#essay1

[karazyr]

Essay #1

Breakfast at Tiffany’s opening scene where a white actor is doing yellowface.

Great VOX video about the history of yellowface in Hollywood!

[karazyr]

Essay #1

An example from the movie Argo (which is based on a true story) having a white woman play the role of a real life Asian woman! 

[karazyr]

Essay #1

Asians are one of the least represented minorities in Western media and when they are represented, it is usually portrayed by white actors and actresses. The history of immigration and assimilation is to blame for the contemporary representation of Asians in Hollywood and Western media today. In this essay, I will be discussing how white media has become more criticized over the years and how Asians tend to perpetuate stereotypes about themselves in order to appeal to non-Asian audiences in their representations.

Western media, or white media, has become more and more criticized over the years because people of colour are using their voices to fight for the representation of minorities that has been severely lacking for several decades in Hollywood. The Asian community criticizing Hollywood and white media is an attempt to free themselves from the harmful stereotypes put upon them and an attempt to fight for a place to create their own representation without erasing their cultures or their histories. Even though Hollywood is attempting to allow minorities the representation they deserve, it still isn’t enough and there are still a lot of problems. One of the many problems is that Hollywood and other associated medias are still being perceived as a white only space, which prioritizes the cisgender, heterosexual, white, male gaze in stories geared for the general public. It also appears to be an industry for these white men to fantasize about their importance in the stories of other people. This, to a degree, allows them to feel justified when Hollywood and white media continuously cast white actors and actresses to play Asian roles or when they completely erase Asian in (see fig. 1) in stories that have Asian people.

Fig. 1 IMDB. Argo. (2012). Digital. 1600p x 1067p

However, even after Asian people get the representation they deserve, the roles given to them by Hollywood are still filled with stereotypes that make Asians on screen appear two-dimensional with no character depth or roles that are over-sexualized. Furthermore, this representation was created by and for the consumption of white men who fantasize about being the centre of every story. This fantasy isn’t their fault, white men are used to being the focus of the media in Hollywood. The problem that Hollywood has is this problem of taking stories or histories that are about non-white people and miraculously finding a way to make it about white people while also simultaneously whitewashing the context in order to appeal to the general public and the Oscars Academy. A sad truth but we have more white Oscar winning actors and actresses doing yellowface than actual Asian actors and actresses winning Oscars.

How does the criticism of white media from the Asian community correlate with Asians creating their own representation? First of all, this criticism allowed the Asian community to create a space where they can explore what positive representation means and how that influences other Asians. Nevertheless, while exploring positive representation in media that Asians created, sometimes they end up perpetuating stereotypes they so desperately wanted to move away from. In addition, the media they create sometimes unconsciously falls prey to the white gaze. Some of the media take on a subtle stance of mockery towards their culture and traditional values in order to appeal to the general public and not just Asian audiences. This mockery is usually implored by media portrayed from the white gaze. Media is often a reflection of what is occurring in reality, however not when it is Asian representation in that media. This idea that non-Asians, particularly white Caucasians, feel discomfort when presented a piece of media that has nothing to do with them, that has no positive representation for them and was not made with the white gaze in mind, is a reason why there was a lack of representation to begin with. It also makes one question if this discomfort from media can also be translated into the real world as racism. When white people are no longer the centre of attention or focus in stories about people of colour, they become critical of minority representation. This criticism could be the product of unconscious racist attitudes that white audiences harbour. This attitude has deep roots in early 20th century America, where white Americans viewed foreigners as being able to easily overwhelm the American identity. From the article, “The ‘Negro Problem’ and the ‘Yellow Peril’ Early Twentieth-Century America’s Views on Blacks and Asians” by Julia Lee, she discusses how racial exclusions directly correlates to white power being threatened. She also discusses how the American identity was defined by the citizenship test. (Lee) The racist notion that Asians could not and still cannot assimilate into American culture is an unconscious reason as to why Hollywood lacked positive Asian representation for multiple decades. Representation for Asians was never going to be easy, even from the start. Hollywood actually had racist rules such as not allowing two people of different ethnicities to kiss on screen, which in turn allowed for so much yellowface representation to be done.

Representation that we consume the most, allows us to change the way we view ourselves as people. The way we represent ourselves becomes distorted and influenced by both white media and the white gaze.

Works Cited

IMDB. Argo. 2012. IMDB. Web. 30 September 2019.

Lee, Julia. “I“The ‘Negro Problem’ and the ‘Yellow Peril’ Early Twentieth-Century America’s Views on Blacks and Asians.” Interracial Encounters. 2011. Sept. 2019. pp. 22-47. NYU Press.

[writingcommonsanthony-blog]

Handling Divorce Properly

            According to the American Psychology Association about 90% of people (in Western Culture) marry by the age of 50. A healthy marriage can be beneficial for the couple and the family as a whole, both mentally and physically. But even though marriage rates are very high, in the United States between 40% and 50% of marriages end in divorce. Unfortunately, my parents fall victim to both statistics. The divorce was not easy on our family, but everything happens for a reason. Even though divorce can put much stress on the entire family, there are certain practices encourages by psychologists which make the process of divorce easier for the family as a whole.  

From the very first day I could remember, my parents never got along. They were always fighting with one another and were not afraid to hide it from my little sister or myself. As I got older, I wished more and more that they would end up getting divorced. Eventually, that wish came true.  It was towards the beginning of my sophomore year in high school when my dad told me that he was sending the divorce papers to my mom. Nothing really hit me until later that week when my mom received the papers at work. There had always been talks about a “divorce”, but this time it was real.

           On the day the papers were sent, my heart dropped. It was the worst feeling I have ever experienced in my entire life. There were so many thoughts going through my head during that conversation that it almost became unbearable. I know that I wished for this to happen, but the reality of that situation was far too intense for anything I could ever imagine. I started to think how broken my family would become and how I would have to live with one parent and never see the other. It was impossible to hold tears back during that conversation and every emotion I felt that day blurred my sense of thought. I was unable to see any positivity from that situation and I believed nothing would ever get better, until later that week.

           The day my mother received the papers was a completely different situation. I will not go into detail, but it was not a day I would like to go back and relive. Every thought and emotion that was expressed by me during the event earlier in the week went right out the window. It was not until this day that I finally realized how much better everything was going to be, it was almost a sense of relief. I never thought how calm my parents might be without them being with each other constantly, or how they could focus on being better parents without having to deal with all the fighting everyday. All this time I only thought about having the perfect family. Where there would actually be peaceful family dinners and overall we enjoyed each other’s company, but this is not my family. So we might as well settle for the next best thing, a divorce.

           To this day, I could not imagine what my life would be like if my parents were still married. Overall it was the best thing for themselves, and for the family as well. I am very close with both of my parents and my sister, my parents are happier then I have ever seen them, and during special occasions or events my parents do a good job of getting along with each other.

           The entire family is affected in the event of a divorce, but it all starts with the couple that is becoming separated. Psychologists have many techniques in which they encourage their patients to use when dealing with a divorce. For example, mediation and writing specific things down may help the process run more smoothly. During the process of divorce, emotions tend to run high and can blur the thought process of individuals. When emotions are high, it is not the best time to try and work out problems that the couple is having. Mediation allows the individual to calm down, put his or her thoughts in order, and then come back to the argument in a calm manner. Writing topics of issues the individual feels need to be addressed allows for better communication. The couple is encouraged to write down their problems during a time in which they feel relaxed, and then come back to each other and discuss their problems. Having a list of things written down enables stronger communication between the couple and allows each individual to truly express how they feel in a more neutral environment. Throughout the entire process, communication that can be respected by both people in the relationship is key to a healthy divorce.

           As stated before, the entire family is affected by divorce. Out of anyone involved, the main priority should be the children and making sure their well-being is always kept in mind. There are a few ways that psychologists believe are best when helping a child deal with divorce. The first step is for the parents to have a plan on how they are going to tell their children. A well-planned, honest conversation is highly beneficial to children and allows the child to openly communicate with the parents about the situation. Parent’s should also give a fair warning on when certain events occur, such as when one parent moving out or other specific dates concerning the divorce. It is important that if feasible, the child should remain in regular contact with each parent. Children who have a distant relationship with one or both parents may develop certain long-term developmental issues, such as anger management problems, poor communication between the child and parents, and have a higher chance of getting a divorce themselves.

           Divorce is not easy for anyone, but it can be dealt with in a healthy manner. Using techniques proposed by psychologists, or even going to therapy can help relieve some of the stress that is accompanied by divorce for everyone that is involved.  

[yesseniasanchezportfolio-blog]

Factory Farms

Yessenia Sanchez

Professor Ludwig

ENGL 101      

18 November 2015

The Truth Behind “Factory Farms”

           Corporatized companies have ruined the meaning of natural farming by genetically modifying animals to create products faster. Factory Farms have been around for many years, but first appeared around the 1970’s. In today’s world, chickens are not the only animals that are located in factory farms. It is actually argued that factory farms are places of animal cruelty because of the way the animals are being raised and treated there. Animals, such as cows, pigs, and chickens, are brought up in confined areas, much like concentration camps, where they barely have any space to move, and where they sleep in their own waste. The animals that are inside these farms are also not fed properly with a healthy diet. The products created by these farms are cheaper, but there is a chance that these foods have contamination that can lead to negative health consequences and fatalities for consumers. Research shows that factory farms are a form of corporatized agriculture, which has destroyed America’s traditional family farms. The result of having factory farms can lead to negative health consequences for both society, animals, and generations to come.

           Industrialized companies have replaced independent farmers. These companies have dominated the livestock and control the pay of farmers. Factory farms have contributed to health issues towards Americans. The days where small independent farms once were, are now gone. The online article “Documentaries About Animals, Food, and Factory Farming” written by Tim Zimmerman, Co-Writer of the documentary “Blackfish” shares the truth behind these farms. Zimmerman states, “Instead Farming has turned into a corporate operation that continually sacrifices ethics for profits.” (Zimmerman).  Some companies are well-known, but many individuals do not know the background of many of them. They trust brand names, but people need to know the behind-the- scenes of these farms to realize if they still want to purchase these items. He has provided films that reveal what factory farms consist of. They show how these companies have total disregard for the health of the consumers. Individuals who watch these films will understand what they are putting in their carts, which will leave a lasting impression.

Farming is an element that connects to society, culture, and the environment. This is all destroyed by two words, factory farms. These farms advertise their product with the image of happy animals that roam freely throughout grass and farmlands. However, this is far from what actually happens. The website 21stcenturyfarm.com shows the difference between a corporate farm with what can be a sustainable small farm. This website shows and compares the difference between the two. Family farms make organic produce that do not require the need of pesticides or antibiotics to grow them. Research has demonstrated that factory farms hide behind their corporation to show people what they really provide. These companies are a business and seeing all the facts about the farms it seems more than clear that they do not care for the health of human beings. It is important for individuals to understand what it is that they are feeding not only themselves, but their families. The trend of factory farms continues to grow and does not seem to be stopping soon. The number of animals being inside these farms seem to keep increasing making more business for the big companies. Factory farms have changed the way that people buy food because they are being lied to. If individuals knew all the damage that happens to them and eventually cause health issues, people would be putting the products back instead of inside their carts. Overtime these companies will appear to take over all family farms, but will it be too late or will people open their eyes to see the salvage behind these companies?

Individuals who work in these farms put their lives in danger every day. They inhale hazardous chemicals, as well as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gases. These poisonous gases can cause severe health problems and even mortality. In an online article provided by foodispower.org, a story about farm workers that encountered a deadly situation is discussed. Two men were overpowered by gas one afternoon and resulted in death. One man was named Enrique Araiza aged 29 and Jose Alatorre who was 24. Both of these individuals drowned in a thirty-foot pit of cow manure, located in a manure lagoon. This story provides us with the example that the lives of innocent people are being taken so that we can have food. The chemicals these factory farms produce and also pollute the air everyone breathes.

Factory Farming doesn’t just affect humans and animals, as it also destroys our environment.  These farms threaten human lives and health by unleashing a host of harmful air pollutants. Our natural resources, such as water, fossil fuel, and land, are strained by this ruthless agricultural act. According to “farmsanctuary.org,” in the U.S. alone, animals raised on factory farms generate more than 1 million tons of manure per day----three times the amount generated by the country’s human population” (farmsanctuary.org). This is stored in open-aired lagoons that are about the size of football fields. This commonly causes leaks and spills. For example, “In 2011, an Illinois hog farm spilled 200,000 gallons of manure into a creek, killing over 110,000 fish” (foodsanctuary.org). This immense number proves that factory farms are killing animals other than the ones that live on a farm. This website also displays a picture where showing where that the manure that causes leaks and floods goes to. A website called “sustainabletable.org” shares facts about the pollution factory farms make. It says, “About half of the gaseous ammonia emitted by factory farms is deposited by rain or fog within 50 miles… indeed, the awful stench of a factory farm can be readily observed for miles” (sustainabletable.org). These and other problems could become irreversible. These chemicals and gases contaminate our air and the land that may be used by future generations. Factory farms contaminate land and air that can worsen for future generations, but it also has produce that harms humans when put out for the public to purchase.

           The method people use to buy this food is simple. It is cheaper than others, and it’s basically a consumers pay less to receive more. However, they do not realize the journey that a specific product has gone through to get to their hands. In his small book, The Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan, he insinuates that individuals tend to have a difficult time trying to decide what to buy at the supermarket. However, they usually go for the cheaper products anyway, without actually knowing what the foods contain. As a consumer, one’s money is too precious for big corporate brands and especially for well-known companies, such as Tyson Foods Inc. There was an investigation documented which clarifies that pigs in factory farms connected back to Tyson are treated with brutality. In an article on the “Daily Mail UK,” written by Ryan Gorman and Alexandra Klausner with the headline “Tyson Foods changes animal care policies at supplying farms after shocking video of piglets being kicked and tortured surfaced two months earlier,” footage of graphic content of the brutality on pigs and piglets is shared. They state, “The disturbing footage begins with a montage of animals being hit with wooden boards, kicked, beaten and lying in pools of blood or locked in cages” (Gorman, Klausner). These animals, especially pigs, endure incredible torture in factory farms run by corporate offices, like Tyson. This produce is cheaper, but definitely not worth the torture and suffering that the animals face on a daily basis. However, it appears that farms won’t be getting shut down anytime soon.

The contribution of consumers is what keeps these factories and companies alive. Dr. Marion Nestle, a NYU Professor of nutrition, states that “most people enjoy meat, and as long as they have money to buy it, they will,” in his interview “Let’s Ask Marion: Does Factory Farming Have a Future?” (Nestle). He also indicates that factory farms could potentially improve, but it does not mean that they will. He states, “Factory farming raises issues about its effects on animals, the environment, the local communities, and food safety. As someone invested in public health and food safety, I care about all those. The effects on the animals are obvious, and those will never go away no matter how well everything else is done.” Dr. Marion Nestle has sufficient knowledge in this field, making him a credible source to help others realize what factory farms are really about.

           The trend of Factory Farms has evolved rapidly. It has changed the way that consumers can access their foods, from once natural farming to now genetically modified foods. In an article found online, by Phil Lempert titled, “Why Factory Farming Isn’t What You Think,” he states that within the last two decades, the way that consumers eat has changed, and that “statistics show that the number of livestock units on factory farms increased from 23.7 million in 2002 to 28.5 million in 2012” (Lempert). This fact confirms that more animals are being used to make the process quicker. Factory farms make it possible for consumers to have meat whenever they want it. Phil Lempert also says, “factory farms have a main focus on operational efficiencies to create a less expensive and more accessible product for consumers” (Lempert). As long as these companies have buyers, they will continue to produce these foods that can expose consumers to health problems, at a low cost at that.

“The Scarecrow” is a commercial provided by Chipotle, which perfectly portrays what  factory farms are really like. It starts off with a scarecrow going to his job in an incorporated company. It shows products being produced by this farm factory claiming to be “fresh and “natural”. The music in the background is sad. Throughout the entire commercial, the scarecrow has a distraught face because he knows the truth behind all the products. It seems as if he is disturbed by the fact that everyone is enjoying the food without knowing what goes on in the farms. As the commercial continues, it displays the scarecrow living isolated from everything else, while growing natural foods. In the end, the music begins to liven up, because the scarecrow has begun to plant foods that grow naturally, without any modifications made, unlike the farms. The scarecrow is happy with himself, knowing that he is giving food that grew naturally, like it’s supposed to. This commercial shows that factory farms are often seen as something natural, when in reality they are not. It shows that there are multiple people and animals affected by food from these types of farms. Also, not many people understand the process behind these malicious acts. Consumers are fooled to believe that factory farms produce healthy, organic food, when that is not the case. Industrial companies don’t really care about these animals, nor about raising them properly. They want to get their product out there so that individuals keep buying and just make money by selling, whether it be humane or not.

           Factory Farms are not disappearing anytime soon. There are a lot of disasters that come with factory farming not only with animals, but with people and the environment too. The negative health problems may become irreversible. Factory farms contaminates the air, destroy land, causes health issues, and most importantly, treats animals like they are worthless, which is not an acceptable agricultural practice. Individuals that eat these products made by factory farms, are simultaneously devouring the callousness behind the industry as well.

Works cited

Chipotle. "The Scarecrow." YouTube. YouTube, 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.

"Factory Farm Workers." Food Is Power. Food Empowerment Project, 2015. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.

"Farm Sanctuary." Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary, Inc, 2015. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.

Gorman, Ryan, and Alexandra Klausner. "Tyson Foods Changes Animal Care Policies at Supplying Farms after Shocking Video of Piglets Being Kicked and Tortured Surfaced Two Months Earlier." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.

Lempert, Phil. "Why Factory Farming Isn't What You Think." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 June 2015. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.

"Let’s Ask Marion: Does Factory Farming Have a Future?" Interview by Kat. Food Politics Lets Ask Marion Does Factory Farming Have a Future Comments. Food Politics, 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. <http://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/04/lets-ask-marion-does-factory-farming-have-a-future/>.

Pollan, Michael. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau. New York: Bill McKibben, 2008.948-60. Print

"Public Health." Sustainable Table. Grace Communications Foundation, 2015. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.

"SustainFlex." The 21st Century Farm:  Strategies for Successful Farming in the New Millennium. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Zimmermann, Tim. "Documentaries About Animals, Food, and Factory Farming." Tim Zimmermann. 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 09 Dec. 2015

[eng317fall15]

ENG 317 - Essay 1

Girl in Translation & Five Star Billionaire Heuristic 1 due (BB): 9/22 Heuristic 2 due (BB): 9/24 Draft Due: 10/6 (printed) Final Due: 10/9 (Tumblr)

For this assignment, I’d like you to write on either Girl in Translation or Five Star Billionaire. You can use one of these prompts or you can develop your own but you will need to discuss that with me. In either case, as part of the invention activities, I will ask you to write a paragraph in which you explain what topic you are going to develop and I’d like you to include your thesis to show me that you have a debatable argument.

Remember, our focus is on what these novels tell us about our culture today. What arguments about our culture, if you will, are these novels making? How do they function as rhetorical artifacts? In addition to the textual evidence you find in the novels, consider real life incidents and your own experience as further proof for your thesis and claims.

Girl in Translation

Argue that Kwok gives us an accurate insight into the life of immigrant communities today through the way characters reveal both isolation and the importance of community, the world of mundane work, and the perceptive way she illustrates how culture permeates immigrant life.

As we spoke about in class, translation figures prominently in this novel, beginning with the title. How is translation a key aspect of the text and key to Kimberly's ability to thrive in American culture? In what ways does she find herself translating back and forth in anything other than language? Clothing? Expectations? Personality or behavior? Highlight instances in the text where this occurs and how these are significant insights to the story as a whole. In other words, what is the connection of translation to culture?

Argue that the text explores issues of identity in the US today—those who are Asian American immigrants that want to preserve their culture, those that want to be “other”, and those who are Asian American and feel that they must prove their identity.

Five Star Billionaire

Chapter titles and the form of Aw’s novel are significant. For example, one of the chapter titles in the novel is “Nothing Remains Good or Bad Forever.” Another is “Even Beautiful Things Will Fade.” When describing China today, one woman says, “Every village, every city, everything is changing.” Discuss the role of impermanence in the novel.

“Like everything in life these days, I suppose you could say it’s a copycat—a fake.” Everything about Phoebe—from her personal history to the designer clothes she wears—is fake. Argue for Phoebe’s portrayal of herself in this way? Is she, as the statement suggests, symptomatic of our modern society? How? Do you think the entries quoted within Phoebe’s “Journal of My Secret Self ” contain her true nature?

There are many novels that examine the immigrant experience. We have just read two such examples that while vastly different also share many similarities. With its main characters all immigrants from Malaysia, Five Star Billionaire is a different examination of the immigrant novel in a different context than we’re used to, as the city of hope its characters move to is Shanghai. Discuss Five Star Billionaire as an immigrant novel. By setting the novel in Shanghai, does Aw shed new light on the experience? How does the novel compare to Girl in Translation in regard to the American immigrant experience?

Creative option: Create a 4-5 page rich visual text about Shanghai and one of the dominant themes in the text. Your text should include statistics, first and third person narrative pull-outs, images, illustrations, and most importantly a theme. You should include on a one-page rationale that highlights the people you chose and why? You also should analyze the visual format you chose and choices you made. How does your work relate to and comment on the themes of the text?

Composition Your purpose in these essays is to persuade readers (the class and of course me) that you have a valid argument. Therefore, you are really writing an argument in which you want to persuade your readers that you have a reasonable set of claims. To accomplish this, you will need a clear thesis supported by reasons and textual evidence from the novel.

Your textual evidence, by way of quotations and details from the novel, should be carefully integrated into your essay. Remember that quotations should always be incorporated into sentences with your words. A quotation cannot stand on its own as a sentence. No orphan quotes please. Quotations illustrate your ideas. After a quotation, you should explain to the reader that quotation shows. Don’t make the reader make the connection between your claim and quotation. That’s your job as the writer. You can incorporate a quotation into your sentence by using a comma, a “that clause” or a colon.

You may use outside sources such as the book reviews, interviews, and articles you find via the ASU Library, but these are not necessary for your paper. If you do use outside sources, make sure you do not plagiarize by giving full credit to the author even if you just paraphrase rather than quote the idea. Remember, generally your thesis comes at the end of the first paragraph in which you introduce the novel and your focus. Your conclusion should do more than merely summarize the novel. You should, instead, consider the implications of what you have demonstrated or argued in your paper. In other words, do conclude something.

Heuristic Activities

Completing these invention activities will help you produce a better paper and should help you avoid the “staring at a blank screen the night before the paper is due.”

Write out your first draft of a thesis and then give a series of reasons or claims that you will develop to support your thesis. After each claim, explain which passage from the novel/articles will help you prove this and find a relevant quote.

Write a first draft of your introduction that ends with your thesis. Your task here is to move from the larger issue to your focused thesis. For example, were I looking at the question on translation, I could begin with my own experience (in the form of an anecdote) that illustrates this idea. Alternatively, I might begin with general comments about how translation has a universalized quality that people across a variety of cultures experience.

When you have a working introduction, develop a series of topic sentences. As you develop your topic sentences, try to include transitional devices (such as however, or in addition, or furthermore and so on) to help you link one paragraph to the one that went before. Remember, transitional devices go at the beginning of new paragraphs and not at the end.

Logistically…

Your project should be 1000-1500 words and formatted based on medium. If you do the creative option, please see me. You will format and submit your revised essay to your Tumblr and include one image related to the text, also be sure to include your name.

[maryjordanenglish102p01-blog]

Could the World Become Addicted to Technology?

I agree with Dave Eggers’ message that he expresses in his novel, The Circle. I believe that one’s relationships with other people and one’s appearance define his or her quality of life, being the general well-being of individuals and societies. The author portrays the experience of the deterioration of one’s quality of life through the main character, Mae.

In his book, Eggers questions Mae’s well-being when he writes about an intimate conversation between Mae and Wise-Man Bailey: “This is in line for how The Circle can help us…to prevent us from feeling, as you did, that some distorted view of ourselves is presented to the world. It’s like a broken mirror’” (289). Basically, Wise-Man Bailey attempts to comfort and reassure Mae that someone else’s presumption of her should not affect her well-being. In his book, Eggers maintains that Mae’s quality of life is questioned, especially when technology is involved. For example, Mae argues with Wise-Man Bailey’s advice: the use of technology would not “protect someone’s feelings” (284). Eggers reveals Mae’s character by allowing the novel to untwine her character as time passes. For instance, Mae believes secrets should be kept because they will prevent any judgmental inputs from society “…things they don’t want to share. That maybe they don’t think people will understand. Or will change the perception of them” (290). The essence of Eggers’ argument is that one’s secrets should not be shared with others due to the result of harming one’s well-being.

In his book, The Circle, Eggers maintains that technology is an ineffective influence upon society: “…an era where we don’t allow the vast majority of human thought and action and achievement to escape…” (67) and “we’re losing the vast majority of what we do and see and learn. But it doesn’t have to be that way” (67). Ultimately, what is at stake here is the societal members’ risk of depending on technology and using it in order to function each day; without the access to technology, the upcoming generation(s) would suffer from the inability to appreciate daily activities or experience the beauty that the earth has provided for humans to enjoy.

Technology derives this pleasure from its users and therefore one’s opportunities to involve themselves in nature and identify his or her individuality is almost instantly revoked. In fact, a recent article in the online journal, Media and Communication, Cingel agrees that social networking site use and online communication practices have risky and negative interests “…socially anxious respondents were more likely to use the Internet and social networking sites for intimate self-disclosure” and “[users] likely see social networking use as critical to their social and emotional wellbeing.” Along the same lines as Eggers’ stance, the article emphasizes the fact that the rate of peoples’ dependence on technology to perform daily activities is rapidly increasing. To put it another way, technological devices are being used the same way as addictive drugs; the effects are negative, but the sweet tooth for technology is too sweet for one to resist.

In recent discussions of the impact of technology on today’s society, a controversial issue has been whether the ethnicity or background of a student affects his or her learning abilities. One the one hand, some argue that some students are more privileged and wealthier than others, and therefore have more access to technology. On the other hand, however, others argue that those without access to technology are not in a fair position. The prominent philosopher Ruth Campbell points out a single issue, “Assistant superintendent for academic services Sherry Copeland said though spell-check and grammar software exist, students still need to know how to spell and use correct grammar.” In making this comment, Campbell urges us to wake up and put these facts into existence. Campbell’s article highlights the elements contributing to this ongoing issue; the disadvantages of technology are downrightly crucial above all possible advantages.

Eggers reveals his standpoint in a blunt and confident demeanor. This is evident throughout the book, but particularly when Mae expresses her frustration with the death of Mercer. Mae is basically brainwashed and absorbed into the world of The Circle community, but Eggers still manages to remind us “If you reject humanity, if you reject all the tools available to you, all the help available to you, then bad things happen” (468).  Ultimately, Eggers novel reveals the loss of intelligence consequent to a rise in technological advances and an increased number of technology users.  Furthermore, Ray Kurzweil explores this viewpoint a bit further; Kurzweil “…predicts that trends in technology will eventually change humanity.” There seem to be many agreements regarding the subject of a less humane future. Critics support Eggers’ message although Eggers’ novel uses more creativity to voice his opinion. Many scientists and scholarly critics express their agreements with the novel’s message through formally published articles. With so much attention focused on the particular subject of technology altering humanity in the near future, readers can assume that Eggers’ novel deals with a serious issue in society, one that most people do not realize.  

[english102p01]