Visual Essay: Process Analysis

Composition

First half: Stereotype

• The visual essay starts with how people (that don't know as much about Muslims/Islam) think of Muslims. Images of violence, and bombings, hateful messages and overall hatred is expressed in the pictures. 
• The stereotypical section isn't composed of all violent images; there's a balance between violent and potentially violent (kids being taught bad lessons) that still contribute to the overall stereotypical image of Muslims.
• The most overpowering rhetorical element of this essay is use of emotional appeals. Children with guns, elders teaching their young to become killers, hateful messages towards the USA are all things that are sure to get the emotions of the people watching worked up.

The Switch

• The video started with a man with words covering his face, words that seemed to define him, such as Terrorist and 9/11. Ending the stereotype section with this image, I was trying to get the idea across that "is this what you think of Muslims, or...is this?" and then have it transform into the girl with the writing on her face that defined her as a Muslim (also, both images say "Muslim" on the face also).
• Making the images transform from one to the other shows that there are two sides to every story. We may see a certain group of people as one way, but in reality they see themselves (or others see them) as another. 
• Starting the "reality" section with the girl makes a frame of mind for the reader for what's to come for the rest of the project. They can anticipate pictures that are "hopeful" (as her face says).

Second Half: Reality

• The images in this section are the direct opposite of those that were presented in the stereotype section ("Down with USA" --> kids holding an American flag)
• The contrasting images (between the stereotype section and reality section) are organized so they're roughly equal distances away from the transformation of the faces (like parents teaching kids to be bombers versus a mother fixing her daughters headscarf). This let a thought that had perhaps been planted in the viewer's mind be contrasted later on when they had consciously forgotten about it. 
• Close family moments, little children that seem to be devoutly religious all tug at our heartstrings. Pictures that showed strong relationships and devotion to appeal to the emotions of the people watching. 

Other Video Elements
Theme
From Animoto, I chose the "Fire" theme because it makes the images disintegrate as they change. They burn up, but then always have another to replace it. This shows that even though there are ill feelings toward Muslims, they have the potential to change.

Musical selection
The song is I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp. Though this is a Christian song, the message I got from it was just hopeful and uplifting. It starts off as dejected (stereotype section) and gets hopeful as the viewpoint of the video transforms into the "reality" section.

The Toulmin Model
Claim: Muslims aren't violent, and most are for peace and creating healthy relationships.
Reason: In the images, the tender gestures are obvious towards family and friends (hugging, fixing the little girl's headscarf), but also when they are practicing their religion, because they look very calm and at peace (the man praying in front of the mosque, men hugging).
Warrant: because many Muslims give importance to things like building up relationships and practicing their religion, it makes them caring and peaceful people.

I Appreciate You.

Dear Under Appreciated Fellows in the Hallway that Are Often Called Wanna Be Gangstas,

I would just like to take a moment to say that unlike most people, I realize you are just misunderstood, and are in fact very unappreciated for all that you do for society. I am able to come up with new reasons to want to go up to you and give you a thank you hug in the halls every time you pass by me.

Firstly, when I see you in the hall with your your pants around your knees, I know you are a true man. It does make me sad to see that the belt you slung through the holes of your pants is letting you down, because you tried to keep your pants up where it's decent. The truth is that your belt just can't handle your manly parts well enough, so it stays well past it, around your knees. It is afraid of how manly you are, how macho. I can appreciate that.

Secondly, when I watch you struggle along down the hallway, walking with your legs wide apart and slightly bent at the knees, it hits me...what they taught me in Biology about evolution is true. How can it not be? If only your arms were a little longer, the image of the monkeys at the zoo would be able to replace you perfectly. Watching you shows me that evolution is real, and there are still some ape-ish qualities about man, and that's okay.

Thirdly, you help my health. Even though I was a little annoyed at first when I got home from school and realized the device I keep attached to my sneakers at all times to help measure my average walking speed during the day measured at -10.7 cm/s, I quickly remembered that I had been trailing behind Master Pimpdawg. I then felt an overwhelming sense of relief; the doctor had told me to make sure I walked slowly so that I didn't overwork my heart. You're just trying to help me out, aren't you? You're so sneaky.

I hope people learn to appreciate you more, like I do.

Much love,
Fatima.

Visual Essay: Stereotypes vs. Reality

Chills & thrills

I glanced over at my phone. It read 3:04 AM. I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle; and you thought you were going to get to bed early tonight.

I brought my hands up and rubbed my tired eyes. Even shutting them for a second made me feel like I could prop my face up on my elbows and have the best sleep ever right there; right on top of the dining room table that was used for homework and not eating, on top of my half edited essay that was due tomorrow. 

Why do I procrastinate? Why in the world do I do this to myself?

Well. No time to think of that now. I have to get back to work. I stayed up in the dining room because if I were to go into my room, the temptation to "just lay down on my bed for ooonneee second" would be much to great, and it would be time to rise and shine for a lovely school day before I'd know it. 

I reached over to my laptop, thinking that if I typed my new essay as I edited, I might be done sooner (3 AM reasonings are always hilarious). Clack clack clack. I typed away on the keyboard, not really caring if the sentences were only half coherent. I. Just. Want. To. Be. Done. 

I'm always so jealous of everyone that gets to go to bed before me. My little siblings that complain about my mom making them go to bed at 9...I wish she would force me to go to bed at that time. Oh well. As soon as I get done with this, the sooner I can go to sleep too.

It's so dark in the house. Every single light is off except for the room I'm sitting in. It's kind of eerie...someone could poke their head around and into the room, and I would have a heart attack because of the surprise factor advantage they'd have. I try not to think of this, I get scared so easily.

"Fatima..." I hear a voice say. My heart starts pounding. I heard it as clear as day, winding up the stairs like my mom was calling me from her room in the basement. "Fa...ti...maaa...." There it was again.

Oh God.

My heart starts pounding, not just in my chest, but in my stomach and my head, in my legs and arms and trembling hands. I am going into my room right this second. I quickly pack up my stuff and make my way down the stairs, shooting suspicious glances over my shoulder and walking along the walls with my back to them spy-style. 

The basement is pitch black, and when I flip my bedroom light on, shadows scurry around outside my room, lurking...

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So..that was my rushed attempt at scaring you guys. Did it work? Probably not. I don't blame you though. I just wanted to have an interesting way to say that...I love writing scary stories and episodes, and if you don't judge from what I just presented to you, I can say that I'm fairly good at it.

It's weird though; I get scared so easily. I got scared watching the trailer for The Orphan. I'm not even kidding. I think that since I know what scares me, I can write creepy stuff for other people to get scared of too. Maybe...

Hope everyone's having a good break! 

That's crazy talk.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not one to take stupid risks. Even if you don't know me very well, just by seeing me in class I probably don't seem like one that gets a thrill out of taking mindless risks.


When is it better to avoid risk?


I'll tell you. It's better to avoid risks when the after effects will create more problems than the happiness you'll get from taking the risk in the first place. I've never understood the thrill teenagers get out of sneaking out, or doing things their parents wouldn't approve of behind their backs. Maybe I'm a scaredy-cat, but even if I were to sneak out, the thought of being caught would consume me completely and I wouldn't even be able to focus on having fun. 


Plus there's the fact that I would most probably get caught. My parents wouldn't just ground me; they'd lose their trust in me completely. That's something I never want to risk. 


When is it good to take risks? I'm not trying to be pretentious and act all high and mighty because I don't take risks, or look down on people that do take the risks that I wouldn't. The risks I would take are ones that have a chance in positive feedback. I want to take risks like the ones where we have to take in our essay: there's a chance that I'll have a great essay, but there's also a chance that people will think of me differently. That's okay. At least there's a possibility that something good will come out of it.


Every risk is scary, though. 
There's the risk of going to college and pursuing an education that won't result in a good job for me. That's okay, I want to do it. If I didn't study what I loved and just studied something that would result in a successful career, I would be unhappy. That's a risk I'm willing to take. 

Listen. Listen. Listen...SHUT UP!

This is so funny. And it has...a..kernel of truth (or maybe just a whole pound of it. A ton).

On Fatima's Expensive Face (Are the Glasses that Apparently Make them So)

I had to refilm it and it took like 6.5 hours to upload, but...

Boom.

Hating Technology.

I am extremely upset right now.


Like, really really really upset. Pissed off, you could say.


Technology is being a little bitch to me right now. I'm just going to swear, because as my older blog post said: it's okay to swear when you feel really strongly about something, and I think that right now is a perfectly acceptable time to be doing so.


I made a vlog. For AP Comp. And I said stupid things and made a fool of myself, but I wanted to upload it because...why not? But then every single computer in my house linked elbows in a Red Rover fashion, blocking me from posting a video talking about things not many care about online. 


Maybe I'm over reacting. 


But am I?! This video is about 150 MB. 5:20 minutes. I've tried to upload it using three different computers, two types of editing software, and two types of file extensions to MAYBE make it work. But nope. 


Also I gave Google really sassy feedback, and it's all like "Submission failed. Please try again later."