Annotated Bibliography

Taylor Gudenkauf
Professor Young
ENGW 1101 3P
15 November 2016

Annotated Bibliography

Christoffersen, Lyndsey. "BLAMING THE VICTIM." Sojourners Magazine 05 2015: 30-3.      kkkkkkProQuest. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

            This article focuses on how victim blaming plays a role in society.  It also addresses how      kkkkkkvictim blaming hinders a victim’s healing process.  It discusses how victim blaming exists kkkkkkeverywhere.  This can be used in my essay to advance   my discussion about how victim kA  kkkkkkblaming negatively effects victims and their everyday life.

For campus rapes, focus on prevention, not just reaction." USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Premier.       kkkkkWeb. 15 Nov. 2016.

           This article focuses on rape prevention and not just the aftermath.  Therefore, this article can kkkkkhelp explain how if we make a change in society with rape prevention thereby changing how kkkkksociety treats rape victims thereby diminishing victim blaming.  This will be used in my essay kkkkkto talk about how victim blaming will be abolished.

Niemi, Laura, and Liane Young. "Who Blames the Victim?" The New York Times. The New York kkkkkTimes Company, 24 June 2016. Web. 11 Nov. 2016.

This article addresses a relevant problem in society- victim blaming. It discusses which types    kkkkkof people support victims and who blames the victim. It evaluates binding and individualizing kkkkkvalues and how that affects victim blaming and who of these types of people are more likely to kkkkkvictim blame.  This can be used in my essay to explain who is creating the problem of victim   kkkkkblaming.

Victim Blaming

Taylor Gudenkauf

Professor Young

ENGW_1101_3P

7 November 2016

Victim Blaming

Topic: 

• Victim Blaming

Questions:

1. Why are rape victims' actions/life picked apart?
2. Why are rape victims treated like criminals?
3. How can victims be questioned better?
4. Why does victim blaming exist?
5. Would more rape victims report if they knew they weren't going to be blamed?
6. How does victim blaming affect rape victims?
7. Does victim blaming increase the number assaults as rapists/ abusers know they will get light sentence if any at all?
8. Does how we discuss rape prevention lead to victim blaming?
9. If victim blaming did not exist, how would sexual violence change?
10. How does victim blaming affect the consequences of the abuser/ rapist?

Thesis:

     Victim blaming is a problem because victims are treated like criminals; therefore, social standards/ beliefs need to change.

True Protection?

Taylor Gudenkauf
Professor Young
ENGW_1101_3P
20 October 2016

True Protection?

After the rape of Willa in Friendswood, Dex goes to the police to report the crime.  While he is there, he speaks with Officer Garcia.  Following protocol, Mr. Garcia goes to the Lambert's home to follow up the accusation against Cully Holbrook.  Mr. Garcia asks Willa questions so he can proceed with the case and so she can get justice.  Willa's parents try to stop Willa from speaking to him about her rape, especially her father.  Mr. Lambert, Willa's father, says things such as, "We don't want this out." and "Stop talking to them.  They can't help us.  That's all you have to say." (Steinke 334-335).  Willa's parents are worried about protecting their own image.  They would like to keep Willa's assault as quiet as possible without everyone finding out so they can protect their image as good, protective parents.  

Willa's father is also trying to protect her from reliving the rape, as he says, "Our daughter will be dragged through it again, and in the end, it will just be her word against theirs.  What's the try in that?" (Steinke 335).  He does not want Willa to have to be interrogated and picked apart, especially with public audience.  He wants to protect her from that pain and move on; however, he is not allowing Willa to make the decision. Ultimately, it is Willa's decision on whether or not she would like to press charges, yet her parents are not allowing her to make this decision. They have made the decision for her. No police. No court.  Move on.  Mr. Lambert is right that it can be a painful experience, which can be seen in the video below.  It can be devastating and heart breaking and unbearable for victims of sexual assault, yet it can bring some victims peace and allow them to heal and move forward.  Every victim is different and that is why it is important for the victim to decide on their own whether or not to press charges.  Although Willa's parents are trying to protect her, they may also be barricading her from making peace with her assault.

Video: http://www.click2houston.com/news/rape-victim-put-in-jail-after-breakdown-on-witness-stand

Works Cited

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood.  New York: Riverhead, 2014. Print.

Friendswood Readings 11-14

Taylor Gudenkauf
English 1101
24 September 2016
Prof. Young

• How does Hal use blame to protect Cully and himself?  What is Hal trying to protect himself from?

           After learning about Cully's drunken state on the school's premises, Hal is very worried about his son's actions.  He is very angry and afraid that his son will end up "absorbing all his own failures, and he prayed about it constantly" (Steinke 148).  Hal is living in the past; he idolizes and worships Cully.  He blames himself for Cully's poor choices and does not make him take responsibility for his actions.  As Hal remembers the glory days between him and his son, he fondly recalls how Cully could bring him "out of his funk" (Steinke 130).  

             Hal wants to protect Cully from ending up like him and having his glory days be in the past.  When Hal recollected his past, "the feeling was of looking at relics of someone who'd died.  His son still had all of that glory, the bright, athletic blue, unfaded," (Steinke 148).  Therefore, Hal will do everything in his power to protect Cully.  

            Hal blames Willa for that night at the Lawbourne's.  After he confessed to his father that him and one of his friends both slept with had sexual intercourse with her, Hal said that "there always were and always would be girls like that" (Steinke 149).  He is trying to protect his reputation by protecting his son's reputation.  His son's behavior reflects upon him.  He wants his son to have a brighter future than his own and to relish every minute of high school.

• Discuss Dex's mother's reaction to learning that perhaps Dex attended the party.  Who does she blame?  What does her response reveal about her character?

          Dex's mother "trusted him too much" to ask him where he had been the night of the party.  She thinks that the "boys need to learn that not everything comes to them-they're not entitled.  They need to stop spending so much time staring at the Internet, thinking they can have whatever they want." (Stench 179).  Boys need to control their hormones and understand that girls are in charge of their body.  It is not a girl's job to give a guy whatever he wants right when he wants it.  Men need to stop making excuses and have discipline.  Dex's mother tells her friend, "My Dex knows how to control himself, no matter what present he's offered." (Steinke 180).  She thinks her son behaves better compared to his peers. Dex's mother sees Willa as the victim and blames the boys, more specifically their hormones, for the rape.  

         Dex's mother distrusts men.  She feels that they let their hormones control their lives and overpower their decisions.  She believes that men need to own up to their actions more than they already do and not expect women to please them sexually on demand.  Dex's mother is a feminist.

• Dex begins to befriend Willa.  Is his friendship genuine?  Why does he befriend Willa?  Does he blame himself for what happens to her?

           Dex befriending Willa is genuine.  Although he feels guilty about bringing drugs to the party and not being able to protect her, he truly wants to be her friend.  Dex had a crush on Willa before the rape, and he still does now.  Dec tries to look out for Willa by finding out what actually happened that night so he can help her piece back together her memory.  Dex also tries to find out what rumors are being spread. Despite Dex feeling guilty about that night, he does not blame himself completely for what happened.  He realizes that Cully is the one to blame. 

          Dex wants to get close to Willa and be there for her; "He did't care what Dani said-she didn't know for sure what Willa would want." (Steinke 211).  Dex becomes Willa's partner for the English project.  He hopes that by spending time with her on this project he will be able to support her.  Dex goes out of his way and gets her flowers - "a nice bunch of assorted ones he didn't recognize except for the roses" (Steinke 212).  The flowers could be seen as a silent peace offering for that night, or it could be seen as Dex trying to get close to Willa.  Dex is infatuated with Willa; "her beauty rushed at him all at once, the intensity of her eyes flaming up in front of him." (Steinke 213).  Although Dex feels guilty, he genuinely wants to express his feelings for Willa and strengthen his relationship with her.

Works Cited

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood.  New York: Riverhead, 2014. Print.

Readings 5 & 6 Reading Log

Taylor Gudenkauf
English 1101

5 September 2016
Prof. Young

Discuss the perception of City Hall officials to Lee.  How do they treat her?  What quotes support this?  Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect?  

Lee has a very well-known face in City Hall.  She has shown up innumerable times to speak out against the EPA and for the safety of her fellow citizens.  Unfortunately to many, her speeches and encounters have become tiresome and she is left fighting alone.  After finding the container that was supposed to contain chemicals come up to ground level due to rain, Lee finds herself at another City Hall meeting with the EPA.  As Lee speaks out about her newfound photographic evidence, Mayor Wallen reprimands her and asks, "Your trespassing aside, would you let Ms. Dawson give her report?" (Steinke 90).  As Lee continues on her rampage, Councilman Burns, addresses her saying, "We're very familiar with your work, Ms. Knowles.  And we've established that there was no container on the site the day after you supposedly took those photographs" (Steinke 90).  City Hall officials are also getting tired of Lee’s frequent appearances in the courtroom and outspoken demeanor.  Instead of hearing what she has to say, they shut her out because the EPA has higher authority.  Instead of fulfilling their responsibility to protect, City Hall officials seem to cover up their tracks and side with the EPA in order to move on with the building and improve their economy.  Officials of power are ready to move on from the past and do not want to accept that their past problems are still a current reality.  By doing so, they are putting the townspeople at harm instead of protecting them from the chemicals.

Discuss the response of the EPA to Lee.  What is their response to her?  What quotes support this?  Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect?

Ms. Dawson, a representative of the EPA felt superior to Lee.  Ms. Dawson originally regarded Lee as if she were a bug on the bottom of her shoe.  When Lee presented her evidence, Ms. Dawson “held up her hand to stop her.  ‘Excuse me?’” (Steinke 89).  Lee continues to overtly display her disgust for the lack of regard to the threat against human health.  Ms. Dawson pretends to care about Lee’s study asking her to send it to her because she has not seen it, but then follows up by trying to blame the excessive cancer rates on “other health stressors such as nutrition, smoking habits, and older population” (Steinke 89).  Through imagery, we can see that Ms. Dawson is trying to stay calm and collected when Lee rambles on (i.e. smoothing her sleeve).   When Lee asked for Ms. Dawson’s email address and not the general EPA one,  “Ms. Dawson held her face very still, then calmly blinked her eyes. ‘I will do that’” (Steinke 91).  Ms. Dawson is smug, manipulative, and calculated.  She thinks of Lee as a nuisance, but she tries hard to conceal it.  If you were not looking closely, one might miss her well thought out remarks and slight facial expressions.  Yet those who may notice her demeanor, do not seem to mind her patronizing tone and mannerisms towards Lee.  To them, her behavior is warranted due to Lee’s persistence and lack of power. They are not fulfilling their responsibility to protect.  The EPA is covering up evidence, and not properly warning citizens of the potential threat to their health.  The EPA is pretending to fulfill their responsibility by stating that everything is okay for citizens to live in that area and by saying they will look into Lee’s study.  In reality, they will not look at Lee’s study and will not reveal the horrid truth of the situation to the public.    

Works Cited

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood.  New York: Riverhead, 2014. Print.