Speeches.

Overall I thought the speeches were incredibly well done. Everyone did their research and took the project seriously, which was a welcoming change for us. I was particularly impressed With Josh, Molly, Steve, and Breanna. Josh was able to make the point that I had wandering through my head the entire time he was talking 'you're not black....' he made the connection wonderfully. Molly had what I thought to be the most clean cut presentation (shocker.), it was wonderfully delivered and showed me a side of Molly few are privileged to, public speaking. Steve, as always, was probably the most confident of everyone that went to give a speech. Everything flowed very well and not only showed Steve's personal love for the arts, but how beneficial they are to everyone. Breanna also struck me as a wonderful speech, hers to me was the most sincere of the day and the hardest to zone-out during. The stories she gave were heartfelt and brought a true life to the speech.

Also, shout out to Kwame for the doughnuts.

• Blog – What does Willy Loman think about the idea of ‘individual opportunity’? What does playwright Arthur Miller think? What evidence exposes each opinion?

I think Willy Loman believes that individual opportunity exists for everyone, but it seems like his idea of how to reach it is quite skewed. Believing that if you're liked, you'll get far isn't a way to live out your life successfully. The fact that Willy see's other people reaching goals that he himself can't get to seem to make him depressed, because he feels that he is not well liked (because being liked is the only way to success in his mind), and therefore he is a failure.
Arthur Miller seems to have reached the conclusion that (same as Willy) individual opportunity exists, but how to reach it is harder for some people, simply based on what they believe they have to do to become successful. The ideas people get about how to become successful are influenced so greatly on stories like 'Ragged Dick' and 'The Great Gatsby' skewing peoples ideas of what they need to do to get anywhere in life. Miller is able to subtly present an overwhelming statement, not everyone will be successful. But in the end is it the fault of the individual? Or the ideas presented to them throughout their life?

Willy VS Cora

The differance between Willy and Cora that jumps out at me first is their views of success,or more-so, how to reach it. Willy believes very strongly that if you are 'well liked' you will get farther in life then those who aren't as well liked, no matter what the other factors are. Willy spent almost all of his time trying to make sure that everyone around him liked everything he did, to try and keep himself successful. Cora on the other hand, views success as 'raising hell' and getting things done, no matter what the cost. Cora risks having people not like her every time she voices her (normally very opposing) opinion, while Willy has the strong set belief if he is liked, he will be successful.

Speech Topic

School 67 is my current topic to use in the persuasive speech, not only do I myself spend a great deal of time there, but it is connected to University and is just about as local as it can get. School 67 is an Indianapolis Public School which, much like all the IPS schools, is short staffed, overcrowded, and not well funded at all. University supports School 67 in multiple ways, one of the most recognizable being The Spirit Run. School 67 without a doubt is in need of support, both volunteers and funding, with either or both of these, more one on one attention could be given to students, helping them understand the materials of the class and end up in a better place in society later on in life, greatly improving Indianapolis as a whole. With more funding more teachers could be brought in and smaller class sizes could be provided, as well as more and better school supplies to make learning a little easier for everyone.

Cora

• Blog – Is Cora Tucker successful? By what definition?

In my opinion, yes, Cora is very successful because she was born to a poor family and was able to make something of her self. Even if she never reached a place where most people think success is (big house, married, kids, good job, etc), she was able to do something she thought was important, and do it very well. By a lot of standers she was still quite successful, coming from nothing and being able to 'raise hell' the way she did, in many opinions is a success in itself. But when it's factored in that Cora is black, the opinions of success may change for far to many people. They may view Cora as more successful then if they had assumed she was white, due to the fact that society has set the bar so much lower for blacks as opposed to whites. If someone were to hear the story of Cora, without knowing the color of her skin, they may think 'Well that's nice. Good for them', but when informed that Cora was black, the thought process all to often seems to shift to 'Damn, a BLACK person was able to start with nothing and make something of themselves. Kudos to them.'. The bar being set so low is something that is recognized in society, due to unequal opportunities. However at the same time, no new opportunities are presented, so the bar is incredibly hard to raise. Society must first address finding a way to give more opportunity before expecting to see the bar raise, only then can any mindset be changed at all.

• Blog – In what way does Cruz’s story contrast the idyllic themes of Alger? Are they also similar in some ways?

In Alger's story, it takes hard work and being a good person for Dick to get somewhere in life, while in Cruz's story, it merely takes the color of his skin. The story of Ragged Dick never touches on the ideas of the other factors that play in to moving up in society, such as race and education, it only says that being a good, hard working person will move you up, regardless of other factors. Cruz's story is in great contrast to the ideal Alger sets.

Rich//Poor

I don't believe that the article claims that the rich exploit the poor, to me it seems they more so just don't recognize or acknowledge them. The facts laid out on the table are not only a tad bit misleading, but also are contorted to work with the point that Mantiois is trying to make. The fact that the artical IS mostly facts is another reason I believe it doesn't really make the case of exploiting the poor, there are facts, but they don't seem to show the rich exploiting the poor, just that the poor and rich exist.

Lazy but compassionate? Okay!

Blog – Dick is essentially rewarded for his actions with the job opportunity of a lifetime. What implicit argument is the story making about what it takes to be successful?

Many children stories lead to the idea that if you are a good hard working person, good things will come to you. The story of Ragged Dick is no exception to this idea, Dick is a low class working scuff who works hard and is just able to get by, he maintains his hardworking ethic and still has a hard time getting anywhere. In the end it is the fact that Dick is a good person that ends up getting him somewhere. His morals get to him and he can not leave the little boy to drown, which is in the end what gets him somewhere. It almost seems like being a hardworking person doesn't actually mean anything, but the fact that he is a good, nice, caring person does. The implicit argument in the story actually seems to come out and say that if you are a good person, with lots of compassion, you will find a way to get far.