The Cat in the Hat

Option #2: Evaluative Essay

The title character, the Cat, is dominated by the id. He always does what he wants to do, or what feels good to him. The definition of the id is "the part of the personality that contains our primitive impulses-such as thirst, anger and hunger-and the desire for instant gratification or release." Many actions that the Cat does during the story are for pleasure/instant gratification. One instance is when he balances on the ball. He thinks this is fun and it pleasures him. He doesn't stop to think that he could fall and get hurt or break something. Another reason for which you can assume the Cat to be dominated by the id is when he gets his box.
During the story, the Cat releases thing one and thing two. He knows that they are destructive but he calls it a game when they are released. This shows that there is not much thought other than "this is fun so I'm gonna do it." That, according to the definition above, is the id. This is why I believe that the Cat is dominated by his id.

Feed - Visual Essay - Anti-Consumerism

^ Made me laugh, good explanation

In Feed, consumerism and anti-consumerism are big themes. The feed is the ultimate corporate weapon for control. The Feed related companies want you to buy, buy, buy so they can make a gigantic amount of money. Feedlink, OnFeed, and American Feedware are reaping profits from the ignorance of the masses*. Most Americans in this story were raised with the feed and don't know how good life is without it. Sure, the feed has it's perks, but the pop-ups would suck.

Consumerism/anti-consumerism are the most prominent themes in the whole book. Right now, our corporations are creating an army of consumer whores that will buy their junk.
This is where I think Anderson could have gotten his inspiration to write Feed.

Take that Starbucks!

V

*I hear people saying "It's scary that this could be our future." This isn't our future, this is our present.

Feed Post #2

"Missing the Feed" (p.47). What does this chapter say about corporations?

This chapter, to me, shows that Titus acknowledges that the corporations are evil and bad. However, he admits that even if everyone thought so and tried to do something about it, the companies control everything. Most people with the feed wouldn't know what to do if it was gone. They wouldn't know how to do anything and the economy would collapse. In short, this chapter is about corporate fascism.

What are the main themes of "Eden?" How are they relevant today? Why is it titled "Eden?" What do we learn about Titus and Violet? What questions are raised in "Eden?"

The main themes in the chapter Eden are about reliance on technology. This connects to a lot of the people in my generation. I am using technology right now, and I'm relying on this to get a good grade. Titus and Violet seem to have more of a grip on what they are doing without the feed. Eden refers to the Garden of Eden in the bible, which is a paradise. Anderson is conveying that life without the Feed is much better than life with the Feed.

The author dedicates the book "to those who resist the feed." What does he mean by this?...(Final Prompt)

Anderson means people who are not technology reliant and people who are anti-consumeristic (non-conformists.) The feed, in real life, is a mix of technology and consumerism. You resist "the feed" by not falling for advertisements and by dodging the aura of stupidity surrounding them. You resist it by not conforming to what the corporations are trying to make you. Break the mold that the corporations create and you will be "resisting the feed."

Feed Post #1

"We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck." How does this sentence set up the novel?

This is a great first line. It sets up the novel really well. It sets up the characters, the era, the language of the book.

The characters are set up by Titus and his attitude towards his trip to the moon. It shows us that he is kind of like a stereotypical teenager from the future. The type of teenager who thinks almost anything sucks. If I went to the moon, I would think it was awesome.

It shows the era by the fact that they are travelling to the moon for fun, not science. The novel obviously takes place in the future.

The language is shown to be informal and not like a lot of other books that we have read. It sets a certain tone for the story and characters.

What is it like on the moon? Why is it a popular destination for young people?

The moon, in the book, is filled with junk and kind of seems like a tourist trap. They like the parties and club scene the most. To me, the moon seems like it would be a cool place to go to, but if it had all the stuff that is in that book I don't think that I would go. It seems too Uhn-tssUhn-tssUhn-tssUhn-tss for me.

What are the technological innovations examples in this story?

Well, the obvious one would be the "feed." The trip to the moon seemed short by the description which is a good example. Commercial space travel, Moon oxygen, simulated gravity and the intgration of machine and man are all good examples of the technology in this story.

First Post!!

This is my first post on my new awesome blog (thumbs up.) More to come. If you comment, comment in full sentences.