Monday, March 28, 2011

Say sorry.

Dear people of Australia,

After the treatment of the Aboriginols, we believe that it is time you said sorry for what occured, that only really ceased a few years ago. We realise that at the time of your arival in the land, the Aboriginols must have seemed like aleans to you. And we realise that when you saw the Aboriginols ways, you might have thought that they needed help. They didn't have the same technology as you, or the same anything really. But they had a culture of their own, just like you had your culture. What my people do not understand, is why you don't understand that. Does the fact that you wear clothes and have guns make your culture better? I wonder if it ever occured to you, when you people first arrived in Australia, that perhaps the Aboriginols were happy with their ways and culture. Sure, they didn't have grand cities like you did back in England, but the fact they were living and prospering in that harsh land is enough to compensate for that. You didn't have to try and teach them your way was The way. You and the Aboriginols could have lived together in harmony without needing to have any conflict. But, I suppose thats all behind us now, so what we need you to do is simply say sorry, for what you did. Be warned, this is harder than it sounds. You have to mean it. You have to show some empathy, and admit what you have done, and admit that it was not a good thing to do. You have to realise that you almost destroyed a whole culture, and believe it or not, thats not a good thing. Once you have done that, you need to keep doing it and show that you are all equal in your day to day life. Things like, not treating Aboriginols like dirt, and not having Aboriginol slaves, and letting Aboriginols do whatever you do, weather it be managing a bank, being a supermarket cashier or being Prime Minister. So in a nutshell, this is just one groups plea to ask you to say sorry.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Mollys Character in Rabbit Proof Fence

In the movie, Rabbit Proof Fence, three Aboriginal girls get stolen and sent to a camp for Aboriginal children to become British. Molly, the oldest of the three reveals her character a lot in the beginning of the film, when they first get captured and plan to escape. She is stubborn, optimistic and compassionate. After they were brought to the camp, the three Aboriginals saw what happened to a girl who tried to escape. Molly refused to change her mind about escaping, even when her sister and cousin begged her to stay for fear of receiving the same treatment. But Molly would not listen, and insisted that they would make it. This represents her stubbornness, and her refusal to believe that they might not make it. This also shows her optimism. Molly believes that they can escape and make it back home. She supports her companions, and tells them that they will make it out. She has a good attitude, and does not let the situation they are in stop her from helping and supporting her younger relatives. You need to be pretty compassionate to do all these things, and that is exactly what Molly is. She cares for her younger sister and cousin, and keeps there spirits high, when she herself must feel terrible. These are some of the traits that make a good hero, and Molly seems to definately be the hero in this situation. To be able to not think about what might happen if you fail, but continue as normal, and keep fighting without worrying to much about yourself and more about others. The only flaw is her stubornness, which may represent a problem in the future. Other than this though, Molly is good hero material.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Ethnocentrics

When the British first set sail for Australia, they didn't know what they were going to find, and they were very ethnocentric about their culture. They instinctively thought that what ever they find would be inferior to them, and that would cause a lot of conflict. What they found didn't surprise them. They saw the different culture of the Aboriginals and because it was so different, treated it with disrespect. What the British saw was a few tribes, with uncivilised savages running about the place. They just didn't understand the different culture. As the British started investigating into the Aboriginals, and exploring more of Australia, they started to feel more and more superior to them, who, to the British, were nothing more than animals. The Aborigines began to feel like their land was being overrun and not treated with respect and because of the culture differences between the British and Aborigines, the British didn't know about the connection the natives had with the land. The ethnocentricity of the British led them to not bother about learning about the Aboriginal culture, and so they just plowed through the land. The Aborigines did not take kindly to this at all. War and rebellions broke out many times between the British and Aborigines, but the British always were victorious. Because of the ignorance the British had and their ethnosentricity, the British ignored the Aboriginals culture and ways of living and went deeper and deeper into the land, killing it when the Aborigines culture had so much to do with living in harmony with the land. This was the main cause for the conflicts that brought about the slaughter of so many people when the British came to Australia.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Julius Caesar duet acting.

The context of this passage is that Brutus and Cassius' relationship is falling apart. The war is going badly, and Brutus needed some more money for the war effort, but when Cassius sent it, Brutus never received it. Now Brutus is acusing Cassius of getting the money in a dishonest manner.
The significance of this passage is yet more characterization of Brutus as still desperate to find an honourable way out of the mess that he has got him and the conspirators in by doing it the 'honourable' way. Cassius has known all along that this would not work, so now it has come to the inevitable conflict between the two very different characters.
Act IV SCENE III. (lines 1-120) Brutus's tent.
Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.
CASSIUS
That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
BRUTUS
You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS
In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.
BRUTUS
Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.
CASSIUS
I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS
The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS
Chastisement!
BRUTUS
Remember March, the ides of March remember:
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.
CASSIUS
Brutus, bay not me;
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practise, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
BRUTUS
Go to; you are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS
I am.
BRUTUS
I say you are not.
CASSIUS
Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further.
BRUTUS
Away, slight man!
CASSIUS
Is't possible?
BRUTUS
Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS
O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
BRUTUS
All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.



Tuesday, January 25, 2011

My Learning Profile.

I was quite surprised at my learning profile. I suspected that I would be logic, but I didn't know that my letter meant that I was straight in the middle of logic and gestalt. Apparently I learn best by not having any external sensory stimulation, so it doesn't help if I listen to music while working. Also, I don't need to bounce ideas off another person, I can think internally. So I learn best by being in a quiet, calm environment. It is good if I have some quiet time alone, and I need to be able to sit where I can think quietly inside my head, and that I should maybe doodle or fiddle with something while listening/ working.
I need to have a balance of art, music, movement and inter/intrapersonal skills, with brain endeavors. Also, it is good to do activates that require both hands to get both parts of the brain working, such as drumming, piano, writing and drawing with the non-dominant hand.
Some strategies that would help me learn are, as I said, being able to fiddle with something (clay, doodles) in class. Massaging the Temporal Mandibular joint (upper jaw joint) will help with my communication. Also, being in a quiet, relaxed environment.
I would like my teachers to know that I learn better working alone, because I process my thoughts better internally, and that I cannot function well when I am stressed, and may have trouble communicating my ideas. Aside from that there is not much else to say, apart from the fact that I am really glad to have learned all this, because now I understand a bit more about my self.