How would you best describe the central idea of this chapter? Which phrase from the chapter best helps develop the central idea? 

The central idea of this passage is to reflect upon the ideals of men in society, and their demand of control over women in society. Mr. Brocklehurst is portrayed as a condescending, hyprocritical, man that shames women for presenting themselves in a high manor. Even though the women in his own family dress in a very high fashion and luxurious way. His characterization can be best summed up as,

"Madam," he pursued, "I have a Master to serve whose kingdom is not of this world: my mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh; to teach them to clothe themselves with shame-facedness and sobriety, not with braided hair and costly apparel; and each of the young persons before us has a string of hair twisted in plaits which vanity itself might have woven; these, I repeat, must be cut off; think of the time wasted, of--"
Mr. Brocklehurst was here interrupted: three other visitors, ladies, now entered the room. They ought to have come a little sooner to have heard his lecture on dress, for they were splendidly attired in velvet, silk, and furs."
This small passage is the epitome of Mr. Brocklehurst's characterization and symbolizes the attitude the author has of men. She believes that men are controlling and to the fault of determining the physical look of women. This is the central idea of the passage and is why Mr. Brocklehurst is described with a quote that is of disagreement to feminist views in present day. Mr. Brocklehurst, to the author, is the representation of men and is a wrongful characterization of the majority of men. I do not agree with the actions or standards that MR. Brocklehurst believes the girls should follow, rather, I believe women are individuals that can declare what is right in their own minds. This is another reason why I believe the school dress code can be ridiculous at times. Girls should not be punished for what they wear, and this chapter maybe be taking shots at a male's governing of a girl's outfit. This article affectively portrays a man's characterization to me and I disagree with the central idea presented. I believe that this generalization is not a correct representation and delivers a message that is unfair to men that do not follow the standards presented by Mr. Brocklehurst.

Harambe did not die for the generalizations presented in this chapter,
Connor Finnegan

WIll your Next Car be a Pontiac?

If you want a new Pontiac Star Chief in 1957 I guess all you need to know is that it has leg room?
Well I guess this advertisement by Pontiac thinks that the new Pontiac Star Chief has some excellent leg room as it exclaims, "Spread Your Legs!" to an adult 1950s audience.

This is a pretty weird advertisement I must say, not only because of the large print of "Spread Your Legs!" but because of the glare in both the man and woman's eyes. What are they looking at? They might be thinking about the brilliant red interior of the new car or maybe they're people watching through the window. Nobody could really know for sure. All we know about this car is that It has "maximum leg-room" for someone that may like to hangout in it, or do whatever they would like to. The man might actually be thinking about what he would like to do in the Pontiac, in his black tuxedo, with the women in a red dress. The writing below the initial "Spread Your Legs" is presented for the purpose of clarifying the larger text.

The effectiveness of the advertisement is seen in the attention is receives rather the actual presentation of how the car operates, announcing that it has leg room. This references the lustful side of the people that may want to buy this vehicle. It appeals to an adult audience that can drive in the 1950s, primarily one that is not against getting a little freaky in the backseat. The "Spread Your Legs" alludes to a lustful experience of a male and a female as presented in the advertisement, and has the purpose to persuade car-driving adults to buy the new Pontiac. This advertisement also corresponds to the time period of the 50s and the baby boom that occurred during this time. Men were back from war and this meant an increase in babies and a booming economy that was centered around the next "up and coming" thing. Was the Pontiac Star Chief the next up and coming thing? Pontiac sure hoped so, as their advertisement appealed to the baby boom of the time period and the avarice nature of Americans after World War 2. This is presented in the sexual manner of "Spread Your Legs" in relation to a brand new luxury car in the 1950s. As well as the clothing that is worn by both the male and female, luxury clothing that then correspond to a luxury car. I would not say that Pontiac is taking advantage of the audience, rather, uses the culture of the 1950s in a way to present their product. This is smart advertising in my opinion but can be questioned by appealing to the lustful and avarice nature of the time period. Pontiac deliberately walks the fine line of what is morally right and wrong in advertising, drawing attention to their advertisement and therefore the car. Thus, accomplishing its purpose in having audience members notice the car and possibly become interested in the product. I only have one question to ask...will your next car be a Pontiac?


Harambe died for this,
Connor Finnegan

http://www.wingyounghuie.com/p557435520/e7797101c
Wing Young Huie
"We are the Other" 2012-2013

This was supposed to post with last week's blog on "Othering" and is which picture I chose.

What's in Finnegan?

The name "Finnegan" derives from the Irish form "O Fionnagain" meaning descendent of Finnagain. However, the name Finnegan represents more than just a last name to me. It reflects upon my heritage and experiences I have had in my life. Especially in soccer, most of my High School soccer team, as well as my past CASL Club teams, have called me by my last name. I am not entirely sure why this is, but it may be because of how awesome my last name is. This also distinguishes me from any other person named Connor, giving myself a sense of identity. This identity includes the pride I have in my Irish heritage, and is a reason why many people comment on how "Irish" my last name is. This may seem like a simple thing, but this reminds me of my belonging to the Irish nationality. When people call me "Finnegan" it showcases their personal interest in me and reflects upon the bond that myself and that person may have. This is why "Finnegan" is more than just a name for me and such a special name.



With the name "Finnegan" I feel that it is very unique, especially in the Southern heritage of North Carolina. This is something I love because I don't believe that I am "just another guy" in where I live. My last name separates myself from the North Raleigh lifestyle, as well as common last names I have heard over the years, like Miller (@ Justin) and Johnson (@ Ryan); the 7th and 2nd most common last names in the US, according to behindthename.com. Finnegan is actually the 7,158 ranked last name in the Country based on popularity, however, I feel this may be affected based on how big my family is. This is where I feel more at home, with my family, I am a part of a "whole" on my dad's side in Savannah, Georgia. For about 12-14 years straight, my family and I attended the St. Patrick’s day parade in Savannah, we still attend as much as possible. There, I am engulfed with Irish pride. This includes: roast beef, the color green, and beer (a lot of it). Even though I am surrounded by thousands of people from Irish backgrounds, I never found myself struggling to showcase my own identity. The Irish community does not take away from my individuality, it encourages it. People I have never met before come and talk to me, complement me on my outfit, or offer me something to eat. They are always interested in my life in Raleigh and how I am doing. The name Finnegan has allowed me to be a part of such a great community and has encouraged me to be an individual in Raleigh, with or without the rest of Savannah around me. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful last name, opening myself up to life in Savannah, Georgia. My surname is something I am blessed to have, reflecting upon my Irish heritage and individuality.