Student+-+McMurdo,+N

=__**Belonging in the 21st Century.**__= =__**Gleeks.**__= People who belong to this group are made of awesome. The way people belong in this group is by sharing a passion for the television show 'Glee' that goes above and beyond simply watching it every week. Why people choose to belong in this group is because is whilst waiting until the next episode the next week, gleeks simply can't get enough and go to forums and websites for their extra Glee fix.
 * How and why do people belong in these particular ways?**

People choose to belong in this way because it is a way again to be able to express their love for the television show and meet and connect with other Gleeks. Belonging to this certain group, allows these fans an outlet and other people to talk to without feeling silly or childish for having an extreme love for a television show. Glee by definition means great delight and that is exactly what this show brings people. Simply by coming together and extending that enjoyment is why people call themselves and are Gleeks.
 * a) Why do you think people choose to belong in this way?**

People who are not Gleeks are most likely people who are not diehard fans of the show or even fans at all. They choose not to belong because perhaps they prefer a different show, such as CSI or the news, both of which are extremely poor alternatives.
 * b) Why do you think people choose not to belong?**

The barriers that prevent people from belonging in this way, is not having the dedication that goes further than just watching every week. To belong it means the interest in knowing facts about the actors and the episodes themselves that is a little part of being a Gleek, and therefore not having that interest and dedication prevents you from truly belonging. Also not owning a television means you couldn't belong.
 * c) What are the barriers which prevent belonging in this way?**

A theme and concept running through the entire show Glee, is that all the members of the Glee club are misfits. Outcasts. However they are able to come together share a passion for music and be confident and comfortable with their group of friends even if they are labelled "misfits". The show depicts and speaks to many insecure teens going through problems about where they belong and Glee shows that it's okay to be you and you'll be accepted when you take on board that fact. This reflects many teen experiences nowadays and the lessons and inspiration to young adults today is another reason why the show is well-loved enough to have it's own followers, the Gleeks.
 * d) How does this aspect of belonging reflect human experiences in the 21st century?**

=__Frankenstein __=

Reading Blog – Frankenstein

Letters: 1. In the beginning of the novel, a series of letters from explorer Robert Walton to his dear sister Margaret, we learn that Walton is planning on sailing into the undiscovered parts of the North Pole hoping to “tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of a man”. Determined and driven by an insatiable curiosity to traverse these undiscovered parts Walton relays to his sister his early fascination with exploring and adventure and his dream to make some meaning of his life rather than squandering away his fortune on unrealistic pursuits. 2. Walton is a driven man, very similar to Frankenstein in that respect, who is used by Shelley as a way to frame the narrative and adding to one major question in the novel: Who is to blame Frankenstein or his creation? By giving a somewhat unbiased perspective. 3. Walton’s ambition is similar to Frankenstein’s with regards to the fact that they both can become single minded to the point of recklessness. Walton risking not only his life but also his entire crew to go on his voyage to a harsh uninhabitable land largely to accomplish his childhood dream. A trait that is mirrored in Frankenstein through his constant perseverance for a major scientific breakthrough and thus his discovery of the principle of life and subsequent descent into a troubled life filled with grief and fear.

Chapter 1 – 5: 4. Victor Frankenstein was raised in a loving and tender household with a supportive family. This environment led to Victor being an essentially moral and virtuous young man with want for very little. It is clear from the depiction of the formative years that his family and the strength in that connection was a particularly important bond for Victor. His “moral standards” are made clear when he postpones his trip to Ingolstadt to stay with his dying mother, again shining a light on the importance of family to Frankenstein. 5. The comparisons between Victor and Elizabeth are clearly laid out in the text when Victor speaks of their differing qualities but how they match each other perfectly for example when Victor describes the two of them, “While my companion contemplated with a serious and satisfied spirit the magnificent appearances of things, I delighted in investigating their causes.” 6. Despite the happiness and true companionship Frankenstein feels with Elizabeth, he still longs for a true friend that is more like a brother. Victor finds this in his schoolboy chum Henry Clerval who provides the kind of friendship he needed. Henry is somewhat removed from the bond that Elizabeth and Victor share but is able to form another sort of significant relationship and become an almost integral part of the Frankenstein family. Elizabeth however affects Victor and Henry by tending to them in an almost motherly way especially after the passing of Caroline. 7. The first three chapters serve as a way to show insight and shed light on Victors past and are character development for many plot points later on. Without understanding Frankenstein’s drive to discover the unknown and to make earth shattering discoveries it would be hard to understand why he would go to such lengths to create such a “monster” and isolate himself for those long months. The early chapters delve deeper into Victor’s basic morals and values showing not only the person he is but what he truly believes and upholds. 8. Victor’s discovery of the principle of life indeed does bring about a change in his attitude, whereas before his discovery he had been working in many directions hoping for a breakthrough and once he had discovered the principle he was set on one goal and pursued it with “unremitting ardour” and thus set him upon the path that leads to his eventual downfall.


 * The rest of the questions were handed in on handwritten pages.**