Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Response to Last Thoughts - Julia
Okay, all I have to say is IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF THEY CAME OUT WITH AN UNWIND MOVIE!!! We would definetly have to go see that! I honestly think that this would make a really good movie, not that I am biased or anything. :)
Last Thoughts/Response to The Book Overall - Janie
The book was amazing. I will definitely be checking out some more Neal Shusterman from the library this summer, when I have time to read as much as I want. I read the book in only two days as well - I couldn't put it down! Shusterman's attention to detail, subtlety, and knack for changing voice between each character left me spellbound, and I was simply captivated by the originality of the story; I've never read anything quite like it before!
One last little piece of entertainment: I found this fan-made trailer for the book and I thought it was spot-on. It got me hoping that someone would make a real Unwind movie! (:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-W-EvesD1A
One last little piece of entertainment: I found this fan-made trailer for the book and I thought it was spot-on. It got me hoping that someone would make a real Unwind movie! (:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-W-EvesD1A
The Book Overall- Julia
For my final post, I am just going to overall say how much I enjoyed this book. It captivated my attention, and I simply could not put it down, resulting in me reading all 335 pages in 2 days. I absolutely loved how Neal Shusterman flipped around to all of the many different characters, resulting in the reader knowing all sides of the story. I feel that if the book was written only from the perspective of one person, it would be extremely biased and the reader would not have a real sense of what was occuring. I also thought that it was very smart of Shusterman to have each of the three main characters have a different situation for being unwound. However, I have already mentioned this in another post, so I won't reiterate that. Neal Shusterman is a fabulous author, and I look forward to reading some of his other books in the future.
Response to Ethos Response - Janie
I think it's kind of funny that you don't typically cry during books, because I have never cried during a movie.
I know exactly what you are talking about concerning the emotion aspect of the book; I felt so much more excitement and suspense than I usually would, which further proves that Shusterman is brilliant. (:
I know exactly what you are talking about concerning the emotion aspect of the book; I felt so much more excitement and suspense than I usually would, which further proves that Shusterman is brilliant. (:
Response to Ethos- Julia
I have to say, first of all, that I never cry during books. I'm not sure why. I have only cried twice while reading- when reading So B. It and when reading Marley and Me. So needless to say, this book did not make me cry. However, it did pull at my heart a little when the Admiral was having his "get-together" with all of the people who had his unwound son's body parts. It made me feel happy and sad at the same time- happy because he was somewhat getting his son back, and sad because he was never really going to be able to see his son again. That was probably the point in the book where I had the most emotional reaction. I also was pretty excited during the end, when the Chop Shop was blown up. I didn't want Connor to be unwound, so as he was being taken to the Chop Shop I was internally chanting, "Set the Chop Shop on fire. Set the Chop Shop on fire." And what do you know, it was blown up by clappers. That got me pretty excited since it was so intense, and I was extremely happy to find out that Connor's life was saved. Those two instances were the two best examples that brought emotions to me- something that usually does not happen when reading. But this book was amazing, so I am not surprised at all that it gave me more emotions than usual.
Ethos - Janie
This book was really emotional as we followed the paths of Lev, Connor, and Risa. It got me thinking about the propaganda technique ethos, which relies on the emotions of the audience to get it's point across.
I definitely was hooked at certain parts of the book, and others actually made me tear up a bit. Were there any parts that you found to be really emotional? Did anything in the book make you really angry, or really happy?
I think that using emotion is a really key characteristic of a good book, and in tapping into the emotions of the readers, an author can get his readers hooked. I personally couldn't put the book down!
I definitely was hooked at certain parts of the book, and others actually made me tear up a bit. Were there any parts that you found to be really emotional? Did anything in the book make you really angry, or really happy?
I think that using emotion is a really key characteristic of a good book, and in tapping into the emotions of the readers, an author can get his readers hooked. I personally couldn't put the book down!
Response to Lev- Julia
This is a good point. Lev's entire life he never had to think past halfway through his eighth grade year. He never had to think about high school, or what careers interested him, or what his future was going to be like. I'm sure that it was quite a shock to his brain when he realized that since he was not going to be unwound, he was going to have to start thinking about all of that. It's really sad that Lev had no future to look forward to. His life was already set in stone, ending with him being unwound. I feel like if I was in his situation I would be a very lazy, depressed person. What is the point of getting good grades if you aren't going to make it to high school? What is the point of doing extracurricular activities if it is all going to end halfway through eighth grade? I have to wonder whether Lev ever had these thoughts run through his mind. His tithing was something that he had been preparing for his entire life, so maybe he was so focused on that, he wasn't even thinking about the same things that first came to my mind.
Lev - Janie
When Lev, Connor, and Risa are at the high school (the last place they are all together before the Graveyard), Lev leaves to tell on them.
"This is how he always imagined high school - a dangerous place full of mystery and violent kids. He had never worried about it because he had always known he would never have to go. In fact, he only had to worry about getting partway through eighth grade" (77).
This would be incredibly stupefying. Lev has been so sure his entire life that he wouldn't have to worry about anything after eighth grade, but then he isn't tithed. He has to reconstruct his entire outlook on life and it must be frustrating to do all of this altering. His brain was previously set at his "Lev-as-a-whole" person being taken apart at a certain point. He was ready for it. But now that it's not going to happen, he has to adjust his mentality.
"This is how he always imagined high school - a dangerous place full of mystery and violent kids. He had never worried about it because he had always known he would never have to go. In fact, he only had to worry about getting partway through eighth grade" (77).
This would be incredibly stupefying. Lev has been so sure his entire life that he wouldn't have to worry about anything after eighth grade, but then he isn't tithed. He has to reconstruct his entire outlook on life and it must be frustrating to do all of this altering. His brain was previously set at his "Lev-as-a-whole" person being taken apart at a certain point. He was ready for it. But now that it's not going to happen, he has to adjust his mentality.
Response to Laws- Julia
Yes, this is quite thought-provoking. Although laws are just an accepted fact in our society, when you think about it in Hayden's terms, they really are just an educated guess of what is right from wrong. I think that this is true for some laws, and untrue for others. The law that says that murder is illegal is not an educated guess. It is an obvious life moral. This is the same for the law that says that stealing is also illegal. These two laws are obviously not right. However, on the other side of things, there are also many laws that could easily be called educated guesses. These are the laws that we have been debating about in speech class for the past week. Things like, "should abortion be legal?" There is so many reasons as to why it should and why it shouldn't. An educated guess just has to be made in order to create this law.
What Hayden said is very deep, but I believe that it only applies to certain laws, because some are obvious as to what is right and wrong for that particular topic (example: murder) and for other topics it is not as clear (example: abortion).
What Hayden said is very deep, but I believe that it only applies to certain laws, because some are obvious as to what is right and wrong for that particular topic (example: murder) and for other topics it is not as clear (example: abortion).
Laws - Janie
While in the crate, Connor, Emby, Hayden, and Diego discuss many profound topics. One of these is about the making of laws, and I found it intriguing.
"'Just because the law says it, that doesn't make it true.'
'Yeah, well, just because the law says it, that doesn't make it false, either. It's only the law because a whole lot of people thought about it, and decided it made sense.'
. . . Maybe so, but the way Connor sees it, a point ought to be sharper than that. 'How can you pass laws about things that nobody knows?'
'They do it all the time,' says Hayden. 'That's what a law is: educated guesses at right and wrong'" (172).
I thought this was an interesting way to view what a law is, and it was very thought-provoking. It was most stirring, because if you think about it, it's true. Laws define what is right and wrong, but how do we know for sure what is right and what is wrong? What do you think?
"'Just because the law says it, that doesn't make it true.'
'Yeah, well, just because the law says it, that doesn't make it false, either. It's only the law because a whole lot of people thought about it, and decided it made sense.'
. . . Maybe so, but the way Connor sees it, a point ought to be sharper than that. 'How can you pass laws about things that nobody knows?'
'They do it all the time,' says Hayden. 'That's what a law is: educated guesses at right and wrong'" (172).
I thought this was an interesting way to view what a law is, and it was very thought-provoking. It was most stirring, because if you think about it, it's true. Laws define what is right and wrong, but how do we know for sure what is right and what is wrong? What do you think?
Response to The Big Question- Julia
I would have to say that I would most certainly rather die than be unwound. I don't care if I had to die a slow, painful death. It would have to be better than being unwound. My first reason is because of the whole Cy-Fi thing. I would not want to continue living and controlling someone else's body or body part. My second reason is because it sounds absolutely terrifying, like what happens to Roland in Chapter 61. That would just be awful. And although I obviously don't want to die tomorrow, I am not afraid of dying. It is just something that will happen to everyone (unless you are unwound) and the sooner you accept that, the better off your life will be. Plus, although this is bringing in religion, which has obvious differences, when you die you (if you have been a good person) go to Heaven. So why would you rather live on Earth for even longer as part of someone else's body instead of going to live in Heaver? So without a doubt, I would much rather die than be unwound. It is not a difficult question for me at all.
The Big Question - Janie
On the way to the Graveyard, Connor, Emby, Hayden, and Diego discuss the "unspoken" question. Usually, it's not mentioned, but in the safety and personal closeness of the crate, it is pondered.
"At least dying is better than being unwound. Or is it? Let's take a poll - would you rather die or be unwound?" (166)
Diego says he would rather be unwound, while Emby would rather die. Connor is still not sure, and neither is Hayden. Personally, I think I would rather die. The idea of being completely lost, like in the brain in CyFi, scares me. Having parts of me scattered all across the world but not knowing it... it seems terrifying.
I also don't like how they don't know how your soul can be stretched into so many different people, and there's also that one "taboo" question among those bound for unwinding. "If every part of you is alive but in someone else . . . are you alive or dead?" It makes me shudder that you could be so unsure about whether or not you're alive or dead, that should be an understood state; an either/or situation.
What about you? Would you rather die or be unwound?
"At least dying is better than being unwound. Or is it? Let's take a poll - would you rather die or be unwound?" (166)
Diego says he would rather be unwound, while Emby would rather die. Connor is still not sure, and neither is Hayden. Personally, I think I would rather die. The idea of being completely lost, like in the brain in CyFi, scares me. Having parts of me scattered all across the world but not knowing it... it seems terrifying.
I also don't like how they don't know how your soul can be stretched into so many different people, and there's also that one "taboo" question among those bound for unwinding. "If every part of you is alive but in someone else . . . are you alive or dead?" It makes me shudder that you could be so unsure about whether or not you're alive or dead, that should be an understood state; an either/or situation.
What about you? Would you rather die or be unwound?
Response to StaHo Kids- Julia
It is ironic that the children in the State Home go there because they need an adult to care for them, because it doesn't really seem like they are given a whole lot of care. Like you said, they are similar to kids who grow up on the streets. They have to fend for themselves and pretty much teach themselves how to grow up and live. I suppose that being in the State Home would be better than being storked, however, in some cases. If you are in the State Home at least guaranteed food and shelter and clothing. When you are storked, you really have no idea what situation and family you will be put into. Yes, you could be placed on a loving and nurturing family's doorstep, but you also could be placed on an abusive family's doorstep. So, although I agree with you that StaHo kids do have to somewhat grow up on their own and learn to take care of themselves at an early age, I also think that there are probably many other kids in this society who are in worse situations for various reasons.
StaHo Kids - Janie
Risa is a ward of the state, which means she has lived in a State Home her entire life. This is essentially a euphemism for an orphange, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of foster care available.
I liked how we got to see Connor's idea of what a StaHo kid is; it gave us insight into how most people see them. "Connor nods. He knows about StaHo kids. They have to learn to take care of themselves real young, or their lives are not very pleasant,. He should have realized she was a touch-me-not" (46).
This description reminded me of today's idea of kids who grow up on the streets; they have to learn to take care of themselves or they're in deep trouble. What do you think of the StaHo kids?
I liked how we got to see Connor's idea of what a StaHo kid is; it gave us insight into how most people see them. "Connor nods. He knows about StaHo kids. They have to learn to take care of themselves real young, or their lives are not very pleasant,. He should have realized she was a touch-me-not" (46).
This description reminded me of today's idea of kids who grow up on the streets; they have to learn to take care of themselves or they're in deep trouble. What do you think of the StaHo kids?
Response to Societal Impact- Julia
I completely agree with you. It is so sad that this is how these teenagers have to think of themselves. It makes me grateful for the adults in my life who are positive and encouraging. What that boy on the bus said to Risa is also completely untrue. He really could amount to something, if he tries to amount to something. He just needs people in his life that could encourage him and help him understand that. However, the adults/parents are quite the opposite. They tell the kids that they are actually going to be more helpful in the divided state than they would be in their complete state. It's just plain sad.
Societal Impact - Janie
In Neal Shusterman's Unwind, teens live in a society where the "bad kids" are unwound (I'm not including tithes in this assumption). However, as we know from Risa's case, just because you are being unwound doesn't mean you are worthless. When you are "sentenced" to be unwound, I would suspect this is how you would feel. When Risa is on the bus to the unwinding facility, she meets a boy who really gives insight into the societal impact unwinding has on these kids.
"I was never going to amount to much anyway, but now, statistically speaking, there's a better chance that some part of me will go on to greatness somewhere in the world. I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless" (26).
This quote sort of blew my mind. People in this society have no sympathy or faith in unwinds at all, and they are raised to think they are completely worthless unless in "a divided state." It really made me angry, because even in our society today, you see teens with this terribly unhealthy mentality. If people were more accepting and actually led others to their true potential instead of degrading them, I theorize that the world would be a much happier place.
"I was never going to amount to much anyway, but now, statistically speaking, there's a better chance that some part of me will go on to greatness somewhere in the world. I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless" (26).
This quote sort of blew my mind. People in this society have no sympathy or faith in unwinds at all, and they are raised to think they are completely worthless unless in "a divided state." It really made me angry, because even in our society today, you see teens with this terribly unhealthy mentality. If people were more accepting and actually led others to their true potential instead of degrading them, I theorize that the world would be a much happier place.
Response to How it all Ends - Janie
I was pretty satisfied with the ending as well. I do wish Shusterman would have gone into more detail about what happened to Lev, though. We can assume he became the face of Unwinding and that eventually, unwinding is no longer a common practice. You can sense this in a quote on page 325 about how CyFi's been coming forward about what happened to him. "There have been protests in Washington against unwinding - Cyrus even testified before Congress." Of course, I would assume this would take years to actually happen.
I also really enjoyed how Connor became the new leader of the Graveyard. He had finally found his niche, a place where he belonged, and Risa had been right all along: he was a great leader. I love his enthusiasm toward the unwinds, "We will make ourselves heard" (333). The energy in his tone made me smile.
We do know that the legal age was lowered to seventeen when Connor says, "This will be your home until you turn seventeen and become a legal adult" (332). I do not think there will be a sequel. Shusterman ended the book on a good note, but I don't believe there is enough left to be said to make an entire sequel. A companion that takes place 100 years in the future may be interesting though, to see how things have changed and if there has been another replacement for abortion/unwinding.
All in all, I quite enjoyed the ending.
I also really enjoyed how Connor became the new leader of the Graveyard. He had finally found his niche, a place where he belonged, and Risa had been right all along: he was a great leader. I love his enthusiasm toward the unwinds, "We will make ourselves heard" (333). The energy in his tone made me smile.
We do know that the legal age was lowered to seventeen when Connor says, "This will be your home until you turn seventeen and become a legal adult" (332). I do not think there will be a sequel. Shusterman ended the book on a good note, but I don't believe there is enough left to be said to make an entire sequel. A companion that takes place 100 years in the future may be interesting though, to see how things have changed and if there has been another replacement for abortion/unwinding.
All in all, I quite enjoyed the ending.
How it all Ends- Julia
Were you satisfied with the ending of the story, Janie? I have to say that for the most part, I was pretty happy with how Neal Shusterman wrote the conclusion to Unwind. Risa is paralyzed from the waist down, and although she refuses to take an unwind's spinal cord, she still can play the piano, which is her love and talent. Connor receives Roland's arm since his old arm was crushed. And Lev is locked up in a detention center cell. Unwinding was given a lot of attention after what happened at the Happy Jack harvest camp, and it appears that there could be positive things helping unwinds in the future. I thought that the end, although it probably could have been more detailed, matched how wonderful the entire book was. Although I kind of wished that Neal Shusterman had gone into detail about what happened after Lev was completely explosive free, or maybe could have talked about whether the legal age for unwinding was officially lowered to 17, I appreciated that it left room for my imagination, or possibly a sequel. All in all, I was satisfied with the ending of this story, and I cannot say that about a lot of books.
Response to Pastor Dan and Marcus - Janie
Yes, Neal Shusterman did give some subtle hints throughout the story as to what unwinding was and how the characters felt about it. Marcus makes it blatantly obvious he was not in support of the idea of tithing with his speech at Lev's tithing party. We get hints of Pastor Dan's opinions even at Lev's tithing party though, (but as you said, they are very subtle):
"Pastor Dan, who was always so good at looking people in the eye, now looks away. 'It was decided before you were born. It's not anything you did, or didn't do'" (32).
Here we see that Pastor Dan is having a hard time with his faith and beliefs, his inability to look Lev in the eye hints that Pastor Dan is not fully okay with unwinding.
"Pastor Dan, who was always so good at looking people in the eye, now looks away. 'It was decided before you were born. It's not anything you did, or didn't do'" (32).
Here we see that Pastor Dan is having a hard time with his faith and beliefs, his inability to look Lev in the eye hints that Pastor Dan is not fully okay with unwinding.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Pastor Dan and Marcus- Julia
Marcus is Lev's brother who almost ruins his tithing party by somewhat revealing the truth about tithing and unwinding.
"'I love you bro... and I know this is your special day. But I can't be part of this.'" (Shusterman 30)
I remember when I was reading this part, it kind of confused me because it was rather unclear as to what unwinding was. I wasn't really sure as to why Marcus had such a problem with Lev being tithed. Now I can understand why though, obviously.
As I thought through all parts of Unwind again I realized that Neal Shusterman gave clues as to the fact that there were some people in Lev's life that did not agree with his tithing. When I was reading the book the first time, I did not pick up on these subtle hints. Marcus at Lev's tithing party is one example of someone who disagreed with Lev's tithing/unwinding. Another person was Pastor Dan.
"...Pastor Dan says with a hiss and strange warble to his voice, 'Run, Lev!'
Lev wasn't expecting this. 'What?'
'Run! Run as fast and as far as you can. RUN!'" (Shusterman 37)
Pastor Dan also was not supportive of Lev's tithing, although he was even more secretive about it than Marcus. We learn at the end of the book that Pastor Dan resigned from being a pastor because he did not agree with unwinding, and couldn't continue supporting tithing.
I found both of these passages interesting when I reread them because when I first read them they did not really make sense to me, however now I truly see how important they really were.
"'I love you bro... and I know this is your special day. But I can't be part of this.'" (Shusterman 30)
I remember when I was reading this part, it kind of confused me because it was rather unclear as to what unwinding was. I wasn't really sure as to why Marcus had such a problem with Lev being tithed. Now I can understand why though, obviously.
As I thought through all parts of Unwind again I realized that Neal Shusterman gave clues as to the fact that there were some people in Lev's life that did not agree with his tithing. When I was reading the book the first time, I did not pick up on these subtle hints. Marcus at Lev's tithing party is one example of someone who disagreed with Lev's tithing/unwinding. Another person was Pastor Dan.
"...Pastor Dan says with a hiss and strange warble to his voice, 'Run, Lev!'
Lev wasn't expecting this. 'What?'
'Run! Run as fast and as far as you can. RUN!'" (Shusterman 37)
Pastor Dan also was not supportive of Lev's tithing, although he was even more secretive about it than Marcus. We learn at the end of the book that Pastor Dan resigned from being a pastor because he did not agree with unwinding, and couldn't continue supporting tithing.
I found both of these passages interesting when I reread them because when I first read them they did not really make sense to me, however now I truly see how important they really were.
Response to Nurses' Sayings - Janie
I don't think that the sayings are meant to be interpreted one way or another. It's not based on a "You agree with one, disagree with the other," ideal. It's meant to show that the law an human nature have a certain relationship that revolves in a vicious circle. It is essentially a paradox. Look at it this way. Nurse Greta says, "You can't change the law without first changing human nature." The Bill of Life was passed after a war, and as we've discussed for William Golding's purposes of writing Lord of the Flies, war can bring out the worst in people. Human nature was changed; people were in fear of the war continuing, thus the law was changed. Nurse Yvonne's contradictory statement, "You can't change human nature without first changing the law," is correct as well. In changing the law, (for example, the law about unwinding) you may adjust people's morals and ideals. Before unwinding, though it DOES say in the Bible to give 10% of everything you earn, we would never think of giving up 10% of our children. After the unwinding law came about, however, some religions interpreted it that way and tithing was developed.
"Clearly offended, Lev says, 'Tithing's in the Bible; you're supposed to give 10 percent of everything. And storking's in the Bible too.'
'No it isn't!'
'Moses,' says Lev. 'Moses was put in a basket in the Nile and was found by the pharoah's daughter. He was the first storked baby amd look what happened to him!'" (72).
As you can see, with the changing of human nature came changing of the law, and with changing of the law came the changing of human nature; the twisting of words and altering of morals.
"Clearly offended, Lev says, 'Tithing's in the Bible; you're supposed to give 10 percent of everything. And storking's in the Bible too.'
'No it isn't!'
'Moses,' says Lev. 'Moses was put in a basket in the Nile and was found by the pharoah's daughter. He was the first storked baby amd look what happened to him!'" (72).
As you can see, with the changing of human nature came changing of the law, and with changing of the law came the changing of human nature; the twisting of words and altering of morals.
Nurse's Sayings- Julia
On page 51 (it is the introduction page for part 2) there are two sayings by two nurses of Risa's.
Nurse Greta said, "You can't change laws without first changing human nature."
Nurse Yvonne said, "You can't change human nature without first changing the law."
Which nurse do you agree with more, Janie?
I am more inclined to agree with Nurse Yvonne. I think that human nature is based off what laws have been put into place throughout all of human existence. Without laws and rules, our society would be similar to a caveman's world. I think that once you change a law, human nature will evolve and change to meet that law's requirements. Most people in a society will follow a law that has been set into place, therefore possibly changing their human nature. You can also put this into terms with Unwind. I believe that in order to prevent unwinding from occuring, the law must be changed first. Once the law has been changed, then people will (hopefully) begin to obey it, therefore changing their human nature. However, I think that it would be very difficult to work in the opposite view, because people won't change their human nature if they are not forced to or have no reason to not change it. This why the law must be changed first.
Nurse Greta said, "You can't change laws without first changing human nature."
Nurse Yvonne said, "You can't change human nature without first changing the law."
Which nurse do you agree with more, Janie?
I am more inclined to agree with Nurse Yvonne. I think that human nature is based off what laws have been put into place throughout all of human existence. Without laws and rules, our society would be similar to a caveman's world. I think that once you change a law, human nature will evolve and change to meet that law's requirements. Most people in a society will follow a law that has been set into place, therefore possibly changing their human nature. You can also put this into terms with Unwind. I believe that in order to prevent unwinding from occuring, the law must be changed first. Once the law has been changed, then people will (hopefully) begin to obey it, therefore changing their human nature. However, I think that it would be very difficult to work in the opposite view, because people won't change their human nature if they are not forced to or have no reason to not change it. This why the law must be changed first.
Response to How Connor, Risa, and Lev Meet - Janie
I agree with you; Shusterman's way of bringing these three unlikely children together to not only explain the different situations and forms unwinding may take, but also to create a fantastic story is really brilliant. We learn a lot about this world through the way Shusterman depicts it, and although it is a bit obvious and slightly corny that the three most common situations for unwinding happen to end up travelling together, he definitely got the message across and the reader remained well-informed.
How Connor, Risa, and Lev Meet- Julia
The scene where Connor, Risa, and Lev meet is a rather chaotic one. There are many car crashes, gun shootings, and even a bus crash. It sounds like a scene from a James Bond movie. However, it is important because it explains how Connor, Risa, and Lev all meet each other. They all have dramatically different situations, completely opposite reasons for being unwound, yet they all end up together. I think that it is very interesting how Connor, Risa, and Lev all have a different reason for being unwound. It is a very smart way of explaining the details of unwinding in a subtle way. Connor is being unwound for the "typical" reason. His parents simply do not want him any more. Risa is being unwound since she is a ward of the state, and she is just "not needed." Lev is a tithe, and his unwinding motives are quite different from the other two. Neal Shusterman used a very smart technique of having each of the three main characters have a different unwinding reason/situation. It adds more interest and exciting details to the story.
Response to Alexis - Janie
I really don't think that Alexis was meant to be a very important character. She was only mentioned in one section of the book, and her only purposes were to give the reader a bit of information on the school and to be a diversion for Risa and Connor as they exit the school during the fire alarm. I don't think Shusterman intended there to be any deep, underlying purpose in including her in the story; maybe just a refresher so we don't have so much just Lev, Connor, and Risa condensed for so long.
Alexis- Julia
Alexis is certainly not the most important character in this book, however she does have an importance that I think could be overlooked. Since Alexis has a baby, police officers think that she is Risa when there is the fire drill at school. Risa no longer has a baby since Hannah (see "Adults Helping Unwinds" post) took it away.
"Risa no longer fits the profile of what they're looking for... but Alexis does!" (Shusterman 86)
Alexis is so important because she draws the attention away from Connor and Risa during the fire drill. I am assuming that nothing happened to her, perhaps she just went through intense questioning. However, we technically do not know what happened to her since she is not mentioned again in the book. Alexis is a minor character that actually is more important than she may appear in this book.
"Risa no longer fits the profile of what they're looking for... but Alexis does!" (Shusterman 86)
Alexis is so important because she draws the attention away from Connor and Risa during the fire drill. I am assuming that nothing happened to her, perhaps she just went through intense questioning. However, we technically do not know what happened to her since she is not mentioned again in the book. Alexis is a minor character that actually is more important than she may appear in this book.
Response to Adults Helping Unwinds - Janie
The book was written by one person, in various points of view, so if you look at it only through an unwind's point of view, it may look like all adults are out to get the children who are of age to be unwound. However, the book in its entirety was written by Neal Shusterman, and his point in switching points of view between the main characters and even a few others was to ensure that the reader understood that there were some adults who were against unwinding.
Think of it like the underground railroad. Were most white people on the lookout for slaves? Yes. But there were some people against slavery, and wanted to help in whatever way they could.
The adults who helped Lev, Risa, and Connor were just like those who were a part of the underground railroad: definitely a minority, but still present and very important.
Think of it like the underground railroad. Were most white people on the lookout for slaves? Yes. But there were some people against slavery, and wanted to help in whatever way they could.
The adults who helped Lev, Risa, and Connor were just like those who were a part of the underground railroad: definitely a minority, but still present and very important.
Adults Helping Unwinds- Julia
I find it interesting how many adults there are in Unwind that help runaways. The book makes it sound like all adults are out to get kids ages 13-18 unwound, but there are actually quite a few adults that help Connor, Risa, and Lev out. It actually seems like it is just the parents of the children that actually want kids unwound. I am just going to name off some of the adults that helped out Connor, Risa, and Lev.
Josias Aldridge- truck driver who allows Connor to ride with him in his truck, preventing him from being caught. Connor and Josias end up being caught anyway, but that will be another post. :)
Hannah Steinberg- teacher who catches Connor, Risa, and Lev and recognizes who they are, but lets them go.
Sonia- allows Connor, Risa, and Lev to stay in her house along with other runaway unwinds.
The Admiral- obvious reasons. Allows tons of unwinds to stay in "The Graveyard" therefore saving a large number of lives.
So, anyway, the entire point of this post is to emphasize how many adults there are who actually help runaway unwinds instead of just immediately turning them in. When reading the book, I felt that often times all adults were portrayed as just wanting to catch all runaway unwinds, but this is untrue as I have shown.
Josias Aldridge- truck driver who allows Connor to ride with him in his truck, preventing him from being caught. Connor and Josias end up being caught anyway, but that will be another post. :)
Hannah Steinberg- teacher who catches Connor, Risa, and Lev and recognizes who they are, but lets them go.
Sonia- allows Connor, Risa, and Lev to stay in her house along with other runaway unwinds.
The Admiral- obvious reasons. Allows tons of unwinds to stay in "The Graveyard" therefore saving a large number of lives.
So, anyway, the entire point of this post is to emphasize how many adults there are who actually help runaway unwinds instead of just immediately turning them in. When reading the book, I felt that often times all adults were portrayed as just wanting to catch all runaway unwinds, but this is untrue as I have shown.
Response to Ariana - Janie
I don't think Ariana ever actually planned to go with Connor. If you really think about Ariana's personality, and from the quote, "There have been no other girls he's brought here, although he hasn't told Ariana that" (4), we can surmise that they haven't been together long; Ariana's talk about kicking AWOL doesn't seem to go beneath the surface. It reminded me of how some kids will just say, "I should pull the fire alarm before my math test so I don't have to take it!" or "I will totally beat you up if you steal my pencil again." People say these things without really thinking too much about them; they dont actually plan to ever do them. In Ariana's case, even her response was kind of airy. It didn't seem to hold much meaning for her: "Sure. Sure I do. I could leave here" (4). Because we're seeing this part from Connor's point of view, it's difficult to notice Ariana's nonchalance at "going AWOL," but she was never going to leave in the first place. She's far too comfortable in her current life to leave it for Connor.
Ariana- Julia
Ariana is not a very important character in this book. She is really only mentioned at the beginning. She is Connor's girlfriend, and Connor is planning on being a runaway unwind with her.
On page 4, Ariana says, "'We should run away,' 'I'm fed up with everything, too. My family, school, everything. I could kick-AWOL, and never look back.'"
Then her mood changes when Connor goes back to her house to run away.
"'No,' says Ariana. 'It was a dream. Reality got in the way, that's all. And running away doesn't solve anything.'
'Running away is the only way to save my life,' Connor hisses. 'I'm about to be unwound, in case you forgot.' She gently touches his face. 'I know,' she says. 'But I'm not.'" (Shusterman 9)
This change in her mood as to whether she wants to run away or not makes me wonder if there was some event that Neal Shusterman did not mention that caused her to change her mind. Back on page 4, she is completely ready to run away with Connor. She's even the one who suggested the idea in the first place. However, 5 pages later, she doesn't want to run away at all. Do you think that some event happened, Janie, that caused Ariana to change her mind? Or do you think that it is "just a really bad time for me." (Shusterman 9)?
On page 4, Ariana says, "'We should run away,' 'I'm fed up with everything, too. My family, school, everything. I could kick-AWOL, and never look back.'"
Then her mood changes when Connor goes back to her house to run away.
"'No,' says Ariana. 'It was a dream. Reality got in the way, that's all. And running away doesn't solve anything.'
'Running away is the only way to save my life,' Connor hisses. 'I'm about to be unwound, in case you forgot.' She gently touches his face. 'I know,' she says. 'But I'm not.'" (Shusterman 9)
This change in her mood as to whether she wants to run away or not makes me wonder if there was some event that Neal Shusterman did not mention that caused her to change her mind. Back on page 4, she is completely ready to run away with Connor. She's even the one who suggested the idea in the first place. However, 5 pages later, she doesn't want to run away at all. Do you think that some event happened, Janie, that caused Ariana to change her mind? Or do you think that it is "just a really bad time for me." (Shusterman 9)?
Response to Pregnancy - Janie
I agree with your thoughts on the pregnancy issue. The Bill of Life was supposed to protect life, but instead, more and more children are getting brought into the world for the mothers' fear of getting unwound, then those children are storked so that the responsibility no longer falls on the mothers' shoulders. Many of those storked children end up in State Homes, where there is no room, and when they reach the age of thirteen they are unwound. It's an absolutely ridiculous system that is so flawed, no responsibility seems to be taken whatsoever.
Pregnancy - Julia
I found it very interesting how the common way to prevent yourself from being unwound is by getting yourself pregnant, since a pregnant girl is protected by law from being unwound.
On page 92, Sonia says, "'If you really want to stay alive, honey, have him get you pregnant again. They won't unwind an expectant mother, so that will buy you nine whole months.'"
This shocked Risa and Connor, and it also shocked me. I am wondering if this is part of the reason that there are so many more pregnancies in this society. Perhaps girls get themselves pregnant since the know for a fact that they cannot be unwound. Also, this can be paired with the fact that babies can be storked, so the girl does not even have to keep the baby. It's like the ideal idea (in this world)- get pregnant so you cannot be unwound, and then stork it so that you do not have to have the responsibility.
On page 92, Sonia says, "'If you really want to stay alive, honey, have him get you pregnant again. They won't unwind an expectant mother, so that will buy you nine whole months.'"
This shocked Risa and Connor, and it also shocked me. I am wondering if this is part of the reason that there are so many more pregnancies in this society. Perhaps girls get themselves pregnant since the know for a fact that they cannot be unwound. Also, this can be paired with the fact that babies can be storked, so the girl does not even have to keep the baby. It's like the ideal idea (in this world)- get pregnant so you cannot be unwound, and then stork it so that you do not have to have the responsibility.
Response to Tithes - Janie
I can't really think of anything today that parallels with tithes because the morals in this society have become so twisted and warped. Some believe that tithing is "in the Bible," as Lev says on page 72, but in today's standards, this sounds absolutely absurd. I think that it's really the subtle hints that make this such a dystopian society; of course we know the main one is unwinding but if you look carefully at the words and actions of people, you can really see the characteristics of a true dystopian world.
Tithes- Julia
What do think of the idea of tithing? I think that it is a very interesting concept- that you are a special person, better than the others because you are willingly giving yourself up. It's almost like a brainwashing technique, because we quickly realize that the reason tithes are not supposed to be around the other unwinds at harvest camp is because the harvest camp leaders don't want the other unwinds making the tithes think that unwinding is bad. However, the tithes believe that they are not supposed to be around the other unwinds because they [the tithes] are better and more important that just regular unwinds. Tithes have more of a purpose, a duty. I was trying to think of something today in our society that could be compared to tithes, but I was having trouble thinking of something. Can you think of anything that is somewhat like a tithe?
Response to Nurse- Julia
I think that this is very true. It would have to be very difficult to keep your composure around a teenager who is absolutely terrified and is freaking out. I'm sure that after a while, though, you become used to what common responses are for kids. The nurse seemed to have very prepared responses to everything that Roland was saying.
"' I want you all to go to Hell.'
'That's natural.'" (Shusterman 291)
I still think that every single time you had to be in that room comforting a different kid, most likely all of them pouring their heart out to you, it would be very challenging, emotionally. It would take a very strong and tough person to be in that room. I certainly wouldn't be able to do it.
"' I want you all to go to Hell.'
'That's natural.'" (Shusterman 291)
I still think that every single time you had to be in that room comforting a different kid, most likely all of them pouring their heart out to you, it would be very challenging, emotionally. It would take a very strong and tough person to be in that room. I certainly wouldn't be able to do it.
Nurse - Janie
I know we've previously discussed the creepiness factor, etc. of the unwinding process. We've analyzed how unwinding looks to an unwind. But what about to the nurse who was in charge of keeping Roland calm? By law, they must tell the unwind every bit of his unwinding process. But what effect (mentally, emotionally...) would the process have on this nurse?
I can't imagine that when unwinding was first legalized the nurses were able to keep their composure. Watching an extremely terrified teenager being taken apart, frantically trying to remember things that have happened over the course of his or her life, has got to be emotionally exhausting for anyone with even a shred of compassion. I would guess that after years of doing this that the process becomes numbing for those involved (with the exception of the unwind, of course), and that the nurses have learned to supress their emotions and see unwinding as just another day at work.
I can't imagine that when unwinding was first legalized the nurses were able to keep their composure. Watching an extremely terrified teenager being taken apart, frantically trying to remember things that have happened over the course of his or her life, has got to be emotionally exhausting for anyone with even a shred of compassion. I would guess that after years of doing this that the process becomes numbing for those involved (with the exception of the unwind, of course), and that the nurses have learned to supress their emotions and see unwinding as just another day at work.
Response to Risa's Story Response- Julia
What you said did bring up a good point- perhaps they do unwind the more talented/smarter kids first. They probably are of a higher demand, since people probably want smarter brains/more skilled hands, etc. I wonder if you have to pay more for better body parts. For example, maybe a smarter person's brain costs $2000, however a person's brain who is maybe not as smart only costs $1000.
On page 126, Cy-Fi says, "'My dads even paid off the surgeon so I'd get an entire temporal lobe from an Unwind- no offense- rather than getting a buncha brain bits, like people are supposed to get.'" So, according to this passage, you could pay more to get more choice body parts.
Anyway, what you said did make sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was true that the state wards did unwind the smarter or more skilled kids first.
On page 126, Cy-Fi says, "'My dads even paid off the surgeon so I'd get an entire temporal lobe from an Unwind- no offense- rather than getting a buncha brain bits, like people are supposed to get.'" So, according to this passage, you could pay more to get more choice body parts.
Anyway, what you said did make sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was true that the state wards did unwind the smarter or more skilled kids first.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Response to Risa's Story - Janie
I agree with you, to some extent. It does not seem fair to put Risa into a "divided state" even though she's exemplary at almost everything she does. There are probably far more children who are not destined to do near the great things that Risa is capable of. The only difference is that those children have parents who can choose whether or not to unwind them; considering the social, mental, financial aspects of the situation. In Risa's case (and in the case of any other ward of the state), whether or not you get unwound depends on how much better you do at everything than the rest of the wards of the state. The children who are of age and don't care enough to help out, get good grades, etc. are unwound first, and they just analyze the various traits of the rest of the children to see who gets unwound next, mostly for lack of space.
This made me wonder - is there a chance they actually unwind the more talented kids first? We know that there is a high demand for good body parts: intelligent brains, skilled hands, etc. So if you think about it, it's almost logical to get rid of a few of the good kids too when space is needed for younger children who are not yet of age to be unwound, because getting good body parts is of more importance than getting bad ones. (And by logical, I mean logical in the book. Under no circumstances am I saying that getting rid of a future genius is a good idea)
I also thought about how being a ward of the state seems a lot like being in a harvest camp. You are constantly being analyzed to see what kind of talents you have, how athletic you are, your intellect, your weaknesses... And all of this ends up determining whether or not you will be unwound, and how soon.
This made me wonder - is there a chance they actually unwind the more talented kids first? We know that there is a high demand for good body parts: intelligent brains, skilled hands, etc. So if you think about it, it's almost logical to get rid of a few of the good kids too when space is needed for younger children who are not yet of age to be unwound, because getting good body parts is of more importance than getting bad ones. (And by logical, I mean logical in the book. Under no circumstances am I saying that getting rid of a future genius is a good idea)
I also thought about how being a ward of the state seems a lot like being in a harvest camp. You are constantly being analyzed to see what kind of talents you have, how athletic you are, your intellect, your weaknesses... And all of this ends up determining whether or not you will be unwound, and how soon.
Risa's Story- Julia
As I was flipping through the book trying to think of something to write about for my next entry, I came across the part at the beginning where Risa is told that she is going to be unwound. "'Let's see... you've been a ward of the state from birth. It looks like your behavior has been exemplary. Your grades have been respectable, but not excellent.' Then the social worker looks up and smiles. 'I saw your performance the other night. You were very good.' ... 'We feel you've reached your potential here,'" (Shusterman 22) I am guessing that this part did not have the same effect on me when I originally read the book because I still wasn't sure what unwinding was. However, now that I have read the entire book and am completely clear as to what unwinding is, this part is absolutely ridiculous. The social worker might as well have been saying, "Your behavior has been perfect, your grades are good, and you're a great piano player... but, we are going to rip apart your body and give your body parts to other people anyway." Neal Shusterman most likely put this part in the book to emphasize how many kids (even 'ideal' kids) were unwound. However, I just cannot get over how ridiculous this part is. I cannot believe that they wanted to unwind such a good person. This makes me think that if I was in the state ward with Risa I would have been unwound too. I am actually a lot like Risa. I have good behavior, good grades, and play the piano. It seems like they would unwind anybody...
Response to Lev- Julia
This is interesting- I really hadn't given this subject much thought while I was reading, but now that you bring it up, I am curious as to what was going on with Lev during this portion of the book. It is interesting that he thought that he needed to have a tough image. Perhaps Roland had some effect on Lev when he was at Sonia's house with Risa and Connor. "The kid doesn't respond; he just glares at Sonia and crosses his arms, displaying a shark tatooed on his forearm." (Shusterman 98) Although Roland is nowhere near the character that we know him as later in the book, maybe he had some effect on Lev that made Lev think that appearing powerful and strong and tough was the way to go when dealing with other unwinds. I think that the whole tough image is just a mind game. Trying to take advantage of people who are scared and absolutely not tough and strong and powerful. Although we don't know what Lev was thinking when he was lying to the other kids and trying to make himself sound tough, this is a possibility for why he was doing it.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Lev - Janie
In Shusterman's Unwind, Connor and Risa get separated from Lev for a month or so. We see Lev's journey with CyFi, but afterwards, Lev travels alone and ends up at the Graveyard. What happens to him is left up to our imaginations and we are only given a few clues; that something inside of him has been altered so that other kids don't mess with him, and his attitude is hardened.
"Where Lev was between the time he left CyFi and his arrival at the Graveyard is less important than where his thoughts resided. They resided in places in places colder and darker than the many places he hid.
. . . Once he landed in the safe-house network, he quickly made it known that he was not a guy to be trifled with. He didn't tell people he was a tithe. Instead, he told them his parents had signed the order to have him unwound after he was arrested for armed robbery. It was funny to him, because he had nevereven touched a gun. It amazed him that the other kids couldn't read the lie in his face - he had always been such a bad liar. But then, when he looked into the mirror, what he saw in his own eyes scared him" (226).
This passage makes me wonder what Lev's thoughts were that were so "cold" and "dark". I also have to quaeritate where he was and what kind of things he did. If I could sit down with Neal Shusterman and ask one question, I think that would be it. What did Lev do? Where were his thoughts, and why did he get it into his mind that he needed to appear tough to the other unwinds?
What do you think?
"Where Lev was between the time he left CyFi and his arrival at the Graveyard is less important than where his thoughts resided. They resided in places in places colder and darker than the many places he hid.
. . . Once he landed in the safe-house network, he quickly made it known that he was not a guy to be trifled with. He didn't tell people he was a tithe. Instead, he told them his parents had signed the order to have him unwound after he was arrested for armed robbery. It was funny to him, because he had nevereven touched a gun. It amazed him that the other kids couldn't read the lie in his face - he had always been such a bad liar. But then, when he looked into the mirror, what he saw in his own eyes scared him" (226).
This passage makes me wonder what Lev's thoughts were that were so "cold" and "dark". I also have to quaeritate where he was and what kind of things he did. If I could sit down with Neal Shusterman and ask one question, I think that would be it. What did Lev do? Where were his thoughts, and why did he get it into his mind that he needed to appear tough to the other unwinds?
What do you think?
Response to Unwinds Getting Heard- Julia
This a rather tough question, because I can see how both answers would work. I could understand how this would actually be bad for other unwinds, because I can imagine that police are trying harder to catch runaway unwinds, so that the whole Lev situation doesn't happen again. So this is obviously not good, since there is a greater chance that you will be caught as a runaway unwind. However, I think that Lev's publicity is slightly better for the unwinds. Pastor Dan says on page 326, "You've been on the cover of just about every magazine." This shows that everyone knows about what happened. I believe that since Lev's story has really become known, parents are probably giving the decision of unwinding their child more thought. I am thinking that it is probably helping potential unwinds because the parents are realizing that unwinding is not a good choice. So, my answer is that unwinds will be better off because of Lev's publicity. P.S. I loved how you tied this into Happy Feet. :)
Unwinds Getting Heard - Janie
One part in the story that really amazed me was where Lev is talking to Pastor Dan at the end about how Lev has become the face of the unwinds. It sparked debate among the community, unwinds were becoming less of a given and more of a controversial topic.
"For years, Unwinds were just faceless kids that no one wanted - but now you've put a face on unwinding" (327).
I don't know if you've ever seen Happy Feet, but this strongly reminded me of the ending scene, where the penguins' dancing is interpreted as some sort of plea. A refresher (go to 5:39): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-h1sXumytI
Some people think they need to leave the area alone, others don't think they should change any habits just because some penguins were dancing. But they were heard. At last, their welfare was being considered.
Which brings me to my question: Do you think unwinds will be better off after the publicity given to them by Lev, and why?
"For years, Unwinds were just faceless kids that no one wanted - but now you've put a face on unwinding" (327).
I don't know if you've ever seen Happy Feet, but this strongly reminded me of the ending scene, where the penguins' dancing is interpreted as some sort of plea. A refresher (go to 5:39): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-h1sXumytI
Some people think they need to leave the area alone, others don't think they should change any habits just because some penguins were dancing. But they were heard. At last, their welfare was being considered.
Which brings me to my question: Do you think unwinds will be better off after the publicity given to them by Lev, and why?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Response to Humphrey Dunfree- Julia
Yes, I loved this part, although I didn't start to tear up. It was so bittersweet how the Admiral and his wife got all of the parts back from their son. I almost starting tearing up when he heard his son's voice because I was imagining myself in his shoes and it would just be such a mix of missing my son and rejoicing because I somewhat have him back. I thought that this part was really important to the story, because it showed another side to it: that parents often regretted unwinding their children. However, we have already discussed how the parents would felt about unwinding their children, so I guess you can just go back and read that part.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Humphrey Dunfee - Janie
What did you think about the Admiral and his wife trying to put their son Harlan "back together" again? I thought it was a really interesting way to end the book, and I liked how it was progressively mentioned throughout the story. In the beginning, it was more of a creepy legend, but as the story progressed, we learned more and more about "Humphrey Dunfee" and why his parents were searching for him.
"Like a water vapor crystallizing into the magnificent, unique form of a snowflake, the babble of voices coalesces into a single conversation . . . He looks at the crowd and says weakly, 'H-Harlan?'
Every eye in the garden turns toward him. A man raises his hand to his throat, touching it gently, and says in a voice that is most definitely Harlan Dunfee's, just a bit older, 'Dad?'"
I honestly started to tear up at this part, and I thought it was really amazing that after all those years the Dunfees had finally put their son back together again.
"Like a water vapor crystallizing into the magnificent, unique form of a snowflake, the babble of voices coalesces into a single conversation . . . He looks at the crowd and says weakly, 'H-Harlan?'
Every eye in the garden turns toward him. A man raises his hand to his throat, touching it gently, and says in a voice that is most definitely Harlan Dunfee's, just a bit older, 'Dad?'"
I honestly started to tear up at this part, and I thought it was really amazing that after all those years the Dunfees had finally put their son back together again.
Response to Part-Unwind or Death- Julia
Hmmmm this is a bit of a tricky question. First of all, I completely disagree with unwinding. I think that it is extremely immoral. However, I feel like if unwinding is still legal and they are still doing it, I might as well take the body parts. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to not take it because the government is still going to continue unwinding, so I might as well not waste it. If I needed something, I would probably take it no matter how important it was (spine or arm). I guess I just feel that if the government is still unwinding, it won't make a difference whether I boycott it or not so I might as well. Is that selfish of me?
Part-Unwind or Death - Janie
In chapter 29, the unwinds are packed into crates of four. In Connor's crate, the conversation gets pretty intense as they talk about morals and souls. On page 169, Connor yells, "I'd rather die than get a piece of an Unwind!"
I know it would be a lot different if you were in this particular situation, as an unwind yourself, but if you were in a life-or-death situation, and the only way you could be cured would be to get a piece of an Unwind, which would you choose? Death or part-unwind?
I think it would depend on the parts. If it were, say, an arm, I would rather accept the part of the unwind. Or if I needed a new spine to walk again, I think I would take one from an unwind, rather than die or be paralyzed. But then at the same time, I don't think that unwinding is at all moral, so in my self-preservation, would I be advocating the act of unwinding?
I know it would be a lot different if you were in this particular situation, as an unwind yourself, but if you were in a life-or-death situation, and the only way you could be cured would be to get a piece of an Unwind, which would you choose? Death or part-unwind?
I think it would depend on the parts. If it were, say, an arm, I would rather accept the part of the unwind. Or if I needed a new spine to walk again, I think I would take one from an unwind, rather than die or be paralyzed. But then at the same time, I don't think that unwinding is at all moral, so in my self-preservation, would I be advocating the act of unwinding?
Response to Sonia and the Love Letters- Julia
I completely agree with what you said about Sonia having a more effective way of protesting against unwinding. She may not be publicly making a big deal about her opposition, but she is making more of an impact on the actual unwinds. I also love what she does, making the kids write letters to their parents. If I were a parent of an unwind, I would love to receive a letter from my child, whether or not I was still glad that I had them unwound. I do think that the morals of unwinding would change if every single unwind got to write a letter. I bet that some of the unwinds would write such moving and heartbreaking letters to their parents that many parents would see the negative effects of unwinding and they would have more of an opposition against it.
I think that Risa and Connor probably did go back to get their letters, more out of respect for Sonia, since she did so much for them.
I think that Risa and Connor probably did go back to get their letters, more out of respect for Sonia, since she did so much for them.
Sonia and the Love Letters - Janie
At the end of chapter 19, while Connor and Lisa are staying with Sonia in the antique shop, each of the unwinds writes a letter to someone they love. Sonia tells them "Fill it with everything you wished you could say, but never had the chance" (108). She tells him that if he survives to eighteen, he has to come and get it. If he doesn't, she'll assume he was unwound and will send the letter herself.
If every unwind got the chance to write a letter, not just the runaways, do you think the morals about whether or not unwinding is wrong would change? Do you think Connor and Risa ever went back to get their letters?
I love what Sonia does for these kids. It's not exactly an active rebellion or protest, but probably even more effective in that way. She's giving these kids something they never had: a voice; an opportunity to say how they really feel. It was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
If every unwind got the chance to write a letter, not just the runaways, do you think the morals about whether or not unwinding is wrong would change? Do you think Connor and Risa ever went back to get their letters?
I love what Sonia does for these kids. It's not exactly an active rebellion or protest, but probably even more effective in that way. She's giving these kids something they never had: a voice; an opportunity to say how they really feel. It was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
Response to Parents- Julia
I think that there are probably a lot of parents who wished that they hadn't chosen to unwind their child. It's like the saying, "You didn't know what you had until it was gone." Or something like that. :) This is kind of what happened to the Admiral. He and his wife realized that they didn't want to unwind their son, only they decided this after he was already unwound. I thought that the party/gathering that they had to remember him with all of his body part recipients was really bittersweet. "There will be no surgeries here, in spite of the rumors, rebuilding Harlan piece by piece was never the plan. But the Dunfrees are putting their son together in the only meaningful way they can." (Shusterman 331). I think that this is so sad, especially when the Admiral hears his son's voice. But I think that the entire point of this part of the story is to show that parents did miss their children after they were unwound, and this is helping the adult population realize that unwinding isn't such a great idea.
Parents - Janie
Once a parent signs the order to get his child unwound, there is no turning back. However, if a parent does change his mind, and it is too late, how do you think the parent would feel?
"It had never occurred to Connor to consider the toll unwinding had on the ones who signed the order. He never thought he could have sympathy for a parent who could do that - or sympathy for one of the men who had made unwinding possible" (225).
I cannot imagine the guilt a parent would have after turning in their own child, then realizing that he or she wasn't really that bad after all. Do you think teens would behave more if unwinding was brought into society? Do you think it could be an effective threat, kind of like how parents threaten their children with coal for Christmas if they are naughty? Or would teens act generally the same?
"It had never occurred to Connor to consider the toll unwinding had on the ones who signed the order. He never thought he could have sympathy for a parent who could do that - or sympathy for one of the men who had made unwinding possible" (225).
I cannot imagine the guilt a parent would have after turning in their own child, then realizing that he or she wasn't really that bad after all. Do you think teens would behave more if unwinding was brought into society? Do you think it could be an effective threat, kind of like how parents threaten their children with coal for Christmas if they are naughty? Or would teens act generally the same?
Chapter 61 Reply - Janie
I agree with your thoughts on this chapter. It really freaked me out, and I would have never guessed Shusterman would actually describe the unwinding process from the point of view of the person being unwound. It was really ominous and creepy, but so amazing as well.
What bothered me most was that once they told him he would feel a "tingling in his scalp" (292), they just stopeed talking to him as if he were completely gone. To be able to hear whats going on around you, but not being able to feel aware of yourself would be an extremely terrifying experience.
What bothered me most was that once they told him he would feel a "tingling in his scalp" (292), they just stopeed talking to him as if he were completely gone. To be able to hear whats going on around you, but not being able to feel aware of yourself would be an extremely terrifying experience.
Chapter 61- Julia
What did you think of Chapter 61? This was the chapter that described Roland's unwinding in complete detail. To be perfectly honest, it really disturbed me. I think that it would be awful to be concious during this entire process. I understand that you have to be concious by law, and it doesn't hurt or anything, but it would be awful to slowly see your body disappear. I think Roland was actually very brave for not freaking out very much. If I were being unwound, I would be going absolutely berserk! I did think that it was considerate to have a nurse there to hold your hand, and talk and comfort you while you are being unwound. It seems like she really gave Roland peace of mind as he was slowly being ripped apart. So anyway, what were your thoughts on this chapter?
Response to Baby Storking- Julia
I don't really think that storking or abortions is the right thing to do. Both ways are not helping the babies whatsoever. I think that when the government in Unwind came up with the idea of storking they justified it with the idea that it was somehow better than abortions because the baby wasn't being killed. However, in some cases it is nearly as ineffective. The whole 'finders keepers' attitude is not a good idea for the babies. What if an abusive family gets a baby on their doorstep? What if a family that cannot afford another child gets a baby on their doorstep? What if a family that doesn't want another child gets a baby on their doorstep? This baby is going to grow up with a family that probably does not love him/her as much because they were given the child unwillingly. This situation happened to Connor's family in Unwind.
"See, there were already two natural kids in the family. My parents weren't planning any more. Anyway, this baby shows up at our door, my parents start freaking out... and then they have an idea." ... "It was early in the morning, and my parents figured no one saw the baby left at the door, right? So the next morning, before the rest of us got up, my dad put the baby on the doorstep across the street." ... "It turns out that the baby had been passed around the neighborhood for two whole weeks- each morning, left on someone else's doorstep... only now it's not looking too good." (Shusterman 73-74)
And so, you know what happens next. The baby dies. Which is awful. Storking is not fair for babies, or for parents who have already had as many children as they want to. Really the only people that storking benefits is the pregnant mothers who do not want the responsibilty of a baby. And that is why there is such a thing as birth control. However, I am not saying that abortion is the right answer either. I personally don't think either of those options are the way to go. I think that birth control and adoption are the right things to do. This brings up another question that I have. Did they not have birth control during this time? And if they did, why did they not use it? So, sorry if I did not really answer your question, I was just getting my thoughts out about this subject.
"See, there were already two natural kids in the family. My parents weren't planning any more. Anyway, this baby shows up at our door, my parents start freaking out... and then they have an idea." ... "It was early in the morning, and my parents figured no one saw the baby left at the door, right? So the next morning, before the rest of us got up, my dad put the baby on the doorstep across the street." ... "It turns out that the baby had been passed around the neighborhood for two whole weeks- each morning, left on someone else's doorstep... only now it's not looking too good." (Shusterman 73-74)
And so, you know what happens next. The baby dies. Which is awful. Storking is not fair for babies, or for parents who have already had as many children as they want to. Really the only people that storking benefits is the pregnant mothers who do not want the responsibilty of a baby. And that is why there is such a thing as birth control. However, I am not saying that abortion is the right answer either. I personally don't think either of those options are the way to go. I think that birth control and adoption are the right things to do. This brings up another question that I have. Did they not have birth control during this time? And if they did, why did they not use it? So, sorry if I did not really answer your question, I was just getting my thoughts out about this subject.
Baby Storking - Janie
In Unwind, The Bill of Life had a law in it called the "Storking Initiative." This allowed young girls to give up their children after they were born, if they were incapable of raising a child or weren't ready to be mothers. It was almost like an abortion substitute; the babies were just given up after birth as opposed to before.
The law seemed quite childish in a way; the idea of "finder's keepers" where you had to keep the baby if you found it, the idea of keeping the baby if someone caught you delivering it, etc. The Bill of Life was meant to protect life, using well-chosen words such as "in a divided state" instead of "dead", but do you think it actually had the desired effect?
"Funny, but the bill of life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead it just made life cheap. Thank goodness for the Storking Initiative, that wonderful law that allows girls like her a far better alternative" (53).
If not for the Stroking Initiative, babies would be ending up in dumpsters, which isn't better than abortion. And of course, the Bill of Life had the purpose of getting rid of abortion for a "more civilized" alternative. Do you think the idea of pushing storking rather than permitting abortion is a better idea than what we have in society today?
I'm having a difficult time deciding, because if you remember the story about the baby that circulated the porches in Connor's neighborhood, storking isn't always effective. (see page 73 for a recap of that story) However, if abortion was kept legal, the Bill of Life would be moot and the Pro-lifes and the Pro choices would still be fighting. Even if there was a law that you had to keep your baby until it reached the age of thirteen, there would probably be no way that law would be upheld and unwanted babies would just be thrown into dumpsters.
I know I asked some really tough questions, but I just thought it would be an interesting thing to analyze. Your thoughts? (:
The law seemed quite childish in a way; the idea of "finder's keepers" where you had to keep the baby if you found it, the idea of keeping the baby if someone caught you delivering it, etc. The Bill of Life was meant to protect life, using well-chosen words such as "in a divided state" instead of "dead", but do you think it actually had the desired effect?
"Funny, but the bill of life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead it just made life cheap. Thank goodness for the Storking Initiative, that wonderful law that allows girls like her a far better alternative" (53).
If not for the Stroking Initiative, babies would be ending up in dumpsters, which isn't better than abortion. And of course, the Bill of Life had the purpose of getting rid of abortion for a "more civilized" alternative. Do you think the idea of pushing storking rather than permitting abortion is a better idea than what we have in society today?
I'm having a difficult time deciding, because if you remember the story about the baby that circulated the porches in Connor's neighborhood, storking isn't always effective. (see page 73 for a recap of that story) However, if abortion was kept legal, the Bill of Life would be moot and the Pro-lifes and the Pro choices would still be fighting. Even if there was a law that you had to keep your baby until it reached the age of thirteen, there would probably be no way that law would be upheld and unwanted babies would just be thrown into dumpsters.
I know I asked some really tough questions, but I just thought it would be an interesting thing to analyze. Your thoughts? (:
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Response to Clapper Response- Julia
Yes, now that I have reread some of the quotes about clappers, I realize that Neal Shusterman was giving information about what a clapper is throughout parts of the book, albeit not with very much detail. I didn't really understand the significance of the random clapper information Shusterman was supplying until the very end of the book and then I was like, "Ohhhhh I understand why he was talking about that before!" Up until the end, when I figured out why the clappers were important, I thought that it was rather strange as to why he kept mentioning the clappers. I mean, I could understand him mentioning it once, but it was confusing me as to why he kept bringing it up. That is, until the end of the book. Once again, I loved Shusterman's writing style of giving so many details from so many different points of view. :)
Clappers Response - Janie
I think that the point of making the identity of the clappers unknown until the end was to keep readers interested. Neal Shusterman didn't want his readers to understand what was really going on with the clappers until they were actually revealed, which is why they were cleverly inserted into the book early on:
"'Start clapping!'
'What?'
'Start clapping. Trust me!'
A single nod from Connor makes it clear that he gets it, and he begins bringing his hands together, slowly at first, then more and more quickly. She does the same, both of them applauding as if they were at a concert cheering for their favorite band.
And beside them, a student drops his backpack and stares at them in utter horror.
'Clappers!' he screams
In an instant, the word is out.
ClappersClappersClappers . . .
It echoes in the kids around them. In an instant it reaches critical mass, and the entire crowd is in full-blown panic." (88)
And then a few pages later, Shusterman actually explains what a clapper is, but not in clear detail.
"The threat of clappers is so effective because no one really knows what they stand for." (90)
"The old woman looks at them suspiciously. 'Does this have anything to do with that fiasco over at the high school? Are you clappers?'
'Do we look like clappers to you?' says Connor.
The woman narrows her eyes at him. 'Nobody looks like a clapper.'
Connor narrows his gaze to match hers, then goes over to the wall. He holds up his hand an jabs it forward with all his might, punching the wall hard enough to bruise his knuckles. A little painting of a fruit bowl falls off the wall. Connor catches it before it hits the ground and sets it on the counter.
'See?' He says. 'My blood isn't explosive. If I was a clapper, this whole shop would be gone.'" (92)
The key phrase being "My blood isn't explosive", this shows that Shusterman does tell his reader what a clapper is, but I think he could have done a better job of it. I was really confused as well until Mai and Blaine are in position to detonate themselves.
Lev does become a clapper for a reason, though, and on page 229, when Lev has his first meeting with Cleaver, Mai, and Blaine:
"'How much do you hate [the people that were going to unwind you]?' Cleaver asks again.
'Totally and completely.'
'And how much do youi want to make them, and everyone else in the world, pay?'
'Totally and completely.' Someone has to pay for the unfairness of it all. Everyone has to pay. He'll make them."
You see, Lev had almost been hardened by all he had been through after he left Connor and Risa. He recognized the unfairness of it all, not in just Unwinding itself, but in how angry it makes him, and how his parents actually made him want to be unwound.
"'Start clapping!'
'What?'
'Start clapping. Trust me!'
A single nod from Connor makes it clear that he gets it, and he begins bringing his hands together, slowly at first, then more and more quickly. She does the same, both of them applauding as if they were at a concert cheering for their favorite band.
And beside them, a student drops his backpack and stares at them in utter horror.
'Clappers!' he screams
In an instant, the word is out.
ClappersClappersClappers . . .
It echoes in the kids around them. In an instant it reaches critical mass, and the entire crowd is in full-blown panic." (88)
And then a few pages later, Shusterman actually explains what a clapper is, but not in clear detail.
"The threat of clappers is so effective because no one really knows what they stand for." (90)
"The old woman looks at them suspiciously. 'Does this have anything to do with that fiasco over at the high school? Are you clappers?'
'Do we look like clappers to you?' says Connor.
The woman narrows her eyes at him. 'Nobody looks like a clapper.'
Connor narrows his gaze to match hers, then goes over to the wall. He holds up his hand an jabs it forward with all his might, punching the wall hard enough to bruise his knuckles. A little painting of a fruit bowl falls off the wall. Connor catches it before it hits the ground and sets it on the counter.
'See?' He says. 'My blood isn't explosive. If I was a clapper, this whole shop would be gone.'" (92)
The key phrase being "My blood isn't explosive", this shows that Shusterman does tell his reader what a clapper is, but I think he could have done a better job of it. I was really confused as well until Mai and Blaine are in position to detonate themselves.
Lev does become a clapper for a reason, though, and on page 229, when Lev has his first meeting with Cleaver, Mai, and Blaine:
"'How much do you hate [the people that were going to unwind you]?' Cleaver asks again.
'Totally and completely.'
'And how much do youi want to make them, and everyone else in the world, pay?'
'Totally and completely.' Someone has to pay for the unfairness of it all. Everyone has to pay. He'll make them."
You see, Lev had almost been hardened by all he had been through after he left Connor and Risa. He recognized the unfairness of it all, not in just Unwinding itself, but in how angry it makes him, and how his parents actually made him want to be unwound.
Clappers - Julia
I also found clappers to be very interesting. It took me a very long time to figure out exactly what a clapper was, in fact, I really didn't understand was a clapper was until the very end of the book.
"... Levi Jedidiah Calder is held in a cell designed for his very specific needs. The cell is padded. There is a steel blast door three inches thick. The room is kept at a constant forty-five degrees Fahrenheit to keep Lev's body temperature from rising too high. Lev is not cold, though- in fact he's hot. He's hot because he's wrapped in layer after layer of fire-resistent insulation. He looks like a mummy, suspended in midair- but unlike a mummy, his hands aren't crossed over his chest, they're held out to each side and lashed to a crossbeam so he cannot bring his hands together. The way Lev sees it, they didn't know whether to crucify him or mummify him, so they did both. This way, he can't clap, he can't fall, he can't inadvertently detonate himself- and if for some reason he does, the cell is designed to withstand the blast." (Shusterman 323)
This is when I really realized what a clapper was, it is a person who has some sort of explosive within his or her body, running through their blood. They set themselves off by clapping their hands together. Then they explode, killing themselves and others. I think that you can compare them to the suicide bombers you here about in Iraq. The main difference is that the suicide bombers have external explosives, whereas the clappers explosives are internal. It really surprised me that Lev was a clapper. He seemed so nice, why did he want to kill himself and others? It must have just been the circumstances. He figured this was actually helping people. Which it did, actually. His two "co-partners" clapped and blew up the Chop Shop, saving many people, including Connor from being unwound. I was glad that Lev didn't clap and die, though. He helped people instead, and became somewhat of a hero.
"... Levi Jedidiah Calder is held in a cell designed for his very specific needs. The cell is padded. There is a steel blast door three inches thick. The room is kept at a constant forty-five degrees Fahrenheit to keep Lev's body temperature from rising too high. Lev is not cold, though- in fact he's hot. He's hot because he's wrapped in layer after layer of fire-resistent insulation. He looks like a mummy, suspended in midair- but unlike a mummy, his hands aren't crossed over his chest, they're held out to each side and lashed to a crossbeam so he cannot bring his hands together. The way Lev sees it, they didn't know whether to crucify him or mummify him, so they did both. This way, he can't clap, he can't fall, he can't inadvertently detonate himself- and if for some reason he does, the cell is designed to withstand the blast." (Shusterman 323)
This is when I really realized what a clapper was, it is a person who has some sort of explosive within his or her body, running through their blood. They set themselves off by clapping their hands together. Then they explode, killing themselves and others. I think that you can compare them to the suicide bombers you here about in Iraq. The main difference is that the suicide bombers have external explosives, whereas the clappers explosives are internal. It really surprised me that Lev was a clapper. He seemed so nice, why did he want to kill himself and others? It must have just been the circumstances. He figured this was actually helping people. Which it did, actually. His two "co-partners" clapped and blew up the Chop Shop, saving many people, including Connor from being unwound. I was glad that Lev didn't clap and die, though. He helped people instead, and became somewhat of a hero.
Response to CyFi Response- Julia
I completely agree with what you said about Shusterman. He has this amazing ability to keep the reader on the edge of their seats. You never knew when he was going to give another key part to what an Unwind was. I think part of the way that he did this was because he had so many different points of view. You would get a glimpse of Connor's point of view and then you would get Risa's, or Lev's, or Roland's, or anyone. You would just get all of these different points of view, all in the end adding up to make one complete whole truth as to what an Unwind is and how it all works. I absolutely loved how Shusterman wrote this. It isn't classified as a mystery, it is classified as sci-fi, I believe, but I think that it has many elements of the mystery genre. The entire story is like a puzzle where these kids are trying to figure out how the Unwinding process works, and how to avoid becoming an Unwind. If anybody else had written this story with the same plot, I don't really think that it would have seemed like a mystery, but Neal Shusterman's writing style turned it into a mystery-like story.
CyFi Response - Janie
You are absolutely right, the CyFi stuff was completely mind-blowing. I found it amazing that his 1/8 Unwind brain could actually control him at times, if Cy wasn't watching out. For example, in the Christmas store when CyFi gets a sort of maniacal urge to steal something, and is no longer himself. He doesn't have his "old-umber" accent and keeps talking about his mother. When he steals the bauble, I think I actually gasped, because this lightbulb went over my head, like "CyFi has an Unwind's brain!"
"The woman turns to look across the store, and the moment she does, Cy picks a dangling gold bauble from a glittering tree and slip it in his coat pocket." (132)
Shusterman has this amazing talent of keeping readers on the edges of their seats, with new surprises and little Unwind-unveilings at every turn. It's completely captivating to think of what it would be like to have someone else in your head, someone else's wheels turning when you see something that would otherwise have no connection to you.
"The woman turns to look across the store, and the moment she does, Cy picks a dangling gold bauble from a glittering tree and slip it in his coat pocket." (132)
Shusterman has this amazing talent of keeping readers on the edges of their seats, with new surprises and little Unwind-unveilings at every turn. It's completely captivating to think of what it would be like to have someone else in your head, someone else's wheels turning when you see something that would otherwise have no connection to you.
CyFi - Julia
Next I am going to write about CyFi because I found him to be very interesting in Unwind. His situation in the book is very unique and fascinating.
"'It's a he,' Cy saiys. 'I don't know his name. He musta kept his name in another part of his brain. All I got was his right temporal lobe. That's only an eighth of the cerebral cortex, so I'm seven-eighths me, and one-eighth him... He's not a bad kid. He's just hurting. Hurting real bad. He's got this urge to grab things- like an addiction, y'know? Shiny things mostly. It's not that he really wants them, it's just that he kind of needs to snap 'em up. I figure he's a kleptomaniac. That means... ah, hell, you know what it means.' 'So, he talks to you?' 'No, not really. I didn't get the part of him that uses words. I get feelings mostly. Sometimes images, but usually just feelings.'" (Shusterman 137-138)
I thought this part was especially interesting. It gave an opposite sort of side to what happens to an Unwind, the true explanation as to how they aren't "dead." This part continued to get climactic as CyFi went back to Joplin, and then to the kid's house to see his parents. This part was rather creepy to me. I couldn't stop imagining if this was me, and I had part of someone else's brain and they could control some of me. This would be awful and scary, which is exactly how CyFi was feeling. I'm surprised that something like this hadn't happened before, and the government hadn't had some way to control this so it didn't happen to someone else. I just found this part of the book completely fascinating, mostly because I just kept on imagining what it would be like if somebody could control some of my brain too, and what would happen if they could. I thought that Neal Shusterman did a great job of putting this into the book, because it wasn't really necessary or a key part to the book, but it added so much and gave another side to the Unwinding mystery that was taking place.
"'It's a he,' Cy saiys. 'I don't know his name. He musta kept his name in another part of his brain. All I got was his right temporal lobe. That's only an eighth of the cerebral cortex, so I'm seven-eighths me, and one-eighth him... He's not a bad kid. He's just hurting. Hurting real bad. He's got this urge to grab things- like an addiction, y'know? Shiny things mostly. It's not that he really wants them, it's just that he kind of needs to snap 'em up. I figure he's a kleptomaniac. That means... ah, hell, you know what it means.' 'So, he talks to you?' 'No, not really. I didn't get the part of him that uses words. I get feelings mostly. Sometimes images, but usually just feelings.'" (Shusterman 137-138)
I thought this part was especially interesting. It gave an opposite sort of side to what happens to an Unwind, the true explanation as to how they aren't "dead." This part continued to get climactic as CyFi went back to Joplin, and then to the kid's house to see his parents. This part was rather creepy to me. I couldn't stop imagining if this was me, and I had part of someone else's brain and they could control some of me. This would be awful and scary, which is exactly how CyFi was feeling. I'm surprised that something like this hadn't happened before, and the government hadn't had some way to control this so it didn't happen to someone else. I just found this part of the book completely fascinating, mostly because I just kept on imagining what it would be like if somebody could control some of my brain too, and what would happen if they could. I thought that Neal Shusterman did a great job of putting this into the book, because it wasn't really necessary or a key part to the book, but it added so much and gave another side to the Unwinding mystery that was taking place.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Response - Janie
Schusterman actually does explain how unwinding came about, in Connor's first meeting with the Admiral. (see page 223) In summary, the Heartland War was being fought over the conflict of Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice (the American military was involved as well, though as more of a neutral party). Things were already being turned upside-down, morals being twisted and disregarded with "...People were murdering abortion doctors to protect the right to life, while on the other side, people were getting pregnant just to sell their fetal tissue." (223)
The idea of unwinding probably didn't sound near as crazy as it does to us, because madness was already ensuing. When they made the Bill of Life, I thought it was interesting how the Admiral said it was just a joke in the beginning, until a scientist perfected the use of neurografting (the technique of allowing every part of a donor to be used in a transplant).
"With the war getting worse, we brokered a peace by bringing both sides to the table. Then we proposed the idea of unwinding, which would terminate unwanteds without actually ending their lives, We thought it would shock both sides into seeing reason - that they would stare at each other across the table and someone would blink. But nobdy blinked. . . Everone was so happy to end the war, no one cared about the consequences." (224)
I think it's very interesting to see that initially the idea of unwinding was to be so ridiculous and extreme that both sides would realize how foolish they were acting. But it didn't, and unwinding came about. So you see, there couldn't have been an outrage at the idea of this process, becaue that would have meant that the war needed to continue.
You are probably correct, since today we are not in a terrible war between the Pro-Lifes and Pro-Choices, there would be an uproar at the idea of something so immoral and obscure.
The idea of unwinding probably didn't sound near as crazy as it does to us, because madness was already ensuing. When they made the Bill of Life, I thought it was interesting how the Admiral said it was just a joke in the beginning, until a scientist perfected the use of neurografting (the technique of allowing every part of a donor to be used in a transplant).
"With the war getting worse, we brokered a peace by bringing both sides to the table. Then we proposed the idea of unwinding, which would terminate unwanteds without actually ending their lives, We thought it would shock both sides into seeing reason - that they would stare at each other across the table and someone would blink. But nobdy blinked. . . Everone was so happy to end the war, no one cared about the consequences." (224)
I think it's very interesting to see that initially the idea of unwinding was to be so ridiculous and extreme that both sides would realize how foolish they were acting. But it didn't, and unwinding came about. So you see, there couldn't have been an outrage at the idea of this process, becaue that would have meant that the war needed to continue.
You are probably correct, since today we are not in a terrible war between the Pro-Lifes and Pro-Choices, there would be an uproar at the idea of something so immoral and obscure.
What I Wish We Knew About Unwinding - Julia
After much thought about what my first post should be, I have decided to make it about what I wish we knew about unwinding in general. I think that it is such a fascinating idea. I certainly don't agree with it, but it is such a different concept from anything in today's world that it is fascinating to me. I wish that Neal Shusterman had written more about how unwinding started. I have to imagine that it began because of overpopulation. There doesn't appear to be any birth control, since teenagers/adults are having babies left and right. When the procedure of taking apart every aspect of the human body and using it for other people was invented, this probably came along with the justification that it is okay, because other lives are being saved because of this process. I find it slightly hard to believe that there is not a large group of people against unwinding. If this process were to take effect tomorrow, I think that there would be a huge uproar against it, and not just from teenagers age 13-18. There has to be more of a story to how unwinding all started.
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