I-Search questions and sources

Main question:

Why are people of all ages afraid of the dark?

Sub-questions:

°What's in the dark that make people so afraid?

°What creates the fear, is it myths or is it intuition? 

°Is the fear of the dark psychological or biological? 

Sources: 

http://www.ted.com/conversations/6848/what_s_with_the_fear_of_darkne.html

http://phobias.about.com/od/phobiaslist/a/nyctophobia.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/29/fear-of-the-dark_n_1840014.html

Persistent fear and anxiety can affect young children's learning development by Harvard university 

I-Search topic

For my I-Search paper I want to focus on the mentality of a child. Why are children afraid of the dark? What makes a child fear the dark? I want to do this because it will be interesting to find out why children are so gullible about scary stories about the dark and why they get this way. Everyone has a fear of something but a child's number one fear is the dark. I wonder what they think is in the dark? It's just a place with no lighting. I remember I was afraid of the dark when I was little but I don't remember why. This is why I want to do this topic on my I-Search paper.

The reasons why Spiegelman drew mice as Jews.

Spiegelman portrays the Jews in "Maus" as mice because of Jews were thought to be, "vermin of mankind." This dehumanizing quote was one of the many important reasons why Spiegelman chose to depict Jews as mice. During the Holocaust Jews were emotionally smaller than the Germans and Polish. This mean the Jews were weaker and had a better chance on not surviving like mice. Once spotted they must be killed at once this is the similarity that is shared between the Jews and mice.  He wanted to equalize both the German and Jew's biological ways but not power. So that's why he made the cats the same size as the mice, he did this so the metaphor was not as noticeable. Dehumanization was a big part of helping Spiegelman's character development during the process of "Maus." He explains that in Auschwitz the Nazis used pesticide made to kill mice in the gas chambers. The ideas of Jews were toxic and many people beloved Jews carried diseases like mice. Those are the main points way Spiegelman chose to draw mice as Jews. 

Analysis of "Prisoner on the Hell Planet."

In Art's old comic "Prisoner on the hell planet," he wrote about his mothers suicide and what that did to his mind. His mother did not leave a note or anything. No one knows why she killed herself but Artie has an idea. Art draws himself as a prisoner because he felt like he has done a crime. He believes his mom killed himself because of him. He is incarcerated figuratively in his thoughts of guilt.  This comic is different from "Maus" because of the drawing style, it is more dark and depressing. It seems more cluttered because of all the thoughts Artie has about his mom's suicide. In "Maus" the comic strip is not as terrifying as the "Prisoner on the hell planet" comic strip.  This comic is also different from "Maus" because we get to see more of Anja's personality. The reader can tell that she is very sensitive and is so depressed that she is in the verge of suicide. The reason why she is depressed is because she feels like she not involved with her family and feels like her son doesn't love her back. Artie gave her the cold shoulder when she asked him if he still loves her. She feels rejected and not wanted. She couldn't survive with out love and kindness, that's probably what brought her up through the hard times in the Holocaust. The reader will never no entirely what Anja's personality was like since Vladek murdered her personality by never finding her diaries.

This comic is the only piece of art Vladek has read that Artie created.  But why didn't he read other pieces of Artie's works? Vladek is never putting that terrible behind him. He can forget about parts of the Holocaust but he will never forget Anja's death.

Maus chapter one prologue

During the short prologue Artie falls and breaks his roller skates and his friends leave him behind. He tells this to his father but his father basically says Artie's friends are not real friends. "If you lock them together in a room with no food for a week, then you could see what it is, friends" (6)! Artie's "friends" are not true friends because they left him behind and didn't help him through his suffering. The author probably includes that situation in the beginning of the story because he wants the reader to know that this comic book will be about the Holocaust. During the Holocaust it took bravery and friendship to get through it all. If a Jew who is incarcerated and finds a crum or something to eat he or she will share it with his or her friends. This is the meaning of friendship which is sharing and sharing can save a life. This prologue has a greater meaning and message than the reader might think it has.

The danger of a single story response.

I do not have a single story towards other people but I know some people have a single story towards me. I agree with Chimamanda Adichie, single stories do create stereo types and "robs people of dignity. This makes us as people difficult to accept and understand equal humanity. When people figure out my last name they place a single story on me. Just because my last name is Walgreen people think I'm a typical rich snobby person who is up tight. When they get to know me that is not the case. People at LFA think that the clothing that people choose to wear matches their personality. This is dehumanizing. I will admit that I did have a single story towards people that I didn't know and assumed things. People never know that I am half Mexican just because I have blue eyes and blonde hair. The stereotype they put on me is, "oh, she's Swedish." Once people figure out they created another single story.

America does have a single story. Countries that don't have enough think America is the land of opportunity, which it is but some Americans are not accepting as others. Mexicans who come to America are trying to find work for a living to make their lives better. I have no problem with this but some Americans have a huge problem with this. Americans think that the Mexicans are taking "our" jobs away and that is the main cause of our downsizing economy. The real reason the Mexicans are getting jobs more than some Americans is because some Americans are too lazy to even try to get a job. They blame the hard working Mexicans for their laziness. Countries that have more than us think that we Americans are uneducated and ignorant. When I foreigner describes America the word they mostly use is Redneck. Foreigners think that all Americans are southerners. We are not. America is made up of many different cultures and races. Stories are supposed to help empower and humanize not dehumanize. Once we reach that level of zero single stories people will regain a "new type of paradise."

Civil Peace

      In the short story "Civil Peace" the author, Chinua Achebe is sending out a message to the reader with this quote. "Nothing puzzles God." Achebe mentions this quote about four times in the story. It's an oblivious important motif. Nothing puzzles God because he understands the "Happy survival" the people in story have to go through after the Nigerian Civil War. Life means so much to the protagonist, Jonathan Iwegbu. It didnt matter to him that he was poor, if he made it alive for a day he was satisfied with a meaningful life.

     Good things happen to the family when Achebe mentions "nothing puzzles God," like when his payment came in it felt like "Christmas" to him. Also when this quote appears Johnathan finds the families bike and their home is still up even from the damage of the war. All the miracles that Jonathan and his family go through is an example of the values of life. 

     While analyzing the short story I saw symbolism. Jonathan's family helps pitch in what ever they can to rebuild the family. Like his wife making him goods to sell and his children picking mangoes this is symbolism of the country. Nigeria is helping out each other so they can get through and rebuild the country from the damage done because of the Civil war. When the poor thieves  came to Jonathan's house they asked for money. Jonathan had a choice to give the thieves all his money or have his house blown to pieces. He decides to give them his money because he remembered he was fine before without it. He keeps rebuilding his life and has a positive view. 

     Achebe is telling the reader that no matter what comes your way keep going because there is a another day to experience life.