Over the next 2 weeks, per your syllabus, you will complete several supplemental assignments related to your reading of What is the What. All of your work for this assignment should be completed, proofread and posted here as a comment. Make sure to include your name (first name last initial). Your collective responses will be graded as a quest.
Assignment A: Eggers/Deng Interview. Click here to visit the Valentino Achack Deng Foundation. Under "Book", select "Interview with Dave Eggers and Valentino Achak Deng". Read the interview and respond to the following questions (include direct quotations): 1. Describe the unique approach to the development of the book. 2. Do you agree with the choice of format and point of view? If not, do you think the book would be more successful as a work of non-fiction?
Assignment B: CBS Interactive: Click here to visit the CBS page. Click on and explore the Interactive Icon "Struggle in Sudan" and respond to the following: 1. Identify the State Representatives from the photographs under "Darfur Outrage". 2. What is the per capita income of Sudan? How does this compare to the U.S.'s per capita income? 3. What is Sudan's population? How does this compare to the U.S. population? 4. What is the life expectancy in Sudan? How does this compare to an American's life expectancy? 5. Which countries share a border with Sudan? 6. Under "Millions Displaced", identify a photograph which captures your attention. Describe the image in detail. What is depicted? Why do you find it moving?
Assignment C: Click here to visit the Valentino Achack Deng Foundation. Click "Take Action". Read numbers 1 and 2. Click on www.darfurscores.com. On the top left of the page, enter your zip code to view ratings of how our state representatives have responded to the situation in Darfur. I will award a "100" quiz grade to those students who write a letter to a state representative as described on this page.
Assignment D: Visit the following sites. Each site contains photography of Sudan. Write a paragraph, citing specific examples, of how the photographs help to shape your view and understanding of Sudan.
J. Carrier (click on "Sudan")
The Big Picture
Irene Abdou
Assignment E: Time Magazine Article: Include direct quotations in your answers the following questions: 1. What do you think of Colin Powell's response to the situation in Sudan? How about Condoleeza Rice's response? How about the President's response? 2. Describe how the geological and geographical makeup of Sudan complicates the current situation. 3. Relate some of the horrifying anecdotes (particularly those of Melkha Musa Haroun), to content from What is the What.
Time Magazine Article
Assignment F: Click here to read President Obama's speech regarding Sudan. Quote at least 3 significant statements from the speech and explain your selections.
76 comments:
A.
1.
The development of the book was very unique because Valentino and Dave Eggers did not know if they wanted have either Dave write it or Valentino write it. Then they did not know if it should be fiction or non- fiction. Also Valentino and Dave were not sure if they should put it in the first person or second person. Also they could not decide whether to be specific about Valentinos' situation or the Lost Boys in general. That is why Valentinos and Dave Eggers situation was different.
Cassie S.
A)
1.During the making of the book "What is the What" by Dave Eggars. Valentino and Dave took a unique approach In the development of the book. They were not sure if they wanted Valentino to write his own story as an autobiography or if they wanted Dave to write Valentinos' story. They started with interviews, and a lot of them. The book started out as a historical story about all the lost boys with Valentino as the main character but it became a leangthy story about Valentinos'
Lindsay G (not complete)
Pictures can show a lot about situations. Such as in Sudan. Pictures of Sudan can show what its like there and how people live. Such as the picture taken by JCarrier of the young child sitting on the bed in his house. Its dark, there’s no electricity. He has almost no sheets and no heat. In another picture taken by Sarah El Deeb shows a fire at the Abyei village on fire. The houses in the village are small and a few houses close together were on fire. Many of the pictures show the same thing. Like their living conditions which are bad. One picture shows a group of women wearing bright colors like bright green, yellow, and pink so they don’t get too hot and attract the sun. they don’t really have a way to cool down. All of these pictures show many aspects of Sudan.
part D
Cherie s.
Assignment A:
1. I find the development of the book unique because with every new development in Valentino’s past, more to what is happening at that moment is revealed. The way the story sounds would make me believe that is completely true. Valentino says himself that “It is very close to the truth, but many things in the book are somewhat different than what happened in life.” If I had never read this quote I would have assumed that everything that is spoken about is really what happened.
2. I do agree with the format and point of view. The story being told from Valentino’s point of view makes the story very personal. It puts you in the middle of every scene because Valentino uses such detail. I don’t think that it would have worked as a non-fiction because not everything that is in the novel is completely true. Some tiny details are forgotten from Valentino’s childhood, that’s where the story telling swoops in to stop it from being completely non-fiction.
Sarah N.
Assignment C:
1. I am very surprised with the progress reports for Massachusetts because I was expecting bad grades. I’m happy to see that the Senators of Massachusetts care about such events. As for the other states I am very disappointed and want to write an angry letter to them. It shows that they feel that just because they aren’t living it isn’t real and others aren’t living this nightmare.
Assignment A~
1. The unique development of the book is that the process went slower than other books, “It was slow. It took three years of pretty steady work.” They started with the interview, in person and sometimes on the phone. Dave Eggers hadn’t decided if he were helping Valentino write his own book or writing a book about him. Valentino wanted to write his own book but he was not qualified.
2. I do agree with the format and point of view of the book. The book is telling in Valentino’s view and what he went through, “So writing in Val’s voice solved both problems: I could disappear completely, and the reader would have the benefit of his very distinct voice.” But it would not be called a novel because its not all of the truth, “It is very close to the truth, but many things in the book are somewhat different than what happened in life.” They put in scenes that might have happened.
K. Lynch
Block-D
A.
2. I do agree with the format of how Valentino and Dave Eggers wrote the book What is the What. It is different from other books and i like that they took a risk since nobody else really wrote an autobiography/ biography that way. Valentino basically told the story to Eggers and he wrote it. I thought that was good because Eggers has more knowledge of how to write but Valentino was there and witnessed everything.
B.
1. Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback ,Mike Doyle, George Bush. Were all photographed.
Assignment B.
1. The state representatives from the photos are Nancy Pelosi from California, Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas, Jim Moran from Virginia, Jim McGovern from Massachusetts, Tom Lantos also from California, Barack Obama from Illinois, Sam Brownback from Kansas, and Mike Doyle from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is $2,400. The United States per capita is $301,621,157.
The per capita of the United States is huge compared to the per capita of Sudan. In the U.S. there is so much money passed around and some still think it is not enough. While the Sudanese have almost nothing.
3. The U.S. population compared to the Sudanese population is significantly less. The United States’ population is about 303,824,640. While the Sudanese population is about 39,379,358. Although the Sudanese population number is fairly accurate people are dying everyday. Due to the warfare are terrible conditions they suffer. We over in the U.S. take our lifestyle for granted.
4. The life expectancy of the average Sudanese woman is about 48.24 years, for a man it is about 49.11 years. The life expectancy in the U.S., like the population is also very different. The average for a woman living in the United States is 80.05 years, for a man it is 74.37 years. The two are very different, about 30 years different. With the disease and lack of health care, I suppose it is a reasonable age.
5. The countries that share a border with Sudan are; Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Central African Republic, Chad and Libya.
6.There is a girl, her name is, Martha Halim. She is oddly nodding to the left like there's something wrong, and there is. This girl has a rare condition called nodding disease. When a person with this disease sees food they begin to nod. The nodding is only the beginning though, as the disease progresses the person begins to develop epileptic seizures, ultimately leading to death. I find this picture moving because we have so much food in the U.S. and a lot of the population here is overweight, and starving countries develop disorders that cause them to nod at the sight of food. It hurts to look at this knowing that there is help coming and it isn’t coming fast enough. I am afraid that this genocide won’t end and there will never be enough food to go around.
Assignment D.
1. The photographs help to shape my understanding of Sudan because pictures sometimes say more than words. The West Darfur photos on the J. Carrier photos show to me the suffering of the people instead of the words telling me. These people in the photos are sick. Pictures of young boys starving and hung over with disease. Feb 25 06_074, the photo off the Irene Abdou website shows just how dry Sudan is, just how malnourished the people of Sudan are. I once thought that the country was just at war, I didn’t know about the starvation, the fire, or the attacks. From looking at these photos I did more than read or learn about, I saw. I saw that there is more going on than what is advertised on the news or in a magazine.
Assignment A
1.) The book, What is the What was written as a novel and not a biography of any sort, which would puzzle many due to its very personal and real recollection of Valentino Achack Deng’s life. This gives birth to a unique method to which the book came about to life. Dave Eggers interviewed Valentino and in turn, Mr. Eggers would write Valentino story in first person, using Valentino’s style of speech, basing it off of Valentino’s past experiences and personality. The logic behind the madness, as it were, is to compensate for the memory lapses or events that might have happened but contained no evidence that it actually occurred. Also, material may have been exaggerated so to give the book more of an edge and have a stronger impact on its audience. Material that may be false or exaggerated may be published under the category of a novel instead of a bibliographical account.
2.) The point of view and format of the book may be one of the most vital assets or the downfall of a book. An author may use it well and write a fantastic book or format the book wrongly and cause a disaster. In “What is the What”, the format and the point of view helps especially in creating a bond with Valentino and the reader and make the plot much more powerful.
peter l.
Assignment A
1. The development of the book was unique. It was done very slowly; at first it was unclear who was going to write the book. It was just meetings and notes. Some were done face to face, on the phone, or my email. Also the book has been categorized as a novel and not nonfiction. The book is based on Valentine’s memories and other accounts. However, he was young and dialog has been added to other characters which rules out nonfiction.
2. I agree with the format of the book. It is classified as a novel even though it is based on Valentino’s life. It is like this because he was very young when most of it happened; would not be able to remember what everyone said to him word for word. I also like how Dave Eggers wrote it in first person. He took the accounts of Valentino and expressed them well in his writing style, and choice of literature.
Anthony B.
B.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is 2,400 dollars per year. That compares to the United States because the per capita income of 2007 is $38,611 per year. The United States makes about $36,211 more a year that the Sudanese make in a year.
3. Sudan's population as of July 2007 is 39,379,358 people. The population of the United States as of July 2008 is 303,824,640. The population difference between the two countries is nearly 264,445,282 people.
4. The life expectancy of a person in Sudan is about 49.11 years for a man. The life expectancy for a woman in Sudan is 48.24. The life expectancy for a man in the United States is 74.37. Then the life expectancy for a woman in the United States is about 80.05.
5. The countries that share a border with Sudan are Chad, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda, Kenya, The Central African Republic, Libya, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea.
Cassie S.
B.
6.The picture named Sudan Refugees moved me the most. The image is of a little girl who is severely malnurished who seeked medcal attention at a hospital in Chad. I find it movng because the little girl is crying since she is so malnurished that she has to get painful medical tests done to her.
Cassie S.
Assignment C
Dear Rep. McGovern,
I would like to thank you for caring one hundred percent for all the men, women and children in Darfur. As you know, they are going through rough times and I think it is very important that we help them through it in their time of need. It is very kind of you to continue to work in Congress and to raise awareness to stop the massacre of innocents in Darfur. I believe that if we did not have people like you in Congress then the help that is being sent to Darfur would not have accured. By helping them and sending food, we are slowly making it easier to survive. You have been a lot of help.
Thank you so much,
Briana B (:
Assignment D
The pictures by the many photographers helps me understand Sudan more. It helps me understand more because it shows their living conditions and also what they wear and how they eat. They show how punishments are made and how they make their own food. It shows the many dangers of Sudan but it also shows the many beauties. The people don’t really have the best living conditions because it seems that they live in huts that they make themselves. These huts don’t look like they would be very safe during a storm or even from animals. In some of the pictures it shows how much they work to make a living. They seem to work in the fields planting and picking the food they have grown for themselves. They bath by going to the ponds and rivers which isn’t very sanitary, but it is better than staying dirty. The life for them looks hard but they seem to make the best of it and survive off of what they can.
Briana B (:
Assignment A
The book, What is the What is very unique in it’s own way. It’s different than any other books that have been written. This book is about the struggles and miracles the people of Sudan go through during the Genocide. I agree with the choice of format and the point of view. The format was written in a good way because it helped you understand someone’s story from what they went through and not from what someone else was telling you. The point of view was focused on the genocide and how the ‘lost boys’ had to get out of Sudan to survive. It was very informational and it helped learn about other people and their lives.
Briana B (:
Assignment F
During Barack Obama’s speech he talks about the genocide that is going on in Sudan. He talks about how many people have already been killed and what is happening with the Bush Administration and their warnings.
"Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum. The Bush Administration itself warned of the magnitude of the crisis, if no action is taken.”
He also talks about how the international community was failing to do enough for the people of Sudan and how the United Nations had debates with other countries about helping. The UN was failing the mission it had by losing the action that was needed. He says that history must not repeat itself.
"The international community has failed to do enough. The United Nations passed a toothless resolution and, in recent debates, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria have been reluctant to support any meaningful action. The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action. American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action. On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.”
The Sudanese government wont do the right thing until they are pressured into it, so the US and the UN are trying to get them to listen and go along with our decisions.
"There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.
Briana B (:
Assignment B-
1.)In the photographs under Darfur Outrage, there is different State Representatives. In the third photo there is Rep. Nancy Pelosi. In the eighth photo, there is Rep. Jim McGovern getting escorted to a police vehicle. In the ninth photo, there is Rep. Tom Lantos getting handcuffed for his arrest. In the eleventh photo, Barack Obama takes part of a news conference. On the last photo, Rep. Mike Doyle is speaking at a rally behind bins of postcards.
2.)The per capita of Sudan is $2,500 in 2007. In the United States the per capita is $46,000 in 2007. The United States gets a lot more than Sudan for the per capita. The difference of the per capita $43,500. Sudan gets a smaller per capita than United States.
3.)The United Sates population is 306,020,044 people. The population of Sudan today is 40,218,456 people. There is a lot more people in United States than there is in Sudan. The difference is 265,801,588 people.
4.)The life expectancy of Sudan since 2008 is 50.28. In the United States, the life expectancy is 74.37 male, 80.05 female.
5.) The countires that border Sudan are Uganda, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya and Kenya.
6.) The photograph that captured my attention was the picture of Martha Halim.Who was 13 suffers from a rare affliction called "nodding disease." This photo is sad and heart-broken. It shows what people are going through in Sudan, the diseases, starvation and death.
~K.Lynch
Block-D
Assignment D~
1.) Most pictures of Sudan are heart-broken and depressing. For example, a small child sitting alone on a bed sad. That is symbolizing that they are alone and poor. Another picture is that an old women walking in a swampy area. Sudan is a poor poor countires and it's enviroment is swampy and more native. Next picture is how a little boy is sick and a man is trying to cure him. In Sudan many people die from diseases and they don't have the right medicine to cure them. A picture of a village, with the houses like native and looks like the trees were burnt. The soldiers would bomb the village at any moment. Also little children had no toys to play with. They had to build their old toys with sticks, plates and etc. Some Sudanese people were beated and attacked by armed bandits, some of them get kicked out of their homes and sometimes if they are injured, they would go to the health clinics. In Sudan, they are mostly more native and independent than the United States.
K.Lynch
Block~D
Assignment E-
1.) What I thought of Colin Powell's response to the situation in Sudanis cruel and not right for doing, "With her husband's body a few yards away, the men took turns raping her." There is no right for doing that to innocent women. He characterized it by a genocide. The President's response was mostly saying get rid of this problem,'"They kept saying,Please get rid of this problem."' Also saying that sending U.S. troops are not right for doing to end the fighting," Neither candidate advocates sending U.S. troops to Africa to end the fighting." Different people have different opinnions about the situation in Sudan.
2.)The geological and geographical makeup of Sudan complicates the current situation because the geographical makeup is showing the imagery of Sudan's current situation."In front of a group of onlookers, a man tossed the boy into the air as another took aim and shot him dead." It is heart-broken and depressing that people are doing this. Also the history of Sudan's current situation is morose and bitter."Despite the fact that the international Genocide Convention, signed by the U.S. and 134 other countries, obligates signatories to "prevent and to punish" genocide where it is occurring," telling the history side of Sudan.
3.)The "Times Magazine Article" and the "What is the What" are similiar. In the "What is the What" little girls and women are getting raped and attacked, "Two of the intruders, she says, grabbed her and forced her to the ground. With her husband's body a few yards away, the men took turns raping her." Most of the time they just kill them.
K.Lynch
block-D
Assignment) A.
The unique approach to the development of the book is they started of slow. It took three year of pretty steady work. Valentino said “it started slow.” Then Eggers said “It was slow. It took three years of pretty steady work.” I agree with the choice of format and point of view because it is very interesting. He has an interesting mind and has good technique of word and point of view.
Assignment) B.
In the image that we had to look at the picture look very sad and gross looking. The capita income of Sudan is that in the image they are holding up two people and they say stop the carnage and the other one is something the moon. The Sudan population is 41,236,378 (July 2006 est.) it compares to the us is that is very little to ours. Ethiopia and Kenya share the border of Sudan.
Assignment) D.
In the first image is there is a plane flying over a tree. Under the tree there are Sudanese people under the tree looking up at the plane flying by. The Sudanese people are looking at it because they would like to go to visit some other places in the world and want money. In the second image there is a boy or a baby sitting in his bed with nothing to do. There is nothing in his room, just a bed with no pillow and just a little blanket. Also, there is a little light that looks like it doesn’t even work. In the big picture there are people that have clothes; they look like they have money. Also, there are guards walking around with AK-47’s. That means they don’t want people coming into their country or city without having a guard check them to see if they are going to hurt them all. In the Irene Abdou picture there are also people with clothes on and there are some people with face paint on. They also like to dance a lot with people. The people with the face paint have no clothes and look like they have no homes. Also it looks like they sleep in a plane that crashed on the ground a long time ago.
Assignment) E.
I like what he/she wrote it is very sweet and to the point. It could be still going on right too.
Nick S.
Assignment B
In the photos “Darfur Outrage” there are a few political authorities. One being President Barak Obama. The President supporting relief will inspire other pollutions in helping out Sudan. Another famous figure was George Clooney. Celebrities often support world crises; this is a good thing. One being that they certainly have the recourses to help out dramatically. Also they set up charities and just them being there gives publicity and awareness to the cause.
The per capita income for Sudan is 1880 US dollars. The US per capita income is 37500 US dollars. The US vastly beats the Sudanese per capita income. The population of Sudan as of July 2008 was 40,218,456. Also of July 2008 the population of the US was 303,824,640. The US has over 8000 more people than Sudan. The life expectancy for people in Sudan is tragically low. For males it is 49.38 years. For women it is 51.23 years. The life expectancy for men in the US is 75.29. This is much more than the men in Sudan. The life expectancy for females in the US is 81.13 years; also more than Sudan.
Countries bordering Sudan are Chad, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Dem. Republic of the Congo. One picture that is depicted is of a relief truck. Inside are four men with supplies. They are on a camp in Chad; a country that borders Darfur, Sudan. In front of the truck are hundreds of people waiting for the supplies. In the background there is a small village with a few thatched huts. I find this moving because the truck is practically empty; and it appears that it will not be able to effectively help the hundreds of people surrounding it. It upsets me that people are living like this.
Assignment C
After looking through the scores of Sudan report cards; it does not surprise me that our Senators, and house representatives have scored such high scores of A’s and A+’s. This does not surprise me because Massachusetts is a very liberal and democratic state. However in republican voters it does not surprise me that they scored lower. Like C’s and even D’s. I am proud that Massachusetts is participating greatly in the relief efforts in Sudan.
Assignment D
The faces of Sudan section has many photographs. It has helped me visualize the book “What is the What” even more. I had not pictured what they where before. The pictures have helped me see what the wear. They wear colorful robes with patterns. Also they show the rebels. They all carry AK-47; there is no universal uniform for them. They are all militia. Also for all the suffering that they have endured they seem to be smiling and happy. However only when they are with each other.
Assignment E
Colin Powell’s response to the situations in Sudan was powerful and truthful. He Made note that genocide is occurring and that many countries pledged to act on genocide; but have so far failed. “International Genocide Convention, signed by the U.S. and 134 other countries, obligates signatories to "prevent and to punish" genocide where it is occurring.” This quote is proof of what Powell said about it is the UN’s duty to help stop the Genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Melkha Musa Haroun fled her village; just like Valentino and many others in What is the What. The both walked for weeks. From village to village; hoping that the next village could supply them with food. They both had children with them. For Valentino he was one of the children. For Haroun it was here children. They both witnessed innocent children being killed. The similarities is horrifying, especially since they were two different accounts of genocide in the same country.
The geography in Sudan has vast deserts, jagged mountains and rocks, extinct volcanoes, and is very dry. Also it is very large; this makes relief very difficult. It is so large that trying to find everyone is almost impossible. It takes hours to drive relief trucks to any camp. Also the vast lands give the Janjaweed places to hide and strike.
Assignment F
I fully support the ideas of sending aid to Sudan. "First, the UN Security Council should impose tough sanctions on the Khartoum government immediately.” This is quated form Obama’s speech. In theory it is true; however Obama is President and now has the influence start this first step. However, it has not begun; he needs to pressure the UN more. He should be setting up meetings with world powers; because ." We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”
"Second, the United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance.” The funds needed should have already been sent. Here in America there is no hesitation to give relief money to help save billionaire bankers. Yet it takes months to send a few million over seas to save lives versus saving jobs. It is horrible to think that we hold corrupt jobs more important than innocent lives.
"There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government.” The Sudanese government should be pressured. They are responsible for thousands of deaths, homes destroyed, and lives ruined. The Sudanese government has done this before; the got away with it. They murdered many people and what did the UN do? They made them rich by buying there oil. The oil that they murdered innocents to get.
Anthony B.
Assignment A:
1. What is the What took over three years to be completed. According to Valentino, "We started with interviews. Many interviews in person and over the phone." At first they suspected Valentino would write his own book, with Dave Eggers' help, but later decided against it.
2. In Dave Eggers' words What is the What is "a fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino’s voice." I somewhat agree with this choice of format, but I believe the book would sell more if it was non-fictional, I believe readers like to read about real situations, that real people have been involved in.
Assignment B:
1. Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback, and Mike Doyle.
2. The per capita income for Sudan in 2006 is about $2,300 which is about 5% of the per capita for America in 2007.
3. In 2006, it was estimated that there were about 41,236,378 people living in Sudan. This is about 13% of the population in the U.S.
4. Sudan female's life expectancy is about 58 years and Sudanese male's are about 59 years. In the United States males are expected
live about 74 years and females are to live to about 80.
5. Libya, Chad, Egypt, Central African Republic, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
6. Picture 19 is especially moving. It is a picture of a young Sudanese girl who has been malnourished, she is finally receiving medical
attention in eastern Chad. She is distraught with tears.
Assignment C:
Representatives James McGovern and Barney Frank both have received A+'s while Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy have received A's.
Assignment D:
Picture number 8 in "w.darfur" makes me understand the harsh work the Sudanese have to go through. They need to do heavy lifting and whatnot to live. Picture number 1 in "w. darfur" shows how spectacular planes are to the people of Sudan. Their country rarely sees planes. Picture 5, shows how cruel the soldiers are. Pictures from "the big picture" truly show the Sudanese people. It shows what their villages really look like, and it shows their culture. "Irene Abdou" also shows pictures of the Sudanese culture.
Assignment F:
In president Obama's speech regarding Darfur, some quotes specifically stand out. Such as, "The international community has failed to do enough. The United Nations passed a toothless resolution and, in recent debates, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria have been reluctant to support any meaningful action. The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action. American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action. On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself." And also, "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation." And, "There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can, including logistical support like airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and other resources that are needed to deliver humanitarian aid."
-A.Murphy
Assignment F~
Barack Obama makes good statments about what is happening in Sudan. If someone doesn't do anything then the genocide will never end,"We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue." The United Nantions are appeasing everything that is going on in Sudan. Only becuase they want to keep the peace,"The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action." If the United States is not going to help Sudan who will? United States is trying to not let history repeat itself,"On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself." it will take a long time for Sudanese Government to stop doing the genocide. So other countries need to show/tell them how,"There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation." Barack Obama has good statements fo rthe genocide in Sudan.
~K.Lynch
Block-D
B. Jones PerD English
Part A The unique approach to developing the book is one that strikes the reader harder than if it was not written in the form of the Dinka. That the writing is written in the oddly informal but serious way of the Dinka gives it much more strength then if it was written factually. The format was so unique that a factual account would ruin the message; the choice of format was correct.
Part B Rep’s Nancy Pelosi, and D-Calif. The per capita income for Sudan is significantly less then America’s. The population of Sudan is little over 41,000,000 while our own population is over300,000,000. The life expectancy of most Sudanese is about fifty five years, while our own is around eighty. The picture that struck me the most was one of hundreds of women waiting with despair in their eyes over their lost homes, that brings the message that WE MUST DO SOMETHING, home.
Part C _/
Part D The pictures from the J. Carrier album at the precipice of peace truly showed what the people have went through and that above all struck a heart string. In “the big picture” the face of the Arabic girl screamed out at me to help her, the emotion in the photos is so hot it is stinging. From Irene Abdou the pictures of the Dinka and their culture struck me as fantastic because they showed me how much the genocide is ruining.
Part E
1. What do you think of Colin Powell’s response to the situation in Sudan? How about Condoleeza Rice’s response? How about the President’s response? I think that Powell’s response was very good but that they all under state the problem, Rice’s response was good in the way he critiqued Bush and Kerry so well. The way the president has done nothing is ridiculous.
2. Describe how the geological and geographical makeup of Sudan complicates the current situation. The people are stuck in the small sections of fertile land with few other places they can go, the situation is terrible.
3. Relate some of the horrifying anecdotes (particularly those of Melkha Musa Haroun), to content from What is the What. The poor girl baby being left to die but the “potential” enemy, a male baby, being shot, it is utter madness.
Part F
“This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people.”
This Quote shows how the American government helps not just for the people in need but for our own interests.
“UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action. American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action.”
The quote here shows how little the world has done and how much we talk, since America has done nothing significant yet.
“A July 30th UN Security Council resolution threatened the Sudanese government with possible punitive…”
The key word here is possible, there is no pressure, no weight to possible consequences.
Retrieved from “http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Statement_from_Barack_Obama_on_Darfur,_Sudan”
A1) -The development to this book is quite unique. They met in Atlanta through the Lost Boys Foundation. They started interviews right away. Writing this book was slow, but three years of steady work and interviews through phone calls and even in person, made hours and hours of tape they had to work through. Dave Egger's and Valentino got through the basic story. They had to decide whether it would be first person or in the third person. If it would be fiction or nonfiction. After around eighteen months of struggle, they settled on a fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino’s telling the story.
-Yes, I do agree with the point of view they are using because Valentino's voice would be much more appropriate for telling this story. Valentino's voice is distinctive and is unforgettable.
MDoyle
Assignment A:
"What is the What" by Dave Eggers was approached very differently then most stories while it was in the writing process. “It was slow. It took three years of pretty steady work,” commented Eggers about how long the book actually took to form. It is very usual for a book to be made over the course of a few years, but most authors do not have to go through what Eggers went through. He had, “many interviews in person and over the phone,” with Valentino to try and get the basic story down. They had not decided many aspects of the book, such as if it was going to be fiction or nonfiction, or if it should be told through Valentino’s voice or in third person. “After about eighteen months of struggle with it, we settled on a fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino’s voice,” Eggers decided that Valentino had a very unique voice, and it was the one that fit the story best. After Valentino told his story, Eggers continued to research other stories of the Lost Boys to see if he could incorporate them into the story to provide the reader with the full feeling of their situation. Valentino would describe a certain aspect or scene to Eggers, and after a few months it would be put together in a readable way. This process, however, took a very long time and most authors are not accustomed to the particular technique.
Personally, I agree with Valentino’s and Dave Eggers choice of format and point of view because the story would not have the intended effect without it. Valentino has a very unique way of wording and speech, and that unique way provides more of an understanding for the reading. If the story was written as nonfiction, many aspects would had to have been left out in order to assure complete accuracy for legal reasonings. By using the unique technique of flashbacks to tell the story, the reader has to be on their toes and actually completely comprehend the events in order to keep up with it all, I congratulate both Valentino and Dave Eggers on their book "What is the What" for the careful, masterful thought and skill put into it.
Assignment B:
1. Nancy Pelosi, from California, Sheila Jackson Lee, from Texas, Jim Moran, from Virginia, Jim McGovern, from Massachusetts, Tom Lantos from California, Sen. Barack Obama, from Illinois, Sen. Sam Brownback,from Kansas, Mike Doyle, U.S representative from Pittsburgh were all present in the photographs from the “Darfour Outrage.”
2. The per capita income of Sudan is approximately $2,300 as of 2006. In the United States, the per capita income is approximately $47,025 as of 2008. The extremely high difference is astonishing, proving that there is something terribly wrong with what is happening in Sudan.
3. The population of Sudan is approximately 41,236,378 as of July 2006. The population of the United States of American us approximately 303,824,640 as of July 2008. Their is a significant difference in population between the two countries, but the condition of the people in America is considered better than those of Sudan.
4. The life expectancy at birth of Sudan’s total population is 58.92 years, as males it is 57.69 years, and as females it is 60.21 years; all given as a 2006 estimation. Life Expectancy in the United States is 74.37 as a male and 80.05 as a female in a 2001 estimation.
5. The countries that border Sudan include: Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, and Ethiopia.
6. Many photographs that are taken of the people in Sudan are very moving and hard to emotionally bear. An image that I found especially moving was one in which the main focus is a young girl of Sudan looking straight at us. Her facial expression contains a certain grimace, and her left eye seems to be swollen shut from a disease other than nodding disease which she already harvests. The stern look should not be seen on a girl her age, showing that she has experienced many horrible things. What makes this particular image moving for me, however, is the image in the background. Another young boy, whose face is not shown, is standing in a sickly thin figure while carrying a very young child in his arms. All three of the children appear to not be clothed, and seem to be without parents or care. The feeling of complete loneliness and desperation is almost tangible in this image, and is forever moving.
Assignment C
As I was viewing the scores for Massachusetts, I realized that all of the Massachusetts representatives have an A grade, and some of them have an A+. However, when I viewed other states, I was very disappointed to see that many had C's or even D's. It makes me very proud to see that Massachusetts is being very effective through the processes of helping Sudan, but it saddens me to see that the United States as a whole is not making the greatest effort.
Assignment D
Carrier
The photographs on J. Carrier’s website were very moving, and clearly demonstrated the happenings of Sudan. In his second picture, an elderly woman seems to be in a lot of physical, and emotional pain. She is surrounded by empty lands that only contain diminutive houses that are not suited for one person to live in, never mind many more. The emotions are running high on the daily basis of the Sudanese people, and on the fourth picture it is demonstrated clearly when many men have tears streaming down their sunken cheeks. Small children are working, and gathering materials in the photos; doing tasks other than having fun or going to school encompass their daily schedule. Many children are depicted, and many of them are sickly, and unhealthy looking. Moreover, they all appear alone in the pictures, as in without adults; a growing problem in Sudan of unaccompanied minors due to the war. Women, children, and men have been effected from the events in Sudan; many of them have died, or are dying because of it.
The Big Picture
Like most photographs of the people of Sudan, they all share the same blank stare on their faces; a look without hope. These pictures, however, contain many more views of their military personnel, and how inexperienced they seem to be. In one particular photo, the soldiers appear to be carrying sticks instead of guns as weapons, a tactic that will undoubtedly fail in a real combat situation. A close-up of a young ethnic Arab girl shows hidden scars across her cheek making one wonder what she has seen and been through over her years. Scared, alone, and abandoned is a young Sudanese refugee in one of the photos, showing how horrible the situation is for some of the small children. The bright, eccentric clothing that the women wear show signs that at one point in time things were happier, and now their world is covered in grey.
Irene Abdou
Irene Abdou’s photographs are mostly of children that have been plagued with death, destruction, and disease. In one image, however, is many men crowded together in a state of panic, and from their lack of clothing it seems evident that they are Sudanese refugees trying to survive. A women is holding her child in her arms, and they are not properly clothed, and portray to be malnourished like most of the Sudanese people, but the curious aspect of this picture is that even though they do not have clothes, food, or even hair, they in fact have jewelry. Many of these photos show that if the Sudanese people are given a chance then they will take it and run with it to fulfill their long waiting smiles.
Assignment E
Secretary of State Colin Powell’s response was very blatantly put when he said that genocide is occurring, and that the government of Sudan bears responsibility. Powell stated that,"No new action is dictated by this determination." It is very astonishing to read that no new action is being taken to stop or prevent the genocide in Sudan, even though the United States, along with many other countries agreed to prevent and punish genocide wherever it was occurring. Condoleeza Rice criticizes the administration for not "taking action consonant with the magnitude of the catastrophe." Her strong words are absolutely true showing that she has the possibility to further aid the Sudanese. Rice also states that the administration does not prove active in sending troops to Africa, even though they are desperately needed. However, the Bush Administration has only decided now to try and end the long time war in Sudan. “Since the start of the Bush Administration, U.S. policy toward Sudan has been focused on ending the country's long-running war in the South, which has killed more than 2 million people.” This horrible event was only brought forth to the public after Powell declared the genocide in Africa, and if he had not, many people would still not know.
Many aspects of Africa and Sudan complicate the refugees situation, but the geological features should not, but however they in fact do. Most of the Sudanese are farmers, or herders making them not want to leave an area that has fertile soil. “The conflict in Darfur is literally rooted in the soil,” and since crops are not being planted many people are dying from malnutrition. Due to their location, the soil contains a lot of sand, and in many places there just is not enough room to plant large amounts of crops needed to feed six million people. They are completely reliant on outside aid causing more difficulties because of the lack in transportation of goods, leading to more sickness and death.
Melkha Musa Haroun had some extremely horrifying stories, many of which are also included in the book "What is the What." She stated that she walked from village to village trying to locate a refugee camp, just as Achak Deng had did. He too walked with many boy, known today as the Lost Boys, in hope to find a safer place, or a place that would take care of them. In many instances, young boys would be shot by soldiers because they pose a future threat, and Haroun witnessed a boy being thrown into the air and shot dead. "It was the worse thing I ever saw," Haroun states, and it is indeed very true. Achak also witnessed many murders in front of his own eyes; images that will undoubtedly haunt him for the rest of his life.
Assignment F
“We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.” President Obama’s words are very moving, and utterly true. I chose this quote because it is very true, and because of people just standing by and looking the other way many have been killed. After other episodes of genocide in the past, such as the Holocaust, many promised to make sure that something like it will never happen again, and yet it is going on right now. Nothing is more powerful than a nation standing up to wrong doing, and prevent it from continuing. However, the United States is only one nation and, "The international community has failed to do enough.” Many more people need to become aware of the current situation in Sudan to make sure action is taken. The international community has failed in the past, but the future is still there and progress needs to be made. It is one thing the feel alone and abandoned, as most Sudanese refugees feel, but it is entirely different to know that no one is willing to help, and that feeling of utter abandonment is unbearable. As President Obama states his message, he repeats that Sudan is a country that we need for its resources, but it is a country we need to help, “And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." We, as Americans, need to stand up and fight for the millions who are being killed, and it is right to say that by helping Sudan right now, America will be a proud country instead of a country who stood around and watched children being murdered before their eyes.
-Kady F.
March 19, 2009
English F
"What is the What" Supplements
Assignment A
1. The fiction-novel What is the What, is quite unique. Instead of Valentino writing and having the story being told by Valentino, Eggers wrote the story and the story was told through Valentino. Eggers and Valentino also researched quite often get the correct information. Eggers and Valentino went through tapes, interviewed many people, etc., to obtain as much information as they could. The reason for gathering so much information is because Valentino could not remember all of the events that took place in his life: “For one thing, I was very young when the book begins, so I could not remember conversations and small details from my early childhood in Marial Bai. It was necessary to reconstruct the chronology, and that is what Dave did. He took the basic facts and then created the story from there.” Valentino and Eggers wanted to be as precise as possible when they gathered the information. Although the story does contain some made up scenes, the story is mainly non-fiction.
2. I agree with the choice of format because the story cannot be seen through by a man that has not been involved with the genocide in Sudan. Eggers have not been through the emotional conflict that a refugee gets in Sudan. Valentino did not know proper English and he did not know how to write a book: “I thought I might want to write my own book, but I learned that I was not ready to do this. I was still taking classes in basic writing at Georgia Perimeter College.” However, if the book was non-fiction, I do not think the book would have been more successful. Valentino would have not remembered every single detail that occurred in Sudan. He acknowledged that he even added details: “For one thing, I was very young when the book begins, so I could not remember conversations and small details from my early childhood in Marial Bai.”
Assignment B
1. The state representatives that are shown include Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pittsburgh.
2. The per capita income in the U.S. during the year of 2008 was about $48,000. However, the per capita income of Sudan is about $2,200. That is about a $46,000 difference.
3. The population of Sudan is about 40,218,456. This United States has a population of about 303,824,640. The population is about 8 times greater than Sudan’s population.
4. The life expectancy of a healthy person in Sudan is about 50.28 years. The life expectancy of a healthy person in the U.S. is about 78.14 years. That is a difference of about 28 years.
5. The countries that border Sudan include Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Uganda, Zaire, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Egypt.
6. One picture that grabs my attention is the picture that has a sign that says “G.Bush. Hands off Sudan.” I don’t understand how people can be so cruel and evil. There are countries that are trying to help a group of displaced children, families, etc. If North Sudan was never supplied with guns, tanks, ammunition, etc. then this whole genocide would have never happened. Power should never be overused because genocides and mass murders are always what come out in the end. The government obviously does not know how to use such power and the displaced families and children are a result of it. It angers me deeply to see such cruel people act in such a manner that is disrespectful and unacceptable.
Assignment C
It is great that the state of Massachusetts is taking action in Sudan. Every state in the U.S. should help Sudan the same what Massachusetts does. Every action done towards helping Sudan is one closer step to stopping the genocide.
Assignment D-
The pictures have helped me see how the Dinka live and struggle. You can see the fear in the young Dinka children. Just by looking into the children’s eyes, you can almost see their past. Traveling at such a young age and being malnourished can take a huge toll on a child. Not to mention that they might have lost their friends and family. Throughout the slide, the struggle of the Dinka is quite visible. There is not much clothing, no food, no money etc., yet, they make the best of everything. Young kids are playing in the ruins of a crashed air plane, sing, dance, etc. No matter what happens, the Dinka always keep their spirits high and continue with their traditional customs.
Assignment E
1. I agree with Colin Powell’s response. The government of Sudan and the Janjaweed are responsible for the genocide in Sudan. Who else is there to blame? Absolutely no one because the government and the Janjaweed committed those actions, as Powell said: "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring.” Powell is absolutely one hundred percent correct. Hundreds of thousands of people displaced and dead ever year from this horrific tragedy, and it will continue for many years to come.
Rice’s statements are correct as well: "I don't think there's a huge difference" between Kerry and Bush on how to handle Sudan.” Bush did not do a very good job, as did Kerry, on helping Sudan and ending the war. Bush’s main focus was on Iraq, but nothing was done there. During that whole time, Bush could have sent troops into Sudan and end the genocide. President Bush did not do much during the genocide, other than supplying food. If he acted quickly, not as many people would have died. The president of Sudan called this a problem “They didn't want to know about Darfur," charges Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani, a friend and adviser to President al-Bashir and then Khartoum's lead negotiator in the talks. "They kept saying, 'Please get rid of this problem.'" That is a cruel way to think of a person in that perspective. It is very evil to think of people as a “problem.” Someone needs to act in order to stop the genocide.
2. It would be very difficult for troops to end the genocide in Sudan mainly because Sudan is a large vast area. It is very hot and it consists of dry land. The troops would have a difficult time fighting because there would be no cover, and the troops would also be exhausted.
3. Just as Haroun said, the government troops always go after the boys and men. They kill all boys and men immediately because they are “future threats.” Women would be raped and taken as slaves. Another thing that relates to What is the What is the traveling. The Lost Boys traveled from village to village, until reaching a refugee camp, just like what Haroun had done.
Assignment F-
“Andrew Natsios, head of USAID, said in June that "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties."”
The importance of this quote shows that Obama and many other people know the damage that can be done in Sudan. Obama knows he has to do something to prevent the government from taking any more lives away. This whole genocide is getting out of hand and it needs to stop now before any more lives can be taken away.
"There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation. “
Obama understands that the genocide in Rwanda was not easy to stop. Obama understands that it will not be easy to change the mind of the Sudanese government, but it must be done. Genocides should not occur every year, or as a matter of fact, at all. There is no point in ruthlessly killing all of these innocent human beings.
Panos N.
Assignment A :
I can agree with the choice format of developing the book What is the What. Although the whole book is about Valentino’s life going from when he was a little boy. As Valentino says in his interview “ I was very young when the book begins, so I could not remember conversations and small details from my early childhood in Marial Bai.” The story is pretty much everything that Valentino remembers, for the most part. Although the scenes are not exactly word for word, of what happened throughout Valentino’s journey. I understand why Dave Eggers and Valentino decided to call this book a Novel instead of a nonfictional story.
Assignment B :
Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback ,Mike Doyle, George Bush.
Population in Sudan = 41,236,378 as of July in 2006. Unlike the United States where the population was 303,824,640 as of July 2008. The median age in Sudan was a total of 18.3 years for males and 18.1 years for females. Compared to the United State people in Sudan die before most people in the U.S. The reason for Sudan’s years of living to be so low is because of the certain diseases and food shortages they have there. They also don’t have the certain health care that we have here in the U.S.
Eastern Chad is bordering Sudan.
The photography that captures my attention the most is the picture of the malnourished Sudanese refugee girl that is receiving medical attention. This picture effects me the most out of all of the photography because she is crying and the look in her eye she looks very scared. Also by the what medical band that is wrapped around her arm makes me look closely on how small her arm really is.
Assignment D :
Looking at all the pictures of life in Sudan it gives me a better understanding of how the people dress and look also what the land looks like there in Sudan. The clothing that they wear are very bright and relate to the story what is the what about Valentino’s mother wearing a bright yellow sun dress. It just goes to show that they have to wear light colors because it is humid and hot over there in Sudan. Also by looking at the people you can see them doing their everyday work to keep living and their homes that they live in. By looking at these pictures of Sudan I can really get a better understanding of how they live.
Assignment F :
“ We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”
This statement that was said by Barack Obama he is saying that he wants to fix this problem in Sudan. He’s stating that we cant just sit here and whatch the genocide continue and that he wants to do something about it.
“ The United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance”
Obama in this statement is saying that the United States is going to start raising funds to help the conditions and people that are living in Sudan.
“But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can.”
President Obama in this statement is saying that although we are dealing with our own war that is going on in Iraq we should still be helping the people in Sudan and provide them with the things that we can. This statement to me is saying that every little bit counts to help out Sudan.
Allyson.S.
Brianna R.
Block D
Assignment A-
1. “The first thing we did was just get through the basic story. So that was about twelve hours of tape. Then I spent some time transcribing and reviewing the story, to see what exactly to do with it. At that point, we really hadn’t decided whether I was just helping Valentio write his own book, or if I was writing a book about him,” Eggers states at his interview. This is interesting because they were unclear about how they would approach the story. The unique approach was that the interviews between Dave eggers and Valentio Deng were in person and over the phone. Both men mention how the process was very long and how it took about three years to develop the book, What is the What.
2. I do agree with the format and point of view of What is the What. By making the story fiction it helps make the book make more sense and more realistic to the situations Valentio was within. In all reality, it’s hard to believe that Valentio was able to remember and tell about all the events in depth, when he was a young boy. Also as Valentio says, “ I thought I might want to write my own book, but I learned that I was not ready to do this”; makes it clear that he would have no been capable to produce as wonderful a read as Dave Eggers.
Assignment B-
1. Some State Representatives from the photographs under “Darfur Outrage” are Nancy Pelosi, Shelia Jackson, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback, and Mike Doyle.
2. The capita income of the Sudanese is $2,300 as in 2006. The capita income for the U.S is $20,000 per year.
3. The population of Sudan is 39,379,358; as in the U.S there are 305,529,237.The difference is about 266149879 people.
4. The life expectancy for a Sudanese male is about 48 years old and a Sudanese female is about 50 years old. In the U.S, the life expectancy of a male is 74 and a female is 80. The life expectancy is almost double in the U.S as in Sudan.
5. Sudan shares a border with the following countries; Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad, Libya, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Uganda, Central Afr. Rep, and Egypt.
Assignment C- When I was reading the Darfur scores I was happy to see that congressmen were trying to help the efforts in Darfur. In February 2008, Brian Higgins and Senator Hillary Clinton sent a letter to our former president (president at the time) asking to give forwards more of an effort. The calls of citizens help 60 representatives and 16 senators sign the letter given. Also, over that week 18 more representatives signed and it is in the Senate. This shows that the determination of a few people goes a long way to start something great.
Assignment D-
-On the J. Carrier sight, there are many pictures of the people living in Sudan. The pictures gave me a better idea of how they live. In one of the picture from W. Darfur, the women had the brightest colors for their clothing. Another picture was a man curled up on the ground because he is being beaten but other men. I realize that this is something that the people of Sudan fear everyday of their lives. Another picture showed boys bathing in the river and I saw how mucky and dirty the water they clean themselves in. These pictures showed me their homes and the way of traveling on donkeys. It helped me undertake the information of Sudan.
-On the sight of The Big Picture, the photographs showed me how much was in certainty going on in Sudan. In one of the pictures in the village of Abyei, Sudan, the huts were being burned down. Innocent peoples homes were taken from them. Another picture of a Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldier helped me picture and show me what they actually look like and the guns that they carry.
-On the sight of Irene Adou Photography, it showed me a picture of a young boy. On this boy there were 6 scars on his forehead. He had these scars because it is the passage of a boy into adulthood and into a Dinka warrior. Another picture showed children playing in the r a crashed plane in Rumbek. I realized that this is what the children only have to play in. They don’t have playgrounds like we do in America.
Assignment E-
1. “No new action is dictated by this determination,” said by Colin Powers. This surprised me that he is not all for helping Darfur and the genocide. He stated that they sent troops no to halt the violence but to monitor it. He believes that it is not the U.S.A’s responsibility, but the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear. He doesn’t have much concern about the genocide.
I agree with Susan Rice’s criticism the administration for them not taking action. “Not taking action consonant with the magnitude of the catastrophe.” I strongly agree that if we don’t step in, thousands of people will die in Sudan. She has a strong option that we need to take charge, which is completely true. At this rate, nothing will get better in Sudan and the killing with be continuous.
“Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir called on local tribes to crash the rebellion.” His response to the bombing of the aircrafts and the kidnapping didn’t seem like a big priority. He just sent local tribes to get it done.
2. Since Pakistan and China are invested in Sudan’s emerging oil industry are sympathetic. For more than a year, the world has just stood around and watched the violence of Darfur take place. They want to problem vanished.
3. In the article, Zahara explains while she was in Sudan she saw people in her village killed and she was brutally raped and cut. In What is the What, Valentio sadly sees many people of his village killed and many women were raped and beaten. As for Melka Musa Haroun, she was among people that walked from village to village until they reached a refuge camp away and hiding from the Janjaweed. In What is the What, Valentio was among the Lost Boys that traveled for months to reach a refugee camp.
Assignment F-
“We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.” When I saw this in Obama’s speech, it stuck out to me. I am glad that he is supporting that the U.S should step in. he is explaining how this horrific problem will continue unless we choice to step in and take action.
“The U.S. must ensure humanitarian intervention with or without Sudanese government permission. And, we should urge European governments who are not willing to send troops to Iraq to take on this mission.” Barack is basically implying that we are going to take charge with or without the permission and approval of the Sudanese government. It’s significant due to the fact that he is telling us to urge others to send troops to end this mess.
“This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." I feel that this is the most important thing the president stated in his speech. He is convincing people that we shouldn’t be debating about this decision to help the people; we should know that we have to. It’s more than saving the people but showing that we care about their region. We are all united and they need our help.
Assignment A
1.) Valentino and Dave Eggers made the book in an unusual way. Instead of writing it with in a year by gathering all the information and writing it they had to go through many processes instead. Dave had to interview Valentino, and then they would use all that information and still have to figure out what genre of story to classify it as. Then they had to decide who would write it. This was very unusual.
2.) I believe that the point of format was a good idea. But, I believe that it should have been classified differently. I believe that it should have been a non-fiction story. I also believe that it should have been written by Valentino because it was his story and Dave Eggers just benefitted financially from it. But, overall the book came together great in the end
Chris White
Per.B
a.) 1.) The way the novel, What is the What, was written was very unique. The way he approached this was, Valentino told Dave Eggers his story and Dave wrote it down and turned it into a book. Valentino told this story to Dave by tape recordings, e-mails, phone conversations, and personal meetings. This book is a novel because Valentino couldn’t exactly remember his conversations; however all of the major events in the story are true.
2.) I agree with the way this novel was written. Even though Valentino didn’t write the novel by himself he did tell Dave Eggers what to write. I think this is a good decision because Dave could probably write a story better than Valentino. Also, if this novel was written any differently it would not be anymore successful.
b.) 1) The politicians in the photos are Nancy Peloci, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback, and Mike Doyle.
2) The per capita income of Sudan is $2,400. The per capita income of the U.S. is 38,611. The difference between these two countries is enormous.
3) The population of the country Sudan is 39,379,358. The population of the United States is, 303,824,640. The difference between these countries in population is about 260 million people.
4) The life expectancy for a Sudanese person is about 49 years. In the United States the life expectancy is 77 to 78 years. The life expectancy in the U.S. is almost 30 years longer.
5) The countries that share a border with Sudan are; Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya.
6) An image that catches my eye is one of a woman sitting with two children one is sitting there and one is sleeping, they are in a camp waiting for aid.
c) Dear James McGovern,
Thank you for doing such a great job in helping the Sudanese people. It is great that you organized you and four of your colleagues’ arrests in front of the Sudanese embassy to raise awareness of the genocide in Africa. Also, it is great that you sponsored the China Resolution on Darfur because that was something that tried to stop the genocide. All in all, it is a great thing that you are so active in stopping the genocide in Africa and keep up the great work.
d) The pictures on these websites really let me see what these people actually look like. When I am reading the book I have a picture in my head of what the people look like and what the places look like. However, these pictures changed the vision in my head. The pictures that showed an overview of one of the villages changed what I thought it looked like a lot. When I was reading this book I was thinking that it was all desert. However, when I saw some of the pictures I realized that there was a lot of green.
e) Collin Powell’s depiction of the situation in Sudan was basically talking about certain people’s lives or points in their lives. “They called her a dog and a donkey. "This year, there's no God except us," Abdulkarim says they told her. "We are your god now."” I think this quote shows how cruel the Arabs were to the Sudanese. I agree with Condoleeza Rice because nothing is really helping in Africa from America and the president isn’t really helping.
2) The geographical makeup of Africa makes it really hard to help because Africa is so big that it would take an enormous amount of troops to end the genocide in Africa.
3) Melka Musa Haroun’s experiences relate to Valentino’s in many ways. One way they are related is that both of them travel from village to village running away from the Arabs. Also, they both witnessed many deaths on their way.
f) "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.” This quote shows how they recognize that we know that we need to step in or a lot of people are going to die.
"Second, the United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance.” This quote shows that we know they need to receive humanitarian assistance and we are going to take the steps to give it to them.
"Next, the United States should support the immediate deployment of an effective international force to disarm militia, protect civilians and facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in Darfur.” This shows that we know we need to disarm militia and to protect the innocent people that might be killed because no one is taking action.
-Matt P.
F Block
Assignment B
1.) Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback and Mike Doyle are all state representatives from the photographs
2.) The Sudanese per capita income is $2,400. The American per capita income is around $ 50,000.
3.) 39,379,358 is the population of Sudan. 303,824,640 is The United States population.
4.) 49.11 is the Sudan life expectancy. 78.2 is The United States life expectancy.
5.) Egypt, Libya, Chad, C.A.R., Dem. Rep. of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, are the bordering countries with Sudan
6.) The image that moves me is image number 9. It shows a crowd of people holding a sign saying: “G. Bush Hands off Sudan”. I find it moving because they even say themselves that the strongest nation in the world is no help to them.
Chris White
Per B
Assignment D
The “Big Picture” is the site with the best pictures on it. My favorite picture is the one with the African man standing in a field holding a bowl in his right hand. There are many people behind the man going about there daily lives where as this man looks as if he is almost posing for the camera. In the background you can see what seems to be a terrible storm coming but, this does not waver the man’s or any other person’s there confidence. It’s as if they are not afraid in the face of danger. This photo by Tim McKulka really inspired me and was my favorite out of all of the other ones.
Chris White
Per B
Assignment F
“Genocide is under way in Darfur, Sudan”. This goes to show that all though America is not involved in the genocide in Darfur, some people still care and want to help. “There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese”. This shows that he wants America to get involved and help out against the ravages of genocide and stop the Sudanese government with all their strength. "Next, the United States should support the immediate deployment of an effective international force to disarm militia, protect civilians and facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in Darfur. Thus far, the African Union has offered 3,000 troops and the United Kingdom has indicated that they would offer some troops. However, international pressure is required for the Sudan regime to accept an international peacekeeping force. The U.S. must ensure humanitarian intervention with or without Sudanese government permission. And, we should urge European governments who are not willing to send troops to Iraq to take on this mission.” This shows that he has a plan in mind to stop the Sudanese government from their reign of terror and the UN should get involved and disarm the dangerous civilians of Sudan before it is to late.
Chris White
Per B
Assignment B
1.) The state representatives in the picture are Lynn Robinson and Theresa Reuter.
2.) The per capita income for Sudan is $2,300 while the Untied States’ per capita income is $38,611.
3.) The population of Sudan is 41,236,378 (July 2006 est.), compared to the United States’ population, 303,824,640 (July 2008 est.).
4.) The death rate in Sudan is 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.). The death rate in the United States’ is 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.).
5.) Sudan shares its boarders with Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda.
6.) The album “Million’s Displaced” hold a great variety of pictures that hold a place for mention. The ninth picture in the album features a group of protestors, the forefront of the crowd a group of men holding a sign saying “G. Bush: Hands Off Sudan”. The image is not initially catching to the eye, but the implications of that picture as much more than can be described in that portrait alone. In the caption of the picture, it describes the situation between the UN and the Sudanese government and how the UN gave an ultimatum to Sudan to find peace in Sudan in thirty days otherwise intervention will be inevitable. So, when a group of protestors hold a sign such as the one featured, it simply defies all logic. The people are saying that they do not want the help of the other nations, they do not want peace and they do not want the killing and slaughtering of thousands of innocents to end. Another picture, the fifteenth in the album shows the Founders of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream protesting and demonstrating for peace in Sudan. It shows that even people that seem a million light years away can still feel and can still bleed, as immortal and distant as they may seem. This holds true for the founders of the company. They took their time not to find elaborate ways to invest in Sudan or use their political stand point to influence others but to pick up signs for peace and to show that they will go the farthest they can, even if the task is as simple as the one they are doing. Finally, the nineteenth picture is truly the most disturbing of all the pictures. The picture depicts a small girl crying hysterically with mucus running down her mouth. She is in great distress, and is being taken in for medical attention, some of the maladies due to severe malnutrition. There is not much deep meaning behind the photograph, only the raw emotion that is etched on her face.
Peter L.
D.
1. One of the photos from the Big Picture shows me the real sufferin of the villages because it is an aerial view showing a fire at the village of Abyei, Sudan. It is a very poor village judging by the state of the huts. Another photo that showed me the suffering of Sudan is a picture of burnt huts that is very savere. These homes were ruined and the people that lived in them will probably not be able to afford to build another one. One other photo that shows the intencity of Sudan is a photo of a boy play with a plate outside as a toy with great excitment. That shows how poor they are if they can't afford toys for kisd to play with. The photo of the two boys playing on a crashed plane shows that they probably use that as shelter which also shows the intencity of their poorness. If someone lives on a crashed plane they probably can not afford a home or even a hut. That picture was by Irene Abdou.
E.
1. Colin Powell's response to the situation in Sudan was a positive response. He tried to help the situation in Sudan. (not finished)
Assignment E.
1. Think Colin Powell’s response to what is going on in Sudan is very appropriate, “Colin Powell declared that the horrors committed in Darfur deserve the ultimate sanction.” That said to me that mabye they will be taking action on the genocide over there in time to come. The only President I read about in the artcle was Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir who called on local tribes to fight the rebellion, I am glad that he wanted to stop this but I dobut that local tribes are going to stop the rebellion. They are going to need more fire power.
2. The geological and geographical state that Sudan is in only complicates the situation because the land is very flat and dry. There is no where to hide because of it being flat. And the land is dehydrated, and so are most of the people making their condition worse than it should be.
3. A lot of the ladies in sudan were raped, and the stories of the women in the article speak of they’re terrible experiences. Valentino doesn’t go into such detail that these women do but the story is the same. Men and boys were shot and killed and their women raped. Valentino doesn’t describe it in such detail though, because he was not a woman raped
Assignment D: Visit the following sites. Each site contains photography of Sudan. Write a paragraph, citing specific examples, of how the photographs help to shape your view and understanding of Sudan.
In these photographs they gave me quite the understanding of how Sudan is. The thing that I noticed a lot is the bright colors, they seem to pop. These pictures show that the sky seems to always be blue, bright and clear. They travel on donkeys, and live in shacks that they built with sticks/straw. The USA ships them supplies. They try to make the best of the way they live.
MDoyle
Assignment A
1.) The unique approach of the book is very different from the approach of other books. Because Valentino was not ready yet to write a book of his own, he decided to get help. The approach of which is so different is that it is an autobiography, but Valentino didn’t write it. Valentino met Dave Eggers at a Lost Boys Foundation, and they automatically became friends. Either on the phone or face to face they spent many hours of interviews for getting this book ready. Dave Eggers at one point didn’t even no if he was just helping Valentino write his own book, or if he was writing the book about Valentino.
2.) I believe the book was made with the right format and point of view. Mainly because if it wasn’t it wouldn’t have been such a huge success. The book has been a great book so far. And I think that Dave Eggers interprets Valentino’s story very well. It doesn’t seem like Dave Eggers wrote the book, because the book is in Valentino’s voice. If the book wasn’t written as well as it is, then I would say to either choose to write the book about Valentino not with him. But Valentino and Eggers spent many months and hours editing and writing this book. And the way he wrote it is different, but that doesn’t make it bad. I believe that it is a good book, and that the way it is written is great.
Assignment B
1.) The representatives were Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Jim Moran (D-Va.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Tom Lantos (D-Cali.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan), and Mike Doyle (D-Pittsburgh). Even George Clooney and his father came.
2.) The per capita income of Sudan is $2,400. The United States per capita income is $36,714. It shows that people here make more money here then in Sudan.
3.) The Sudanese population is 39,379,358 as of July 2007. The United States population is 303,824,640 as of July 2008. This shows that we populate more, and we didn’t have a huge war, where we lost thousands of people. You can tell something big went down because of the number difference.
4.) The life expectancy at birth in Sudan is 49.11 years for men, and 48.24 years for women. The life expectancy at birth in the United States for men is 74.4, and 79.8 years for women. This shows that we live longer for many reasons.
5.) Ethiopia, Chad, Kenya, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda, Libya, and Egypt all share borders with Sudan.
6.) The very last photograph with Martha Halim caught my attention. She has a very rare disease called the “nodding disease”. The victims of this disease usually nod at the sight of food, and later on the symptoms become more drastic. This disease finally leads to severe epileptic seizures and finally death. The picture of this young girl made me look at it twice, because of the way her face looked. Her left eye was droopy compared to her other eye. But when I read what it was about it made me upset and angry that she could die, of such a rare disease because she was malnourished. It made me think more of these people, and that I want to help them, and that they shouldn’t be dying. Its depicted of a young girl who looks sad, and malnourished.
Assignment C
1.) Dear State Representative James McGovern,
Hello, my name is Emily C. And I have been learning about the war/genocide in Sudan in my high school English class. And what I have read about you is that you have been doing all you can to help stop this massacre. When you went to Washington and got arrested for the protest with four of your other house colleagues was great, because it showed that you are serious about helping those people in need. I think that maybe there could be more that you and other state representatives could do. Mainly because not enough people seem to know about what is going on still. If you could talk to the president about doing more to get people fed and the medical care that’s not happening there. There are sick and dying children and adults of all ages. Parents can’t care for their children and that’s really hard, because then they have to what is best for them, which may mean giving up their children to orphanages. That’s a difficult thing to do, because can you imagine not having anything and then having to give up your child? If we did more to help these people then they could be together. We could do school fundraisers across the country, or maybe have you and other state representatives come and visit schools to show and tell them what is happening there. We are the future and we can change what is happening there. What you have done so far is good, but we need to do more. Just making sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen again would be another good one. Because when Hitler massacred the Jews, we didn’t step in until they were almost all gone. Even though we knew what was happening in Sudan, we didn’t step in until later on. Just because we don’t want to ruin intelligence-gathering with Khartoum, doesn’t mean we should just sit back and not help them. They helped us gather information with terrorist attacks with Osama bin Laden. So I believe that we should do more to help them. Thank you for reading this letter and hopefully taking more into consideration to do more for these people.
-Emily C.
Assignment D
1.) The photographs that I viewed helped shape my understanding of Sudan. Seeing all of those people actually gave me pictures of images. They were real to me, not imaginary people that I made up as I went along. I could see the poverty, and the sicknesses that these people were going through. And it was made me feel very upset and concerned. But then on the other side, there were photos of people dancing and having parties. There was one photo that really stuck to me; it was a photo of a young boy pushing a pot around with a stick to entertain himself. This made me very upset but happy at the same time. It shows that they have nothing, yet he found something that was nothing and made it into something. It shows that the Sudanese people can be very creative. There were also pictures of people’s faces full on. It shows the emotions going through them, when you look in to their eyes, you see sadness. They could be smiling but the eyes show something different.
Assignment E
1.) Colin Powell’s response to the situation gave me mixed feelings. It was as if he wanted to help them, but didn’t want to help them at the same time. He said; “We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring". It basically said there that yah there is genocide there, but that’s Sudan and the Janjaweed’s responsibility. That’s not going to do anything to help them. So I got mixed feelings about his response. Condoleeza Rice’s response was indecisive. He didn’t and I quote “think there’s a huge difference”, so that shows that he doesn’t really care. The president’s response was that the Bush Administration had been focused on ending the country’s long-running war in the south which has killed more than 2 million people. He doesn’t really want to send in more troops, because of the relationship he has with the intelligence-groups.
2.) I couldn’t find an answer for this one. I read and re-read the whole thing and didn’t see anything about this one.
3.) Melkha Musa Haroun, I didn’t find. But I found another story about another woman that this happened to. Zahara Abdulkarim is 25 years old and awoke one morning with similarities to the story What is the What. She was awoken from her bed with the sound of planes circling over head. They killed her husband, set her house on fire, and took turns raping her. They also killed two of her other children, but let her (when they say she was pregnant) and her 6 year old son live. This happened in the book What is the What also. Women and girls were raped, houses were set on fire. They killed children, women, and men. Families were separated, and killed off. You never knew if you had family still living. And most importantly, you would never want to go back to that place.
Assignment F
1.) “We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.” I choose this quote because it shows that he wants to do something to help. President Obama doesn’t want to just sit back and watch innocent people die. Even if they are from other country’s he wants to help out our neighboring allies.
2.) "There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can, including logistical support like airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and other resources that are needed to deliver humanitarian aid.” I choose this as my second quote because it shows that he knows that our army is spread all over the country, but we can still send people over to Sudan. That we should at least send something over to help them, even if it is the littlest thing, we could still be doing something for them.
3.) “It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." This is my last quote because it shows that were not only saving peoples lives, but were showing people all over the world what is going on, and how they can help. It shows that we are strong and take action for those who need the help.
Emily C.
Assignment A:
The heart-racing novel What is the What written by Dave Eggers, and experienced by Valentino Achak Deng is a very eventful book. Valentino had many different experiences in Sudan and Ethiopia, which made the book very shocking and fast-paced. Eggers’ point of view was very similar to Valentino’s, since they spent so much time together, thinking of ways to put together the book. In the end, the book came out to be a wonderful, unique novel that kept the readers attention throughout it.
Their interview together makes the book a lot more clear to me and many other people. Usually a book would take an average of about a year. But Dave Eggers book took a full three years. Since Valentino had to explain to Eggers his whole life story in Sudan, it took a lot longer than an average book would take. After Valentino finished telling the story, Eggers “spent some time transcribing and reviewing the story.” Also, although the book is written about Valentino’s life, they put it under fiction, because since so much of the events happened long ago, he could not remember every detail about it, so Valentino and Eggers had to twist some things around. Their approach to this novel made things much more unique than any other book.
Dave Egger’s approaches to Valentino’s experiences were very interesting. The face that the book was made into a fictional novel is surprising yet understandable. Although most of the book was all very true, there were some things that they needed to change around to make it more understandable to the reader. Also, it should be classified as a fictional novel because some things had to be changed around since Valentino lost some of his memory from Ethiopia since it was so long ago.
What is the What is a unique book in many ways. The fact that it is written by Dave Eggers, but told by Valentino Deng makes the book very interesting to think about how they managed to put it together into such a good novel. “I hope that it will help people understand Sudan, and why the conflicts continue there” as Valentino said at the end of his interview. It is very clear that they both put a lot of effort into turning this into a great and meaningful book, which was very successful.
-Jamie T.
A. The approach and development of the book are different from anything I have ever seen before. It is strange to read a book that tells the life of someone written by another person. The book is like an autobiography of Achak Deng’s life, but told by Dave Eggers. The development of the book is also different from most books. It consists of almost two separate stories. One is of Valentino living in Atlanta, but then he has long flashbacks about his childhood journey. Though the way the book had been written is extremely different, I like it. It keeps me entertained and excited to read.
C. Mr. Kerry,
I just wanted to say thank you for the time and effort you have put in to help other areas of the world, such as Darfur. In English class we have been reading a book called "What is the What," which is about the Lost boys of Sudan and their journey. There have been many horrible things that have happened over Sudan, and I just wanted to say thank you for trying your best to help.
D. Photographs are really helpful in our understanding of what goes on in the world. Most people do not really worry about problems in other parts of the world until it hits close to home. Through photographs, people can get a feel for what is truly going on. Photos are sometimes as close as you can get to actually being there. “A photo is worth 1,000 words” is a very well know saying and it could not be any truer. By just looking a picture you can tell what it is like in another area of the world and often times what is wrong there. In the pictures of Sudan, you can tell what most the country looks like, a well as that there is conflict. The men carrying large guns and in army uniforms tells you that there is a problem. From looking at the pictures of women and children, you can easily see that they are extremely scared. Through the photographs you can tell there needs to be change.
F. “The Bush Administration itself warned of the magnitude of the crisis, if no action is taken.” If they know that the magnitude of the problem is enormous, why did they not do more to help out? It seems as if the United States did not want to get involved with something like the genocide in Darfur. We know that it is going on, but it is almost like we are ignoring it.
"The international community has failed to do enough. The United Nations passed a toothless resolution and, in recent debates, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria have been reluctant to support any meaningful action. The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action.” The United States should be able to do enough to at least slow down the problem, if not stop it all by itself. We are the most powerful country in the world with the best army. The Sudanese army is nowhere near as powerful as us, so why do we not just go in and stop it ourselves?
"There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq.” This is why we need to pull out of Iraq! The original mission to Iraq was to search for weapons of mass destruction, which were not found. We should have pulled out right after that, but then our country decided we needed to take Saddam Husain out of control. After years of trying to catch him, we finally do, and then after that, again we decide we are not done and that we must stay and help rebuild. Iraq can rebuild itself; we need to send troops into Darfur.
A-1.) Valentino Achak Deng and Dave Eggers went through a very unique experience in writing What is the What. Originally, the two could not decide whether to have it written by Valentino or Dave. Once this was decided, the two agreed that Dave should write it, but at the same time they encountered another problem, should they make it in first person view or third person view. Both went with the decision of first person view. A final problem that came up after all of this was that the two men could not decide whether it should be a non-fiction or a fiction, but because Valentino could not recall the part of his story when he was little, the two agreed one making the story a novel.
A-2.) I thought that the first person view and choice of format that Valentino and Dave choose was great. The view made the story very personal and much more interesting. While the main character was talking to others, the reader understands what he is thinking at the same time, in most cases. I think that this made the book more successful rather than if it had been written in third person view.
Cameron H.
B-1.) The representatives that were in the photographs were: Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Barack Obama, Jim McGovern, Jim Moran, Tom Lantos, Mike Doyle, and Sam Brownback .
B-2.) Sudan's per capita income is $2,400 which was estimated in 2006. This is $41,400 less than the U.S.'s per capita income which is $43,800, this was also estimated in 2006.
B-3.) Sudan's population is 39,379,358 (July 2007 est.) The U.S.'s population is 301,139,947 which was also estimated in July 2007.
B-4.) The average life expectancy for Sudan is 50.03 years, the average life expectancy for the U.S. is 80.97 years
B-5.) Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Chad, Central African Republic, Libya, and Egypt all share a border with Sudan.
B-6.) The photograph that moved me the most was photograph # 20. A young boy is depicted with his right eye closed and next to the picture the text states that he has "nodding disease" and at the site of food will sometimes go into epileptic seizures, this is very moving to me because when he finally has the chance to eat this poor child might not have a chance due to his illness.
Cameron H.
Part A
When Valentino Achak Deng and David Eggers began this book, they first interviewed all these people about the situation in Sudan, and people who actually were part of the situation. Both of them did not know who was going to be the author of this book, nor did they know if it was going to be non-fiction, finally, “after about eighteen months of struggle with it we settled on a fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino’s voice.” The approach to making this book was very unique compared to other books.
I do agree with the point of view and format of this book, if the story was fiction, it would most likely not affect the reader as much as a non-fiction, because the reader would know it was not true.
Part B
The state reps are Nancy Pelosi ,of California, Sheila Jackson Lee, of Texas, Jim Moran, of Virginia, Jim McGovern, of Massachusetts, Tom Lantos, of California, Sam Brownback, of Kansas, and Mike Doyle, of Pittsburgh. The per capita income of Sudan is $2,300. The population of Sudan is 41,236,378. The life expectancy of Sudan is 57.69 years for males, and 60.21 years for females. The United States per capita income is $37,500. The average life expectancy is 75.15 years for males, and 80.97 years for females. The countries that share a border with Sudan are Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, Dem. Rep of Congo, and Uganda.
The picture of the house of straws captures my attention because it is supposed to be a shelter, provided by the military, and all they could give them is houses of straw. The living conditions are very bad, and its hard to believe people can live like that.
Part D
The pictures of the situation in Sudan help show what is going on in this country, in many of the pictures it shows how all these people have to fend for themselves, and how the country is run by military. It shows how the people of Sudan have to use the resources available to them. Most countries do not help them they are left to starve, and somehow they still manage to survive, these photos were remarkable and helped me understand what Sudan was like.
Part E
In the article about Sudan, Colin Powell’s response stated that everyone knows about the genocide, and should be held responsible, but as long as no one does anything it will continue. The situation of Sudan is very bad, one survivor Zahara Abdulkkarim told here story, she woke up from the sound of planes and here village was intruded, they people killed here family and took her away, right in front of her dead husband.
Part F
“The international community has failed to do enough”, meaning that even though the whole world knows what’s going on, they have failed to do anything.
“This should be a swift and clear-cut decision.”, meaning that even though helping Sudan should be an obvious decision people still argue about what we should do.
“And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people.”, meaning that if we do not help we will look like a weak nation, because we should help because we are a superpower in the world.
Ryan D.
Caisey C
English E
March 6, 2009
Assignment A:
1. The unique approach of the development of the book is that at first neither of men new what the book was going to be. They didn’t know if they wanted it to be fiction or non fiction. They didn’t know if Dave Eggers was going to be writing the book through first person or third person. They finally decided that this book would be written by Eggers but with the voice of Valentino and it would only be incorporating Valentino’s life and not the life of all the lost boys. I think that a fictional novel is best suited for this book. Since Valentino was very young at the beginning of this book, it makes sense that he does not have perfect memory of each advent and that Eggers had to add in his own words while writing the book.
Assignment B:
1. The state representatives are Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Jim Moran.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is $2,300 which was taken in 2006 and in 2006 the United States had a per capita income of 36,714 dollars. This is well over twice the amount that Sudan had during this year.
3. Sudan’s population is 41,236,378 people as of 2006 and in 2006 the United States population was 298,444,215. Again this is way more than twice of the population of Sudan.
4. The life expectancy of Sudan is 60.21 years. The life expectancy of the United States is 77.5 years.
5. Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Chad, Central African Republic, Dem.Rep.of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya all border Sudan.
6. The picture I chose is about a Sudanese girl who has a disease called “nodding disease.” This picture stuck out the most to me because of the way the girl looks. Her left eye looks like it appears to be swollen shut. In the background there are two more children and one is holding the smaller one in their arms. This girl named Martha Halim is only 13 and she faces the risk of dying very soon. “Nodding disease,” means that victims will usually nod uncontrollably at the site of food, and as it progresses it could result to having seizures or even death. This is a moving picture because it makes you realize that because of the starvation and conditions that these people have to live in; they lose their lives much quicker and do not get to experience a life where there is running water or even food for them to eat everyday as a snack. If there was help and organization in Sudan then a lot of innocent lives, much of them child’s life, could be saved from this torture and eventually there life ending before they even are given a chance to become an adult.
Assignment D:
These pictures help me view Sudan by showing me what their culture is actually like. Some of the boys in the photo have scares on their faces and this shows that they are part of the army. A man had a V-shaped scar and it shows that he was a warrior of the army. Some of the boys also have a white powder on their face, which is cow dung ash and is used by the Dinkas as cosmetics. Many of these pictures are of boys who look like they are only 12 to 14 years old and they are in the army. The pictures show someone a better understanding of our book what is the what because you can try and picture many of the characters as these boys and while your reading you get a whole new look on the book and you can visualize in your head what is going on and what everyone might actually look like.
Assignment E:
Colin Powell’s response to the genocide in Sudan was basically that he knows that it is going on but he doesn’t want to get involved in it. That is the wrong way to approach things, just because the United States sent troops in Iraq and it didn’t do anything does not mean that it wouldn’t do anything in Sudan. The president also does not believe in sending troops to Sudan to stop the fighting. The geographically make up of Sudan complicates the situation because Sudan is all planes and deserts and does not have any good supplies around. They do not have very many wells or places to grow food. Also it is a very tropical climate in Sudan so some crops will not grow there. Sudan is surrounded by many other countries and it is hard for anyone to get away from the adversity because all of the countries around Sudan are going through the same thing. When Melkha Musa Haroun left she walked with her children from village to village, Valentino also had to do this until he could find food or a place to sleep for the night and then move on.
Assignment F:
One statement that the President said was "The international community has failed to do enough,” for once someone is seeing not just the political side of a matter. He also says “American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action. On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.” He is not just saying that it is up to the Americans to help out in Sudan. It is up to the Americans to start helping so that others will see what they are doing and begin to follow in their footsteps. He then says that they can not let another bad disaster in history happen again. When Obama says “Our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people," it shows that he is not only wanting to benefit the people of Sudan but he always wants to show the world what America is and how well it can be as long as it is under good hands to help lead the way to success.
C.) I think that it’s great about how all of our representatives and senators got both A’s and A+’s. However, the problem in Sudan and Africa won’t be solved until almost all of our political leaders such as our representatives and senators also get A’s and A+’s.
Cameron H.
Kolin C.
F Block
What is the What blog supplements
A) 1. What is the What is written by Dave Eggers but is a personal narrative in the voice of a “Lost Boy” of Sudan, Valentino Achak Deng. The story is a first person narrative where the author is not the main character or who the book speaks about. It was not put together like any other book; it was a much longer, more complicated process just to fit Valentino’s experiences into the story. To develop this story, Dave Eggers and Valentino communicated in many different ways to talk and get down the main ideas. “We started with interviews. Many interviews in person and over the phone.” Deng said about the process of creating the “fictional” story. They approached the book first looking at film, 12 hours of it, to get down the basics of the story and then expanded into further detail through interviews and phone calls. “For a long while there, we continued doing interviews, and I gathered the material.” Eggers stated. This unique approach not only describes the creation of the book but the importance Valentino thought the book brings and the necessary development of his life.
2. The way What is the What is formatted and written is very successful and Valentino and Eggers made the correct decision. Valentino stated in the interview “I thought I might want to write my own book, but I learned that I was not ready to do this. I was still taking classes in basic writing at Georgia Perimeter College.” Valentino was not ready to write a story and the writing and order would not have been as effective compared to Eggers planning and writing of the book. With a third person narrative, the tale would not sound as drastic and the first person narrative tells the audience that the narrator is talking from experience; with a third person narrative the audience does not get that great a feeling. What is the What was thoughtfully developed into the best book it could become.
B) 1. Images are shown of protesters fighting against the genocide in Africa. State representatives included in these several photos include Nancy Pelosi of D-California, Sheila Jackson Lee of D-Texas, Jim Moran of D-Virginia, Jim McGovern of D-Massachusetts, Tom Lantos of D-California, and US Representative Mike Doyle of D-Pittsburgh. All these people took involvement during this protest as well as many others.
2. Sudan has a struggling economy which consists of an income of 2,300 dollars per capita. Compared to the United States’ per capita income, Sudan’s is extremely low. The United States has a 38,611 per capita income, which is approximately a little less than nineteen times more than the per capita income of Sudan.
3. The population of Sudan, counted in 2006, was 41,236,378 people. Once again, the population of Sudan compared to the United States is very low. The population of the U.S. counted in 2008 was 303,824,640 people, approximately five times greater than the population of Sudan.
4. In Sudan, recorded in 2006, the life expectancy compared to the United States was lower for the third time. Sudanese men have a life expectancy of 58.92 years while the women of Sudan have a life expectancy of 57.69, both low numbers. Recorded in 2001 and increasing every year, the United States life expectancy of males is 74.37 and for females it is 80.05. The average American male and female both live approximately twenty more years than those living in Sudan.
5. Sudan, in the northeastern part of Africa, is surrounded by several other African countries. To the north of Sudan, Egypt and Libya both touch the border, to the west there is Chad and Central African Public that are touching Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya all touch southern Sudan, and to the east Ethiopia lies on the border as well.
6. The Sudanese way of living is much different than how we Americans live daily. In the section “Millions Displaced” one picture that caught my attention was photo five. This image shows many Sudanese citizens waiting in a voluminous blob for the food distribution. The dark-skinned people seem to be extremely skinny while there is no heavy person. The image shows how people do not have food whenever they would like it, such as many American citizens do and how it is a huge process just to obtain their daily food. Not only does the image show the food situation, but it also shows how the Sudanese dress with colorful robe-type apparel. This is moving because it shows how fortunate it is living in a free country, and it shows how several other countries do not have the same fortune.
D) J. Carrier
The photographs contained within this website show the way life worked in Sudan. Images detail the land, the clothing, the work, the struggle with food, and other aspects in Africa. The pictures now leave the images in my mind of how Sudan was and these photos, generalizing Sudanese life, give a stronger understanding of events talked about in What is the What. One such photo, number two, shows a Sudanese woman who is unnaturally slim who looks to be in pain. This represents the suffering some Sudanese resist, some from starvation or disease. One other image, number eight, shows Sudanese women collecting fire wood and carrying it across a flat, grassy surface. This particular caption represents simple jobs Sudanese carry out.
The Big Picture
As the photos of the last website did, the photos show the way life worked in Sudan. Soldiers are shown in several pictures, detailing the fighting occurring all over. One such image illustrates a small group of soldiers sitting around handling machine guns. This photo demonstrates the clothing of soldiers and also weapons that are used in the genocide. One photo that really stands out shows the destruction and complete demolition of an abandoned village. Shelters are burnt to the ground and little is left. The photos of this website give the audience an understanding of the violence and brutality that can easily break out. Such events can relate to those Valentino participate in What is the What.
Irene Abdou
Photos from this website show different kinds of ceremonies, or events, the go on in Sudan. Ceremonies include those of soldiers and those of Dinka music and dance. Young teenage boys join an annual gathering to choose a song for the soldiers such as themselves. The image shows some traditional events, but explains the age of soldiers; those celebrating boys are young teenagers getting ready to be trusted with weapons. This photo shows how soldiers decorate themselves as well. Other pictures show young Dinka men and women play traditional music. This photo shows a unique musical instrument played by a boy. These photos help with understanding special occasions that can also take place in Sudan.
E) 1. Colin Powell simply faced the fact that the genocide was occurring and stated that the government and the group who carry out most violence were the ones to blame. "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring," Powell responded. The response to the situation is very true. The event is a genocide though some to do not admit to it. The genocide is a result of a failing government and by those people sick enough to carry out tasks as awful those in Sudan. Without either of these two groups, the genocide would not have started, or at least would not have affected so many innocent Dinka. Powell has a right in blaming the government and the Janjaweed.
Bush’s response to the situation in Sudan was very necessary. He set out to solve the fighting and end the war. The actions the president took were needed to try and end this long conflict. Not sending troops to Sudan was also an acceptable decision as many were already in Iraq and Afghanistan and America could not afford to send out anymore.
2. The surface of the land in Sudan works in favor of the enemy, or those who attack and kill innocent Dinka. The surface is very flat; Sudan has many regions of plains and only few spots have rich soil for agriculture where many villages rest. Enemies sweep across these plains and when a village is in sight, several men and women “shoot the men and boys, rape the women, loot and burn huts and mosques, rip up crops and slaughter or steal livestock.” When villagers escape the raid, there is no where safe to run and eventually die from starvation or disease as it is. The geographical and geological makeup of Sudan only gives a disadvantage to those being attacked.
3. Valentino Achak Deng and Melkha Musa Haroun share similar experiences involving events that scar the memories of both of them. They both have had to walk a great amount running from those chasing them, hiding when the time was necessary. While in hiding though, these two have seen disastrous murders. While hiding, Melkha was looking at the Janjaweed destroy a village. “Then the Janjaweed spotted a 1-year-old boy and decided he was a future enemy. In front of a group of onlookers, a man tossed the boy into the air as another took aim and shot him dead.” Melkha described this one event lasting in her memory. Valentino also has had experiences related to the one detailed by Haroun. While Valentino hid in a church in What is the What while the village was being attacked, he saw awful events too through a miniature hole. He saw slaughter and what he thought was slaughter of his best friend Moses just as Melkha did. The experiences of many surviving Sudanese have relating experiences to Valentino’s experiences from Eggers’ novel.
F) “There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.”- In this statement, Barack Obama is saying that it is time to threaten the Sudanese government to finally end the genocide. This is important because it could finally bring an end to the fighting if the pressure works.
“Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum. The Bush Administration itself warned of the magnitude of the crisis, if no action is taken. Andrew Natsios, head of USAID, said in June that "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties." We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”- Obama is telling the world that it is time to act strongly against the genocide going on Darfur and if no action is made, the genocide will continue and with a continuing genocide means continuing deaths. Once again this is a quote fighting for the finish of the genocide causing suffering to many.
“Second, the United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance. The situation is deteriorating rapidly and we should lead in contributing the lion's share of these funds so that we can convince others to give their fair share as well.”- Funds to save lives of Dinka is needed and Obama demands America raise funds for this humanitarian resist so other countries can follow the example America is setting and also fund to this assistance, saving many lives. This statement is important so that lives can be saved from the lasting genocide.
Part C
Dear Barney Frank,
I would like to thank you for all that you are doing about the genocide, you protected civilians and saved the lives of the people from Darfur. You truly do deserve a thanks for trying to put an end to all the violence. I am happy to see that someone is actually doing something about these kinds of things, which many people would just sit back and watch and not do anything. So, I am thanking you on behalf of all that you have done, and I wish you the best of luck.
Sincerely,
Ryan Dolan
Ryan D.
D-1.) J Carrier’s two photos of Sudan are very moving and give me a realistic shock about life in Sudan. While the first photo made Sudan seem like a very lush and fertile land, the second photo depicted a primitive culture full of struggle and adversity. These pictures shape my image of Sudan because while I already knew about the massacre and starvation, there has very little information about the medical attention.
D-2.) Compared to J Carrier’s photos, the photos called “The Faces of Sudan” seem to be much more realistic because Sudan is suffering more hardship than almost all other places. One photo that especially stuck out to me was the picture of the boy playing with a stick and wheel. Kids complain that they want new toys or a new video game when this poor child is content with the little toy that he has. I feel so ungrateful and spoiled when I look at these pictures.
D-3.) Along with “The Faces of Sudan”, these photos taken also show a lot of adversity in the average villager’s life. One picture that made me think a lot was the picture of the two boys playing in the crashed plane. While kids with modern technology have playgrounds or slides these kids are playing in a crashed plane. Plus, in all first world countries the plane would have been cleaned up that day.
Cameron H.
Assignment A
Dave Eggers used a unique approach to the development of What is the What. Writing the book took Eggers three years of steady work. He interviewed Valentino over the phone and in person. After getting the whole story, and getting it on twelve hours of tape, Eggers then spent a lot of time gathering all of the information. In the interview he says, “At that point, we really hadn’t decided whether I was just helping Valentino write his own book, or if I was writing a book about him.” Valentino was still in college and decided that he wasn’t ready to write a book by himself. While preparing for writing the book, gathering all the information he got from Valentino, Eggers still hadn’t decided whether to write the book in first or third person, and whether it would be fiction or nonfiction. He later decided that it would be a fictional autobiography in the first person.
The format and point of view that Eggers chose was a good idea for this book. Having the book written in Valentino’s point of view could help the reader better understand what he was going through. If Eggers wrote the book as a non-fiction novel, the book would not have been as successful. The way that he wrote the book, he combined certain real life characters into one. That way, the book is easier to understand, and it would just be more confusing and lengthy if there were more than necessary characters. Valentino states that “It is very close to the truth, but many things in the book are somewhat different than what happened in life.” He later says that he was very young when he was in Marial Bai, so he couldn’t remember it as much as the events that take place when he’s older.
Assignment B
Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, and Tom Lantos are among state representatives from Texas, Virginia, and Massachusetts, which got arrested for protesting against the genocide in Darfur. The per capita income of Sudan is $2,300. In July 2006, the population in Sudan was around 41,236,000, which is much less than the United States. The life expectancy in Sudan is around 59 years old, which is shorter than the life expectancy in the U.S. because here, there are much more medical advances. Sudan shares its borders with Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Chad, Libya, and Egypt. One Picture that captured my attention was of a young Sudanese girl. She looks like she’s crying and screaming. She was getting a wristband put on her, because she is malnourished and was finally getting medical attention. I found it moving because she’s so young, and she looks like she’s in so much pain after being so malnourished.
Assignment D
Looking at photographs from Sudan can really help shape an understanding of the country. The buildings in Sudan are small and almost primitive. A lot of them also remain destroyed from the war, which shows how the Sudanese cannot rebuild them because of their poverty. Sudan is clearly much different from the United States, just by looking at the pictures. Sudan has cattle wandering their streets, the buildings aren’t even close to how advanced the buildings here are, and there are much more open fields. The people in Sudan are also very different, as well. They have dancers that wear an infinite amount of bright colors. They don’t own vehicles and usually travel by foot or animal.
Assignment E:
The link for the article isn’t opening up on my computer without freezing, so I’m going to see if I can find another computer if possible, to do assignment E.
Assignment F:
In Obama’s statement about Sudan he says, “We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.” He believes that the United States needs to take action in Sudan, to stop the genocide from continuing. He also says, “the United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance,” meaning that he believes the United States should raise money and help the civilians in Sudan get help. Also, he states, “The U.S. must ensure humanitarian intervention with or without Sudanese government permission.” Obama says that whether Sudan allows us to help or not, the U.S. needs to help improve the on-going conditions in Sudan.
--
Amanda A.
Assignment A:
1. During the writing process of "What is the What" by Dave Eggars, Dave and Valentino Achak Deng took a unique approach. For a time, they were not sure whether the book should be written by Valentino, in autobiography form, or by Dave. They began with interviews. Many, many interviews. The original plan was to have the book based off of the lost boys’ experiences as a whole, but it progressed into a story of Valentino; the story, all though almost entirely true, is considered a work of fiction due to the fact that characters or events may not be completely factual or unexaggerated. Even though the novel is written by Dave Eggars, it is in Valentino’s point of view.
2. I do not agree completely with the writing format. I believe that the book would be more successful as a work of nonfiction. If it were a work of nonfiction, I think, people would be more likely to believe the events and accept that Darfur is real.
Assignment B
1. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Jim Moran, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Tom Lantos, and Rep. Mike Doyle.
2. Sudan’s per capita income is $2,300, whereas that of America is $44,970. That is a difference of tens of thousands of dollars!
3. The population of Sudan is approximately 41,236,378. That is considerably lower than the population of the United States’s estimated 306,041,496 people.
4. The average life expectancy in Sudan is a mere 58.92 years old; the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 76.6 years of age. The fact that the life expectancy in Sudan is so low is astonishing.
5. The countries that share a border with Sudan are Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.
6. The picture I find most moving is image 16. The photograph portrays a family, made op of two young boys, a mother, and a toddler, at a market. One of the boys is wearing a navy blue shirt that is many sixes to large for him. The other is dressed in a grungy old flannel button-down. The child is wearing a blue shirt. The mother sports a yellow floral dress. They sit on the ground with a bowl, seemingly filled with dirt and plants, in front of them. They are unnaturally thin, and undoubtedly malnourished. The mother is smiling weakly, almost as if convincing herself things will get better. The woman probably is widowed, the children fatherless. I find this specific picture moving because it depicts a family; one without the support of their government, one who’s members are at risk of dying at any time.
Assignment C
Dear Rep. Stephen Lynch,
My name is Cassie. I am in 9th grade, and am currently reading a book entitled What is the What by Dave Eggars. This book has opened my eyes to the genocide in Darfur. I can honestly say that I was genuinely surprised when I found out that the Dinka people were being killed by there own government.
Recently I have visited a website called darfurscores.com; I was very proud to see that a representative of my state had been graded an “A” for voting in favor of and supporting all significant Darfur legislation. I was even more elated when I noticed that in 2006 you scored an “A” and an “A+” in ‘07. Sir, I would just like to commend you on helping your fellow man. When I had first learned of the genocide in Sudan, I was beside myself; how could America just ignore the massacre of these people? I must admit, at that time I was very ashamed of my country.
Now, I realize that there are people out there that can make a difference, and help those who need it. I appreciate the effort you have put into assisting the people caught in the middle of a war; a war they had no reason to expect. Just seeing that at least some of my fellow Americans are interested in aiding these people, and possibly even ending the war, has given me hope and inspired me. I am certainly proud to be an American, and even prouder to be Massachusite. I am aware that I am just one voice, but I would like to illustrate my gratitude.
Thank you,
Cassie H.
Assignment D
Images often hold more power than words. Pictures can help shape one’s views and understanding of things. One of J. Carrier’s photographs portrays a line of Sudanese women and a man with an AK-47. Until I saw that photo, the idea that people just walked about with loaded guns seemed surreal; seeing the picture made Darfur real to me. One of the pictures featured in “Faces of Sudan” depicts a young boy, about 11, playing in an area beside the huts. There is no grass, just dirt. The child is playing with a stick and a pot cover. The photo is touching. The boy is used to having very little, and he is just so content with playing with sticks. Irene Abdou’s pictures have opened my eyes to the Sudanese culture.
Assignment F
“It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." This statement made my President Obama indicates that helping the Sudanese is one of America’s top priorities. After years of ignoring the war, America is stepping in to assist. “The international community has failed to do enough;” here, Obama admits that the world has seemingly ignored the growing problem in Sudan. With the words, “the U.S. must ensure humanitarian intervention with or without Sudanese government permission,” President Obama declares that America intends to help the people of Sudan, whether the Sudanese government wants to accept the help or not.
E-1.) I think both Colin Powell’s and Condoleezza Rice’s were not the right response. While both agreed that something needed to be done, nothing was proposed to solve the current situation in Sudan. Especially when in the article it was mentioned that the idea of “prevent and punish” neither Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, nor even the President have attempted to pursue in punishing the Sudanese Government and the Janjaweed.
Cameron H.
F.) “Andrew Natsios, head of USAID, said in June that "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties.” The reason that I chose this quote, is because it is really just a shock of reality. If nothing changes by June, a million people will die. This is just unreal and needs to be stopped.
“On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.” This quote also means a lot to me, the U.N. and the U.S. promised that this type of genocide would not happen again, or even if it did that help would be there soon. This war has been going on for too long and it is time to end it for good, so I too agree on not letting history repeat itself.
"There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.” The President’s quote is one that should finally be taken very seriously. There needs to be an immediate reaction to the Sudanese government because there have been so many warnings and slaps on the wrists that by now we need to just punish them once and for all to prevent any more massacre.
Cameron H.
Assignment A:
1. Valentino described the making of the book as a very slow process. It took three years to finally finish the book. At first Valentino told the basic story to Dave Eggers and then Dave interviewed Valentino. But Dave Eggers had trouble figuring out how he was going to write the book, whether it be first person or third. Dave ended up writing the book as if Valentino were speaking to the reader.
2. The decision to write the book as if Valentino were talking to the reader was an excellent idea. This allows the reader to picture exactly what was going on in Sudan through Valentino’s eyes. Even Dave said that Valentino’s voice is distinct and unforgettable. He also wrote the book using a lot of imagery leaving the reader to imagine what it was like in Sudan.
Assignment B
1. The 7 representatives are Nancy Pelosi, Jim Moran, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Tim Lantos, and Mike Doyle. Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim McGovern, Tim Lantos, and Jim Moran were actually arrested in these photographs for protesting to stop the genocide in Darfur.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is 2200-4800.The U.S. per capita income was 2600 higher than Sudan’s per capita.
3. The population as of 2008 for Sudan was 40,218,456. The U.S. population was-303,824,640. The U.S. population was 26,802,784 more than Sudan's.
4. The life expectancy for people in Sudan is 50.28 years. The U.S. life expectancy is 78.14 years. The U.S. life expectancy is 27.86 more years than Sudan's.
5. The countries that border Sudan are Libya, Egypt Chad, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zaire, and the Central African Republic.
6. The photograph that captures the most attention is # 19. It is a picture of a young, malnourished little girl that is receiving medical attention. This picture shows the little girl crying and out of all the pictures this picture represents the struggle that is in Sudan. This picture also shows hope because even though the girl is in pain, she is getting the medical attention that she needs and this shows what the future for Sudan could be like. People that see this photo will be moved because it really hits home and shows one all the chaos that is going on in Sudan, and what it could become if the world helps out.
Assignment C
1.
James McGovern,
I am happy to see that you got an A+ for your report card on the situation in Sudan. I am reading a book called What is the What, by Dave Eggers and it is all about Valentino Achak Deng and his story of his life, living in Sudan. In the story he experiences many horrific sites for example many of his good friends die from lions, the Murahaleen, or even starvation. My class is actually creating a fundraiser for the people in Sudan. But overall I am glad that you care about, and understand the genocide in Sudan.
Assignment D
Genocide, the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group. Unfortunately genocide has been going on in Sudan for many years and it is still present today in Darfur. The Murahaleen are maliciously destroying villages and innocent people, all because of religious differences. But photographs help shape an image and create a better understanding of what is going on in Sudan.
“The Big Picture,” has many pictures that show people what Sudan is like. One picture that gives a viewer a better understanding of Sudan is the fifth picture for the top. This picture shows a village that has been burned down, leaving only foundations of houses. This is a good example of what the Murahaleen are capable of doing. Also “Irene Abdou,” shows many pictures that give people a better understanding of Sudan. One example is the fifth picture. This picture shows six children who are very thin, many people in Sudan die of starvation. These children probably care for each other because many young kids have to take care of even younger kids just to keep each other alive. Another picture shows two hands grabbing the driest dirt off of the ground. This shows the viewer that the climate was very dry and the whether was very hot, just these two components alone killed many people.
The world must step in and help the less fortunate people that are in Sudan. The world takes many things for granted that someone in Sudan would gladly have. Next time someone is eating food and they throw away some of it, just think someone in Sudan would kill to have that extra food.
Assignment E
1. Colin Powell’s responded in saying; “We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring." Colin clearly doesn’t like what is going on in Sudan and so he wants the world to take action. But no one did anything about it; “No new action is dictated by this determination.” All they did is send in people to monitor Sudan. So far the president has said that things were going to change but he hasn’t done anything yet.
2. The situation is made harder because the surrounding countries that border Sudan aren’t safe countries.
3. The story of Melkha Musa is similar to the book, What is the What. She fled her village and hid in Janjaweed. One story she told was when a man took a small child and threw him into the air while another man shot him. Just like her many of the lost boys hid from the Murahaleen and they also faced many horrific situations.
Assignment F
1. "We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”
• This statement shows the reader that Obama won’t sit back and do nothing. He understands what is going on in Sudan and he has seen that the U.S has said they were going to do something but then they never did anything about it.
2. "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.”
• Obama knows he can’t just talk about this problem, he must take action. Obama tells the reader that he will make sure that this problem will be resolved.
3. "First, the UN Security Council should impose tough sanctions on the Khartoum government immediately. These sanctions should freeze the assets of the Sudanese government, its leaders and business affiliates; outlaw arms sales and transfers to Sudan; and prohibit the purchase of Sudanese oil.”
• This shows the reader that Obama has a plan and that he knows what he is going to do in the future.
By Alex D.
Assignment A:
1. Valentino described the making of the book as a very slow process. It took three years to finally finish the book. At first Valentino told the basic story to Dave Eggers and then Dave interviewed Valentino. But Dave Eggers had trouble figuring out how he was going to write the book, whether it be first person or third. Dave ended up writing the book as if Valentino were speaking to the reader.
2. The decision to write the book as if Valentino were talking to the reader was an excellent idea. This allows the reader to picture exactly what was going on in Sudan through Valentino’s eyes. Even Dave said that Valentino’s voice is distinct and unforgettable. He also wrote the book using a lot of imagery leaving the reader to imagine what it was like in Sudan.
Assignment B
1. The 7 representatives are Nancy Pelosi, Jim Moran, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Tim Lantos, and Mike Doyle. Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim McGovern, Tim Lantos, and Jim Moran were actually arrested in these photographs for protesting to stop the genocide in Darfur.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is 2200-4800.The U.S. per capita income was 2600 higher than Sudan’s per capita.
3. The population as of 2008 for Sudan was 40,218,456. The U.S. population was-303,824,640. The U.S. population was 26,802,784 more than Sudan's.
4. The life expectancy for people in Sudan is 50.28 years. The U.S. life expectancy is 78.14 years. The U.S. life expectancy is 27.86 more years than Sudan's.
5. The countries that border Sudan are Libya, Egypt Chad, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zaire, and the Central African Republic.
6. The photograph that captures the most attention is # 19. It is a picture of a young, malnourished little girl that is receiving medical attention. This picture shows the little girl crying and out of all the pictures this picture represents the struggle that is in Sudan. This picture also shows hope because even though the girl is in pain, she is getting the medical attention that she needs and this shows what the future for Sudan could be like. People that see this photo will be moved because it really hits home and shows one all the chaos that is going on in Sudan, and what it could become if the world helps out.
Assignment C
1.
James McGovern,
I am happy to see that you got an A+ for your report card on the situation in Sudan. I am reading a book called What is the What, by Dave Eggers and it is all about Valentino Achak Deng and his story of his life, living in Sudan. In the story he experiences many horrific sites for example many of his good friends die from lions, the Murahaleen, or even starvation. My class is actually creating a fundraiser for the people in Sudan. But overall I am glad that you care about, and understand the genocide in Sudan.
Assignment D
Genocide, the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group. Unfortunately genocide has been going on in Sudan for many years and it is still present today in Darfur. The Murahaleen are maliciously destroying villages and innocent people, all because of religious differences. But photographs help shape an image and create a better understanding of what is going on in Sudan.
“The Big Picture,” has many pictures that show people what Sudan is like. One picture that gives a viewer a better understanding of Sudan is the fifth picture for the top. This picture shows a village that has been burned down, leaving only foundations of houses. This is a good example of what the Murahaleen are capable of doing. Also “Irene Abdou,” shows many pictures that give people a better understanding of Sudan. One example is the fifth picture. This picture shows six children who are very thin, many people in Sudan die of starvation. These children probably care for each other because many young kids have to take care of even younger kids just to keep each other alive. Another picture shows two hands grabbing the driest dirt off of the ground. This shows the viewer that the climate was very dry and the whether was very hot, just these two components alone killed many people.
The world must step in and help the less fortunate people that are in Sudan. The world takes many things for granted that someone in Sudan would gladly have. Next time someone is eating food and they throw away some of it, just think someone in Sudan would kill to have that extra food.
Assignment E
1. Colin Powell’s responded in saying; “We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring." Colin clearly doesn’t like what is going on in Sudan and so he wants the world to take action. But no one did anything about it; “No new action is dictated by this determination.” All they did is send in people to monitor Sudan. So far the president has said that things were going to change but he hasn’t done anything yet.
2. The situation is made harder because the surrounding countries that border Sudan aren’t safe countries.
3. The story of Melkha Musa is similar to the book, What is the What. She fled her village and hid in Janjaweed. One story she told was when a man took a small child and threw him into the air while another man shot him. Just like her many of the lost boys hid from the Murahaleen and they also faced many horrific situations.
Assignment F
1. "We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”
• This statement shows the reader that Obama won’t sit back and do nothing. He understands what is going on in Sudan and he has seen that the U.S has said they were going to do something but then they never did anything about it.
2. "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.”
• Obama knows he can’t just talk about this problem, he must take action. Obama tells the reader that he will make sure that this problem will be resolved.
3. "First, the UN Security Council should impose tough sanctions on the Khartoum government immediately. These sanctions should freeze the assets of the Sudanese government, its leaders and business affiliates; outlaw arms sales and transfers to Sudan; and prohibit the purchase of Sudanese oil.”
• This shows the reader that Obama has a plan and that he knows what he is going to do in the future.
By, Alex D.
My assignment A is saved on my account at the school!
Assignment B:The “Struggle In Sudan” link doesn’t work on my computer.
Assignment D: These photographs from Sudan help shape my view of Sudan by showing me how different things are in Sudan. For example, everybody wears clothes that are much different than here, and the Sudanese people themselves look much different than Americans. Also, there are pictures of poor families and children which show how unfortunate Sudanese people are. We are much different and luckier than people in Sudan. In addition, pictures depict the destruction and destroyed land in Sudan. It shows how horrible and scary everything is after raids and such in Sudan. Lastly, the pictures of military soldiers commonly walking around strongly shows how different and scary things are in Sudan. In America we rarely see military members just walking around. In Sudan, they walk around everywhere. These really make me understand the situation in Sudan better.
Assignment E: The Link didn’t bring anything up about any of those people?
Assignment F:“Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum. The Bush Administration itself warned of the magnitude of the crisis, if no action is taken. Andrew Natsios, head of USAID, said in June that "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties." We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.”
I picked this quote because in this statement, he explains everything that is happening in Sudan. It is very important for people to know what is going on. Then, he says that we must take action or it will not only be immoral, but there will be consequences. This is powerful.
“The international community has failed to do enough. The United Nations passed a toothless resolution and, in recent debates, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria have been reluctant to support any meaningful action. The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action. American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action. On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.”
I picked this quote because in this statement, Obama explains the actions that have been taken and how the UN is failing and losing in the struggle to end genocide in Sudan. He follows this by directly saying that they need American leadership if we want anything to be accomplished. If we don’t take action, history will repeat itself, and this will become a great disaster as others have. This is also a very strong, convincing thing to say.
“There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can, including logistical support like airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and other resources that are needed to deliver humanitarian aid.”
I picked this quote because I think it is very powerful. This is because it not only states what we must do in Sudan, but it addresses our own problems. Our nation is obviously in a tough period of time right now. This statement acknowledges this, but still is very convincing and determined when it says that even with the situation, we must do our best to help these Sudanese people. This is an extremely strong and convincing quote to Americans.
Incomplete due to computer issues.
Meagan E.
3/21/09
Period F
What is the What Supplements
Assignment A:
1.)In order to write the book What is the What, Dave Eggers and Valentino Achak Deng have a unique approach to writing this book. Dave and Valentino met at a Lost Boys meeting. They first started out with many interviews, in person and over the phone. Then they taped and recorded Valentino's story. It came out to be twelve hours of story. After, Dave spent some time transcribing and reviewing the material. The two of them just had to get the story down before they move to the next step; "At that point, we really hadn’t decided whether I was just helping Valentino write his own book, or if I was writing a book about him." It took three years to finish the book. And they were unsure of the type of book it would be in the end. In the end, the two of them decided on fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino's words.
2.)In my perspective, I do agree with the choice of format and point of view. In my opinion, when I read the book I can go into it and see a picture in my head as to what is happening. I like the flashbacks that occur throughout the book; it gives the book a little more than other books. And, having it be in first person gives it that extra effect because it is a personal account. And personal accounts are always more in meaning and importance then straight-up facts. As Valentino is telling his story in the book, you can almost feel what he is feeling. And because it has this effect, I think that it would do better than non-fiction because most people go for the fiction books. And this technically isn't a fictional book, so people would be more likely to pick it up and then read it.
Assignment B:
1.)The State Representatives from the photographs under "Darfur Outrage" are Nancy Pelosi, D-California, Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, Jim Moran, D-Virginia, Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, and Tom Lantos, D-California.
2.)The per capita of Sudan is $2,300 (est.) and most people are at or below the poverty level. The United States' per capita income is about $41,890. They compare because the United States per capita is approximately 18 times greater than Sudan's per capita.
3.)The population of Sudan is 41,236,378 people. The population of the United States is 303,824,640people. They compare because the United States population is approximately 7 times greater than Sudan's population.
4.)The life expectancy in Sudan is about 59 years old for men and 58 years old for women or around 60years old. The life expectancy in the United States is 76 years old for men and 81 years old for women or around 78 years old. They compare because the life expectancy in the United States approximately 18 years older than in Sudan.
5.)The countries that share a border with Sudan are Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
6.)The picture that captures my attention is picture 19. There is much depicted in this picture. It shows a little girl who is in tears, just balling her eyes out. She has tears and gunk all on her face. She is wearing a woolen green, red, and white sweater. A man, who is not seen, is grabbing the little girl's arm. He is wearing a gold watch on his left arm. The little girl also has a paper wrist band on, in the colors of yellow, green, and orange. And, there is a person behind the little girl in a blue shall with a green long-sleeve shirt underneath. But, you can't see their face, only their torso. For me, this picture is moving because there is so much emotion in this one picture. I can see sadness and fear in the little girl's face. And that tells me that life where she is hard. And off of that, I can make assumptions about that life. For example, she may be crying because she is hungry or she lost her mom or even her dad. Also, whenever, you see a little girl crying like that, it makes you sad and feel sorry for them.
Assignment C:
Given in class.
Assignment D:
After viewing the pictures from the three sites, I have a better understanding of how life really is in Sudan. And I was able to get something different from each of the sites. With the pictures from John Carrier, I can see how things really are. There are a few pictures with people very upset or one where a man is being beaten. I can see how hard life really is over there and the effect it has on the people in an almost personal way. And, also how everyday life is for people, making food on the ground, living in the huts, and going to the river. And, that really helped with the bigger picture of reality. With the pictures from “The Big Picture”, I can see two things. One is the actual people of Sudan themselves, their appearance because there are many close-up pictures of the people. I see the difference between the different tribes and the difference of these people in general from us. It very interesting and surreal, how you can be all human, all the same, but different at the same time and almost be part of a different group. Secondly, there are a few pictures of burned down villages and the hardship of having to live with that. But, also when I was reading the book, I didn’t think the villages and camps were as big as the pictures show. And lastly, with the pictures from Irene Abdou, I was able to see their culture and how it was celebrated. There are pictures of people dancing, with painted faces, tribal meetings, and their colorful clothing. It means a lot to be able to see what they do religiously, but I would like to know what they say and even sing. I also saw pictures of animals, like giant bulls and big cats, which are probably a sacred animal or something to that extent. I was able to pull a lot of meaning from these pictures. And, I have a better picture of what Sudan is really like.
Assignment E:
1.)In response to Coin Powell’s thoughts, I completely agree. As stated: “...genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring.” Also, they say that it cannot be compared to genocide because the numbers don’t add up. But, it doesn’t matter; millions have already been killed and someone doesn’t stop it, then the killing will never stop. And, millions more will die. However, the government agrees that something should be done, but won’t act on it: “…the international Genocide Convention, signed by the U.S. and 134 other countries, obligates signatories to "prevent and to punish" genocide where it is occurring.” In response to Condoleeza Rice’s thoughts, I am unsure if I agree because I don’t really know what Kerry’s ideas were. But, I think there must have been a difference. "’I don't think there's a huge difference’ between Kerry and Bush on how to handle Sudan.” And in response to the President’s thoughts, I do not agree at all. The President, Bush, says that we should not get involved because it is Africa’s problem and the government is keeping it going because they’re involved. And so, it becomes their problem. Also, that the numbers don’t show that we should, yet, but we should take notice and sit back and wait for the numbers to add up. But, by then, it will already be too late. And it’s very wrong to let so many die when you can easily help now and save many lives. By, then, you’re helping murder people, too. “…accuses the rebels, who control mountainous central Darfur, of committing raids and kidnappings of their own. Aid agencies agree that the rebels are guilty of attacks…”
2.)The geological and geographical makeup of Sudan complicates the situation a lot. The land is dry and there is almost no space to grow crops and food “…crops have not been planted this season…” So, people starve. Also, there is no clean water or simply no water at all. So, people get dehydrated. Because of this situation, people fight over land and water and cause problems between tribes, and in some cases, even war. “…persistent drought has forced the Arabs to move to more arable lands, straining relations with the Africans… competition for turf began to turn violent.” The situation just worsens. Also, it gets hard to move around the region because it is windy and rough land: “… as complex as the spider web of cattle routes and rivers that crisscross Darfur's plains.”
3.)Some of the horrifying anecdotes are very comparable to those in What is the What. Within Melkha Musa Haroun’s story, she tells of how her and her family fled their home, just like Valentino and many others. It took her eight months to get to a camp and it also took Valentino months to find camp. Melkha told of how she saw the Janjaweed killing people who they thought would be threats and raping women. Even though in Valentino’s story the enemy was not called the Janjaweed, they still committed the same crimes. And also, Melkha told of how she watched Janjaweed man pick up a one-year-old baby and throw it into the air and another shot it dead because they believed the baby would become a threat. This is comparable to when Valentino is Pinyudo and all the boys are called the marching grounds. And there, they watch seven men get shot because they were believed to be traitors to the SPLA soldiers. The things the people in Africa are doing are irrational and horrible.
Assignment F:
The first quote that I found to be significant is “American leadership is needed to mobilize European support and force action. On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.” This quote is meant to tell the United States that we have to be the bigger nation; we need to step up to the plate because other countries have failed to do their part. And we are the super power, so we should act like it. And if I could do something personally to help the government, I would. The second quote that I found to be significant is “The United States should raise the needed funds to ensure that the civilians in Sudan receive life-saving humanitarian assistance. The situation is deteriorating rapidly and we should lead in contributing the lion's share of these funds so that we can convince others to give their fair share as well.” This shows again, that we need to step up to the plate and help the people in need. And, we can easily gather the money needed and give it to them. It is always important to help others in every way that is possible for you. And, if anyone is going to do it, the United States will. And the third quote that I found to be significant is “It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." This is the last sentence, and so, it is meant to be very powerful. And it is because it isn’t just about saving lives, it is about helping others and showing others how to do so. We are the super power of the world, the leader of everyone and we need to show it. And the situation in Africa is serious and is not something to be ignored. So, we need to use our leadership skills and help in all ways that we can.
A)
During the making of the book "What is the What" by Dave Eggars, Valentino and Dave took a unique approach In the development of the book. They were not sure if they wanted Valentino to write his own story as an autobiography or if they wanted Dave to write Valentino's' story. They started with interviews, and a lot of them. "The book did start out with the aim of being a more general history of the young men like Valentino— the so-called Lost Boys—with Valentino being just the main character. But it evolved into a very specific story about Valentino’s life only." Dave Eggars said in the interview.
The decision to make the book like this was a positive one on the writers part. It really helps the reader understand the struggle Valentino and other lost boys went through. It is really easy to feel and understand the pain and suffering that went on in this time. Through the dialog and imagery in the story the reader can really get the deeper meaning of the stories of these people. The choice to make the point of view through Valentino's eyes helps the reader relate more to the character.
B)
1. State Reps.-Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Mike Doyle,
2. Per capita income: Sudan-2200;s-4800.The U.S. per capita income was 2600 higher than Sudan's.
3. Population as of 2008: Sudan-40,218,456; U.S.-303,824,640. The U.S. population was 26,802,784 more than Sudan's.
4. Life expectancy: Sudan-50.28 years; U.S.-78.14 years. The U.S. life expectancy years than Sudan's.
5. The countries that border Sudan are Libya, Egypt Chad, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zaire, and the Central African Republic.
6. The picture that really stood out and spoke to me is the fourteenth picture. The image depicts a displaced Sudanese family at the market in the Riyadh Internally Displaced People's camp, but more importantly it shows a mom, and her three children, they are all happy and one boy is holding something in front of his eye in a joking way. This picture speaks to me because the family is smiling, a family that has been through so much and is now considered displaced is smiling for the camera. The fact that a family that has seen so much can be upbeat and almost silly when asked for a photo is just unfathomable. To see the children acting so happy and trying to make the best of everything just makes you believe that these people are not going to give up until they know they are safe and going to be okay.
C)
I am very surprised and pleased with the grades our reps received. I was expecting to see C's and even D's but They all got A's or A+'s. It shows that we care about Sudan and Darfur and we are willing to help in many ways.
D)
Looking at the pictures really showed me what is happening there and what their culture is like. the pictures by J Carrier really showed the struggle and pain of what these people are going through. You can see on their faces that they need help. Their eyes are like windows in to a dark past and, if nothing is done, an even darker future. The photos by Irene Abdou show more of their culture and traditions. the pictures are of the Dinka people in their most natural state. they show men and women with their faces covered in some kind of white powder with scares on their foreheads. You can tell that in some pictures they are dancing traditional dances. These pictures helped me see what Dinka life is supposed to be like. The big picture also showed the struggle of these people but in a more in your face way. These pictures show the truth of Sudan but in a vibrant, artistic way. These pictures show the soldiers with their gums and that really opens up your eyes and makes you realize that this is all real.
E)
1. I think it was good that Powell spoke out for Sudan the way he did, and declaring it a genocide. "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring," Powell said. In response to the tragedy the president of Sudan "called on local tribes to crush the rebellion". Susan Rice "criticizes the Administration for not 'taking action consonant with the magnitude of the catastrophe.'."
2. The geographical makeup of Sudan complicates the current situation because the nomads they are trying to get to leave refuse to because their crops won't grow in all the soil because some of it is sandier than others and the rain doesn't occur often.
3. The stories touched upon in the article are very similar to the stories Valentino speaks of in the book. Zahara Abdulkarim tells how she heard the sound of war planes and gunshots overhead. Then she told how they raped her and almost killed her but didn't because she was pregnant. Halima talks about how she and her daughter had to hide for many nights like Valentino had to. Again she also talked about the killing of men and boys and the raping of the woman.
F)
"The international community has failed to do enough." I chose this statement because it is 100% true, and more people need to know about the situation over there. "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties." I chose this statement because it says in a very straight forward way what will happen to the people of Sudan if nothing is done. "We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue" this last statement is good because it shows how passionate President Obama is about this situation and how much it means to him.
->Lindsay G.
T.Durocher
Mr. Kefor
I can only post this assignment because all of my other assignments were saved on my USB drive. When i went to open te files friday night, they were not able to open because of some encoding thing. When i try to open it a bunch of symbols show up and i am not able to change it. So i dont know what to do i had my mom try and do it and she cant figure it out either. So i'll keep trying to figure it out.
Assignment E
1. Powell’s response to the genocide in Dafur was very powerful he demonstrated his awareness of the occurring issue. It was a little weird how he said that he alone concluded that the genocide was to be blamed on the Sudanese government. It is their responsibility but I did not think that he would straight out say it. I also like it how he shows that he is disappointed d with the previous actions that had been taken. Also, I do not really like the response the president had to fight against the genocide. I think that it was a bad choice to call upon local tribes to fight when he should have just used the government army. I think that this is a bad way to response because people that fight can be persuaded to join another cause because they have no ties to the country.
2. The geological landscape of Sudan does not help the problem in Sudan at all. For example, the land is very hot, dry and barren. This does not help because after the villages are rampaged, people are forced to walk through these conditions causing more deaths than happened in the village. As they are walking people usual get dehydrated and die.
3. An event that happened to Melkha Musa Haroun that reminded me of an event from What Is the What is when she told about when she witnessed the “devils on horseback” killing babies because they thought they were future enemies. This reminds me of what is the what because I think of when the murhaleen rampaged through the villages killing everyone.
Allison C.
Class F
Assignment A:
I think having Dave Eggers write the story for Valentino was a good idea. As Valentino said in the interview “I thought I might want to write my own book, but I learned that I was not ready to do this. I was still taking classes in basic writing at Georgia Perimeter College.” Valentino doesn’t have enough knowledge of the English language to write a book on his own. It was also a good idea to keep it in Valentino’s point of view. Having it in Valentino’s point of view makes this book feel more personal. You can see how he felt and what he was thinking during all of these events in his life. I think Dave and Valentino made a good decision about what kind of book they wrote.
Assignment B:
1. Nancy Pelosi Rep. of California, Sheila Jackson Lee Rep. of Texas, Jim Morgan Rep. of Virginia, Rep. Jim McGovern of Mass, Rep. Tom Lantos of California, Senators Barack Obama and Sam Brownback, and also Rep Mike Doyle of Pittsburgh were all part of the Darfur protest.
2. Sudan’s estimated per capita of 2006 is $810. The United States estimated per capita of 2006 is $44,970. This shows how much more money the people in the U.S. have compared to the people in Sudan. It also provides proof that the U.S. as a country is a lot richer than Sudan. People in the U.S. don’t realize that we make a lot more money than a lot of people in other countries.
3. The United States estimated population as of July 2008 is 303,824,640. The Sudanese estimated population as of July 2008 is 40,218,456. When comparing these two numbers you can clearly tell the United States have a bigger population but the U.S. is also a lot larger than Sudan.
4. The estimated life expectancy of Sudanese people is 57.4 years. The life expectancy of American people is 78 years. These statistics show that American people on average live longer than Sudanese people. This is most likely because in the U.S. there is more medical help available than in Sudan.
5. Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea all border Sudan.
6. There is a picture of a woman riding a donkey on a beach with all of her belongings. In the background you can see soldiers with guns. This is very touching because it shows how many of these Sudanese people have to leave their homes and just pack everything and go off and try to find somewhere else to live. Also, seeing the soldiers’ carrying guns about 100 feet away from her is very scary. That shows that there are most likely soldiers all over the place like that in Sudan.
Assignment D:
Most people don’t realize how Sudanese people really live. Someone may tell you or describe how they live to you but you don’t get the full effect until you actually see photos of these people. You can see that the water is dirty. They are always sitting on the dirty ground; they wash their clothes by putting them in water then drying them out. Their houses are made of straw and mud. The people there are all very tall and skinny and most do not look healthy at all. All of the kids ride donkeys and really have to help out their families by working. I didn’t quite understand really how these people actually live until I saw all of these photos.
Assignment E:
I think it is good that Powell is trying to fight for the Sudanese. For example, when I says "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring." But then he tells lawmakers “No new action is dictated by this determination" he only says this though because genocide is wearing down in most parts of the middle east so there is no need to end U.S. troops over there. Many of the stories told in this article sound just like Valentino’s story. Many of them had waken to the sound of war and had to run or were even chased out of their villages. Also many, like Valentino, had to suffer through the pain of losing many of their family members and friends.
Assignment F:
Barack Obama made a speech about the genocide in Sudan and how he felt about it. One quote that he states in his speech is “We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.” In this quote he is saying that we cant let the genocide happen not because it will effect us but we will feel bad if this continues and ruins their country knowing that we could help stop it and we should help them out of the kindness our hearts. Another important quote in his speech is "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation. IN this quote is saying that we need to help Sudan but it will not be easy.” By saying this President Barack Obama is inferring that his is willing to help Sudan end this genocide. And finally Obama says, “There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can, including logistical support like airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and other resources that are needed to deliver humanitarian aid.” So he knows that America can not fully help to stop the genocide because we are already currently at war but we can give them any of our resources that we aren’t using in the war in Afghanistan. I think it is very good that President Barack Obama wants to help Sudan especially because he can really make this happen.
B. The state representatives are Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos and Mike Doyle.
The per capita income of Sudan is $2,400. This is not much money at all! The United States per capita income is $43,800.
The population of Sudan is 39,379,358 people. While in the United States, the population is 301,139,947.
The life expectancy in Sudan is 49.99. In the U.S, the life expectancy is 78 years old.
Sudan is surrounded by Egypt, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, The Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The picture on the web page of the young child crying is very moving. It shows that everyone is being affected by the genocide and that there is no escaping. It seems that for some reason in the picture, the tears are almost highlighted. They stick out more than anything else.
E. I do not understand why no countries are doing anything to help out in Darfur if they all signed an agreement saying they would help. It is not like they do not know what is going on. Colin Powel even said that it has been determined that there is genocide going on in Darfur.
The geography of Sudan truly complicates the situation. Since it is on the other side of the world, it would make it hard for the United States to get there to help. It is also hard because it is in the middle of Africa. It would be a lot easier top get to if it was located on the coast.
Melka Musa Haroun’s journey is a lot like the journey of Valentino Achak Deng. They were both forced to fell their villages, they both saw many people murdered, and they both wandered from camp to camp trying to find a place to live.
Tyler A
Assignment A.
1) What is the What is written differently than any book I’ve ever read. The author, Dave Eggers, and the main character of the book, Valentino Achak Deng, classify the book as a “fictionalized autobiography”, which I have never heard of. It is interesting because not all of it is true; Valentino was so young when the story first takes place that he had to have Eggers make up some dialogue and stories that would be relevant to the story.
2) I definitely like the format of the book. It is a unique approach which I think brings more excitement into reading it. I also believe that they chose the right way because Valentino couldn’t have written it by himself but he couldn’t remember all the exact details of his life, so there’s a nice balance between truth and fiction.
Assignment B.
1) The state representatives in the pictures are Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, Barack Obama, Sam Brownback, and Mike Doyle.
2) Sudan’s per capita income is $2,300 dollars, which is extremely small compared to the US per capita income, which is $37,500.
3) Sudan’s populations is 41,236,378, whereas the US’s population is 301,621,157.
4) The life expectancy in Sudan is 45 to 50 years old, which pales in comparison to the life expectancy of 77 to 80 years old in the US.
5) The countries that border Sudan are Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zaire, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
6) The photograph that most captures my attention is the one of the girl receiving medical care. She is crying uncontrollably due to the fact that she is far from home in a strange place and has probably seen death all around her.
Assignment D.
As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” One of the pictures shows what appears to be an old woman crying. The striking thing about it is that, since the life expectancy in Sudan is between 45 and 50, this woman who appears to me in her 70s or 80s is in all probability in her 40s or 50s. Another picture is of a village that has been almost completely burnt except for the stone structures. It has been completely ravaged by the civil war, just like thousands of other villages all over Sudan. These two pictures, along with all the other pictures, give faces and images to associate with the atrocities going on in Sudan today.
Assignment E.
1) I think Colin Powell’s response is the only fully justified response. He told Congress that the conflict in Darfur is genocide and should be stopped. Susan Rice is correct in saying that our government isn’t doing enough. But at the same time, our government is right in the fact that we can’t afford to send troops due to the Iraq War.
2) Usually the Africans are farmers who inhabit the northern region of Sudan and the Arabs are nomads who inhabit the southern region. Because of the drought, the Arabs have been forced to move into the northern region to find places to graze their cattle. This has caused tensions between the two groups.
3) Zahara Abdulkarim’s story of being raped is reminiscent of when Achak witnesses the men raping Amath and her sisters. When Abdulkarim is scarred with the knife so as to be marked as a slave, it reminds me of when Moses has the sideways “8” branded onto the inside of his ear to show that he too was a slave.
Assignment E.
“We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide to continue.”
This is important because President Bush did almost nothing to try to help the situation in Darfur, and now President Obama is recognizing it as genocide and acknowledging that we have to do something about it.
“Next, the United States should support the immediate deployment of an effective international force to disarm militia, protect civilians, and facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in Darfur.”
This is important because President Obama seems to have an effective idea of what we should be doing to combat the conflict.
“There is no question that the United States military is currently spread thin with our earlier commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can, including logistical support like airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and other resources that are needed to deliver humanitarian aid.”
This is important because it is the exact opposite opinion of the Bush Administration, and it happens to be the right approach.
- Ian M.
Assignment D
The photographs that were taken are incredibly powerful and they all strike at something deep in everyone that views them. For example, under the photo album “The Big Picture”, the eleventh picture is powerful as it shows that while there might seem as if there is a good and bad, or a right or wrong, in Sudan, there is only shades of gray, only middle ground. The picture depicts an Arab girl, a close up of her face. The first attribute that draws your attention are her eyes. They are extremely expressive and they have a lot of life. There is nothing less human than that. Another example is the picture in Irene Abdou’s collection, the sixteenth down and three over. The man is holding an AK-47 and has the traditional white powder covering his face, marking him as a Dinka warrior. This is a fusion of two worlds, the technology and the deadly force of the modern world and the primal and raw power or the ancient culture. It is now inevitable that the influence of the outside world touch the tribes of Africa and this is a great example of that and how Sudan is today.
Peter L.
Assignment E
As stated by Barack Obama, “On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.” This is an important statement for everyone for the reason that indeed, we shouldn’t let history repeat itself in this manner. It shows that we have learned nothing. We stayed the way we were sixty years ago in World War 2, with Rwanda, and finally with this. I thought that this was important to highlight because we cannot allow innocent lives to be taken with impunity as what is occurring in Sudan. In another statement by Barack Obama, he says, “But that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can.” This caught my eye for the reason that it tells us not to be selfish, contradicting the actions of the nations of the UN. Other world powers fail to act on Sudan only because it suits their station. The final statement in Barack Obama’s speech states, “It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region.” This is slightly contradict to himself and his previous statement, not because he was not unwilling to support Sudan but that there was materialistic gain on his mind as well when deciding on whether to intervene in Sudan. This caught my attention because this message was to be addressing the needs of Sudan and to selflessly offer one’s services to it. But, there is an underlying objective and it is to find a profit in the later years of cooperation when we ask the Sudan government for favors. This may be understandable in our times in the face of an economic downturn but it is still imperative that we be aware that the hand that we lend to the Sudanese is a hand of brotherhood and equality, not one we will be so quick to draw away and turn the hand into one of demand.
Peter L.
Assignment *F
As stated by Barack Obama, “On the 10th anniversary of Rwandan atrocities, we must not let history repeat itself.” This is an important statement for everyone for the reason that indeed, we shouldn’t let history repeat itself in this manner. It shows that we have learned nothing. We stayed the way we were sixty years ago in World War 2, with Rwanda, and finally with this. I thought that this was important to highlight because we cannot allow innocent lives to be taken with impunity as what is occurring in Sudan. In another statement by Barack Obama, he says, “But that does not mean that we should not be providing the resources that we can.” This caught my eye for the reason that it tells us not to be selfish, contradicting the actions of the nations of the UN. Other world powers fail to act on Sudan only because it suits their station. The final statement in Barack Obama’s speech states, “It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region.” This is slightly contradict to himself and his previous statement, not because he was not unwilling to support Sudan but that there was materialistic gain on his mind as well when deciding on whether to intervene in Sudan. This caught my attention because this message was to be addressing the needs of Sudan and to selflessly offer one’s services to it. But, there is an underlying objective and it is to find a profit in the later years of cooperation when we ask the Sudan government for favors. This may be understandable in our times in the face of an economic downturn but it is still imperative that we be aware that the hand that we lend to the Sudanese is a hand of brotherhood and equality, not one we will be so quick to draw away and turn the hand into one of demand.
Peter L.
Assignment E
1.) I think that Colin Powell’s verbal response to the genocide in Sudan is well stated but I think that through no fault of his own, his statements held no import, as shown by the actions, or lack thereof, by the U.S as well as several other nations that signed the Genocide Convention. I think that the president’s “statement” also says much about his own policy, after only sending “observers” and not military personnel to deal with the genocide. It is his intention to only watch as the crimes of violence are committed. Condoleeza Rice’s statement targets the lack of action on Sudan from the president, which is severely needed in a region desperate for help.
2.) Sudan is almost landlocked, the only body of water at its boarder being the Red Sea. To the north, there is only the desert and the south is mainly rainforest. The countries around Sudan all are countries that also have problems of their own namely, food shortages due to droughts, poor governmental association with the general populace, and military opposition within their own boarders. This effectively isolates Sudan from any real care unless the care is delivered to them.
3.) A similarity between stories from Sudan is the excessive violence and the blatant disrespect for life that each person witnesses. As the book “What is the What”, Melkha Musa Haroun saw a terrible act of the killing of a one-year-old boy, whose life meant nothing to the Arab militias other than a threat. Valentino faced the very same problems in his very own story of escaping Sudan. His life was in danger because he was a boy, and all boys were future threats in the eyes of the Janjaweed and the murahaleen. Even children are considered a threat where they will be killed without hesitation. No one is safe from the hands of the militias that roam Sudan.
peter l.
Assignment A
Ryan C.
English F
1. The creation and construction of the book What is the What is very unique. First of all it started with many interviews between Dave Eggers and Valentino. These interviews helped in getting the basic story down. At this point Valentino wasn’t sure if he was ready to write the book by himself so he asked Dave eggers for help. The interviews kept going until all of the information was known and the book could be written. Neither Dave Eggers or Valentino knew what the book would be like. Eventually they decided on a fictionalized autobiography.
2. I do agree with the format and point of view of the story. This is because when reading it you feel for Valentino and it is easier to understand from his own personal point of view. Also, the format makes the book easier to read because there is some fiction in it. This makes the book not so repetitive and more interesting to the reader.
Assignment B
1. The representatives and senators were:
• Rep Nancy Pelosi
• Rep Sheila Jackson Lee
• Rep Jim McGovern
• Rep Tom Lantos
• Sen Barack Obama
• Sen Sam Brownback
• Rep Mike Doyle
2. Sudan income- $2,400
U.S. income- $38,611
3. Sudan population- 39,379,358
U.S. population- 303,824,640
4. Sudan life expectancy-50.03 years
U.S. life expectancy- 74.37 male, 80.05 female
5. The countries that share a border with Sudan are Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, Dem Rep of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
6. The image shows many Sudanese refuges outside of temporary shelters in Chad. The shelters are barely held together and are made of sticks and branches. There are people sitting outside of the huts. This image depicts how terribly the displaced people have to live. This was moving to me because I feel sorry for them and am upset by how poorly they have to live.
Assignment D
The pictures of Sudan give me a much better understanding of what it is like. These pictures really help to show what the people and the landscape of Sudan are like. There were a few pictures that very clearly show what it is like in Sudan. They show everything from the landscape to the people. These pictures are in the Big Picture album. All of these pictures helped to show what being in Sudan is really like. They also helped in understanding What is the What. They do this by showing the destruction in the villages and how helpless all of the people look. That is how the pictures helped to aid in my view of Sudan.
Assignment E
1. Colin Powell had a very strong response to the Sudan crisis. In this he speaks about the crisis and says he believes that it may still be going on. He also says that nobody has done anything to stop it. I think that he was right in saying this about Sudan. The genocide is still happening and it needs to be stopped. I also think that his response to this was appropriate and the government needs to step in and stop the genocide before it kills all of the Sudanese people.
2. The landscape of Sudan complicates the genocide greatly. This is because it is very barren with much desert. This leaves many of the people without protection from the Arab-Muslims who are killing them. This landscape problem will cause many more Sudanese to be killed due to a loss of shelter from the burning of their villages that they have lived in peacefully for so long.
Assignment F
President Obama makes many good points in his speech about the genocide in Sudan. One of these is when he is talking about the displaced people. He says “50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum”. This is important because it shows that the genocide ahs gone on for far too long and needs to be stopped before any more people are killed. Another thing he said was “The United Nations passed a toothless resolution and, in recent debates, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria have been reluctant to support any meaningful action”. This statement shows that other countries of the world do not care about what is happening in Sudan. They would rather care for themselves and not take action against the Arab-Muslims. A final thing he said was “There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation”. This statement is a very important one. This shows that Obama wants the US help to stop the genocide in any way possible. He also wants the Sudanese government to do the right thing and stop. That is why those statements from President Obama were important in his speech.
Supplement A
The making of the book started with 12 hours of taped conversations that turned into 3 years worth of work. They could not decide whether it was going to be a biography or a novel based on Valentino’s life.
“It is very close to the truth, but many things in the book are somewhat different than what happened in life. Some characters have been combined. Some time is compressed. They are minor things, but they were necessary. For one thing, I was very young when the book begins, so I could not remember conversations and small details from my early childhood in Marial Bai.”
Because some of Valentino’s memories were slightly different than what may have happened the book had to be made into a novel based on some truths. I do agree that if Valentino could not remember exactly what happened in the past then he really could not call this a true biography.
Supplement B
Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern and Tom Lantos joined thousands of protestors on The National Mall, to protest the genocide in Darfur, Sunday, April 30, 2006 in Washington. Per capita income is $2,400 in Sudan.The US per capita income is 48,000.Population in Sudan is 39,379,358 people. The US population is 303,824,640. Average life expectancy for a man is 49 for a male and 48 for a female. An average American's life expectancy is 81 for a female and for men its 75.The countries around Sudan are:Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya,Chad, Uganda, Kenya, Dom. Republic of Congo, Central African Republic. Picture 13 on the website shows children with their mothers next to a small grass hut. I found this moving because they looked sad and did not have a good home.
Supplement C
Our House Reps, Barney Frank & James McGovern got A+ for their efforts. Senators, John Kerry & Ed Kennedy recieved A's for their efforts. I was glad to see that Massachusetts scored so well on their involvement with Sudan.
Supplement D
The photographs helped shaped my view to know that the Sudan people are poor and we should help them out. Its sad that the soldiers killed people and wrecked their village. It is good the Sudan people do have food so they do not starve to death.
Supplement E
Colin Powell and the President condemn what is going on in Sudan, but they do not want to take any action. "The Administration's current strategy is to "calibrate" the pressure on Sudan's government, until it fully disarms the Janjaweed. But human-rights observers who have visited the region say that unless the world moves rapidly to impose economic and military sanctions against Sudan, tens of thousands more could die in a matter of months".
Supplement F
"The international community has failed to do enough."
It seems that many are concerned but our government has not done anything to really help. "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation." The US needs to be more involved in this cause. It is inhumane what is going on in Sudan and our country to provide assistance.
"This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people."
by Mike D.
3/23/09
Dear John Kerry,
Hello John Kerry. I am a 9th grade student at Norton High School. I understand, according to Darfur scores, that you have a great grade in doing what’s right for Darfur. But, I also understand that there is still a genocide going on. What you have done for the people of Darfur is great but, there is still much to be done. I believe that you have to take it to congress and make sure that with all your power as a state representative that America must go into Sudan and stop there government from any more mass genocide that could result in an end of an entire race of people. But, If you can manage to even save or keep safe one child because of this letter I will feel like a better human being than what I am now. Thank you for taking your time and reading this letter.
Sincerely,
C White
Kim S.
Period F
Assignment A:
Valentino and Dave Eggers started talking through interviews. One of the founders of the Lost Boys foundation contacted Dave and told him about the Lost Boys and he happened to become friendly with Valentino. They did not know if they wanted Dave or Valentino to write the book at first. Valentino told Dave his story which ended up being the creation of the book, What is the What. At first the book was about all of the Lost Boys but ended up as mostly all about Valentino. I think this distinctive way of writing this book is rather interesting and is why this book is so popular. I do not think this book would be anymore successful if it was a non-fiction book because I think Dave and Valentino did a very good job in their process of this book.
Assignment B:
Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos were being handcuffed during the Sudanese Embassy protest on genocide. I think that is absolutely ridiculous because they are just trying to help out on a important cause. The Sudan per capita income for the year of 2007 was $2,500. And
the United States per capita income for the year of 2007 was $38,611. As anyone can see, Sudan’s per capita income is much smaller than the per capita income of the United States. Sudan’s population of 41,236,378 is much smaller than the United States population of 305,186,613. The life expectancy of Sudan is 50.28 years, whereas the life expectancy of the United States is 77.8 years. Egypt, Chad, Libya, Central African Republic, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia share a border with Sudan. The photograph that really moved me was the one where a few of the women and children are sitting at one of their straw houses. It makes me feel guilty for everything I have and how they are so happy with only the littlest of things. A lot of American people are very spoiled today and don’t appreciate what they have and I wish they could see these pictures to understand.
Assignment D:
In the first group of pictures under, J. Carrier (click on "Sudan"), it shows people getting beaten with sticks. It shows people with guns, also Sudanese walking around with food/sticks that are being carried on their head. Women making food or washing dishes inside a bowl and many other sad sights of Sudan. In the second group of pictures under, The Big Picture, they show the houses burned and the fires that took place. Also they show the people in the army walking around with their guns. Many people also with such skinny arms and legs, you can tell they probably haven’t eaten much in a while. The last group of pictures under, Irene Abdou, they show many people with rags for clothing. They also show Sudanese dancing to traditional Dinka music. It also shows close ups of some Sudanese, where you can tell that most likely all of them are very dirty and its terrible.
Assignment E:
I totally agree with Colin Powell’s response to the situation in Sudan. When Powell says, "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring," it really shows that he agrees with many people on the genocide in Darfur and something needs to be done as soon as possible. I also agree with Rice’s response on this situation. She seems very smart and knows what is going on with the problem and that something needs to be done. Also when she criticizes the Administration in saying, "taking action consonant with the magnitude of the catastrophe." Rice knows that needs to be done and I feel confident in her response to the situation. I actually do agree with the President’s response as well. In crushing the rebellion I think it will help by stopping the fighting between them. Also Sudan’s makeup does not help for Sudan is not a rich place. Many people are getting killed from starvation and the living problems. They also do not have the best army to fight back which also puts the Sudanese in a bad situation.
Assignment F:
- "Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum. The Bush Administration itself warned of the magnitude of the crisis, if no action is taken. Andrew Natsios, head of USAID, said in June that "if nothing changes we will have one million casualties." We cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let this genocide continue.
- "There must be real pressure placed on the Sudanese government. We know from past experience that it will take a great deal to get them to do the right thing. The United States, along with the UN, must take immediate steps to halt this dire situation.
- “This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people."
I picked these three quotes because I feel they are very important in relating to the situation happening to Darfur. In the first quote, Obama is saying how many people are already dying and if we don’t do anything about it soon we will have “one million causalities”. Just like anything, if you don’t start doing something about a situation it will began to grow worse and worse and something needs to be done to fix it. In the second quote, he is saying from past experience we know that it will take much work to help the Sudanese government and that action from the US and UN must be taken immediately. In the third and last quote, Obama is saying that if we do help this situation it will show people who we are as a nation and it will make us look very good to other people. This quote is very vital because it will show everyone that the US has many great people that are willing to help anyone is tough situations.
A.
1. The approach to the devolvement to the book, What is the What was quite unique. It is unique since it was very slow, it was written in valentine’s voice though he did not write it, and even though based on a true story it is called a novel since there were some slight changes.
2. I don not agree with the format or the point of view. I don’t since I feel even though the story was mostly true it would mean more reading a story that was all true.
B.
1. Nancy Pelosi Sheila Jackson Jim Moran Jim McGovern Tom Lantos Barack Obama Sam Brownback Mike Doyle
2. The per capita income is 2,300 while the U.S. is 37800
3. Sudan’s population is 41,236,378 while the U.S. is 303,824,640
4. The life expectancy in Sudan 58.92 years is while in the U.S. it is expectancy 77.21.
5. Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Central African Rep. Chad, Libya, Egypt.
6. Picture number nine caught my attention. It is a picture of the people protesting holding a sign that ready. G. BUSH HANDS OFF SUDAN. I find it moving since they really don’t want George Bush interfering.
D.
1. The pictures really show me how people in Sudan live and look. All the pictures were so different from whet we are used to seeing in the U.S. one of the photos that really caught my attention was the picture of the people under the tree staring up at the airplane flying over head. I also really liked seeing the kind of buildings that they lived in. I also found it interesting how that in some of the pictures the men were caring big powerful guns. A lot of the people also looked very malnourished. The thing I really liked the most was being able to see the people’s faces and to know what they look like. The pictures really showed be a lot about these wonderful people.
E.
1. I feel that it is good that he realizes it but he says nothing about doing anything and he even says; “No new action is dictated by this determination.” This is absolutely outrageous. I like how rice says that not "taking action consonant with the magnitude of the catastrophe.”
2. Geologically, Sudan has a lot of land that is used for farming. This causes trouble for the resolution of the problems.
3 Melkha Musa Haroun recalls an event where she sees a young 1 year old boy being killed. This kind of scene was depicted many times in the book What is the What.
F.
In Barack Obama’s speech there were many important quotes to take note of. The first thing he says in his entire speech is one of the most important statements in the whole entire speech; "Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum.” He lets the people know bluntly what is going on. Second, he says “The UN is failing in its mission by allowing politics to get in the way of needed action.” This is extremely important since the UN is more worried about politics than helping fellow humans who are dying everyday. Third Obama says that “This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." This means that this is a no brainier that we should help these people. It will help us while at the same time save many lives. Barack Obama’s speech addresses the genocide in Sudan in a manor appropriate for the situation.
Kevin R. Period B
Assignment A: Valentino and Eggers started with interviews before writing the book. After these interviews, they decided to have Dave write the story through Valentino’s eyes in the first person. They called the story a fictional autobiography. “After about eighteen months of struggle with it, we settled on a fictionalized autobiography, in Valentino’s voice.” I think this is a good way of writing the “novel” because it gives us a very good sense of what happened in each scene. However, the classification of “fictionalized autobiography” makes the story seem untrue. I think that they should have thought of a better genre to label the story to make sure people know that it was a true story. I think that the book would be more successful as nonfiction because it might make a bigger impact on people. All they need to do is make it clear that the book is a very true story. Also, it is unfair to other nonfiction writers because Valentino did not have to imagine and think this up, it all actually happened, so he had an advantage.
Assignment C, T-conti
I was expecting people to not care, but the progress reports for our state were pretty good. Glad to see that the senators aren't just heartless political people who don't care. If they really cared though, they wouldn't just talk about it, they would do something. They mean well but until numbers drop they haven't really done anything. Time will tell and people will do.
Assignment B
1.Tom Lantos, D-calif Mike doyle both representatives from U.S.
2.2,300 per capita yearly- Sudan over 21,000 capita US- 10 times more.
3.41,236,378-Sudan, 303,824,640-US population count
4.58.92 years- Sudan 74.37-US life expectancy years
5North/south darfur.
6.Sudanese woman on donkey carrying luggage leaving a camp from displaced sudanese people, makes you feel like it’s just another day.
What Is The What Blog Supplements
Assignment A:
1. What Is The What was created in a very non-traditional way. It is a fictional novel based on the story of Valentino Achak Deng. This book was written by Dave Eggers with the help of Valentino. The story is told from Valentino’s point of view and although it includes some completely fictional scenes the majority of the story is true. Dave wrote this book through hours of interviews with Valentino and months of writing by Dave.
2. The format Dave and Valentino chose worked extremely well for this story. Telling the story through Valentino’s perspective added another dimension to the story; it felt as if the reader was living Valentino’s life. It being fictional allowed Dave to be able to make the story even more interesting than Valentino’s true story making it more appealing to many readers.
Assignment B:
1. Many state representatives have taken place in protests against the Sudanese government for the genocides of the Dinka and other African Tribes. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Jim Moran, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep Tom Lantos, and Rep. Mike Doyle have all taken place in different forms of protests against the Sudanese some even willingly being arrested to further their cause.
2. Sudan’s GDP is extremely low when compared to the United State’s GDP. Sudan’s GDP is a minute $2,300 whereas the US’s GDP is $47,025. These numbers show how little the Sudanese have even with their vast natural resources.
3. The population of Sudan, 41,236,378, is dwindling compared to the US’s 306,088,000.
4. The life expectancy in Sudan is a low 59 years compared to US’s 79 years.
5. Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Uganda, Libya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea are all neighboring countries of Sudan.
6. I chose picture number 18 which displays two young Sudanese boys at a refugee camp in Western Sudan. The focus of the picture is completely on the boys with the rest of the picture out of focus creating a very striking image. It clearly illustrates the atrocious living condition at a Sudanese refugee camp. This picture captures the boys feelings of being forgotten by the world.
Assignment D:
1. A picture is worth a thousand words, this is definitely the case in Sudan. The pictures from these websites give the reader a new sense of Sudan. Pictures help a reader visualize the story as they are reading it adding an entirely new depth to the book. In J Carrier’s “At the Precipice of Peace” album the pictures give us an accurate perception of the mood in Sudan; the morose black and white photographs illustrate the tension in Sudan. Without pictures Sudan would be nothing more than an image of the imagination; pictures are essential when learning of new cultures and landscapes.
Assignment E:
1. Colin Powell’s empathetic response to the situation in Sudan was a shining moment in the fight for peace in Sudan. Collin’s classification of this being genocide brought down a hail of criticism on him bought brought Darfur and Sudan back into the limelight. Condeliza rice’s response to this situation was very interesting. She acted as a peace maker by stating despite their differences John Kerry and the President overall have the same opinion on what the US should do about Sudan.
2. The main spark that has caused the war in Sudan is farmland. Arab nomads and African farmers have been sharing the land for hundreds of years but extensive droughts have pushed their relations to the breaking point. In the late 1980’s violence engulfed Sudan.
3. Stories from Sudan are all related, Arabs coming on horseback and destroying villages along with their inhabitants. Melkha Musa Haroun’s story is very similar to Valentino’s; the Murahaleem or Janjaweed came on horseback and wiped out their villages. Both had to run cross Sudan village to village trying to find peace. Valentino and Melkha both ended up in peaceful refugee camps, some were not so lucky.
Assignment F:
1. President Obama is in agreement with many others that the Genocide in Sudan must be stopped. He clearly stated that America and the UN will be needed to take immediate actions to help the Sudanese people. “Genocide is underway in Darfur, Sudan. Already, 50,000 African Muslims have been killed and 1.2 million displaced by the Sudanese Government and by Arab Janjaweed militias armed and encouraged by Khartoum.” This quote shows that America undoubtedly knows the significance of the atrocities in Sudan and Obama has demonstrated that he is willing to lead the force needed for these atrocities to be stopped. "First, the UN Security Council should impose tough sanctions on the Khartoum government immediately.” Obama demonstrates that he and America have a plan to stop this genocide and that we and the world must not take this any longer. “This should be a swift and clear-cut decision. It is not only an issue of saving lives in the Sudan. It is necessary to support our interests in the region. And, our action and leadership will show who we are as a nation and as a people." This statement is a well spoken closing statement; it shows Obama’s urgency and gives the American people a sense of pride about the fact that we will be leading the world in peace keeping in Sudan. Obama is known to be a good orator and displays his skill at delivering speeches quite clearly in his “Statement On Darfur, Sudan”.
Brian B English F
Assignment B: 1. Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jim Moran, Jim McGovern, Tom Lantos, and Mike Doyle are state representatives in the photos.
2. The per capita income of Sudan is $2,300. This is about $37,000 dollars less than the U.S. per capita income.
3. The population of Sudan is about 41,000,000 people. This is about 260,000,000 less than the population of the U.S.
4. The life expectancy in Sudan for males is 58.92 years old, and the life expectancy for females is 57.69 years old. In the U.S. males are expected to live 16 years longer, and females are expected to live 23 years longer than in Sudan.
5. Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Chad, Libya, and Egypt border Sudan.
6. Picture 16 caught my attention when I was looking under “millions displaced.” This is an image of some Sudanese people sitting and walking around a Sudanese village. In this village, there is just sand and straw huts. This photo stuck out to me because it shows how little the Sudanese have. While we have green grass, beautiful surroundings, and nice houses, the Sudanese live in small straw huts on a desolate, dry, desert. This helped give me a picture of what it is like to live in Sudan.
Assignment E: 1. I think that Colin Powell’s response to the situation in Sudan was strong, convincing, and helpful. However, I do not think that the statement was quite strong enough. Powell said, "We concluded--I concluded--that genocide has been committed in Darfur, and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility, and that genocide may still be occurring.” This is strong because he did make sure that people knew that the events in Sudan are a terrible genocide and that the government is responsible, so they are in need of help. However, this was already recognized by many people as a genocide and we need less people to acknowledge the problem and more people to actually act on the problem. Also, Powell said that genocide “may still be occurring.” Genocide IS still occurring. People must know that there is still a problem in Sudan that needs to be fixed if they are to make a difference. Giving the option that the problems are over may divert people’s concern away.
I am not very impressed with the president’s response to the situation in Sudan. While he made it clear that he was against the genocide in Sudan, he still did not make any great action. As the leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world, it is the president’s obligation to help out the people of this nation who are in such dire need. When he wants to stay at war with Iraq with zero support and no remaining real reason, it is a crime for him not to try to stop this corrupt government and save this people, even if it means taking military attention away from Iraq.
(incomplete)
Post a Comment