1. Academic language only please! Students are assessed and /or evaluated and therefore, the change in format does not translate into a change in expectations in terms of the kind of language, phrasing, etc, that is acceptable. This includes refraining from the use of text messaging language systems.
2. Inevitably debate will arise since students are expected to comment on their peers' postings. That said, personal attacks and offensive language and remarks will not be tolerated. If this happens at any point, the class blog will be shut down and serious consequences will follow.
3. Meet deadlines. Each posting comes with a date and time stamp.
4. If students refer to information from other websites in your postings, the expectation for citing your resources remains the same. At the end of your posting, always include the URL for any sites that are referred to in the posting, in addition to proper citation within the text, depending on the teacher's preference.
5. Students are asked not to share the blog's URL with their friends. The class blog is for students in
English 1DY-a and b classes only.
6. Parents will be made aware of the URL and a notice to parents in advance to using the blog in class will be sent.
7. Administration (along with the Department Head of English) will be made aware of the URL and be made aware that this software will be used in our course.
6. Parents will be made aware of the URL and a notice to parents in advance to using the blog in class will be sent.
7. Administration (along with the Department Head of English) will be made aware of the URL and be made aware that this software will be used in our course.
Charlotte Bartos
ReplyDeleteI thought that the Ted Talk was very inspiring and the things that the woman who was speaking, said relates to everyone on the planet. It relates to the novel, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Because Bruno as well as all the soldiers think of the Jews to be the problem in their society but not as the woman on Ted Talk described when people came up to her saying they felt bad. The Germans thought The Jews as these snotty upper class people so they decided to get rid of them. Bruno, however, thinks Schmuel is just like him and judges him based on what he thinks because he doesn't understand. During that time people were the most judgemental.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Charlotte,
DeleteI too found the TED talk to be inspirational and very relevant to today's society with our preconceived notions and absurd stereotypes which we have fabricated. Everyone at some point in their lives has been prejudged in view of a "single story", which is truly revolting in my opinion. The human mind is so easily influenced by the individuals and other factors in their life, and this seems to be the reason why these stereotypes and negative perceptions of people from different groups continue to exist. These stereotypes and single stories unfortunately influence people so much to the extent that they become overtly racist and discriminatory and can even lead to horrible crimes such as, genocide. Once we learn to abolish our judgemental ways and view people based on their personality instead of religion, race, gender etc..., we can live in harmony and unity without any single stories. As John Boyne mentioned, fences do still indeed exist. It is our obligation to break down these fences and live with a Christ like love, treating everyone we meet with dignity and respect.
Nicolette Gismondi
DeleteI to found the Ted Talk inspiring and it relates to everyone. I think it is true how you said the German see the Jewish as the problem where they are both at fault. I agree how Bruno did not stereotype because of his innocents and I think that’s how we should all be. Shmuel and Bruno are a great example of how we should all treat each other. I really like your response and I had the same reactions as you. The speaker was very inspirational and she had a lot of depth to her speech.
Hello Charlotte,
DeleteI agree with your final sentence in which you stated that during the period of World War II (early to mid-20th century) society was the most judgmental. World War II and the discrimination against the Jews by the Nazis significantly overshadowed the other acts of racism occurring in that historical era. People forget that African Americans were still treated as insignificant figures in society as this was before the movements created by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jackie Robinson. Also, just decades before World War II, the Ku Klux Klan was at its peak in membership (6,000,000 people) and was seeking out various races and ethnicities to either scare or kill. The holocaust and the war took the focus off the other global issues occurring frequently at that time. Many of these issues were not addressed immediately primarily because of the war. In the early and mid-20th century, people were rejected if their skin color, race and religion differed from the majority of developed society. However, since then times have changed and now our whole infrastructure relies on these mixed cultures/races to function.
Ornello Iannace
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Talk we watched today in class was very relatable and understandable. I enjoyed the humor she used throughout the video and I felt it was very effective in getting her point across. The message she is sending can relate to the novel, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas because in both cases people create an idea of others that they believe is true and are not willing to change. For example, the Germans in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas thought poorly of the Jews but didn't take the time to confirm their beliefs and wee only willing to have one opinion about them. I was able to relate to the Ted Talk by the stories my dad has told me about immigrating from Italy. He told me that unlike today he made most of the decision involving school (like which high school he attended) and such because his parents didn't speak English and because of this weren't able to communicate with teachers.
My response to Ornello is I enjoyed Chimamanda’s motivational speech and her jokes too. It allowed me to stay focus and not always remain serious all the time. I agree with you on her message which is “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. I also believe that the Germans made a poor misjudge about the Jews. I, like your dad, had also learned English through a variety of sources; my cousins and television shows. I was not able to communicate to other people (other than my parents) until I was in kinder-garden. It just shows that everyone has to try something new in life.
DeleteOrnello
DeleteI agree completely with what your point. I think that the professor's personal story only made the speech that much more impactful. I also think that it is relatable to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas because not only did the Germans only have one story about the Jews, but we as the reader only had one perception on the Holocaust. I think her perception of stereotypes is very accurate in how they are incomplete. Finally, I agree that her humour made her story more relatable and made us forget about perceptions. She made it seem like the real story is the most important thing in life.
My response to Ornello is that I agree with him completely. The presentation was very effective in the fact that it kept my attention. It was able to convey a very serious message while still being humorous at times. I agree with the message being that we should not "judge a book by its cover." The fact that she also used her own personal stories to show this message helped the presentation, making it a highly enjoyable and effective one.
DeleteAbove comment is by Alvin Pane
DeleteAidan Pigott
ReplyDeleteI think that the messages that were discussed in the Ted Talks were very similar to how the Germans perceived the Jewish people. They had a single story regarding the Jews, with Adolf Hitler being the author. Since they looked up to him so much as a leader, they completely forgot that they had their own minds and could form their own opinions about this other race. I thought that this professor used her real life circumstances and issues to effectively to really help the audience relate to how people perceived her because of their single story about Africans and how she perceived others such as Mexicans and Africans because of their single story.
My response to Aidan
DeleteI agree with what you are saying. They saw Hitler as their leader; they followed him blindly and did whatever he said. They thought of him similar to a God, never making any wrongs or thinking about what he said. Anyone in their position should have realized that they should not be following such a person, a person who orders the genocide of millions of people, especially Jews.
When the professor used her own life experiences, I thought that it made it more relatable and enjoyable to watch. It allowed us to see how easy it was to prejudge someone and how easy it was for others to prejudge someone else simply because of what we are used to hearing.
I agree with both of you (Aidan and Thomas). Through film and media, Hitler managed to make himself look as if he was a ruler, as if he was above everyone. He managed to convince people that the concentration camps were paradise, and that he built them for the Jewish people. The public saw it through his eyes, saw his vision and believed him. From this you can conclude that as humans we too are like Bruno and we choose to believe what we see. We are gullible and if we think that the story fits we believe it without bothering to question it.
DeleteAlvin Pane
DeleteMy response to Aidan is that I agree with him. The ideas discussed in the TED talk were exactly the views the Nazis had toward the Jews. Adolf Hitler brainwashed the population, making them believe that his, and only his views were correct. The people, only seeing this side of the story, were convinced, and this is how Hitler was able to cause such terrible things.
To say that my eyes were opened by the Ted Talk we viewed in class today would be an understatement. I was blown away by Chimamanda's brutal honesty, by her ability to completely change the way I think in eighteen minutes and forty six seconds, and by the ways she was able to educate me more on world issues than anyone ever has. I could not agree more with the points she made in her speech. The new knowledge I fortunately gained from listening to and reflecting upon her words was this: the problem with stereotypes is that we are not educated to know more than a single story about others, about world issues, about our next door neighbours, our best friends, our world leaders. We can only fabricate a single story for the people we meet or see in the news because our brains have been wired since the time we were infants to think of each other as one-dimensional. A large portion of the problem, I believe, is not that our generation does not seek this knowledge and absorb every bit of it, but that we are so sheltered, living in a bubble where the information we learn is thoroughly screened and edited before being spit back at us and being labelled as the truth. We, the youth of today, are the generation that will be running the world in a few short years and we know so little. How can that be? How can it be that our first instinct is to assume that there is nothing more to the information we are provided with? Whether we choose to face it or not, this is one of our society's biggest flaws. It was a major issue in the nineteen forties, when little boys like Bruno and Shmuel simply did not know what was going on in their backyards or what they were getting themselves into or what fate had in store for them. It was a major issue this morning when many of us watched CP24 at the breakfast table and didn't think twice about the fact that the figures being reported are people, just like us, with multiple intricate stories making up who they are. And it will still be an issue, ten minutes from now, five months from now, fifty years from now, if someone does not decide that we, as a population, need to be educated on what is going on in this great big world, so that the stories we subconsciously write in our minds do not limit, categorized or stereotype the people around us. Maybe then can we truly mend the problems the generations before us have created and work towards a world where our children will not know what the word stereotype means.
ReplyDeleteHi Issabella.
DeleteI agree with you completely, the Ted Talk was truly inspiring and revealing to me. Chimamanda's humble yet thoughtful personality made it very clear what her real story was: a hard-working citizen who had to overcome some odds to get to where she is today. I also think you're right about our generation. Sometimes we tend to think that we are the most important people because we don;t know about anything else. Sometimes we don't even realize what we are seeing on the news or in the paper. We aren't very informed on other cultures and countries, and it's about time that it changes. If it doesn't, we may face another situation of someone in power who knows too little, almost like the Holocaust.
Shadia Adekunte
DeleteMy response to Issabella is that I definitely agree with your points pertaining to our generation today. It is true that most problems pertaining to misconceptions and stereotypes are the result of our generation’s lack of seeking knowledge. It is completely factual that was are being sheltered when we only have one story or a single side to a story. I also feel that media, a point you touched upon, is an enormous contribution to the single stories that we hear today. Media only tells us what they want us to hear, they only tells us what they think that we need to know. This influences us to think the wrong things. For example, if there was to be conflict between Canada and Iran, the news would only tell us the story that leads us to want to declare war on them. Everyone would be thinking that Iran is such a bad place and that war is necessary when in reality, there could be no reason for it. If we talked to the president of Iran, we would have a totally different story and opinion. This is just one example in which a single story can be deadly. Media never gives us the whole truth, we only get bits and pieces that influence us to think a certain way. This could be related to the Auschwitz propaganda that we see in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Through Chimamanda’s TED talk, we learn that a single story is never, ever enough and that it is our job to seek and learn more.
Daniel Morelli
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Talk video we viewed today was informative, and relatable. Almost everyone judges others because of their race. I thought the professor used her own experience with her roommate to get her point about the single story across. People believe that Africa only has breathtaking scenery, and that everyone who lives in Africa, is living in poverty because of the media. The media impacts what we see and know about a certain place, and event. The media creates these stereotypes and society uses these stereotypes to judge other individuals resulting in a single story. The single story is common in our society because we only know one side of the story. This is relatable to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The German government attempted to convince the German people that the Jewish people were evil, and that they only caused problems. The German people only heard the government’s side of the story, and many Germans believed their opinions because of the single story about the Jews. However, Bruno was too young to understand anything that was occurring. His elders tried to convince him to believe the government’s opinion on the Jewish people, but Bruno ignored this and became friends with Shmuel because of their similarities.
My response to Daniel Morelli is…
DeleteThe media not only impact our opinion of others, but also upon ourselves. They force us into believing we are supposed to look a certain; that our story can only be the one they provide us; that how we act must fall into the single story they’ve written. Children cannot see into this, which is why they don’t care if they have a stain on their pants, their shoes on the wrong feet, they’ve had too much candy, or realise when they say something that is considered to be rude meanwhile it is simply curiosity. A single story was given to the Germans, with much harsher consequences than exclusion, but some people tried to look for another story like the one of Anne Frank or us students analyzing A Single Story.
Juan Leikis
DeleteI agree with you, Daniel, about the illusion that the government and media use on people in order to get their support, as well as bend their opinions to the government’s liking. It may be a dirty tactic, but it is highly effective. Not only was it used by the Nazi party in order to obtain support, but it is also used in everyday media in many places around the world, even though it seems normal. This tactic is used in politics in the form of attack ads and support ads, in the military in order to keep the soldiers from questioning their governments, and the media advertising popular culture is used as a hook in order to make people believe that what they witness on the news that the government tells them is normal really is normal and the things that the government tells them that are bad and must be stopped, e.g. warring countries, as being a part of popular culture makes one feel as the life in their country is normal, and that every other country is different, either good or bad, depending on what the government tells them. Most of these ads can contain false promises, e.g. politicians stating that what they will do is better than the other politicians, even if they are stretching the truth (Attack and support ads). This tactic is highly effective, and governments will keep using them, moral or immoral, as long as the public condones it, and the public will continue to condone it because the governments use this tactic in order to get them to do so.
Isabella Fortuna
DeleteMy response to Daniel Morelli is I agree that people are often prejudged based on race. However, people in society tend to prejudge based on several other factors as well including religion, gender, social class, age, appearance, etc. Chimamanda, herself, spoke of how she prejudged the houseboy based on social class. I also agree that media can be one-sided because the author or producer has a specific intent or message that they want to deliver. However, it is our job as the person interpreting the information to realize that this is from a single viewpoint and keep our minds open to the fact that there are other stories to be learned. If we do so, media can actually help us be open-minded by exposing us to a world of knowledge that we would not otherwise have access to.
Claudia Miele
ReplyDeleteUsually when you read of the Holocaust there is only one story or perspective; that of the Jews or Germans. While watching the Ted Talk video I was reminded of a story my grandmother told me about the war. She lived in a small town in Italy that was invaded by German soldiers. Her family was treated roughly and sent away to live in another city until the end of the war when they could return. To me this story shows a different side of the war, a new perspective. We have preconceived notions of what the Holocaust was from the books we read, which, although moving stories, do not show every side to the story and everyone affected.
Sara Corvinelli
DeleteClaudia, you are so right to bring to light the fact that so many other European people were affected by the German’s atrocities. My grandparents also shared with me the challenges they faced when the Germans invaded Italy. The young men were typically hidden in fear that they would be taken away. In fact, my mother’s uncle was sent to a prison in Germany, and was feared dead. My grandmother remembers vividly that the Germans were aggressive and would take their food. They lived everyday with great anxiety as they listened to the planes fly over their homes and prayed the bombs would not hit them. Through our parent’s anecdotes, we are given another perspective to the “single story” of the Holocaust.
Mark Francis Olaya
ReplyDeleteThe Ted talk that we have seen today was enjoyable because of the humour, but also informative and something can be learn and related to with the video. It can be related to the Boy in the Striped Pajamas because there is discrimination against the Jews by the German people during World War 2. The civilians were taught by the Nazis and their propaganda that Jews were evil similar to the speaker’s experience with foreign books; how only foreigners and unimaginable events can be written in books when she read foreign books. I can relate to her immigration to the U.S. with my experience when I immigrated to Canada. I was a talkative child, but nobody could understand me because of my strong Filipino accent. Before I immigrated to Canada, I learned half of my English from American television by watching the Looney Tunes, Teletubbies, and Blue’s Clues with English subtitles. This was similar to her experience when she learned English from reading a vast amount of foreign books.
My response to Mark
DeleteI too really enjoyed the Ted talks because of the way the professor spoke, and the relatable content in her little speech. She talked about her own experience about prejudging others and how other people discriminated against her but she did it in a comedic way often letting the audience have a laugh at her or her friends expense.
I can relate to what you felt when you first came to Canada even though i was born here. When i was born my entire family only spoke Chinese, and until i had entered my SK years i couldn't speak a word of English. I learned from reading simple books, talking and listening to my classmates,teachers or my brother similar to the way you did. I also would love to watch Pokemon in the morning with my brother after my parents left for work.
Juan Leikis
DeleteMy response to Mark is that I agree that the speech from Ted Talk was a very informative speech, and I think that the humor used in the speech was very significant. I say this because as it was a speech about prejudice and stereotypes, she used humour as a tactic to make the audience much more attentive. Many people who give speeches, from the speaker in the Ted Talk video to Adolf Hitler, have tactics to make people pay attention to their speech and be interested in hearing what they have to say. Adolf Hitler, for example, used a tactic of speaking loud and clear and using inspirational sentences in order to peek the citizens’ interests by making them think that because he was speaking loudly, that he was very serious about what he was saying, and the inspirational sentences were used to make him seem highly intelligent. This tactic was used to make people listen, and keep people listening. The speaker in the Ted Talk video used humor to keep her speech interesting and lively, as opposed to being completely serious. The humor used in between certain parts would be used as parts that the audiences would remember, which would cause them to remember what she had said before and after the humorous portion. Humor was used as a tactic to make her point clearer and to make her speech much more interesting than straight forward and formal, in order to make the audience listen, and keep them listening.
I was touched by Chimamanda's inspirational words. I agree with her statement that single stories create stereotypes. In the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas the Germans seemed to only understand one single story and one single message- they were the superior race. If we read only one single story of the Holocaust, we can easily be convinced that there is only one true version. I believe that if we read more than one story about that theme, we can come to appreciate the different perspectives. Not all Germans were the same. There were also Germans that secretly helped the Jews to hide. From the novel, we learn that young Bruno represents that the nice part of humanity. In order to eliminate stereotypes, Chimamanda recommends that we share stories that show how we are the same and not how we are so different. I am impressed with the motivational speaker because through her novels and her writing workshops, she teaches people not to have a tunnel vision.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMy response to Francesco Mazza is I agree with you. Everyone should see the perspective of both sides to truly understand the truth. It reminds me of an article I read. A teacher held up a book to her students and claimed the book was red. Her students argued that the book was black. After a few minutes of bickering, the teach turned the book around, proving that perspective is crucial. I also agree that Chimamanda is a very inspiring speaker and her message have a way of getting through to people.
DeleteErin Ford
ReplyDeleteThe TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is quite relatable not only to our world and individual lives but to the lives of the characters in the Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Through this novel we learn how the people of Germany were only given a single story about the Jewish community. This is shown in the scenes of the Nazi propaganda movie and Bruno reading from the book about “The Jew”. This novel, and the holocaust, demonstrated to the extreme what damage can be done through prejudice.
Dana Condescu
ReplyDeleteThis Ted Talk reminded me of a picture I once saw of a cultural market in Pakistan. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves as they laughed played instruments, sold beautiful artwork and let local children play tag. This country is well known for wars and terrorism, and this caught me off guard. This is similar to when Chimamanda talked about her visit to Mexico and how it was completely different than the stereotypes she had heard. From the media and others around us, we often hear negative or very stereotypical things about a place, nationality, or a group of people. We let this create a single image in our minds; a single story. It is fixed and that is how we view this image until we learn for ourselves and explore this place or group. It is important to put together a collage of many stories to truly form one vast picture.
Erin Ford
DeleteMy response to Dana Condescu is:
I agree. This video helped me realize that almost all of this information I was receiving about Africa through the media was very one sided. This video also made me think of where else this situation often applies and I found that it can relate to almost any group of people. Whether it be a religious group like the Jewish community, a race like the African community, a gender such as the female population, or a sexuality such as the gay community, this concept of a single story applies.
Teodora Marginean
DeleteHey Dana! My response to Dana Condescu is that I've once had an experience just like yours, only instead it was a picture of a ghetto in Brazil and despite all the negativity surrounding them, the people in the picture were happy and making the most of what they had. It seemed very contrasting to me that although placed in such a setting with so many concerning issues, the people had grown up with it and it was second nature to enjoy the good moments in their life. Also, I wanted to say that Chimamanda's talk was very reminiscent to me of our own culture. I felt like there were instances in my life that I could relate to the prejudice surrounding our background. Many times people think that because I’m Romanian, most of my family must have grown up in orphanages and on the streets. Although Romania did face tough times in the communist regime and much of this was a reality, things have drastically changed and there is much more to our culture than garlic-growing vampires whose ancestors burned people at the stake. These negative connotations are ridiculous because Romania is nothing like what others perceive it to be. Everything they know about our country is outdated, comes from a Western story, or is confused with another country, since some people haven’t even heard of Romania (I often get asked if I’m from Rome, Italy). Overall, I really enjoyed Chimamanda’s talk and made many parallels with my own life as well.
Prejudice is unfortunately a prevalent issue within our society that is difficult to eradicate. Preconceived notions that develop into prejudice may be based on race, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion, gender and many other things. The TED talk which we were fortunate enough to watch in class today had an eloquent and relatable message and was extremely informative. The woman speaking (Chimamanda), mentioned numerous important, powerful points about our impulsive, pejorative nature including where this prejudice and "single stories" all derive from. Due to the minimal exposure of other cultures, races, etc. we hear in the media, what others may say about people they have encountered of a certain gender, race, social status, etc., as well as the way in which we have been raised to view different groups, we seem to be convinced that the discriminatory stereotypes we constantly hear are indeed true. These images and viewpoints diminish our abilities to meet new people and cause us to fabricate further stereotypes and simply increase our ignorance. The single stories which we are lead to believe result in pessimism, inability to tolerate others who are different than us and in general, make us close minded individuals. With how much we hear these perceived views of certain peoples, we tend to become adamant that these stereotypes are accurate which is completely delusional. The less cultures, and points of view which we are exposed to, the more subjected we will be to prejudging. Chimamanda brings up single stories which she has dealt with such as, others believing everyone in Africa is scrounging for food and money and how we are made to feel pity for those who come from Africa. The media inundates us with images of African children who are impoverished, starving to death; however this is not true for all of the people in the diverse continent. Chimamanda's lessons and stories correlate with "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" as well as, the period in which the novel occurred in. Hitler blamed the Jews for the financial oppression Germany was enduring at the time probably due to their prosperity and success in the country. After he pointed his finger at the Jews and administered ridiculous propaganda, German citizens were brainwashed to believe stereotypes regarding Jewish people's appearance, mannerisms and personality. Jews were treated inhumanely, discriminated and were ultimately forced into concentration camps and lost their lives due to these single stories. Despite this, Bruno and Shmuel manage to befriend each other as they look past their differences. Moreover, it is truly revolting that single stories exist even in sole cultures. ex. Italy (North vs. South), Saudi Arabia (Muslims vs.Christians), fair skin vs. dark skin...etc. To get rid of these stereotypes and single stories, we must educate ourselves and always keep in mind that we are not so different after all. Remembering these key concepts help us break down barriers we put up and assist us to become accepting, loving, honest people.
ReplyDeleteMy response to Milena Fortino is that I completely agree with your blog post. Prejudice has become prevalent in our society. Almost everyone in our society judges people of different ethnic groups, sexual orientation, and religious belief. Society judges people mainly because of the media. Large corporations and companies show society, most of the time, only one side of the story for the betterment of their own corporation. For example, a donation corporation shows pictures of undernourished, and miserable children in poorer countries in order for people to donate to their corporation. However, some of these corporations keep a portion of the money donated, the more money brought in, the more money they can pocket. The media and large corporations try to brainwash society because they have the power to control and monitor everything we see. This results in the single story. With the little information we receive from the media, we create stereotypes for different cultures, and ethnic groups because we are giving pieces of information. People begin to believe that these stereotypes that we constantly hear are the full truth. I completely agree with your point about the Germans creating a single story about the Jews. Hitler felt threated by the Jew and he believed that the Jew caused the financial oppression Germany was facing. He created the single story about the Jew and brainwashed many Germans. The German soldiers treated the Jew inhumanely, and the Jews were killed because of their differences. Bruno heard the single story about the Jews but chose to ignore it after he met Shmuel and realized they had more similarities than differences.
DeleteHey Milena! My response to Milena Fortino is that your post was very eye-opening and a few of the key words you used sparked a connection in my mind. I completely agree with how you said that stereotypes increase our ignorance. I think that it was the simple arrogance and twisted mind of Hitler who used his power and control to brainwash the whole German country into believing that the war was a matter that could only be resolved by killing the Jews. Very few Germans showed interest in saving the Jews even though most were fully aware that something horrible was happening very close to home. The preconceived ideas Hitler planted in their heads drove their ignorance forwards to the point that they were living in luxury and illusion while the Jews were facing a brutal reality of life versus death. I also agree that the Nazis were delusional and in turn spawned a whole country of delusional supporters; their view of the Jews was warped and fabricated by other more powerful leaders. Lastly, when you mentioned that we must break down the barriers that encourage stereotypes and prejudice, I immediately thought of the fence that separated Bruno and Shmuel. If the fence had not existed there, and the Germans and Jews would mingle together with a fresh outlook on each other, I am sure that their new impressions would be much more different than what they had been led to believe their whole lives. The fence at the concentration camp is an embodiment and symbol of the discrimination that prevented people from delving deeper into the truth behind the Holocaust.
DeleteJoseph Sereney
ReplyDeleteI found Chimamanda’s story in the Ted Talk very interesting because it was relatable and understandable. Not only did her words have an impact on me, she said some interesting things that I never knew before. I found her story of discovering literature very inspiring, and it lead me to question my knowledge of foreign cultures. I really liked what she said about stereotypes in that they are incomplete, which I completely agree with. It really made me think about how use as a western civilization tend to believe that we know so much and that we are the center of everything, when in actuality we still have so much to learn about the people on the other side of the Atlantic.
Erin Ford
DeleteMy response to Joseph Sereney is:
I agree that we have a lot to learn about international culture and affairs. Much of the information we receive about these topics comes from all forms of media such as TV, newspapers and so on. Unfortunately the media produces a single story far too often. This especially relates to the section of the video where she talked about how the media portrays Africa. Immediately I thought of the many commercials for charities, or news reports that I have seen. As Chimamanda pointed out advertisements for charities often portray that Africans are only helpless impoverished people while news reports tell the world that they are incapable because of their corrupt government. These messages paint one specific picture that helps the companies behind the message more than the people it depicts.
Chinonso Ekeanyanwu
DeleteMy response to Joseph Sereney is that I loved the TED video as well and the main message, that stereotypes are merely incomplete, was absolutely brilliant. I actually found it really interesting that she used the word incomplete. I've always heard that phrase finished off with wrong, mean, cruel, terrible, hurtful but all she used was incomplete. I liked how she wasn't reprimanded or scolding those who abide by single stories. By using the word incomplete she implies that a single story or stereotype can be finishes, completed, perfected. That there wasn't just a single story to a single story. Everyone is bound to stereotype someone (she even admited to doing it) but that's not the end. We always have the opportunity to keep learning and discovering new places and people. And that's what I got out of that video.
Shadia Adekunte
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Talk that we watched today in class on the dangers of single story definitely helped open my eyes to the way the world acts today. It helped me realize that as a society, for an endless amount of time, we have only relied on one story of a person (or a people) to make up or opinion on them. We only seem to consider the story that we have heard without feeling the need to delve deeper and hear the intricate weaving of stories that make up a person or a people. This leads to common misconceptions, stereotypes and assumptions that if left long enough to brew, can lead to war as we examined in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The common trait among humans that is believing everything we hear, has negative effects on us as a people. For, example in the Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the only story that Bruno had heard about Jews was that they are not people and that they are disgusting. Of course, Bruno only knowing this about Jews led him to almost believe that it was true. However, after meeting Shmuel, Bruno realized that Jews are human beings also. Relating this story back to ourselves, when we are only told one of the many stories of a person, we are being robbed of getting to know the actual person. Stories teach us perspective. Chimamanda’s speech definitely changed my perspective on the way I think and now, I’m sure that I will be looking to hear all the beautifully woven and intricate stories of a person instead of one.
Hi Shadia,
DeleteI completely agree with your feelings about the TED talk. Though we may not realize it, we are accustomed to believing stereotypes and "single stories" because of how much society, the media and other individuals in our life preach these misconceptions from a very young age. These stereotypes eventually ruin a child's innocence and naivete and begins to mould them to think and act a certain way. These stereotypes and single stories eventually become instinctive which is truly revolting. Stereotypes as you mentioned, can also lead to catastrophic events where one race, religion, or sexual orientation may be harmed, persecuted and in extreme cases, killed just as displayed in "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". Jews were detested by society as a whole and were put in concentration camps to eradicate this "vermin" like race. Unfortunately, events similar to this still occur to this day, possibly on a smaller scale, but still potentially as melancholic and abhorrent. Chimamanda's wise words teach us not to judge people at first glance and to take a walk in other's shoes for a change. If we start to make a change of the way in which we view certain people, our lives with be filled with prosperity and positivity.
My response to Shadia Adekunte is:
DeleteIt is true that we never really discover more about a certain group of people until we “step into their shoes” or view things from their perspective. Bruno never considered the Jewish people to be people like him until he talked to a Jewish boy himself. He learned more about his story and his people and how they are not “disgusting” at all. This leads him to wonder about the stereotypes and cruel words he had heard about them. We must always think about what we hear before accepting this information as completely correct.
My response to Shadia Adekunte is that I completely agree with your blog post. Society has only relied on only one side of the story and society used this information to come up with conclusions about a specific ethnic group. The media tries to brainwash society because they have the power to control and monitor everything we see. The media continually tries to convince society these stereotypes are the full truth, and eventually our society begins to believe these single stories are the full truth resulting in the creation of stereotypes for other ethnic groups. The media, most of the time, will only provide us with one side of the story resulting in a single story.You are correct in saying that these misconceptions and stereotypes can lead to wars and the discrimination of another person’s race, and religion. Hitler felt threated by the Jew and he believed that the Jew only caused problems. He created the single story about the Jew and brainwashed many Germans. The German soldiers treated the Jew inhumanely, and the Jews were killed because of their differences. Bruno heard the single story about the Jews but chose to ignore it after he met Shmuel and realized they had more similarities than differences.
DeleteIsabella Fortuna
DeleteMy response to Shadia Adekunte is I completely agree with you. We often hear a single story about a person or group of people and this causes us to be closed-minded. We are all guilty of judging people by a single story we hear about them or perhaps by the way they look or dress without actually knowing anything about their history or the circumstances that they may be living. Sometimes we hear one negative comment on someone and begin to view them in an entirely different way. In the case of the Holocaust, the stereotypes affected people on a grand scale. However, in our lives, stereotypes exist on a much smaller scale but can be just as harmful and devastating to the individual to whom they are directed. So the next time we walk by someone in the hallway or bump into someone at the mall, we should remember that they have many stories and experiences that make them who they are.
Sabrina Pullano
DeleteMy response to Shadia is that I agree with the points that you have made. Also consider how literature has also been able to highlight the fact that humans take comfort in relying on people's stories as fact that helps people to form opinions based on these stories. This is not only shown in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but readers are also able to see this in Ethan Frome. In the beginning, the narrator of Ethan Frome relies on various people throughout the village in order to learn more about Ethan and form an opinion of this mysterious and intriguing man. The narrator was able to form a "single story" regarding what had happened in Ethan's past and what kind of a person he was in that present time. This comes to show what great impact "single stories" can have, and how they affect people's assumptions and opinions.
I believe that the discussion was very intriguing and relatable. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave the audience a story from both sides; one about others judging her and one about her judging others. She told of how we pre-judge other races and cultures, and think that one person (for example a criminal) of the country, represents the rest of the country. Her speech also reminds me of the game called “Broken Telephone”. The goal of the game is to have a group of people sit in a circle and whisper a sentence into one another’s ear. As the sentence goes around the circle, it changes and at the end, the sentence is nothing like the real one. This also applies to reality, one person starts a rumor and it begins to change as it gets passed from ear to ear, until everyone knows nothing but lies. The theme of the discussion is the same as my views of the Jewish and German cultures. I believe that the Jews and the Germans are both humans and would get along if there was no discrimination. Overall, Chimamanda did an excellent job on announcing the message of the discussion; “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.
ReplyDeleteMy response to Tony Vu is that "Broken Telephone" is an accurate way to portray the prejudice of other races and cultures. Different people may warp information based on their view towards other groups, and this is very important to consider before creating a "single story" about them. No one really stops to think about what they hear or see; they merely pass it on. No one elaborates or digs deeper to find the true nature of a culture. This is a major reason we have stereotypes today.
DeleteNicolette Gismondi
ReplyDeleteI found the Ted Talk very inspiring and captivating to watch. I like the way the lady that spoke used a different way of saying stereotyping; she used “a single story.” In the book The Boy In The Striped pajamas the Germans looked at the Jewish people from one perspective, which was, that they did not consider them as human beings. Also it was not only the German’s in that era that stereo typed, the Jewish saw the German’s as only cold hearted people. The Ted Talk was very truthful and explained how we view foreigners.
Sabrina Pullano
DeleteMy response to Nicolette is...
I completely agree with the idea that there was misunderstanding between the Jews and Germans, and it is possible that this had ultimately led to the Holocaust. Perhaps if Jews and Germans were not so set on their stereotypes and "single stories" of one another, the Holocaust would not have become as uncontrollable and horrific as it did. This type of misunderstanding can also be depicted in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451; where the society is unable to see the importance of knowledge due to the preconceived assumptions that knowledge could be dangerous and was ultimately useless to not only themselves, but to future generations of the society as well.
Elena Ricci
DeleteMy response to Nicolette is I completely agree not only were the Germans given a single story by others but also by the Jewish people. They suffered constantly by the Germans in the Holocaust and they considered the Germans, as you mentioned, "cold-hearted". In this era most people thought the only relationship between Germans and Jews was hatred. However, not all Germans and Jews acted in this way for example, Bruno and Shmuel. Their relationship between the two innocent boys proves that the Germans and the Jews only viewed each other from a ‘single story’. As Chimamanda Adichie said, single stories form incomplete understandings of people or places, “They make one story become the only story”.
Elisa Locantore
DeleteMy response to Nicolette.
Chimamanda’s perspective and opinion about the “Single Story” does make people think. Your observation of when she said “Single Story” instead of stereotype is very true yet I did not notice it until now. I feel that she used this phrase instead since she wanted to prove that not everyone of the same ethnic background is the same. Italians for example; one Italian such as myself may be a loud person and expresses their opinion strongly, while another Italian may be quiet, shy and very unsure or baffled. A person of a different heritage will be shocked to discover the quietness of an Italian. Chimamanda also used this phrase to show that we prejudice people by thinking that they have a “Single Story” or perhaps a single opinion or personality. I feel that the Ted Talk made the entire grade 9 pace students think about how they have prejudged others by their ethnic background. These students and I will now go through life not judging a book by its cover and discovering who a person truly is.
Sara Corvinelli
DeleteHi Nicolette, I agree that Chimamanda used the terminology, the single story, to bring deeper meaning to the ramifications of stereotyping. It was tragic that the Germans were ruled by a man who lived and believed in the single story of the Jews. Unfortunately, the fallout from this was extreme and catastrophic. Conversely, as a result, the Germans were looked upon, as you stated, “cold hearted people”. If we could all see the bigger picture, perhaps the injustices, specifically prejudices, could be eliminated.
I believe that the speech Chimamanda Ngonzi Adichie gave was very relatable to our society today. There are many stereotypes that are floating around and many people believe that they are actually true. These may include how just because you are African American, you are good at basketball and just because you are Asian, you can’t drive. She also brought up her own experiences and she was brutally honest about what she thought about them. She admitted that she was irritated by the comments her roommate gave her about her ethnicity. These examples show how quickly we judge somebody and just by their ethnic background. I also enjoyed how Chimamanda brought up the fact that just because one person did or didn’t do something, everyone with the same ethnic background was the same as that person. I found the Ted talks overall very informative and accurate. I feel the Germans did this to the Jews by thinking that they were not worthy to live on the same planet as the rest of them. Hitler thought that the ideal person was a blonde hair blue eyed person and anyone who was disabled, or unlike the Germans, were unfit to continue on living, even though he has never met them or known anything about them he prejudged all of them to be unlike them.
ReplyDeleteThomas Qu,
DeleteHello Thomas, your post reminded me of how I prejudge somebody recently. I was completing community service hours at St. Peter's Parish and a old priest came in to help me with my work. I assumed the priest would be very boring because I falsely believed that because he was old and very catholic he would be serious and boring. However, he turned out to be a delight and I became very close with him in my community service hours. It shows me that even though I try not to prejudge people, I still do it unconsciously.
I agree with both of you, because just like Adam I also have prejudged many people in the past. When I was entering grade 4, I heard very nasty rumors about the teacher that I was going to get. When I started my first week of school, I caused trouble and I got sent down to the office. I didn't realize that it was me who was at fault, not my teacher. After a while, I decided to make my own decisions about my teacher, and found out that she was a really nice, great teacher. I also realized that I had a single story about my teacher, and because of my single story I got into big trouble. Ever since then, I have made a conscious effort to not have a single story about any other person, because through many experiences I have learned that there are many stories regarding each and every individual.
DeleteJuan Leikis
ReplyDeleteI believe that even though the story told from the Ted Talk video was a nice and inspiring story, it did not change my view on certain cultures. Please do not interpret this as though I did not care about what the lady had to say, which I did care, but I was taught this same lesson from a young age, and the lesson from this video was not any different. I was taught, as the saying goes, not to judge a book by its cover, and also not to make assumptions on subjects in which I am not well informed. That being said, I believe that one should not be so quick to judge if one is not well educated on said subjects, as those judgements could lead to outrageous stereotypes and stereotypical single stories; and the Ted Talk speech did not alter my opinion in any way. Just as one should not be too quick to judge Africans based on the media that they witness, as there are many well educated and very literate people that are not seen in the news because of a bias towards Africans has caused these kinds of people not to be newsworthy as the media focuses on the stereotype in order to feed an illusion, one should not believe that all Germans are bad because of what the Nazi party caused, as seen in The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. Both governmental sides of the war used the media as a form of hypnotism in order to make the other side seem bad, because if they have the support of the people, they have the people’s tax dollars paying for the war. Not only that, but this same illusion was also used to bring in more soldiers, as the people who become soldiers mostly do not see killing as a moral action unless the government tells them that it is. For example, Adolf Hitler used actors to propagate the idea that what his party was doing to the Jews was a good thing, in the same way that politicians use attack ads today, in order to make people believe that his actions were for a good cause. The other side used advertisements in order to do the exact opposite, being to convince people that the other side is bad, also in the same way that politicians use attack ads today, by saying how the other side will threaten their countries’ stability. These ads ended up causing a stereotype after World War 2 that some people still believe, being that all Germans are mean and that Adolf Hitler was the worst man in existence and did evil because he wanted to be the ruler of the world. The truth is that this stereotype is false, as one only assumes that a German near them will be mean without actually meeting them (As though you’ve seen one and you’ve seen them all), and that even though Adolf Hitler did want the world to be in his image, this was not the only reason that he did these things, as he assumed that the Jews were evil and greedy, as the stereotype states, and because studies show that Hitler was mentally unstable. Therefore, I believe that one should do extensive research on a subject before making a judgement on it, as this can help one to avoid stereotypes, and said research could lead to a change in opinion, or it could give one more points to discuss when in a debate on the subject.
My response to Juan is:
DeleteI see your point when you argue that judgements can be made once we educate ourselves on a certain subject. However I disagree with this point of view because we may watch as many documentaries, read as many books or sift as many online sources as we want and still not fully understand a culture. The resources available to us themselves are single stories. My belief is that to truly understand a person, or in this case a group of people, we need to completely immerse ourselves in their culture. Only when we experience their ways of life first hand do we have the right to judge another person. Chances are, when we really begin to see the world through a new set of eyes, we will not only comprehend a culture of people, but see their multiple dimensions and peel back the layers of their existence one by one. As they say, it's impossible to hate someone once you understand them.
I agree with Issabella. She has a very striking observation. By fully becoming part of another culture and experiencing it first-hand, we learn to forget the differences of that other culture. It truly does become extremely difficult to pick bones with people you understand.
DeleteThe presentation the woman gave in Ted Talk was enjoyable not just because of the humor, but because of how she got her point across in a simple and constructive way. I like how with the beginning of each new subject she would say a story in her life that relates to it, and how she was wrong. The presentation reminded me of the propaganda that Hitler used to show the Germans false information to promote a negative point of view. Through the Propaganda Hitler used, he influenced the attitude of the Germans toward the Jewish people. The Germans were shown only one view of the Jewish people, and through that one “Story” the German’s learned to hate the Jewish. My Nonno was part of the war also. He did not participate in it as he was only 11 years old. My Nonno had to sleep on haystacks and move away from his hometown to stay safe. He and his family lived on rationed food and it was a tough time for him and his 6 siblings. The Jewish people were affected the most, but they weren't the only ones affected. This sensitive subject unsettled my Nonno and I felt the sadness as he told me the story.
ReplyDeleteMy response to Adam Packer is…
DeleteMy grandmother was also alive during World War II, although she was about the age of 6 in Northern Italy. The Nazis had taken over that area and would occasionally stop by her house where her family had to sacrifice what little food they had to feed the soldiers. The soldiers were kind to my grandmother, they gave her sweets and let her sit in their laps. However, during this time her family were hiding someone at their house. Automatically you would assume that my grandmother was harbouring a Jew, a consequence of a Single Story. The person was actually my great grandfather who was supposed to be fighting in the war. I forget the reason why he could not join the war, but I do know he would be punished for hiding and I possibly would not be here either if he was caught. The Single Story forgets to tell us that everyone was burdened by the war. After all, people were so willing to follow Hitler because he led them away from the toll the Great War had on them, and the Great Depression.
The Single Story is a real eye-opener in trying to understand how some people can be so closed minded about others, or how racism begins, or why nice people judge too quickly. I believe this is what propaganda is—forcing the public into hearing only one story. Hitler was doing this to his people through saying the Jews are stealing their jobs and resources, etc. However, I believe he was additionally providing a single story to the Jews. The children, like Shmuel, who were ignorant of any other story of Germans other than being cruel to them received this as their single story. Shmuel said he hates soldiers simply because none of them were ever nice to him. “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but they are incomplete.” (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
ReplyDeleteChinonso Ekeanyanwu
DeleteMy response to Christina Bisol is that I agree 100%. Stereotypes and a single story are the exact same thing. They both limit someone to a single perception of individual. They are also both mainly centered on ignorance to the world around them. They refuse to even think that there may be something more and in Western society it's more like a philosophy: We know everything about everything... but we don't and we never will. I find it easiest to always think there's another story...no matter how well you know the person. Because people can surprise you.
When we are exposed to a 'single story' of the world around us, we tend to become quite stereotypical and prejudge others based on that limited information that we get a hold of, that may or may not be true, and we make assumptions as to what the people of that part of the world are capable and not capable of doing and what they 'naturally' tend to do that is different than that of what we may do. Even though we may have or do something that is 'normal' (or should i say often) in our exposed parts of the world, we may not accept the differences of others' ways of living their lives. I believe what Chimamanda is trying to emphasize is that just because someone is different or they do something differently than we do, that does not mean that they do not belong in our world, and that does not mean that they are wrong for doing what they do the way they do. We are required to gather knowledge from various sources from various points in our lives, and from various people around the world. A person is a complex being that belongs in a complex world. In order to understand that complexity, it is necessary to peel the layers that construct that human and peel the layers that construct a nation.One cannot simply just state that a poor individual is incapable of doing what a more wealthier person is capable of doing. In fact sometimes the poor individual may be more capable in certain aspects in their lives than the wealthier person is. It is the issues that arise upon these assumptions and prejudgments that are catastrophic and horrifying, as these assumptions lead to arguments, and arguments to public disputes, and public disputes to federal disputes and eventually, but certainly we hope should never happen: war. Essentially, the main, and seemingly only cause of human derogation is the act of pulling our similarities aside and thrusting our differences in each other's faces. This relates to how the Nazi's had tortured the Jewish people and how the presence of World War II had focused on the idea of prejudice. The German's of that era had blamed the Jews for their own deterioration after World War I, and thus erupted the theory of the 'Jewish Question'. The Nazi's felt it was their responsibility to answer that 'question' by fully abolishing the Jewish race and therefore the 'Jewish Question'. Ironically, here we are prejudging the German's of today. They are not to blame for the faults of their ancestors. And I only mention faults because their plan involved the unnecessary massacre of millions of Jewish people and soldiers. Even though The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is only 'a single story', it does involve the perspective of four different people that were involved in the Holocaust: Bruno/Gretel , German children, Shmuel, a Jewish child, Bruno's parents/family, German adults/soldiers, and Pavel, a Jewish adult. Though not each perspective is equally expressed, there is till truth behind each of the people's roles and feelings. They each seem to take hold of one common thing: they all have feelings, and they are all humans that bare human-qualities. IF we overlook difference, and look upon similarities instead, then there would be less 'faults' for the human race to deal with. A person is not meant to focus on a single story, but take in account the multitude of stories in our world, and actually experience something themselves before stating their beliefs. We do not need prejudice but we certainly all deserve social justice and we certainly are all in need of social justice.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Fortuna
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Talk session with Chimamanda really outlined how society constantly stereotypes and categorizes individuals whether it be by race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class or any other way that limits the way we view an individual. By doing this, we become closed-minded and begin to perceive people in boxes (or single stories). However, human nature cannot be boxed up because it is very complex and intricate and people are multi-dimensional. Before reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the readers may have had preconceived notions about the Germans because of the information we know about the Holocaust and the Nazis. However, by placing all Germans in that box and assuming that they all have a single story, we are just as guilty as the Nazis who placed all the Jews in the same box. Bruno shows us another side of the story. By introducing Bruno, the author allows the reader to have a new perspective and feel sympathy for the Germans who were unaware of what was actually happening. In The Diary of Anne Frank, we also learn that some Germans were risking their lives to help the Jews. It would not be fair to categorize those Germans in the same box as the Nazis. The dangers of trying to fit individuals into boxes is also explored in Veronica Roth’s Divergent.
My response to Isabella Fortuna is:
DeleteI couldn't agree more! The Divergent series really captured what the future could be like if we do not alter the way we think or the single stories we tell. Although the novels may seem exaggerated, it is definitely possible that our world could in fact become like Divergent or Lois Lowry's The Giver.
Shadia Adekunte
DeleteMy response to Isabella Fortuna:
I think that your point that Divergent exhibits the dangers of a single story is completely correct. In that book, we are able to see that because the divergent are different, Jeanine feels that they must be killed. This is almost the same thing that happened in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and the Holocaust. Hitler did not like the Jews for multiple inappropriate reasons and therefore, he felt that they needed to be killed. Also, if society doesn’t change its ways soon, it could end up being a dystopia alike the one in The Giver. Through these multiple books and Chimamanda’s speech, we learn that prejudice and preconceived notions hurt us in the short and long term. As individuals, we must learn the need to seek more knowledge instead of relying on the information that we are given.
Anisa Thomas
DeleteHi Isabella, your blog is very informative and I like your comparison to “The Diary of Anne Frank”. In the diary we learn that there were Germans trying to help out the Jews and this shows humility and compassion. To risk your own life to save another is true justice and love. This is what humans are all about and the diary is another fresh perspective of Germans trying to be just and going against society to do the right thing. If it weren’t for these brave Germans, many more Jews could have been killed and the Holocaust would be even more devastating because there would be no survival stories. Books like "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” and "The Diary of Anne Frank” are beautiful works of literature because they give readers hope and show the positive side of life. In the end, Bruno’s father was a changed man and this proves how humans have the ability to confess their sins and stand up for what is right. No matter where we are born, our ethnicity, religion, or gender, we are called as people to serve one another with love and compassion just as God loves us.
And that is why Boyne decided to use the character of Bruno's grandmother, who was clearly against what her son, Bruno's father, was doing. It is true that the Germans of today shall not be blamed, but also the Germans who we know not of who did help the Jewish people, as you mentioned. I like how you distinguished the idea of putting people in boxes, it really does give insight into the whole idea of the Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and other prejudice-related novels.
ReplyDeleteThis was in response to Isabella Fortuna's post.
DeleteElisa Locantore
ReplyDeleteThe Single Story video is truly inspiring. This video teaches the viewer to not use prejudice. The speaker in the video exclaimed her stories from many years ago when others had prejudged her based on her African heritage. I could not imagine how she must felt when her roommate did not think that she knew how to operate an oven and do several other tasks. As I notice her perspective, I think of how unacknowledged people are of other ethnic backgrounds. This theme of discussion impacts my understanding and views of the Jewish and German cultures tremendously. History books and the German perspective influenced generations as well as me that Jewish people are terrible people, when they are not but regular “normal” people. These innocent people are now being prejudged everywhere based on the rude acts that Hitler created in World War II. Jewish people were murdered, tortured and separated because of their heritage. Adolf Hitler could have rebelled against Italians instead of Jewish people. I would definitely not appreciate this and would be very distraught. Relatives of mine could have been killed because of the Germans. This would have influenced me to dislike all Germans for what they have done. In life people tend to always want something but they never open their eyes and are grateful for what has not come. I personally believe that some Germans agreed with Hitler’s plan; to kill all Jews. I also believe that a few Germans have their own story and disagreed. These Germans could have only joined the Nazi’s since others have influenced them. Now these Germans have a Multiple Stories on the Holocaust while others have A Single Story. It is our job as the next generation to not prejudge anyone and to make the right choices in life.
Anisa Thomas
DeleteHey Elisa, I agree with your blog post and your opinions regarding Germans being prejudged based on Adolf Hitler’s previous actions. No one likes to be judged based on something they didn’t even do. Like you said, the speaker does an excellent job of persuading us to look at the whole picture and give people an opportunity to show who they really are. Unfortunately, most people have a tendency to group religions or cultures together and make assumptions based on one opinion, “The Single Story”. Most Nazi soldiers didn’t necessarily take pride in killing Jews but did so, just to keep them alive and out of trouble. This seemed selfish of the soldiers but then again, I don’t have the right to judge because I have never been under their circumstances. I agree with you when you say some Germans joined the army based on the influence of others, because this is very true and happens all the time. When a trusted friend says something, we usually believe them right away because they are our friends. Most of the time we don’t go looking for a second opinion or view on the subject. This makes us a close-minded society but I believe this can change because speakers like Chimamanda have the ability to make us more open-minded. If Hitler has the ability to brainwash many soldiers, then we definitely have the ability to make the world a better place and be successful in doing so.
Sara Corvinelli
ReplyDeleteThe speaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, captivated my attention from the opening of her speech. Her subject matter, “the single story”, opened up a whole new way of thinking for me. It dispelled any preconceived notions I had of people of various nationalities. I, too, lived by the “Single Story”. How easy it is for most of us to view, for example, that all Germans, because of the Holocaust, are cruel. This is wrong, in that there are many more “hidden” stories of the Germans. The fact that many Germans aided the jews is very rarely discussed. If the world could hear more of these situations how different our judgement would be. Personally, my parents have shared with me their experience of living, “the single story”. As Canadians of Italian origin, my mother recalls how her friends assumed that immigrants from Italy were overweight, wore black, and had mafia connections. These stereotypes prevailed for many years and led to many prejudices. Fortunately, over time, many more stories surfaced highlighting the many positive achievements of the Italian community. Consequently, this dispelled the earlier misconceptions. At the end of the speech Chimamanda summarized her message very well by stating “When we reject the Single Story...we regain a kind of paradise”. How sweet and peaceful the world would be if more people reject “the single story”.
Nicolette Gismondi
DeleteI thought that the speaker opened up a new way of thinking just as you said. The Germans are seen as cruel people because of the Holocaust and I to feel it is wrong. The Germans are like everyone else and many people stereotype them. I really like your story of your mother. Now Italians are not as stereotyped any more because of how many Italians there are. I think if we all reject the single story there will be less conflict in the world.
Sabrina Pullano
ReplyDeleteI found Chimamanda’s speech to be very intriguing and inspiring, and I especially enjoyed how she used her culture and racial background in order to support and prove her points regarding the prejudice of a wide variety of individuals as well as groups. When you relate her points about prejudice to the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the reader is able to see the impact that the book has made by being told from 9-year-old Bruno’s perspective; and how greatly the story would change from different perspectives. The main message I picked up from Chimamanda’s speech was that everyone should try to see the world from a range of diverse perspectives in order to avoid forming “single stories” in our minds about certain topics, people, or groups. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas allowed the reader to avoid “single story perceptions” of the Holocaust by putting the story in a German’s point of view. Many people have preconceived notions regarding how all Germans were villains in the Holocaust era, however this novel allows the reader to see that not all Germans were at fault, in fact some were completely innocent in this era and did not wish to harm the Jews (ex. Bruno’s mother). Overall, Chimamanda’s inspiring speech has taught me to view situations in many different perspectives before forming prejudiced opinions and “single stories.”
Teresa Raso
DeleteI too enjoyed how she related it to her personal experience and found that it was not only touching but helped the audience connect better to her message and see the truth and reality in her speech. Perspective is one of the main factors that makes The Boy in the Striped Pajamas such a unique and interesting novel. We have all heard multiple stories on the Holocaust and this novel defiantly allowed us to widen our view on such a common and well known event. Chimamanda’s speech was very inspiring and her delivery was heart filled. I took to notice her repetition of “single story”. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is filled with repetition and the overuse can distract or annoy the audience. In Chimamanda’s speech I enjoyed the repetition of “single story” because it was the perfect word to describe our prejudice views on the world and society. This is what stuck with me from her inspirational speech.
Elena Ricci
DeleteMy response to Sabrina is I agree with what you mentioned about the main message of the ‘single story’ speech. I find that people know a days, including myself, are too slothful and unmotivated to find out the truth but word rather listen to single experiences, instead of finding out the truth for themselves. The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas gave us incite about how the Germans reacted to the Jewish people. Bruno did not listen to his father’s single story about his friend’s culture but he listened to what he felt about his relationship with Shmuel. Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief reminded us of how some Germans risked their lives to protect hide Jews. Chimamanda’s lesson to others was very heartfelt and inspiring. I completely agree that her relation to her cultural background makes the world think twice about any single stories we may have and it added to our understanding of her discussion.
Chinonso Ekeanyanwu
ReplyDeleteI thought Chimamanda was dead on about her discussion of The Single Story. And I felt I could relate to exactly what she was saying. I am too a Igbo speaking Nigeria and moving to Canada and to Vaughan, I experienced a lot of labelling. I still do now and it annoys me. But I think that what annoys me the most is that I still do it to others. It's kind of like a vicious circle, one group confines the other to a 'single story' and the other group retaliates just the same. This back and forth motion just brings out our differences and eradicates the idea of the common characteristics we all, as humans, share. The issue between the Jews and the Germans is a perfect example of this. The Germans saw the Jews as burdens, animals, things below their feet. But what they did not see was the humanity, the fact that they have feelings, thoughts and dreams as well. That they were capable of loving, hurting, smiling and laughing. Bruno's father told Bruno that they weren't even people. Again the Jews were confined to a single story. And then the Jews retaliated (you never hear much about this side). The hate towards Germans from the Jews was evident and vicious. That all Germans were cruel and mean and deserved to rot in the ground for thier sins. ALL Germans...again confining them to a single story. The friendship between Bruno and Shmuel struck me as a middle ground. Finally there was a halt in this vicious circle as two 9 year old boys took the time to discover the whole story. That Shmuel wanted to work in a zoo when he grew up because he liked animals or that Bruno's father was so kind to provide a home and a job for a daughter of his mother's friend after she died. The single story exists only in our minds and once we remove ourselves from that enclosure we can finally see all that people have to offer.
Andre Dao
DeleteMy response to Chinonso Ekeanyanwu is that I hope all future generations are constantly reminded of what she and Chimamanda said. "The single story only exists in our minds and once we remove ourselves from that enclosure we can finally see all that people have to offer" and that "it's just a vicious cycle" stuck out in my mind when reading Chinonso's comment. Some survivors of the Holocaust are still alive so we are well informed of the tragedy, but what about in 100 years? We need to educate every young generation to "break the cycle" of prejudice so that they may see what all people have to offer.
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ReplyDeleteThe Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Adichie expressed in a very accurate and inspiring approach how society is biased in their understanding of various races, religions and cultures. Racial and non-racial stereotypes have dominated the way in which individuals have viewed groups of people for hundreds and even thousands of years. Even today we sometimes still refer to Native Americans as “Indians” because of their vast similarities failing to correct Christopher Columbus’ misunderstanding. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party believed that the human characteristics of blonde hair and blue eyes were superior qualities and that Jews were inferior in every way to the “perfect German”. Although everyone is entitled to different opinions, when stereotypes result in the discrimination and prejudice against a race, some action needs to take place. In this case it resulted in one of the most brutal wars in the history of mankind. Adolf Hitler blamed the Jews for losing the Great War (World War I) for the Germans and his anger and resentment towards the religion resulted in the deaths of many soldiers and civilians (60 to 85 million). Even if the Jews were wholly responsible for the Germans losing the Great War, Hitler’s vile hatred towards the entire religion is highly biased on one incident. As Chimamanda Adichie explained, “The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story the only story.”
ReplyDeleteAndre Dao
ReplyDeleteThe message Chimamanda Adichie was simple but powerful; people prejudge others by their culture or ethnic background, giving them a narrow-minded view of the people in front of them. However, it is because they lack any background knowledge of people in that "group" aside from media and literature. We learn this as well from the actions of Nazis during the Holocaust and people have continuously informed younger generations of equality so as to not repeat the tragedy. In the novel The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, Bruno's desire to become an explorer is a symbol of his pure open-mindedness, unlike his family. Because of this he was able to be the only one in a Nazi to accept a Jew as a friend. And thus we must be open-minded like Bruno to accept others in order to have peaceful relationships.
Andre Dao
ReplyDeleteMy response to Teodora Marginean is I agree with what you mentioned about The Boy in The Striped Pajamas. You mentioned that the Nazis brainwashed their supporters, and Bruno's conversations proved this. When he asked his older sister and his father "why" they hated Jews, they responded with "because they were inferior" which proved their lack of a reason other than a superiority complex. If they took time to reflect on their actions, they would realize that their beliefs don't justify killing people they don't even know.
Andrea Peel
ReplyDeleteChimamanda Adichie Ted Talk on the Single Story was very powerful and influential. I am also guilty of believeing the Single Story. Chimamanda's talk really gives insight on how guliable people are to believe everything we see and read. The media has such a powerful influence on our lives that we are willing to believe almost anything that they throw at us. It isn't until you go and interact with people yourself that you realize there is more to the single story. The single story effectively gives you only one perspective. But as the saying goes, you cannot judge a book by its cover--you have to first look through the pages. That is what i got out of Chimamanda's Ted Talk.
Elisa Locantore
DeleteMy response is to Andrea Peel.
I too have also been guilty of believing the Single Story as well as most people on the Earth. This is since the media had projected a strong stereotype in our heads for different places around the world. For example; some people may visualize North Americans as very wealthy people not caring about wasting resources. These people can also have the perspective that Africans are only ill and suffering from the lack of resources. It is the media’s responsibility that we as humans believe in a Single Story since other parts of the world are being portrayed by the same thing. I agree with you that it is our job to interact with others to discover what they can do and who they truly are. The problem that some people have with this is that they may be frightened by the stereotype. It is simple to discuss about doing something, but it is difficult to actually persuade it. I feel that others do not interact with those of different ethnic groups or heritages since they do not know if it will result in being positive or negative. These pages are often unread since sometimes a picture says more than words. With this fear, it will be unknown about how people truly are and what their story is to prove the stereotype wrong. Overall, I believe that this Ted Talk resulted in many people thinking about how they have prejudiced others about their Single Story.
In response to Andrea Peel, I understand the viewpoint being only one-sided. That is normally the reason arguments and disagreements occur. When there is no compromise or 'middle ground' reached, it becomes difficult to negotiate. This is the product of only seeing and understanding what you want to, without having understood the other's situation.
DeleteFurthermore, I completely agree with the control that media has on our lives. In Hitler's time, the use of propaganda was so prominent it lead many to believe what he wanted them to. Take into consideration the recent provincial elections, the Liberals were very heavy on 'Attack Ads' meanwhile the PCs had a majority of positive and 'hope' ads. The Attack Ads used by Liberals proved to be more useful in the long run, giving them a majority with the PCs achieving Official Opposition. The Nazi party used a combination of both: promises of a better life as well as blaming the Jews for their current economic situation. People did not mind to learn and educate themselves with more than what they saw which essentially caused them to only know 'The Single Story'. We must be educated well in regards to all matter in order to make informed decisions which will affect our life.
Teresa Raso
ReplyDeleteComing from an Italian background, I was submerged in stereotypes towards other cultures. The older Italian generations isolated themselves and only interacted with other Italians. People were expected to marry an Italian family and keep the traditions and Italian genes everlasting. Now things have changed, my parents for example are not as strict, but there are still traces of stereotypes towards African people or even certain areas that had been dominated by a particular race. One thing I learned today was to not listen to one story, one point of view. It saddens me to see how many people live based on impressions or things they were taught or exposed to as children. We limit ourselves because of stereotypes and “fears” that have been passed down. We subconsciously judge people or places or things based on our narrow knowledge. There may be things we can learn from an African American who lived a normal life just like us, but because of our self pride and sheltered world we won’t get the opportunity to talk to them. Racism is the reason for the Holocaust. When relating these stereotypes back to The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas, we all know that Hitler hated the Jewish race. We may never know exactly why, but to make such a bold action and kill so many innocent people based on one persons attitude or tradition or rude encounter doesn't justify killing a whole race. Hitler didn't know every one of those Jews personally and he doesn't know their story. Don’t judge a book by its cover; listen to its story first.
Elena Ricci
ReplyDeleteI was truly inspired by Chimamanda Adichie’s speech on single stories. I find no matter how hard we try not to, we always judge a book by its cover. Constantly, we find ourselves faced with prejudice and racism and use these issues as a ‘single story’ for people and places. However, this wasn't the case for Bruno, he did not see Shmuel as an evil being like his father but as a boy who many things in common with him. The Ted Talk video taught me that most people find themselves defined by one story; however that is not the case at all. The Germans were defined as brutal but that was not always the circumstance. In Bruno’s life he did not take note to his father and sister’s warnings about the people on the other side of the fence but instead wanted to explore and find out what these people in the stripped pajamas were like for himself.
My response to Elena Ricci is I agree that most people find themselves defined by one story but there are exceptions. Bruno represents the part of society that is open minded and rejects stereotypes. I agree with Elena that Bruno wanted to explore and find out what was on the other side of the fence. Bruno does not remain locked up in his home. His curiosity leads him to find a new route, a new friend and a new awareness. Chimamanda encourages all of us to "grow up" and not to be close-minded but to explore and venture off just like young Bruno does. We should be exposed to a variety of literature so that we can learn and celebrate our "difference". Chimamanda is a great motivator who inspires people to think outside of the box. I find it interesting, and at the same time ironic, that the more we think "differently", the more we realize how "similar" we all are.
DeleteJulia Isgro
ReplyDeleteI think that Chimamanda perfectly said everything that needed to be said on the idea of “Single Stories.” Our world is full of discrimination, segregation, stereotypes and prejudice. The fact that Chimamanda travels all around the world to talk about this is inspiring. She has opened my eyes and made me realize that ‘Single Stories’ really are dangerous. She also made me aware of people having different perspectives about everything, including stories. This made me think about the novel we recently read, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Although told from Bruno’s point of view, the story can be written in so many other ways. Bruno’s father, a German soldier at the time of the Holocaust, portrays a role, from our views, as a ‘bad guy,’ as all the soldiers seemed. Of course we would think they are bad because they killed so many innocent Jewish people, but if we take a second, we realize that the story of the Holocaust has never really been told from the view of one of the soldiers. I think that perspective could possibly change our opinions on the situation. I believe that many of the German men didn't have much option on whether or not they wanted to kill people. The Soldiers were under the command of the Nazi Government and they did not have a choice in what they did. We also see briefly in the movie that Bruno’s grandfather is congratulating Bruno’s father on reaching a higher status as a soldier. At that time, even today, promotions are seen as accomplishments and were accepted by everyone. So in most people’s point of views, becoming a soldier was something to be proud of and killing Jewish people their job. I feel that the novel could be written in so many other ways to get an even better understanding of the event as a whole. Opinions from Bruno’s grandfather, his grandmother, his father, his mother, his sister, his teacher, Shmuel or even Shmuel’s family would open up our knowledge even more.
I am very glad that I watched Chimamanda’s speech on ‘Single Stories.’ It has made me think a bit more ‘outside the box.’
In response to Julia Isgro's written piece, I truly do agree with our surroundings being full of prejudice and separatism. The speaker opened my eyes as well to the simple and overlooked stereotypes that we all make, no matter how small they seem to us. We must learn to see things from both sides and not be blinded by our ignorance. Bruno, in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, was trying to be given a set way to think, yet he found out otherwise that the Jews were not as bad as they were made to be. He crossed the wall of separation to see the commonalities between Germans and Jews, trying to create his own idea in regards to Jews. The speaker tells us to go out with an open mind, not having a set thought which will dictate the way we interact with others.
DeleteThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas truly did provide insight from another point of view, helping us to create a valid and unbiased statement in regards to the Holocaust. Even though everyone's opinions differed in the book, it showed us that even within the Nazi regime there were mixed emotions and sentiments in regards to what they were doing.
Chimamanda’s “The Single Story” is the perfect example of prejudice in society. Learning not to prejudge sometimes takes a dramatic event to truly open one’s eyes like Bruno’s death. Shmuel and Bruno are both from different backgrounds but they both find common ground. The fact that we have many races and religions is a beautiful thing because we can all learn from each other. We all know stereotypes are false but unfortunately there will always be a part of us that uses them against other races. Our ability to judge and assume is something that is taught to us and sometimes has negative consequences. I can relate to Chimamanda because my mom went through the same thing when she immigrated to Canada in high school. At first writing essays in school was difficult for her because of language and she was prejudged because of that. Chimamanda’s experience with Phyllis reminded me of a time last year when I went to India and I prejudged a young girl who was looking after my grandfather’s property. She didn’t have much money and lived with minimal things. It was my fault to judge her and I thought she wouldn’t have any talents. Before my family left, we were invited to visit her home. When I got there I was really surprised when she showed me her paintings and the beautiful artwork she drew. I was actually blown away because her artistic ability was incredible and I was surprised with her talent. She used what minimal supplies she had to make beautiful things and it almost brought tears to my eyes. She gave me one of her best paintings to take home and I am so touched with the simple gesture. No one has ever given me anything that means as much as her present because I knew she made a small sacrifice giving it to me. This how I see the world to be, everyone sharing and being nice to each other. Bruno and Shmuel’s friendship is the best example of coming together and being united with justice and most importantly peace.
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing "The Single Story", I began to think of how much of society is biased, only seeing one side of an argument. This is a result of being told, repeatedly, that there is a right and wrong, specifying which is which. In Nazi Germany, the 'regular' Germans were constantly told about the horrors of the Jews. Such reiterations echoed in the minds of the people until they began to believe what they heard. I believe that it is rather hard to have multiple points of views. Just like the speaker, we hear many different stories, yet they are all surrounding the same point of view and subject (she read many British books, and although different, the overall was the same). In order to be unbiased, we must experience both sides of an argument and note the similarities and differences. The speaker spoke the truth in regards to how 'one-sided' society was and continues to be. Just like she only understood the point of view of the British when she was young (due to only reading British novels), the Germans only understood the point of view of the Nazis in the beginning of the war (since they had elected the Nazi Party to be the new leaders to bring Germany back to glory).
ReplyDeleteIn The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Bruno was only told about the war in the perspective of the Nazis (his dad and his history teacher), yet he discovered the truth of the Jews (how they weren't as evil as everyone tainted them to be) unknowingly. Many times, even if we learn about another story, we will not recognize its truth until it is too late since we had already created a bias long ago. Just like the speaker's roommate found it incomprehensible how she was not a dying and poor African, Bruno discovered that the Jews were not so bad after all.
Alessia Schembri
ReplyDeleteI thought that everything that the speaker in the Ted Talks video said was easy to relate to and played an important part in getting her point across. I understood and agreed with her massage about how nobody has a single story and that it is important not to prejudge somebody or something based on only what u have heard or been told. Using stories from her own experience, she continued to explain how you should not give into stereotypes. Today many people make assumptions based on a single story and because of that many are close-minded and do not experience new things as often as people that do not prejudge and assume.