India 3

Here is an excerpt from CV's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?


"In India the class system is very drastic and there is barely any chance of anyone advancing out of the class they were born into. All people must respect and obey the responsibilities of the class and they must honor the burden given to them since birth. In the ideas explained in the writing Buddhism and Caste, the caste system is very important for some people and for most Indians, but in this passage one man thinks differently from the rest and fights against the caste system. 'First, Assalayana, you based your claim on birth, then you gave up birth for learning, and finally you have come round to my way of thinking, that all four classes are equally pure!' Even though it is very possible to argue for the purity of all the Indian classes in the system, the values of the people are based on the thought that some are better than others. This passage captures the essence of the possible change and the undeniable truth."

India 2

Here is an excerpt from KR's paper. What are its strengths? How could he empower it?


"Much of the contradictions and fighting in India was powered by a sense that the fight was for a greater good. That value by Indians of all of its many groups is portrayed in The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as the man who assassinated Gandhi believed he did what was necessary for India's well-being. On the bright side, this belief meant that Indians truly cared about what happened in India. On the other hand though it led to much conflict as a result of the differences among Indians. All of the different ideas in India was fueled by a belief that they are the 'Truth' (Brahman and Atman 2). This value of Indians may be their most important in that it fuels other ideas and actions particularly in regards to fighting. Righteousness drives everyone and especially Indians."

India 1

Here is an excerpt from JD's essay.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"These values are tested in 'The Tiger' when concerning to the relationship between the woman and the tiger.  People were very close minded.  But Fatime shows uncommon characteristics of acceptance and peace.  She is the only one who realizes that the Tiger causes no harm.  Because she is the protagonist, the audience tends to sympathize with her.  Thus, they learn of Indian morals through the kindness of Fatima.  'For some reason, unlike the people around her, she didn't want the tiger hunted and killed.'  The diction choice is purposeful here.  The phrase 'for some reason' suggests that she is unsure of her values, but subconsciously she shows Indian right-brained values.  She is very original and open.  The similarities of the Tiger and Fatima inflict an appeal to pathos through birth and oddly death.  The story is a great example of Indian values because it has an appeal, and because Fatima is controversial.  Her unlikely opinion helps strengthen the opinion of the reader toward Fatima because she is less relatable to her tribe and more relatable to modern culture."

Africa Synthesis 5

This is an excerpt from CV's paper.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"Diversity is a ood things; without it, there would be no self esteem or pride.  It is a pitiful thing for one country to fantasize about taking over the others.  The ideas of all societies differ and it is important that they differ.  When a hostile culture goes awry and wishes itself the strongest, it is compromising millions of ideas an objects that hold meaning to the millions of people living there.  In Moo-Bone Madness. regions are at war.  Ideas of both sides are being clashed and pitted against each other in the glorious and horrific act of war.  'The British commander decided it was time to crush the Zaghawa once and for all.  he set out in a fleet of armored cars, carrying guns.  En route other tribes fled from these terrible monsters as they saw them .. and rode out on horseback to meet his enemy.'  The chief and the commander are put against each other and the ideas clash, this causes great upset between the two, for they are too different from one another and being different must be a bad thing.  With this fight over the plot of thought, only many will vanquish.  No side will win."

Africa Synthesis 4

Here is an excerpt from WS's paper.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"Assia Djebar, author of Growing Up in Algeria, was not involved in any bloody conflict between France and Algeria, but she was involved in a crisi of soul.  Assia was one of very few who met a favorable opportunity for education in Africa.  She attended both a French school and an Arab school in her youth, and was trying to explore differences between traditional Arab schooling methods (she was 'linked to it' from birth) and innovative, interesting French methods.  She writes, 'As a young teenager I enjoy the exhilarating hours spent every Thursday in training one the sports field (at the French school) ... Bit how can I tell my father that it's compulsory for me to wear shorts, in other words, I have to show my legs?'  The first problem of acculturation is that it may break inhabitants of Africa away from their respective tribal customs (like Assia) in a continent in which culture is based heavily on tradition."

Africa Synthesis 3

Here is an excerpt from KR's paper.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"Religion has been the cause of many problems, especially in regards to assimilation by a foreign power.  The imposition of a completely foreign and not relatable religion can cause much confusion and strife.  Such was the case in Growing Up in Algeria.  Assia Djebar, as a child, was caught up in whether to follow an Arabic or European viewpoint.  She attended a foreign school that taught her French and all about France's customs.  Her family though was Arabic and she felt much confusion and shame over what to believe and practice as a result of the assimilation of foreigners.  'At the age when I should be veiled already, I can still move about freely thanks to the French school ...' (Djebar 2).  This statement by Djebar shows her thankfulness to the French while at the same time, in regards to her Quranic teacher, she says, 'I was struck by the elegance of his bearing ...' (Djebar 4).  These differing claims prove the many problems, especially for children, caused by assimilation."

Africa Synthesis 2

Here is JD's intro.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"Acculturation is the slow blend of one nation's language, propensities and beliefs, or simply culture, to another nation's.  Acculturation tends to not be positive.  It is shown in three particular stories about Africa that it causes problems.  The problem, told in 'Generose' and 'There's No Beer in Saudi Arabia' and restated in 'Casting with a Fragile Thread' is that it causes for a lack of identity in each individual.  This lack of identity causes a lust for identity which leads to chaotic and pointless conflict and forces people with differing beliefs to tolerate each other.  That lack of opinion causes bitter resentment."

Africa Synthesis 1

Here is an excerpt from JC's paper.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"There are many problems with acculturation demonstrated in the story Growing Up in Algeria by Assia Djebar.  First and foremost, the main problem of acculturation is the loss of cultural self.  'At an age when I should be veiled already, I can still move about freely thanks to the French school ... my body is caught in invisible snares ... my mother ... let out a semi-barbaric ' you you.'  By having acculturation, one is subject to lose what one already has.  Throughout the story, the author continually seems to in a way look down on her own people.  'Every prize I obtained strengthened my solidarity with my own family ... in a word to move about out of doors like a Muslim nun!'  This can be attributed to acculturation.  The author always compares the French school to the Arab, and almost always favors the French schooling.  By doing this, she gains the knowledge and love for the French culture.  But by doing this, she also becomes less and less one of her own people.  She starts to become a people she is not, and forgets her original teaching.  To get you must give is an old quote and this is not something worth giving.  If everyone in every culture did the same thing this girl is doing, the consequences would be disastrous.  People would lose their original cultural identity.  There would be losses of entire civilizations, cultures, and people.  The threat of acculturation is real and looming; it is important for one ot remember where one has come from and respect that."

African Comparison 2

Here is an excerpt from WSc's paper.  What are its strengths?  How could he empower it?

"In 'Apprenticeship,' several antagonists are being interviewed about their history committing genocidal acts.  Many of them horrifyingly speak of their actions in a rather off the cuff and informal matter, like killing people is somehow not a big deal.  The antagonists make several connections that lead to to their main purpose.  One of these is the connection they make between jobs and killing.  One of the men interviewed likens cutting men with a machete to cutting firewood, vines, and animals.  'The blade, when you use it to cut branch, animal, or man, it has nothing to say' (Hatzfeld).  Another connection is the connection between killing and a skill.  The interviewees say that handling a machete is a skill, and that you can be good at senseless killing.   Overall, the antagonists' main purpose is to distract from the fact that they are senselessly killing, and make it sound like killing was their duty, a job that they had to do.  They also portray it as a skill, something to be valued if you are good at it.  They are generally effective at this.  When you read accounts of people doing these horrible things so many times, your brain almost accepts it as being okay and normal."

Africa Comparison

Here is an excerpt from KR's essay.  What are its strengths?  How can he empower it?

"The techniques employed by each individual to get their purpose across also varied.  in terms of appeal, Bashir definitely leaned more towards pathos while Eli, along with his comrades, turned to ethos mixed with some logos.  It is clear from the very beginning of Bashir's argument, mentioned 'screams' and 'pain' in the first paragraph that she wants to evoke a sense of sympathy from her audience.  Elie's direct statements, instead, point to the characters and values that drove people to commit certain actions.  He tell how people learned to do things, even interpreting events into a sort of proverb: 'In the end a man is like an animal: you give him a whack on the head or the neck, and down he goes ' (Hatzfeld 2).  Such a statement is a way for Elie to prove his background and knowledge which relate to ethos and logos.  Bashir's entire argument is portrayed through a slight narration which almost always are pathos related."