Honors English Deibler 5

1. Yes, Mark’s thoughts are justifiable with what he has experienced and witnessed at his age. The suffering, pain, loss, struggles, and more that he has gone through are ridiculously far more than what a high percentage of people have even touched upon. I can not imagine what it must be like to be in his shoes, to have his lifestyle, or to even experience some of it. Although suicide is not the answer when your struggles become unbearable or when you just can’t handle it anymore, he sees it as a solution and a way to put an end to the dark life he has lived so far. Because he is so young he doesn’t understand that it would affect others… especially his mom who has very high hopes for his future. I think that because of his age and the extreme amount of agony he’s been through it’s understandable he would want to.

You can argue that it isn’t because he possesses a high level of maturity at his age being treated like an adult. He also has responsibilities of one too, being expected to help out the family and take care of his younger siblings. His life isn’t like a normal kid with playdates on Saturdays, and a guidance counselor to go to when others bully him. He doesn’t really know what it’s like to have a birthday party, to have a best friend, or sleep in a comfy bed with a stable roof over his head. Mark doesn’t have that certainty kids need that everything will be okay when he’s experienced so many moments that make his feel like it never will be. Cut him so slack, and try to put yourself in his shoes…even though the soles are worn.

2. Page 168: “While standing there, lost in a world of confusion and fear, my mother unexpectedly joined me. I tried hiding the knife behind my back, but she had already seen it. She remained still alongside me, alternately looking at me, then at the knife. Overwhelmed with guilt, I dropped my eyes. A few moments passed in tense silence. Still she didn’t say anything, seemingly waiting for me to say something, to explain the reason for the knife, and why I was trembling. After a long while, I said, in a soft, trembling voice, ‘Mama, what would happen if I were to die? Would anybody miss me? Would anybody care? Will it matter to anyone?’” Chapter 28 in general was my favorite chapter out of all of them for me so far and tearjerking. I chose this passage out of Chapter 28 because I thought it was really strong. I like how the mom didn’t freak out too or panic like I would. It also shows how Mark is unaware that it would affect others, and thinks that his death wouldn’t make a difference. It shows how he’s peaked in terms of anxiety and really shows the relationship between him and his mom.

3. A-If you were going through similar things as Mark, would you consider suicide? What would you do if you were his age, and had gone through so much? Would you bear with it and stay strong, or try to find a solution?

B-If you had witnessed the murder, what do you think you would have done?

1.  Is a dystopian society presented in a more effective manner through a non-fiction text or a fiction text?  Explain your response, citing specific examples.

I believe that a dystopian society is presented in a more effective manner through a fiction text, because I find it to be depicted better with the over exaggeration and unusual plots. Although it may be easier to relate to non fiction dystopian societies, I believe that with fiction texts you can imagine yourself in one a lot easier. In fiction texts the ability of authors to make things larger and worse than they seem, make dystopian societies presented so much better.

With “Harrison Bergeron” I found that the over done government control over the people made it easier to imagine and really dragged your mind in to it. I found my imagination run with the images that were planted in my head of ballerinas falling, people handicapped with heavy weights, beautiful people made ugly with masks and such, and the what it must seem like to live in their world. Additionally, I could hear the noises Harrison’s dad must have heard in his head on a daily basis.

The main character and viewpoint from which Kaffir Boy is told reveals a lifestyle of fear, death, violence, starvation, and prostitution on a daily basis in a boy’s lifestyle. I find that people can walk around in the city, or visit another country and see/get a feel of these dystopian societies themselves. We could talk to a boy personally and experience his pain as he tells us. However, the dystopian society of the novel Animal Farm or Harrison Bergeron really allows us to imagine something we can not see or experience in our world.

In my opinion, both non fiction and fiction have the ability to depict dystopias very clearly, but fiction texts really throw the dystopian society the author is depicting in your face. In Kaffir Boy, the story is so personal, so real, and so unique pertaining to his life that reading it I find it harder to place myself in his shoes as opposed to the characters in “Harrison Bergeron.” Additionally, I believe it depends on the audience. However, both writings of dystopian societies touch my heart and really plant images of their harsh lifestyle, though I prefer reading Kaffir Boy more than Animal Farm.