In our two books, the main characters' lives are controlled in many different ways. In True Notebooks the teens' lives are regulated in every way possible: they live in cells; they can only do activities at specific times; and if one person screws up bad, everyone in the unit pays the price. In Persepolis, Marjane and her friends are told what to think and do especially when they go to school.
Now that you're out of high school and possibly living in a major metropolitan city for the first time, what triumphs and challenges are you encountering? Compare and contrast some of your experiences with the experiences of the characters in your book.
My biggest challenge right now at the Bridge Program is my math class.
ReplyDeleteMy highschool math was called Math Workshop, and basically, everyone worked at their own pace, and independantly. There was a teacher, but he never lectured, he and the student teacher would help when needed. Also I had a math tutor which helped a lot. Here the math tutoring starts at 12, but we have to make the long walk to the music center to make it to the lecture, which leaves no time for getting help.
I can ask my roommates and floormates since we are all doing the same thing basically, but it's hard for me to grasp what someone my age is saying as opposed to someone older and easier to understand in a sense.
I don't know how I'm going to fix this problem yet unless the tutoring times change.
I'm experiencing huge change and challenges. I'm from he suburbs and I recently moved into an apartment with my dad about 8 blocks north so I can walk here and have a place to stay during the week instead of making the commute everyday to and from Glenview. My first is I have no internet or cable, or even a tv. I find myself sitting around bored or doing homework instead of what I would normally do. It's almost like a jail itself. I also find it challenging to learn streets and where everything is. Also adjusting to all the traffic and people is hard to do.
ReplyDeletei still live at home so even though i am a college student, i still have boundaries stopping me from doing what i please. i hate this because i feel i have had 18 years of being watched over and told what to do. i feel that i have acheived enough success and have endured enough parenting conversations to step into the real world and be on my own. just like Marji from Persepolis, i dont want to feel like i hve no say in what happens. i want to have control, especially if its my life! is that to much to ask for?
ReplyDeleteQuentin Egan - I am dealing with the same no internet/cable issue as well. At the Plymouth dorms everything was so un-organized, the resedence life office didn't know the exact date Bridge students were moving in so they didn't prepare anything for us until last minute. So we probably wont have internet or cable for a week or so.
ReplyDeleteAlso people here are kind of rude when you ask for directions places, they expect you to know and talk down to you as if you are dumb for not knowing your way around.
I would have to say one of the most simple of things yet it can be challenging at the same time is making friends. back in Ohio I had to say goodbye to all my good friends and each of us were going to another state so it's possible that would be the last time we would ever "hang out." i also said goodbye to my family as they dropped me off in at my brother's apartment here in Chicago. Like many of the characters in True Notebooks I feel, in a way, disconnected from the world living in a small apartment and my only real friend that is there with me is my brother Joe. i will sit at my computer and sometimes find myself staring out the window wondering what the rest of my Family and friends are doing, just as one might look out a small jail cell window deep in thought.
ReplyDeleteMaybe once my real classes start and I'm living on campus and in classes where there are likely to be more people interested in video game design like me where i will be able to make new friends.
i think my challenge is going to be writing papers in high-school didn't really have many papers to do the reading response is only 1 page so for now i think i will be good but the 5 page essay i might have a problem with that i don't think i ever had write a page more than 3 pages in high school it more like you was made to do now its like what you want to do no one making you that might be a challenge for some because some days you might not want to come class or if you already late mite want just miss the day
ReplyDeleteBeing in Champaign Illinois for me was almost like those guys being in a cell. I felt as if I was trapped living ever day in formality. If you were a outcast then you were weird, if you didnt go out every night you were a lame. Being in Chicago have aloud me to get away from all those negative people.I got to come to Chicago and be happy with no one not knowing me rather than being in Champaign having everyone knowing me. I use Chicago as how marjane in the persepolis used religion. I am allowed to be free and enjoy the clouds,like the guy explained in his story in
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The biggest challenge I'm faced with at the moment is maintaining self discipline and getting over not being able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it. On the count of I have major responsibilities that I, and only I am resonsible for.
ReplyDeleteLike Kevin it seems like at first he wasn't comfortable in reading he always would go last never volunteer to be 1st i think that's one my challenges as well being comfortable in my work and to just be able to be active in class with out the teacher have to ask me
ReplyDeleteIf I were to compare my life to Marjane I would say we don't really have any similarities. Escept for the fact that we are both in a government in which we don't like. I mean I'm all for being a Democrat and all, but I'm all about change here. Anyways, a difference between us is that she wishes to change her government and become something big in her country so that she can bring peace throughout Iran. I on the other hand wouldn't mind helping. Its just that I never was really into politics so I really am not on the level of interest with Marjane.
ReplyDeleteBeing in St.louis for 14 years & Milwaukee forn 5 years to here in Chicago,Ive had to face all my challenges face to face. Ive never lived in the city my entire life, I always thought it looked really cool on television but never did I expect to live downtown in a major city. I think my greatest challenge has yet to come.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm out of high school and I am taking courses in a major metropolitan area for the first time waking up everyday trying to get to class on time considering the distance I have to travel is a challenge for me. Another challenge for me is getting work done for all of my classes and still balencing work and spending time with my family. I believe that those are the two biggest challenges I face as of now. Although these are the challenges i face i plan on triumphing through and succeding in the in.
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ReplyDeleteI only have a problem knowing when to get off the bus in the mornings because like today for example I gotten lost in downtown because I gotten off on the rong street so I use my cumpis on my phone to help me find my way towerds Columbia college I know by going east would led me to the area. I also remember the other billdings around Columbia so thats another way I find my way back. I would say me compare to Marjane is that I believe in everyones freedom as well as she is trying to help to her own people. I think she was kinda confuse what to believe in her young life.
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