Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening, which is based on the 1891 German play Frühlings Erwachen by Frank Wedekind (1864-1918). Wedekind’s controversial coming-of-age story was originally banned because of its frank depiction of teenage sexuality, rape, child abuse, abortion, and suicide.

The Musical is very moving and presented very well.  It pushes the limits and contains many instance of sexuality and nudity.  These aspects are very well done and artistic.  Set in late-19th century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality.

The teenagers show how powerful of a toll it can take on youth when adults withhold information about sexuality. 

What Is the What

What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng by Dave Eggers.

The life story of Valentino Achak Deng is powerful and follows the Sudanese refugee and member of the Lost Boys of Sudan program.  It is mind blowing at what lengths Deng went to in order to improve his and attempt to save his own life.  While reading the book it is impossible to think that this is merely one of thousands of stories that could have been told. 

Sudan is one of the modern day places where genocide has taken place.   The rest of the world turned its back on the atrocities as they were taken place and only have responded in limited action.  It is hard to think that these horrible  events can take place and the major powers do very little.   Eggers tackled this subject and has succeeded in telling a much needed story.

Gandhi

Gandhi's non-violence speech from the film is moving.  It is clear that non-violent means of civil disobedience are effective, but are only effective when the side in which the disobedience is directed is  not willing to commit great atrocities.  If the target is willing to commit atrocities and kill and loot the people then these non-violent means would only lead to genocide. 

TALGS conference

I attended and volunteered at the annual TALGS conference which took place this past Saturday at ECU.  Before attending this conference I was unaware that it was a Linguistics conference and primarily focused for teachers and program managers of English as a second language.  The keynote speaker, , Dr. Ofelia García, gave an interesting lecture on the teaching of recent immigrant children in New York Schools and the best way to go about teaching them have success in teaching English.  The first focused on different language education policies and how they have changed over time.  The conference and keynote lecture in particular were instructing and eyeopening.

A Distant Shore

A Distant Shore by Caryl Phillips 

Phillips' "A Distant Shore" examines the lives of two people, Dorothy and Solomon, who never fully connect with each other or the world around them.  Dorothy has lived a very unsatisfying life and her move to Stoneleigh highlights to her all the misery she has lived.  Solomon who has changed his name from Gabriel has escaped from his home African country after the the massacre of his family. 
 As large part of the story focus on Solomon/Gabriel journy from Africa to his home in Stoneleigh.

The most moving part of the story is one that is only told through the actions of  Dorothy and Solomon.  Both are very lonely and have lived lives which they couldn't possible have expected.  They clearly connect with each other but are unable to fully open up to each other.  All of their loses do not allow them to come close enough to each other and eventually lead to their downfall. 


NPR interview with Caryl Phillips

Nobel Speech by Naipaul

Naipaul is a very interesting character.  In his Nobel Lecture given on the 7th December 2001 Naipaul outlines his journey through his career and also his views on life and writing.  His writing is clearly rooted in his past, "When I became a writer those areas of darkness around me as a child became my subjects.".  His use of areas of darkness is clearing a reference to Conrad.  Naipaul's views of these areas is one that is not fully held by others.  He is often critical of areas which he views as being shadowed in darkness.  His views are that the people that are in these areas are just as responsible for raising themselves to a better potion.  Naipauls examinations of his motives shows that he often is with out plan and goes where his life and writing guide him, often these are to areas throughout the world.

The Intended

David Dabydeen's novel, The Intended, is clearly autobiographical.  Dabydeen examines how immigrants from British colonies often led a messy life once they come to the 'motherland'.  They are not fully accepted into English society and are forced to live on the fringe of society. The idea that in Britain "everyone who is not White is Black" flows though the work. The boys in the novel unite in to a family.  They do not always get along but they rely on each other for support.  The narrator's school friends, Nasim, Shaz, and Patel are described as "the regrouping of the Asian diaspora in a South London schoolyard".  It is clear that the boys struggle to determine their identity.  This struggle at such an impressionable age would greatly effect an individual.  Dabydeen representation of each of the boys struggles shows how people who identify each other often express their feelings and struggle differently. 

The following charts highlight the ethnicity of the English and how its changing

2007 ethnicity of the English population

The change in England's ethnic minority population (2001 - 2007)