I am Empowered

EMPOWERED WOMEN 

I have been avoiding this retelling, because it means that a journey has ended and my time with Alice and Elsha must at least come to a pause. 

Like a few of y'all have commented, when we first were told that we could choose the book for the next round of writing I simply chose a book that seemed like it would be not only intriguing to write about, but also one that would provided enough content that it COULD write about it. 

Things got a little more complicated when I realized that I would have to find common ground with “Winter of Fire” and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. 

My first thought “Oh man!  How can I BS my way through this one??”  

The first couple posts online were done more for the assignment, and less for the growth and development of my ideas.  But then social media got involved.

After my first post to my peers via Facebook I actually became excited and invested into this project.  It was so neat to get input and ideas that sparked more and more thoughts.  That week after that first round of posts, my thoughts felt like dominoes — one thought or idea would set off another, which would lead to ten others etc.  Although I didn’t go the direct that those Facebook posts could have led me, I was now fully committed to the project at hand.

Empowered Women

I personally feel empowered after writing this paper and filming the video.  I'm getting my name and ideas out there.  Doing the video was extremely daunting, especially putting it up on YouTube -- which can be a rather unforgiving environment.  Posting my video to Facebook, where friends and family would see isn't so terrible (they love me after all!).

But after conquering these fears, I too feel like Alice and Elsha -- an Empowered Women! 

Enjoy!  

I Came, I Sought, I Sherlocked!

Dear Technology,
You're great and all, but I think that you are too smart for your own, and MY own, well being.
Sincerely,
Gratified Student detective who has been hunting sources for her paper.

WEEKS!  weeks and weeks and hours upon hours have had me searching databases for sources that looked like they could be even a... tiny... bit relevant.  But there was always too much that seemed to cover too little and self preservation would kick in and I would shut down.

WELL NOT TODAY! {insert triumphal punch into the air like I'm a cool superhero or something!}

Harold, my dear library, today you just got Sherlocked! KAPOW!

... meaning, a computer wasn't giving me much, so I went to the shelves.

It's amazing what you can find when you do research the "old fashioned way"

Now I can fill my paper with the background it was so desperately needing!! 

TLC

It’s time for some TLC with my sources (echoing the voice of Annalee said).  

As I have been getting deeper and deeper into my thinking about my topic I realize I really do need to go back to key passages in the text.  I think I know what I will find, and I certainly know now what I’m looking for, it’s just about going and doing it and finding those needed annotations! 

This week I want to nail down a few, strong, articles about feminism and the empowerment of woman, specifically looking at how their definitions may have changed throughout the years.  I also want to skim through Alice’s and Elsha’s big moments when they stood up for themselves = who were they up against?  How did they emotionally handle the situation?  What were the consequential changes in their character development?  In every sequential experience after that a little more easier to stand up for themselves? (i.e. did their confidence continue to grow in their personal abilities to grow?) 

I know the answer to these questions, I just want to support myself exactly with quotes and annotations for the text.  

I think my highlighter and I are going to be creating a special bond with our books this week.  

Wish me luck! 

The Bond between Old and New

What is the relationship between old and new?  Classic and Modern?

The BYU symposium gave me a new perspective and reminded me of something I think I already knew.  The New is here because of the Old.  Modern texts morphed from the Classics.  Like T.S.Eliot I also believe that we need the past in order to understand and create a future. 

One of the presentations I saw was on the modern TV adaptation of “Merlin”, the Camelot myth, and the deviations that were made from the original text to better suite modern ideals and expectations.  Apparently, I old bearded man is not very relatable… but a 19 year old boy total is!  Guienivere’s adultery was scandalous back then, but modern rules of “was it for true love?” makes it much more ok these days.  And, we don’t seem to be able to handle to evil of a character who has the conflicting tendencies to be good — so current writers saw the need to split up the Lady of the Lake into two characters so viewers wouldn’t have to go through such an internal acceptance/ shunning battle. 

Thinking about my own topic, I see the empowerment of woman also going through a kind of metamorphosis.  Modern woman seem to feel that feminism is just simply standing up to the oppressive male.  Since when did a woman’s empowerment have to only come to her if she is up against a man?!? 
Like Alice standing up to the Queen, I feel a woman can step into her empowered role as long as she is standing up for herself, not just standing up against a man.  



>> More coming as I respond to an enthusiast response to the question: “At what moment did Alice step into her role as an empowered woman?” 

Drowning

Confession: My greatest fear is drowning.  

Though I’ve never actually experienced anything close to drowning, the event  haunts my dreams.  It starts with the last gasp and gulp of air, and you give all your exertion to kicking and flailing; trying to propel yourself back to the surface.  Fatigue quickly sets in, leaving your body’s alarms screaming.  You must get out!  You must find a way to resurface!  But there is so much bringing you down… fatigue, pressure, not even knowing which way is up any more… And then there is the pause, the silence… and you know it’s coming.  The last watery breath, and then… I wake up from the dream.

At this point I have yet to wake up.  

I am flailing and my mind, body, lungs, everything is screaming of air!  

For reprieve from the floundering.

The more I dive into my topic, the more things jump out and me and beg me for attention.  With every new drop of information pooling together I hadn’t realized that I had been creating my own demise.  
I feel that the surface is close, but I don’t know what direction to orient myself to get there.  

I have two competing thoughts.  One I feel is more practical, the other more intriguing… and I hate to admit it, but I think it’s about time that practicality wins.  

I have been switching between a feministic approach of my two books and more generally defining what a good book is generationally speaking.

This was my thesis and opening paragraph… and this is what it might be (most likely) changed to.  (still a rough draft...) 

I’m asking for honest, direct and constructive feedback! 

Between two exams, another paper and wedding planning I’m trying not to drown.  I’ve been trying to rely on my own strength to resurface, but now it’s time to reach for a life- preserver… if anyone is willing to throw one out to me.  

Unrequited Love

From the Computer Screen of Chalene

Dear Gadget Filled, Shiny, Aluminum Metal Device,

I hope this doesn't come as a shock to you, but I can't keep my feelings to myself any more!

 We have been spending a lot of time together.. a lot of meaningful time.  I feel like we have developed an intimate relationship that I have never shared with anyone else.  You have been there for me.  You help me find the answers to my questions, you listen to my musing and ramblings, and it really feels like you keep my life is order.  My life would be thrown into chaos with out you!  There is no one else I could turn to that is full of such knowledge and wisdom.  I know our time together can wear you down and that you get sleepy from our late nights, but you bring me such great joy.

Thank you Computer.  Thank you for being the place of my mind dump.  Thank you for taking all my incoherent ramblings to heart... well, hard drive.  Thank you for answering my Alice questions, by Elsha questions, by MLA formatting questions.  Thank you for your search engines and blogspots.
My college life (and this paper) would fail without you.

I love you Gadget Filled, Shiny, Aluminum Metal Device.
I only hope that some where deep in your mother board you can love me back.

~Chalene

Questions that still need answering:
- Was Alice popular from the first publishing, or did it take time to gain a readership?
- Comparatively, was Alice a typical book of that Victorian Era or was it unique?
- Was Winter of Fire's genre popular during the late 80's, early 90's?
- Though, currently, though isn't a large readership, was Winter of Fire a typical book of that time?
- What, possibly more popular, books were published near and around the time of both books?
- *Looking together personal opinions and accounts about both novels.

To the Core

The Victorian Era and the 80's don't seem to have much in common...

Experiences, focus', and expectations for life and society may have changed, but what drives people to pick up a book seems to be timeless.  

Coming of age, feminism, breaking social norms, fantasy, unknown worlds full of new rules -- 

these are things that bridge the centennial gap between 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Winter of Fire.

Though surfaces tell us that these books are different and independent; 

their core reveals the a single entity 

People will pick up these novels for what they are, but they will return to these novels for the journey. 

The journey of the characters, the emotions, the moral and their own growth. 

Next Question

I have found myself hopelessly checking my blog for comments from classmates just as much as a teenager checks their Facebook page for "Likes" on the more recent selfie they posted.  I craved for acknowledgement!  For feedback!  For a 'good job' or even a 'yeah.. that made no sense'.  Anything.  And then... a miracle happened.  I clicked... it uploaded... and there they were!  Not one comment, BUT TWO! [hallelujah chorus fills the air].  Shout out to Jose and Chelsea.  Sure, their comments were simple, but they got me thinking again. (Thanks y’all!) 

I hadn't considered "Why Do YOU Read?" a thought provoking question... But it was enough of a question to continue to bring in answers.  

Like evolution, the question and answers have begun to change.  I no longer get comments about WHY they read, but passionate posts of WHAT they read.  

Is there a correlation?

Is there a correlation between WHAT people read and the reason WHY they read?  

You always hear the tragic tail of the high school cool kid that read the first sentence of a great book, found it boring and never returned to the magical land of literature again! 

But just as frequently you get those "the universe as aligned" moments and the perfect book lands in the hand of the perfect person and an eternal bond was made between inked pages and yearning imaginations.

Now, keep up.. this is a Spaghetti moment. 

Do people generally pick up a book for the WHY or first for the WHAT?

When I asked the question for “WHY do you read?” a large part of the answers consisted the desire to escape, adventure and the thrill of new worlds.  Is that the driving force behind reading?  

Or do people more pick up a favorite genre, a familiar story or recommended novel and then, secondarily, find joy in the journey and other wordily transportation?

Are books happen chance or do we 

What comes first (generally) the WHY or the WHAT? 

And between those two things, 

What in your mind makes a GOOD BOOK? 

~ that's my next question to the masses!  
Stay tuned for the results.

>>Next step and question, how does a "good book" become defined by its generation?  

Spagetti and Waffles

I once had it explained to me (by a man) that men are like waffles and

girls are like spaghetti.  

Let me explain.

Men have the fabulous ability to compartmentalize in their mind.  They have the work waffle divot, the school waffle divot, the relationship waffle divot, sports waffle divot etc.  Thoughts can stay as separate as they want them.

Woman are spaghetti.  We have one thought that gets tangled into another thought that is lost in another completely different thought.  Gossip of school intertwines with the stresses of work which affects the level of patience we have we our friends and pretty soon you have no idea where one thought or feeling began and where another ended. *

Ever since my last post my mind hasn’t been able to settle down with everything I want to do to gather in information!  I want to create quiz lets and google polls!  I want to survey campus, friends, family, strangers, everyone!  I want to talk with students, undergrads, graduates and professors.  I want to ask the world : WHY, no really, WHY do you read?

My Spaghetti mind has some unraveling to do before I think I’ll be able to pick my next direction… but until then.  I NEED HELP from all you other Waffles and Plates of Spaghetti!
This is what I am considering for a claim:

The definition of a “good book” is subjective to an individuals generation and is influenced by the books physical and textual aesthetics, character development and dialogue as well as moral lessons found within the book.  

Stay tuned for how I’ll work myself up to this point! 

If you can't figure out if your mind is a waffle or spaghetti.. it's ok! 

JUST

*Disclaimer: I understand that not all individuals are like this nor will ever be like this nor have the desire to be like this… but hey, it’s fun none the less! 

Why Do I Read?

On my way to school this morning I was talking with my fiancé.  With the usual mischief in his voice he confessed that he woke up extra early that morning just so he could finish a good book that he was reading.  (Yup, He’s an English Major’s dream). “I love fiction!  Reading fiction evokes the child-like feeling that every moment of life can be an adventure.”  As he gushed about the delightsome nature of fiction, my mind began to race.  

“What is it about books that people love so much?  I know when I read it is quite the experience: I am transported to other worlds, I meet new people, I simply get away!  I love the smell of books.  I love getting so consumed by words on a page that I don’t realize that I am reading anymore — the picture in my mind becomes so vivid and real.  But do all people who have at least a tolerance for books have a similar experience?”

Why Do YOU Read? 

My curiosity was peaked, and I wanted to know!  It was time to go to the masses… well as far as my Facebook friends go.

Tall Boy: “They are a portal to get away from reality!”

Long- Ago Classmate: “Reading books is like experiencing other people's adventures.”

Bearded Man: “Reading [a book] is like hanging out with an old friend. They're comforting, exciting, and can make me feel a wide range of emotions. Books are my favorite"

New Mom: “I love the sound of turning pages, the feel of the paper, the tangible ness of real books. I love the chance to learn about the world and myself, to see things through another's point of view, learn new words, and to just enjoy a good story.”

Recent Acquaintance: “I LOVE historical fiction.  It's a great way to learn about different kinds of people and experience life through their eyes! Books can help you experience things that you normally wouldn't have the chance to”

Books awaken is us a sense of adventure, intrigue, curiosity, courage, sympathy…

What Do Books Do for YOU?

Take a glimpse how one book sparked the flame of courage and confidence in me and helped me begin to rise above social prejudices of a new town.

SHARING A HEART OF FIRE: The Tale that Set Me Free

I was 1500 miles away from everything that I knew. New state, new city — it felt like a new world. My life felt shadowed and dulled. Only my heart was dark, but for Elsha, the entire earth was dark… If she could ignite the flame for a nation, could I find the strength to do it for myself?

 …A cloud of dust covered the ancient flame in the sky, and the veil of prejudice covered the hearts of the Chosen and the Quelled. The Chosen were just that, they were god’s chosen race. They had souls, they had intelligence, and they had the right to rule over the Quelled. The Quelled were the branded, soulless, dumb, less-than-human beings that were destined to work in the coal mines all of their lives. Elsha was Quelled, but her soul was one of fire, not one of absence. She dreamed, and envisioned a better world. She saw a world of light for both Chosen and Quelled. Elsha had a destiny, a destiny of fire.

 I was quelled in this new environment. I was set aside, I stood apart; an outcast and different. Elsha gave me hope. As a young child, just after been branded with the sign of the Quelled, Elsha’s friend whispered to her, whispered to me, “They cannot put their stamp upon your soul…” (8). She could not, she would not, be controlled by the blind and bias Chosen. On her birthday she lay in the dark recesses of the coal mine listening quietly to the hum of the earth around her. Her life was to live by the commands or be condemned. But the threat did not control her. Elsha would not allow predetermined ideals to rule her life. That day, I was there. I was lying next to her on the cold rock. I too felt the hum of the firestones, the coal, pulse through my heart and body. For a moment Elsha and I were free from the bonds placed on us.

 It was too hot to go outside, and my body still had not adjusted to the sticky humidity. New town, no friends — my only option was my favorite option. Within minutes I was standing before my bookshelves, and there I took time to consider what adventure I would like to go on next. After searching through my own bookshelf, I found myself in my sister’s room looking over her volumes. There it was. I had never heard of the title, and the cover looked a little strange, but Winter of Fire seemed to be calling to me. It begged me to open it’s already worn pages and beckoned me to consume the tale it was created to share; a tale meant to inspire.