You Can't Blame The Science --Image ISU

It's a sad but inescapable fact; some of science’s greatest advances have come from humanity's darkest moments. But this is not science's fault. Science and technology are not good or bad: it depends on how humanity chooses to use it.

"Baby Bomb Victim." Democracy Web. Democracy Web, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 

     2014. <http://democracyweb.com/?attachment_id=11617> 

For example  nuclear technology; which has it's roots in the Manhattan project. The Manhattan project was a research and development project that made the first atomic bombs during world war two. These bombs were dropped in Japan and had catastrophic impacts. This is an image of a young child that was killed by one of these bombs. (The black on the kid is skin that was completely burnt by the bomb.) This bomb in total murdered 60 000 to 80 000 people. It is considered the world’s worst and most powerful weapon. It took 2 billion dollars (roughly 25.8 billion of today's dollars) and the world’s greatest minds to research and develop the technology behind them. But we used this technology to murder people, even innocent children. The child represents all of the innocent lives that were lost because of the bombs. The science itself did not choose to kill people, humans did.

A woman undergoing a nuclear medical examination to scan for cancer and metastases.

"Breast Cancer – Diagnostics – Localization of Metastases." Health Care.

    Siemens, 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.healthcare.siemens.com/

    clinical-specialities/oncology/cancer-types/breast-cancer/patient-information/

    diagnostics/localization-scanning-for-metastases/>.

In contrast, we have nuclear technology to thank for the entire field of nuclear medicine, which is used in medical imaging, diagnosis and treatments of conditions like cancer. The left side of the image shows the scan from the patient showing they have cancer. This side of the image is black and red, the red indicating the growths.  The scan gives off the feeling of death and sickness because of its overall darkness. The right side of the image portrays a patient undergoing nuclear medical imaging to check for metastases or cancer. The image is mostly white, with very little dark colours. The image gives off a feeling liveliness  and health because of how bright it is. The image goes from the right dark image to the light left image, so death to life: sickness to health; meaning this technology is being used to save lives. Again the technology did not chose to do this, humans did. Humans decided to use the same technology that was used to kill, to cure people. So, this proves that the science and technology behind some of the world’s worst weapons is not bad by itself, its how humanity has chosen to use these discoveries.   

Until early 1945, Dresden was the only major German city largely spared by Allied air attacks. At the time of the attack, it was no longer of any great military or strategic importance; rather, it served chiefly as a reception point for Silesian refugees.  

"Dresden in the Aftermath of Allied Bombing (February 13-14, 1945)." German

    History Documents. German History docs, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.

    <http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_image.cfm?image_id=2109>.

Secondly, we have the technology behind Fritz Haber's ammonia synthesizers which is used for fertilizers and in making explosives such as TNT and Amatol. Amatol explosives were extensively used during the world wars in aerial bombs, depth charges, shells, and naval mines(Wikipedia). In this picture here we see the aftermath of the allied bombing of Dresden, Germany. Dresden was no longer of any a great military or strategic importance at the time of its bombing, and the majority of people who were in the city were innocent refugees.  The image portrays a city in ruins, with death and rubble shown everywhere in the picture by the tattered buildings, bodies, and a dark, dusty sky. This disaster was able to happen because of Haber’s ammonia synthesizing technology, which was used to create the ammonium nitrate in the bomb. This dark imagery supports the notion that all this destruction and death happened because of this technology, but this is not the case. The science behind this did not choose to be used to kill and destroy cities, humans did.

"Green Fields Wisconsin, Lush Rich Rural Farm Crop, Spring Agriculture."

    IStockphoto. iStockphoto LP, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

    <http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/

    green-fields-wisconsin-lush-rich-rural-farm-crop-spring-agriculture-9971620>.

On the other hand, Haber’s ammonia synthesizing technology helped revolutionize agriculture by enabling the creation of ammonia fertilizers. Today, nitrogen fertilizers are responsible for feeding 48% of the worlds population(International Nitrogen Initiative). In this picture we see a lush farm with steadily growing plants. This picture is opposite to the last, it portrays life with vegetation growing everywhere in the picture. There are upright buildings and the sky is rich with colour with no clouds. This imagery supports the belief that this technology is good because it is used to help grow food. The science and technology did not choose to be used for this purpose, humans did. The bombs and agriculture show two uses for the same technology, it was humans who decided how to use this technology. We used it to kill and feed people. This proves that science and technology are not good or bad, it depends on how humanity chooses to use it.

Ultimately, humans can use science and technology for good and bad purposes, but the science itself is not good or bad: its neutral.

Works Cited

"Amatol." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 30 Oct. 2014. Web. 8 Jan. 2015. 

     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amatol>.  

"Baby Bomb Victim." Democracy Web. Democracy Web, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 
     2014. <http://democracyweb.com/?attachment_id=11617>. 

"Breast Cancer – Diagnostics – Localization of Metastases." Health Care. 
     Siemens, 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.healthcare.siemens.com/ 
     clinical-specialities/oncology/cancer-types/breast-cancer/patient-information/ 
     diagnostics/localization-scanning-for-metastases/>. 

"Dresden in the Aftermath of Allied Bombing (February 13-14, 1945)." German 
     History Documents. German History docs, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2015. 
     <http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_image.cfm?image_id=2109>. 

"Green Fields Wisconsin, Lush Rich Rural Farm Crop, Spring Agriculture." 
     IStockphoto. iStockphoto LP, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015. 
     <http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/ 
     green-fields-wisconsin-lush-rich-rural-farm-crop-spring-agriculture-9971620>. 

Theobald, Mark, trans. "Ammonia, The Substance That Changed The World." 
     International Nitrogen Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2015. 
     <http://www.ini-europe.org/node/16>. 

Failure of the American Dream

The failure of the American Dream. For many years this has been at the back of many peoples minds and was reflected in various media. Since the recent events in america this has once again been brought to my attention. Here is some proof that many people believe that the American dream has failed.





At first glance the first thing that you will realize that this cartoon is describing the American dream and you can see how many people are trying to work towards it. The next thing that I noticed was that the staircase the people are using is starting to fall apart. This is representing the continued deterioration of the American dream. Furthermore, if you look at the characters depicted there are only a few that actually notice that the staircase is starting to fall apart. This is showing that few people choose to acknowledge that the American dream is falling apart. The main idea of this picture is that the american dream is crumbling and the artist uses a staircase to give a representation of how unaware the majority of the populace is.



This next photo is a shift to reality. This was taken during the great depression but, still has context since the events in Ferguson and New York. In this photo you can see that the only people in this line are black and they are likely in line for so sort of assistance because, many of them are holding bags or pales. Furthermore, in the background you can see the advertisement showing a white family in a car happily driving with the slogans "Worlds Highest Standard Of Living" and "There's no way like that American way". This shows the difference between the perceived american dream and what the majority of citizens are going through are almost on two different worlds. Also, in the advertisement the family depicted is white compared to the black people waiting in line, this shows that the american dream had already started to fail because, the populations idea of the American dream only involves white people. The main idea of this photo is that the american dream does not apply to everyone so it is starting to crumble.





This next cartoon is one that i feel reflects with many people that are around our age. In this comic it shows two friends, the first one got stuck in a part time job after high school and never went to college or university. The other girl went to college and got a degree, this has lead her now where so she is going to apply for a part time job just like the other girl. this is showing that the traditional American dream of getting a degree and then getting a well paying job is no longer the reality. Furthermore, the girl that did not go to college is probably better off because, she won't have to pay student loans and she already has a job. Also, in the attitude of the girl that went to college changes and by the end of the conversation she is slouching and has stopped smiling. This shows that she had no idea that she would be looking for a part time job after. Which demonstrates the ignorance that people have and think that the American dream is still strong but in reality it is crumbling. The main idea of this comic is that the traditional symbols of success no long lead to the American dream.




This image is showing the typical american family checking out of a hotel or as they say "the American dream". The person at the desk says that they have given everything the own back but they still own more money. This is representing how no matter how much debt you try to pay off their will always be more and the more debt that you have the further the American dream seems. Furthermore, the family is in cheap clothes and look saddened by having to "sign out". You can clearly see this by the look on the little girls face and the fact that she has a tear streaking down her face. The main idea of this picture is that it is almost impossible to reach the American dream because, of the massive amounts of debt that the majority of families have.

In conclusion, all of these photos share the same idea of the American dream. This would be that the American dream has failed and people are to ignorant to realize this or they are to poor to ever hope of achieving it. 

Bibliography

Suich, Alexandra The American Dream, RIP? Hand Drawn

Bourke-White, Margaret Highest Standard of living Photograph

Sullivan, Nate The American Dream? Hand Drawn

i.imgur.com The "New Normal" American Dream Hand Drawn

Violence in sports

Growing up as a young kid I have loved watching and playing sports. As I get older I start to realize the serious danger that comes with playing sports that involve violence. The constant risks that athletes put others as well as themselves in makes me believe that these sports should not be around. That's why I have come to realize that violent sports are penalizing others due to the damages caused by the opponents as well as the sport. The damages can be present in cognitive and physical damage. 

Huzlers. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015. <http://huzlers.com/gotta-listen-floyd-mayweather- jr-struggling-read/>.

One type of damage caused by Violent sports is cognitive damage. Cognitive is mainly caused by injuries involving your head including concussions and many traumatic brain injuries. The athletes who are highly more likely to experience cognitive damage are boxers. Boxers are constantly being punched to the head causing brain trauma. In the long run this damage affects your learning ability including reading and writing. In this image of professional boxer Floyd Mayweather it shows him reading a Dr. Sues book. The image shows him struggling to read due to him sweating and his facial movement and expression. The fact that the book he is struggling to read is a repetitive children's book really shows the cognitive damage he is faced with shown by his amount of sweat and the facial expression of him stuck on a word.

Chargers. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015. <http: //forums.chargers.com/showthread.php?t=101035&page=8>.

In addition to boxing, football athletes also are at high risk of receiving cognitive damage. In a football game every play has multiple collisions happening. Some are hits to the head and some are just getting knocked down but in every type of hit you are exposed to risk of cognitive damage. This damage is either received in the form of a concussion or permanent brain trauma. In this image it shows college football players colliding with one and other. The guy in the white is being hit with such force that his helmet has came off and he is now going to land and hit his head. The facial expression he shows show him in pain due to the grunt look on his face and his readiness to hit the ground. Although this is one hit, every football player experiences these type of hits regularly and with each hit comes more change of cognitive damage which will further result in the permanent brain damage. The mans face shows the damage being done with him being unconscious due to being hit so hard to the head.

Canada. Jean Levac, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015. <http://www.canada.com/olympics/gallery/ gallery-olympic-hockey-gallery-canada-vs-norway>.

Another damage that violent sports cause is physical damage. The cause of physical damage is the aloud violence in sports like hockey. Every time a player is on the ice they will experience receiving a hit and giving one. The reason why violence in hockey is so dangerous is because some players don’t know how to hit properly and put their opponent as well as themselves in danger. There many different ways that you can be injured in hockey. You could be hit in open ice and fall and break your arm or leg, you could also be hit into the boards and break several other bones. But by far the most dangerous hit is being hit from behind head first into the boards. If you are hit hard enough the consequences can range from a broken neck to a broken spin and therefore being paralyzed but even worse in some cases the hit will result in death. I have experienced being hit from behind and i was very lucky to not have been injured at all where in most cases people due end up having some sort of injury. In this image it shows Jonathan Toews from team Canada being hit head first into the boards. The facial expression on the player in the whites jerseys face shows the concern and shock he is now thinking that he might have seriously hurt the other player. This image clearly shows that the violence in sports are penalizing others.

Toronto Rock. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015. <http://www.torontorock.com/article/rock-face- divisional-rival-in-last-regular-season-game>.

Another sport that includes a lot of violence is Lacrosse. Lacrosse is very similar to hockey in the way that you can potentially be hit from behind into the boards and suffer the same type of injuries. Although that hit is very dangerous there is a lot more common hit that happens hundreds of times in a game. The hit involves players being constantly hit with the opponent's stick. The hit can cause minimal injuries like bruises but can also cause severely broken bones. The variation all depends on the force you are hit with and where it hits you. Lacrosse is a sport that also includes a lot of slashing which can also cause a lot of pain to opponents. In this image professional lacrosse players are attempting to hit their opponent. The facial expressions all three players show express the force they are putting into the hit as you can tell by the player on the lefts mouth and how it looks like he is screaming. The player in the middle is expressing a tense look due to him being hit really hard by both players. Again this image shows the violence in sports penalizing others.

In conclusion violence in sports like Boxing, Football, Hockey and Lacrosse are very dangerous and shouldn't be aloud. This is shown by the images involving cognitive and physical damage.

Sex Sells?

SEX SELLS?

We’ve all seen it, an ad or commercial where the main focus is a ditzy girl with large breasts and ill fitting clothes trying to sell you a product. Time and time again, companies use advertisements objectifying women by associating sex with their products. This ultimately lowers females’ self value and promotes male dominance. This is not a new concept and in fact, has been going on for a long time but do these companies think, or even care, about what they are really saying?

Group 1-Cars

Nice Headlamps." A Tangled Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.

    <http://www.atangledweb.org/?p=11220>.

This advertisement was a billboard campaign for the used car website UlsterTrader.com. They stated that it was a "use of humour and fun" and that the ad used "light-hearted slang, to what people of both sexes would regard as attractive attributes". Whether that statement is true or not, this billboard is really saying that, like a car, a woman’s body is something that can be processed and men are able to pick and chose only the best and highest desired features. In addition, the subject is faceless which supports the idea that it doesn’t matter how intellectual you are or what your personality may be like, it only matters that you have a nice physique, which includes a pair of “nice headlamps”. This idea is placed upon women and girls and as a result they categorize themselves accordingly. And on top of that, it’s not just the females that are affected by this, males are as well. The billboard is condoling men who think that females are objects to which they are able to use for themselves. The ad also projects this idea to boys and tells them that male dominance is a acceptable way to live in society. Now, while this used car company claims that this ad was made to be light-hearted and funny, I think its quite clear that rather selling used cars, in this billboard, they’re selling self confidence issues and male dominance instead.   

Group 2- Peta

"Peta." She Is Not A Thing. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.

    <http://sheisnotathing.wordpress.com/tag/peta/>.

"Sheridyn Fisher PETA Ad." Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.

    <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/

    sheridyn-fisher-peta-ad_n_1429706.html>. 

To start off, Peta stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It’s an organization that raises awareness for animal use and cruelty through blogs, videos, and events. Their main slogan is “Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way”. Sounds like a pretty good organization right? In the advertisements above the target audience are males. I found this interesting because Peta can use sad, emotional ads of helpless creatures being harmed to target women but because men are thought to be tough, sex-craving animals, peta has to show naked women in order to be supported by the male gender. In the first ad it says “turn over a new leaf, try vegetarian” which, without seeing the ad, sounds like a clever phrase. But after seeing the photo, it is clear that turning over a new leaf has subtext that states: remove the subjects marginal clothing, and have uncommitted sex with her because she is sexually ready, as all females should be. The subject in the second photo is playboy model, Sheridyn Fisher, and the ad is saying “Be a bunny’s honey, go vegetarian”. In addition to the skimpy lettuce clothing, the advertisement is putting forth the idea that playboy models will want to be with you as a reward for becoming a vegetarian. When both of these ads are published, it is telling young girls that sexual readiness, big boobs, and a small waistline are what guys look for in a girl and that is how they should determine their self value. As a result, they compare themselves to the photoshopped, airbrushed version of Sheridyn Fisher and put themselves down because that is what they think the standards of being desired or attractive are. The two ads are also telling males that they should become a vegetarian so, as a reward, they can get with some girl, and not because they should legitimately care about animal safety. This further goes on to say that having sex with these ladies should be higher prioritized than having regards for the fair treatment of animals. All in all, Peta may be working to promote awareness for animal cruelty but a slogan that they should take into consideration would be  “Women are not ours to compare, exploit, hit on, use for entertainment, or take advantage of in any other way”.

Group 3- Body Wash And Fragrance

Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015. <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/

    154811305914193785/>.

The image above is three separate ads that have been cropped into one big picture but they all have the same blunt message. Use axe, get laid. They use the images of a woman squirting whipped cream on her bare chest, another woman lacing up a corset, and the last one of a woman holding a whip in relation to a man taking a shower to communicate their slogan, “The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get”. This targets men and uses an oxymoron to imply, in additions to getting laid, the more you use their product the dirtier your sex will be. But truthfully, it is not as simple as “I took a shower today, with axe body wash, therefore I'm going have kinky sex”. This executes huge male dominance because nowhere yet has it even been considered if the girl will even want to have sex. Added on to this male dominance, is the message that women should be okay with this due to the fact that a man's physical appearance/scent is the most important feature in someone.

Group 4- Beer

Video removed by teacher.

"Beer Commercial." Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.

    

When I saw this Guinness commercial, I knew I had to use it because it’s awful. To start, the female subject is being used not just for the pleasure of the men but also as a table. That sends a substantial and direct message that women are objects that men can dominate over and do whatever they want with, as stated in their slogan “Share one with a friend, or two”. That phrase clearly has a deeper meaning than just share some beer with your buds, because the “one” that they are sharing is indeed the female subject. In addition to her being used for sex and being used as a table, Guinness doesn't think it’s necessary to give her a personal pronoun because in the commercial, she’s not a person, she’s a thing. This delivers a message to the male viewers that when you drink, it is tolerable to objectify women, use them to your own advantage, and hey, why not share her because, clearly, it was uncommitted sex so she’s not important to you.

"10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits." Rant Lifestyle. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.

    <http://www.rantlifestyle.com/2014/06/27/10-most-ridiculous-lawsuits/>.

This Budweiser ad depicts three women wearing the label, laying on a blown up image of what the front of a Budweiser’s beer bottle. It is illustrating that women like this beer, so men should drink it if they want to get laid. But don’t worry, it won’t be hard, because these women are attached to the bottle. Therefore wherever there’s Budweiser, there will be attractive females waiting to have sex with you. Which I know, and most other people know, is a false statement. But when you have this ad printed on a billboard for everyone to see, you get young girls who think that that image is what being a woman means and being sexually ready is what you have to do to be considered important in our society. Then, when they do these things to fit into this certain category, they are ultimately objectified. Anybody who has received that treatment, in anyway, can tell you that it feels like crap and doesn't raise your self worth at all. It's even harder for females to see that they’re more than an object when males have grown up thinking that treating women that way is fine.

To sum up, companies objectify women in their ads and commercials in order to sell their products. This tactic does more than just sell their product, it engraves messages in females' minds that they should only be an object that is there to serve men. In relation, it tells males that it is appropriate to dominate over females by treating them like they are temporary and disposable. This leads me to ask myself a question, So what? Why do I care? The answer is simple. I know that there’s more to me than just some object that can be thrown around and I know countless women and men who have influenced me in a way that made me realize that it’s a good thing to have self worth and respect. I am always around young kids, in the dance studio or at camp, who are highly influential and I've gotten to know these kids very well. And unfortunately, not everyone has someone to look out for them and when they are influenced by these companies, they grow up having low self esteem and low self worth. So next time you drive past a billboard or flip through a magazine, I encourage you to take a second and think about the subtext and the effect it has on you and the people around you.

It Would Be Better With Music: The Effects of Music Influencing Behaviour

I doubt many people would disagree with the claim that music is important in their lives.  Music serves many different purposes for many people; whether it be that it helps you focus, it allows you to express yourself, it helps you achieve personal goals, or that you just love listening to it.  It is clear that music plays a big role in our society, and ultimately, in the world in which we live; however, it is very seldomly looked at as a tool of encouragement to fulfill many different tasks.

Figure 1

 Craigmyle, Jim. Teenage Girl Listening To Music While In The Library. Corbis Images. Corbis, 2002. Web. 11 Jan. 2015. <http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/42-36161478 /teenage-girl-1315-listening-to-music-while>.

Many people listen to music while they study, when they are doing homework, or when they are working to gain focus.  The photograph (Figure 1) depicts a young girl listening to music while completing her homework.  Looking at her face, you can see she is very determined, and is concentrating, as she has a slightly furrowed brow.  This look of determination is a result of music.  During a recent study at a university, a student conducted a survey to show the reasons behind using music to help one study.  The results are shown in the graph below (Figure 2):

Figure 2

“Reasons to Study with Music.” Chart. Music and Studying Tips. Wordpress, 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Jan. 2015. <http://wrtcstudymusicproject.wordpress.com/>.


The graph indicates that of the people who participated in the survey, the most common reason for using music to study was to be able to focus more.  Not only does this picture (figure 1) show the girl is concentrating as a result of the music as shown by her facial expression, but this is also shown comparing the young girl's body language to that of the boy sitting next to her.  While the girl is listening to music and is very focused on her work, the boy sitting next to her seems to be daydreaming.  This is shown through his body language.  He has one hand on his face, is slouching, and his eyes are above his computer; rather than at his computer.  Since he is not looking at his computer, it shows he is not focused.  This photo makes it clear that in this case, music influences, and encourages the young girl's concentration to complete her homework.

Figure 3

WorldStars Fitness and Training Center. “What Is Drums Alive?” Blogger. Blogger, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2015. <http://worldstarsfitness.blogspot.ca/>.

In addition, music encourages people to incorporate fun into their lives for personal, and mutual benefit. This photo graph (Figure 3) shows an exercise class that incorporates music into their workout. The focuses of this image are the smiles on the ladies' faces, and their unison with each other. Their smiles justify that the ladies are having fun, as a result of the music. Working out to the beat of the music inspires them to be active, shown by the swaying, and encourages them to have fun while they are being active, which is seen as many of the women are smiling. Also, this photograph demonstrates that music encourages the ladies to participate as all the women are doing the same stance; drum sticks up in the air, legs apart, showing unison. The music also serves as a bonding for the women. This is shown as they are all in unison, and are all working towards the same goal; to be active, which reveals a connection between all the women. Ultimately, this photograph demonstrates that music encourages people to participate, and incorporate having fun in their lives for personal and mutual benefit.

Figure 4

Yoogle1. No Tips Just Smiles. Youtube. Youtube, 5 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Jan. 2015. 
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3rRB1qQi4>.

In the same way the women use music to gain personal and mutual benefits, so do the kids in this photograph (Figure 4).  This is a picture of youth street performers, who play songs for people on the streets; however, they don't play for money.  The focus of this image is the sign that reads, "no tips just smiles".  This sign demonstrates that music has encouraged these kids to do something that they love, to play music, while trying to make people they don't know happy.  Not many people perform this way today; without doing it for profit.  This sign also demonstrates that these kids are giving the entertainment of music to others, with no personal benefit to themselves, or to others, other than plain happiness.  In essence, the kid's passion for music has encouraged them to use their talent, solely to bring happiness to themselves, and others.

                                                   Figure 5

Manga, and Anime. Music Saves My Soul. 2010. Illustration.

Furthermore, music encourages people to express themselves.  There are many genres of music, for example; pop, rap, classical, etc.  Many people listen to different genres of music based on how they are feeling, which often allows them to express themselves.  Different genres also allow many people to personally connect with the music.  Genres allow people to assign how they are feeling, with a type of music, and use this as an escape to express themselves, and express their creativity. The illustration (Figure 5) depicts a girl who is very passionate about music, and claims, "music saves [her] soul". The focus of this image is the green headphones the character is wearing. Because the headphones are the only colored part of the the illustration, it demonstrates how meaningful music is to the artist as the color makes the headphones, a tool for listening to music, stand out. It also shows the new found hope for her emotional health that music has given to the artist as she describes that "music saves [her] soul". The artist's new healthy attitude is also represented by the shading around the edges of the illustration. The influence on the girl's emotional health, which is represented by the green headphones, is also shown by the white surrounding the girl's face. The edges of the image all have dark shading around them; however, the headphones act as a positive barrier from the girl's past emotional struggles, which are represented by the black corners of the image, which now seem to be deteriorating as a result of the music. Overall, this illustration demonstrates that music encouraged this artist to express herself through art, a very common outlet for personal opinion, and expression.

In conclusion, music plays a bigger role in our everyday lives than we may think. It often drives us to complete tasks; whether they be for ourselves, or for others. It allows us to express ourselves, and the experiences we go through, and helps us to connect with others.

Is Tomson Highways's The Rez Sisters worth studying?

Recently we read Tomson Highway's play The Rez Sisters.  The question is whether or not this play is worthy of study. I believe that it is definitely worthy of study. For some background information that story follows a group of women living on a First Nations reserve.

The Rez Sisters has a engaging story about six First nations women heading to the biggest bingo in the world. the trials and barriers that the women overcome to get to this bingo is what really makes this story so interesting. The fully developed characters and unique message, along with many symbols and literary devices to develop any assignments that a person could think of. Furthermore, the use of very own to earth characters gives the play a very relatable side and the  difficulties that the women over come are similar to what many people will go through in their lives.  

Overall I think this this play is definitely worth studying because of the developed characters and the strong message. Also it is a nice change from the usual thinks that we read due to the relatable characters.