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Sunday, 30 January 2011

Historical Background 2 (LA E-Learning)

The Civil Rights Movement


a.      The African-American Civil Rights Movement was made up of many movements, one from 1896 to 1954, and another from 1955 to 1968.
b.      The Civil Rights Movement was a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights under the law to all Americans. This movement has had a lasting impact on the United States society, and increased the social and legal acceptance of civil rights.
c.       There were some key events that took place in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1915, there was The Grandfather Clause (an exception that allows the old rule to continue to apply to some existing situations, including laws), in which the Supreme Court rules against grandfather clauses used to restrict black voting registration.
Secondly, there were the Freedom Rides. The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists that rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States to test the United States Supreme Decision Boynton v. Virginia (of 1960) [a case being held in court]. The first freedom ride left Washington D.C. on May 4, 1961, and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17.
Thirdly, there was the Mississippi riot, or Ole Miss Riot of 1962. It was fought between Southern segregation civilians and federal and state forces as a result of the forced enrolment of black student James Meredith at the University of Mississippi (also known as Ole Miss). What happened? In short, James Meredith filed a case against Ole Miss University after it barred him from entering it, solely because of his skin colour. This decision sparked riots in the campus, which resulted in the death of 2 people.
d.      John F. Kennedy (President of United States Of America from January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963) was the president who supported the civil rights movement the most. He helped pass laws to make sure that all Blacks could vote and get a good education (Abraham Lincoln was also another American president who supported the civil rights movement).
e.      As a result of the Civil Rights movement, the African-Americans are now as equal as whites, although racism is still going on to this day. There is no exact known date to when the Civil Rights Movement ended, but it seemed that it ended after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
f.        Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ was so closely related to the Civil Rights Movement that it was cited as a major reason for the success of civil rights in the 1960s, and that it ‘arrived at the right moment to help the South and the nation grapple with the racial tensions (of) the accelerating civil right movement.’

 

Montgomery Bus Boycott and Scottsboro trials

 

a.      The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and social protest campaign that started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, intended to oppose the city’s policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. Many historically significant figures of the civil rights movement were involved in the boycott, including Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy. It all started from December 1 1955, when Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, was arrested for refusing to surrender her seat to a white person. It led to a federal ruling, then to a United Supreme Court decision that the Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional. The victory led to a city ordinance that allowed black bus passengers to sit virtually anywhere they wanted, and the boycott officially ended on December 20, 1956, after lasting 381 days. The Montgomery Bus Boycott also had ramifications that reached far beyond the desegregation of public buses and provided more than just a positive answer to the Supreme Court’s decision against racial segregation. This boycott also reverberated throughout the United States and stimulated the national Civil Rights Movement. This was the largest contribution to the start of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Scottsboro trials (also known as ‘Scottsboro Boys’), were nine black teenage boys accused of rape in Alabama in 1931. This landmark set of legal cases from this incident deal with racism and a basic American right: the Right to a fair trial. The case includes an all-white jury and a miscarriage of justice. On March 25, 1931, several white boys jumped off a freight train traveling between Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee, reporting to the sheriff that they had been attacked by a group of black boys. The sheriff combed the train and found the group of black boys, along with two white girls who accused them of rape. Immediately a case was heard in three rushed trials, in which the boys were convicted of rape and sentenced to death. However, during the retrials, one of the alleged victims admitted fabricating the rape story and asserted that none of the Scottsboro boys had ever touched them. From then on, the seven white boys and two white girls were found guilty, instead of the Scottsboro boys, and all nine but two served prison sentences.
b.      Both trials explain the horrible racial discrimination present in America in the past, while the whites receive all the power they can get.
c.       The Scottsboro trial is related to ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in many ways. One of the important points to note is the case of Tom Robinson. He, an African-American, was falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, while the Scottsboro boys were also falsely accused of raping two hobo (migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless) women.

 

Trials of a true Southern Belle and Southern Gentleman
a.     Etiquettes:
a)      Gentlemen

                                            i.            A good manner is the best letter of recommendation among strangers. Civility, refinement, and gentleness are passports to hearts and homes, while awkwardness, coarseness and gruffness are met with locked doors and closed hearts.
                                          ii.            Never scratch your head, pick your teeth, clean your nails, or worse of all, pick your nose in company; all these things are disgusting. Spit as little as possible and never upon the floor.
                                        iii.            If you are going into the presence of ladies, beware of onions, spirits and tobacco.
                                         iv.            It is a great thing to be able to walk like a gentleman-that is, to get rid of that awkward, lounging and swinging gate of a clown and stop before you reach the affected and flippant step of the dandy. In short, nothing but a gentleman can give you the air and step of one.
                                           v.            Civility is particularly due to all women; and, remember, that no provocation whatsoever can justify any man in not being civil to every woman; and the greatest man would justly be a brute if he were not civil to the meanest woman. It is due to their sex, and it the only protection they have against the superior strength of ours; not, even a little is allowable with women; and a man may, without weakness, tell a woman she is either handsomer or wiser than she is.
                                         vi.            A gentleman will assist a lady over a bad crossing, or from an omnibus or carriage, without the waiting for the formality of an introduction. When the service is performed, he will raise his hat, bow and pass on.

b)      Ladies

                                            i.            A true southern belle has a charm that radiates whenever she enters the room. Her genuine smile and sweet southern drawl will turn anyone's head. 
                                          ii.            A true southern belle is always ready to help. She volunteers for organizations without a second thought. She is active in her community and also through her children's schools. She takes on projects that no one else will consider. This is her second nature.
                                        iii.            A true southern belle does not care about the money. More than likely her family does not have much of it. Antiques and family traditions are more important. She would much rather have her mother’s china or her grandmother's wedding band to hand down to her own family. 
                                         iv.            A true Southern belle knows her manners. She knows to put her napkin in her lap and to say "ma'am" and "sir". She says "excuse me" when she accidentally bumps into someone and "thank you" for gifts and compliments. 
                                           v.            A true southern belle knows how to dress appropriately. She knows not to wear too revealing clothing in public. However, she knows how to dress seductively in private. 
                                         vi.            A true southern belle knows how to entertain and cook. She always has a pitcher of iced tea prepared for her family as well as unexpected guests. She can cook fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits. She has her mother's peach cobbler recipe tucked away in a safe place. Even if she cannot cook biscuits, she knows how to buy them from the store and disguise them as her own. 
                                      vii.            A true southern belle knows the importance of education. She will finish high school, even if it is public education, and pursue further education at a public or private college or university. She will finish her college education and use the knowledge she has acquired in a career that brings personal satisfaction as well as honour to her family. 

b.     They loved to bake cakes, drink tea and chat with their friends and read.
c.      Picture of Southern Belles:

               Picture of Southern Gentlemen:


d.     In the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, Atticus Finch is an example of a true Southern gentleman. He is humble, upright, and wise. He does not discriminate other races and does his job with justice. Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie, on the other hand, are perfect moulds of Southern Belles. They do everything related to a Southern Belle and devote their time to their family. Aunt Alexandra cares for Scout and Jem while Miss Maudie often bakes cakes for her neighbours.

Harper Lee
a.     Harper Lee was an American writer, famous for her race relations novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. The book became an international bestseller and was adapted into screen in 1962. Lee was 34 when the work was published, and it has remained her only novel.
b.     Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926, Monroeville, Alabama, U.S.) was a U.S. novelist. The daughter of a lawyer, Lee attended the University of Alabama but left for New York City before obtaining a law degree. An editor helped her transform a series of short stories into the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Lee's only novel, it was nationally acclaimed, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1961, and was adapted into a memorable film in 1962. The novel's hero is the white lawyer Atticus Finch, whose just and compassionate acts include an unpopular defense of a black man falsely accused of raping a white girl. The book continued to resonate into the 21st century. In 2007 Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
c.      She only wrote one novel: ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, other works by her include ‘Love- In Other Words’, ‘Christmas To Me’ and ‘When Children discover America’.
d.     She was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Freedom of United States for her contribution to literature in 2007, and also received numerous honorary degrees, but has always declined to make a speech.
e.     It was Harper Lee’s only famous novel in her life, and it meant a lot to her.


Saturday, 29 January 2011

Historical Background (LA E-Learning - 'To Kill A Mockingbird')

Hey I'm back for LA E-Learning, while Mrs Anu is not teaching for this week, so we had to research and produce the research on the following topics. These topics are closely related to the book, "To Kill A Mockingbird", so we will better understand the HISTORICAL BACKGROUND which was the inspiration behind the novel. There is also another exercise, which will be posted later on, so please enjoy! :D


Slavery

The African slaves were first imported into the Virginia, America (then colonized by the British) by the Spanish Colonies in 1619. They were mostly blacks and were held by whites, although there were a few exceptions. The slaves mostly came from the region West Africa, now usually Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote I’voire. The main slave trading countries in Europe were England, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands.  There was a system to abide by. It was known as indentured servitude. This typically lasted for several years for white and black alike. People paid with their labour for the costs of transport to the colonies. They contracted for such arrangements because of poor economies in their home countries.

The Civil War

The Southern States during the 1860s were: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Michigan and Delaware. Abraham Lincoln was the then-president who proclaimed war against the Southern states, after the Southern States got the news about a Republican victory, in which Abraham will take office. The Civil War was fought because Abraham Lincoln wanted to abolish the slavery system. Of course, the slavery states did not want that to happen and opposed that decision. In the end, a war between the North and the South was fought from April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865. In the end, the Northern States, led by Abraham Lincoln, won the war, the territorial integrity of the United States of America was preserved, the was a reconstruction of The United States, and most importantly, slavery was abolished. Civil Rights Movement was about abolishing public and private acts of Racial Discrimination, and that matched exactly to the case of Tom Robinson in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’.

Jim Crow’s Laws

Jim Crow is a song written by Thomas Dartmouth ‘Daddy’ Rice, it depicts a black man singing the song. Jim Crow Laws were state laws enacted between 1876 and 1965, mandating de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly “separate but equal” status for black Americans. Most of them were definitely glad that the law was put to use, and they definitely supported it. However, they were being overturned by the Supreme Court in the 20th Century on constitutional grounds. Yes, we did see Jim Crow laws surface in the book ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. For example, when Tom Robinson was put on trial, black people and white people were supposed to be separated into different areas of the courtroom. 


That's all. See you next time! XDD

Monday, 24 January 2011

EL Home Learning- Comic Strip

New Year 2011

So this was my comic strip for the first Home Learning lesson of 2011.

Well, I chose this background because this particular scene REALLY happened in my room, or my house I should say. My bedroom, study room etc. So in this comic, I'm waking up and celebrating New Year, then realises that there's much planning to do. In conclusion1 my thoughts for 2011 was: 'MUST WORK HARD', and that's how it went.

I used a lot of books to emphasize that studies is the main point to focus in 2011. Thus, the underlying message is that achieving good grades is my aim in 2011.

THANKS and please like my Toon!

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

Forms Of Discrimination

Types of Discrimination:

1) Age Discrimination- Treating someone less favourably because of his/her age.
2) Racial Discrimination- People with odd skin colour are treated like aliens, are treated harshly and does not enjoy special privileges. 
3) Gender Discrimination- One of the gender is preferred over the other, and are treated unfairly, usually bias towards men.
4) Disability Discrimination- People with disabilities are neglected by normal people.
5) Religious Discrimination- People are treated differently from what they do or do not believe, due to their religious and practices.
6) Ancestry Discrimination- People may regard you from your forefathers if you descend from a infamous character, you will be looked down upon.
7) Language Discrimination- Your choice of language, in terms of class, group or category may be disliked by other people.

Those are the main types of discrimination. Here are some minor forms:

Based on: Nationality
                Political Affiliation
                Appearance
                Marital Status
                Employment

etc. etc.

There are still much more types of discrimination, but you can find more about it yourself on the Internet.
 

Monday, 17 January 2011

Literature and Life - Shel Silverstein's other 2 poems

Hey I'm back because I got informed recently that I haven't finished the English poems where you have to answer those questions. Well, let's get started now. It's not too late.


The Little Boy and The Old Man by Shel Silverstein
Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.



Q1) What is the underlying message that is being conveyed in this poem?


The poem is trying to tell us that life is not always fair when you are being neglected by other people from different societies. Nowadays, we are divided into 4 different stages of our life: Childhood, Youth, Adulthood and Elderly. We usually care about the youths, as they are the ones who will decide our future, and the adults, which takes up most of the workforce, and let us have a better life (our parents) However, the children and elderly are often neglected and not a lot of attention is paid to them, as some people regard them as not doing that much for the society. Thus, this  poem tells us that this 'trend' is certainly not to be proud of and we have to pay more attention to them, and not discriminate them (Age Discrimination).


Q2) Has Shel Silverstein used any particular poetic technique that brings out this message more clearly?


Yes, Shel Silverstein used dialogues between the child and the old man to emphasize on the underlying message that is being conveyed in the poem, and also simplifies things and not using too much vocabulary which wll in turn make the poem hard to understand.


Messy Room by Shel Silverstein

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!



Q1) Can you say that the poem is humorous? If so, how?


Yes, the poem is definitely humorous. Shel Silverstein exaggerated on most o the details in this messy bedroom. The untidiness of the bedroom is so exaggerated that it is simply unbelievable. This then brings out the humour in the poem that there is no bedroom that could be so untidy.


Q2) What aspect of the human character has been highlighted in the poem?


The poem highlighted out that the human character is weird in a form that humans are sometimes quick to blame others but not themselves and are blind to their own faults. One will always point a finger at someone else, but then realise that four other fingers are actually pointing at him.








YAY I'm done! Anyway, I'm starting some video blogging in my Youtube channel soon (zhoufng). So watch out! :D Byes.

Sunday, 16 January 2011

Good News + Video Blogging COMING SOON!

Hey ppl I told u I would be back soon, because I JUST GOT MY NEW PC! Yay! *cheers + applause*. It's an Acer Aspire 4741G. I recommend this model to those who are still scratching their heads and pondering over their 'weapon' of choice.

Acer Aspire 4741G
Processor:  Intel Core i5-460M (2.53 GHz, 3MB L3 cache, Intel Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.8 GHz )
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 420 M graphics card (Damn Good) Up to 2746MB TurboCache.
Screen (Resolution): 14.0" HD LED LCD
Memory: 4GB DDR3 Memory, 640GB HD
Other features: DVD-Super Multi DL drive
                       Acer Nplify 802.11b/g/n
                       6-cell Li-ion battery (5 hours? No problem)
                       HDMI output (great for presentations everywhere with a projector - HD graphics!)
                       Card Reader, Multi-Gesture (like your iPhone), 16:9 True Cinematic HD view

Price: At a sale, you can get it for less than $1000, anywhere else? $1100 at most.

Not that expensive right? I deem it as a worthy laptop. I also saw a laptop in a Gain City advertisement that costs $195. How ironic (I wonder what's its features)

As such, I can blog more frequently and  I'm starting a video blog, that is, with the Webcam on my PC. That's fine with me though, coz it's built in, I don't have to buy another webcam myself. So remember to visit my Youtube Channel- 'zhoufng' is the username. Thanks and see you soon

Thursday, 13 January 2011

LA Poetry

Cloony The Clown by Shel Silverstein
I'll tell you the story of Cloony the Clown
Who worked in a circus that came through town.
His shoes were too big and his hat was too small,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
He had a trombone to play loud silly tunes,
He had a green dog and a thousand balloons.
He was floppy and sloppy and skinny and tall,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
And every time he did a trick,
Everyone felt a little sick.
And every time he told a joke,
Folks sighed as if their hearts were broke.
And every time he lost a shoe,
Everyone looked awfully blue.
And every time he stood on his head,
Everyone screamed, "Go back to bed!"
And every time he made a leap,
Everybody fell asleep.
And every time he ate his tie,
Everyone began to cry.
And Cloony could not make any money
Simply because he was not funny.
One day he said, "I'll tell this town
How it feels to be an unfunny clown."
And he told them all why he looked so sad,
And he told them all why he felt so bad.
He told of Pain and Rain and Cold,
He told of Darkness in his soul,
And after he finished his tale of woe,
Did everyone cry? Oh no, no, no,
They laughed until they shook the trees
With "Hah-Hah-Hahs" and "Hee-Hee-Hees."
They laughed with howls and yowls and shrieks,
They laughed all day, they laughed all week,
They laughed until they had a fit,
They laughed until their jackets split.
The laughter spread for miles around
To every city, every town,
Over mountains, 'cross the sea,
From Saint Tropez to Mun San Nee.
And soon the whole world rang with laughter,
Lasting till forever after,
While Cloony stood in the circus tent,
With his head drooped low and his shoulders bent.
And he said,"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT -
I'M FUNNY JUST BY ACCIDENT."
And while the world laughed outside.
Cloony the Clown sat down and cried.
1) Explain the irony in the poem.
Cloony the Clown was supposed to make everyone laugh at his funny antics. However, he fails to do so, and instead, generates an opposite reaction in the audience. The audience cry or mourn over his actions, and while he was trying to show everybody why he looked so bad, he made every one roar with laughter instead. As such, he fails to tell everyone about his sorrow and thus no one symphatises him.
2) Does Shel Silverstein manage to convey some harsh realities in the passage?
Yes, as he depicts that some people laugh at one another's sorrows, and it's like mocking your failures and maybe being close to a sadist. So, the harsh reality is that it's hard to deal with A LOT of people jeering and laughing their heads off because of your actions.
3) What poetic devices has the poet used to effectively convey his message?
He uses irony to convey the message to readers that the world has sadistic people.



Sec 2--- START!

Ok hey guys, I'm back AGAIN. So cool to be back AGAIN.
Anyways, I'm promoted to Sec 2! Feels so great and awesome!
Anyways, I have to reuse my Sec 1 LA Blog as Sec 2 LA Blog.
That means, I don't have to delete all the previous posts.
Never Mind about that though, cos I have to post another post right after this one.
Cool huh? Anyway, I'm finally a CMC (Facilities Rep.)! Yay! Take care of AV stuff, and well, organise the class blog: http://2o34-2011.blogspot.com.  Real Cool.
Getting a laptop too! Like, this weekend. Lenovo or Acer, hmm......
Byes ppl, I have to get to serious work!
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