The Evolution of a Star

For the research paper, I will be writing about how the music industry effects singer/songwriters. The problem of "pop princesses" being forced to sing songs that appeal to the public, rather than what they actually like, has been touched on in the media before, but I have no seen a scholarly article discussing the affects this may have on someone psychlogically. I will also write about how singer/songwriters usually respond to this subtle type of oppression. For instance, do they become depressed because the image of them in the media isn't a true reflection of themselves, or do they rebel and risk severing ties with their label? Although most of my paper will be about this issue, I'm also going to focus lens in front of Christina Aguilera's career. She is an example of a singer who started off as a bubblegum pop star, rebelled, and has now successfully found herself. She has become progressively more involved in the songwriting process and makes sure she is involved in all the work that goes out with her name on it.
Although there isn't much written on this topic and it has been hard to find useful articles, I think it will turn out to be an interesting paper.

Coming of Age, Not in Mississippi

Coming of Age in Mississippi has a more relatable storyline and structure than the other three stories assigned for class, making it a more enjoyable read. When I was reading the other stories, especially Meatless Days, I had to stop after every few sentences and think about what I was actually reading because I tended to lose interest in the material. Not only was the topic foreign to me, but the structure of the story made it difficult to remain focused on the content. However, when I started to read Coming of Age in Mississippi, I was immediately pulled in and did not put the book down once.

In general, I think students are more familiar with the historical context of this account and were therefore more invested in the text. Personally, I have a very strong interest in African-American history and found this selection to be enthralling. The two chapters we read from the book were not sequential, but highlighted two very important parts of the author's life. Although I have not shared her experiences, I (and certainly many of my classmates) was able to put myself in her place. As in the first section, I know what it is like to witness a profound act I did not agree with, but over which I had no control. Similar to the second section, however, I can also relate to standing up for a cause I strongly support. I know what it feels like to be afraid to stand up for something I believe in, as well as fight for something I believe in.

Structurally, I believe this was the type of story most students are used to reading. It was very straightforward and made sense to read. There is no room for confusion. And although the material isn't very challenging, the author is able to use creative language to create a powerful image more effectively than some of the previous stories we read.

It would be interesting to complete the compare/contrast paper--mostly contrast--using this story and When Heaven and Earth Changed Places. Of the four we read, these were my two favorites. They are both stories of young girls living in a world of chaos and doing anything they can to escape that life. Yet the stories are recounted with very different perspectives and styles.
This assignment will be a challenge, but I think there is a lot of potential in selecting the excerpts from these texts.