Current Connection 3.2

     In many American television shows and movies, women are making a stand as equals alongside men. However, in Japanese anime and manga, women are still seen as weaker sex objects, while the men they interact with are portrayed as stronger breadwinners. This is in keeping with a gender role stereotype that has been a problem for many years among men and women everywhere. The point is as such: is Japan taking a stand for or against gender equality?
     In an article written by Eri Izawa, a student at MIT, mentions that a friend from America complains that Japanese pornography was "...sadistic, (heterosexual)[and] male-oriented." This shows that even Americans can see the one-sided nature of what the Japanese show their people, a blanket of favoritism, a monster consuming the progress that had made. However, further on in her article, Izawa states that "women have not been invisible... some of Japan's greatest literary figures were women." It would seem that Japan has not been prejudiced, giving their citizens an equal amount of male and female influences. People just have to think for themselves, and use what influences they get to create a personal opinion of gender roles.
     A statement in a separate article written by Sean Boden, a writer for nausicaa.net, states that " Women are offered few roles in [Dragon Ball Z] and what roles they’re given are dismally backwards. While it has been pointed out that fundamental beliefs about gender roles are difficult to change in any society... Dragon Ball Z has portrayed the role of women as subservient/secondary at their core." In this anime in particular, the men are the heroes of the anime and they save the world several times, however the women are left in their homes, making little more than cameo appearances to show that they still exist. However, a few changes from this routine exist, primarily in the case of the inventor Bulma. Boden writes that "Bulma is portrayed as a confident, intelligent woman who, while not of equal status, still remains an important part of the team." A few exceptions are always going to happen, throwing a wrench in the systematic response. Some women in anime are made to think of everything as a nail, being a hammer themselves.
     Gender roles in anime, while prevalent, are not incapable of being overcome. The women in these anime are sometimes powerful, while other times depending on the men to do what needs to be done. Definitely not equal, but they are certainly getting close.


Works Cited:

Boden, Sean. "Women and Anime: Popular Culture and Its Reflection of Japanese Society."
     Www.nausica.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
Izawa, Eri. "Gender and Gender Relations in Manga and Anime." Gender and Gender Relations in
     Manga and Anime. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Current Connection 3.1

     In a paper written by Tracy L. Dietz, a student at the University of Central Florida, the impact of video games on people, most notably children and teenagers, is discussed. Are games influencing gender roles as we know them today?

     Tracy and her friend, Michael D. Ware, used 33 popular video games at the time it was written, in 1998, to conduct the study. The top 10 Nintendo and Sega Genesis games were used for their experiment. They would play the games, paying close attention to subject matter and the role of females in the games. Out of all the games tested, Dietz says, "Only 15% portrayed women as heroes or action heroes. However, one might note that in many instances these heroes were dressed in stereotypical female colors and/or clothing." So women are displayed as typical stereotypical women, even in the world of video gaming. In other cases, Dietz found that women "are shown wearing skimpy clothing," or are "frequently presented as sex objects or were depicted as contributing less than men." It seems like video games are showing women to be less than men overall. 

     Looking just at the largest numbers, women would be appalled, but there is little reason to be. In many cases, women turn out to be fan favorites, or become a goal for the player. For example, in the series "The Legend of Zelda," created by Shigeru Miyamoto, the trend of including the playable character's name in the title was thrown out in favor of adding the name of Zelda, the "damsel in distress", the main character's final goal, and, as seen by many fans, his love interest. In an article written by Nicholas Zacharewicz, Miyamoto stated that he "makes playable characters not to placate female gamers but to better fit game mechanics." So, therefore they use females to create a reason to play, as a tool to enhance your experience. But they do not do this in a way that is insulting, rather in a way that makes you wonder who came up with this, who had the bright idea. Creating games that make bad on the roles of women in society, it seems, is not something Miyamoto does for a living.

     In conclusion, video games do have an impact on gender roles, but only because people over think the reason for the main character to be who s/he is. If the people who play these games and think "Hey, that's how I need to be," would understand that it's just a game, this wouldn't even be an issue. But, to each their own, I suppose. 





Works Cited: 


Zacharewicz, Nicholas. "Shigeru Miyamoto on Women in Nintendo Games." Examiner.com. N.p.,
     n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. 

Dietz, Tracy L. "An Examination of Violence and Gender Role Portrayals in Video Games:
     Implications for Gender Socialization and Aggressive Behavior." Sex Roles, Vol. 38 (1998):
     425-42. Print. 

My Bucket List: an independent reading list

1. The Looking Glass Wars/ Frank Beddor/ I want to read this book because it has a strict resemblence to the novel, "Alice's adventures in Wonderland," while also throwing a new spin on the brightly colored world of Lewis Carroll.
2. Catcher in the Rye/J.D. Salgier/ Many have told me great things about the readability of this book, and the amazing writing skills used to weave the marvelous story of this book. It has been recommended time and time again by many I know, and to finally read the book that has so many people raving is a dream of mine.
3. The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland/ Lewis Carroll/ It is a classic book that has inspired many classic stories from the time it was written to this very day. I write from time to time, so I believe it would be an honor to see some of the inspiration that this book provides to so many writers.
4. Ranger's Apprentice Series/ John Flanagan/ The story of a lone boy named Will, The Ranger's Apprentice is a series that is reccomended to me by many friends for it's amazing action sequences and the writing skills used to create this page-turning, intriguing series.
5. Maximum Ride: Fang/ James Patterson/ One of the most recent books in the Maximum Ride series, this series is centered around six human children. Well, I say human, but there is one small difference: These children are 98% human, and 2% avian. Many have said great things about the series, but I must find out what happens next.
6. House of Night: Hunted/ P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast/ I have read the beginnnigs of the House of Night series, but only to this book. Centered around Zoey Redbird, this series follows her as her life turns upside-down.
7. Paranormalcy/ Kiersten White/ Many have reccommended this novel to me, and I have been told it is about werewolves, vampires, and witches. Many paranormal creatures all in one novel with a name that ties it all together, what these creatures all have in common: Paranormalcy.
8. Cirque Du Freak/ Darren Shan/ I have seen the movie about this series, and in my experience, the book is always better than the movie. I loved the movie, with the suspense and action that it contained, and I am hoping that the book comes up to the challenge.
9. City of Lost Souls/Cassandra Claire/ A series based around New York, Clary and her friend Simon are dragged into a world that has, until now, only existed in books. A world full of Demons, Angels, and children of both. A world that they live in, surrounded by magic. The most recent book in the series, City of Lost Souls is said to be the best, and I hope to think so, too.
10. Clockwork Angel/ Cassandra Claire/ A prequel to the Mortal Instruments series, this book begins the Infernal Instruments series. Centered around a young girl named Tessa, she is launched into a world  that she never believed existed, one not even considered except by those that know it: A Shadow World, living around them. I have heard great things about it, and I wish to read it and experience it's wonder myself.

~The Nazi who cried Pity~

There were many nazis in World War II, but how many ask forgiveness? Not many, right? Well, there was one in the book, The Sunflower, that did. The author, Simon Wiesenthal, lived through WWII and was a Jewish prisoner, but while in an old school converted to Nazi hospital, he was taken to an injured SS trooper.  Here, the trooper told his story of Dnepropetrovsk, and asked for pity. Whether or not to forgive him was on the soldiers of Simon, and the man would never get another chance to attone for his sins.  He shot the people that jumped out of the windows of burning buildings, and he still remembers the facial expression. In my own opinion, even if it was a dead lie, I would have told him that I had forgiven him, merely so that he would die in peace, instead of being miserable for the last minutes of his life. But, that's just me.

Should a "Death Doctor" be forgiven?

"Death doctors" are doctors who help terminally ill patients to commit suicide. This, in my opinion, is a good cause. Many people who are terminally ill will die either way, and even today, these "Angels of Death" administer euthanasia to patients who are incapable of being cured. Examples of these doctors have been recorded in people such as Dr. Joseph Mengele, a nazi enthusiast who also used chemical showers to kill those he deemed "Imperfect," and Dr. Jack Kevorkian. These two killed those with incurable illnesses.  Doctors, even those who try to save patients, kill people every day.  Doctors, those people who are supposed to heal everyone who is sick, are the third leading cause of death in the United States. What difference does a misinterpreted diagnosis make from a dose of euthanasia? So many people will find this outlook wrong, but really, the outcome is the same. The person who put their lives in their hands will die. So, should they be forgiven? If you would forgive a "doctor" that screwed up his diagnosis, you should forgive the one who knew EXACTLY what he was doing.

John F. Kennedy ad

President John F. Kennedy wore an Omega watch, and so should you! This ad is probably trying to get this message across to you, albeit in a very conveoluted and indirect way.

The ad, with John F. Kennedy standing behind a podium, depicting a quote and a podium with a watch sitting on it.  The camera caught him mid-sentence, making him seem supposedly awestruck by the watch.  They probably want you to think that he is telling the nation about his custom Omega watch.  He also seems to be in an auditorium, suggesting a baseball game or other sporting event.  The watch is just sitting, showing off the elegance and simplicity of the company's products.

The tone, being nostalgic and dull, is not very effective in getting many more than buisness people to want to buy the watches.  If, instead of greys and varying shades of black and white, they had used colors, it might me a more fun picture, possibly getting more people to buy Omega watches.  John F. Kennedy is wearing a buisness suit, and seems to be calm and aloof, even though he's in a auditorium.  Enthusiasm seems to be lacking in this particular ad, and shows that, while he likes the watch, he isn't overly excited about it, appealing to the buisnesses of the country.  That, and the quote near him makes the watch seem tough, implying it can survive space.

The ad, while nostalgic and dull, gives some people incentive to buy a watch that is elegant, and easy to read.  President Kennedy's being in the ad helpes the sales through the reaction that he likes them, and that in itself gives some reason enough to buy them.  But, while it appeals to some, others won't like the ad because of the lack of color and the seeming lack of emotion, showing that, while he likes them, he doesn't just love Omega watches.

I AM....

I am crazy and assertive
I wonder what tomorrow will bring
I hear the beating of time's wings
I see Paramore playing the song Ignorance
I want to live without regret
I am crazy and assertive

I pretend to play drums
I feel nervous
I touch the previously deceased
I worry about how my life will turn out
I cry when I think of what happened
I am crazy and assertive

I understand that I cannot change the past
I say I will make up for it
I dream of the day it's all better
I try to keep everything the same
I hope my future is bright
I am crazy and assertive