MY SISTER'S KEEPER

BY: JODI PICOULT

CAN ONE PERSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Throughout the novel, Anna makes a huge difference in Kate's life. She is the reason why Kate is alive. Anna is the only support that Kate could rely on and she faces many surgeries and medical procedures to keep Kate alive. She faced through many difficult times and feels that she is rejected from her family, but  her family supports her even more when they say "We loved you even more," my mother made to say, "because we knew exactly what we were getting." (Picoult, 8). Anna also says, "See, unlike the rest of the free world, I didn't get here by accident. And if your parents have you for a reason, then that reason better exist. Because once its gone, so are you." (Picoult, 8) This quote just explains that she is here to help Kate survive and is not here to live life. She was more of a need not a desire. Its not like Kate wants Anna, but Kate needs her to survive. Anna is a hero to Kate because Anna had to face through man painful procedures such as the transplant and served as a donor to keep Kate alive. With Anna fulfilling her responsibility, she becomes an essential symbol to Kate and is making a great difference as Kate lives.

One example of Anna going through hardship was when Anna donated a kidney to Kate. However, Kate didn't accept Anna's kidney because Kate wants Anna to have her own right and to speak out against this. She wants her to say "NO!" As Kate kept declining the request of Anna donating a kidney, Sara snapped at Kate that it was as if she was killing herself by declining this request. But Kate responded its not suicide if I am already dying. It shows the hardship that Anna goes through. Anna has no right to speak up in this situation, yet kate is doing her best that she could speak up and she is independent on her own. Once again, Kate was more of a need than a desire, but yet Kate tries to help her into becoming more independent and that she is more than just some object. 

MY SISTER'S KEEPER

BY: JODI PICOULT

Throughout the novel of my sister's keeper by: Jodi Picoult, it deals with many family conflicts to save her daughter Kate. The concept of parenting is very critical and is needed because she needs strong support and love from her parents. In this novel it creates a huge amount of responsibility, pain, and guilt that sticks with them throughout their lives. As reading the novel, it has been very difficult to judge a comment on how Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald are good parents or not. However, I still believe that in fulfilling the duties of a parent, they must be loving, caring, and must be a effective teacher throughout the child's life. I strongly believe that they are good parents to Kate, but they do not act the same way to Anna or Jessie.

In this novel, Kate was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia at the age of two. (page.10) As she is growing up, the desperation of Kate's parents become larger and larger. A great example of how it is represented is when Kate says, "It's in case I don't come back." Personally when I read this, it was very difficult for me to read and it was a situation that I really reflected and pondered on. I was wondering as being a spectator, what I would do if I was in that situation?

On the other hand, Sarah is more caring to Kate than Anna is. It shows that Sarah is more responsible and can take care of Kate whenever she needs it. However, Anna feels the pain too when they are both in the hospital and she tries her best to help Kate too. Even though, Anna doesn't seem like she has as much experience as Sarah, she still tries her best to save Kate.

I feel like Brian would be known as a better parent to Anna because right after Anna was in pain after the bone marrow transplant, he made her a necklace as a present. But throughout the book, Brian is more aware of the fact that Anna is being used to keep Kate alive. Brian, in my opinion, feels like he is living his life with guilt based on Anna's lawsuit. 

This situation makes it very difficult to judge Sarah and Brian as parents. As there hardships of being parents in this situation comes to place, it is really difficult to understand what they deal with and what type of situation they are in. But also it is noticeable that they would do anything to save Kate's life and would sacrifice anything for her.


http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/three-qualities-good-parent-4306.html

THE HELP 

BY: KATHRYN STOCKET

CAN ONE PERSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

        One person in a society could create a change that could impact others severely in their hearts. People create a difference by how they act in a society. "You can certainly touch the lives of those around you with small, daily acts of kindness. "Good actions throughout a society can create a huge change that people will follow based on that persons actions. Throughout the book, Aibileen is developing the same tasks throughout the society to make a difference. As we know, Aibileen is living during the times of segregation. As being a segregated black woman working for Miss. Leefolt, she begins to realize that Miss. Leefolt is neglecting her child, Mae Mobley. However, Aibileen begins to seek the help that Mae Mobley needs and instead of just taking care of her, she begins to form a relationship with her. She is looked as a lower class woman based on segregation and continues to spread the love to Mae Mobley. Throughout the story, Mae Mobley and Aibileen become very close and begin to have a strong bonded relationship. Aibileen made a difference in Mae Mobley's life because if she didn't do anything and just took care of them as what she was supposed to do, Mae would have not stood on her own two feet and live in the real world. "You're the smartest one in the class, Aibileen," she say. "And the only way you're going to keep sharp is to read and write every day." (26, Stockett). This expresses the big heart that Aibileen has for Mae Mobley. It shows that she made Mae Mobley continue and realize that she is smart and could be successful and have a dream that she can work for. If it wasn't for Aibileen, Mae Mobley wouldn't have a role model to look up to and she wouldn't have a great friend that would not be forgotten throughout life. 

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-ricketts/john-oleary_b_3781830.html

THE HELP

BY: KATHRYN STOCKETT

HEROISM- A person that is brave and is willingly risking their life for saving someone or something from that situation. 

 

       Throughout the novel of The Help by: Kathryn Stockett there are many heroic characters that change the life of Mae Mobley and is a huge role model to Mae as well and that is Aibileen. Aibileeen is a true hero because she literally risks and spends her time helping and raising Mae Mobley herself. Instead of Elizabeth or Miss. Leefolt to take care and spend time time with her daughter, she gives the duty of being mother to Aibileen. She neglects Mae Mobley and thinks that everything will be okay but in reality she can't stand up on her two feet and needs someone by her side. Not only Aibileen was a great parent but she was a hero to the heart of Mae Mobley. 

       In this novel, the setting is still facing segregation and racism was very popular during these times of age. However, Aibileen has a big and loving heart and as she saw Mae Mobley being neglected, she began to care for her and love her as if she was her daughter. "You're the smartest one in the class, Aibileen," she say. "And the only way you're going to keep sharp is to read and write every day." (26, Stockett). This is a sign of motivation and how she begins to motivate Mae into keeping her dreams. She expresses her love by saying 

"Mae Mo bad."

 The way she say it, like it's a fact, make my insides hurt. 

"Mae Mobley," I say cause I got a notion to try something. "You a smart girl?" 

She just look at me, like she don't know. 

"You a smart girl," I say again.

She say, "Mae Mo smart"

I say, "You a kind little girl?" (107, Stockett).

She teaches her everything of this world that she lives in. Aibileen is not only a great parent to Aibileen and friend but she is a hero to her heart and is everything to her. 

 THE HELP

BY: KATHRYN STOCKETT

Throughout this novel, it has been very interesting of how Aibileen is trying to carry out her life without her beloved son, Treelore. As far as I read, the novel has been very interesting of how Aibileen is living in a dark and depressed life but it is also pretty difficult to read because of the southern accent that adapts itself into the novel. However the more I read this book, it gives me a visual in my head of how the southern lifestyle was and how Aibileen picks herself up and escapes a "black" life. 

What qualities must a person have to be considered a good parent?

Parenting is an essential role in a child's life. It fulfills the basic physical needs of a child. Good parenting gives the children the ability to develop new skills throughout life. The four qualities that create a good and developed parent is love, self acceptance, effective teacher, and flexibility. "Making a child feel cherished is the single most important quality of an effective parent, according to Duncan." 

• http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/three-qualities-good-parent-4306.html
• http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic61156.html
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-ricketts/john-oleary_b_3781830.html

In Aibileen's point of view, she is developing new skills and adapting the qualities of a good parent. She uses one of the qualities such as love to spend quality time with her daughter Mae Mobley. "Today is a good day though. That girl just grins. 

I say, "Aibileen."

She say, "Aib-ee."

I say, "Love."

I say, "Mae Mobley."

She say, "Aib-ee." And then she laugh and laugh. (Page 5.) In this part of the book, she still grows up into being a bigger and better parent, but as she continues she will become one of the best parents that fulfills all the qualities of a good parent. 

Can one person make a difference? 

One person in a society could create a change that could impact others severely in their hearts. People create a difference by how they act in a society. "You can certainly touch the lives of those around you with small, daily acts of kindness." Good actions throughout a society can create a huge change that people will follow based on that persons actions. Throughout the book, Aibileen is developing the same tasks throughout the society to make a difference.

AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED

BY: KHALED HOSSEINI 

How does society drive or impact the literature of the time period?

          Literature drives society in a variety of ways. The most obvious way is that it brings society entertainment and literature has served this function for thousands of years. Literature also has been known to impact thinking in a society, influencing movements, social change, and even revolutions. Literature has had a major impact on the development of society. It has shaped civilizations, changed political systems and reveals injustice. Literature shows us a detailed preview of human experiences, allowing us to connect on basic levels of desire and emotion. "And the mountains echoed" by: Khaled Hosseini is a beautiful example of literature being impacted by society.

          Society shapes the literature in this tale in a small Afghan village named Shadbagh. In this village many acts of injustice occur and the voice of Shadbagh is not heard. As the civilians of Shadbagh cry their tears out as there children are being kidnapped by the div, they knew that that was going to be the last time seeing there children. It was injustice at its finest. As Baba Ayub had more than one child in his family, the policy was to choose one child and keep them outside so they could take them and if they refused they were forced out of their homes and would be killed. This was a choice Baba Ayub and his wife had to decide over, which is not fair because no parent needs to make that decision on who they should give away. It broke families and brought them to a state of insanity. 

          This brings us back to the topic of how literature is being impacted by society at this time period by expressing the emotion of how the families would have felt if we were in their shoes. Acts of injustice will continue and the voices of the civilians would remain dead. Life will never remain the same as it used to be and the tears of the loved ones will be in the hearts of those that were broken.

 

• http://www.ask.com/question/how-does-literature-affect-society
• http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/notes/articles/literature-is-the-mirror-of-society-1.86134

          

          

AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED

BY: KHALED HOSSEINI

How do people cope when their lives are changed by forces they can't control?

People begin to cope when their lives are strongly affected in a different way. They begin to act differently based on what happened in their history. Most likely the reason is that they lost something that was very essential to them and it’s something that destroys a persons life. A great example that situates itself to this question is And the Mountains Echoed by: Khaled Hosseini.  This book relates to this because in the beginning of the book, the father (Baba Ayub) gets isolated from his youngest and beloved son Qais.

In the beginning of the book, Baba Ayub was a great man that followed all his duties of being a great husband and a great father. He loved them with such care and would never even dare to beat theirchildren or lose his temper. But right after society or the div in this case, which is described as this terrible and horrific beast that kidnaps kids and brings them to the mountains, kidnaps Qais the father begins to lose it. Baba Ayub becomes crazy and begins to move away and leave his family. He was known as a mad man from what the neighborhood was gossiping. This is when the society really comes in place and holds the life of Baba Ayub and crushes it. The father’s roles of being a good man were disappearing throughout time. He stopped working, stopped praying, and hardly ate. He was devastated! No parent should let their children be taken away from their lives and never get to see them again. It was just the society that takes a persons life away and the small Afghan village has no say into speaking up and going against the society. It was a living hell for parents to loose there loved ones and get their hearts shattered into small little pieces.  The love was no longer there and families just had to deal with it. Baba Ayub sometimes looses his temper now and now he beats his children, but not because he doesn't love them but for them to be more roughened up in the real world. Its just Baba Ayub and his two children that live off by themselves dealing with the real world.

·      http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/taking-responsibility.htm

·      http://www.worldacademy.org/forum/individuality-and-social-conformity

·      http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?66637-Does-society-destroy-individuality