Recent Changes

Reflection:
as a whole.whole, such as the idea that "people need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world". This has the future. The research paper was a way to open my eyes to the present and past events that occur in the world that may affect a writer, such as the face that "efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality".
College Essay:
Cry of the Fallen Leaves

Universal Idea:
People need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world.
Creative Project:
S.S.C.B
“Responsibility and Ethics are the core of life”
Welcome to S.S.C.B! It is a world much like yours, but just a little more “perfect”
Governed by the S.S.C.B Republic, the world is ordered and peaceful. They ensure that laws are followed. Since the reform of 2031, the world has evolved into a harmonious state. Ever since this reform, children are taught responsibility for themselves and for others. They do not compete with each other, but can only be successful and recognized if everyone is successful and recognized. This change in global culture has truly made the world perfect. Present generations act humanely and care for each others’ success. There are no longer religions, but they have been recorded by historical documents kept by the state. There are no figureheads that are worshiped because that will cause indifference and conflict. The only praise goes to the people, for it is they who forge the future. {https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5TCEnvNaHEyXs8mifwwGsmHYAMeQuvL0F4g_gO8wXm3fkmqjPwejFuYux36Oi5CEKcnM6quwzCFUR7gHuoFyhJTEcDfUPFJvhQ5-nKVXxcrGcEgkk58zlTpeetokGN4G5aZCt7k}
{https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pTwPnAZ1Btdm1E4N0r3NS7A7a0qNVE4uQcewaG7_HEBtEq-lkW-9uvWyHJItGDqsujOnFP5_q-nv2Rt4moeehhuvMbQk00FVazHCYxInBmhTPxNmjaLdV6ovPFqpk-FBjStTsMQ}
People work their respective jobs and are rewarded with the living standards they deserve. There is no monetary system. New generations do not inherit wealth, and their futures are determined only by what they do within society. Everyone receives the same education. They are taught the skills necessary for any job and are taught that they must support each other in order for the world to turn round.
Free time is spent collaborating with others. Groups of friends welcome anybody into their groups; there is no discrimination. People are happy enough to be with others, so there are no real forms of entertainment.
You will enter this world and be given the education and taught the ideals necessary to exist within our society. From there you will be friends with all types of people, and you will enjoy everyone's company. You will work the job you want and live the life that is given. Your life will be fulfilling and plentiful and the choice is all yours.
Revision of Sample:
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.

Reflection Paper:Reflection:
Over the past year, there have been vast improvements within my literary analysis and understanding the purpose of many works of literature. Instead of reading and watching out of leisure and entertainment, it becomes much easier to see overarching themes within literature and its purpose as a whole. This has significantly changed my view of movies, novels, etc. The ability to interpret literature and understand its full meaning will be an amazing asset going into college. This strength is best shown within dialectical journals as well as analysis papers written throughout the year. However, the only weakness that remains is the insight required to dive even deeper within the analysis. It is a simple task to interpret the author’s meaning behind their words and actions, but I remain blind to the author’s history and what significant event(s) led to the idea of the overall story: What caused the author to begin writing? What sparked their interest in the subject that which they write about? I must become more aware of the past that influences literature in order to interpret its message for the future.
College Essay:
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training in the subject.” (Page 2006)
The----The reflection and

Reflection Paper:
Over the past year, there have been vast improvements within my literary analysis and understanding the purpose of many works of literature. Instead of reading and watching out of leisure and entertainment, it becomes much easier to see overarching themes within literature and its purpose as a whole. This has significantly changed my view of movies, novels, etc. The ability to interpret literature and understand its full meaning will be an amazing asset going into college. This strength is best shown within dialectical journals as well as analysis papers written throughout the year. However, the only weakness that remains is the insight required to dive even deeper within the analysis. It is a simple task to interpret the author’s meaning behind their words and actions, but I remain blind to the author’s history and what significant event(s) led to the idea of the overall story: What caused the author to begin writing? What sparked their interest in the subject that which they write about? I must become more aware of the past that influences literature in order to interpret its message for the future.
College Essay:
Cry of the Fallen Leaves
I must become the protector of the weak. College will be the gateway towards power and responsibility that I must fully take advantage of in order to protect the less fortunate. The thought of not being able to save a life that you are capable of saving is dreadful. The feeling of fulfillment comes from helping others in need and I long for that sensation. By going to college, I want to develop a future where I can save meaningful lives.
Research Paper (Sample):
children are be growing up yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen
Imagine a world where the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training inrich governed the subject.” (Page 2006)poor. A world where nobody had ever stood up for their rights. History without Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, or Mahatma Ghandi. If nobody stands up against inequality, it will spread.
Notebook Entry:
Jason Fong 1-87
Universal Idea:
People need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world.
Creative Project:
Revision of Sample:
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training in the subject.” (Page 2006)
The reflection and presentation of the ideal world should be saved for the conclusion, after the reader has been presented with all the necessary information and ideas that will go into that world. Also, the ideal world must be presented in a way that actually coincides with the information that is given and does not draw from other sources and ideas. It is important that all the ideas are connected and flow together. One major flaw in my writing is that ideas do not always flow. Sources come from different ideas and backgrounds that do not always flow together, but indirectly support each other. Direct support is a much stronger and simpler way of backing up the main idea and delivering the overall message of the writing.

Reflection Paper:
College Essay:
Cry of the Fallen Leaves
The radio fizzes on and my blurred eyes come to focus on the numbers 6:45. Coming out of hibernation, I open the door to the sound of a sizzling stove and a bustling family of four. In the corner of the filled room, the calendar clearly depicts October 12, 2009. Through the clear glass, blazing red leaves fell to the floor and gathered in piles. It seemed to be a typical beautiful fall morning for a 12 year old boy. My parents have breakfast on the table by the time I get out of the bathroom and my grandpa comes gliding into the driveway on his bicycle; the vehicle that has brought me to nearly every latitude in the world. I gather all my belongings and pull up the huge green wooden garage door to free my blue phoenix bicycle. Just before my grandpa and I head off to my school, he tells me to wait and heads into the garden.
Amongst the tall grasses and flourishing plants and vegetables lies a steel trap. My mom would always complain about how birds and squirrels would invade her garden, but I’ve never seen her take action against them, except for this one steel trap. My grandpa reached for this iron prison and lifted it high into the air. Within the prison lied one prisoner. It had eyes as black as tar and a coat of gray fur. Simply put, an innocent, starving American gray squirrel. I marveled at its existance and its presence. It seemed to be trying to say something… L..t m.. ..ut? I stood there speechless and my wandering gaze was broken when my grandpa took out a large, white plastic barrel filled to the brim with clear water. Within a blink of an eye, my grandpa submerged the prison underwater and the prisoner let out a terrifying cry.
Never in my life had I ever seen something die before my eyes, and definitely not in this tortuous manner. Bubbles of air rose to the top and the white barrel turned black. Within a few minutes, my grandpa lifted the prison once again into the air as to inspect his prisoner. Giving the cage a violent shake, the prisoner once again let out cries in fear of its life. Resubmerged into the water, that was the last gasp of air that squirrel ever had.
I must become the protector of the weak. College will be the gateway towards power and responsibility that I must fully take advantage of in order to protect the less fortunate. The thought of not being able to save a life that you are capable of saving is dreadful. The feeling of fulfillment comes from helping others in need and I long for that sensation. By going to college, I want to develop a future where I can save meaningful lives.
Research Paper (Sample):
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training in the subject.” (Page 2006)
Notebook Entry:
Jason Fong 1-87
1984 by George Orwell 2/12/15
Quote: “...for weeks past he had been making ready for this moment, and it had never crossed his mind that anything would be needed except courage. The actual writing would be easy. All he had to do was transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head, literally for years. At this moment, however,even the monologue had dried up…. Suddenly he began writing in sheer panic, only imperfectly aware of what he was setting down. His small but childish handwriting straggled up and down the page, shedding first its capital letters and finally even its full stops” (10-11).
Context: Winston begins to write in his newly acquired diary containing his thoughts about past events and wrongdoings. His inner feelings and thoughts pour into his writing.
Author’s Style
The portrayal of Winston’s thoughts and personification of his ideas show that he is a worried person with a sense of urgency and despair. :the restless [running] monologue” that is in his head represents his need to express himself. Because “the monologue had dried up”, Winston had begun to lose his ability to express himself. His most inner thoughts, his free thinking, would be unable to surface and no longer exist. The author is concerned with people’s ability to think freely and uses Winston to characterize how free thought is struggling to survive. Furthermore, by describing Winston’s handwriting as “small” and “childish” expresses the author’s concern for literacy/the literacy rate. Even with courage, it is difficult to act against a controlling power. The author critiques society for being unable to face its fears and how people would rather stay inactive against evils rather than fighting it. This may be reflective of how nations such as the U.S. did not get involved in World War 2 until it may have been too late. Unless the benefit is exponentially higher than the risk, people would rather have their opposition dry up and fade.
Response
If people are not willing to fight for their rights, nobody will bother giving them rights. Nobody will stand up to their government and will be under the complete control of a dictator. If nobody fought against Hitler, he would have definitely succeeded in killing off the Jewish people and implemented his Aryan race and all his ideals. It is therefore important to become involved in international affairs. If countries do not intervene in each others’ affairs, the isolated country will rule its people any way they want. Those holding political power will always tend to abuse their power in order to tower over those they rule. When faced with such an overwhelming opponent, it becomes too difficult to overcome unless opposition of that power increases ten fold.
Universal Idea:
People need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world.
Creative Project:
Revision of Sample:

John, Antony. "Chapter 16." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. 109-116. Print.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique: After finishing the text, analyze the author’s purpose and what he/she critiques about our society. What issues inspired this text? To support your response, provide some other articles that illustrate how the issues are present in our society, and reference them in your analysis. (Use quotations and provide a works cited section at the end of the post).
to change.
John, Antony. Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. Print.
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why the Rich Hate Popular Democracy." Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.
John, Antony. "Chapter 4." Firebrand. New York: Dial, 2012. 21-26. Print.
"None believed rats could make it out this far. The island settlements are so irregular- entire regions uninhabited. Rats need food and human waste to survive." (12)
of equality.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique:
Lives within different societies vary greatly in values, beliefs, environments and rules. Within every society, there is inequality. There must always be a more powerful force in order to rule over the rest, and there are always groups within the society that hold more power than others. Antony John introduces a “New World” that is supposedly better than the old. However, not everything is truly better since there is always one part of society that is infested with rats, disease, corruption, and chaos. There is almost never a perfect utopia and there is always inequality. Mike Stout also discusses how politics are most influenced by money and that the government relies on people with wealth to support them. In modern day society, there is always somebody relying on somebody else. Rules are set by those who have power and those who don’t have power don’t have any other choice but to follow them. At the very bottom of our society lies unemployment, bankruptcy, homelessness and suffering.
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
Thom and his friends must go through the final and most dangerous trials in order to save their homeland. Furthermore, after the shocking discovery that Thom's mother is still alive on Roanoke, Thom is determined to return to that island. However, the island is still under pirate control, and a mysterious boy in possession of a dangerous element appears. How will Thom and the colonists overcome the pirates? With the help of an unlikely ally and the newly discovered ability to combine elements, Thom must bring forth the full extent of his power to end this battle for their home once and for all.
lesser people.
http://inequality.org/why-research-funding-matters/
- 4 Passage Analysis Posts:
People must become exposed to various ideas and values so that the individual can reflect off various values to construct their own belief system. Society uses language and images in order to provide one set of ideas and enforce their own values, People must recognize the effects of media and analyze the true meanings of words cast by society.
“I’ve seen what evil people are willing to do to get what they want, My parents were killed by the man they trusted most of all. So you’d better believe it“ (5).
achieve power.
“On Sumter, Griffen had been imprisoned inside a glass cube with a pack of rats- a brutally efficient way to determine if he was the mythical solution. With his hands and feet bound” (9).
The unequal treatment of people in order to achieve success has been repeated throughout history and is still evident in the future. Although experiments using humans and even other living creatures is considered immoral in some 1st world countries, it is not always seen such a way. Generally, if not bound by law, people will not consider such experiments to be cruel as they are more progressive. It is society that shapes the way people think and guides their morals and values. It is important that people are taught what is right from what is wrong, however even this can have a negative effect if what is taught is truly evil and threatening to others. Humans are easily manipulated by society and are vulnerable to most environmental factors.
“They didn’t care for Griffin, only for what Griffen could provide. What would happen when everyone had been cured? Would we coexist peacefully when they no longer had any use for us? When non-elementals outnumbered us five to one? (264).
cast out.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique
Throughout Renegade by Antony John, the author utilizes characters and their experiences within the novel to express his own views of society. The main theme of this final book is how people work in order to fulfill society’s needs and that people will do whatever it takes in order to achieve success in that society. Griffen is used as the primary character in order to emphasize his claims. Experiments are carried out unjustly and he is used as a tool in order to cure a disease. His life is not valued whatsoever and he merely serves the society’s needs.
John, Antony. Renegade. New York: Dial, 2014. Print.
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why Research Funding Matters for the Country" Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

People must become exposed to various ideas and values so that the individual can reflect off various values to construct their own belief system. Society uses language and images in order to provide one set of ideas and enforce their own values, People must recognize the effects of media and analyze the true meanings of words cast by society.
“I’ve seen what evil people are willing to do to get what they want, My parents were killed by the man they trusted most of all. So you’d better believe it“ (5).
The author criticizes society for its emphasis and drive of greed and wealth. People take routes most advantageous to them and are willing to use others and abase others in order to achieve a goal. Human nature allows us to build relationship amongst others and build trust. However this trust can easily be manipulated and taken advantage of by people. People who feel the need to become better than others and climb up the social ladder are influenced by society’s needs and their wants. The future may be built off trust, but there is always a chance that society will fail and that individuals will do anything in order to achieve power.
“On Sumter, Griffen had been imprisoned inside a glass cube with a pack of rats- a brutally efficient way to determine if he was the mythical solution. With his hands and feet bound” (9).
The unequal treatment of people in order to achieve success has been repeated throughout history and is still evident in the future. Although experiments using humans and even other living creatures is considered immoral in some 1st world countries, it is not always seen such a way. Generally, if not bound by law, people will not consider such experiments to be cruel as they are more progressive. It is society that shapes the way people think and guides their morals and values. It is important that people are taught what is right from what is wrong, however even this can have a negative effect if what is taught is truly evil and threatening to others. Humans are easily manipulated by society and are vulnerable to most environmental factors.
“They didn’t care for Griffin, only for what Griffen could provide. What would happen when everyone had been cured? Would we coexist peacefully when they no longer had any use for us? When non-elementals outnumbered us five to one? (264).
-When the majority outnumbers the rest, that majority rules over the rest. This can only apply, of course, if that majority has the power necessary to overcome the minority. Again, the author uses an example of the unfair treatment of people in order to achieve a goal. This particular example reminds me most of slavery and how after the slave has met its purpose, it is disposed of and is no longer useful. There is no telling of what society can do to people who are deemed useless. Even now, businesses who see people as useless will not hire them and those people shall perish. However, society’s need always change and so whoever is not needed of will be cast out.
- 1 Final of Social Critique:Critique
Throughout Renegade by Antony John, the author utilizes characters and their experiences within the novel to express his own views of society. The main theme of this final book is how people work in order to fulfill society’s needs and that people will do whatever it takes in order to achieve success in that society. Griffen is used as the primary character in order to emphasize his claims. Experiments are carried out unjustly and he is used as a tool in order to cure a disease. His life is not valued whatsoever and he merely serves the society’s needs.
In “Why Research funding matters” by Sheila Kennedy, it is noted that the government only funds programs that benefit itself, directly or indirectly. This ties well with Renegade as both the novel’s society and our modern day government only work in order to achieve their versions of success and manipulate their people in order to do so. Antony John foreshadows that if people stay vulnerable to society’s rule and susceptible to change, we will not survive as people, but as tools of that society.
John, Antony. Renegade. New York: Dial, 2014. Print.
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why Research Funding Matters for the Country" Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Sheila Kennedy points out in Why the Rich Hate Popular Democracy that people have always had a target group to demonize. “Gays, Jews, African-Americans, Muslims, non-Aryans—the identity of the marginalized may change” (Kennedy 7) but they have still been treated as unequal and have not been given the same opportunities as others. There has and will most likely always be inequality within the world. Currently, politics focus on inequalities in wealth and how the majority of the population is poorer than the other. If people were to vote on policies that would directly benefit themselves, then the rich would be stripped of their wealth in order to supply for the poor. This type of popular democracy would lead to bad policies that would negatively affect a nation and lead to demise. Kennedy supports a more logical approach to politics that will benefit the masses including the rich minority. It is important that people are given the same rights as others. Even though their is wealth inequality, if those who are rich and those who are not are given the same rights then all people will have the same opportunity to achieve wealth or lose it.
As the article hones in on the poor, less worthy stereotype, Kennedy connects the idea of equal education and the poor. It “focused upon the (unfortunately widespread) belief that children from poorer precincts lack the ability to learn” (Kennedy 10).
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why the Rich Hate Popular Democracy." Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.
http://inequality.org/why-rich-hate-democracy/
- 4 Passage Analysis Posts: These should include
§ What do our depictions of the future reveal about the present?
§ How do we use language / images to manipulate people’s minds?
we saw.'.... 'Whats'What’s wrong with
With the beginning of the novel, Antony John portrays each social division and inequality through characters' behaviors and interactions. The guardians serve of the chiefs of the town, wielding powers of elements and guiding those who have it. Elemental powers is the "normal" of society; this is what it means to be human. Those who have powers cast out those who do not, or those who have powers that are far different from theirs. Thomas has no power at all and Griffen, Thomas' brother, has a power similar to his mother's, the power to see others' deaths. Since the village is isolated within an island, the people with elemental powers (water, fire, earth, wind, etc) see themselves as the only type of humans on the world. Although they do trade with others that anchor away from the shore, only those who control the village (the guardians) interact with outsiders. This keeps insiders nearly completely isolated.
The author mainly uses dialogue to express the society's values. At first, Thomas, the outcast, does not have a true voice and can not stand up for himself. Only his father has ever held his hand and others are afraid to come into contact with him, thinking that he is cursed or diseased. As the story progresses, Thomas is given a voice towards others in the society. This transition predicts the fight against inequality that will allow people to hear Thomas the same way they hear each other. There is nothing "wrong" with others, but rather what's different. People see difference as a problem and wish to eliminate it. This unequal treatment of people builds into the theme of inequality and as peoples' treatment towards Thomas changes, we as the reader will see how inequality will fluctuate.
John, Antony. "Chapter 16." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. 109-116. Print.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique: After finishing the text, analyze the author’s purpose and what he/she critiques about our society. What issues inspired this text? To support your response, provide some other articles that illustrate how the issues are present in our society, and reference them in your analysis. (Use quotations and provide a works cited section at the end of the post).
Society always has the tendency to hold biased views and segregation. Those who are persecuted must face challenges ahead of them and seek equality and justice. They seek acceptance from society and are willing to create new societies to do so. This text is inspired by challenges that are overcome by those who are persecuted, and how society values each group of people. Inequality is a social problem that prolongs today. “Gays, Jews, African-Americans, Muslims, non-Aryans—the identity of the marginalized may change” (Kennedy 7), but there will always be a group to target. Those with power secure their positions by drawing a fine line between them and others, as suggest by Sheila Kennedy in “Why the Rich Hate Popular Democracy”. Both Antony John and Sheila Kennedy point out how government and wealth can control the majority population and enact rules and regulations upon individuals. The rich in our modern day society and the Guardians of “Elemental” both exercise their influence in order to keep control over people. The ladder of social positions causes those who are above to look down upon those less fortunate, or those who are simply different. Through the unfair treatment of overs, people feel as if their positions within society are secured and invulnerable to change.
John, Antony. Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. Print.
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why the Rich Hate Popular Democracy." Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.
Firebrand by Antony John
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
As the younger members of society begin to open their eyes as to what the Guardians have been actually doing, they become more aware of the Guardians’ secrets and more aware of what lies behind those secrets.
John, Antony. "Chapter 4." Firebrand. New York: Dial, 2012. 21-26. Print.
"None believed rats could make it out this far. The island settlements are so irregular- entire regions uninhabited. Rats need food and human waste to survive." (12)
Contrasting between rats and people, both are the cause of misfortune and plague. Rats are the cause of plague just as those who are persecuted are seen as causes of misfortune. People always have an excuse to segregate inferior people. They are treated as human waste and do not deserve to live the same way as others live. Those who are victims of persecution are never thought of to successfully rebel against those who persecute them, just as rats could never make it to an uninhabited island. However, people are able to overcome inequality as suggested by Antony John. Overcoming inequality can easily lead to an escalation of conflict as those who were the persecutors feel unjust and wronged. They must prove that they are right by continuously attacking the other group, and so inequality is never cured as long as there is the possibility of conflict. The cure to inequality is much harder to find than the cure to plague. Antony John uses the characters within his novel to portray what he believes molds into the world of equality.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique:
Lives within different societies vary greatly in values, beliefs, environments and rules. Within every society, there is inequality. There must always be a more powerful force in order to rule over the rest, and there are always groups within the society that hold more power than others. Antony John introduces a “New World” that is supposedly better than the old. However, not everything is truly better since there is always one part of society that is infested with rats, disease, corruption, and chaos. There is almost never a perfect utopia and there is always inequality. Mike Stout also discusses how politics are most influenced by money and that the government relies on people with wealth to support them. In modern day society, there is always somebody relying on somebody else. Rules are set by those who have power and those who don’t have power don’t have any other choice but to follow them. At the very bottom of our society lies unemployment, bankruptcy, homelessness and suffering.
John, Antony. Firebrand. New York: Dial, 2013. Print.
Stout, Mike. "What Has Happened to the Public Good?" Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 6 Aug. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.
Renegade by Antony John
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
Thom and his friends must go through the final and most dangerous trials in order to save their homeland. Furthermore, after the shocking discovery that Thom's mother is still alive on Roanoke, Thom is determined to return to that island. However, the island is still under pirate control, and a mysterious boy in possession of a dangerous element appears. How will Thom and the colonists overcome the pirates? With the help of an unlikely ally and the newly discovered ability to combine elements, Thom must bring forth the full extent of his power to end this battle for their home once and for all.
___**Just as the cure for Ebola is at the brink of discovery, government funding is withdrawn and research is left incomplete. With the lack of concern for future investment, governments focus on the effects on a problem, and if the effect does not target themselves, they could care less about the problem. Respectively, if a problem does affect someone with power, that person will take immediate action to quell that problem. By ignoring problems that don’t affect us, we become ignorant and less aware of our surroundings. Although justifiable, the unequal distribution of funding is similar to the unequal treatment of people, as those who are deemed useless are treated worse than those who are useful. And in an unfair society, those who are useful are easily taken advantage of when those with power are able to control the lesser people.
http://inequality.org/why-research-funding-matters/
- 4 Passage Analysis Posts:
“Plague. For sixteen years we’d lived in isolation on Hatteras Island protected from the rats that had consumed the mainland and the disease that had decimated the population.” (2)
Isolation between separate societies prevents the two societies from learning each other’s identities and cultures. This also prevents different ideas and values from entering one population. Thus, the set ideals and values that exist within one population are enforced and people are less likely to oppose it, When values are opposed, it is opposed by the minority and the minority becomes an outcast of society.
People must become exposed to various ideas and values so that the individual can reflect off various values to construct their own belief system. Society uses language and images in order to provide one set of ideas and enforce their own values, People must recognize the effects of media and analyze the true meanings of words cast by society.
“I’ve seen what evil people are willing to do to get what they want, My parents were killed by the man they trusted most of all. So you’d better believe it“ (5).
“On Sumter, Griffen had been imprisoned inside a glass cube with a pack of rats- a brutally efficient way to determine if he was the mythical solution. With his hands and feet bound” (9).
“They didn’t care for Griffin, only for what Griffen could provide. What would happen when everyone had been cured? Would we coexist peacefully when they no longer had any use for us? When non-elementals outnumbered us five to one? (264).
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique:
John, Antony. Renegade. New York: Dial, 2014. Print.
Kennedy, Sheila S. "Why Research Funding Matters for the Country" Inequality. Institute for Policy Studies, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

“There was a tension between us that felt new. I kind of liked it” (95)
Old relations between the discriminated and the general population begin to deteriorate and equal treatment of the discriminated arise. Those who are deemed different are no longer seen to be so different as society’s needs change. People are able to naturally come together and get along well without the ill influence of society’s values and ideas. Without an authority to directly tell people how to treat one another, people observe and decide for themselves who is inherently good and bad.
and prejudice.
John, Antony. "Chapter 13." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. 91-96. Print.
“She was here to make sure we didn't leave the shelter and explore the town. She was here to keep the Guardians’ secrets.” (111)
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
Thomas and his "friends" have rescued the Guardians and have taken over the pirates' ship, but the pirates are still a threat to Roanoke Island. Thomas' newly found element leads to him overhearing a radio message calling for refugees to head to Fort Sumter. They sail south, but quickly discover that their elements become less effective as they leave Roanoke behind. There is something evil occurring within the refugee colony. From the perilous food-gathering squads, to the constant threat of rat infestation, to dangerous secrets, Thomas and his colonists begin to realize that this promising new world may be even more terrifying than the one they left behind.
public good."
People who end up on the falling side of society will always want their government to close social rifts and provide a better equality for people, whether financially, socially, or legally. Inequality has been a social problem that governments have tried to solve in their own special little ways. None of which have truly gotten rid of inequality.
http://inequality.org/happened-public-good/
Renegade by Antony John
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
Thom and his friends must go through the final and most dangerous trials in order to save their homeland. Furthermore, after the shocking discovery that Thom's mother is still alive on Roanoke, Thom is determined to return to that island. However, the island is still under pirate control, and a mysterious boy in possession of a dangerous element appears. How will Thom and the colonists overcome the pirates? With the help of an unlikely ally and the newly discovered ability to combine elements, Thom must bring forth the full extent of his power to end this battle for their home once and for all.
___**
http://inequality.org/why-research-funding-matters/
- 4 Passage Analysis Posts:

“There was a tension between us that felt new. I kind of liked it” (95)
Old relations between the discriminated and the general population begin to deteriorate and equal treatment of the discriminated arise. Those who are deemed different are no longer seen to be so different as society’s needs change. People are able to naturally come together and get along well without the ill influence of society’s values and ideas. Without an authority to directly tell people how to treat one another, people observe and decide for themselves who is inherently good and bad.
Humans will always be able to build relationships, whether good or bad, within society and personally. Mutual relations are necessary for survival and is seen throughout nature. Natural relations contrast with social relations whereas even though people seek happiness and survival, there is always chaos and conflicts that affect those who hold grudges and prejudice.
John, Antony. "Chapter 13." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. 91-96. Print.
“She was here to make sure we didn't leave the shelter and explore the town. She was here to keep the Guardians’ secrets.” (111)
Firebrand by Antony John
- 1 Introduction and Current Events Article:
Thomas and his "friends" have rescued the Guardians and have taken over the pirates' ship, but the pirates are still a threat to Roanoke Island. Thomas' newly found element leads to him overhearing a radio message calling for refugees to head to Fort Sumter. They sail south, but quickly discover that their elements become less effective as they leave Roanoke behind. There is something evil occurring within the refugee colony. From the perilous food-gathering squads, to the constant threat of rat infestation, to dangerous secrets, Thomas and his colonists begin to realize that this promising new world may be even more terrifying than the one they left behind.
It is widely known that the wants of the rich differ from the wants of the lower classes. Social problems become a larger rift and market-based solutions have constantly been proposed and implemented in order to lessen the problem, without much effect. "The market has one objective — to produce profits." However, profits of some people come at a cost for the other majority. It is also evident that wealth has become increasingly concentrated among small groups of people, and as a result, political power has become more concentrated within specific groups. The public only benefits when policymakers' needs align with their own. Mike stout points out that "individualism and competition have become increasingly engrained in our ways of thinking and talking about the causes of, and solutions to, pressing social problems. This has allowed the market to have a disproportionate influence on our political system, and has degraded civil society and civic engagement." It is proposed that in order to solve modern problems, the economy must take a shift in values that would promote "community, civil society, and the public good."
People who end up on the falling side of society will always want their government to close social rifts and provide a better equality for people, whether financially, socially, or legally. Inequality has been a social problem that governments have tried to solve in their own special little ways. None of which have truly gotten rid of inequality.
http://inequality.org/happened-public-good/
- 4 Passage Analysis Posts:
John, Antony. "Chapter 2." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2013. 4-8. Print.
“hugged his mother tightly, crying into her hair, while she stared ahead, unblinking. (25)
emotion and freethought.free thought. People will and death.
However, following despair and sadness comes hatred and the need for revenge. People who lose something they love end up hating the cause of their lost. They, more than often, do not learn to forgive and they spark conflict and strife. Human nature is filled with both positives and negatives and this will remain unchanged, however in order for the world to survive, the positives most outbalance the negatives and war and hatred must be kept to a minimal.
John, Antony. "Chapter 4." Elemental. New York: Dial, 2012. 21-26. Print.
“then the Guardians have known all along. Maybe they know this ship too.” She narrowed her eyes as she ran though the meaning of it all.”(24).
control them.
As
As the younger those secrets.
John, Antony. "Chapter 4." Firebrand. New York: Dial, 2012. 21-26. Print.
- 1 Final Analysis of Social Critique: