Semester Project: To School and Back
Here's the link to the google doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QN8QpitXjbwXdmIzTPqVIwMuzHcDXWXF/view?usp=sharing
Jes Grew’s Endgame
During this whole epic journey of searching for the Text I never once guessed that in the end Jes Grew would be able to continue after the book had been destroyed. Looking back the whole idea of finding this definitive Text, is an extremely Atonist idea. Atonist religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam revolve around holy texts and Islam prides itself on never changing the holy text over thousands of years. It would be completely against the spirit of Jes Grew for it to stand motionless for millennia. The ending of this novel is a reminder that while there are certain constants perceived by the Atonists in this world, a movement never dies it just evolves. Over the past six decades the Civil Rights movement evolved into the Black Power and Black Lives Matter movements. Evolution of a movement is evidence how culture changes and how a movement adapts and continues in different societies. Today, racial in...
This is a super cool project!! I really like what you did with the maps (you can never go wrong with maps lol), it adds an interesting element of geography and space and "reality" to the store. I'm wondering - what's the relationship between places and their history? Do we remember the past every time we walk the same path, how does that path change with time?
ReplyDeleteI really like how you incorporated your family history into your story. I felt a disconnect between the humorous way that your character retold his path to school and such violent events, and I think that this kind of irony is really postmodern. I like how you paid attention to detail with the maps, and it definitely grounds the story in reality when you have more supporting details. Overall, the project is very well-written and I could almost feel myself feeling your father's emotions!
ReplyDeleteThis is really great! I especially appreciate the narration and how it was inspired by your father - the humor, stories, and reflections added the extra depth to the story that made it so personal and really real. I agree with Zona that the maps and images added a lot as well. I also really like how its divided by time.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this, it was very well written! The use of maps was great, I usually don't see that so it was pretty cool. The use of humor in describing these violent events is sort of jarring, but I get it, my dad and uncles have told stories in that manner as well.
ReplyDeleteWow. This is really well done, Sarah – I think you’ve definitely captured the humorous, deprecating tone you describe in your introduction. It was really jarring – reading about the different life-threatening events he went through to just to travel through the city to a university – but I think the tone you’ve struck really captures that this wasn’t anything shocking or frightening at the time. It was expected. Having never experienced pipe bombs, snipers, or civil wars myself, I can’t imagine becoming accustomed to any of those things, but I think you’ve demonstrated well just what *growing up* in a war means for people.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this. My favorite parts were the multiple choice questions spread throughout. The contrast between the humor and the actual events is, as others have said, jarring but I think it really adds to the story. It was overall really well done.
ReplyDeletethis was a really cool story to read. I loved the way you incorporated maps into the story to help us visualize the distance and area of each moment. I think you definitely captured the humorous tone while illustrating the severity and sadness of each situation. The tone was one I have yet to see in many tellings of somewhat violent and dangerous moments, but it was a very fresh and exciting take to read. I really enjoyed this story and have to say, never having experience something like this, your dad sounds like he could be in his own Bond movie.
ReplyDeleteI am really impressed by the way you (and your father) portray his time at the American University. I am more and more shocked that he was willing to think back to his time there. If it were me, I would try to avoid those memories. But somehow you make a brutal situation sound humorous. Very well written.
ReplyDeleteI want to start off by saying that that I enjoy the manner in which you tell the story. The timestamps and the maps, not to mention the humorous tone, were all quite enjoyable and a nice change of pace from how stories are typically narrated. It's a stark contrast to the action and images that are actually being depicted in the story. I'm honestly not sure what to make of it, because clearly the events in your story are gruesome and horrifying to live through, but your narration is so nonchalant. I suppose it's commentary on how normal this life can become when you're in the thick of it.
ReplyDeleteThe way you portrayed this story reminded me of Slaughterhouse Five. Both narrations are incredibly optimistic as they describe life threatening events. I really enjoyed reading this because it gave me so much more insight on how life in war torn countries must feel like, especially for children wanting education. It really made me reflect on myself and realize how fortunate we are to live in a nation where education is fully supported and rarely hindered by outside events.
ReplyDeleteI think the humorous tone of this story put an interesting spin to the descriptions of the events. While reading this, I was filled with a mixture of amusement but horror to read the danger your father went through. Thank you for including maps so that it was easy to understand what was going on.