“It Was Nothing” by Carol Richards, an analysis by Fatima Azeem

 “It Was Nothing” by Carol Richards

by Fatima Azeem

The essay written by Carol Richards, “It Was Nothing,” was a carefully written piece that captures her journey with vitiligo, specifically using figurative language to describe how this condition affects pigmented skin. The lack of color on Carol’s body is not the only thing that shifts throughout the biography; frankly, it focuses on her slow acceptance of feeling different. At first, the narrator has a difficult time acknowledging the change her skin is going through. Carol does not want to think about it. Still, she successfully conveys her emotions through short metaphors, highlighting her negative stance with what she calls “...a collection of reverse freckles” (Richards 307). One sentence that stands out and really describes Carol’s journey with vitiligo is through the use of another metaphor, where her skin is “…a battlefield,” with “white overtaking brown,” when referencing melanin (Richards 306). This skin condition is hard for Carol because time and time again, she compares herself to people who are not like her, feeling jealous of girls for having the skin she can never have. What is beautiful throughout the biography is the narrator compares the pigments on her body to objects, to things, like a “dime” or something “the shape of England” and “Australia,” how they “...morphed to include Scotland and New Zealand,” and slowly, slowly through cute similes and comparisons, Carol has a shift in perspective, in what her vitiligo can really be instead of what it is (Richards 305-307). The colors on her skin can, instead,  shape out to be “...clouds of elephants and horses and dragons,” strong, hearty animals that almost look like “...a constellation” (Richards 307). Sure, Carol is self-conscious, and anyone would be; everyone can be, no matter what they look like. But throughout the story, the narrator enforces the idea of not being alone, and even looks at her skin more, understanding that though she is changing, she is still the same woman she was a few years ago. Just different. A different woman, with or without vitiligo, and that same figurative language used throughout the biography, highlights the shift in perspective, from repression to understanding, and then, acceptance of who Carol is becoming. How wonderful is that?

Hamartia for All Ages by Fatima Azeem

 Hamartia for All Ages

by Fatima Azeem

I think you left a fingerprint on my heart. When it’s inspected, do you think I’ll be able to track you down? Don’t leave evidence where hurt is committed, sometimes it leads you into an ocean of enemies. The thing is, after you leave, it gets easier to breathe; still, I find your presence much more worth it. This is kind of unpredictable and down-right chaotic. I feel as though maybe I’ll end up finding myself surrounded by water, standing lone on a rock that is still and slow. Through you, I will embrace the paradox of being calm, so much so, that when the water reaches my lips, I will not know. The waterline will trail up my eyelids and behind them I will see the culprit, the one who forgetfully touched my soul and never came back to remove themselves from my memory. The blue will wash over me and ripples of light will shine against the sky or maybe the ocean or maybe my hands, I don’t know. The water will spiral and take me with it and the salt will stain my teeth as I try to speak, but it won’t matter because I know you understand what I want. You know because you struck yourself deep into my pores and I remember that this doesn’t matter either; one day I will be alone and you will forget me and I will forget and my name will not be known. This is supposed to be the part where I will miss you and then everything cuts to black. This is burning and something else. Passion? Regret? Embarrassment? I wouldn’t have noticed, but would you have seen me from a thousand miles away? Maybe I was born for something else, someone else, and now I’ll never know. 

Wii, a poem, by Fatima Azeem

 Wii

Life is not a game

And yet sometimes I wonder

When will it start?

See, actions are enforced

But my stillness is loud

Clarity is a quiet noise 

That may never feel sound

I feel stuck in an ad

And I can’t skip anything

But it’s hard to wait

It’s difficult to be patient

My presence is waning

And soon it’ll be empty again

But I guess even that is a sign

To keep close and listen

Because even with these craters

The only way to be seen

Is to see my reflection in a dark sky

Maybe I won’t go too high

Maybe I won’t be full

But at least I won’t end up being nothing

And even if I am

I think that’s okay

I’ll think of this game as a long journey

To where I’ll find peace underneath a tree

Next to a river of golden honey

by Fatima Azeem

“Phoniness” in The Catcher in the Rye by: Muhammad Raza

 “Phoniness” in The Catcher in the Rye

by: Muhammad Raza

The Catcher in the Rye is a book that seems to have been read by almost every American high schooler and college student. It entails the confusing and miserable life of Holden Caulfield, a pessimistic 16 year old old student who is having trouble growing up and finding his place in the world. While many (including myself) dislike the book due to its haphazard plot, whiny protagonist, and inappropriate scenes, there are still themes present throughout the book that provide great insights into human nature and how difficult it can be to find oneself in society. One of themes that is perhaps extremely relevant to children entering adulthood–and one that I believe is sometimes unjustly over-shadowed by other ideas in the book–is the theme of "phoniness".

Phoniness in The Catcher in the Rye is Holden’s belief that someone or something is superficial and inauthentic. He often uses this word to refer to people who believe they are acting fake in order to please others or gain some other personal benefit. He employs this word for many people throughout this book: Principle Thurmer, the school headmaster, is phony because he acts proper and polite with the parents of rich kids despite actually being a caustic and mean individual; Sally Hyes, one of Holden’s love interests, is also phony because she only cares about aesthetics and materials rather than emotions and truly having love for Holden. The reason why this concept of phoniness is so important to the book is because it relates to the central theme of loss of innocence. As part of maturing and entering the adult world, Holden comes to realize that so many people in his life wear masks, hide their true intentions and put up facades at the cost of others. This phoniness is also the reason why Holden believes that innocence and youth are so valuable, because young children are much more likely to talk about their true feelings and be authentic than their older counterparts (as evidenced by the straightforward personality of Holden’s kid sister Phoebe). One reason why I personally value this theme of phoniness in the book is because I have experienced first-hand how many older teenagers and adults act differently in front of their teachers, their bosses, their parents, relatives, and some of their friends in order to appease them or gain personal benefit. Though one can argue that this is unavoidable, it does not negate the fact that it is a sickening aspect of our society as we cannot even be our real selves except to a small number of people, and that almost no one is who you think they are. While I do not enjoy this novel as a whole, I still think this theme that Salinger developed was especially relevant to me and so many other young teenagers, and one that does not receive as much attention as it should. 

Random Word Poem by: Aditi Chaugule

  Random Word Poem

by: Aditi Chaugule

Surprisingly,

this isn’t the first

random word poem

I’ve made...

So,

I’ll skip the introduction as the title

Is pretty self-explanatory

Restless

Is the word in front of me

What

Makes us restless?

Tests, friend drama,

Various types of worries

About the

Future, past, present

... Well then the solution is easy!

Just stop worrying!

(hehe scratch that, that may be impossible)

but, i actually think there is something we can do?

breathe,

(it really doesn’t matter how deep)

Just

Breathe,

...

...

Because the human mind never stops,

We need to think about something

So,

Choose what to think about:

Your favorite vacation

Your pet

Sources of happiness and gratitude

Make sure to fill up your mental bucket

With things that make you

Content

Serene

Remember peace is a choice that your mind makes

Remember to take a rest.

by: Aditi Chaugule

A Short Review of the Essay “How Millennials Killed Mayonnaise" by: Aditi Chaugule

 A Short Review of the Essay “How Millennials Killed Mayonnaise” 

by: Aditi Chaugule

“How Millennials Killed Mayonnaise” is a great essay written by Sandy Hingston which

uses a small, acute observation of the decline of mayo to comment on the decrease in

assimilation in the United States. Hingston states that she is the child of a family of Lithuanian

immigrants, “born in the era in which huddled masses clambered ashore at Ellis Island, their

pockets stuffed with kielbasa and chorizo and braunschweiger and makanek and lap cheong,

and were processed in the great American assimilation grinder,” (Hingston). Mayo being an

everlasting symbol of post-WWII American pride, Hingston comments on how everyone on her

block used to idolize mayonnaise as the perfect American condiment. As someone who

identifies as generation-Z, despite this switch from mayo to more foreign and inclusive

condiments being almost second nature, I still find myself drawn to this essay due to the

author's writing style and use of allusions to connect the matter at hand back to a newer

generation. Hingston is seen referencing mayo as the “Taylor Swift for condiments,” claiming

that youngsters these days will eat “detergent pods” before eating mayonnaise, and making a

joke about the boomer generation eating less mayo due to a fear of the “Mayo Clinic,”

(Hingston). As her work was published in the Philadelphia Magazine, Hingston’s primary goals

were to entertain the audience while still sharing her point of view on this overlooked topic.

Employing a bit of dark humor with the Mayo Clinic joke, Hingston also stands to appeal to a

more mature audience, such as baby boomers, allowing her opinion to be heard and accepted

to those who may be oblivious or indifferent to the topic at hand. By mentioning mainstream

culture and trends, Hingston can keep the argument interesting to young adults from

generation-Z, especially since the author does not share the generally accepted view

(pro-mayonnaise) with that specific audience. Taylor Swift and the Tide-pod challenge were

some of the most popular crazes with generation-Z teenagers at the time, and including those

elements in her essay allowed the author to make sure the article would be well accepted by

multiple generations. Overall, this was an intriguing essay that helped me see how even small

changes in trends can reflect changes in our societal norms and values as a community.

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan- A spoiler free Review by Muhammad Raza

 The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan- A spoiler free Review

The Bonesetter’s Daughter, a book about a young girl trying her hardest to understand her mother and her complicated past, is one of the most passionate and rich books that I have read in quite some time. While the plot may seem surface level–being one of a daughter attempting to care for her misunderstood mother–Tan does an amazing job at putting the reader through roller coasters of emotions in almost every moment. Despite being slow-paced and somewhat overly-detailed at a few moments, I believe that The Bonesetter’s Daughter is a book that anyone who loves deep characterization and emotional tugging should read.

The first thing that Tan does to make this book so spell-binding is taking time to characterize all the different people in the story. She often portrays the consequences of certain characters' upbringing through their actions, often-time giving the reader an overall negative first impression of the character. However, she follows this curt introduction with a deep dive into how that character came to be so mean, so rude, or so paranoid. This not only helps the reader better understand and empathize with the person, but also displays the crucial theme of not judging someone merely through your interactions with them. Tan also makes amazing use of flashbacks in this book: she consistently interweaves scenes from the the protagonist's childhood into relevant situations in her contemporary life, which not only aid in characterization but also spell-bind the reader into wanting to find out what happens next (both in the flashback and the current time). Lastly, Tan does a splendid job of portraying the rich cultural history of Chinese villages throughout her story. While scenes in which culture is a major component are often quite dense and at times perplexing due to esoteric terms or traditions, the book as a whole leaves the reader of an amazing understanding of what life was like in rapidly-changing China throughout the latter half of the 20th century. As a result of this exposure to new culture, deep characterization and vivid flashbacks, Tan's novel is, in my opinion, a must read for those beginning to enter the realm of more sophisticated or nuanced literature as well as those who want to have their heartstrings tugged on as they bounce between two different time periods.