Making Meaning + Creating Meaning - English - RIP CHADWICK

 Black Panther

Summary;
King T’Challa of Wakanda inherits the throne from his father T’Chaka after his death and faces challenges to keep his kingdom safe. His skill and authority are tested when an ‘outsider’ to Wakanda overthrows T’Challa and takes his label as King. T’Challa has to undergo many hardships to take back his name as King and as Black Panther as well as keeping his family and his people safe.

Key Idea;
I think the key idea of Black Panther is black culture. Throughout many points in the movie, the culture is represented. Wakanda was literally hidden for so long because they were trying to shelter themselves from the rest of the world in order to protect from racism and from their kingdom being overthrown. Taking their vibranium. But T'Challa knew this was wrong, especially after he found out what his father had done. He understood why Erik Killmonger was so furious. This is a link to real life. Erik grew up alone, everything had been taken from him, he was just a child. Alone. Living in a city full of guns, drugs and violence. Towards the end, T'Challa worked to make it right once and for all. He revealed Wakanda to the rest of the world and helped to make parts of America where their brothers and sisters were struggling just because of the colour of their skin. He made sure no more children would have to suffer like Erik.

Chadwick Boseman (T'Challa/Black Panther) passing;
Three days ago, on Friday the 28th of August, Chadwick Boseman passed away due to colon cancer at the age of 43. He had struggled with this horrible disease for four years. He played as a major character in the Marvel series, along with many other movies. Black Panther was one of my all-time favourite superheroes and I will never forget him. I guarantee the world will never forget him. 

Rest In Peace Chadwick Boseman, you legend <3

Gone but never forgotten.

English- Language Techniques

Funeral Blues
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with a muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message 'He is dead'.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song:
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

-W.H Auden
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Language Features/Techniques within Funeral Blues
1. 'Scribbling on the sky'. The sky cannot scribble and neither can the plane so it is a bit of Pathetic Fallacy and Personification. It was used to show how the message was presented to them in the sky. I think it works because it is a great way of writing about the message and giving the sky human qualities. Planes also cannot moan so that is personification.
2. 'The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.' This is a little dramatic, right? A hyperbole. Obviously, you cannot do any of those things and emotions are getting the better of the writer. Wanting to rid the sky of the stars, moon, and sun must be how they are feeling because they may have spent a lot of time with their lost one underneath those three things. I think it works though because it is showing us how lost they are without their lost one and how they think the sun, moon and stars do not matter anymore because the person who died was everything to them.
3. 'He was my North, my South, my East and West, my working week and my Sunday rest, my noon, my midnight, my talk, my song.' That is a lot of 'my's. Repetition. This was probably used to show the readers that he was not everyone's North, South, East or West, he was not everyone's working week, Sunday rest, noon, midnight, talk or song. He was the writer's. I think it works because it shows us that the lost one may not have been everyone else's everything, but he was the writer's everything. By this, I think the person who died, was very very close to them. I would think the writer was the mother, father, sibling, or significant other of the guy who died.

E-asTTle Practice Writing - Persuasive - English

For the past few English lessons, we've been practising our E-asTTle writing skills. Below are some things I could improve to the text I've written.

I am aiming to improve my writing in the following 3 areas: -Organisation: - Structure & Language - Ideas

I will do this by:

Organisation: I need to improve the flow from one paragraph to the next. My paragraphs don't exactly fit together nicely, I just changed the idea for each paragraph. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I just need to find a way to improve. Structure & Language: I don't think I did too bad on this one, except I could probably throw a few more rhetorical questions in there, also express my opinion a little more so the topic of the text is clearly shown many times throughout the writing.

Ideas: Towards the end, I think it related to the wider world and my ideas had been elaborated on. But, the relation to the wider world isn't very strong and could be a little more sturdy. My ideas weren't very philosophical, so I should improve this too.

Changes:

Scientists Should Not Be Allowed To Test Drugs, Chemicals, Or Cosmetics On Animals

Firstly, I unmistakably agree with the question. Animals should not be used as test subjects. People argue that animals should be used for product testing because how else would we know if the product could injure us? And then there are others who disagree with these people and think animals should not be test subjects. Do you think scientists should be allowed to carry out these experiments?

I, of course, think they shouldn't. There are various different animals used for scientific, chemical, cosmetic, and drug products/research such as; fish, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, and more. They use animals because they’re not considered ‘human’ and can’t talk back to refuse. This is also a reason why people think animals should not be used for testing- because of the fact they can’t talk and defend themselves.

That reason specifically is why I think animals should not be used for tests. They can’t defend themselves from the pain scientists cause. Just because they are not human, it doesn’t eliminate their sensations of pain. When they are tested, they’re put in harm's way. The products used on the animals could very well be (and usually is) toxic or lethal. Here’s a frightful fact; did you know over 100 million animals are crippled, abused, poisoned and killed in US labs alone each year?

Aside from the obvious abuse, another reason, 92% of most drugs tested safe on the animals are not always safe for humans considering our different DNA. While they were perfecting the ‘safe’ product, I’m sure many animals perished for no reason because, in the end, we can’t even use the product. 

I don’t think animals should be used as test subjects anymore. It could cause a lot of species to become extinct. Before we know it, animals won’t inhabit earth anymore and there’ll be only us. We need animals more than they need us, so we should start treating them with respect instead of sickening lab experiments. So, what do you think?

(Key: Unchanged text: This Changed text: This)

Essay Planning Continued - CoBaB (Children of Blood and Bone)

Essay Planning 

The incident of the festival helped me to understand the idea that violence is wrong and ineffective (in most cases) because usually, it doesn't help the situation at all- it only makes the situation worse. We see this when the narrator writes, 'Please-" Zu steps forward. "Don't move!" the commander shouts back, pulling out his sword. "Search us if you must," Zu responds. "We will agree to an examination. But please, lower your weapons." She raises her hands in surrender. "I don't want anyone to get hur-" It happens so fast. Too fast. One moment Zu stands. The next, an arrow pierces through her gut.'

For absolutely no reason- they shot an arrow through Zulaikha's stomach for no reason at all. She was raising her arms in surrender, she was just a child, what could a girl of her age do to an army of fully grown adults armed with many weapons. Even her magic couldn't do much harm. They didn't stop there either. The continued to slaughter men, women, and children. War was caused by the guard's hands'- a war that didn't need to take place. A war the guards could've prevented.

Furthermore, the incident of the festival helped me to understand the idea that violence is wrong and ineffective (in most cases) because it is! It is so wrong, so many people died and so many people were angered. We see this when the narrator writes, 'He punches his fist forward. Streams of fire crash through the settlement in smouldering waves. The flames incinerate everything in their path, blazing through the guards, destroying the camp. The stench of burning flesh fills the air, mixed with the scent of blood. Death strikes so quickly, soldiers don't even have a chance to scream.'

Kwame was so angered at the fact that so many of his people were murdered by the guards. He used blood magic to try to stop them but his sacrifice only stalled the massacre and Zélie was still taken.

English - Children of Blood and Bone - Most Important

What is going to be my 'key event'?
My key event is going to be the solstice, we think the solstice is what the story was building up to and what was going to determine whether or not magic could be brought back so therefore, the solstice is the most important event in our opinion.

Who is going to be my 'important character'?
My important character is going to be Amari. We chose her because we think she was the one who had the most drastic change and who would be the best to study.

What are 3 ways the character changed as a result of this event?
My character changed from being weak to strong.
My character changed from being a kosidán to maji.
My character changed from being vulnerable and scared to accepting her inner Lionaire.

The Power of One Essay (Reflection)

The Power of One Essay

In the film ‘The Power of One’ directed by ‘John Avildsen’ there was a scene where Peekay and Gideon Duma were running through the ‘slums’ discussing the terms of starting a new school. A lot of techniques were used in this scene, and I’ve picked up on a few. Non-Diegetic music/sounds, dialogue, and a tracking shot. Non-Diegetic music is the music/sound effects added to the scene (after it has been filmed) during editing. So when filming the scene, the actors couldn’t actually hear it. Dialogue is when the actors are talking (speech). And a tracking shot/Dolly shot is when the camera moves alongside the subject, following it/them. It might be set up on a camera dolly making it a Dolly shot. It is set up onto the Dolly and placed on rails, sort of like a railroad track. And then the cameraman pushes it down the track by hand or (usually) with a sort of ‘remote control’. These techniques are used to affect the audience, showing a great impact. 

Sound is an important technique which affects the audience quite a lot. If there was no music- it would be quite a boring movie. At first, upbeat music played and then faded into the background, taken over by quiet humming. This is called Non-Diegetic music. From what sounded like a flute, it gave the first part of the scene quite a light, happy feel to it- definitely making the audience feel captivated. The sound was combined with the Africans humming, and very light drumming, possibly conga drums. 

Dialogue is even more important than the sound. Without dialogue, the movie would still be very boring! Gideon and Peekay were walking past Gideon’s fiancé just before they began their run. Once they were running, Peekay made a comment saying, ’what’s the queue for?’ And Gideon proceeded to say, ‘the toilet, the government allows only one for every two hundred people.’ This fact shows how bad the black population was treated, and how desperate they were for more of the important essentials. Soon after, Gideon brought up another fact. ‘The law says only two percent of us can go to school, and you know what you learn there? Enough bloody Africans to be maids, street sweepers, or mine slaves. We can’t even read the bloody Apartheid signs to tell us where we aren’t allowed to go.’ And that is another reason why Gideon wants to start a new school. To teach not only children to read and write, but adults too. Another form of dialogue shown in the scene is singing. We saw Africans singing and digging with pickaxes. And before that, we heard the background chatter of extras.

And last but not least, a tracking shot. This shot was shown when Peekay and Gideon ran past the men digging with pickaxes. The camera followed them down the street and then turned off to the side once they finished their run. A Dolly shot is the same as a tracking shot because a dolly is used to film the scene. A tracking shot is filmed with a dolly too. It runs along the track and doesn’t leave the subject’s side until the shot is complete. Sure, the subject can move around a lot and even dance if they feel the need, but the camera stays in one place (more or less).  

Overall, The Power of One is a great movie, and the storyline is written very well. Already in that single scene, we’re given a lot of information about the poor lifestyle the ‘blacks’ had to go through back then, and a little insight of what not only people in Africa still live like, but people in other countries too. In my opinion, I think that Peekay is kind of a hero. Even though he’s been through hell and back- after losing his father, his mother, his best friend Masi Bindi, Geel Piet, Maria, and nanny and Tonderai leaving for Southern Rhodesia, he still carried on and helped start a school with Gideon to make life a little easier for others.


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- What am I proud of?
- What can I do to improve for next time?
- What is one thing I enjoyed learning about this film?
- What is one thing I found challenging about learning about this film?
- What is one thing I found useful/I will use next time I write an essay?
- What is one thing I am wondering about regarding Visual Texts?
____________________________________________________________

I am proud that I finished my essay. I know I could have changed a few things to improve it because I think I could have done a lot better, but I'm proud I actually completed it on time. I think to improve more in the next essay I should work on it more at home. I did for this one but not as much as I could have. Something I enjoyed learning about this film is how many film techniques are actually in the movie. I never really notice the film techniques because that's not what I pay attention to while watching films, but it's amazing how many there really are. Something I found challenging was getting an idea of what I was going to write for each paragraph. For the introduction, the body paragraphs and conclusion, I found it challenging to begin writing. But once I started writing and going with the flow of it, it was easier. I think Grammarly helped a lot, it was really useful. I usually write with Grammarly on personal pieces of writing and using it to help write my essay was helpful too. Not only Grammarly but the GOLDEN, TAKO, and SEXXY tips helped too. One thing I'm wondering is if I'll remember to use these tips on writing in another essay or if I'll forget.

English - Children of Blood and Bone

In English, we're reading a book named Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. On this blog post, I will be adding a blurb from a chapter in the book and adding a little blurb by me on 'a message I take from this scene,' or 'this could be compared to.'

A message I take from this scene is that people have it a lot better than others. Some live in palaces with unlimited gold and jewels, they have food at their fingertips, they have expensive clothing, a roof over their head to protect them from harsh weather. And others live on the street or in a house in such poor condition it's a wonder it's still standing. They don't have enough money for food and water let alone clothes that cover them and keep them warm. The clothes they do have are tattered. Others have it so much better than some and are still unaware of how bad people have it and how lucky they are to have such luxuries.

This could be compared to mirages in real life. Have you ever been travelling down a long road on a blistering hot day and you look into the distance and the road looks like it's covered in water? But when you travel past the area the 'water' was in, there was none? That's because there was no water. It was just heatwaves hovering in the distance. This is known as an illusion (a.k.a, a mirage). A mirage is what Zélie thought she was seeing. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her and maybe the water wasn't truly there. But in this case- it wasn't an illusion, they really were wasting all of that water. If you're ever in a wide-open space on a hot day, look into the far distance and you might see the illusion too.

A message I received from this scene is that you should always tell the truth. Even if the truth is ugly, you should always be honest. If the truth is hidden longer than it should have, it will hurt others a lot more than if you spoke up earlier. The earlier the truth, the less damage caused.

 A message I received from this scene is that you should always be strong. No matter what, if you're going through a hard time, or if you think you can't handle it anymore, you should just be strong. Find something that will encourage your strength to keep moving forward. A person maybe. When you're feeling like you couldn't possibly go on, think of that person or what they said and use it as your weapon. Be strong. Be brave.

This could be compared to the series 'The Hunger Games.' This chapter was full of violence and gore just like The Hunger Games usually is. It's a game people play to win and no one really pays any mind to all of those who have been slaughtered. The game will end with a winner but the deaths of people who were butchered are not something to celebrate, especially not with the way they died.

A message I take from this scene is that people are not always what they seem. One moment, Inan will be a ruthless killer and the next he'll be a loving, guilty brother. It leaves us to wonder who he truly is. Is he really who he says he is or is it all just a facade? He is only doing what he's doing because his father has told him to. All his life he's been his father's puppet and done everything he's been told to do. But if his father didn't control his thoughts or put false facts in his mind, making him believe magic and maji are bad, would he be a different person all together? A kind, caring person like his sister?

A message I take from this scene is that there are different kinds of bravery and strength. Some people believe being brave is taking on a battle against your worst enemy with only a sword and shield with the mindset of a soldier. Others believe being brave is just doing everyday things. Speaking in front of a crowd, asking a question in class, talking to someone new. Bravery comes in all people no matter who you are.

A question everyone should ask- do people deserve second chances? Does Inan deserve a second chance? In my opinion, yes, he does. It depends on who the person is and what they have done on whether they deserve a second chance. I think Inan does. His whole life, his father has put false facts in his head about maji and magic and he thinks it is bad. Just now, he has realised how wrong his father is and how all of the things he has done under his father's hand is wrong. He has done horrible things, really horrible things, but those things were done by his dad through him. He's just a puppet and his father is pulling the strings. I think they should take a chance on him, trust him and they might find the good in him, deep down inside.

A message I take from this scene is that you should never stop trying. Never give up- never give up hope. Zulaikha brought together diviners from all over Orisha in one moon. That's not a very long time, and considering Zu is so young, she's created something that would usually take others years to build. She kept at it, kept trying to keep her culture and history going for years to come. She not only helped the diviners, but she also helped Zelie, Tzain, Amari, and Inan by bringing diviners together so they can bring magic back before the solstice. She's helped so much and healed so many people, she's never stopped trying. She's never stopped helping

.

Zu! She didn't deserve this. She's only thirteen-years-old, she was taken years too soon. A message I take from this scene is that you should never ever take people for granted. Never. No matter who they are, what they do, what they stand for, never take them for granted. Because one day they could be here... the next they might not.

I compare King Saran to a tiger. He's stubborn, aggressive, easily irritated. When he 'bared his teeth' it reminded me of a big cat. He's confidently scary, people cower in fear like an antelope to a tiger. Not only that but the first line- "you know what intrigues me about your kind? You always start in the middle of the story." Most stories like this one are only shown by the protagonists' point of view, you don't know what really happened because people jump to conclusions and class people as good and bad before knowing the full story. 

This could be compared to the movie The Power of One. The guards had no respect for the prisoners whatsoever just because they had a different skin tone. In this book, King Saran has no respect for the maji because of their magic. Because of what they can do. How powerful they really are. I think he's scared that they'll overthrow him. After all that he's done, all of the destruction he's caused, they'll want to. He's tried so hard to eliminate magic from Orisha, to eliminate maji. Even if they don't have access to their magic he'll still slaughter them. Because of this, a LOT of people want him to fall from his throne... and I think some would go to great extents just to do so. People like Zelie, Tzain, and even his own children.

I feel like this is wrong, really wrong. You should listen to your parents but not to this extent. King Saran is controlling his son's life. Because his life wasn't the way he wanted it, he's now forcing his son to live the life he wanted to. He's chosen duty before self but that doesn't mean Inan has to as well. He doesn't need to be king if he doesn't choose to. 

This could be compared to when Zélie was a 'shell'. When King Saran tortured her, she became an empty shell. Inan has spent too much time around Saran and now he's just a shell too. Saran is doing nothing but ruining everything. Inan does not have to do this. He has a choice. He doesn't have to listen to his heinous father, he's his own person, he's the future king of Orisha. He's the king's son, he doesn't have to bow down to him. He had a choice to either kill or spare the maji- to spare Zélie and the others, and he chose the latter. Right now, he has the choice to join Zélie and her army or continue betraying them. So the question is- is Saran's order stronger than Inan's love for Zélie?

Individual SEXXY Paragraph - English - The Power Of One

I created a SEXXY Paragraph about The Power Of One with Nia, and now I've done one on my own (below) based on the scene of Geel Piet and Sergeant Bormann.

In this scene, we see Sargeant Bormann holding Geel Piet against the wall by the neck with his baton. Sargeant Bormann had been suspicious of Geel Piet for a while and that night was the night he made a move. The director used a close-up shot to show how intense and important the scene was. He used a close-up shot, very cleverly may I add, for the sole purpose to keep the audience on their seats- to wonder what will happen to poor Geel Piet next. It made us feel sad and frustrated at the fact Geel Piet was being beaten up just because Sergeant Bormann wanted information about what the prisoners were really singing about. This shot can be juxtaposed to the scene where Geel Piet and young PK are introducing themselves to each other.



Here's The Power Of One movie! Feel free to watch it;

Power Of One - SEXXY Paragraph - English

For the past few weeks in English, we've been learning how to write SEXXY paragraphs. S-statement, E-example, X-explain the director's purpose, X-explain the effect, Y- your link. Nia and I created one, and here (below) I've posted it. 

In this prison scene, the director uses this long shot effectively to capture the nature of the scene which is fear. We see the guard (Sergeant Bormann) holding his baton, PK, Geel Piet, Doc, and some prisoners. The aspect of this long shot has an effect of suspicion and possible violence in the next scene. This long shot of the prison can be juxtaposed to the scene showing Maria's father's house. The difference between the slums and the mansion is very drastic.