Jenny's Mirror Image

This paper primarily explores Michael Jackson’s song, "man in the mirror." The song "man in the mirror" is inspirational about making a positive impact and personal redemption in the world. It was released in 1988. This catchy song tries to explain that changing the world is possible (Wallerstein 2). Many sociological concepts are displayed by Michael Jackson in the context of song’s lyrics. The band of the song tries to express their concerns with the actions and views of the world of the present day. Basically, the band reflects upon the world's realism as their question the mentality. This song is surrounded by the

Arnold friend finds Connie “cute” (321) and a “pretty girl” (324). So now the reader knows for sure that Connie is very beautiful on the outside. The quote, “I took a special interest in you” that was said by Arnold friend, assures the reader that other characters do find her appealing. Now that the reader knows that Connie is beautiful and that other characters find her pretty, he/she understand why Connie has two personalities. In order to keep getting attention from the other characters she has to keep up a good appearance. Connie’s mother kept comparing her to sister June, “‘Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister? How’ve you got your hair fixed-what the hell stinks? Hair spray? You don’t see your sister using that junk.’ . . .If June’s name was mentioned her mother’s tone was approving, and if Connie’s name was mentioned it was disapproving.” (317, 319) Connie’s mother did not approve of what she does. Connie kept doing things that her mother did not like. Connie did not want to be like her sister, and yet her mother kind of raises her to be like her sister. The reader knows that Connie does not have a good relationship with her sister. The reader start to feel bad for Connie, she has to be like the person she doesn’t like to be approved by her mother. Now the reader can fully understand why she does not have a good relationship with her

Takaki’s book, A Different Mirror, offers the multicultural history of the United States. This book provides the reader with the American experience of Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Irish Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Jewish Americans. During this time, America demonstrated manifest destiny and the Master Narrative. They were led by the belief of “white purity,” which these ethnic groups threatened. America exhibited supremacy over all of these ethnic groups. Takaki’s work allows me to become aware of the history and the outcomes of manifest destiny and the Master Narrative.

After the years of jokes of being the disappointment of the family, I have come to agree as the jokes have become incorporated in reality. Identical to Jonathon’s thoughts, as teachers recognized my last name, I wasn’t a new student but I was simply known as someone else’s sister with a label instantly pushed onto me as “People expect me to be like my brothers, whether I am or not” (1). How can someone assume that we have the same strengths and think the same way when we are different people? It hurts to constantly feel invalid simply because I am not an exact silhouette of someone else with individual passions, impulses, and

Throughout history, dominant ideologies have often clashed with other ideologies, causing contradictions. In Chapter 7 of A Different Mirror, Ronald Takaki writes about the contradictions found in ideologies in US history, especially those concerning the Mexicans in Texas and California. In the 1800s, the market revolution ran the country. As new inventions, such as the cotton gin, were introduced, Americans sought to make raw goods faster and cheaper. As a result, they looked for cheap labor and more land. Believing in the Manifest Destiny, they looked westward, where there was an abundance of land. In moving west, the Americans encountered Mexicans that had recently become Americans due to the change in the Mexican-American border. This

"Man in the Mirror" was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett and co-produced by Michael Jackson, and released from the album Bad on August 31,1987 and released as a single January 16,1988 (YouTube). Siedah Garrett had an idea about a man looking in a mirror in her head for quite some time and took her ideas to her writing partner Glen Ballard. Once Garrett shared her lyric ideas, Ballard added some soulful vocals to help make the song become more powerful, which helped make the lyrics even stronger. The straightforward lyrics about making a change to yourself first caught Michael Jackson’s attention for his album Bad he was working on. “His chemistry with Garrett was so strong that he invited her to duet with him on another Bad single” (Yahoo! Music). The uplifting lyrics of making a change to yourself first, with the combination of Michael Jackson’s voice took off on the charts in no time. “Even though it wasn't a song he wrote himself, it was a message that was strongly identified with him and reflective of his own philosophies, as demonstrated through his actions and expressed in some of his own lyrics” (YouTube). “Man in the Mirror” became a world-wide hit in the late 80’s helping to inspire people to make a change within themselves and to help others.

Barb blames Janice for Anne's death to hurt her and make her feel guilty, not knowing that Janice already feels guilty but does not express it. However, Barb does not think about the challenges Janice might have endured but is angry because she is not the ‘ideal Janice’ that she had been expecting. Barb is too busy and eager wanting to express her anger towards Janice that she cannot relate to Janice’s problems and the struggles that she goes through. Barb’s lack of sympathy towards the unexpected changes in Janice’s life only results in a bigger gap in their relationship. Once Barb and Janice start talking, Barb is again angered by Janice’s quietness and her unwillingness to strengthen their relationship. However, she does not make an effort herself to understand why. Barb says to Janice: “You told us the facts. I don’t know one damn thing about you, the person” (36). Barb is annoyed and frustrated by Janice keeping to herself, she cannot understand her. Barb wants a strong relationship with her as sisters. For Janice, the sister relationship is too difficult and would rather prefer being friends. However, Barb does not acknowledge or accept Janice’s different views but expects Janice to want the same. Barb misunderstands the quietness of Janice and takes it personally, thinking that she wants to keep a distance from her and does not want to open up. Barb does not think of the opposite. What if Janice can’t

The feeling of not knowing who the person really is and how they feel can be hard. This emotion was described in the story “Mirror Image” by Lena Coakley. This short story had a girl named Alice who had to go through a brain transplant. This changed her whole life. Because of this brain transplant, she sometimes felt that she was not really herself but felt that she was Gail, who was the body of the person she was in. This is also an allusion to another Alice in the fantasy world but that book was written by Lewis Carroll and the name of that novel is Alice Adventures in Wonderland. The book mentioned right above had the same type of allusion in which the main character is pretty much lost as to who she is and how

Jenny and Eddie are close and even have secrets like her father’s smoking, up until Jenny has an outburst at the neighbors funeral, which then leads to Eddie ignoring the issue and Jenny

It is a great pleasure to recommend Jenny Simpson for admission to your Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction program. During the previous academic school year, I had the privilege of coaching and managing Jenny. Given that there is not an algorithm for determining excellence in teaching, I would say that she consistently demonstrated certain characteristics and actions that would set her apart from other teachers in our program.

“Man in the Mirror” is about a man who believes that only by changing himself will he be able to change the world. The main focus of the song is a man’s struggle to improve himself morally after witnessing his inability to impact the lives of those in need. Michael Jackson reflects on how the world around him is suffering while he lives a life of comfort, and the guilt triggers his decision to change himself so that he can eventually help the world. . The song raises up questions such as,“What purpose does an individual serve in a community? How can we bring about positive changes to the world? How can one person make a major impact in the world? “Man in the Mirror” sends a very universal message, basically telling the world to improve themselves individually so that the whole improves as a result. The discussion will focus more on the symbolical lyrics because there is a lot of straightforward vocabulary in each verse.

Mirrors is the number one film that I think of when it comes to a film that has impacted my life. The image of seeing Angie Carson’s (Amy Smart) reflection acting differently that the real Angie, has been engrained into my memory. As you see Angie leave the frame of screen, you see her reflection still standing in front of the bathroom mirror. It starts hurting itself which causes the same effect on the real Angie. It grips its jaw and slowly pulls it apart until the real Angie passes away. For the past two years, I’ve been living my life around mirrors due to this movie.

The person that I have chosen to analyze our relationship for the final examination is Charles. Charles and I have literally known one another since we were both toddlers. Originally introduced as cousins, Charles and I later found out that we were not related by blood or legal marriage. Instead rather, our mothers had developed a sister-like relationship as their relationship dates back to their early middle school days. In our younger days, Charles and I didn’t get along particularly well. In my opinion, I believe that our personalities in the past were so strikingly disparate that it impeded the growth of our relationship.

While reading through the story, “Two Sisters,” Ama Ata Aidoo brought up interesting dynamics. Connie is the elder sister who takes well care of her family and as a wife who married to her husband, James. Throughout the story, we see that Connie advises Mercy to stop dating older men. The story states that the two do not have their parents to guide them; so, Connie being the oldest took the responsibility to look after her sister. I have two older siblings, Samuel, 24 and Lorena, 21. I can relate in a way to Mercy, because being the younger sister, we try to live in the other direction of our siblings to avoid comparisons. I am different from my brother and sister, and I always try to live my life. We may have some similarities, personality wise, but we live life very differently. Constantly family and friends tell me “why aren’t you like your brother and sister?” or “if your brother or sister were here, they would know what to do, why can’t you be like them?” First things first, I do not want to be cast in my brother or sister shadow. I want to be different and be recognized as Lucia not just by being Samuel and Lorena’s younger sister. So, I can see why Mercy is very different from her

In a way, they are all connected through Sophie's life experiences. There are forces behind all of the philosophy lessons, as well as in Sophie's life. These forces are able to influence and adjust how you view the world around you.