The Character development In Sword art Online is bad

 

Why Sword Art Online Has a Bad Character DevelopmentBy: Amari Dixon

So, Have you ever heard of an anime called Sword Art online? If you have any questions, let me give you a quick summary of this show. This anime is about a Person named Kirito and his friend Asuna. In this anime, Kirito, Asuna, and many other characters get stuck in a video game where they have to clear floors and get to the 100th floor to "beat" the game and go home. The reason why Kirito is super special is because he is a beta tester which means he has played the game before anyone else and was able to get some knowledge about the game. In addition, If you die in the game, you die in real life. This short anime is about the main protagonist trying to return home.

Before discussing character development, I want to discuss the main character, Kirito. First, they try to make him all edgy, but it just makes it more cringe. Because first, Kirito is definitely not an edgy guy. The only honorable episode in which he was edgy was when he decided to shift all the beta-tester hate onto himself and was at all edgy about it. I don't have a problem with a character being edgy, but when you switch a character from edgy to not and back to edgy, it gets confusing and weird,s, making us, the viewers, know nothing about the character. 

Now, on to my first claim about character development: no side characters get to grow or have a chance to shine. THE ONLY TIME WHEN THEY DO IS WHEN KIRITO COMES. It is annoying. I know Kirito is the main protagonist, but not giving any side characters a chance to grow alone is sad. In addition, it is OK to have the main character help them, but IT IS NOT FINE FOR THEM TO BE HELPLESS AND DO NOTHING. For my second claim I would Like to talk about some aspects of why Kirito gets no character development. Kirito only gets some in ONE arc which is the Aincrad arc, where he goes from keeping people at a distance to learning to rely on others again. Besides that, he stays the same character for the rest of the story. Also, In the anime, he is basically unbeatable he never really struggles as a protagonist. The protagonist's struggle and trauma are a great aspect of character development, but Kirito has none of that.

Overall, I enjoyed art online. Yes, I said it. It is not a bad anime just because of the character development. I still hate anime in general, and the character development and the characters are not as good as many other animes. But did I find it fun and enjoyable? Yes, I did. In the end, Sword Art Online is a bad anime, but it is still enjoyable. It is short (unless you watch Sword Art Online II), but I encourage you to watch it and see what opinions you have.

https://www.cbr.com/kirito-unlikable-traits-ruined-sword-art-online/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdKFrEoXM9Q

https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Art-Online-Aincrad-manga/dp/0316371238 (the manga)

Are Paper Books Better Than E-Books? By Alana Santiago

In my opinion, the debate between paper books and e-books boils down to personal preference and convenience. There's something undeniably nostalgic about the feel of a physical book in your hands—the smell of the pages, the weight of it as you turn each one. For many readers, myself included, there's a certain joy in flipping through the pages of a well-loved book and seeing the progress you've made. The experience of a paper book can't quite be replicated by an e-reader.

However, e-books offer their own advantages. They're incredibly convenient, allowing you to carry an entire library in the palm of your hand. Whether you're traveling or simply short on space, e-books provide unparalleled accessibility. Plus, they often come with features like adjustable font sizes and built-in dictionaries, enhancing the reading experience for those with visual impairments or non-native language speakers. From a practical standpoint, e-books can't be beaten in terms of portability and functionality.

Yet, despite their convenience, e-books lack the charm of paper books. There's something special about browsing through bookstore shelves, running your fingers along spines, and discovering hidden gems. Paper books also offer a respite from screens, providing a welcome break from the constant bombardment of digital stimuli. The act of disconnecting from technology and immersing oneself in the pages of a physical book is an essential part of the reading experience.

Paper books have a cultural significance that transcends their contents. They serve as tangible artifacts of human history and creativity, preserving stories and ideas for future generations. There's an emotional attachment to physical books that goes beyond the words on the page—they become mementos of cherished moments, marked by dog-eared pages and marginal notes. In a world increasingly dominated by digital media, the enduring appeal of paper books lies in their ability to evoke nostalgia and connection.

While both paper books and e-books have their advantages, the choice between the two ultimately depends on individual preferences and circumstances. For some, nothing can replace the sensory experience of reading a physical book, while others appreciate the convenience and versatility of e-readers. Personally, I find value in both formats, recognizing that each offers its own unique advantages and charms. Whether it's the comforting weight of a paperback or the sleek efficiency of a digital device, what matters most is the joy of immersing oneself in a good story, regardless of the source.

Are Sport Athletes Paid Too Much?

 Are Sport Athletes Paid Too Much?

Kabir

   Above is a picture of Jaylen Brown, a basketball player for the Boston Celtics. In 2023, he signed a contract that could potentially earn him $304,000,000 over the course of 5 years! That's around $60,000,000 a year, and $150,000 per day. 

    Jayson Tatum, the star role player for the Boston Celtics, barely earns half of $60,000,000 a year. So any argument for the importance of Jaylen Brown and the talent he provides for the Boston Celtics being the driving factor for his absurdly high contract is invalid, especially considering the official NBA website doesn't rank him in the current top 70 most impactful players. Also, he is only 19th in the NBA points per game statistic, which would be impressive if not considering his contract. The average American income is around 50-60 thousand dollars, and Jaylen Brown makes triple that a day, without being exceptionally good at the job he does. While this paragraph seems like a giant hate message, I like and appreciate Jaylen Brown and this only serves the purpose of questioning his high salary. 

    The reason the Celtics are able to spend this much money is because of the high NBA salary cap, which is based on the leagues revenue from the previous season. From the 1984-1985 season the salary cap as gone from $3,600,000 to $123,655,000 in the previous season. This is reflective of the huge increase in popularity and income by the NBA. If any team was to go over the cap, they would have to pay a luxury tax for every dollar they go over (more than $1.75 per dollar exceeding). You might expect the Celtics to worry about this luxury tax and exceeding it with Jaylen Brown's contract, but like federal taxes, there are loopholes. The Larry Bird exception allows a team to resign one of their players if they've been in the team for a certain number of years, even if it means exceeding the salary cap. While the Celtics aren't going over the salary cap, they wouldn't really have to worry because Jaylen Brown has been with them his whole career. 

    In the WNBA, the highest paid athlete, Jackie Young, earns $250,000 a year. This is primarily based on the amount of revenue certain teams bring in a year, which didn't used to be much in the WNBA. Hopefully with the boom in popularity in the WNBA with the introduction of superstars like Caitlin Clark, they will be able to pay all of their players more. I think it would be a helpful gesture if the NBA could divert and contribute some of their income to grow the WNBA, which would be mutually beneficial because both theoretically make more money. Instead we see a major imbalance in salary cap: the $123,000,000 of NBA vs $1,500,000 of the WNBA, Jaylen Brown's $60,000,000 a year vs Jackie Young's $250,000. 

    In conclusion, this is a very subjective and complicated decision to make. If you think Jaylen Brown's salary is too high, then what about movie stars and business owners. Adam Sandler reportedly made $73,000,000 in 2023. In my opinion, these teams and athletes aren't laundering money (probably) or doing anything to break any rules, they're operating within the lines. So, while there are much better uses for the money, I think Jaylen Brown is rightfully owed that money, purely because it is income that he and the Celtics helped bring into the league, and the Celtics believe he is worth that much. 

https://www.nba.com/stats/leaders

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced?CF=MIN*GE*15&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&dir=-1&sort=PIE

https://frontofficesports.com/the-25-highest-paid-wnba-players/#:~:text=Las%20Vegas%20Aces%20two%2Dtime,contract%20extension%20with%20the%20Aces.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38273363/wnba-player-survey-2023-biggest-issue-league

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/forbes-highest-paid-actors-of-2023-adam-sandler-margot-robbie/

Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?

 Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?

Should stores sell violent video games to minors? This is a very interesting question because there are many sides to it, which I will be covering. There's the legal side, and the ethical side. For the legal side, I will be seeing whether it is legal or not for minors to play violent games. In terms of the ethical side, I will give my opinion on whether I think teens should be able to play violent games, and whether I think it contributes to violence in the real world. I am a minor myself so I may have a bias, however I will be using reputable sources. I will be discussing the meaning of a rating and how valid it is in determining the law. To clarify, for the legal part I will not be discussing whether it is legal for teens to play violent games, but whether stores should sell them. Many teens already play violent games such as Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, including my 11 year old cousin.

I will be discussing the legality of the question first and then move on to the ethical side. It is not illegal for minors to play or purchase violent video games. The Mature rating given by the ESRB is just that; a rating. It is like a rating on a product or a recommendation. If a cool water bottle has a few bad reviews on Amazon, doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, although it is recommended not to. In the case of retail of violent video games, it isn't illegal to sell minors video games for the most part. However, in certain places like Illinois, there are laws and fines put in place against retailers selling minors video games. According to the Illinois General Assembly website, it is illegal for retailers to sell minors video games, and if they do they will be charged with a $1,000 fee. This doesn't make it impossible or illegal for minors to play violent video games, as they can get it from a non-minor who bought it or buy it online, however, I am focusing on whether stores should sell them to minors or not. I think that this law is a good idea because it makes sure that minors aren't being sold violent games, however if a minor REALLY wants to defy the recommendation then they could buy it online or through similar means. It prevents minors from experiencing the violence while not making it so illegal for minors to play violent games that they would be charged for playing it. 

Now it's time for the ethicality, which is purely based on my opinion alone and a reputable source. I think that if a minor wants to play a violent game and their parents or guardians are fine with it, they probably still shouldn't be able to since ratings are there for a reason, but they can if they want to. In the end the decision falls onto their parents or guardians. Do video games make teens violent though? That's a whole different story. According to the Harvard Health Publishing website, there is a mix of research that suggests that it does and does not. Some say that video games cause aggression in teens while others say that this doesn't mean they will have violent behaviors. I will have to disagree with the researchers that believe video games do make you violent because of the lack of reasoning behind their research. According to the Harvard Health Publishing website, 64-67% of teens 12-17 play video games that "action and adventure games that tend to contain violent content". See the wording they're using? "Action and adventure"? "Tend to"? Makes you think they aren't only talking about Mature rated games and above. If you look up "Mario", a very popular game that's well known to be all ages, every single game that shows up is rated E for everyone and has a Mild Fantasy/Cartoon Violence tag. Whether they included fantasy violence in their research or not is anyone's guess, however I'm inclined to think that they did since their wording was vague. Their research also says that "some children may become more aggressive as a result of watching and playing violent video games, but that most are not affected". Does some children being slightly more aggressive mean they'll commit grand theft auto or join a mafia when they get older? Unlikely, and even if they do, hard to believe it will be because of the games they played in their teens.

To wrap it all up, my research has shown that it's illegal for retailers to sell violent or M+ rated games to teens, even though it is not completely illegal for teens to buy and play these games through other means, such as buying online. In terms of the ethical side, I still think that teens should not be playing M and A rated games that are definitely not their age, however I do not think that these games will have a violent effect on them or significantly change their behavior. The research for the side that does think this to be true is vague and imprecise. I myself do not play M rated games, so I wouldn't completely know of the mental effects that playing extremely violent games may have, however based on my findings it appears that it does not significantly impact anyone. 

- Belal Alawini

Reputable Sources: 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=072000050HArt%2E+12A&ActID=1876&ChapterID=53&SeqStart=30700000&SeqEnd=31400000#:~:text=Restricted%20sale%20or%20rental%20of,of%20%241%2C000%20may%20be%20imposed.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/violent-video-games-and-young-people.

https://www.esrb.org/search/?searchKeyword=mario&platform=All%20Platforms&rating=E%2CE10%2B%2CT%2CM%2CAO&descriptor=All%20Content&pg=2&searchType=All&ielement[]=all

The Effect of Cinematography in Horror Films

         The Effect Of Cinematography in Horror Films

By Ellie Rosch

        The effect cinematography can have on horror movies is very important. I enjoy a lot of movies, and cinematography plays a big part in my enjoyment of different movies. Think about an action movie where someone is jumping from one building to another and when they’re in the air it cuts to 20 different angles of that jump. That is to build up suspense because you can manipulate the angles to make the audience think they’ll fall and not make the jump, only to give the watchers a sigh of relief when they actually do. These tactics create extreme reactions in the audience, stimulating emotions, and horror movies are a prime example of movies that would want to convey that.

The first movie’s cinematography I want to talk about is American Psycho. American Psycho, in my opinion, is one of the best examples of using cinematography to convey emotions to the audience, mainly because it broke most of the “rules'' that were often used in horror movies before it came out. As you would expect in a horror movie, there’s a killer and when we see that first kill take place, it’s not a dark and broody scene like the first kill normally is. Instead, it’s in very bright light and could be compared to what you would normally see in a musical theater. Part of this is because the cinematographer wanted to add the comedic and insane feel of the movie, but as the movie continues and more kills take place, the killing scenes get darker and darker, representing the main character’s spiral into insanity. The way this movie plays with lighting is definitely one of the reasons that this movie is so good as it is. It properly conveys the spiral into insanity and ends the movie with the audience feeling some sort of unease.

I can’t talk about great horror movie cinematography without touching on The Shining. While American Psycho was a great example of using lighting, The Shining is supreme in its use of wide-angle shots and distorting perspective that really brings the unease and fear into shots of seemingly mundane scenes. There’s rarely a time watching this movie where you will feel at ease or safe looking at scenes that don’t even have anything dangerous in them. Part of this is because the cinematographers, John Alcott and Martin Kenzie, understood perspective so well. When characters are feeling scared, the camera angle will be above them, conveying the audience that they’re small and vulnerable, while dangerous characters will be seen from lower angles, showing that they are more powerful. Also, using the emptiness of space in backgrounds builds tension and an overarching feeling of dread; That is all used until the climax of the film. There’s a reason The Shining is such an iconic horror film and still referenced today despite its age, and the cinematographers diffidently have something to do with that.

The final movie I want to talk about is so good that it started its own horror genre. This would be the Blair Witch Project which created the found footage horror movies. Basically, when you watch a movie you are spectating other people’s lives, but in a found footage movie, it’s as it says. You are watching a film that has seemingly been recorded on a phone or some type of electronic, and you piece together the story from there. It’s not professional looking, for example some scary noise would be made and the actors are all scared and start running, but you can’t see what scared them because it was off screen. You wouldn’t even be able to see the actors running because the camera is shaking. It’s a very hard technique to pull off but the Blair Witch Project did an exceptional job. While technically this film technique had been used before in a movie called Cannibal Holocaust in 1980, it was not popular and the Blair Witch Project seemingly revived it. The found footage technique is the best way to get the audience feeling immersed in the horror film world. Part of this is because it just makes the whole movie feel that much more realistic, which is a huge part in conveying to the audience these heightened emotions of fear and unease. 

All in all, cinematography has a huge impact on every movie, but especially horror films. It can be used to create fear, but more importantly it creates a feeling of unease and immersion in the movie. These were just three of the most popular examples of cinematography in scary movies, but there are plenty of other great examples. All three of these movies convey strong emotions that make these movies that much better. 

Mez in The Lost Rainforest: Mez's Magic

 

The Lost Rainforest: Mez's Magic is a book about an unnatural cathemeral (shadowwalking) panther named Mez who must leave her home with her sister and aunt to help various other unnaturally cathemeral animals stop an evil Ant Queen from emerging and destroying their home, Caldera. Mez's mother died when Mez was at a very young age, and left Mez and her sister Chumba to live with their aunt and cousins. Because of this, Mez holds her sister very dear and is always thinking about and trying to protect her. In the novel, an important plot element called the Veil stops nocturnal species, or nightwalkers, from roaming the day, and diurnal species, or daywalkers, from roaming the night. The only cathemeral species are the ants, associated with evil because their queen is said to have threatened Caldera's existence. Because of this, any animal who can cross the veil and be awake at the wrong time is considered unnatural and must be killed or exiled. Mez was coincidentally born during an eclipse, so she gained the ability to cross the Veil. Her aunt found out and exiled her, and she's been separated from her sister Chumba since. Mez instead meets up with another nocturnal animal, a bat named Lima, who she repeatedly realizes the similarities between Chumba and Lima. Mez uses this similarity to comfort herself in strange environments.

Mez is a very small panther cub who was separated from her only family. Her life in her Aunt's den was hard enough since her mother died and there has been no mention of her father. However, Mez is fine living through it all as long as she has her beloved sister, who she'd "do everything she [could] to keep her sister safe and happy"(Schrefer 14). It is clearly shown in the novel that Mez values her sister greatly, and if any of them were to be separated, she would be greatly affected. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens. Mez was caught daywalking so she had to leave her sister. A shadowalking boa constrictor then takes her away to journey to the Ziggurat of the Sun and Moon to help the other Shadow Walkers save the world.

Throughout Men's entire journey, she worries and thinks about her sister Chumba. "I hope you’re thinking of me like I’m thinking of you"(Schrefer 54). Mez is also shown in many other ways to be missing the companionship of Mez, such as not having someone to help her groom her fur. Although she is very downcast because she is not with her sister, she is determined to help the Boa Constrictor named Auriel save Caldera from the Ant Queen. She believes that if she returns home a hero, her Aunt will accept her back into her den and she will be reunited with Chumba. Because of this single thought, she is shown throughout the journey to be a leader and to push forward, however sad she may be. Along the way to the Ziggurat, Mez and Auriel recruit many other shadowwalkers, including a bat named Lima. Lima has many traits that remind, such as her optimism, excitement, and care for Mez. "'How cool!' Just what Chumba would have said, Mez thinks." Mez can't help thinking about her sister at all times, especially while her drive for completing this mission is for her. Mez leans on Lima for support, since her and Chumba are very similar, and she will use this relationship to bear being apart from her sister until she has returned to her Aunt's den.

Mez is a very small Panther Cub who values her sister very much. She was separated from her when she was all she had left after her mother died. Because of this, she saw the similarities between her beloved sister and the bat Lima that she was travelling with. This shows that despite her bravery during the events of the novel, she is still a small cub without a mother. She took the journey to defeat the Ant Queen to return to her sister, and that is what she truly cares about.

-Belal Alawini

Percy Jackson:The Battle of the Labyrinth was boring

Percy Jackson: The Battle of the Labyrinth was boring.   By: Amari   

    First it all, this is my opinion and I am fine if you disagree. So, Percy Jackson is one of my favorite series. I started reading the series when I was in 4 fourth grade and I was hooked. I loved all the characters the plot was clean and overall the development of the story was great. I enjoyed every single book except one. The one That I thought was the most boring to me at the time was Percy Jackson: The Battle of the Labyrinth. I did enjoy the book because I like every single Percy Jackson book. But, the book was very boring to me.

    First I am going to talk about a bit of the plot of the novel so you can understand where I am coming from, in the book Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson are trying to explore the Labyrinth to figure out what Kronos was doing. In addition, Grover was trying to look for Pan too and not much satyr has been down in the Labyrinth so it is a possibility. During the exploration of the labyrinth. There was nothing that the characters ever did

    Sure, there were some new and interesting characters like Kampe. In addition, there were some good things to the plot like Grover trying to find Pan. BUT STILL, the book was very boring I felt like there was no character development especially when Grover finally meets Pan for the first time. The book was just underwhelming.

    NOW, the only good thing I can say about this book was the final battle when they had to battle Kronos forces. This was the only thing that got me hooked back into the book the action was amazing and was not 3 pages long like the other fights in the book. SO, overall I give this book 6/10 the fight in the end kinda carried. If you liked this book that is fine with me. Anyone can have their opinions :).

Do We Need Adults? (Lord of the Flies Analysis)

 Do We Need Adults?

Kabir

Lord of the Flies is a 20th century book written by William Golding. Ralph and several other boys crash land on a tropical island, without any adult in sight. On an isle with feuds, bullying, and chaos can a group of boys beat the odds and learn to survive by themselves. Golding inadvertently hints at many reasons adolescent boys can and can't be trusted to survive without adult overseeing. This blog will take into account stories from the text to form an answer to the focal question.

Soon into the novel, the separated Ralph and Piggy discover a way to assemble all the boys in one place by blowing on a conch horn they found near a body of water. Already a sign of high intelligence, yet it only precedes the more impressive unity and logical skills that an unmonitored group of boys show after meeting. They propose a vote for leader, Ralph, who then unselfishly delegates another leader in charge of the "hunters." For a group with ages as low as six years old, they've thought up very rational ideas, and Ralph specifically showed lots of compassion gifting a leadership role to Jack, who just lost the vote to Ralph himself. 

Functioning and Just Government ✅

However, a working government doesn't necessitate a sense of camaraderie between the still immature boys. For one, this handing over of a large section the boys (hunters) will only create more division, fueled by the developing rivalry between Ralph and Jack. Consistently, Jack ignores Ralph's commands, crazed with his new persona around hunting. This went to the extremes of them missing a chance to escape on a passing boat, because Jack refused to light a signal fire. Along with Ralph's trouble, Piggy as he's is unfortunately nicknamed receives lots of abuse from the other boys. He is described as a fat boy, which is why the nickname stuck, who also suffers from asthma. Constantly he is picked on for both of these things, too often the butt of the joke. Near the end of the book, Piggy is pushed off a cliff by the deranged, violent hunters, while trying to calm everyone down. Not only is this lawless act horrifying, but it almost discredits any power and control this once ingenious government system was supposed to have.

Order and Unity ⛔

Finally, we must look into the ending result of the island. As Ralph and Jack fought and divided more and more, so did the island. Boys were forced to choose a side in who to trust their lives with, because make no mistake, this was a life or death ending. Many sided with Jack out of desire to feel free or out of pure fear. A war ensued on the island and slowly the hunters savagely took out Ralph's friends one by one. Without a doubt the actions of the hunters was barbaric. Roger, a chief of the hunters, even carved out a double sided stick, likely where he would put Ralph's remains if he was caught. Reading the last couple pages of the chase could make someone peek behind themselves out of sheer fear. Golding describes the hunters as emotionless beasts that only want blood. It is at last an officer who saw the commotion and ended up saving Ralph. 

Sanity ⛔

While savagery can't solely be accredited to the lack of adults, Golding's text certainly infers the tribulations and chaos ensued in the absence of adults. Certainly adults would remain sane much longer, and could control the kids' immature fantasies of being wild, blood thirsty hunters. If adults were on this fantastical island scenario, in all likelihood, they would have significantly bettered the situation.

Sexuality and Identity in "If We Were Villains" by M.L. Rio

Alana Santiago

    If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a mesmerizing novel that dives into the world of a preforming arts school where ambition and Shakespearean drama collide. This novel offers a blend of mystery, suspense, and complex relationships. While the narrative is primarily focused on a group of theatre students tangled in a web of deception and tragedy, one of the aspects of the book I found most compelling is its exploration of sexuality and identity. I find that the book skillfully addresses these themes and the impact they have on the characters and their journey. 

    One of the most refreshing aspects of If We Were Villains is its portrayal of sexuality in a way that subverts traditional stereotypes. The novel features characters who openly embrace their sexual identity, whether it's Oliver Marks, who grapples with his attraction to both men and women, or Meredith, who confidently asserts her bisexuality. I believe the novel does an excellent job of depicting characters who are unapologetically themselves, the novel challenges conformity and encourages readers to embrace diversity and individuality. 

    The novel explores the fluidity of sexuality and highlights the complexities of desire and attraction. The characters navigate relationships that defy easy categorization, blurring the lines between friendship, romance, and rivalry. This fluidity I've noticed in the novel adds depth and realism to the story, reflecting the varying nature of sexuality. I can't seem to decide whether it was Oliver and James or the subtle flirtations between the other characters that captures the nuances of intimacy and attraction. 

    While the novel celebrates diversity and acceptance, it also acknowledges challenges and conflicts that can arise from societal expectations and prejudices. The characters of the novel struggle with internalized homophobia, fear of rejection, and the pressure to conform to social norms. These struggles add layers of complexity to the story and illuminate the ways in which sexuality intersects with power dynamics and personal identity. 

    While reading If We Were Villains, I found it to be a thought-provoking exploration of sexuality and identity that challenges the reader to confront their own preconceived notions and biases. Through its richly drawn characters, complex relationships, and nuanced portrayal of desire, the novel offers a powerful reminder that sexuality is not a binary or fixed concept, but a deeply personal and diverse aspect of the human experience. 

Does Day Deserve to be Executed in Marie Lu’s Legend?

Does Day Deserve to be Executed in Marie Lu’s Legend?

By Ellie Rosch

    Legend by Marie Lu is a sci-fi dystopian book featuring two main characters named Day and June. June grows up wealthy and favored by a government she’ll later learn is corrupt. Day grew up poor and after taking a government mandated test and failing, the government tested on him and he was presumed dead. Obviously he survived and he turned to getting money in illegal ways so that he could still support his family. He becomes a vigilante of some sort that the government wants to kill. 

    First let's look at the crimes Day committed. The book opens his perspective with him sneaking into a hospital and stealing medicine for his youngest brother who was just diagnosed with a deadly sickness that’s spreading across the Republic (the faction of America they live in). He escapes, but narrowly. He almost gets caught by another officer and is forced to throw a knife into his shoulder so he can escape (Lu 33). Day is most famous for setting fire to a warehouse full of planes that would be used to hurt people living outside of the Republic. We also meet a character that Day has cut on his face that resulted in a thin scar (65). We also learn later in the book that Day often bets on street fights for money. 

    The way in which Day tries to save his family with illegal means is not by any means ok, but throughout the book we learn rules that he has and lines he doesn’t cross. The biggest one is his no-kill rule. Day often uses his smarts to steal or win money and his agility to run away. These tactics are non-lethal and he only engages in combat if he has too. The soldier that he threw a knife at actually ended up dying at someone else’s hand, but for a while Day thought he actually did kill him. He was ridden with guilt and I think that’s really telling of his character. 

    Day eventually gets captured and while deciding his legal fate the government doesn’t even give him a trial, but if they did his intentions would have become clear. Day never wanted to hurt anyone. It wasn’t his fault that he failed the government test and it’s a miracle he even survived the government testing. He never wanted to become a vigilante but his family would’ve most definitely died without his support throughout the years. It ends up all being for naught as his mom and older brother die halfway through the book by government interference when Day gets captured. 

    The government decides to execute him but I think that’s very harsh. Yes, he has done some bad and illegal things but I think of him as more of a Robin Hood character. All he does is to hurt the corrupt government and provide for his family. The government can take the hits Day gives and his family needs support, especially because his older brother was the only one who could get money (Day’s mom had to take care of her 9 year old named Eden who’s preparing for the government test and their father ran away). Not to mention, Day is fifteen. The government took this kid who they couldn’t catch for the longest time (and they only did because they found out his identity and killed his mom) who never killed anyone and sentenced him to die by firing squad in public. 

    My point is Day didn’t deserve to be sentenced to the firing squad. The government was behind all of his troubles and while he did participate in illegal activities that deserves jail time, no one can say a fifteen year old kid that never wanted to hurt anyone, never killed, and looked after his family, that he deserved to die for everything he did. He may be a vigilante but he still has morals.

Works Cited 

Lu, Marie. Legend. Penguin Books, 2011.

Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?

 

Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?

Several sports teams use Native American mascots and names, from high school basketball teams to professional football teams. However, these mascots and gestures could be offensive to Indigenous people. The mascots and chants not only promote Native American stereotypes but also disrespect Native American culture and beliefs. Research done by the University of Michigan shows that Native Americans oppose these names and mascots, and many of them are offended by them. There have also been protests against these Native American mascots, urging for a name change. A few teams have changed their names and mascots to accommodate to these objections. One prime example is the Washington Redskins, changing their names to the Washington Commanders. One article, however, argues that Native inspired names and mascots are a good thing.

An article written on a University of Kansas blog points out that these names and mascots should not be considered offensive. The writer states that they use the Native American names and images out of admiration, and they regard their culture with great respect. A news reporter says that these teams decide their mascots based on something they want to be positively associated with. They say that Native Americans are considered to be courageous warriors, and would like them to be represented in that regard. They also say that using Native American images and mascots can help educate others on Native American culture. They believe that using these names and mascots could be a way of keeping Native Americans to "remain visible and relevant in mainstream America."

Although it may be true that Native-inspired names and mascots could possibly spread awareness and knowledge about Native culture, I believe that it should be up to the Native American community to decide whether it promotes their culture or promotes negative stereotypes. Based on the articles I've read, it seems as if white team managers and news reporters were the only ones involved in the discussion. Apart from protests, Native Americans did not really have a say in the matter. I think that this is the ultimate problem. If you are debating an issue and want to settle it, you should involve the people who are the subject of the debate, and allow them to have a say. If teams wanted to promote their way of life, then they should ask permission from the Native American community if they can keep the images and names or reconsider them.

A few sports teams have already changed their names and mascots, and I think the rest should do the same. In the case of the Kansas City Chiefs, they chose their name as an homage to an old Kansas City Mayor, Roe Bartle. I think that it's fine in that case, but in any other instance, they should first consult with Native Americans to see what they think. There are many Native Americans who consider the images and names offensive, and there are even protests about it. You can't just ignore all that and say that you're respecting their culture. I think that if the teams would like to respect Native Americans, then they should listen to them.