Irupé, the Water Rose: A legend to reflect upon teens’ risky behaviour

Open publication - Free publishing - More behaviour

Adolescent’s Approach to Texts: A Look into the Young’s relationship with Reading

Open publication - Free publishing - More education

Dead like me: A tool to reflect upon the influence of social pressure on identity development

Students: M.A. and Camila Chaves

To what extent are adolescents willing to renounce to their own essence in order to belong to a certain group of peers? How much of their identity is lost when nurturing that sense of belonging?

Dead Like Me is a zombies’ story by Adam-Troy Castro, in which the main character loses his own human identity pretending to be a Living Dead. This allows him to belong to the group of zombies which have taken the city where he lives in order not to be literally devoured by them. In this way, the story explores how social pressure makes people lose their own identity in order to fit in a particular social group. Thus, the aim of this paper is to prove that Dead Like Me constitutes a good narrative source for teachers to discuss with teenage students how peer pressure influences their identity.

During adolescence, human beings experience a series of physical, cognitive and social changes which lead to what Erik Erikson called identity crisis (Erikson: 1994). He defined this crisis as a turning point in adolescents’ sense of self, and considered identity formation as the “developmental task” of adolescence. This developmental task is shaped by the choices that adolescents make during their identity crises and among these there is one that is crucial: that is the selection of peers that teenagers make. Since during the teen years people spend more time with their peers than with their family, it is during this period that teens are more susceptible to be influenced by their friends. This external influence can lead them to adopt the norms and standards of the group at the expense of their own, causing the loss of their sense of self (Erikson cited by Saul McLeod: 1998).

It follows that this denial of one’s self does not only take place in the world of adolescents but also in the fictional world of zombies described in Dead Like Me. In the story, the main character adopts the zombies’ norms and customs, renouncing to his Living identity. This is shown through some of the narrator’s descriptions of his zombie-like behaviour:

Now find a supermarket that still has stuff on the shelves. You can if you look hard enough; the Dead arrived too quickly for the Living to loot everything there was. Pick three or four cans off the shelves, cut them open, and eat whatever you find inside. Don't care whether they're soup, meat, vegetables, or dog food. Eat robotically, tasting nothing, registering nothing but the moment when you're full.

This change in behaviour allows the main character to be “accepted” by the zombies that surround him and, in that way, to belong to their group. The same applies to teenagers. Most frequently, adolescents are victims of peer pressure. This means that in order to fit in a social group, they are profoundly influenced by their peers and they are forced to restrict their own identity development. Thus, this restriction they imposed on themselves is intended to belong to a certain group of people, and in that way, to feel they are part of it.  “The sense of belonging is the most salient aspect that pushes adolescents to conform to a group and share thoughts and believes that sometimes harm the youths’ identity” (Haynie, 2002).

All in all, this paper makes it possible to draw inevitable connections between the peer pressure phenomenon and a specific piece of writing, Dead Like Me. Besides, this essay helps us to see literature as a tool to be used in the classroom. It is important to bear in mind that literature, and more precisely storytelling, promote the identification of readers with the characters or with the situations described, and that “...Conflicting values and roles can be explored through stories, because storytelling is a problem-solving activity” (Gall de Vos: 2003).

Therefore, Dead Like Me can be a valuable tool for teachers to debate with students about the role of social pressure in the construction of their identity. This can be done by establishing a comparison between the loss of identity of the main character in a zombies’ world, and the adolescent’s loss of identity in their own social context. In the same way the main character in Dead like me adopts a fake zombie-like behaviour and renounces his human identity, adolescents often adopt the behavioural patterns of a group, putting at risk their own identity.   Research has shown that adolescents often engage in false self behaviour (acting in ways that are not the true self), particularly when among classmates and in romantic relationships. (Harter et al 1996 cited by Steinberg and Morris: 2001). Dead Like Me can be used in the classroom to reflect upon identity concerns and, in that way, to help adolescents withstand the peer pressure they may be victims of.

REFERENCES

• Brown, B. Bradford; Lohr, Mary J. (1987) Peer-group affiliation and adolescent self-esteem: An integration of ego-identity and symbolic-interaction theories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=1987-15208-001 Accessed 09/07/12
• de Vos, G. (2003) Storytelling for Young Adults: A Guide to Tales for Teens. Westport, CT Libraries Unlimited.
• Erikson, E. (1994) Identity: Youth and Crisis. New York, W.W. Norton & Company.
• Haynie, D. (2002) The Relative Nature of Peer Delinquency. Quantitative Criminology. http://cooley.libarts.wsu.edu/soc3611/Documents/Haynie_network.pdf Accessed 09/07/12
• McLeod, Saul (2008) Erik Erikson. Simply Psychology http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html Accessed 11/07/12
• Steinberg, L; Morris, A. (2001) Adolescent Development. http://www.colorado.edu/ibs/jessor/psych7536-805/readings/steinberg_morris-2001_83-110.pdf Accessed 09/07/12

This zombie does not smell like a teen spirit

by Camila Cháves

Zombies' curious existence calls teens' attention as much as death does. For some reason, teenagers usually feel attracted to zombies' rotten bodies. They seem to be fascinated about the fact that these people, who are neither alive nor dead, eat the living and enjoy scaring them. Since mortals usually affirm that a story about a zombie is a story for teens, this would be enough to store A Zombie´s Lament in any young adult's bookshelf. However, there are other important characteristics that, according to Small (cited in Herz & Gallo, 1996), make a story a case of Young Adults Literature (YAL). An example that appears to be out of this category is A Zombie's Lament, since despite being a short story about zombies, could not be considered YAL.

If there is something about YAL that Small takes as a must, it is the fact that a story for teenagers should have one of them as the main character. In A Zombie’s Lament, Andy, the protagonist, is a thirty-two-year-old husband and father whose undefined existence would not allow him to sleep if he were able to. It takes him a while to realise he is locked inside a wounded and stinky body. From an extrinsic point of view, he is the typical zombie any teenager may find interesting. He smells like a stale piece of meat and he dresses the clothes he was buried with. Yet, zombies’ archetypes break themselves easily looking at Andy’s emotional side. Although his heartbeat is long gone now, his emotions have not died yet. Perhaps, it is this emotional side what cannot be appealing to adolescents because Andy’s situation does not function as a mirror for their reality. He misses the life that was taken away from him. He is worried about the fact that he has not a social security number and everything that this implies. Andy misses his living daughter and his dead wife. He is not worried about the classmate he has a crush on or about his low marks at school. Besides, Small also considers that, in YAL, the actions performed by the main characters determine the result of the conflict of the story. In this case it is for sure that Andy only wants to have his time again but, he can do nothing to turn back the tide.

In A Zombie’s Lament the zombie does not want to perform the typical occupation society has attached to him. Andy is not starving for human flesh and he will not appear with drops of blood coming out of his dry mouth. Some important issues that are part of adolescents’ concerns, such as drugs and pregnancy, do not fit in this story. The more you dive in the story, the more the characteristics of YAL become diluted. A Zombie’s Lament perfectly teaches us not to judge a book by its cover.

Jugate conmigo - revival (TV show proposal)

Mr Yankelevich:

We are writing this letter as a response to your advertisement looking for new ideas for a teenagers T.V show.

Taking into account the characteristics and interests of teenagers nowadays, we are pleased to present you our idea about the revival of one of the most famous entertaining  T.V programme of the nineties in Argentina: “Jugate Conmigo”

This show, which will be broadcast weekly, will include different sections in which participants, arranged in two teams, will have to demonstrate their abilities in singing, dancing, acting and playing games. The winner will get a Prize: a trip to Brazil.

As regards singing and dancing, participants will have to recreate a video clips from pop artists chosen by the opposite team.

As for acting, a few members from each team will pick a card where they will find the explanation of the situation they will act out.

Each of the previously mentioned performances will be judged by four celebrities, all of whom have great knowledge about acting, dancing and singing.

Concerning the game section, it will include some ball games, such as “Football Tennis”, general knowledge games such as quizzes, action games such as paintball wars.

We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

We can be contacted at the above address.

Marcella was bored: A children’s story that adults should read

by Camila Chaves

What happens when someone’s life is plenty of material things, games, and extra curricular activities? Well, the time has come. He or she must face the truth. As Rockefeller once said “if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be really empty and sad and material things cease to be important”. Although Rockefeller did not write Marcella was bored, his phrase fits this story perfectly.

Marcella is a female cat who does not lack of material things. Actually, her life is full of them. One day, her boredom leads her to a lonely experience to find the truth about life. This experience makes her realize that her relatives and friends are important and that she has to value what life has to offer her. This story perfectly shows us that although we can have a lot of material things, more than that is needed to be completely happy.

The emptiness that Marcella gets from every action she does brings Rockefeller’s phrase to our minds. The first action that Marcella performs occurs when she turns on the television. She changes the channels but still she does not find TV attractive enough to sit down and watch it. Then, she looks through a new book of hers, but she finds it boring. She also goes into the kitchen for a snack, but she doesn’t like what she eats. This kind of actions repeats and she decides to walk. Being alone, she realizes that people who surround her are important, and she expresses this by saying: “I wish there were someone to talk to”. At this point, she figures out that her possessions mean nothing without her relatives and friends next to her.

Robert Byrd’s book is not just telling the readers that, as the title says, “Marcella was bored”. In this story, a simple feeling means the beginning of the road to find a truth: material things do not make happiness. Marcella was bored is a book for children which should be also read to adults. Most adults spend their whole lives searching for the things they think they want and they ignore what they have around them. How long will it take us to realize that, as someone once said “Happiness is only real when it is shared?”

Immutable Monsters

CHAVES, Camila

Haven’t you ever wondered why Pixar’s movies are so acclaimed? Do you know what the secret underneath Pixar’s success is?

It is taken for granted that Pixar has always found the key to get universal critical acclaim from its movies for children. Since 1995, when Toy Story appeared, the studio has won 26 Academy Awards and its productions have made over $6 billion worldwide. Monsters, Inc is one of Pixar’s movies that has been so successful and popular all over the world that it has forced the filmmakers to speculate about its sequel. The film received extremely positive reviews around the world and it achieved over 50 award nominations, including the Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film.

However, success does not necessarily go hand in hand with innovation, and surely the filmmakers took this into account when they invented these creatures. Everything the audience see on the surface, such as monsters as the main characters of the film and a whole company which employs them to scare children, makes them think that this popular creation will surprise them with innovation. However, what Monsters, Inc offers them is a traditional stereotyping plot.

An illustration of the traditional plot the story presents lays on the film's main figure. The fact that Sulley is a monster is not enough to differentiate him from all the classic heroes that existed before him. He is good and generous, and he tries to defend innocent people and fair causes. He is the typical strong hero that society has been dealing with since DC’s Batman. Coincidentally or not, as the superhero from Gotham City does, Sulley has an assistant who is always by his side, Mike Wazowski. Traditionally, the hero’s partner is always one step behind him. In the case of Monsters, Inc, apart from the fact that Wazowski lacks one eye, he is smaller and weaker than Sulley. 

Monsters, Inc’s traditional plot also reflects the classic conception of good and evil that almost all children’s movies have kept intact throughout time. In every children’s movie there is always a good character and a bad character, and of course, Monsters, Inc has its good and evil representatives. Typically, the good character differentiates from the bad one by means of physical appearance. It is simply a matter of turning nice into a synonym of good and ugly into a synonym of bad. Here, Sulley is the soft and nice monster that looks like a teddy bear. His antithesis is Randall, a repulsive monster which can be easily compared with a snake. 

In addition, as regards the personality of the film’s characters, Monsters, Inc follows the traditional conception of good and bad present in almost all children’s movies: the good guy is humble and the bad one tends to be egoistic. Here, Sulley is caring and fair and he does not claim for social recognition. As regards Randall, he is cold and cruel and he only thinks about winning at any cost.

Gone is the innovation in Monsters, Inc’s characters’ attributes. This movie does not take the risk of changing the characters’ classical characteristics. The basis of the creativeness of Monsters, Inc’s filmmakers is found in almost all children’s movies. It looks as if the surface of this movie attracts the audience due to the fact that it seems to deal with monsters in a different way. However, in this movie, the key of success is the static conception of characters developed in all children’s movies’ plots.

Review on “Sitting in My Box” (by Camila Chaves)

by Dee Lillegard; illustrations by Jon Agee

An empty cardboard box does not mean much to anyone. However, interesting things can happen if there is someone with a little bit of imagination inside the box. Dee Lillegard’s rhythmical writing joins Jon Agee’s attractive illustrations and makes “Sitting in My Box” an interesting book for little children.

A boy gets into a cardboard box accompanied by a book of wild animals. Soon after he begins reading the book, his imagination sets off a series of characters and situations. A tall giraffe knocks on the box and asks him to let her in, so the boy moves over. Then, some more animals knock on the box and, one by one, each animal gets into the box too. Eventually, there is no more place in the box. “Someone has to go,” says the boy, but none of the animals move. Suddenly, one more visitor arrives and provides the story an unexpected twist.

“Sitting in My Box” perfectly shows that imagination can turn an ordinary object into the scene of a curious adventure. Interesting and funny, the story will attract the audience and surprise them at the end. After reading, more than one child will want to get into the cardboard box.

Little Red Marxist

Once upon a time, there was an ant nest in an old-grow forest.

Its inhabitants, the red ants, were preparing themselves to stock up with enough supplies to face the harsh winter. Disagreements arose when the supplies took up most of the space destined to spend the winter.

Little Red Ant proposed to donate the extra supplies to another ant community in order to make some place. “Are you mad? Donating the extra supplies after a whole summer work?” said Big Red Ant. “What’s wrong with that?” said L

ittle Red Ant. “It makes room for new people and at the same time we will be helping others”. The other ants considered that the last book that Little Red Ant had read, The Capital, had influenced him too much.

Eventually, his socialist views were the cause of long clashes a

mong the ants. Consequently, Little Red Ant was exiled from his community. He was accused of being ‘too red’ for such a Capitalist society.

Flash fiction

Teacher: You’ll have a zero. Student: Pity you won’t be able to write it.

A priest in need is a kid in danger.

Rastafarian Airlines: take a trip to paradise.

People getting married. Lawyers delivering pamphlets.
(M. A., Natalia Brucciamonti, Camila Chaves, Cintia López, Julián Riobó, Gonzalo Viola)

Growing inside me after such desperate wait.
(Valeria Niell, Nadina González, Gisela Méndez)

Come back. You forgot your life.
(Gisela Méndez)

-“You take it. I’m totally lost!... I can’t read it” –“It’s upside-down”
(Valeria Niell)

Five minutes to evacuate… Get your ticket ready. No ticket, no life.

Can I live in your bubble? Mine is leaking air.

Be clear when you order. Mine was delivered with blue eyes.
(Julieta Acevedo, Gabriela Belitzky, Marisa Gallardo, Betina Ricchezza)

Son: Don’t cry, I’ll be your angel.
(Nadina González)