Comments on My Friends' Journals

Article Reflections;

http://bayraktarayla.blogspot.com/2013/04/article-reflection-good-friends-in.html?showComment=1370858737786#c2059584639679633240

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Free Journals;

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Third Journal of Second Term

     In this journal I want to talk about “the Raven”, the most important poem by Edgar Allan Poe, through stating some significant points of its content and mentioning its place in popular culture.

      It is a narrative poem which is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven’s visit to a distraught lover who is mourning for the loss of his beloved, Lenore. The death, especially the death of the lover is an important figure of Dark Romanticism which considers the natural world as dark, decaying and mysterious. According to the followers of this subgenre, when the natural world reveals the truth to the man, its revelations are evil. Edgar Allan Poe frequently used the figure the death of a beautiful woman in his works. It is suggested that he used this figure because of his loss of women throughout his life. Firstly, his own mother died then, he lost his foster mother did. Finally, he lost his wife at an early age. Inevitably, all of these sorrowful events had influenced Poe’s style.

      

     In this picture, you see the illustration of the poem by Gustave Dore. The raven is sitting on a bust of Athena. According to Poe’s sequential essay “The Philosophy of Composition”, it means to imply the narrator, the protagonist, is a scholar that the raven sits on the bust of Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
     Additionally, we can say that the raven represents a connection between the conscious and the subconscious of the narrator. He thinks that the raven brings him word of Lenore, in other words word of the other world, so he asks questions to it continuously about her. However, the respond of the raven is always the same: Nevermore. This constant respond of it instigates his distress until the end of the poem.

In Popular Culture

The Raven has been frequently referenced and parodied in contemporary culture. Immediately after its publication in 1845, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Moreover, some consider it the best poem ever written. Still, the modern references to the poem continue to appear in popular culture. For example, The Alan Parsons Project’s album called “Tales of Mystery and Imagination” includes a song based on “The Raven” and entitled the same.

     As another example, the poem was parodied in the TV series “The Simpsons”. In its episode called “Treehouse of Horror”, it is animated in a funny way. Homer Simpson serves as the protagonist, and Bart Simpson takes the raven’s form.

     Lastly, the movie “The Raven” came out last year. It is fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life. In the movie, Poe and Detective Fields pursue a serial killer whose murders mirror those in Edgar Allan Poe‘s stories. While the plot of the movie is fictional, the writer based it on some accounts of real situations surrounding Poe’s mysterious death.
     To sum up, whenever I read “The Raven”, I realize that it deserves this appreciation. I think it is the one of the literary milestones of its time.

Second Article Reflection of Second Term

       In the article titled "Supersize Me", the writer argues whether overweight people should be blamed for their size or not and states that the real culprit is the so-called “obesogenic” environment to cause an upsurge in obesity at early ages. I totally agree with her because I believe that attitudes of families and negative conditions provided by environment are most triggering factors causing obesity. For instance, I was an obese patient during my childhood and these factors had influenced weight gain in my body until I became conscious and began to lose weight healthy. Firstly, the more generously parents exhibit attitude about nutritional habits of their children, the more inevitably children become prone to obesity. They are encouraged by parents saying always “unless you eat, you cannot thrive”, then contract obesity even at early ages. For example, when I was three my grandmother made me to eat fatty foods and sweets persistently because she thought that I was so feeble. However, I became chowhound in time and suffered from obesity. Unfortunately, I was blamed for being overweight by other people during my childhood. Like me, almost all “chubby” kids are obliged to pay for their excess weight mercilessly. In order to avoid this damaging situation for mental health of children, parents should be more sensitive about the issue. Secondly, the “obesogenic” environment makes obesity inescapable nowadays. It becomes more effective owing to easy availability of calorie-dense foods and inadequate implementations of government about the issue. As the writer states, modern-day families prefer convenience foods and restaurants use more high-calorie food products and present menus with bigger portions. This type of unhealthy diet through taking the easy way out causes uncontrolled weight gain, which creates unhealthy generations. When it comes to governments, they always try to take precautions in order to head the raise of obesity off. For example, the Turkish government recently has proposed a tax boost on fast food prices to decrease the fast food consumption. I think that such implementations have no deterrent effect on the issue and are not exact solution. Even if prices increase, some people will continue to eat hamburger or pizza, of course. Governments should find more permanent and effective ways to provide entire public health. To sum up, when obesity is perceived as a serious problem, the underlying causes such as attitude of parents and unfavorable effects of environment should be consider. We never can get rid of the disease just ignoring treatable conditions and blaming overweight people for their size.  

Second Journal of Second Term

      In this journal, I want to talk about “The Lottery”, one of my favorite short stories which I met last semester, and handle it in terms of the context and the meaning. In “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson tells about a small village where only about 300 people live and these people’s annual ritual known as “the lottery”. I think that she builds a plot in a bewildering and complex way and gives impressive messages thanks to this exaggerated story. First of all, she shapes the story so unexpectedly that it must be read more than once in order to be totally comprehended. For example, in the beginning of the story, she starts with a description of the wonderful weather and how the people interact, which is like any other small town where everyone is friendly with one another by using a happy tone, making it impossible for us to guess the horrible ending. In addition, she mentions “the lottery” which means one’s fortune of winning a prize throughout the story; however, in the end, it is understood that “the lottery” means a cruel tradition carried on by determining someone to sacrifice for a good harvest from cultivating corn. We can infer the aim of ritual from the old proverb stated in the story “Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon”. Secondly, in my opinion, she mainly aims to draw readers’ attention to our indifference to the violence in our lives by emphasizing on blind rituals of mankind with such an exaggerated story. In addition, I think that she refers to the patriarchal life patterns of existing societies by mentioning a conservative and men-oriented community and probably implies that this situation causes most of social unfairness. To sum up, I find “The Lottery” both astonishing because of its unexpected plot and raising awareness because of treating of the writer by giving impressive messages.

First Article Reflection of Second Term

      In the article titled “At Home with Mamma”, the writer states that many young Italian men has the pleasure of living with their mothers, even at the age of thirties, and shows economic and personal reasons for the situation. While I was reading the article, I likened the Italian men’s lives to Turkish men’s. Firstly, both of them have similar attitudes about the issue living with mommy. Almost all Turkish men live at home until they have to go to another city because of university education or military service. After a short break, most of them come home and continue to live with their mothers. The ones who do not have career goals independently from their families choose this home-loving life style because of the financial comfort. They do not cover the cost on their own and, whenever they need, can take the financial support from their families as far as possible. Moreover, they do not have to be destitute of homemade food off mommy’s hands. Since living at family home is a part of the customs of Anatolia’s many regions, it does not seem awkward and is totally reacted normally. Even if men get married, they and their wives might continue to live with their families, which is a rooted custom in most parts of Turkey, again.

         

      Secondly, the situation of “gelin-kaynana” conflict is the same in the Turkish families. Men become the meat in the sandwich because of the deep affection of mothers which makes wives feel in second place, as in Italy. The husband does not want to hurt the feelings of his mother and expects sympathy from his wife whereas the wife is fed up with interfering behaviors and suffocating attention of her mother-in-law and begins to lose patience. Inevitably, all these conflicts cause the end of the happy marriage of couples. In other words, even if living with mammas means comfort and safety to men initially, it might be the main reason of unexpected problems in their lives afterwards. To sum up, this story, which Italian men cannot fly the nest, includes both reasonable causes and undesired results, and everybody may be familiar with this double-edged sword, especially in Turkey.

First Journal of Second Term

       In this journal, I will introduce you the film “Iron Jawed Angels”. I chose this American drama because of its historical and real life topic and effective scenes displaying what happened in those days.

       Firstly, about its topic, the film tells how American women get the right to vote by focusing on the effect of feminist-political activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns on women’s suffrage movement during 1910s. Especially, the fact that the plot is cited from a real historical event makes the film much more interesting and worth to see. The film begins as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns return from England, where they participated in the women's suffrage movement. Once the pair becomes more active within the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), they begin to understand that their ideas were much too forceful for the established activists, particularly Carrie Chapman Catt. The pair leaves NAWSA and found the National Women's Party (NWP), a better way to fight for women's rights. Over time, problems occur as NAWSA leaders criticize NWP tactics, such as protesting against wartime President Woodrow Wilson and picketing outside the White House with "Silent Sentinels." Male supremacists famously (and infamously) label the women "iron-jawed angels"*. Relations between the American government and the NWP protesters also intensify, as many women are arrested for their actions, though the official charge is "obstructing traffic." The women are sent to the Occoquan Workhouse for 60-day terms where they suffer under unsanitary and inhumane conditions. During this time, Paul and other women undertake a hunger strike, during which paid guards force-feed them milk and raw eggs. News of their treatment leaks to the media through the husband of one of the imprisoned women, a U.S. Senator, who has been able to lobby for a visit (the suffragists are otherwise unable to see visitors or lawyers) by putting a letter in his shirt. Pressure is put on President Wilson as the NAWSA seizes the opportunity to try for the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution.
         Secondly, several scenes of the film really affected me. For example force feeding scene and its background music made me cry while watching. Aside from this, it is my favorite scene in which Alice wants warders to open the windows, but she is refused. Then she flings her boot against the window. I think it is a great expression of rebellion.

       In conclusion, this film not only tells women’s struggle and their acquisition of the right to vote but also points that women do not have to bow to the pressures and should break the sociopolitical taboos. In my opinion, it is one of the must-see movies in order to understand the link between persistence and achievement.

* The film derives its title from Massachusetts Representative Joseph Walsh, who in 1917 opposed the creation of a committee to deal with women's suffrage. Walsh thought the creation of a committee would be yielding to "the nagging of iron-jawed angels" and referred to the Silent Sentinels as "bewildered, deluded creatures with short skirts and short hair."

REVISED FORM OF MY JOURNAL 3

A university should have two main characteristics to be an “ideal” university. Firstly, an ideal university should provide the conditions supporting by free thoughts for students in order to improve themselves in the academic manner. In other words, university education must involve all the necessary information and methods which enhance and contribute to students’ qualities for their future business or academic studies. Also, thanks to the environment of free thoughts, students, as being individuals, have the ability of self-expression throughout their lives. This brings them self-confidence while giving a speech or interviewing for a job. Secondly, an ideal university has to have facilities which enable students to reinforce their social skills. Social clubs are the most common ones of these, i.e., sport clubs and student societies. When these characteristics are considered, METU has both academic and social ones. For example, with the METU Library’s advanced written sources, anyone can reach any information in various areas and can enhance her/his academic achievement constantly. Also, its academic staff has an important role in the quality of METU. Thanks to the instructors’ advanced knowledge about their fields and effective methods, students can fill their deficiency of knowledge by questioning and investigating with the academic help about any subject and receive perfect education consequently. About the social facilities at METU, the student societies and groups organize various cultural, sports and art events like concerts, exhibitions, performances and conferences every year. Furthermore, METU has a great number and variety of student clubs-societies, sports clubs and sports teams which provide students with the opportunity to improve themselves in any of these. To sum up, METU is the most suitable one according to the criteria that I have set for an ideal university and studying at this university will be the best investment to my future undoubtedly.

REVISED FORM OF MY JOURNAL 2

In my opinion, being a student at METU means to have a lot of educational and social opportunities which most universities in our country can not provide. However, even METU doesn’t have total perfection. There are three challenges I face in METU life. Firstly, at some hours occupancy of shuttles increases so that campus transportation becomes useless. This situation may cause being late for classes. However, if I am not in a hurry to get to class, I mostly prefer walking. METU has a lot of pathways and shortcuts among beautiful woods to walk with pleasure. Secondly, “Cafeteria” is closed at weekend. I am sure I’m not the only one to have this problem and I think it should be opened everyday because prices in other cafes and restaurants generally are not suitable for most students. And the last challenge for me is fierce dogs at METU. Once while I walking through A1’s way with my boyfriend at about 11 pm, then five dogs appeared suddenly, and jumped us. Fortunately a couple drove through and picked up us and saved our lives. I don’t know how I can cope with this challenge but it is really irritating. Of course, METU has not only these difficulties but also advantageous aspects. One of these aspects is that we can be informed about cultural and art activities organized in Ankara early. Also, we have those which are organized at METU. In addition to these cultural and art activities, we also have a chance to participate in scientific conferences at the CCC (Cultural and Convention Center). Lastly, the other advantage is that we have the opportunity to obtain information in various areas with advanced written sources of the METU Library. To sum up, METU is both academically and socially the most advanced university in Turkey despite its challenges.

JOURNAL 7 (video reflection-II)

UNEMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH

        Unemployment mostly affects health status of an individual psychologically and physically. Firstly, being unable to earn enough money to meet basic needs has negative effects on psychology of individuals. For example, they may have some disorders such as loss of self-esteem, anxiety and mental stress, which leads to depression. According to the researches, having low or no self-esteem, which means losing self-reliance and ignoring one’s own worth, feeling insignificant, has much stronger effect on being prone to depression than the other causes. In addition, as a result of psychological exhaustion, increase in ratio of suicide is seen inevitably. For example, according to a study conducted by Dr. M. Brenner in 1979, for every 10% increase in the number of unemployed there are 1.7% more suicides. This situation shows that the more people struggle with unemployment, the more suicidal they become. Secondly, unemployment also has negative impacts on physical health of individuals, which includes malnutrition and diseases resulting from stress. As a result of unemployment, people cannot purchase sufficient amount of nutritious food such as milk, meat, poultry and fruit because of high prices. In other words, unemployed individuals cannot keep balanced diet with certain nutrients, so they suffer from malnutrition and even various diseases such as protein, vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies, especially vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, throughout their lives. In addition to the disorders resulting from inadequate nutrition, these people may struggle with diseases triggered by stress. In other words, our bodies respond by means of dysfunctions to being under psychological pressure. Cardiovascular diseases and gastrointestinal disorders can exemplify these kind of diseases. In conclusion, unemployment and job-loss stress have detrimental effects on individuals’ state of health, which triggers psychological disorders and various diseases in the long term.

This video is from an American television program, "The Early Show". In this part, link between long-term employment and stress subject is discussed through contributions about issue of Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Hartstein. I chose this video because it not only addresses health problems arising from unemployment as I mentioned before but also emphasizes that relationships are impacted due to being jobless for a long time. In the video, this situation is veryfied by means of an interview and results of some surveys. Bill Siegel, unemployed since 2008, is interviewed about his divorcement and his financial problems. I think that his story is a striking example for the discussed subject. Furthermore, throughout the program, a lot of surveys and researches conducted in USA and their results are mentioned through percentages, which develops the content of the issue. In conclusion, in my opinion, the video has to be watched to have information about the impact of unemployment on health and social status because it enlightens the subject with scientific data and research results in an informative way.

MY COMMENTS ON FOUR JOURNALS OF MY FRIENDS

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http://emel3celik.blogspot.com/2012/12/la-befana.html#comment-form

http://bayraktarayla.blogspot.com/2012/12/food-products-kerebic-kerebic-is.html?showComment=1358703762599#c8228479804464611290

http://halealbayrak.blogspot.com/2013/01/video-reflection-2.html?showComment=1358706354880#c3636031063415743850