The Rabbi's Cat

In the Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar, the Rabbi seems to struggle with religion and colonization as well, with his vulgar, talking cat is at his side.  Through out the graphic novel, the Rabbi dealt with with being a Rabbi, and being the best he could be.  He was a humble, and laid back person.  He had been the Rabbi for 30 years, and had to take a diction, to make sure he was able to speak french, due to the fact that he lived in Algeria.  The Rabbi also traveled to Paris, where he slept in a church and ate non-kosher food, all on the Sabbath day.  The novel shows Algeria as a bright and cheerful place, while Paris is rainy and dark. 

The Rabbi struggled with his religion, and staying

with the tradition of being a Jew, but he lived a peaceful life through it all.  This text affected me personally, because growing up Catholic, made me seem sheltered to other people.  Still to this day, I question my religion, and what it really means to be Catholic.  I question some of the beliefs, as well as practice some of the teachings, but I am not a conservative, traditional Catholic. This text does not clash with my views of the world, because I think that people should be able to believe in whatever they want to without judgement.  My views were challenged in this, when he ate the non-kosher food, because I don't think what you eat should matter, and I don't think that religion should limit what you can eat, granted during the Lenten season, you don't normally eat meat on Fridays, so I can understand for something like that, but not taking away food you eat day-to-day.  I think that some type of religion or spirituality is important, because people should believe in something, but if people don't that that is their business.  I wouldn't change anything about this novel, because I enjoyed reading it.  The novel was fun and entertaining read, and I would definitely read something else by Joann Sfar.

Nervous Conditions



In the novel, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga, Tambu experiences so many new changes at the mission, such as getting stockings, socks, books, clothes, and shoes as well as learning how to use a toilet and tampons!  Even though, in our society no one goes without these items, we see people in Africa, still today without these.  I couldn't imagine not having a toilet or shoes to wear, but it's hard to believe that people still live without any of those in present day society.  I'm not saying that the way we live is the right way, so this reading didn't clash with my view of the world, because the way of life for someone, may not be the best way to live for someone else.  Even though I don't believe in pushing people to do what we think is the appropriate way to live, but I think that it is a good thing to expose people to a different way of living and letting them decide what they want to do.  I have really enjoyed reading this text so far, because it's like a window into a world that not many people get to see.  I wouldn't change anything about the text, because it is written the way that the author knows how to write.  I would like to read something else by this author, and hope that it is written like this one.

Ngugi Wa Thiong'o- Colonizing

In Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's short stories, "Decolonising the Mind," "Wedding at the Cross," and "Minutes of Glory" have a common theme of colonization.  Each story displays a different way in which colonization has effected a person or a group of people.

In "Wedding at the Cross," I feel for Miriamu, because like her I couldn't marry someone who was "zombified" or who had no personality.  He changed do to British colonization, because their way is better.  This text clashes with my views on the world, because no one should be affected or influenced by forms of "colonization."  For example, media in America, influence young women today to look a certain.  My views weren't challenged or changed, because many people don't marry or stay with someone because they have changed.  This addresses issues such as marriages possibly being forced on to someone, even if they don't love each other, and I can't stand people being influenced to the point  where they completely change.  This was a good story to show how colonilization can change a person's being.  This piece didn't really interest me, and I don't think that I would read another piece like this one, because it just wasn't interesting.

In "Minutes of Glory," I would have been a little more violent than Beatrice at the end.  If I would have taken the money, I would have found a place to live, and practical things to help me stay alive.  Again,  I don't think that selling your body for money is the right way to go, no matter what the situation, and this doesn't make me have a good view of the world.  I don't think that prostitution is right, and men are pigs for giving into it.  I don't think that people should have to deal with issues such as that, and with my background, I don't think it's right.  This story shows the affects of colonization, because she buys basically "disposable" items, such as shoes, stockings, and a dress, because of the environment that they are in (mud and dirt roads, etc.)  I really enjoyed reading this piece, because it was easy to understand and we see instances like this in our society.

Nadine Gordimer and Apartheid

In three of Nadine Gordimer's short stories, "Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants," "Amnesty," and "Six Feet of the Country," the topic of Apartheid was displayed in all of them.  Apartheid occured in South Africa.  It was a system of segregation (or discrimination) between races.

In "Six Feet of the Country,” not only disgusted me but made me furious.  This story hit home with me, because when they went to town and were told to just pick a body, I was mortified.  To think if you had to just choose a body (and not a loved one, just a random person) to have a burial…  This creates a very negative view upon the world during this time, because this shows that they honestly didn’t give a flying rats a*** about anyone that a different skin color.  Baas is huge a**hole!  He didn’t care about anyone else, besides himself.  I mean he was playing golf while the funeral was going on!  This text really made me think about what really went on in South Africa during this time, because there had to have been disturbing actions that happened behind closed doors.  To me, equality among on races is important, and no one should be discriminated against!  This story really shows how big of a deal apartheid is, because your skin color means everything. 

In “Amnesty,” I felt sad, but also proud of the main woman character.  This story was to me very sad, but turned out very happy.  Throughout the text she was mostly on her own, because her “lover” was sent to Robins Island and then constantly gone due to his work.  He gave her children, which was the basic reason for being a woman, and she was happy about that.  I couldn’t imagine being a single parent, while my significant other was always gone.  This story created a negative view for me, because of a woman’s duty to have children, and how he constantly put her down, because of the instant with the permit.  This story made me think about not only the time then, but now-a-days, when a child’s parent just leaves or abandons them.  I don’t understand how people could do that!  No child should be without parents, some people need to grow up and realize that they have someone other than themselves to take care of.

I would read more stories by Nadine Gordimer, because they have been interesting and very good to read.  I thought that both of these texts where really good at showing what was going on at the time of apartheid.

Chinua Achebe

I enjoyed both of Chinua Achebe's texts, "Girls at War" and "The Madman".   In "Girls at War" it made me think "What would I do to keep myself from starving? Would I do just about anything?"  Gladys did anything she could to keep herself from starving (sold items such as wigs, cosmetics, and clothes and went into prostitution).  In some ways I disagree with what she did, because of my beliefs, but I guess if you were in a situation like hers, you would have to change your views.  My views and opinions changed when reading this text, because if there was a war or something really bad happening and changed my life, I would have to figure out what I could do to stay alive.  During war or other events that put other peoples lives at risk, it hurts me to see people going to drastic measures to keep their life style.  I would have like to see more of Glays's life in this story, because I think we could have gotten a little bit more out what was really going on.  I enjoyed the text, because I was able to understand what was going on. 

In "The Madman" it relates to me personally, because living in Cincinnati, and occasionally going downtown, you run into a lot of people that are "mad".  This text agrees with my view on the world because, there are many "mad" people that mess with normal, innocent people.  My views and opinions weren't really changed, because there was a part in the story where people kept telling Nwibe that he was crazy and he believed it.  So may people do that to other people, such as bullies in schools telling someone that they are ugly or nerdy and then that person believing them.  This personally addresses things that I care about, because it was kind of like reading about bullying, which I wish was not an issue.  This text wasn't as enjoyable as the last text, but I would read more texts by him.

The Stranglehold of English Literature

In the poem The Stranglehold of English Lit., written by Felix Mnthali, he expresses his negative thoughts on English Literature.  He thinks that by reading books (such as ones by Jane Austen), his people won't learn anything that is valuable to their lives.  In my life English Literature is important to learning different styles, and writing techniques.  Starting in Junior High to the end of your education, teachers have you read a variety of different novels, poems, short stories, dramas, etc. to teach you English Literature.  Even though I think it's important to have one language that everyone knows around the world, I don't think that it's right to force people to learn it if they don't want too.  Mnthali wrote  "English Lit., my sister, was more than a cruel joke-- it was the heart of alien conquest," talking about the British conquering of Africa, because that is when it all started.  This poem shocked me a little, because Felix Mnthali completely disagreed with English Literature and how people can't get anything useful out of it.  "How could questions be asked at Makerere and Ibadan,m Dakar and Ford Hare-- with Jane Austen at the centre?"  He wrote this because, he wondered how people could read books by Jane Austen, who would ask questions such as, "How can I get married to a rich man?"  Mnthali wondered how could people read her books and get logical answers, because not many people for example were looking for an answer to that question.  I enjoyed the text, because he really shows how he feels about English Literature.  He shows a strong negative attitude threw out his poem.  I give people a lot of credit for speaking their minds.  I would probably read something by him again, because I like to hear about what people have to say.