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Hamilton and its Hypocritical Representation of Female Relationships

The blockbuster musical is thoroughly entertaining, but does it reinforce negative stereotypes about female relationships?

The Psychological Effects of Being a Person of Color In America

What is it like to be a person of color in America? Listen to four different perspectives.

The Importance of Struggle

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ta-Nehisi Coates help us to understand how we use struggle to motivate ourselves.

A Strand of Hair

Loose strands of hair are lost, but we all deserve better; we deserve belonging.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always: Forced from Girl to Woman

Eliza Hittman's political drama about a teenager seeking an abortion is a must-watch.

Recipe for Disaster: A Closer Look at the Women in Hamilton

Looking for a feminist take on the hit musical? Look no further!

Justice: Hamilton and Ta-Nehisi Coates's "'Hood"

How do we hold our neighbors accountable? What is the role of the police?

Hidden in Plain Sight

We are experiencing a record level of cleanliness, yet dust goes on unnoticed.

The Secret World of Weather: Another way of Figuring out What to Wear in the Morning

A general forecast is useful, but can the art of reading the clouds and the wind yield a greater degree of certainty?

Our Gold Chain

I remember picking up a gold chain from my father’s jewelry box. For gold, it felt so delicate, and although small and light, I could feel that it held the weight of the world. “Can I have this?” I asked my dad, and he said yes without hesitation. He

Basketball vs. Brain Damage: A Face-Off

Dark. Dizzy. Nauseous. I’m spinning. Wait, no, it’s not me, it’s the room. The room is spinning. “Emma! Emma! Can you hear me?” I blink and blink to clear my head. Nothing. It’s two days later, I’m at the doctor’s office; “follow this pen

Biryani, Betel Leaves, and Lentils: a Food-Centric Analysis of A Burning

Photo by Joyanto Joy [https://unsplash.com/@joyanto_joy?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit] / Unsplash [https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit] Traveling is, in my opinion, one of the best things a person can do. It broadens your worldview, gives

Nearly One-Third: It's Time to Listen

Nearly one-third [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women#:~:text=Worldwide%2C%20almost%20one%20third%20(27,violence%20by%20their%20intimate%20partner] of women across the world between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence from their partner during a

Struggles of Migration

People are always moving. People are constantly migrating, whether from states of mind, ideas, or moving from one place to another. When people end up moving, there are always a series of emotions and struggles that follow. When I first moved from America to Japan a few years back, I

JonBenét Ramsey: The Human Need for Closure & How Social Media can Help Us Achieve It

Cold Cases, Social Media, and the Ethics of True Crime

Pen Pals are Coming Back, More Popular than Ever

Pen pals are growing in popularity again. Here's the why and how...

Steven Donziger: The Man Against the Machine

A David and Goliath story results in a blow for ecological justice...

Phoebe Bridgers, Elliott Smith, and Sad Ass Songs

Labeling oneself as a fan of Phoebe Bridgers or Elliott Smith is almost the equivalent of publicly announcing your prescription to Lexapro. But that's okay...

Dear You: A Lesson on the Importance of Communication Between Teen and Parent

I recently got into an argument with my father regarding a cup that I had forgotten to put away. What seemed to be a simple issue with a quick solution soon became an hour-long discussion. “You’re gonna be grounded if this happens again,” he threatened. “It was an honest

Punk: How it Changed My Writing

If moms want to understand their teenage daughters better, they really should try reading the words that we consume.

Let's Talk About It: FANFICTION

If you wrote a 100,000-word original piece, you’d put that on your college application. If you wrote a 100,000-word piece of fanfiction, however, you’d be embarrassed to even bring it up.

Thoughts on Hamilton

I actually enjoyed Hamilton. This honestly surprised me since I’m not a fan of musicals and I’m not that interested in American history. However, for some reason, I found myself liking Hamilton, which was a combination of both concepts. The way that small, symbolic details such as the

Freedom from Circumstance: A Gentleman in Moscow

My freedom is not your freedom; your freedom is only yours if you make it so, though it may take an outward nudge.

A Resurrecting Death

Long ago Peter Pan said, "To die will be an awfully big adventure." Adam Silvera's young adult novel, They Both Die at the End, [https://bookshop.org/a/6483/9780062457806] teaches us that life flies by but never too fast to make the changes you want.  The change in yourself

Harmonizing Narratives: Elhillo, Kane, and Shire on “Home”

For the war women, peace women, and beloved women--Women of divine resilience and sacred wombs,To girls birthed, “From Girls That Never Die”...

"To be American is to be?" How Victoria Chang and Kaveh Akbar’s Poetry Attempt to Answer This

My grandparents immigrated to New York from Colombia in the late 50s. They did not want to move to a Hispanic neighborhood because they thought they wouldn’t be able to fully integrate if they stayed with people like them. They moved to Astoria, a predominantly Greek neighborhood. Upon their

Legends Never Die: The Legacy of Juice WRLD

Juice WRLD's final, posthumous album sheds light on dark situations, opening listeners' minds and empowering them to stare down and defeat their demons.

A Breath of Fresh Literature: Novels Discussed by High Schoolers

Sabrina, Basia, Tori, Katia, and Maïana discuss The Round House by Louise Erdrich. They talk about themes from the novel such as: Native culture, misogyny, trauma, and how these topics extend beyond just the pages of this book.

The Hamilton Set

Musical sets are unique because they must be both practical and symbolic. The set of Hamilton excels in both aspects.

A Gentleman in Moscow: Embracing Change

We must master our circumstances, growing past the insanity that this year has been and carrying these lessons into life after high school.

The "Come-Up"

In his hit musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda uses hip-hop to mirror the story of Tupac Shakur, thus portraying Alexander Hamilton as the ultimate "come-up."

The Failure of DC's Characters

DC can’t seem to get it together. This baffles me.

Snow and Sand

A poem inspired by Janice N. Harrington's "Wind Shear"

A Legacy of Racism in America

Discrimination is more a way of thinking than politics: changing laws is easier than changing thoughts.

The Small Moments Count: House Arrest in Moscow and a Snowstorm in Texas

Towles transforms mundane interactions into life-altering moments, teaching us that every moment in a person's life is worthy of our attention.

Why the Schuyler Sisters Carry the Weight in Hamilton

The Schuyler sisters represent the unseen hands that helped orchestrate the beauty and complexity within Hamilton and the foundation of America.

Room: an unconventional fairytale

Room (2015) explores the complexities of love through motherhood, and the vitality of imagination through childhood.

Como Tú

After reading “Como Tú/ Like you/ Like me [https://poets.org/poem/como-tu-you-me]” by Richard Blanco. Como tú, I always wondered what would’ve been my life If I had stayed in my home, my country. It’s been 9 years yet I still see words I don’t understand,

Hamilton: Music? Amazing. Accuracy? A little off.

We honor a founding father of the United States, but are we honoring the wrong things?

Mementos of My Father

a poem written after reading "Letter to My Father" by Martín Espada

An Ashen Face and Hands

A poem in response to reading "Minefields" by Kyle Dargan

Recursion: Review & Timeline

Recursion, by Blake Crouch, attempts to explore the implications and intricacies of time travel but comes woefully short.

What Else Don't We Know? The Bystander Effect in Hierarchies & Systems

We often fear what will happen when we misspeak. We stay quiet out of fear of being wrong or not believed. But, sometimes, the consequences are too great.

I’m Just a Human

In Be Water [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11394168/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1], director Bao Ngyuen takes aim at the life, work, and lasting impacts of martial arts icon Bruce Lee [https://www.biography.com/actor/bruce-lee]. Be Water is an atypical entry for the 30 for 30 series

Ode to Pliancy

a poem written after reading “Ode to Gossips” by Safia Elhillo

Persona, Shadow, Ego

BTS's latest album is more than boyband pop; it's a personal journey into Jungian psychology.

Many Voices in A Silent Voice

A Silent Voice is a fantastic piece of storytelling that touches many sensitive topics that many other shows are scared to approach.

Defy The Odds: The Life-Changing Power of David Goggins' 40% Rule

“The mind is the most powerful thing in the world. The mind has capabilities that are so unknown, and being able to tap into that is on the other side of suffering.” — David Goggins

Bojack Horseman: Legendary Despite its Cancellation

Bojack, kintsugi, and why the show was cancelled at just the right time...

Never Stop Thinking of I'm Thinking of Ending Things

An eerie, nightmarish feeling with dark, blue hues, a reality bending timeline, and disturbing characters...this is not a feel-good movie.

Logic's No Pressure: Retirement, Family, and A Return to Form

Maryland Hip-Hop artist Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, mainly referred to by his professional name, Logic, finishes his music career in a satisfying return to form with the release of No Pressure.

Vote Kenai for President in 2020

After the "dumpster fire within a train wreck," I decided that if I could vote, I would vote for the late-comer, Kenai Bear NoJo. Although she is a dog, I know that she is the right choice for America.

Jerry Seinfeld is Back! (But does he live up to the hype?)

Jerry Seinfeld returns to the stage with a Netflix stand-up special, but is he performing for the audience or for himself?

Dragon Ball Super: Broly: Not for the Average Moviegoer

This film is an absolute treat for fans of the original series. However, viewers who watch this movie before enjoying any previous Dragon Ball properties will be confused.

Three Lessons from Westover's Educated

Tara Westover's moving memoir gives us three important lessons for achieving our dreams.

Netflix's Space Force: Political Satire with Heart

Space Force makes us question our own sense of morality in a heartwarming, uplifting, and genuinely funny way.

Beetlejuice: Unpopular Opinion, It Rules

Beetlejuice is weird but great. Those who saw it before the official Broadway opening might want to take a second look.

Fiona Apple's Fetch the Bolt Cutters and Its Essential Tribute to the Times

Fiona Apple’s newest album is what the world needs in this tumultuous time of isolation, fear, and confusion.

No Hate for The Hate U Give: A Book Review

Angie Thomas's novel will call you out and confront you. Invite the discomfort. The only way to learn is to listen.

Black is Black in America

In her third novel, Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie explores the experience of immigrants who come to America and have blackness foisted upon them.

Unorthodox: A Not-So-Scandalous Review

Deborah Feldman shares a unique insight into an isolated community and culture few are familiar with.

/CW1/Course Overview

Course Overview (Fall 2020) Updated: 10 August 2020 Contact Who’s running this show anyway? How do I get in touch with that person? * “Instructor” = Stephen Hebert * Conference Periods = B, F, and G * Email = Please don’t use email. :) * Contact = Send a chat message on Teams. Course Framework This course

/LIT/Research Review

Dissect reviews in order to reverse engineer them: what makes a good review?

/LIT/Course Overview

Read this course overview to learn what the plans and policies are for this year in Contemporary Literature.