Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, a novel by Becky Albertalli.
In the novel ‘Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda’ by Becky Albertalli. Simon finds a user through tumblr that helps him go through being gay. A fellow schoolmate, finds out about Simon’s true identity and Simon gets blackmailed. Simon is also having difficulties coming out to his family and friends.
The theme I have chosen for this personal response is Identity. This relates to people in society today as a lot of them don’t know their identity or are unsure of it, being sexually or culturally. Identity is shown in the novel by Simon’s sexual identity and his “coming out” stage. “Do you ever feel locked into yourself? I’m not sure if I’m making sense here. I guess what I mean is
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Being homosexual is legal in some parts of the world but is still not 100% accepted in society, this makes coming out for teens hard, as it can result in bullying, mocking and even blackmailing. It was wrong of Marty to blackmail Simon and use him for his own benefits, and Simon shouldn’t be afraid to come out to his family and friends. This shows that people can take advantage of other people and people shouldn’t be afraid to be themselves. “Straight people should have to come out, and the more awkward it is, the better”. Even in a well developed society, people see coming out a very frightening stage and this happens all over the world to people who are not heterosexual. Though it may be legal, not everyone in society accepts it which leads to bullying and mocking in some stages. “But I'm tired of coming out. All I ever do is come out. I try not to change, but I keep changing, in all these tiny ways. I get a girlfriend. I have a beer. And every freaking time, I have to reintroduce myself to the universe all over again.” This shows that people who want to “come out” will have some difficulties from other people’s opinions and …show more content…
Simon is a relatable character to those who are scared of being themselves. He has a very stable family who are always there for him and he has friends who can understand him. Simon sees that he shouldn’t be afraid to come out to his friends and family, he shouldn’t care what other people say about him and let other people use him just because they have something against him. He discovers that he should just be himself and not let others get to him.
Simon finally came out to one of his best friends but he couldn’t tell the others, but later on it was too late as a post about him being gay was posted online. So he decides to accept it and follows along and tells the rest of his family and friends that he’s homosexual, he ignores the gay remarks and mocking given to him by other schoolmates, and learns that being himself is the right thing to do and other people’s opinions should not get to him. “But maybe this is a big deal. Maybe it’s a holy freaking huge awesome deal. Maybe I want it to be.”
Overall in the short story ‘A dead woman’s secret’ By Guy de Maupassant. Gave me a more understanding that you can't keep a secret forever, whether it’s a big or small secret, it should be told to someone that will support you and understand
In summary, as we watched the profound film “Simon Birch” I broke the story down into questions/categories that would help the audience have a more symbolized and detailed understanding of the film. Which include the use of lighting/music, Simon’s real purpose in life, the symbolic meaning behind the deer, armadillo, as well as
...he class barriers that exist in society and the differences between these different groups. She comes to see the differences and the similarities between her life and that of the two boys.
Aside from causing their internal conflict, their gender identity is what causes them to have to constantly hide their true self. It is what causes their mother to become angry when she discovers how they have been presenting themselves and it is what causes them to be ostracized when their friends discover it. Félix’s otherness causes some conflict as well, such as when he is the witness of a racist crime and is too intimidated to report it as he had originally planned and when someone verbally attacks him for his sexuality. However, Félix’s otherness also brings him together with his peers. It is his status as an other that drives his adventure and it is his status as an other that enables him to meet his new “family” en route to his biological father. His new “family” consists of complete strangers who he just happens to meet. The people in the family are generally aware of his otherness and accept him just the same, thus giving more to him than his biological father ever would have been
Simon was the first and only one to realise the real beast on the Island. He could be compared to someone like a priest or a good samaraton – someone who tries his best to convince everyone of what’s right.
Our quest to find out who we are is fuelled by the need and longing to find meaningful relationships and a place on earth to which we truly belong. Good morning/ Afternoon Miss Smotlak and class. The common theme of belonging is prominently portrayed through an individual’s interactions with others and the world around them, which can enrich or limit their experience of belonging. Despite having a significant relationship an individual can still feel disconnected to wider society. Despite our greatest effort sometimes a positive resolution is not always possible and individual’s sense of belonging is thwarted. Due to the idea of belonging being such an natural human need it can be seen in texts such as , american actor, filmmaker and political activist Sean Penn’s film ‘Into the Wild’ (2007) illustrating these themes through the true story of Chris Mccandleuss, who grows up in the wealthy Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C only to reject the ways of society and sets of on a lonely journey across the country in order to find out who he is and
In the end, even though he failed to inform the other boys of it, Simon through his use of spiritual power was able to recognize the truth. He stood strong against evil even though it consumed the island after his death. People can look to him as an example of how to act in real life. And to be honest, Simon is an important character to Lord of the Flies by William Golding, not just for all this, but because he is what every person should wish to be. In the book the others bully him because they do not quite understand him, but Simon in all reality is a role model for the world. Don’t you think that the world would be a much better place, if we all tried to act a little bit like Simon?
The cultural aspect of homophobia and heterosexism is sugarcoated in its generational effects on a people. These cultural beliefs are predominantly established through community, religious and family relationships, along with social norms. It is also based on cultural norms and dominant cultural values, which is subjective and dictates what is acceptable, beautiful, and appreciated (Perez. 2005; Ungar, 2004). When queer people of color are rejected by their own communities, they experience a double exclusion. They feel they are not a part of the queer community, which is predominantly white, nor do they fit into heterosexual groups of color. These dynamics are a psychological, emotional and social mountain that queer people of color must learn how to continuously climb (Perez, 2005). One notable example of parents not accepting their child’s sexuality in the character Veronica Harrington on The Haves and The Haves Nots. Veronica expressed extreme hatred for her son Jeffery’s homosexuality. When Jeffrey came out of the closet to his parents his father was open and heartfelt with him, his mother showed the opposite reaction. Her actions toward him include forcing him to get a girlfriend (who knows that he is gay), ruining his friendship with his best friend Wyatt, telling
The reason this story is such a great book is the way Klause wrote it. She told the book using first person point of view for both Simon and Zoë. This may sound confusing but it actually helped in expressing the details. In using this technique Klause was able to actually tell two different stories in this book. At first the book talks of Zoë's life and all of her hardships, and then she told of Simon's issues. But the best thing Klause did was to infuse these two stories in this book. It gave the two main characters more in common, and helped show similarities in the main characters personalities!
Simon has a spiritual perception, a mystical connection to nature that none other characters possess. He also makes it clear that the beast real identity is the evilness which exists inside everyone. Finally, Simon treats other characters, especially the little boys with kind manners and shows interest in their well-being, contrasts to the cruelty of Jack and many boys who have let their savagery rule over them. After his death, Golding then shift the focus from Simon’s body toward the unchanging nature, such as the sun, moon, and earth that is because the character Simon, represents a knowledge as fundamental as the natural
Simon was the kind of person who kept to himself and looked at the world from a different point of view. His disease made him take life much more seriously than the rest of the group. The ironic thing about this is that even though he took life more seriously than others, he was the first to die. He was different because he was a member of the choir and unlike the other member of the choir, he did not hunt. Even Ralph was quoted as saying he was funny and queer. But he was right. He did not like the company of the other boys because on page 132 of the book, he is seen in his little bower where he just sits and becomes one with his mind. Most of the other boys are seen playing but not Simon. His maturity level and intelligence were far greater than some adults in this day and age.
Prior to the interview with Frank Sinatra, Simon is facing ambiguity in the search for her identity. From the beginning, it becomes clear that Simon desires to fit in but she is still left in question about Frank Sinatra. Simon, “…pretended to swoon at the mention of his name…” (Simon 1). She did this with hopes of being accepted by the society around her. She soon admitted
The topic of homosexuality has become a constant issue throughout our society for many years. Many people believe that being gay is not acceptable for both religious and moral reasons. Because being gay is not accepted, many homosexuals may feel shame or guilt because of the way they live their everyday lives. This in turn can affect how the person chooses to live their life and it can also affect who the person would like to become. Growing up, David Sedaris struggled to find the common ground between being gay as well as being a normal teenager. He often resorted to the conclusion that you could not be both. Sedaris allows us to see things through his young eyes with his personable short story "I Like Guys". Throughout his short story, Sedaris illustrates to the reader what it was like growing up being gay as well as how the complexities of being gay, and the topic of sexuality controlled his lifestyle daily. He emphasizes the shame he once felt for being gay and how that shame has framed him into the person he has become.
This powerful, inspiring essay lingers in the mind. “Our Secret” took courage to write, and it bravely asks a reader to consider unpleasant subjects and to slow down. Slowly it teaches one how to read it and begin to appreciate its many layers, its juxtapositions, its depths.
Towards the middle of Simon's stay on the island, he started to realize that he truly was different from the others. Every time he tried to talk to the other children, his 'effort fell about him in ruins; the laughter beat him cruelly and he shrank away defenseless to his seat.';(89) Just when he thought he had been accepted he embarrassed himself again, 'When he bashed into a tree Ralph looked sideways impatiently and Robert sniggered.';(104) They were getting restless with his behavior.
The 1990s saw surge of gay characters in both television and movies. From Ellen Degeneres and her character Ellen Morgan coming out under much scrutiny on the TV show ‘Ellen,’ to Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett comedically playing off each other in the motion picture ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding.’ Sure, gays and lesbians have been around forever, especially in Hollywood. But never has there been a time to be more out. With the popularity of shows like Will and Grace, which feature leading gay characters, as well as Dawson’s Creek and it’s supporting character of teenager Jack McPhee, we are slowly seeing gay and lesbian characters creeping into the mainstream media.