Signs Proceeding the end of Makina’s World

Before I even started to read this book I already had an eerie feeling about what I was about to dive into. I opened the book and started to read what felt like an article about immigration. Throughout the whole book my mind was playing games. I couldn’t help but think, am I reading an article or am I reading a book? Every chapter I would read, every word I would read, just felt too real. Maybe its because of the immigration bullshit that is happening in this world or maybe its because I know too many people having to deal with the matters happening around us. “Signs” is a true slap in our face saying, pay attention reader this shit is happening and we need to do something about it.

Makina, the main character who is going through the horrid journey of crossing the boarder, is forced to deal with monstrosities that come with crossing the boarder. Makina see’s things that no one should have to deal with. Makina goes through experiences no one should have to deal with. But everything that she goes through is nothing compared to losing her true identity and starting over as someone she does not even know. Everything that she has known her whole life is gone. Makina’s world is coming to an end.

As I was reading this book it reminded me so much of the world as we know it right now. One would think that in 2018 we, especially as Americans who are “For The People”, would know how to treat others better than how we treat them now. I think that I have a close connection to this book because I have a relationship with some who have gone through what Makina goes through in the book. I have personally watched them cry themselves to sleep because ICE was in their neighborhood looking for undocumented immigrants. I think that if I read this book a few years ago before I knew these people the book would not of hit as hard. Since, I have opened my eyes to the real world. A world where we “American’s” don’t treat others right. Now I am not saying that every person in America has these thoughts, but there are 100% some who do.

So, lets come together and start to put an end to this bullshit we call reality. Its easier said that done of course, but we need to open our eyes. Open our eyes to the reality of 2018. With perseverance and and hope, we can start a new world as we know it.

 

Goo, Sara Kehaulani. “What Americans Want to Do about Illegal Immigration.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 24 Aug. 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/24/what-americans-want-to-do-about-illegal-immigration/.

Pilkington, Ed. “Mexican Immigration Falls for First Time in Four Decades.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Apr. 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/23/illegal-immigrants-mexico-us-economy.

How “Utopia” Author Ahmed Khaled Towfik has predicted Today’s society

The definition of “Utopia” writes, “A place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions” (Webster Dictionary).

Ahmed Khaled Towfik plays with the idea of Utopia in a strong way to make a point. the point is that society is becoming corrupt with the ways that things are going today. In utopia, there are two societies split. Utopia, the “perfect society” and the outside world, the “cockroaches” of the society. What is the most ironic about the utopian society is that their world is anything but perfect. The Utopian society is based on class hierarchy with the outside world being thought of as animals. Though in the end of the book the “animals” decide to fight back, which ultimately is the most ironic being that in the book they are seen as powerless and worth nothing.

In todays society, I see a lot of irony happening everyday. We all live in a society that is class based. The top 1% are who make the decisions which affect all of the rest of us who are not part of the top 1%. But today in 2018 the other 99% of us are getting our voices and fighting back. My favorite example of this is Black Lives Matter movement that is currently happening around the country. Because the majority are us are fighting back it gives us the upper hand to get what we want, equality.

Stoop, Jan, et al. “Are the Rich More Selfish than the Rest of Us?” The Conversation, The Conversation, 18 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/are-the-rich-more-selfish-than-the-rest-of-us-74803.

Upham, Kaylee. “Why ‘Black Lives Matter’ Has It Wrong.” The Odyssey Online, 11 Nov. 2017, http://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-black-lives-matter-has-it-wrong.

To me, Towfik has predicted todays society. Like in the book, the 99% have finally had enough and are fighting back. We are no longer going to be quiet and let the 1% rule how we live our lives.  It has taken over 100 years for us to get the courage to fight, but change is finally upon us.

So how has Towfik’s “Utopia” really predicted our society fate? He is giving us a voice. A voice that is going to and already is making a change. Like the members of the outsiders of the Utopian society, we in 2018 have had enough. Its time for change, and most importantly its time for us, the 99%, the have a voice and get what we have been fighting for.

 

One Poem. 19 Translations.

19 Ways of Looking at Wang Wei: How a Chinese poem is translated.

Eliot Weinberge, author of “19 Ways of Looking at Wang Wei” takes us through the journey of translating the same poem which was originally written in Chinese to 19 other ways of interpretation. The 19 ways that the poem is translated creates a new feeling with each translation. Not only do the words themselves change, the whole message of the poem changes. There is no way to write a “true” translation, meaning a new version will always be a whole new text. Weinberge shows us the truth of how translating one poem different ways can make or break the piece of art.

I personally think that Weinberge does a great job showing not only the transformation of the poem but also the different moods that come with the different translations. With every translation, the mood of the poem changes into something completely different. If someone were to read the poem in the 19 different ways without being aware it is the same poem, I think they would have no idea that they are reading the same piece. Its crazy how one word can be translated into so many different ways creating a new feeling each time. Words are truly powerful.

Just looking at the pictures above, I can already see that the poems are not going to be the same, even if there are the same words. Weinberge does a great job showing how translations of poems can never be the same. No matter what, there are always going to be changes in how the poem is portrayed to the outside reader. Because not all writers are thinking the same thing as they are translating, there is no way for one person to translate the poem the same way as another.

When I read the two poems above, I read them as two different writings. Starting with the title which is the first line I read, I already know they are going to be two different poems with two different feelings. As the lines continue, I find it interesting how the same words put in different places change the whole poem itself. For me, I enjoyed 19 Ways because I did not feel like I was reading one poem, but I felt as if I was reading 19 different poems; all with different meanings.