"Speaking the Unspeakable"

When comparing "Speaking the Unspeakable" and the article on Anthony Acevedo, I realized that it can be hard for a person to be able to talk about something that caused them trauma in their past. I am glad that Acevedo decided to tell his story. I believe that you can't get help in a bad situation if you choose not to talk about it. By talking about it, Acevedo acknowledged that this happened to him and many others, then in the future we could know what to do if history begins to repeat itself. Also, instead of being treated how he was treated when he returned from war, people would have been more sympathetic because they would have known what he had to go through at such a young age.

MAUS

Why does Spiegelman depict his Jewish characters as mice rather than showing them as humans? How does the graphic novel form (comic) influence how you interpret the text? Does it render it more or less accessible than a traditional essay or story? How?

I believe that Spiegelman depicted his characters as mice to show how Jews were being exterminated in the same way that we kill mice when there seems to be be too many of them. Making the Jews mice shows a better effect on how they were being treated during the Holocaust. The comic gives me a view that the author wants me to see. It shows his image of how he views the Holocaust. I believe that the comic is more accessible than a traditional story, because it not only tells me what Spiegelman thought about that time period, but it also showed what his image was of that time.

A Response to Theo Jansen's Creations

Theo Jansen is a painter that once studied physics. He created an invention called Animari. When I first looked at his invention I thought that they looked weird. It kind of freaked me out when they began to move. It freaked me out even more when he talked about them as if they were actual beings that can live, grow, and create a society. I thought why does he seem like he is referring himself as a God. He explained how his creations aren't ready to be on their own yet, but in the next couple of years they will be about to live be on their own on beaches. The way he worded his presentation made me think that he was weird. I guess if he explained his creations as a mechanical device instead of a living organism, I wouldn't feel this way. However, in the reading he didn't seem as crazy as I thought he was in the video. Maybe its just me, but his presentation freaked me out.

Presidential Election Response

How do you feel about the results of the presidential election? What do you see as the major issues facing the president elect? How does this election relate to concepts of personal, communal, and national identity that we have explored in class?

I feel very optimistic about the presidential election. I'm happy that it seems like the racial borders in the United States are beginning to disappear. I believe that Barack Obama deserves his new found position. What I am worried about though is how is everything going to change for the better. Will everything change for the greater good of America or will things continue to get worst. How will Obama change America for the better. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. This election reminded me of the Berlin Wall when it comes to our textbook. It broke down borders and showed that anybody can be anything that they want to if they just put their mind to it. If you believe you can do it than you can.

The Eye of the Neighborhood

At most times its quiet.
Other times it's not.
You'll hear laughter of children,
Playing along singing and cheering a lot.

Many people come and go.
No one is here very long.
For the economy is bad,
And many can't pay their monthly sum.

I see most.
I mostly see it all.
Everything that happens in this community,
When things seem up, and when things seem to fall.

I've been here all my life and have seen most,
From friends hanging out together,
To when they begin to fall out.

Like I said,
Most times its quiet,
Other times its not.
There is one thing that will not change,
The laughter of children playing and cheering together will never fade.

Royal Grill Restaurant Review

Robyn R. VanHorn

Professor Potvin

Comp. 105 Sect. 006

October 21, 2008

Royal Grill Restaurant Review

A grumbling belly awaits to be fed has my attention as I walked into a small diner named Royal Grill at 10am on Saturday October 18, 2008. It is located in Harper Woods, MI on Kelly Rd. not too far from Eastland Mall. I have eaten here many times before. You don’t have to be dressy nor do you have to have reservations. It’s a homely place that servers you food that you would eat on a regular basis. There isn’t anything special about this place other than the good hospitality and food. Every time I enter this establishment the smell of their fresh food overwhelm my senses, and has me eager to order my entrée. The usual price for an appetizer, entrée and dessert together would be around $8 to $12.which is quite affordable to most. I begin look around for a place to sit I notice two television sets (one in the front, and one in the back) on CNN with news reporters sharing their opinions about the current election coming up November 4, 2008. I can also see another hallway towards the back of the restaurant that contains the restrooms, and a room where only the employees can go. As soon as I chose a booth to sit in a waitress appears, and asks me if I needed anything to drink. “Water will be fine.” I responded. Then she left to get me a glass of water. Continuing to look around, I notice a group of ladies sitting, and having a nice time, they seemed to be happy with their food because I heard one say, “Thank you for bringing me here. The food was good!” The waitress comes back with my water, and asks me what I would like to order. I told her that I would like pigs in a blanket, which are pancakes rolled up with breakfast sausages on the inside. The waitress left again to put in my order. I begin to look around a little bit more. There isn’t anything special in the diner as far as the interior design. It is a plain place with pictures of families on the wall. However, this restaurant is a very clean place. It seems like there is always someone cleaning in there. That is a very good thing, because I would be very upset if I found anything in my food that wasn’t supposed to be there. After about five to ten minutes the waitress arrived with my entrée. The warm buttery smell of the pigs in the blanket made me anxious to dig in. As I begin to eat the light, fluffy pancakes, I felt like I was in heaven, even if it was for just one moment. The taste of the sweet and buttery pancakes consumed my taste buds, and made me want to savor the taste in my mouth. I had no problems with this meal at all. I considered perfection for the proportion size and the price. I knew that I would definitely return again to order another plate. The service there is great! You never would have to worry about an employee mistreating you. It seems as if all of the employees treat everyone the same. When the waitress asked if I needed anything else I said, “No thank you, I’m ready for my check.” My meal was only $4.65, which is quite affordable when you are a college student like me with a small budget. I recommend this restaurant to anybody who wants a good meal, but if you are going worry about the décor of the place then you can just get a carry out. Trust me, the food there is worth it!