Assertion 1

In the prologue ‘There There‘, by Tommy Orange is trying to claim that during this time period Natives were being abused. Tommy Orange was a Native American who wanted to describe the mistreatment and horror other Native Americans have experienced throughout history. The idea of dehumanization comes to mind as the reader continues to read how the identity of the Natives change because of the colonists and how the colonists portray and use the Natives.

For example, “We have them as logos and mascots…what happened in history all over the world, and like all that spilled blood from slaughter… ” (P.3 Oranges Prologue). The colonist viewed the Natives as less than, they were only used for labor purposes or as portrayed in the prologue, logos and mascots. Throughout history it is clearly seen that Natives have been dehumanized by removing and/or exterminating them, to being seen as ‘savages’. In Tommy’s prologue it is easily seen that he is trying to bring attention to the natives and how they are being exterminated by the colonists for their own benefit and/or luxury.

Although the message of the prologue can be portrayed in many ways but a big point that is brought up in all throughout ‘There There‘, is that the Natives are are mistreated and seen as less of a person to a Spaniard or European, just because of their way of life or old tales told by the Europeans- obviously these stories are going to be modified to show that the Europeans were better and the Natives were just crazy ‘savages’-.

Reflection

I felt like my introduction went well because I referred back to the rubric and the half sheet of paper about ‘What is an assertion?’ on how to write the introduction. I think I would change my explain of the argument because personally I felt like it was weak.

Pulitzer Prize Letter

2206 Prather Ln

Austin, TX 78704

Pulitzer Prize Review Board

709 Pulitzer Hall

2950 Broadway

New York, NY 10027

Dear Pulitzer Prize Board,

‘Trenchant and terrifying, written with stripped-down urgency and fuelled by the force of a universal nightmare… This is art that both frightens and inspires.’ – New York Times. During the summer I was given homework to write a letter to you about an awarded Pulitzer Prize book. After receiving many recommendations on which Pulitzer Prize book I should read I decided to read, Cormac McCarthy’s novel, ‘The Road’. After reading ‘The Road’, one can clearly see why the book was selected to receive the Pulitzer Prize. In ‘The Road’, McCarthy’s use of word really describes the development of the main characters relationship, as a father and son on a journey in a post-apocalyptic era. Who encounter many harsh things and challenges in their relationship and themselves. Although they have trouble they still continue due to their only motivation, their love.

McCarthy’s use of dialogue emphasizes the relationship and bond, the father and son have with one another. For example, “ He put his arm around him and held him…. Don’t be afraid, he said. If they find you you are going to have to do it. Do you understand? Shh. No crying. Do you hear me?… Stop crying…He looked down at him. All he saw was terror. He took the gun from him. No you don’t, he said. I don’t know what to do, Papa. I don’t know what to do. Where will you be? [son] It’s okay [Papa] I don’t know what to do. [son] Shh. I’m right here. I won’t leave you. [Papa] You promise. [son] Yes. I promise. I was going to run. To try and lead them away. But I can’t leave you.” (McCarthy 119-120). The man wants to shield his child’s innocent from the world but due to them being in a post-apocalyptic world it’s difficult for him to do so. McCarthy uses all over the interactions and dialogue between the man and the boy to create a sense of family and community between them that go far beneath what they say.

Furthermore, McCarthy choice on formatting ‘The Road’ made the book seem universal. For example, “Where’s the man you were with? [Veteran]  He died. [boy] … I think you should come with me. [Veteran]  Are you one of the good guys? [boy] The man pulled his hood back from his face. His hair was long and matted. He looked at the sky. As if there were anything there to be seen. He looked at the boy. Yeah, he said. I’m one of the good guys. . . Do you have any kids? [boy] We do. [Veteran]. . . And you didn’t eat them. [boy] No. [Veteran] You don’t eat people. [boy] No. We don’t eat people. [Veteran] And I can go with you? [boy] Yes. You can. [Veteran] Okay then. [boy] Okay. [Veteran]” (McCarthy 386-390). McCarthy’s decision to not give a sense cultural by not naming the father, the boy and places was to give the idea that it this could happen anywhere and at anytime to anyone.

In Conclusion, I agree with your decision on giving ‘The Road‘ by Cormac McCarthy the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. McCarthy’s writing style was different, to me because I don’t usually read post-apocalyptic genres. As I read ‘The Road‘, I couldn’t put the book down, McCarthy’s way of keeping the reader connected to the story line and relationships of the characters develops on it being universal. I found it amazing how McCarthy was able to win the Pulitzer Prize award only a year after his book was published. On this note I felt like y’all agreed with me on the decision that McCarthy’s form of writing is unique with is story line and form of creating such a strong bond between the father, son, and reader.

Sincerely,

Halie

Human

May 1, 3021:

What is this place? She thought looking around the cold, empty room with only a small fluorescent light flickering on and off as if it is tries to brighten up the room. She quickly tried to get up from what seem to be a surgery table.

A surgery table, she thought, what am I doing on a surgery table… She tried getting up but couldn’t, she felt as if someone was holding her down. She stayed there, laying down on the surgery table. The room felt as if it was slowly starting to spin so she close her eyes and fall asleep, despite the conditions she was in.

… … …

Beep! Beep! Beep! Olivia woke up to the sound of an alarm, but as she got up she realized that she was no longer in… Beep! Beep! Was that the alarm? She thought looking around to see if she could find that alarm clock, but there was nothing.

Then where was that noise coming from? She sighed.

Why was it so hard to remember? She thought. Everytime when it seemed like she knew what happen, the thought just vanished, like it never happened.

Was it all just a dream? It couldn’t have been just a dream, it seem too real to just b…

“Olivia!” Her mother said as if she was standing right next to her, but when she turned around she wasn’t there.

“Yes, mother?” She responded, wondering if her mother will hear her.

“Hurry, or you’re going to be late”

How did she hear me? She all the way downstairs. She wondered

“I’m almost done mother! I’ll be right out in a second.” Quickly, she collected all her items and walked downstairs.

“Olivia, come eat breakfast before you leave, please.” She said staring at her standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Okay, mother. If you say so.” She said in a sluggish way as she set down her backpack and walked towards the kitchen. Before she even made it to the kitchen she weirdly already knew what was for breakfast, like if she received a massage telling her. It seem to be from her mother.

It happened again, she thought, but how? Mother knows! She must! I can feel it. Well, at least I hope she knows what’s happening to me…

“Olivia! Hurry! I can’t have you being late. You do know what happens to those who are late?” Her mother said looking at her with a concern face, “They don’t succeed! And if you want to be valedictorian you have to work harder sweet, okay?” She continued, looking down at Olivia’s pale clear face as she ate her breakfast. “I can’t have you messing up like last semester, remember? When you got knocked down to salutatorian.” Olivia’s getting ready to scoop up another forkful of the yellow fluffy eggs sitting in front of her but instead her fork slowly began to stop and she just looked down at her plate and began to get lost in her thoughts.

… … …

Parallelism

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” The best teachers are those who tell you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see. Similar to how the Little Prince helped the Aviator by showing him through his stories that he shouldn’t forget about his inner child, because it is what keeps one happy, which is what the Aviator did for the Little Girl in Osborne’s adaptation of The Little Prince. In both plots the mentors shared stories and experiences with the heros that conveyed a hidden message about the importance of staying childlike, but not once did the mentors give an explanation about their stories and their meaning. They only shared their stories with the heros and left it up to them to read between the lines. Osborne’s film adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, contains parallelism between the original story of The Little Prince and his film. Osborne substituts the Aviator with the Little Girl -an original character from the film adaptation-  as the hero and the Little Prince with the Aviator as the mentor.

The Little Girl in the movie is only a child who behaves like a mature grow-up unlike the Aviator who is innocent and naive of his actions; Once the little girl and her mother moved into a new neighborhood, into the house next to the Aviator. Later that same day the Aviator caused an accident to the Little Girl’s house that caused the police to question the Aviator. “[Aviator] A very good afternoon to you, Officer. Friends! Uh, I was just, ums… I was immersed in a game of bridge. Do you play? [Officer] Ah… Sir, did you try to start your plane… again? [Aviator] Ah. Mmm… Yes. Yes, I did. I’m terribly, terribly sorry. I do believe I have caused extensive damage to the house next door.” On the other hand, the Little Girl handed the situation like an adult. Once the Little Girl’s mother arrived and saw the terrible damage the Aviator had done to the house, she was prepared to get ready to fix the problem but due to her young, but mature daughter everything was taken care of. “[Mother] What kind of a nut keeps an airplane and actually starts it in his backyard?…  – I’ ll have to call the insurance agent. [Little Girl] – Done it. – [Mother] And file a police report. [Little Girl] – Done. In duplicate. (Mother) – Photo documentation? [Little Girl] – Inside and outside. The lighting could have been better.” (Osborne’s film adaptation). Moreover, the opening of the film portrays the little girl as a mature adult, because when she is put in a situation, she knows how to handle it; For example, when the Aviator broke the wall of her house with a piece of his turbine, that came off of his old plane that he was trying to start in his backyard. Since the Little Girl’s mother wasn’t home she took charge of the situation, by photo documenting the problem, calling the insurance and filing a police report. Once her mother arrived home, the problem was already fixed, without her having to doing something. Not only did the miss hab showed that the Little Girl is mature but also that the Aviator can be a little ignorant and innocent at some times, but this is what influences the Aviator’s and the Little Girl’s relationship as mentor and hero, because he shows her through his stories and actions that being child minded is possible at any age.

The Little Prince asked the Aviator to draw him a sheep, but when he asked him for the sheep, he didn’t want just a sheep. He wanted the Aviator to get creative and be imaginative with the sheep, in a way a child would, not an adult; For example, “ [Little Prince] If you please–draw me a sheep! [Aviator] What! [Little Prince] Draw me a sheep!…” When the aviator heard this claim from the Little Prince, he wasn’t sure what to do because when the Aviator was six years old the grown ups discouraged from continuing his painting career. Instead they encouraged him to study geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar. Which led to the Aviator never learning to draw anything else except for boa constrictors. So he told the Little Prince that he didn’t know how to draw, due to his past. “[Aviator] I told the little chap (a little crossly, too) that I did not know how to draw. He answered me: [Little Prince] That doesn’t matter. Draw me a sheep . . .” The Aviator not knowing what to draw decided to draw the one thing he did know, an elephant inside a boa constrictor. The Little Prince right away knew what the Aviator had drawn and wasn’t happy because he thought the boa constrictors were dangers creatures that would harm his small planet. So, the Little Prince continued his request of a sheep. After many tries of drawing the sheep for the Little Prince the Aviator became impatient and decided to draw a box for the Little Prince. “[Aviator] This is only his box. The sheep you asked for is inside. I was very surprised to see a light break over the face of my young judge: [Little Prince] That is exactly the way I wanted it!…” (Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince 6-9). In Antoine de Saint-Exupery the author shows how a simply request of a sheep, from the Little Prince affected the Aviator to not to think like an adult. Before the Aviator’s encounter with the Little Prince the Aviator lived a ‘normal’ life as a grown up -which is what society wanted- but after meeting the Little Prince with his odd request of a sheep, it made him question his life style. Wondering if it was the right thing to give up his inner child just because the grown ups told him to. In addition to how society in the film adaptation made the Little Girl grow up at a young age, if she wanted to succeed in life. In both plots society has a big effect on how the characters came to be but after their encounter with their mentor, it made them change that view and questioned if growing up fast was the right thing to do.

As the Little Prince was ready to depart from the Aviator, he asked the Aviator to never forget him because once the memory of the Little Prince fades, the Aviator would end up like a grown up who’s forgotten what it’s like to be a child again.; For example, “For I do not want anyone to read my book carelessly. I have suffered too much grief in setting down these memories. Six years have already passed since my friend went away from me, with his sheep. If I try to describe him here, it is to make sure that I shall not forget him. To forget a friend is sad. Not everyone has had a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested in anything but figures . . .” (Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s ‘The Little Prince’ 12). Therefore, when the Little Prince told the Aviator to never forget him before he got bitten by the snake -which is what ‘took him back home’- the Aviator took what he said to heart because he knew that if he forgets his small friend and his stories, he’ll become a grown up and after his connection with the Little Prince he didn’t want to return to becoming an adult. In the film adaptation the Little Girl lost her friend -the Aviator- because her mother found out that she had stopped with her studies in preparing for her new school because of the Aviator. After this situation Little Girl’s mother made sure that the Little Girl continued with her studies. Once the day arrived of her first day of school the Aviator became ill and was rushed to the hospital and instead of continuing with her studies she decided to visit him because she didn’t want to lose her friend, that same friend who showed her what it’s like to be a child.

By substitution the aviator -the hero- and the little prince -the mentor- from the book with the little girl -the hero- and the aviator -the mentor- in the movie, Osborne’s film of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s ‘The Little Prince’ variation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s ‘The Little Prince’, portrays parallelism.

Eteocles- (prosecution)

Claim: Although Polyneices is Eteocles brother, he didn’t deserve any funeral rites because he tried to wipe out his ancestral city

Textual Evidence: “…Eteocles, who perished in the fight to save our city, the best and bravest of our spearmen, will have his burial…As for his brother- that Polyneices, who returned for exile, eager to wipe out in all-consuming fire his ancestral city and it native gods…for him, the proclamation in the state declares he’ll have no burial mound, no funeral rites, and no lament.” (Sophocles 220- 230)

Explanation: Polyneices betray Thebes when he attacked his own city instead of protecting it. He alternated ruling the City with his brother, thus Polyneices was meant to protect the people of the Thebes, not put them in danger. Polyneices doesn’t deserve a burial since he died without honor, by trying to kill the ancestral city’s native gods with a battle against Eteocles which put his people in danger; this battle ended with the death of his brother. In Greek mythology kill a family member is a sin and anyone who does so doesn’t deserve to rest with the gods, therefore Polyneices doesn’t deserve a proper burial.

Claim: Eteocles was trying to defending his city and protect it from Polyneices, but died honouring his people and city.

Textual Evidence: “Once Oedipus ceased being king of Thebes, his two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, agreed to alternate as king.When Eteocles refused to give up power to Polyneices, the latter collected a foreign army of Argives and attacked the city. In the ensuing battle, the Thebans triumphed oveExplanation: Polyneices may have been apart of the royal family and seen as a loving friend and brother to Antigone and others he was still the enemy because he attacked Thebes with intention of wiping out the city and its gods. Polyneices is seen as the enemy because a king/ ruler is supposed to protect their city not destroy it because they want the best for their cities and for it to grow not to crumble. Since in Thebes he is still considered as an enemy and a traitor be does not deserve a burial therefore he should be left in limbor the invading forces, and the two brothers killed each other, with Eteocles defending the city and Polyneices attacking it.” (Page 1 BACKGROUND NOTE TO THE STORY)

Explanation: Eteocles was just trying to protect his city but died trying to guard it from the invading forces of his brother. Eteocles was passionate in defending his city because he worked so hard trying to build and maintain his city and get it in the right place. Eteocles will not allow his efforts to be in vain therefore he could not allow his brother to come to Thebes with a foreign army to destroy it. In the eyes of thebes Eteocles died as a hero

Claim: Although Polyneices was apart of the royal family, he was the enemy of Thebes because he attacked his own city with a foreign army of Argives

Textual Evidence: “A good man does not wish what we give him to be the same an evil man receives… An enemy can never be a friend, not even in death.” (Sophocles 520)

Explanation: Polyneices may have been apart of the royal family and seen as a loving friend and brother to Antigone and others he was still the enemy because he attacked Thebes with intention of wiping out the city and its gods. Polyneices is seen as the enemy because a king/ ruler is supposed to protect their city not destroy it because they want the best for their cities and for it to grow not to crumble. Since in Thebes he is still considered as an enemy and a traitor be does not deserve a burial therefore he should be left in limbo

Claim: Antigone thinks Creon is the one doing wrong by only honouring Eteocles and not Polyneices. Although,  Eteocles had rightfully received his burial according to the customary rites by dying in honor and as a great leader who did all to defended his city, while Polyneices tried to destroy Thebes and died as a traitor.

Textual Evidence: “Look—what’s Creon doing with our two brothers? He’s honouring one with a full funeral and treating the other one disgracefully! Eteocles, they say, has had his burial according to our customary rites, to win him honour with the dead below”. (Sophocles 20-30)

Explanation: Eteocles deserve his proper burial because he died defending Thebes in the battle between him and Polyneices over control of Thebes. While Polyneices died in action as a traitor and the enemy of Thebes because of that Polyneices doesn’t deserve his burial because he didn’t get to be punished for his wrong doing on Thebes his punishment is no burial so that even in death, while he is in limbo, he cannot be in peace and he will suffer the consequences of his betrayal.

Claim: Ismen thinks that this was all destined to happen because their father was also unlucky when he ruled which lead to him taking his life; so when the two brothers fought to the death which brought them to a common doom.

Textual Evidence: “…Think, Antigone. Consider how our father died, hated and disgraced, when those mistakes which his own search revealed forced him to turn his hand against himself and stab out both his eyes. Then that woman, his mother and his wife—her double role— destroyed her own life in a twisted noose. Then there’s our own two brothers, both butchered in a single day—that ill-fated pair with their own hands slaughtered one another and brought about their common doom”. (Sophocles 50- 70)

Explanation: Eteocles and Polynices were destined to doom because their family was unlucky from the beginning, with Oedipus taking his own life because he couldn’t take the hatred and dishonor of his father, whom he killed unknowingly which lead to him winning the throne and marriage with his mother. Then later after his mother and wife found out about she bore her own son’s children and also took her life. The battle between the two brothers which lead to their death was just something waiting to happen. They’re tragic death was fated to happen.

On The Bus

In third grade, I remember my class went on a field trip together. I don’t even remember where we went that day, everything was a blur but the bus ride back. It was a hot, hot fall day, I was in the blazing yellow school bus, sitting next to my childhood best friend. Her name was Michaela; she was a chubby, short black girl that always wore pigtails. I remember the bus passing by the entrance of my home. At the time I just moved into the new place. It was an old, white manufactured home, which is the fancy way to say it’s a mobile home.. I thought an ugly house—well I still think it is ugly but it was my home so I didn’t complain (at least as much as I should have).

Remember how people often say that children have no shame? Well, I was one of those kids. Even though I thought my house was ugly I felt no shame in living there, so as the bus passed the entrance of my house I pointed it out to my friend in a small voice because a part of me didn’t want everyone to know where I live, “Hey, you see that,” I pointed to the opening of my neighborhood, “ I live there. If you drive a little more down, you can see my house.”

She looked at me and started laughing.

At that moment I felt what no eight year old child should feel; I felt embarrassed, ashamed, vulnerable, exposed. I felt bare. But I didn’t say anything to her. Instead I just sat back into my seat, waiting till she finished laughing. In that moment, I prayed to every God that would listen to make the bus ride end. To make the day be over so I could go home— to the home I was now ashamed to be living in.

From that moment forward I never really shared the location of my home with anyone. Why would I? To be laughed at again? No thank you. I went the rest of my elementary school life without anyone knowing where I lived except Michaela, the one girl who laugh at me, when I showed her where I live, who eventually moved away after the third grade.

In sixth grade, I was riding the late bus home with my friend Kimberly, who was sitting next to me. Kimberly was a chubby, tall, olive toned hispanic girl with long hair and glasses— someone truly nice to everyone.  She made me feel brave. The bus passed by the entranced of my neighborhood. Even though I hadn’t known Kimberly for a long time I felt like I could trust her. I think it was something about her smile or the way her eyes look kind when she’s happy, just something about her. I was brave. I pointed and said the same thing to Kimberly that I said to my third grade best friend.

“Hey, you see that,”  pointing to the opening of my neighborhood, “ I live there. If you drive a little more down, you can see my house.”

She looked at me wide eyed.

But this time it was different, this time I feared for my life. I didn’t want her to laugh at me, I didn’t want her to judge me for something that was way out of my control. But instead she said, “Dude, really! My cousin lives there.”

Then she when on talking about her cousin. We started arranging sleepovers and getting all excited like eleven year-olds do. I was so happy that day. In sixth grade, Kimberly and I would always stay after school and ride the late bus home almost every day. We also had a great relationship with our bus driver. His name was Mr. McNeil, a funny, sarcastic, cool, tall dude in his early 50’s. Kimberly and I would always sit in the front to talk to him and socialize. One time there was an awkward silence on the bus and coincidentally we were also passing by the entrance to my neighborhood. Kimberly since she had nothing else to do with herself so she pointed out where I live to Mr. McNeil.

“Hey, look that’s where Halie lives!”

Now who does this girl think she is, sharing personal information about me to other people?! I tried to stop her but I was too late. Luckily, Mr. McNeil wasn’t paying attention, much to my relief. But Kimberly, back then, didn’t know when to stop. Every single day we passed the opening to my house she would pointed it out to Mr. McNeil.

Eventually one day Mr. McNeil was bound to pay attention to Kimberly. And sure enough, my biggest fear arrived. The bus ride started out normally. On the bright yellow-orange bus, all the windows were open bringing in all the warm air and noise from outside. I still remember sitting in one of those uncomfortable seats with one foot in the aisle grabbing on the back of the seat in front of me when he asked: “Is that where you live?” he pointed. I shyly nodded, “Let me ask you this one thing,” he began, “Does your house keep you warm in the winter?”

I had no idea where this was going but I confusingly answered, “Yeah.”

Then he looked at me like I had just committed the greatest sin of all and by me I mean at the road, in front of him because he was driving. He wondered out loud, “Then why are you embarrassed then? If it keeps you warm during the winter!”All I did was shake my head at him in response thinking, he doesn’t get it, he doesn’t have to live there. How would he know anything?

It turns out he knows a lot. Why should I be embarrassed of where I live? Why should I care what other people think of my home because believe it or not we’re not here to please anyone. It is, what it is. I am proud to live where I live because there are some people that don’t even have a roof over their heads and I do. I shouldn’t complain about something I have no control over, instead I should be grateful because I at least have something. Now when people ask me where I live, I say what the major roads by my house are and I tell them that it is a trailer. It is what it is; I no longer was going to try to sugarcoat it because I have no reason to. What are you going to do to me? I have no reason to be ashamed. I’ll say it again. I live in a mobile home.

Research Paper

Introduction

Since the beginning of 2008 to 2018 the percentage of social media profiles within the U.S population has effectively increased. Although, the percentage of social media profiles has decrease by 3% in comparison to the previous year where the percentage of social media profiles went from 80% to 77%, they are still widely used. Scholars in the field of psychology generally agree that social media can be addicting but some argue that social media helps adolescents in many ways. However, they don’t know much about how social media effects younger kids (10 and younger). The research that is available suggest social media has many positive effects on adolescents like improving communication, and improving one’s school work, as well as negative effects such as the fear of missing out, and causing sleeping problems. To increase more effective knowledge on the effects social media has on young people further research should be dedicated toward social media and the youth.

An addiction is a behavior disorder that causes harmful physical, mental, and social issues on daily activities.  Furthermore, research over addiction generally indicates social media addiction was first seen as an addiction by mainly parents and others. Over the years the usage of social media has grown and is becoming a common concern; too much use of social media can result into symptoms of an addiction or seen as an addiction. For example, many people have been excessively using social media to a point where it has become compulsory. This has driven people to have the uncontrollable urge of wanting to check or use social media; this has affected many people, which caused them to reduce their attention on other important thing in their life. This causes many to missing out in life and opportunities just because they wanted to be on their cell phones and social media.

The Positive Effects Of Social Media

Social media improves communication in adolescents since it provides a platform where they can connect their friend and family, as well as give adolescents multiple platforms and ways that they can express their ideas. Social media helps adolescents stay connected with their friends and family. “Research shows that adolescents use these communication tools primarily to reinforce existing relationships, both friendships and romantic relationships, and to check out the potential of new entrants into their offline world” (Subrahmanyam K; California State University-Los Angeles, Children’s Digital Media Center, UCLA/CSULA, USA, 120)  The communication that goes on through social media like direct messaging, emailing, group chats, and posting on their social media profile helps reinforce relationships through that communication. According to “Online Communication and Adolescent Relationships,” social media provides adolescents with a source that allows them to talk, view, and develop their relationships. Social media benefits adolectestents by uniting them with their family and friends especially when teens are able to interact with distant friends and family members who they will not be able to talk to other wise. Additionally, social media allows adolescents to communicate their ideas. “ [Social media promotes] enhancement of individual and collective creativity through development and sharing of artistic and musical endeavors, [and] growth of ideas from the creation of blogs, podcasts, videos, and gaming sites” (Valkenburg and Peter, 801). Different sites and social media platforms allows adolescents to communicate their thoughts and ideas in new and different way than ever before. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Adolescent Health, “71 percent of teens say they use more than one social media site,” with the most common social media sites that are used are Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Its common that adolescents want to share and communicate their ideas so that is what they use social media for, to share their thought through their post so that others may view it as well as use social media to view others ideas and post. Social media benefits adolescents by providing them with an outlet for their ideas which allows them to express their ideas and thoughts, and the more teens post on social media their ideas and though the better they will become communicating them.

The Negative Effects Of Social Media

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), “ is comprised of irritability, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy, with these feelings tending to worsen when an individual logs on in to social media website. Intense feelings of one “missing out” have the power to influence buying decisions; an individual could choose to buy a better or more expensive product than their friend because they don’t want to miss out on the possibility of having something better or missing out on an opportunity to ‘fit in’.” (Jessica P. Abel, Beech-Nut, USA Cheryl L. Buff, Siena College, USA Sarah A. Burr, Ipsos, USA,  35). FOMO also has an important impact on social media since social media heightens the amount of FOMO an adolescent can feel, since other adolescent’s posting of one image can make others feel left out. Social media is used to share one’s life – with images or writing – and/ or current events. Sometimes when people are posting things they don’t consider how it can cause dissatisfaction to some people, and make them feel like they’re missing out. Social media addiction never leave a person satisfied with their social media account, people – especially teens – are always trying to get more followers, more likes, and more views. Since people want more and more nothing is ever enough. Adolescents compete with one another to see who has the best social media account in order to fit in and in fear of missing out which always makes teens feel dissatisfied. “Does increased checking of social media result because one has FOMO, or does increased checking of social media cause FOMO…or some combination thereof? Do higher levels of FOMO result in a decrease in checking social media because the individual is afraid of missing out and wants to avoid additional pain to the psyche? Testing these questions is predicated on the ability to measure FOMO.” (Jessica P. Abel, Beech-Nut, USA Cheryl L. Buff, Siena College, USA Sarah A. Burr, Ipsos, USA, 36)

Conclusion  

In conclusion, social media is a big important aspect in our lives with many positive but also many negative effects; social media can help us with our communication and improve our school work, consequently social media can also provoke FOMO and cause sleeping problems. Social media can become addicting but many scholars my field will agree, social media can be beneficial as well as have its disadvantages. To increase the information available on the effects social media has on young people further research should be dedicated toward social media and the youth. Although nearly all social media services require users to be at least 13 years old but there are many accounts that are created using a fake date of birth or name which makes it harder to monterior youth on social media, but not impossible. I would take a controlled youth group from the ages 8 to 14 and install a software on their devices that tracks how much time they spend on their devices and how long they spend on each app that they use.

Resources-

Subrahmanyam, Kaveri, and Patricia Greenfield. “Online Communication and Adolescent Relationships.” The Future Of Children, vol. 18, no. 1, 2008, pp. 119–146. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=uid&db=cmedm&AN=21338008&site=ehost-live.

Click to access Social_Consequences_of_the_Internet_for_20160623-12266-aq0re3.pdf

Click to access EJ795861.pdf

https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/february-2016-teens-social-media-use/index.html

externalfile:drive-e096fb6c3f41c694c40a7272eba1e6f193f58c69/root/9554-Article%20Text-35976-2-10-20160114.pdf

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13674676.2017.1300791

https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2008.0228
The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey

The Punishments

“Look, that’s why there’s rules, understand? So that you think before you break ’em.” (Terry Pratchett, Thief of Time).  In Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver presents the idea of punishment and how it can occur if you don’t follow the laws or laws of culture and religion.

The cause of Ruth May’s death was seen as a punishment because of her religion; For example, “For once he had no word to instruct our minds and improve our souls, no parable that would turn Ruth May’s death by snakebite into a lesson on the Glory of God. My Father, whose strong hands always seized whatever came along and molded it to his will, seemed unable to grasp what had happen. “She wasn’t baptized yet,” he said. I looked up when he said this, startled by such a pathetically inadequate observation. Was that really what mattered to him right now- the condition of Ruth May’s soul? (Page 368) Furthermore, this conveys that religion is a big part in the Price family, because throughout the story Kingsolver portrays the message that religion has a big impact on your life; for example, when the family first arrives to the Congo the Father is on a “mission” to save the people of the Congo from their ‘sins’.

In the Congo twins are seen as curses and are often abandoned in the jungle; For example,“…I brought forth a shameless pantomime of a mother giving birth to one baby, then- oh my!- another. Twins. His eyes grew wide. “Baza!”… “Baza?” he repeated, pointed at me (Nelson)…I scribbled with some defensiveness: You never saw twins? (Adah)He shook his head with conviction. “Any woman who has baza should take the two babies to the forest after they are born and leave them there. She take them fast, right away. That is very very very necessary.” (Nelson)…Why? (Adah)…“The ancestors and the gods,” he stammered. “All gods. What god would not be furious at a mother who kept such babies? I think the whole village would be flooded or mostly everyone would die, if a mother kept her baza.” (Page 210-211) Moreover, punishment isn’t only portrayed in religion but also in culture; for example, when Nelson discovered that Adah and Leah were twins he was shocked, scared, and confused because in the Congo twins are seen as curses and many mother when they discover that they are having twins they abandon their baza in the jungle the second after birth to keep their village and people safe.

When people of the Congo worked as slaves in rubber plantations they received punishments when they didn’t follow the laws; For example, “We Belgians made slaves of them and cut off their hands in the rubber plantations. Now you Americans have them for a slave wage in the mines and let them cut off their own hands. And you, my friend, are stuck with the job of trying to make amends.” (Page 121, Doctor)  In 1890 before the Congo was the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) it was the Belgian Congo. When Belgium had control over the Congo they enslaved the people of the Congo and forced them to work in rubber plantations under conditions of great human suffering.


In conclusion, Poisonwood Bible portrays a strong theme of punishment and that events that follow always had a consequence.