic spaces are areas that are publicly owned, semiprivate includes yards or spaces owned by association. Private space is the interior of an area. These areas are spaced and designed like this for the specific reason that people require different amounts of space and privacy.

When it comes down to designing and organizing a hospital it is essential to remember that staff and patients need a certain amount of space for themselves in order to have a well functioning society. The hospital is such a critical place and that is why every little thing matters there. To have a safe and organized environment the hospital must separate things and place buildings, rooms and supplies in the appropriate place. Hospitals are organized by the type of care and amount of attention patients require. In A to Z of Hospital Departments, Dr. Roger Henderson supports the idea of hospital organization. He states the different departments as being, “ Emergency Room, Anesthetics, Cardiology, ICU (Intensive Care Unit), Diagnostic Surgery, Gynecology, Hematology, Maternity Department, Microbiology, Neonatal Unit, Neurology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational therapy, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pharmacy, Radiotherapy, Rheumatology, Sexual Health, Pediatrics, Urology, Radiology and much more. Each department tends to be overseen by consultants in that specialty with a team of junior medical staff under them who are also interested in that specialty.” This separation allows specialists to perform to the best of their ability without distractions from other departments. Having different assigned for specific cares is a factor that ensures that patients feel at home and receive all the attention they need in order to feel better. This demonstrates how spacing, design and organization can contribute to a perfect society and the well-being of the hospital staff and patients.

Along with the organization of the hospital, the interior design also affects the people in the area. Things such as lighting, color, storage, furniture, privacy, and cleanliness can affect how patients feel and how fast they recover. Patients should be mentally and physically comfortable while at the hospital and these things can help. In Healing by Design, C. Robert Horsburg says that, “The quality of space in such buildings affects the outcome of medical care, and architectural design is thus an important part of the healing process.” I agree that the quality of a space is way more important than the quantity. The quality of a hospital can definitely affect the way patients heal. Joseph Anjali and Rashid Mahhub add to the argument in The architecture of safety: hospital design, when they say, “Features of hospital design that are linked to patient safety in the literature include noise, air quality, lighting conditions, patient room design, unit layout, and several other interior design features. Some of these features act as latent conditions for adverse events, and impact safety outcomes directly and indirectly by impacting staff working conditions. Others act as barriers to adverse events by providing hospital staff with opportunities for preventing accidents before they occur. ” This shows that every little simple thing affects patients in a hospital. Staff should make sure that they pay close attention to these things to keep the patients and themselves safe and happy.

Although all of these things can help patients recover and heal quicker, one may argue that there is no way that the spacing, design and organization can make a patient feel better about being at a hospital. They are there for a reason and there is no sugar coating it. Hospitals are a place where sick people who need help go. They have a problem and spacing would only work as a distraction for them, but in reality they are still sick. Medicine and care is what makes them heal and recover, not spacing, organization and design.

Overall spacing is important because it affects a location, communication and responses and the way people act, feel and behavior. The benefits of spacing, organization and design all come into play when building an association. The hospital is a prime example of how these things can improve the quality of an environment. Staff performance and patient recovery are proof that spacing does affect a society. When designing an association it is important to consider everybody’s privacy and likings to make sure that everyone is satisfied and comfortable.

Works Cited

Whitehouse S., Varni J.W., Seid M., Cooper-Marcus C., Ensberg M.J., Jacobs J.R., Mehlenbeck R.S.

Evaluating a children's hospital garden environment: Utilization and consumer satisfaction

(2001) Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21 (3), pp. 301-314. Anjalia, Joseph, and Rashid Mahbubb. "The Architecture of Safety:hospital Design:Current Opinion in Critical Care." Current Opinion in Critical Care: Volume 13.Issue 6 (2007): 714-19. Web. Horsburgh, Robert C. Healing in Design. Web. Henderson, Roger. "A to Z of Hospital Departments." Netdoctor. Web. 15 Mar. 2012.

Campus Space

The article Campus Space was very interesting and one of my favorites so far because I can relate to it. The scenario at the beginning of the article was very relatable. I still remember when I was in the process of visiting college campuses. All I was focused on was the campus and if it was inviting and made me feel at home. This whole article emphasizes how important space is. Physical design and space can influence someone's behavior and the decisions they make and their behavior. I totally agree that an environment can and does have an influence on human behavior. The three different views of probablism, determinism, architectural or environmental probabilism were interesting and I could not just agree with one. They all had good points that made sense to me. I realized that while choosing my college those positions were present and I wasn’t even aware of it. This whole article interested me, but a quote that I wanted to respond to was, "In the Education building she did notice a carpeted classroom with moveable chairs, tables, and several pieces of visual aid equipment. This was what she was hoping to find, since MRU was marketing itself as "a learning university with a college feel" (10). I feel that a classroom and its space is very important and should make a student feel comfortable. The first classroom I seen at CSUN was in Sequoia Hall and i felt that it was very spacious and I was very comfortable and that was a plus for the campus. Another quote that caught my attention was, "The appearance of the campus is, by far, the most influential characteristic during campus visits, and we gained the distinct impression that when it comes to recruiting students, the director of buildings and grounds may be more important than the academic dean" (17). I agree that the campus and spacing of a school is the most influential characteristic that helps a student determine what college they aer attending. I chose CSUN because the campus made me feel comfortable and its spacing was perfect. Far away but still close enough to home to commute if I need something. I have come to realize that spacing is a very important factor when it comes to designing buildings and recruiting people.

Hmmm..Comic Book Set in LA?

Los Angeles is an interstinhg place where a lot happens throughout a normal and rtegular day. LA is unigue amd known for its weather, open space, friendly people and more.  The way our city built and its geographical features also contribute to how our city is looked at by others. In my opinion, Los Angeles is the city that people mistake for Hollywood. We are popular for acting, movies, and the media. It would be interesting if we were popular for something else, how New York City is popular for comics.
If a comic book were to be set in LA, everything would be totally different because of the type of city we are. I feel like a comic book set in LA would be pretty boring unless it took place late at night andin a bad neighborhood because everything is visible out here. Nothing is concealed in LA and it is always bright and sunny. It would be pretty awkward to see villians and superheroes fighting in broad daylight. In LA, I also think that superheroes would have to be in disguise all the time because unlike New York there is open space and there is nowhere to quickly dart away and hide. There is also a good amount of crime out here, so I think anyone could be a secret villian. LA is a very spacious city and everyone knows each other. I feel like LA would make a horrible place for a comic book to take place. It is the total opposite of New York and it just wouldn't have the same affect. We should leave the comic book industry up to New York City.

Renovation in my Neighborhood

There are many places in my neighborhood that could use some renovation and improvement. The place that I chose to discuss is the church I attend. Renovation of our church and its parking lot has been an issue for many years, and there still hasn't been a decision made becaue people want different things. I do not go to a very big church and it isn't very popular either. My church is small and wasn't intended for many people to attend. With that being said, the parking lot for the church members is also very small. Over the years the numbersof people attending the church has increased. With more people starting t oattend our church, parking space has become a problem. Memebers complain that the lot is not big enough. There is always the option to park on the street and the neighborhood. Our church isn't in the best neighborhoos, so members complain about crime and being afraid of coming out of church and not having a car to drive home. With so many issues going on, some people think it is a good idea to expand the parking lot by decreasing the size of the church which makes absolutely no sense. If you decrease the size of the church, less people will be able to attend, therefore we wouldn't need extra parking space. In my opinion, I think that people should just use other methods of transportation such as walking, the bus, bike or taxi, so that they wont have to worry about a parking space. I believe we shuld leave the church and its parking lot just the way it is.

Comic Book Space

The article Comic Book Space used New Yorl City, Marvel Universe and Spider Man to emphasize tha the space an author decides to use and write about truely affects the comic in every way. I learned that New York City is the birthplace of the American comic industry. The  writers, artists and publishers were all first located  in New York. It is said that New York City gives fictional stories and series a sense of reality because of its architecture and ability to adapt to the demands of the narrative. Marvel Comics and Universe used New York as a foreground . Movies like X-Men, Spider Man, Captain America, Fantastic Four and other popular movies took place in New York and were also made into comics. These superheroes and their characteristics are defined by the place they live in. To be honest, this article wasn't very interesting but there were two quotes that were able to catch my attention. The first one was, "Through Spider-Man I want to interrogate the realtionships between New York City and the Marvel Universe and how over 70 years of their coexistence on the printed page, each has come to depend on the other" (164). The reason why this caught my attention was because I feel like the setting of a story or comic does create a relationship and determines all that will happen and take place throughout the plot. I do feel that they are dependent on each other. Another quote that slightly interested me was "Marvel superheroes are very much these "extraordinary" figures "in an ardinary world" as opposed to DC superheroes including Batman --- who function more as archetypes in "heightened and exaggerated" cities, kept removed from our own" (166). To me, this quote shows that since the plots and comics are stationed in different places, the characters and superheroes are bound to be different because the environment they are living in. These two quotes helped me to see tha space has a pretty strong impact on everything.

My Ideal "Workplace"

Hahaha!!!! If money werent an issue in this world today, we would all be satisfied and have what we wanted. Wouldnt we? I know I would. I would be able to get whatever I wanted done because I would have everything I needed. Everythign in my possession would be ideal and just the way i want it, and I would be successful.
My work/study place would be exactly what I've dreamed of if money weren't an object. I would start off with my area being colossal and very spacious so that I have space to do whatever I want. I want to be comfortable and I dont like being crammed up, especially while doing work. Since I have ample space, I would need a whole bunch of accessories to beautify, personalize and make it my own. To ensure that I'm comfortable I would have multiple types of seating.My place would have couches for guests, love seats, a recliner for me, a spa chair for when its time to relax or take a break, and a chair that gives me massages. To add to the relaxing vibe, i would have lights that I could dim, candles and of coarse an indoor waterfall because the sound of water is so soothing to me. There would also be paintings of nature all over the white walls along with other homely decorations.. I would also have music with  surround sound playing in the background because music helps me focus. To occupy more of my space, I would add my personal refridgerator and bathroom so I would have to get up and leave the room.
I would have all of these things in my ideal space because it reflects me and would ensure that I am comfortable while doing my work.

The End of Public Space?

This article was very interesting because its topic was one that could be arhues different ways and be debated. The main ides and argument of this article is the struglle over public space. Another question that was posed was whether or not everyone should have the right to a public space. The Berkeley city council and Reagan Bush era students had an idea of building dorms on People's Park. In 1989, homelessness was also a questioned posed. The rights that homeless people had to the city and the park was also questioned. The People's Park was supposed to be a public place but Berkeley's city and city council believed that they should have restrictions or use the space for something else because they believed that with the homeless and others there it was a poor representation of the community. They told the public they only wanted to beautify the patk without removing the homeless, but ultimately volleyball riots occured and they did exavtly the opposite.
This article actually kept my attention because I was curious of what the outcome and solution to th eproblem turned out to be. A quote that drew my attention was, "what right did the homeless have to the city? And in the city, what right did they have to the park" (118). This quote is significant because I feel its the main focus of the article and Berekely city council. I believe that homeless people are entitled t othe same rights as any other individual. I also believe thay have all the right to the park because it is a public space where anyone is welcomed to visit. It seems as if shelters and other places arent available for them, so they have no other choice but to go to People's Park. Another quote that interested me was, "the university would lease a portion of the land to the city of Berkeley for a trial basis. The city dtermined that its portions of the park would be dedicated to uder-control; but it also began exploring ways to remove the homeless people who camped there. To aid in this effort, the chancellor pledged $1 million a year for 10 years to the city to help defray the costs of aid to the homeless and other services"(120). I think that if the homeless people arent bothering others or causing a problem, why remove them? Instead of spending money to get rid of them, they should just spend that money to ensure that they have their basic essentials to survive. Homeless should not be treated any differntly than anyone else.

My Study Place

Do you dread when the time to study comes? Well I surely do. I dread studying for any subject because it consumes so much of my time. When I study, there are many steps I take to prepare for the gruesome task. I have come to realize that my studying process isnt very effective if I am not comfortable in my studying environment. Now that I am in college, studying on my own has become much more difficult and much of a pass time. I must make sure that my studying is effective. I have also realized thay study habits and the perfect studying environment also helps me retain the information I need.

As of now, I am not too happy with my current study place. I often have to migrate to another space because I am not very productive in my current space. My current study space is an apartment I share with two of  my friends. This study place has its benefits and disadvantages. It has more disadvantages in my eyes and that is why I sometimes choose to do homework and study somewhere else. THe number one problem with my study place is that two of my best friends are located there. This is a big NO NO!!! I love my friends but they can be a big distraction when I am trying to be distracted. We love talking and laughing about everything that goes on in life. We can go on and on for hours about completely nothing. Another disadvantage is that I am the tidy one of the group. My area of the room is clean, but everything else is quite disorganized. When things are out of order I get confused and cant think properly. A well organized and clean place is essential for my studyig to be productive. In addition to not being as tidy as it could be, ther isn't much decoration that makes me feel motivated or happy to study. I feel like if we add color and excitement to the apartment it would be a much better studying environment. I hate studying in dull dark places. Studying is already boring, so I need to make sure I'm in a place that looks lively and inviting. I also think that I can get entirely too comfortable at the house. I can easily fall asleep, turn on the TV, watch a movie or go to the refridgerator and never come back. The only time studying is effective here is when we all do math together. We are all in the same math level and class, therefore we do math homework and study togethre. This is effective because we all can relate to a subject.

My ideal study place is in the library, USU, or environment where everyone is focused and ding the same thing as me. The environment is more scholarly and school-like and I feel like that is why I enjoy studying there. There are also chairs and tables in which I can sit in rather than a comfortable bed where I can go to sleep. I want to get my work done and go home to fun. I think that is why I stay so focused and get work done while on campus. My study is effective in a place where I dont know anyone and I dont have any distractons. All I need is a bunch of strangers surrounding me and some music and I am just fine!!

Disneyland

1. What is remediation?
Remediation is the action of recreating a world from a film or television show or movie with things such as lights, sounds, music, characters and much more. Remidiation makes a person feel like they are in a film or in  another world.

2. In what ways is Disneyland a narrative place?
Disneyland's park is a narrative space because no matter where you go in the park, there is a story being told. Stories are told by the rides, gift shops, performances, characters and much more. The whole park is just many stories folded into one.

3. In what ways is Disneyland designed to "remind visitors of the media that surrounds them"?
Disneyland's architecture and features are based off of popular television shows and films. Disneyland keeps us with these things and designs the park in a way that the visitors can have a good experience and feel as if they are part of the media. With the way that this park is set up many generations can reminsce and pass down films that were made.  These films will always be around because the park is made in a way in which you cant forget them.

4.In what ways does Disneyland promise an "authentic emotional experience"?
Disneylad promises an "authentic emotional experience" by having the park appeal to immediacy of physical presence. The rides offer sound, light and tactile sensations, the animated characters roam the park and the themed architecture give visitors exhilaration of being surrounded by media. They want to make it feeland seem so real. They are passing down an experience and making visitors feel like they are in the film.

5. Why does Disneyland want to offer it patrons a chance to "enter into" their films?
Disneyland wants to offer its patron a chance to "enter into" their films so they can have an authentic experience and atually feel like it is real and not a fantasy.

Does Disneyland make you feel like you are part of their family and experience?

Lack of Communication Thesis/Intro

Are you addicted to texting, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or any other social media websites? Well I am and so are other people that I know. People may think that these websites are a way of finding old friends and keeping in contact with them. This is true in a sense, but social media websites and texting can cause alack of communication. Although texting and social media websites can hep you find old friends, it can also e frowned upon because it discourages communication and actual face-to-face interactions amongst individuals. It is an easy way out of spending time and talking to the people youlove.

The Fight Between Humans and Robots

Chelcee laid on the couch in boredom watching TV and stuffing her mouth with Slim Jims and a 42 ounce Big Gulp. She reluctantly watched an advertisement about a new advancement on flying cars and robots. Chelcee began to feel worthless and frustrated. She wanted to change the channel and started to panic because the remote control was too far away. Chelcee felt even stupider once she remembered she had a voice activated TV in which she could change the channel without even lifting a finger. She realized that her everyday routine of sitting on the couch jobless and having everything mechanically done for her was getting far beyond boring.

Chelcee said aloud, "Gosh with these robots and technology taking over I’m not too sure what my purpose of life is."

While Chelcee was depressed in her house the outside life was very active. Chelcee sat in her house depressed, fat and totally reliable on technology. It was the year 2030 and robots and artificial intelligence had become so advanced that man kind's purpose had become questionable. These advancements were both beneficial and harmful to humans. With robots being able to do everything, Chelcee and everyone else enjoyed having everything done for them. On the flip side, this was also harmful because humans could not get a job or do anything in the outside world since robots functioned better than them and were so competitive.

One day Chelcee secretly organized a city meeting to discuss the issues that were occurring in their city. She was fed up with being useless, but she couldn’t let the government know because they too were robots, but the really aggressive, power greedy kind. On a Wednesday morning, Chelcee and plenty of other humans secretly filed into an abandoned hall down the street from her house. Somehow word about the secret meeting escaped. While Chelcee and her peers were discussing how to eliminate robots from their community, the robotic government officials busted through the door with weapons. Chelcee and her peers got up and held up their foldable chairs in defense. The government officials charged at the humans with their weapons and this is when the brawl began. Of course humans were so accustomed to robots doing everything for them that they did not know how to fight or defend themselves. We all know how this ended. The government officials demolished the humans and gained all the power they had desired. Most of mankind was extinct. The individuals that were left became slaves for the robots. By the year 2050 all humans had become extinct because they could not adapt to the fast life that the robots expected them to. Unfortunately robots won this battle.

The Veldt

In the article The Veldt there was a family of a husband, wife and two kids that lived in a super advanced house that did everthing for them. These people have no roles or responsibilities in life because everything was done for them. This short story seems as if it takes place in virtual reality. Nothing seems real. The parents begin to notice that their children are behaving suspiciously and call in a psychologist to try and pinpoint the problem and fix it. Their house is so fancy and advanced that they ae uncapable of doing anything for themselves. Their children also have a special nursery in which they can be involved in any scenario. The parents see this nursery as a  dangerous veldt in Africa. They believe this veldt is dangerous because their children disappear  for hours at a time and they always see and hear lions in this scenario. The parents begin to fret and forbid their children to go back to this place. To get away from everything the family decides to go on a vacation and actually experience things in the real world and do things for themselves.
At the end, one last time, the children invite their parents into the veldt and it seems that they disappear.


I didnt really understand this story but I believe the main idea or message it was trying to get across is that us humans depend on technology and other advancements so much that we have become incapable of doing things on our own. It was amazing to me how in this story these people lived inthis special house and did absolutely nothing for themsleves. As evidence of this, the mother starts to feel bad about herself. She begins to cry because she realizes that she doesnt have enough to do and that is why she has so much time on her hands to think and worry. She also realizes that she has become useless when she says, "That's just it. I feel like I don't belong here. The house is wife and mother now and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt? Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can? I can not" (10). I feel that this is a good justifying example that humans have become to dependent and advancements in this world. I was always told that too much of one thing is good for nothing. These parents just tried to do something nice for therir kids by giving them a nursery, but it turns out that the kids take advantage of it and it backfires on the parents. The children start to misbehave, keep secrets and disobey they parents. I feel like this is a parallel to children using the Internet for social media networks.


Another idea that caught my attention was when Mr. McClean tells them what the problem is. He says "You've let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children's affections. This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents. And now you come along and want to shut it off. No wonder there's hatred here"( 16). I agree that this is the reason for the hatred and misbehavior. You cant just give someone something and then try to take it away and not expect them to react. This story demonstrates how people are attatched to technology.

The Exprience Machine

In this article, Harvard philosopher Robert Nozick shares his ideas about the value of one making their own choices. He supports his idea tha making your own choices is valuable by creating a scenario of being able to live through an experience machine. Robert Nozick presented the question of whether or not someone should plug int an experience machine for life, preprogramming their life experiences. He compares and parallels his idea of the experience machine with the Matrix. After this he gives three reasons on why someone should not plug into the experience machine, elaborates, and connects it back to his main idea tha making choices for yourself in life is very valuable.
A quote that caught my attention and made me want to respond was when Nozick said, "All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attatched to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life's experiences?"I totally agree with Robert Nozicks ideas about the experience machine and making choices. I would not plug  into an experience machine for life.Just the thought and sound of preprogramming your life's experiences sound unatural and plain ole boring. Picking your experiences, planning them ahead of time is boring and ruins the purpose of live becausee you aren't really living ut the experience, you are just there. Who wants to plan their life out and be plugged up for two years at a time? BORRIINGG!!! With being plugged up to an experience machine you are sure to get what you want in life, but evrything is predictable, lacks thrill and you arent able to actually interact in real life. Although your brain neurons are stimulated and these experiences are indistinguishable from the real world, you cant make choices or change anything after it is already planned and your plugged in. I also answered the question, "Why not plug into the experience machine?" I agree with all of Nozick's reasons on why a human shouldn't plug into the experience machine. His reasons are that a human needs to do things rather than just experiene them. A person needs to be a certain way to be a certain type of person. I agree with his last reason the most. If a human decided to plug up to the experience amchine they would be limited to the plans that thet made.  They wouldnt be able to make choices  and connect with reality. These people wouldnt be real people. They would have no personality or character. Life would be boriingggggg!!!!!
I would like to ask the author if he would ever plug up to the experience machine?
If you had to be plugged up, would you do it at time intervals or stay plugged up for life?
Thesis: The purpose of life is making choices that will allow one to connect to reality and create yourself while doing it.

Questions About George Orwell's 1984

1. What is the significance of the posters that read: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU? Who is BIG BROTHER?
These posters were significant because they warned the people that they were being watched so that they would  be on their best behavior. These posters were like a Panopticon in a sense because the people knew that they were being watched but didnt know by whom. BIG BROTHER is the Police Patrol.

2. Where do you see evidence of panopticism in this novel?
Panopticism is demonstrated in this novel through the idea of BIG BROTHER (Police Patrol) watching everyones move and snooping in their windows. The telescreen and Though tPolice also work as evidence. These three things work together as a way to get control over people's behavior.

3. What is the telescreen, how is it used and what is its purpose?
Te telescreen is like a dulled mirror with a voice. The telescreens purpose was to recieve and transmit information that it heard. It is a Tv that gives off information but also a camera that recieves information from what people say and do in front of it. I believe its purpose was to monitor what people say.

4. What is the significance of the Party slogans: WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH?
These party slogans are significant because they show what these people have come to believe and how they are trained to live. From these slogans, one can assume that these people like to fight, they have no freedom and not knowing things is the best in terms of where they live.

5. Who are the Thought Police and what do they do?
The Thought Police is a system who watch and listen to everything people say. They can wire any individual at any given moment. People had to be cautious of what they said because they could be heard at any moment.

6. What is the Two Minutes Hate and what is its purpose?
The Two Minutes Hate is a time of the day where people watch a film about a certain party or watch them and then express their hate for them. The purpose wastir up hatred towards Goldstien and Eur/Eastasia, but it could also serve the purpose of detecting disloyalty in the party members.

7.Why does Winston begin writing int he diary?
Winston begins writinginthe diary to release his thoughts on paper instead of having them in his head and risk getting caught by the Thought Police, although he has to think to write. He is writing to remember past events that he has stored away in the back of his head. He is expressing things he had bottled up inside for many years due to the mind control the Thought police had over him.

8.How would you feel if you lived in this world?
If I lived in this world I would be a very unhappy, confused and paranoid individual. With being watched and monitored all the time I wouldnt know how and what to think due to the risk of getting in trouble. I would be unhappy because I wouldnt have freedom and I would be subject t o behaving under BIG BROTHER'S rules and expecttions. I like to think freely, terefore I think I would get into alot of trouble with the Thought Police.

9.In what ways is our world like this world?
Our world is like their world because in asense the government and media are trying to control the way that we think and what information we can access to. Recently there has been talk about the government propposing a network cencorship. They want to control the information that we take in. I believe they are trying to keep us ignorant to things that they dont want us to know because they feel that we will become to strong and smart or findout something that we wont like. The media, such as Fox news is biased in the way they present information. They are trying to brainwash us and only feed us the information they think we need to know.

10. Do you think its possible that our world could become like this one in the future? In what ways?
I do believe that in the future our world will be kind of like this one. I dont think it will be this extreme though. I see the government monitoring what we do on the Internet and limiting the information we can have access to. I feel like the media and government will continue and try to brainwash and get us to be the perfect little society in their eyes.

Bonus: What is Orwell's purpose in writing this novel?
I think Orwell's purpose of writing this novel is to reveal how everyone in society wants to have a sense of control and power over someone.I think he also wants to show how the government is corrupt and abuses their power by taking advantage of people and making them live in fear.

Bonus II: What is totalitarianism?
Totalitarinism is a form of government where the ruler is a dictator and has total control over everything. THe dictator isnt restricted by any laws or the constitution. Totalitarianism is an unfair disaster!!!!

thesis

Artificial minds and intelligence can both benefit and harm our society because its advancements can be used to improve humans quality of living, but it can also present conflict or competition in the real world if humans do not balance them.

"Human" Robot?

Is it possible  to create a "human" robot? In what ways?

• I think this is an  oxymoron. I feel that creating a robot with human characteristics is possible. All of the characteristics will be programmed, so I think there will never be a genuine 'human" robot. They were made to function like a robot and that is how they will opearte.

What does it mean to be human? What sets us apart from machines?

• Us humans are set apart from machines because we have emotions and feelings. Our physical appearance, body structure are different. We are vulnerable and also capable of getting sick and experiencing death.

What can machines do better  than humans and why? Why?

• Machines can perform hard or tedious tasks because they are designed to do so without complaining. They are better at manual labor, they have the perfect structure, anf they dont have needs or get hungry or sick.

Can a robot love?

• I dont believe robots can love because they are machines that arent programmed with emotion. A robot wouldnt be able to make such a personal connection with someone. It is possible that they can be programmed to love, but it just wouldnt be real.

If a robot could love, could a human love it?

• If a robot could love, I dont think a human could love it without complications. A human would develop more feelings than the robot. It wouldnt be the same as the connection between two real people.

Panopticon

In the article Panopticon there were a lot of interesting points brought up. I agree with the idea that the Internet is a dizzyingly free zone. On the Interet you have the freedom to say and do anything that you desire. I view this a a good thing because everyone is entitled to their freedom of speech. Such freedom on the Internet can be viewed as a god and bad thing. Some people may view Internet freedom as a bad thing because there are some who take advantage of and try to form a social power. People do and say things on the Internet that they usually would say in a face-to-face interaction. I also agree that the Internet gives people a sense of social power because I have seen it happen on social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. There are many individuals that have a Facebook or Twitter account who have a lot of friends and acquaintaces. Once they become popular and gain a certain number of "friends", "followers", "likes", and "retweets" they believe that they have accomplished something and gained power just because someone noticed them. I believe the internet gives people fake confidence and a higher social status on the Web. People can act as something they are not. The Internet is a good and bad thing because of the freedom it gives people, and this is why the government is talking about a network cencorship. I oppose this network cencorship because in my eyes the Internet does more benefit than harm. It helps [eople out and gives them the information that they need.With network cencorship in mind, the panopticon strategy is an interesting idea but I'm not sure how I would feel knowing that someone is watching my every move. I feel that everyone is entitled to, at least a little bit of freedom even if they are inprisoned.

Artifical Minds

This article raised many good questions. "Can computers think? Could machines be built to have minds as we do?" (69). I do not feel that computers or machines can be built to have minds like human beings, but I do feel that at the rate that technology is advancing, I think that computers and machines will get pretty far. Things such as arfticial minds are being created, but although they are quite efficient, I dont think they will ever be as efficient as the human mind. I agree that artificial intelligence poses a threat to humanity, as shown in movies such as The Matrix, and The Terminator. Although they pose a threat, machines will never be able to function like humans because they will not have a real mind that is capable of thinking. There is a difference betwee programming a function and being made with it. Machines also serve a good purpose. They have their disadvantages and advantages for society. It helps society in many ways but at the same time if we don't balance our real and virtual lives it can be seen as a bad thing.

Aspects of the Self

As soon as I started reading this article, I was drawn in by the first line and took the side of the writer. I agree that the virtual world creates a different being compared to a being  in the real world. Technology and other types of media seem like they influence a persons intersts and shape who they are as a person. Nowadays technology is evolving and becoming so advanced that it has become a part of society's culture. With technology and the virtual world becoming so advanced, it has become a controversy on whether or not there is a difference between machines, such as surrogates, and real live humans. I agree that machines and humans are becoming very similar but a surrogate is a prime example of how they're different. Machines don't experience real life and in my opinion they live a boring life without thrill. This article argues that we are different from machines because we have emotions and can actually experience something and have a bond or connection. I believe it is good to have knowledge about technology because it can be beneficial for some things, but we shouldn't abuse and use it for the wrong things. Media has created a virtual world and we all just need to realize that there needs to be a balance between technology and real life. If machines keep improving and trying to be like people, I feel like they are going to take over and there will be some type of conflict between them and humans.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of a surrogate?

• The advantages of a surrogate is having a duplicate of someone or something, therefore the workload and stress can be distributed evenly.
• The disadvantages of having a surrogate is that one can lack intimate or personal experience. It takes away from the real life experience.

Would you want to try a surrogate? Why or why not?

• I would not want to try a surrogate because it would seem as if i am sharing my life with someone else. I feel like a surrogate is beneficial when it comes to separating workload but it can also cause you to become disconnected. I also think there would be some kind of downfall with having a surrogate.

In the film, it says that 98 percent of the population uses surrogates. Why would society be so eager to be someone else--someone beautiful and perfect? What does this say about our society?

• I believe that society is so eager to be someone else--someone beautiful and perfect because the media makes them believe that is how they are supposed to be. With 98 percent of our population using surrogates, it says that our society just wants to be perfect and will do anything in order to get there.

In the film the company VSI's company slogan is: "Life...Only Better." If you experience something via a surrogate--is it real? Is it the experience better?

• In my opinion, if someone experiences life as a surrogate, it is not real. I don't think the experience is better. I think everything in real life is better because you are constantly involved in personal experiences.

The Loss of the Real

I was assigned to read the article "The Loss of the Real". The main idea of this article focused on how in todays world it seems as if real life experiences and experiences with technology have to compete for people's attention. It was argued that outside of the real world there is a certain vividness that is designed to thrill people. This makes people want to engage more in Internet and fake experiences rather than face to face interactions. We are losing the real world because people don't know how to balance the real world and virtuality. A quote that interested me was,"Searching for an easy fix, we are eager to believe that the Internet will provide an effective substitute for face-to-face interaction (504)."
I totally agree with this quote. I do feel that others, along with myself try to find the easy way out of everything by just using the Internet. With doing this, we begin to lack personal experience since we have become dependent on Internet and virtuality. Internet experience is definitely not the same as face-to-face interaction. Another quote that interested was, "To this young woman, phone calls represented thenatural, intimate, and immediate. We build our ideas about what is real and what is natural with the cultural materials available." I can connect to this because I feel the same about phone calls. I agree that phone calls are more intimate and present more of a connection between two people because they can hear each others voices and are actually interacting with each other. I feel that people today just need to learn how to balance real life and virtuality and everything will be okay.
Two questions that  I would ask the author is how do you think the competition between real and virtual life can be ended? Do you fall for the vividness that the virtual life presents?

"Society Is Dead, We Have Retreated into the iWorld"

Summary:Andrew Sullivan's article "Society Is Dead, We Have Retreated into the iWorld", was a very interesting article that touched bases on how society is so wrapped up in technology and media. Nowadays people are so dependent on technology that they tune out the world and everything around them. Society lacks communication and interaction with others. Technology has created a new world for people. People have become attatched and dependent to technology because of the improvement and changes. Companies are doing a good job with attracting people and keeping them hooked n their products.
Quote 1: "It's strange to be among so many people and hear so little. Except that each one is hearing so much" (500).
I have witnessed this in real life. I have seen people with each other sitting in silence or barely talking because they are to occupied with their technology. Nowadays people in the society lack communication. This shows that people dont realize what is going on in the outside world.
Quote 2:"Americans are beginning to narrow their lives. [...] You tune into a satellite radio service that also aims directly at a small market--- for new age fanatics, liberal talk or Christian rock. Television is all cable. Culture is subculture. Your cell phones can recieve email feeds of your favourite blogger's latest thoughts---seconds after he has posted them---get sports scores for your team or stock quotes of your portfolio" (501).
Everything is media based now and people have become so dependent on technology. We dont know how to do anything on our own anymore. This world is now technology based. It has its benefits, but at the same time it is bad because people become out of tune with others and themselves.
Questions for Author: Do you feel that you are out of tune with yourself and others?
How do you think society can become more in tune with the world?

My Day Without my I-Pod

I was assigned to complete the challenge of choosing not to use my I-Pod, Facebook or texting for 24 hours. I accepted the challenge of not using my I-Pod for the day. I also expanded the challenge by eliminating music as a whole frommy entire day.
This challenge was way more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought this wuld be the easiest because with eliminating music I would still be entertained and able to communicate with my friends through texting and Facebook. Not being able to listen to music made my day empty and boring but it also helped me to realize new things. Before this challenge I knew that music was one of main interests, but I did not know that I was so dependent on it. I usually listen to my I-Pod or music on the way to school, walking to classes, while doing homework, to fight boredom and to help me fall asleep. i would also play music from my laptop while I shower. Without being able to do all this, my day was very quiet and I felt like I was lost. While walking around to classes I always listen to music to pass the time and to tune out everything around me. With no music today I noticed things I never did and listened to other sounds. I found myself singing or making a beat in my heas. I also listened to cars, birds and everyone talking around me. My day was boring without music but I have come to realize that everyone is so dependent on technology and alltypes of electronics nowadays that they fall out of tune with themselves and everything around them. I will try to stay in tune with myself, but as of now my 24 hours is up and I am listening to my I-Pod as I type this!

About Me

Rayana White is a first year student at California State University of Northridge. This creation of this blog is part of her English 114B writing class. This blog will consist of posts and feedback on topics she is given to respond to. Rayana is a first time blogger and this will be a new and fun learning experience for her. With her reading and responding to readings on this bog she will be able read critically, gain effective writing skills and be exposed to a variety of literatures. Rayana enjoys reading and writing, so this experience should be great fun but still enlighten her English skills.

Besides reading and writing, Rayana also enjoys helping people and spending time with her loved ones.
Rayana is a freshman at California State University Northridge and she is majoring in Health Administration and dreams of gaining a career as a gynocologist. She wishes to gain happiness from helping as many people as she can throughout her life. Along with helping people, Rayana enjoys dancing, shopping,sleeping, hanging with her friends and spending quality time with the ones that she loves.