James's Blog

 I chose to examine Cassi's project and Heather's project because both used Neatline, a tool that I want to explore more. First, I thought that Cassi's Neatline project was very interesting and gave me a better sense of how Neatline can be used. First, I really appreciated that Cassi used different colors for the points she used on her map. It made the entire presentation much more organized and easier for the reader to navigate. It also made sense that Cassi spent some time explaining the format of her presentation to the reader. Since most of us aren't familiar with how Neatline works, having this explanation was incredibly helpful. Something interesting I learned from Cassi's project was that ancient Greek seers had status that was similar to that of the King. I find this very hard to believe given how King Creon treated the blind seer, Tiresias, when he tried to warn King Creon of his great peril. Also, the chorus in Antigone provided the King with advice, so th...

 At the SCU library, our class was given the opportunity to explore old artifacts from all around the world. I do find it fascinating to see how the physical mediums for sharing writing have evolved over the past centuries. First, one thing I learned about the texts was the writing medians that were used. Some of these writing mediums were papyrus, custom tablets, print, and folding paper books. Something I learned about one of the objects my partner and I examined was the accordion binding that held the book together. We learned from the librarian, Ms. Baughman-McDowell, that the accordion binding was an upgrade from the ancient scroll that was used to transcribe writing. And even before the scroll, the common physical medium was animal hides and before that it was tablets. The accordion binding led to the invention of the codex, which is considered the common form for book bindings today. I do recall being surprised at how well these archives had held up physically. However, the ...

After taking a brief look through the material of the final project, I'm excited and anxious to think about all of the possibilities there are. I will say that it's possible I'll change my mind on a topic since we've only read two of the four texts. However, from what we have read so far, I think the topic of a female protagonist would be interesting to explore. Growing up as a boy, I became familiarized with books that largely had male protagonists. Having a male protagonist in any story seemed like the norm. I don't understand the struggles of many women around the world, so I think this topic would really force me to learn material I'm not familiar with.  Another topic I'd be interested in exploring is political controversies. As a Political Science major, I have always been fascinated by the power struggles between different groups. I think these controversies are so intriguing because it allows us to analyze what happened and learn from the mistakes of ...

 One thing I never really thought about was how impactful the speaker can be in a given context. This is highlighted in the microlecture as one line is picked out as an example. The line was supposed to be Ismene's line but was stolen and given to Antigone. This being Antigone's line drastically changes the plot. Giving certain characters specific lines is an intentional choice by the author of the piece because it allows the plot to unfold the way they want it to. In short, giving these characters these lines allows the reader to better understand the plot and each characters' motivations for making the choices they make. Another interesting thing I learned from the microlecture is how many different translations there are of Antigone. It surprised me how a slight alteration in the translation can lead to such a different outcome. Looking back at the line being changed from Ismene to Antigone, it makes sense because there are multiple different translations of the story. S...

 One thing that was very prevalent to me in Antigone was the relationship between Antigone and her sister, Ismene. This was very similar to the relationship that we saw in Home Fire between Aneeka and Isma. Both Aneeka and Antigone defy the rules because both are strongly devoted to their faith and their family. Aneeka rejects Karamat's law that her brother cannot be buried at home. She travels to the Middle East to be with her brother and try to bring his body home. Similarly, Antigone rejects Creon's law that her brother be left to rot. She resolves to bury him herself, claiming that that is the treatment the Greek Gods demand for the dead. Even though both are aware that their brothers are traitors to the State, their love for their family transcends their loyalty to the State. Shamsie's Aneeka is also very similar to Antigone in that both characters feel like they can't go on in an unjust world. Both show anger and sadness in their voices. On the other hand, Ismene ...

I chose 3 classmates' projects because they chose topics that I wasn't familiar with and wanted to learn more about. First, I thought Cassi's podcast about the morality police was very interesting. They were mentioned briefly in Home Fire, and I didn't have much previous knowledge to begin with. I was very intrigued to hear Cassi talk about how people "had strayed so far from Mohammad's vision" regarding social practices for Muslim women. In my excursion, I explored the diversion of radical Islamic visions from traditional Islamic visions, so I found this talking point relatable. I had no idea that the majority of repressive policies towards women were introduced as recently as the 1970s. I expected that Islam's social policies had been created a long time ago when women's role in society was more repressive all across the world. I also did not know that the morality police actively tracked citizens of the country, punishing any social infractions....

 After being introduced to Neatline for the first time, I'm not sure that I'd use the software tool in the future. It was a lot of work to accomplish some of the most simple tasks on Neatline. I had a lot of trouble navigating which tools to use and how to apply a feature. Also, it seemed like the screen continuously glitched any time I tried to zoom in or zoom out on the map. When I tried to apply a timeline for how long I lived in my house, I had to click on multiple different buttons in order for a timeline to appear. The timeline would not work unless I had an end date. I still live in the house, so it wouldn't have an end date. Also, the end date only worked if it was the same as the start date on the timeline. I think that this rendered the timeline feature useless because it only showed one dot on a timeline in June of 2007, when my parents and I moved into the house. Also, when I put a dot on the area of the map where I lived, it continued to bounce around on the sc...

 There were multiple themes in Home Fire that I found interesting. However, I found the father and son theme to be the most interesting and relatable. As a son, I can understand some of the feelings that both Eamonn and Parvaiz have regarding their role models. Home Fire examines two starkly different father and son relationships. First, Eamonn desperately wants to live up to his father's expectations that he will live a life full of determination, strength, and grit. Unfortunately for Eamonn, he was brought up in a house of immense privilege, making it difficult for him to demonstrate strength and hard work. In Parvaiz's case, he leaves a life with his sisters' love to pursue his fathers footsteps in extremist groups. Shamsie is able to show how both sons feel the pressure of their respective fathers' legacies while attempting to carve their own lives out. Towards the beginning of the novel, Eamonn tells Isma the respect and love that he has for his father. He then tal...

I believe that Kamila Shamsie gave each character their own chapter because she wanted to assert each character's individuality. Each character in the book has a different perspective. One common theme shown all throughout the book is the stereotypes that plague the Muslim community. In Home Fire, for example, the public often views Muslims as dangerous terrorists who treat women horribly. By giving each character their own chapter/s, Shamsie is able to show how the nuances of an individual character's experiences need to be taken into consideration to truly understand the character. Shamsie does this so that the reader will not fall into the trap of making assumptions about a character because of their ethnic/racial/cultural background. Rather, the reader will see the diverse and complex backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions that the Muslim characters in Home Fire all bring to the table. I believe Shamsie put the characters in the order they were because an idea introduced by o...

  While reading Kamila Shamsie's novel, I have learned a lot about the Muslim faith and the stereotypes associated with those who practice the faith. In particular, I was interested in how mainstream British society managed to alienate Muslims by stereotyping them and forcing them to choose between their faith and their nationality. As a member of a largely Christian township in suburban Philadelphia, I don't have much contact with people of other faiths. I think it would be interesting to learn about the stereotypes that marginalized communities must face.  Another idea that I find interesting for my research excursion is the different characters' interpretations of the Muslim faith. Aneeka is more openly sexual than her sister, Isma, who is portrayed as a more conservative person. We see this in the way they dress their difference of opinion. Isma is very conservative in her dress as she chooses to always wear her hijab in public. Aneeka interprets Islam differently. Like...