Dalores Dante:
Dante had a really challenging life, being the single mother of 3, working only as a waitress. She was a waitress at the same restaurant for 23 years, and she loved it. Because she loved it so much she was able to support her three kids that her husband left her with. She felt that waitressing was good for someone in a broken home because you could earn fast money. She witnessed a lot of sexism while working, and me often approached her asking for sex and other things. Another area of her job that she didn't love was the fact that her boss was never satisfied with her. She would do well and jealousy would rise, and if she did bad her boss would get angry. She described her boss as "in life there is always someone who wants somebody's job" (333). She drew attention to the restaurant and people would wait for her specifically. She really worked hard to make the customers happy, and said "whatever you do be professional" (334). This is really easy to relate to because my family owns a restaurant, and my dad is the same way. He gives everything he has and really tries to please his customers.
Phil Stallings:
Stallings is a spot welder at the Ford assembly plant, and his job is to basically stand in one spot and push a button all night. He was only able to stop when the line stops. He tried to dream and think about other things in order to reduce tension with the other workers. He wishes that his job was better than it was as he said "I bet there's men who have lived and died out there, never seen the end of the line" (355). He had a major problem with the foremen of the plant because they always use there power to get what they want, and they thought that they were the best. They treated machines better than the people, they ignored emotions. There only hope was to keep the line moving. Stallings had had many different injuries while on the job, yet the doctors would always send him back to work. He said "I love using my hands-- more than I do my mind. I love to be able to put things together and see something in the long run" (358). Another key piece of text was when he said "How can I feel pride in a job where I calla foreman's attention to a mistake, a bad piece of equipment, and he'll ignore it" (359). This shows his anger toward the doctors and his job in general. He wishes he could have worked in a place where he was able to move, and he wishes that he had went to college. This connects to the working conditions that we talked about earlier in the year. Obviously these are not to the same extent, yet we can still see how the same problems continue to arise.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Studs Terkle #7
Kid Pharaoh:
Before reading, I was very interested in this story. I have always been interested in mob activity, and Chicago was a very interesting place to learn about it. Pharaoh was a con man who grew up in Chicago, and continued living into Chicago all of his life. He boxed when he was young, and his father was a stock trader. Pharaoh and his family lived during the depression, and he would steel food for for his family. He did not graduate high school because "you learn nothing in school" (253), and he decided that lawyers and doctors are "the two biggest thieves in our society" (253). He found it hard to believe that mobsters were put in jail when lawyers weren't. This is ironic because he was a con man and a thieve. He comments on the fact that he was sexist and racist, and hated capitalism and social hierarchy in society. He disagreed with society and said "If I was a dictator, I would exercise genocide for all degenerates" (257). This comment would really raise controversy in today's society, and it interesting that he would say this. The most interesting thing was that he did have ideas that were normal to American society. He hated phony Americans, and believed that everyone had fear, and this connects to FDR's speech about how fear is the only thing that we need to fear. Finally, he also was parallel to society when he talked about his ideas about dreams. He said "you can be anything in this world you want to be, if you dream hard enough" (262). As a whole, Kid Pharaoh had a very compelling story, and it was interesting the ways that his ideas differed and aligned with the typical Americans beliefs. This connects to my family because we live in Chicago, and we talk about the mob influence that helped create Chicago.
Dennis Hart:
I was confused going into the reading of this story. I was not really sure what a "cabbie" was and how it connected to this mans life. Hart was completely different than Pharoah. Hart simply wanted to be somebody, and eventually was able to become the chairman of the Barry Goldwater campaign. He said it as "I had these doubts about myself as to weather I had any courage in me at all of was I gonna be a plant instead of a man" (237). This really showed that he put a ton of pressure on himself, and really feared becoming unsuccessful. This connects to me because I too put a ton of pressure on myself, and I also fear that I won't be as successful and I hope to be. Hart also said that he believes that that a man has to find himself in life, and this was largely because he had almost died 3 times in his life. He was an emotional man, who was really changed by his experiences working at a jail, and felt that crying was an essential part of life. He said "In order to be a man, I have to have a heart also" (240). He agreed with MLK and thought that MacArthur was a great leader. Overall the most important quote was on 242 when he said "Not only was I going to try to prove to myself that I was going to be a man, but I was doing it fora great person and a great cause" (244). This was a really compelling story that was really connectable for me. I felt that I could connect because I too hold very high standards for myself.
Before reading, I was very interested in this story. I have always been interested in mob activity, and Chicago was a very interesting place to learn about it. Pharaoh was a con man who grew up in Chicago, and continued living into Chicago all of his life. He boxed when he was young, and his father was a stock trader. Pharaoh and his family lived during the depression, and he would steel food for for his family. He did not graduate high school because "you learn nothing in school" (253), and he decided that lawyers and doctors are "the two biggest thieves in our society" (253). He found it hard to believe that mobsters were put in jail when lawyers weren't. This is ironic because he was a con man and a thieve. He comments on the fact that he was sexist and racist, and hated capitalism and social hierarchy in society. He disagreed with society and said "If I was a dictator, I would exercise genocide for all degenerates" (257). This comment would really raise controversy in today's society, and it interesting that he would say this. The most interesting thing was that he did have ideas that were normal to American society. He hated phony Americans, and believed that everyone had fear, and this connects to FDR's speech about how fear is the only thing that we need to fear. Finally, he also was parallel to society when he talked about his ideas about dreams. He said "you can be anything in this world you want to be, if you dream hard enough" (262). As a whole, Kid Pharaoh had a very compelling story, and it was interesting the ways that his ideas differed and aligned with the typical Americans beliefs. This connects to my family because we live in Chicago, and we talk about the mob influence that helped create Chicago.
Dennis Hart:
I was confused going into the reading of this story. I was not really sure what a "cabbie" was and how it connected to this mans life. Hart was completely different than Pharoah. Hart simply wanted to be somebody, and eventually was able to become the chairman of the Barry Goldwater campaign. He said it as "I had these doubts about myself as to weather I had any courage in me at all of was I gonna be a plant instead of a man" (237). This really showed that he put a ton of pressure on himself, and really feared becoming unsuccessful. This connects to me because I too put a ton of pressure on myself, and I also fear that I won't be as successful and I hope to be. Hart also said that he believes that that a man has to find himself in life, and this was largely because he had almost died 3 times in his life. He was an emotional man, who was really changed by his experiences working at a jail, and felt that crying was an essential part of life. He said "In order to be a man, I have to have a heart also" (240). He agreed with MLK and thought that MacArthur was a great leader. Overall the most important quote was on 242 when he said "Not only was I going to try to prove to myself that I was going to be a man, but I was doing it fora great person and a great cause" (244). This was a really compelling story that was really connectable for me. I felt that I could connect because I too hold very high standards for myself.
Open Response about In Class Movie
I thought that this movie was interesting, and it really kept my attention. I had really never learned about the Vietnam War in detail. Going in to this year, I only knew about the protests and the controversy that surrounded the war. This war was typically not supported by Americans, and created a distinct line between the hawks and the doves. American streets filled with angry protesters, and when the soldiers arrived home they were not greeted with open arms. This hard to believe because regardless of the situation I feel that you always have to support those who are fighting for our country.
Next, I would like to talk a little about the My Lai massacre. At the beginning, before the soldiers figured out who they were killing, they were just following orders. At the point where the soldiers understood that they were killing innocent civilians, was the point where the problems started happening. As hard as it is to do, they should have taken it over and convinced the leader to back down. Thompson, the gunship commander, was the only person who really stepped up to make a difference. He really knew what was right, and he tried to make a difference. This had to be a really hard decision because either way someone would be angry. If he helps them the commander gets made at him, if he kills them then he goes against his morals. It was truly a lose lose situation. He ended up trying to stop the massacre and saving as many innocent civilians as possible. This was really courageous because he could have been shot for disobeying orders. This must have taken a ton of courage because it was impossible for him to know what could come out of it.
Next, I would like to talk a little about the My Lai massacre. At the beginning, before the soldiers figured out who they were killing, they were just following orders. At the point where the soldiers understood that they were killing innocent civilians, was the point where the problems started happening. As hard as it is to do, they should have taken it over and convinced the leader to back down. Thompson, the gunship commander, was the only person who really stepped up to make a difference. He really knew what was right, and he tried to make a difference. This had to be a really hard decision because either way someone would be angry. If he helps them the commander gets made at him, if he kills them then he goes against his morals. It was truly a lose lose situation. He ended up trying to stop the massacre and saving as many innocent civilians as possible. This was really courageous because he could have been shot for disobeying orders. This must have taken a ton of courage because it was impossible for him to know what could come out of it.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Studs Entry 6
Peter Ota:
Ota was a man of Japanese decent living in America during a really ugly time in American history. I knew going in that this would be a story that really made me feel bad about the way that the US treated individuals. This is exactly what I found because it all began when Ota's family was wrongfully arrested and eventual sentences to Santa Anita for detainment. The conditions at this detainment facility were bad, to say the least. People were all jammed into tight, uncomfortable quarters. "Everything was communal. We had absolutely no privacy" (206). This is so wrong because these people were wrongfully detained. It took them a fully year to meet back with his father, who was a really strong man. He rarely showed emotions. He would say "you preserve." Take what's coming" (206). Everyone in the family had changed after Santa Anita. They were then transfered to Amache, Colorado, where they live in "Prison camp" like conditions. Finally Peter was able to leave due to job exemptions, and eventually he had become the age in which you have to register for the draft. Ironically enough he got drafted and had to fight in the war. What is even more "ironic" is the fact that his family is being detained as he fought. He was mistreated and called a "Dirty Jap" (208). He was finally able to return home to his family; home being the camp. He finally decided that he need to change after the war, and this made him decide to abandon Japanese culture. This story is truly agonizing because it hurts to learn of the things that Americans did to the poor, innocent Japanese. This connects to class when we talked about this executive order.
Betty Hutchinson:
Hutchinson was a nurse during the war. She felt that this was a really good and beneficial way to join the war effort. She recalled that she saw people she knew dying, and this made her feel the need to help. Nurses were not completely prepared going into the war, and it came as a surprise to her when she really understood and saw the really war. She could finally relate to the tragedy of war. She recalled how she was "struck by the horror of it" (213). After a while, she was finally able to adapt to her position, and eventually she was comfortable enough to joke with the patients. She recalled "the war marked me, but I put it behind me" (217). This was after she returned back to Pasadena, and it is interesting the way that she responded with anger toward our future wars. She said that her son was a "conscientious object."She saw so much while she was at war that it really made here rethink her life. She was completely effected by the way that literally saw people dying before her eyes. It made her hate war, and it is tough to directly connect to this, yet I can see how a traumatic expierieince like this can cause this outstanding opinion.
Ota was a man of Japanese decent living in America during a really ugly time in American history. I knew going in that this would be a story that really made me feel bad about the way that the US treated individuals. This is exactly what I found because it all began when Ota's family was wrongfully arrested and eventual sentences to Santa Anita for detainment. The conditions at this detainment facility were bad, to say the least. People were all jammed into tight, uncomfortable quarters. "Everything was communal. We had absolutely no privacy" (206). This is so wrong because these people were wrongfully detained. It took them a fully year to meet back with his father, who was a really strong man. He rarely showed emotions. He would say "you preserve." Take what's coming" (206). Everyone in the family had changed after Santa Anita. They were then transfered to Amache, Colorado, where they live in "Prison camp" like conditions. Finally Peter was able to leave due to job exemptions, and eventually he had become the age in which you have to register for the draft. Ironically enough he got drafted and had to fight in the war. What is even more "ironic" is the fact that his family is being detained as he fought. He was mistreated and called a "Dirty Jap" (208). He was finally able to return home to his family; home being the camp. He finally decided that he need to change after the war, and this made him decide to abandon Japanese culture. This story is truly agonizing because it hurts to learn of the things that Americans did to the poor, innocent Japanese. This connects to class when we talked about this executive order.
Betty Hutchinson:
Hutchinson was a nurse during the war. She felt that this was a really good and beneficial way to join the war effort. She recalled that she saw people she knew dying, and this made her feel the need to help. Nurses were not completely prepared going into the war, and it came as a surprise to her when she really understood and saw the really war. She could finally relate to the tragedy of war. She recalled how she was "struck by the horror of it" (213). After a while, she was finally able to adapt to her position, and eventually she was comfortable enough to joke with the patients. She recalled "the war marked me, but I put it behind me" (217). This was after she returned back to Pasadena, and it is interesting the way that she responded with anger toward our future wars. She said that her son was a "conscientious object."She saw so much while she was at war that it really made here rethink her life. She was completely effected by the way that literally saw people dying before her eyes. It made her hate war, and it is tough to directly connect to this, yet I can see how a traumatic expierieince like this can cause this outstanding opinion.
Studs Number 5
Peggy Terry:
Peggy Terry was a working class women who struggled through the great depression. It is sad to think of the world like this, but this struggle was very prominent during the depression. People struggled to find work, and often struggled with life its self. As she would say "We were living day to day" (190), and this shows that she was struggling. All of their money went to necessities, rather than luxuries. Luckily for her, she was able to take advantage the booming economy. She got her first job after the great depression at a shell-loading plant. The conditions were not good, as she recalled "it was difficult to breathe" (191). Even with the harsh conditions she was still happy for what she what doing. It was also interesting the way that people were rather oblivious to the details of the war. The media played a huge role, in changing the prospective of the war. This connects to our discussions in clash when we talked about how the media completely changed people's perspective on Vietnam. Also the war in general, changed people. It changed Peggy's husband because he became an "drunkard" when he had never drank before the war. The media made it seem as if we were winning, yet it was clear that the war was a bloody stalemate because it was very challenging for us to catch the VC. The war gave people jobs, and the post war future was very bright, yet most it was short lived. The question that was raised is what happened to create the abrupt shift in Americas morale. We had come out of a win, yet it was quickly destroyed. this shows us what war was like on the home front. The home front was more positive while the battlefront was bloody and gory. This story connects to my grandma and grandpa because my grandma to had to work during the war as she waited for him to return.
E.B. Sledge
E.B. Sledge also lived and worked during WWII. He was a marine, who got a front line perspective of what the war really was. He was not fooled by the misconceptions of the media, or falsehoods of the American public. Sledge got a clear sense of the Japanese tactic of "no surrender" (197), and this clearly made the war tough to fight. Most of the soldiers that were "afraid so much, day after day, that I got tired of being scared" (198).This fear led to hate and make the soldiers desire to kill the enemy greater. They often developed an attitude of "no mercy" because that was the way that the soldiers fought against them. He was able to see that war changed people. The made the Americans see the Japanese soldiers as below themselves. They were able to bring them down below human standards. This story really shows the tragedy of war. It proved that the war changed people and was devastating. Men who would have never dreamed of the stuff that they did, eventually turned to it. The war, as a whole, helped many on the home front, yet devastated others on the war front.
Peggy Terry was a working class women who struggled through the great depression. It is sad to think of the world like this, but this struggle was very prominent during the depression. People struggled to find work, and often struggled with life its self. As she would say "We were living day to day" (190), and this shows that she was struggling. All of their money went to necessities, rather than luxuries. Luckily for her, she was able to take advantage the booming economy. She got her first job after the great depression at a shell-loading plant. The conditions were not good, as she recalled "it was difficult to breathe" (191). Even with the harsh conditions she was still happy for what she what doing. It was also interesting the way that people were rather oblivious to the details of the war. The media played a huge role, in changing the prospective of the war. This connects to our discussions in clash when we talked about how the media completely changed people's perspective on Vietnam. Also the war in general, changed people. It changed Peggy's husband because he became an "drunkard" when he had never drank before the war. The media made it seem as if we were winning, yet it was clear that the war was a bloody stalemate because it was very challenging for us to catch the VC. The war gave people jobs, and the post war future was very bright, yet most it was short lived. The question that was raised is what happened to create the abrupt shift in Americas morale. We had come out of a win, yet it was quickly destroyed. this shows us what war was like on the home front. The home front was more positive while the battlefront was bloody and gory. This story connects to my grandma and grandpa because my grandma to had to work during the war as she waited for him to return.
E.B. Sledge
E.B. Sledge also lived and worked during WWII. He was a marine, who got a front line perspective of what the war really was. He was not fooled by the misconceptions of the media, or falsehoods of the American public. Sledge got a clear sense of the Japanese tactic of "no surrender" (197), and this clearly made the war tough to fight. Most of the soldiers that were "afraid so much, day after day, that I got tired of being scared" (198).This fear led to hate and make the soldiers desire to kill the enemy greater. They often developed an attitude of "no mercy" because that was the way that the soldiers fought against them. He was able to see that war changed people. The made the Americans see the Japanese soldiers as below themselves. They were able to bring them down below human standards. This story really shows the tragedy of war. It proved that the war changed people and was devastating. Men who would have never dreamed of the stuff that they did, eventually turned to it. The war, as a whole, helped many on the home front, yet devastated others on the war front.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Studs #4
At first I thought that the intro was going to be just a generic intro into the war. I thought that it would be a little more than a text book, and that it would have a collection of short stories. I was skepticle at first because I thought that it would be very similar. I quickly found out that it was much more personal than the average text book. I found that that racial tensions were really high, yet the majority of the country had a collective mind set rather than a competitive midset. People prioritized putting the war effort first, which was very important during the time period. Another important advancement in America was the GI bill of rights. This bill was important because it guaranteed the rights that veterans deserve, and it is still an important part of our system today. This war really changed everything. The four main thoughts that crossed the average personals mind where "Food, Fear, Comradeship, and Confusion" (165). These were the major themes that people thought about. Whether it was rationing or fear of communism, people always had deal with these issues. Another important quote was "A new middle class emerged" (172). This proves the differences in American values. This gave rise to my question which was How did the war impact the upper and lower classes specifically? Finally I connected to this introduction because in class we talked a lot about the ways that people had to adapt to war, and this article completely expressed that.
Bob Rasmus, like many other Americans, had been sent to defend America during World War II. When he was young he thought war would be fun so he had hoped that he could be involved, yet that quickly changed once he was actually in the moment. War was really tough conditions, and he likely could have been killed during battle. Terkle wrote "[Bob] would forever be liberated from the sense of inferiority that I wasn't rugged. I would prove that I had the guts and the manhood to stand up to these things," (178). This proves that there really was a lot that he would have to over come because war was full of fear. He like, other men, embraced the fear, and hoped to make a difference for America. He felt a sense of pride in what he was doing, and that was really important for the war effort. This became apparent when he was forced to stay behind because of the flu. He felt bad staying behind his battalion, and this shows his sense of pride in his work. I really respect men like this, and I wish I could have the courage to do this. My question is how does war change your mindset of the world? My personal connection is that my grandpa fought in Korea, and he had the same sense of pride in his group. He too felt a similar pride as Bob.
Bob Rasmus, like many other Americans, had been sent to defend America during World War II. When he was young he thought war would be fun so he had hoped that he could be involved, yet that quickly changed once he was actually in the moment. War was really tough conditions, and he likely could have been killed during battle. Terkle wrote "[Bob] would forever be liberated from the sense of inferiority that I wasn't rugged. I would prove that I had the guts and the manhood to stand up to these things," (178). This proves that there really was a lot that he would have to over come because war was full of fear. He like, other men, embraced the fear, and hoped to make a difference for America. He felt a sense of pride in what he was doing, and that was really important for the war effort. This became apparent when he was forced to stay behind because of the flu. He felt bad staying behind his battalion, and this shows his sense of pride in his work. I really respect men like this, and I wish I could have the courage to do this. My question is how does war change your mindset of the world? My personal connection is that my grandpa fought in Korea, and he had the same sense of pride in his group. He too felt a similar pride as Bob.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Free Response 2: Korea
For my second open response, I will be talking about American ideas gained or lost from the Korean War. To begin with, this was a war that highly controversial, and was largely caused by the United States' cold war with the USSR. It began as the Soviets supplied the Northern half of Korea with weapons to invade the Southern democratic half. It wasn't until North Korea took almost all of South Korea, that the United States felt that it was necessary to step in. Eventually after multiple years of fighting, the originally boundary was eventually reassigned (the thirty-eighth parallel). The main issue that the United States feared was the fact the given a common goal, the communist countries will bind together to form a unified force. The Chinese and the Soviets both supported the communist North Korea during this war.
I feel that the most important issue with this war was the effect it had on our government and our home front. First, our government was effected. Truman, the president, had an issue regarding McArthur's opinions. This led to a conflict that ended in Truman firing his most prized general. This reinforced the president's power as the commander and chief. Also, the government learned that we need to contain communism because it was a threat to spread. Second, the Korean war created a real issue on the Home front. The real problem was that we started to distrust each other. People were labeled as possible communists, when they really were not. This created conflict within the country.
I feel that the most important issue with this war was the effect it had on our government and our home front. First, our government was effected. Truman, the president, had an issue regarding McArthur's opinions. This led to a conflict that ended in Truman firing his most prized general. This reinforced the president's power as the commander and chief. Also, the government learned that we need to contain communism because it was a threat to spread. Second, the Korean war created a real issue on the Home front. The real problem was that we started to distrust each other. People were labeled as possible communists, when they really were not. This created conflict within the country.
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