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March 23, 2006
The Voice of Adolescents
Description: Our slide show presentation uses symbolic images to signify major themes in the novel "Perks of Beign a Wallflower". Also, we hope that these image are meaningful to adolecents and others who deal with similar issues.
Question: What thoughts, emotions, or memories did you have while viewing the presentation? Did you deal with similar events or issues during adolescents that influenced you to become the person you are today?
Posted by Anne Jarrett at March 23, 2006 03:13 PM | The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Comments
The slide show reminded me of the first time I took my drivers test, and failed. However, I don’t think this event had much impact on who I am today.
Something that did help to mold me into the person I am today are my friends from high school. Friends are often the center of any adolescents’ universe. It’s natural that the people surrounding you each and every day will shape your character. Although many of us have grown apart since high school, I will always remember my friends because they were there for all of the events and emotions I experienced during that time period. I feel very lucky to have been surrounded by such wonderful people because they are very much responsible for shaping me into who I am today.
Posted by: Jessica Steinbauer at March 23, 2006 04:16 PM
I think I have experienced most of the emotions that were presented in the slideshow. Different events during middle school and high school included all or most of these emotions. I especially remember the social part of the teenage years, dances, sports, boyfriends/girlfriends, etc. Life would be so different without any of these and I think feeling uncomfortable and feeling all these emotions at one time or another play a very significant role in becoming who we are as young adults.
Posted by: Ashley Baker at March 24, 2006 08:22 AM
I think the themes that were represented are very common among teenagers. I felt most of those growing up. Trust was very important to me growing up, and I think it has had an impact on the person I am today. I had a wonderful group of friends growing up, many of whom I'm still close with. We were very supportive and allowed everyone to be themselves. We were also "good" kids, so alcohol and drugs were never even really considered, which has also shaped who I am today. Without the great group of friends I had during my teenage years I don't know what I would have gotten involved with in high school.
Posted by: Christine Schmitt at March 24, 2006 11:02 AM
Friends, I agree, are a huge part of growing up. When you go through these themes that are shown in the slideshow, you go through them together with your friends. And that is why your friends become so important to you. You share these experiences together. Being able to drive around together once you get license, getting drunk together for the first time, dealing with schoolwork and frustration together, etc. As well as these themes can bring together friends, they can also tear apart friendships. I think that is why they are so significant.
In highschool I had two groups of friends. I hung out with the "good, and smart" crowd- the crowd included the biggest jock of the class but also the valedictorian of our class. My other group of friends were the partying type. My school was small so everyone really did get along with everyone but as far as hanging out outside of school, we had groups. It was hard for me sometimes to be a "floater" between both groups, especially because my two best friends hung out in different groups. I had to deal with a lot of these issues in the slideshow because of my link to two different groups. It was hard for some of my friends to accept me hanging out and doing different things with my other friends and this brought on many issues that are shown throughout the slideshow.
Posted by: Amanda Davey at March 27, 2006 01:08 AM
As I watched the slide show, I think I saw my entire time at high school flash before my eyes. I think that alot of the things in the slide show are things that students today deal with on an everyday basis. I know that in the novel Charlie and his friends drank and did drugs. I never drank or anythingn in high school because I was too scared of getting caught and I had a positive influence from my parents. I think that had I made those types of decisions differently that I may not be quite the same person I am today. The choices I made in high school definately shaped my overall character. I think one of the emotions I felt while watching the slideshow was being nervous. Nervous that many students in schools today are too tempted to try things that for so long they have been steered away from.
Posted by: Kristin Bochler at March 28, 2006 11:17 AM
While watching the slide show, a flood of memories flashed before me. So many of the themes in the clip have occured in my life in some way or another, whether I wanted them to or not. The biggest idea that has affected me throughout my life is friendship and the good and bad things that come with it. I had some very trying experiences with "friends" in middle school and high school. At the time, it was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with. Looking back at it, those times have taught me so much about myself and what is really important to me. I feel that I don't sweat the small stuff as much as I used to.
Posted by: Jessica Engle at April 6, 2006 12:43 AM
The slide show takes you back to a time of simple vibrant colors, issues that were clear and pervasive, and trials and triumphs extraordinaire! I was drawn in by the visuals, hearded by the music, concentrating on themes floating past me in a synaesthetic immersion in the recognizable themes apparent in the novel. The biggest idea I see is that after all our choices, and living through the consequences of those choices, we remain in essence, ourselves.
Posted by: mfwright at April 25, 2006 10:58 AM
Every single slide reminded of things I went through in high school. I like the one about freedom and driving because this is such a large transition in kids lives. Trust was also another one that I liked because there is often a lack of trust among peers and in high school this seemed to be an issue with a lot of people, and boys and girls in relationships.
Posted by: Brandon Tuttle at April 30, 2006 02:53 PM
These slides remind me of the pressures of highschool. I feel as though that I did a good job at resisting and trying to influence others not to let these harmful objects in the slide ruin their life. Some of the other slides brought back good memories or the things that kept me going in highschool, such as friends.
Posted by: Beth Sorensen at May 1, 2006 12:33 PM
Your slide show definately touched on many of the issues that teenagers are facing today. It was easy to relate with some of the images, kind of taking you back to what it was like during that time in our lives. At this age your experiencing, basically growing up, and dealing with all of these pressures and changes with your friends and aquaintances. They definately impact you life in different ways. Good job!
Posted by: Dorie Craker at May 2, 2006 12:01 PM