A lot of small questions I want you to think about and answer. So here goes....
1. Why "The Wire"? I asked you to think about this--what did you come up with? Write several sentences answering this--and how does what we see in the show support your answer? Don't repeat what I said in class--come up with something your own. (Suddenly I feel like Prez talking to his class...)
2. "I ain't eat no lunch and my stomach is making all these noises...I won't ever disrespect your pencil again." So says Zenobia. This and some other comments from the class, almost all of whom are in detention, gets Prez to let them go early. Given what the class is like, how it cusses as him--Namond in particular--is Prez being a pushover by letting them go? Or is this actually the right thing to do? Write 3-4 sentences.
3. Speaking of Namond: to Prez, "Fuck you. Gimpy ass, big grill motherfucker." Then later that day: "Came to say sorry. I didn't mean to get all in your face like that...It's just the evil gets in me and before I know it, I go off." And Prez forgives him. Is Namond playing Prez? Is he sincere? And should Prez have forgiven him? 3-4 sentences
4. "Ain't no special dead. There's just dead." This is Duquan at the very end. He just walks away from the corpse he has shown his friends. Yesterday we talked about innocence. What's this say about Duquan's innocence? 3-4 sentences
5. Speaking of the kids: for each of them--Duquan, Namond, Randy, Michael--give the word that best describes him to you. And why? And which one do you feel most drawn to, or like the most?
That's enough for now. See you all tomorrow.
1. My group talked about how ‘The Wire’ was named as it is because wires deal with power, and all the stories within the series are about power. Marlo has power on the streets, the mayoral race deals with the corruption of power and striving for power, and Mr. Prez is trying to gain power and get control of his classroom. Also, the physical structure of the wire is many small wires twisted together to make a larger wire. The cyclical nature to the stories and repeating themes are echoed in the twisted structure of the wire. The smaller wires that make up the big wire could also represent the many story lines that combine to form the big picture of Baltimore or even the United States.
ReplyDelete2. I think Prez could be seen as a pushover here. When he lets them go early, he is setting the tone for the rest of the detentions he might give in the future. The kids won’t take him seriously when he threatens them with detention because they will think they can get out of it. It becomes an empty threat. However, he could also be seen as acting reasonably by letting them go because they are only kids. He also wants the kids to like him.
3. When I saw the scene, I felt like Namond was being sincere. It does seem, however, that he has two very different sides. He can be very rude at some times and respectful at others. I think it was good that Prez forgave him, but I also think Prez should have had a talk with Namond about his actions. It seems like this will happen again with Namond.
4. Duquan’s statement was very frank. I know dead is dead, but even so, I think if someone is murdered it is different than if somebody dies in their sleep. I am not sure is this is Duquan being innocent or not. It’s a true statement but I also think it isn’t as simple as that. Though, maybe that is just me being innocent one.
5. Duquan: compassionate. Duquan is compassionate towards Leatitica after the knife incident in the classroom. Also, when he sees that Randy is distraught about unknowingly leading that man to snoop and chris to die, he tries to alleviate his suffering.
Namond: showy. Namond is all talk and no action. He acts really tough, but in reality he isn’t. He also wears really nice clothes and obviously cares about his appearance.
Randy: organized. Randy is really smart and he knows how to do business. At school, he gets a lot of money by selling candy and snacks to the other kids. He has a system for doing business that works.
Michael: loyal. Michael is very loyal to his friends and his brother. He takes care of his brother and is very loving towards him. He also fights for his friends and isn’t afraid to stick up for them or himself.
I like Michael the best. The scene I can’t get out of my head is when he takes his little brother home from school, gets him a snack, and is very supportive of him. It made me like him even than I did before as a character. Not only is he loyal and loving, but he is brave and tough too. I admire him.
1. My group talked about how in some sense we are almost tapping in on these peoples lives. As if we are using a wiretap to watch the people in the show which is really interesting.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Prez is being a push over. One of the worst things you can do as an authority figure is not fulfill your punishments. The students very quickly learn the threats are empty and they can get away with what they want. The respect is lost. I think we’ll see the repercussion of Prez’s actions so enough.
3. To me the apology seemed sincere. I think Namond knows that is not okay what he’s doing when he curses at adults he knows it is wrong. At the same time I don’t think he’s going to stop anytime soon. He’s been raised to react like that, it’s habit and it’s hard to break a habit, even one so blatantly wrong as that one is.
4. Growing up in the environment that Dukie did, it is hard to still have innocence. This kid has probably seen more then the other three boys and his innocence I believe has been gone for a long time.
5. Duquan--Accepting. This kid has seen the worst and he knows what drives people to do what they do. He accepts everyone, even a girl whose just slashed another girl in the face. He’s also it seems accepted his situation. He lives horribly, not knowing how he’s going to eat from day to day, but he doesn’t seem terribly upset about it.
Namond--Scared. This boy has a father that in his neighborhood considered a true “man”. To give up his freedom for the people he works for is admirable to those whom Namond lives around. That is a lot of pressure for a junior high kid to try and live up to. He’s scared he’s going to fail so he instead puts up this front.
Randy--Eager. Randy seems to have one goal, making money. He will do almost anything for a couple extra dollars.
Michael—Independent. Michael seems to be praised by most other people in the class, but to me the fact that he refuses to take help from anybody else just shows immaturity. It looks mature when the help offered is coming from people like Marlo and his crew, but when the help is offered by the boxing coach or Prez then what? Why did Michael turn both of them down? He thinks he can do it on his own when in reality he can’t.
My favorite of the four boys is Dukie. He goes through so much everyday, yet he bites his tongue though it all. When Chiquan says out loud that he smells bad, or when Namond calls him names. All the stuff he goes through is so horrible and if it were me I would be reacting more like Leatitia. Well maybe not that bad, but I would certainty be angry all the time. I admire Dukie for saying so calm and cool through it all.
Evan Gold
ReplyDeleteI think the show was originally called the wire because of the wiretap in the first season (obviously). I think that over time, it has begun to mean different things. I think that in the fourth season, the wire refers to the fact that almost everything is connected in some way. One main example of this is Marlo and the mayor.
I think that Prez is being a pushover. I think that these kids will still be disrespectful to him. I think this because if the kids think that every time they have detention they can get out of it, they won’t fear being in detention.
I think that Namond is a nice kid at heart but has no respect for Prez. I think because Prez is an ex-police officer, Namond will always dislike him. I think Prez should have seen though Namond’s apology because I do not think it was sincere.
I think Duquan has grown up in a household filled with death and drugs. For example when the kids heard the gunshots, all they wondered was what kind of gun it was. I think this shows that these kids are not innocent at all.
Duquan , resilient. I say this because despite people make fun of him all the time. He never cries or fights. Namond, Lazy. I say this because when he never does his school work and in the beginning when he was working on the corner he was reading a magazine instead of doing his job. Randy, nervous. I say this because he is always scared that Chris is out to get him. Michael, Hardworking. I think he is the opposite of Namond. He works hard and is good at his job; he also fathers his little brother. I like Michael the most because he, in my opinion, is the smartest. He knows what he has to do to get ahead in life, but he also doesn’t forget about the people he cares about.
1. Our group brought up the ideal of a wire formed by many smaller wires twisted around each other. The show takes great pains to show many different areas and institutions of Baltimore and how they are all connected. This is shown not only in tangible actions (drug murders becoming talking points in political debates), but also in behavioral traits and motivations. Marlo and Royce both use similar methods to achieve their goals. All these little strands and sections influence each other and form the larger structure of Baltimore.
ReplyDelete2. Prez really screwed up by letting them out early. He is being a total pushover and is only allowing the children to continue disrespecting him, since his words have no weight. The whole reward/punishment system he was setting up at the beginning of the episode is rendered useless if the punishments do not happen every time. The show even shows us that his judgment was wrong in this situation: Donut mentions how Grace is extremely strict and never lets children out of detention. Grace is also the teacher that the students respect the most. One needs to be firm and consistent if one is to win these students’ respect.
3. I am inclined to believe that Namond was sincere. Namond (and the rest of the students) are good kids dealing with very difficult issues (Namond’s being a father in jail & pressure from his mother to deal drugs). I believe that Namond’s disruptive behavior is an uncontrollable outburst resulting from the other problems in his life. The apology sounds very genuine and accurate as opposed to something manufactured to get him out of trouble. I think that Prez should definitely have forgiven him. These are all children dealing with tough circumstances and they deserve all the care they can get.
4. Duquan lives one of the most unhappy lives I can imagine. His family is made up of junkies who steal his clothes, he is the odd-one out in his friend group (often teased by Namond), he saw the beginnings of an execution by Snoop and Chris, and he is treated as less-than-human by other members of his community (Namond’s mother, the girl in his class who asks to change seats). Because of this constant exposure to despicable behavior, Duquan has had to come to terms with the reality of his situation and the reality of his world. His innocence is lost; he can see the world for how it is, for the most part. While the other children theorize about zombies, Duquan is only too aware of the cold truth of the world and of Chris’s victim’s fates.
5. Duquan- Empathetic- he displays a sensitivity unseen in the other children. He comforts Leatitia, despite her brutality seconds earlier. When Namond and Michael laugh about scaring Randy by telling him that Chris talked about him, Duquan does not.
Namond- Pressured. It seems like all of Namond’s problems and outbursts result from the tremendous pressure to be a drug dealer, something he does not want to do. Because of this pressure, he puts up a hypermasculine, aggressive front that results in actions such as yelling at Prez and pretending to punch Duquan.
Michael: Loyal. Above all else, Michael looks out for his friends and brother. He acts as a father figure to both his brother and his friends (breaking up conflicts, looking out for them, etc.)
Randy- ¬¬¬Friendly. Randy seems like a genuinely friendly guy, always wanting to please his friends, foster mother or teacher (even while he steals his hall passes).
I really like Randy a lot, even though he is not the most exceptional of the boys. Duquan is the most empathetic, Namond is the most wealthy and Michael is the most tough (and intelligent). Randy has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, but, to me, his traits stand out the least. He’s just a scrappy, friendly kid, trying to make a little money and do right by his friends and foster mother.
1) My group talked about how the wire is also in a sense a line that connects the three different parts. The mayoral race, the cops. and the streets, all are connected by this thin invisible line. Even from the highest of high to the lowest of low there is always lines of connections. No one thought that Marlo was like the mayor, but scene after scene the show has tried to draw these two together. Also the thought that the wire shows the delicate balance of everyone's life on the show. How each and every character is on the precipice and heading over the edge. Every day these kids go out and can choose the streets or school. The mayor chooses to go on the crooked path, while Carcetti is on the straight and narrow. And last of all, the cops. some are corrupt and others aren't trying to stay out of "the system".
ReplyDelete2) I think Prez realizes the gravity of his mistake as he is leaving class with Dookie and Randy. Prez was definitely being a pushover. If these kids don't experience punishment for there crimes, they will keep pushing until they do.
3) Namond just thinks he can play Prez. He thinks he can mess with the cops head and seem like he's tough. I feel like Namond has no clear boundaries, all he knows is that he gets what he wants from his mom and dad. Namond is a spoiled brat, to put it in simple terms.
4)Duquan-Perserverance. This kid is literally the lowest of the low, he lives in a home with a bunch of druggies who steal his stuff and sell it on the corner. In his house it is literally every man for himself. I feel Duquan hasn't fallen into this and is trying to use education as a path out of it.
Namond-Punk. Namond is the definition of a punk, he talks big game but doesn't back it up. All the time he is making up excuses why he doesn't do things instead of taking ownership. There is a reason for this, his dad was a respected man among the community. Therefore, Namond has some very large shoes to fill.
Randy-Snitch. Randy tells the principal who was tagging the walls. Granted she was going to call his foster mother, but still snitching is unacceptable.
Michael-Loyal. Michael is loyal to those around him. This is shown right away with the way he protects and looks out for his little brother. The crazy thing is it isn't even his full brother, its his half brother. No matter, Michael is compassionate and caring to him.
The show is called the wire obviously because of the wire taps but i think it's more than that. I think the wire represents how everyone in this show are connected in some kind of way. The show is constantly showing parallels between different characters like Marlo and Royce, and now we are seeing parallels between Carcetti and Michael.
ReplyDeleteI don't think detention is the right thing to do but he has to do something to earn these kids respect like the other teachers or they are going to keep pushing them over. I think since he decided to go with the detention thing he should have stuck with and not let them all go because it defeated the whole purpose. I think he doesn't know what to do because he feels bad because most of these kids have hard lives outside of school and that's why they are acting out.
Namond is obviously playing Prez. His apology is full of crap talking about the evil just gets in me. Namond only acts out because he wants to get the attention from all his classmates. He likes to put on a show for his friends and just because he apologized i doubt that will be the last time he acts out in front of the class.
It shows a lot about how he has no innocence. Duquan along with the other kids have no innocence because of where they live. this is showed when they are together and they can recognized what type of gun was being fired right next to them. Also when Dookie showed them the body, they weren't freaked out by what they saw, it didn't seem like that was the first dead body they have seen.
I would describe Duquan as the outcast of the group but he doesn't hate anybody he just accepts his life. Namond is the poser of the group. He is all talk and just wants to impress people. Randy is a guy who i think wants to do the right thing, but gets caught up in some bad situations sometimes. Michael is the soldier of the group. He is street smart and looks out for his brother. Michael is probably my favorite character of the group.
Last week, we talked about how the three storylines going on would cross. We thought that they were completely unrelated. However, everything is tied together by some invisible rope, or “a wire.” I am not talking about people, but Baltimore as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI think that Prez is still trying to do the right thing. He knows that detention is keeping people from doing things that they need to do, and is sometimes crucial to surviving. He wasn’t being a pushover, he just didn’t want to be held responsible by keeping the kids in the afternoon. He knew that most learned what would happen is they misbehaved, and he really did care about their responsibilities.
Namond is not sincere. We knew he just spent the day in the principal’s office, so he very well could have been forced to apologize. He also does not seem like the apologizing type. Prez handled the situation correctly. However, that doesn’t mean that he will let his guard down against Namond.
Duquan is obviously not innocent. While he has an incredibly rough background, he also walks away from the corpse, while Randy can’t tear his eyes away from it. Duquan acts like he’s seen dead people before, which he probably has. What he says shows the truth: You can be a special person when you’re alive, but once you’re dead, you are the same as every other corpse.
Duquan- Compassionate. We saw how he treated Tatitica, and he never makes fun of his friends. He might be the friendliest of the group, and he still manages to be so nice while coming from a hard background. He is always sincere in all of his actions.
Namond- Eager. Namond always wants to look cool in front of his friends. He really wants to impress his father, and there is pressure on him to do so. He wants to prove himself, and will say or do whatever it takes.
Randy- Naïve. Randy believed all of the nonsense Michael told him about zombies. He is easy to convince, and people take advantage of that. While he means well and is a great person at heart, he can’t really tell a truth from a lie.
Michael- Steeled. Michael doesn’t back down, no matter the circumstances. He is by far the toughest member of the group. He has his priorities straight, knows what he needs to do to succeed, and will do anything to take care of the people he cares for. He is unwavering, and will prosper wherever he goes.
I am most drawn to Namond. It has already been revealed that Namond isn’t tough, like he lets on, and is somewhat of a coward. It will be interesting to see when he stops putting up a fake front and finally shows his true self. That will be an interesting scene to watch.
1. The group i was in talked first about the possibility of the show makers being lazy about not changing the title just because the first season was about the wire-taps, which in that case, would be disappointing. Luckily we thought of a second meaning behind "The Wire" is because everything is connected. Not just in the show, it also connects into our lives. The show draws parallels between politicians like Royce to Drug lords like Marlo, and people like Carceti to kids like Michael. This, I believe, is the reason they decided to call the show "The Wire."
ReplyDelete2.I Think Prez is not being tough enough towards the kids that misbehave in his class, and is being too harsh on Michael. He said Michael has extra punishment because he was taking care of his brother and missed the first detention. When he lets the first kids in detention go for complaining it is rewarding bad behavior.
3. I couldn't tell if Namond was playing Prez or not. His apology seemed to be sincere if taken out of context, however his mom or the dominant woman teacher (can't remember name) may have forced/encouraged strongly that he apologize. I think he actually feels a bit bad about how far he took it though. I agree with Prez's decision to forgive him, which would be a tough thing to do. I would have a good bit of trouble doing the same.
4. Duquan seems to be more exposed to the outside, dark world than the rest of them, seeing as he is in such a poor situation. I don't think Dukie is the least innocent though. He has "lost his innocence" because of being exposed to this type of thing so much but he, from what we have seen, hasn't done anything wrong. Therefore, he has retained some form of innocence.
5. Duquan: Lonely. The reason i chose this is because he really has no one to love and be loved by, which is something he needs.
Namond: Lost. The reason i choose lost is because Namond is trying to live up to his dad and be tough when he clearly isn't cracked up to be that guy.
Randy: Clever. He is a businessman of sorts. He makes profits through selling things correctly. He is a charismatic guy who is pretty smart. He is both pretty book smart and pretty street smart.
Michael: Gifted. I had to think between gifted and tough. I think gifted is better fitting because he is school smart, morally strong (different people have different morals, the moral i find in him is loyalty and compassion for his loved ones), tough, and good at business. He is pretty balanced. The only flaw with michael is his lack of dedication to new things and fear of commitment.
I am drawn to Michael the most because of his attitude towards his brother. Caring and loving.
1. I think the name "The Wire" originates from various aspects of the show. As we all know there is the very literal use of the wire used by the police called a wiretap, but clearly there is more to it than that. I would say that the main use of the term the wire is to show a connection between the variety of characters explored in the show. As we discussed at one point today even Michael and Calcutti's characters are related, albeit in a roundabout way. Every character and every plot line in the show is shown to be in some way connected to all of the others even if it is not obvious.
ReplyDelete2. I would say that while letting his students out early could be seen as a kind gesture I would say that his actions will weaken his ability to hold the class together even more. He spent the whole class period making threats that he needed to carry through with in order to establish dominance. Certainly the kids appreciated the fact that they weren't held for the full hour, but now they won't have as much respect for Prez as their teacher, and won't believe his threats are valid.
3. I think that in a way Namond was certainly being sincere in his apology. I don't base this on any real knowledge of the character other than that he is dealing with a lot of stress and I can imagine snapping under the same pressure. On top of this the way Namond spoke to Prez in his apology leaves me thinking that he was both sincere and thoroughly apologetic.
4. Clearly Duquan is a perfect example of a kid who lost his innocence far too early in his life. The calm and unsurprised way that he uncovers the body and his cynical reaction to Randy's comment show that he is already more callous to violence and hatred than the average fully grown man. Not only has he lost his innocence he clearly has seen more death than anyone should. His comment, "Ain't no special dead. There's just dead" show's a maturity far past any that you would imagine from a thirteen year old.
5. Duquan: Caring. Dukie is clearly the most compassionate kid of the four. We've already seen multiple examples of his empathetic nature the most prominent of which occurred directly after Leatitia cut up Chiquan's face. Instead of focusing on Chiquan he immediately gave Leatitia the fan he had been fixing for days in an attempt to comfort her.
Namond: Stressed. While he may be extremely showy and all talk, I feel like this is his nature as a result of the constant pressure being put on him to be tough, manly, and to work the corners. Clearly it's not what he would most like to be doing and the stress put on him by his mom and dad could have some effect on his actions with his friends and in school.
Randy: Kind. We don't know all that much about Randy. But from what we have seen he doesn't seem to be overly violent or pushy, instead he helps Duquan and does his best to be a good kid. On the first day he's the one kid who introduces himself to Prez and although he does steal the hall passes, there are worse things he could have done.
Michael: Loyal. Describing Michael as Loyal is like describing Marlo as cold. Both are so instrumental to the character as a whole, that you can't talk about the characters without mentioning them. Michael is loyal to his friends, and especially to his little brother, he always follows through when they need him and never lets them down.
I agree that the wire can be seen as a source of connecting these three distinct stories that would otherwise probably take place in three completely distinct shows on television which shows that they are building together-as my group decided-like individual twine in a wire to create one large wire thus creating a picture of Baltimore and perhaps American society. At the same time, it is only a thin strand that connects these three worlds because they operate separately though it is shown they deal with the same problems and parallels can be drawn between characters that have almost nothing in common such as Carcetti and Michael, but these worlds operate separately and it is impossible to enter into another world that is not your own as was shown with the interaction between Snoop and the store clerk.
ReplyDeleteI think Prez should have made them stay in class because now that he has let them go, the students will know to not take him seriously. The kids will realize he will not follow through with his punishments and thus will not see them as such. This was his moment to prove that everyone has to play by the rules, but instead he showed the kids that even if they do disrespect him, they will be able to escape without punishment. However, I think Prez has come a long way from the first day of school, and I think he will be able to gain the respect of the class even with his mistake because I think the kids recognize that he is sincerely trying to teach them, and they like him as was shown when they were leaving the school and helped him get into his car.
Though I thought Prez should have made the kids stay for detention, I do think it was right for him to accept Namond’s apology and that it was a sincere apology. I think if Namond had apologized while the kids were trying to convince Prez to let them go then I would suspect his intentions, but I saw it as an honest apology. It reminded me of Leatitcia and how she clearly had a lot of anger inside of her and that caused her to cut Shaquan. I think there is another side to Namond that is just being revealed that does carry pain and hurt even though he is a well-off family, he still lives in an area where street shootings take place.
I found the three’s reaction to the body startling because none of them seemed afraid. It showed that they really are not that innocent especially Dukie which I think could already be suspected because of his living arrangements. The emotionless way he shows the body to Randy and Michael shows this is not the worst thing that he has witnessed. I think there innocence is definitely gone because they realize there are worst things than death in life.
1. Our group came up with one reason for as to why ‘The Wire’ is called ‘The Wire’, was because wires act as a crucial things in society for communicating and connecting, and once wires are messed up, cut, or changed, all the little wires coiled together get affected. Going with the analogy that all these stories we are a part of in The Wire, are separate coils collected to make a connection wire, if something changes with that they all will get affected somehow, positively or negatively. For example, if Royce stays Mayor, nothing may change in Baltimore, but if Carcetti becomes mayor, changing the wiring of ‘The Wire’, everyone will arguably be affected.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think Prez is being a push over, but he is walking a fine line between the children taking advantage of him, or the children getting cool with him, thus earning the children’s respect. So, I think that what he did in that scene was the right thing to do now, but it is important for him to realize what he is doing. Finally, Prez is learning his boundaries, and how these children really work, and what incentives work for them, and I believe he is working with that new knowledge.
3. Namond seems very sincere; I do not think his intentions are to play him. Namond does not seem like the kind of person that would come back to school on his time, and apologize unless he meant it. I absolutely believe that Prez should forgive him, there is no reason for him not to. I think Prez appreciates Namond coming to apologize and Prez realizes that not a lot of the kids in that school would do that, so I think he should forgive him.
4. I think Duquan proves my point of these kids really not having any innocence. I mean not only does Duquan say, “Ain’t no special dead. There’s just dead” which shows the lack of compassion, but he see’s a dead person and barely reacts! If I saw/found a dead person I would be reacting and expressing so many emotions, but Duquan is cold and relatively calm, thus showing his non-existent innocence.
5. Duquan: Realistic- because he knows the some dark horrors of what this world can bring, and he does not try to change it, but he does not try to deny it either.
Namond: Punk- Namond really bothers me because he just doesn’t get certain things, and almost feels entitled and is really dependant upon people.
Randy: Harmless- I almost feel like Randy is the constant comic relief. I do not really see him intentionally bringing any harm to anyone, or really being a part of anything that would bring any harm to anyone.
Michael: Enigma- I really do not understanding Michael as a character and what he wants to be, and who he is.
I personally like Randy the most; I admire his geniality and his personality. I also respect his perseverance through his personal life.
1. “The Wire” symbolizes the connections between the individuals, and the different story lines. They are connected, and their decisions affect others. It also symbolizes the tenuousness of their situations, as if they were on a tight rope wire, or held up by wires.
ReplyDelete2. I think he is being a pushover, or at the very least, he is showing them that his decisions are not final. With enough whining, they can get their way. This will encourage complaining, not only during detention. “Just this once” is always code for, “Probably again and again.”
3. I didn’t think that Namond was consciously trying to deceive Prez. Often, it seems to me Namond doesn’t grasp the significance of things. He presents himself as tough without backing it up, and he acts without thinking. He seems to me like the opposite of Michael, who thinks about things but does not express his feelings. Namon expresses himself without thinking. I’m not saying he’s dumb; I kind of like that about him, because he seems more innocent in that way. He seems like a thoughtless young kid, instead of an emotionally scarred kid. Anyway, I think Namon felt sorry for being mean to Prezbo, so he apologized.
4. It shows that Duquan has lost his innocence. He lives with junkies, and he is stigmatized at school. He sees firsthand the consequences of violence, and he understands that the other kids’ fear of death is misplaced. They fear zombies, the undead, but Duquan knows that dead people aren’t scary. They’re gone. He sees through the drama of drug wars to the consequences they produce, both for the people killed and the people hooked on drugs.
5. Duquan is old beyond his years. This is clearly shown in his understanding of death, as well as his compassion for other kids. He understands other people’s pain because he is also in a bad situation.
Namond is immature, which is understandable, because he’s just a kid. He reacts to Prez without thinking about how Prez will feel or about the personal consequences. He pretends to be tough when really he’s scared to fight. He is selfish and shallow and thoughtless, but he’s an eighth grader. Seeing his mistakes as he grows up seems normal, whereas Dukie’s compassion makes me sad because I realize that the reason he’s so adult is that he hasn’t been allowed a normal childhood.
Randy is trusting, despite his background in the foster care system. He shows this by how he tries to connect with other people, instead of avoiding them as Michael does. His gullibility also shows how trusting he is: he believes in zombies, he believes the guy when he tells him to tell Lex to meet a girl in the vacant lot, and he believes that Chris and Snoop were talking about him. Even though Randy has lots of reasons to mistrust people, both from his background in the foster system and from people deceiving him, he keeps on trusting. I really like this about him, and I think he is my favorite character, because it gives him a sense of innocence.
Michael is loyal, specifically to his family. He understands true commitment and devotion, and he rejects dependence on or debt to anyone else.
While the wire can be taken literally in a limited capacity, it really serves as the stepping stone to something greater, one of the themes, if the not main theme of the show itself. The wire is a show about connection. I usually spend a great deal of my time trying to think about how something i've seen on the corners of baltimore events, relationships, and actions relate to the upper echelons of Baltimore's government. Today in class we drew a parallel between Michael and Tommy as two character's on the cusp of the rest of their careers. The decisions they make now are going to affect them until the day they die. In Tommy's case i wonder if he is going to remain the relatively good person that he has acted like as momentum built with his campaign. He says and genuinely seems like he wants to make a difference in his city, but is he going to end up like the current Mayor? In Michael has the potential to obtain great power as well. Will he choose the path of the enforcer and end up in jail, dead or perhaps worse, employed? Michael has definite good and intelligence, but he is just as corruptible as Carcetti.
ReplyDeleteI tend to think that Mr. Prez is being manipulated by his class. They know he is somewhat soft and so far have taken advantage of this every chance they get. As he let his class go i couldn't help but think that he is going to bite it for making that decision later on. If his students know that he can be manipulated, they aren't going to stop. On the other hand, what is the strict enforcement of detention going to get Mr. Prez? He knows that school and higher education are very low priorities for these kids. Keeping them away from their preferred recreational activities is only going to make them bitter and resentful. Detention isn't going to get Mr. Prez the desired result and he knows this.
Naymond has shown himself to be impulsive and immature in the show so far. His confrontation with Mr. Prez is no exception to this. As is typical of the wire, the viewers aren't allowed to think of Naymond as all bad. apologizing, perhaps one of the least indulged practices of the neighborhood, seems so genuine and honest coming from Naymond. What makes me believe that Naymond is telling the truth is that his classmates aren't around. Apperance is so important to this kid, but in privacy he isn't unwilling to level with this guy.
Duquan's thoughts on death sound like they are coming from a guy who knows what he is talking about. You don't get the experience to have that knowledge without seeing this kind of thing often. Duquans innocence just like so many other kids has been revoked way too prematurely
Duquan: pensive. Pensive because he serves the role of a commentator. He gets beat up on, but he knows what's what and when he does open his mouth wise things come out. Namond gets typical. He is the kind of kid that everybody was in junior high. insecure, apperance orientd and afraid to do the difficult thing and usually opts out. Finally there is torn for MIchael. He is at the crossroads of his destiny and must choose between two lives, both very different. Both dangerous. There is no one to help him make perhaps the hardest decision of his life.
1. I think the show is called the wire obviously because of the wire taps. I think the title of the wire represents the fact that everyone in this shows loosely connected. Mall the plots in the show effect all the others in some way, shape, or form.
ReplyDelete2.I think Prez was being a pushover by letting them go. There is now way the class is going to respect Prez if he just lets them of the hook. Despite his recent attempts to enforce some kind of discipline the class still doesn't respect him. Now that he let them out of detention they will think that he won't commit to anything he says.
3.Nammond's apology is complete crap. I feel it was an apology that was required by the assistant principal. I don't believe Nammond is sincere at all.
4. I think it means that Dukie is not innocent. It is implied that since his parents are junkies that he knows a lot about drugs. I also think he is the only one outside of Marlo's crew that knows about the row houses. Dukie seems like he knows what goes on and that it doesn't surprise him at all.
5.Nammond-pressured, Because of who his dad is, Nammond is under constant pressure to get into the drug business and be tough. As we all can see, Nammond is not tough. Dukie-accepting, I think that because people do not generally accept Dukie and shun him, he his an accepting person that does not his back on somebody when they need somebody. Randy-Hopeful, Randy is very smart and has a good business acumen. I noticed he has little to know interest in drug dealing at all. I think he can end up succesful if he just follows the right path. Michael-Independent, Michael seems to want to do everything on his own. He is always refusing help. I think he thinks the only one he can really coun on is himself.
"The Wire" doesn't have a deep meaning to it. There are two ways that the show can be deciphered: one, clearly, a show about the wire tap, and two, the connection of everything and everyone in West Baltimore. Everyone is either connected in an obvious or subtle way. I don't think Prez is being a pushover at all by letting the kids go early from detention. If anything he shows bravery, because to have the courage to even pitch the idea of getting stickers or getting detention to a group of "corner kids" is a risk in itself. Detention consists of the worst of the worst, so a class of about 20 or more corner kids being held after school for an extra hour can do nothing but yield negative results. Prez cares about these kids, and he's trying to show them that he does. As a teacher, it is Prez's job to forgive students, no matter how big the blemish. I think Namond was really sorry about what he'd done. Namond is not the type of kid that he tries to be. He wants to be a thug, and be seen as being the hardest kid in the school; but he just isn't that kid. He picks on Duquan, who he knows won't retaliate to anything that he does. Namond is just lost in himself. When Duquan takes his friends into the building where the dead bodies are, it shows that he truly cares enough to comfort Randy about his fears of zombies coming out to get him. I'm sure Duquan is well aware of what would happen to him if someone were to find out that he knows about the killings, but he doesn't care. He just wants Randy to feel better, which is a true friend. The word that comes to my mind when I think about Duquan is brilliance. He goes through perhaps the most difficult conditions out of all the boys, yet he is the one that does his school work, comforts Randy, and puts up with Namond and everyone else who degrades him all day, every day. He also took a broken fan off of the sidewalk, and fixed it in just one day, while still having completed all of his school work. For Namond, I would use the word faker. Namond is a faker. He wants to be portrayed as the big bad guy, and he just isn't. He curses out Prez, then apologizes to him. No other kid in that school who would have the audacity to curse out a teacher would even consider coming back to apologize. Namond, again, is lost in himself. For Michael, I would use the term leader. He is basically raising his younger brother, and is attracting attention from the most dangerous drug circle in West Baltimore; at 13. He just has a mentality of not backing down from anyone, which is a trait that is hard to find in most adults, let alone a teenager. For Randy, I would say mislead. I don't think I've seen or even heard Randy talk about doing anything illegal. The only thing he cares about is his money. The kid wants to own a store when he gets older! His problem is simple; he suffers from living in West Baltimore. You can't live there with everything going on, and completely tune out everything that happens. It's impossible. In actuality, none of these kids should be classified as "corner kids". They're just caught up in the West Baltimore circle.
ReplyDeleteOur group also talked about the connections that a wire establishes. All of the story lines are connected, but I think it is a tenuous connection. The individual threads come together to make a larger story with overarching themes, but we also talked about how each world seen in the show is connected to the others, but it is hard to move from one to another. We also talked about how many characters are balancing on a very thin wire. Some, like the kids, could fall into the drug world or try to escape it. Carcetti could be a great mayor or he could end up like Royce. Each character has to work hard to not slip up in a very precarious world.
ReplyDeleteI think Prez is being something of pushover in this situation. We've seen that the most effective teacher is very strict with the students. I think Prez wants the kids to like him, and he's trying to win their favor. In the end, I think the kids see him as someone they can manipulate for their own gain, and they don't respect him when he's always flip flopping and not being authoritative.
I'm not sure that Namond is being sincere here. I think he knows that he needs to apologize, but he doesn't really mean it. Particularly the line "the evil gets in me" seems very fake to me. At the same time, I think it was the right move for Prez to forgive him. He does want to set a good example for the kids, and he doesn't want a tense relationship with any of the kids. He just needs to establish that he won't stand for that kind of behavior again, even if he forgives it the first time.
I think Duquan's comment does say a lot about the kids growing up. I think the entire zombie storyline was immature, but I liked seeing the kids acting like middle school kids who believe in zombies. Duquan, however, never bought it. He is the one who puts an end to their game by showing them the truth, which is that a dead body really is just a dead body. It is a sobering moment. It seems that these kids are never immature for long, because they always get thrown back into the adult world.
I think Duquan is alone. He doesn't really have anyone to turn to. I think that Namond is small. He wants to act big, and fill his father's shoes. He mouths off to his teachers and other adults. But in reality, I don't think he's as confident as he appears. Randy is optimistic. He always seems to be smiling, and he does seem to be a generally nice person. Of course, he doesn't have a problem stealing the hall passes or selling his wares when he should be in class, so I wouldn't call him selfless, which is what originally occurred to me. Michael is independent. His parents seem useless, and he has to basically raise his little brother. He doesn't like taking handouts or owing anyone anything. He does what he thinks will be best for him and his brother, which often means staying distant. I feel most drawn to Randy. I'm not entirely sure why yet, but I haven't seen him heavily involved in the drug world yet. He seems to most hopeful to me. I think he has the potential to get away from the corners and maybe own his own store like he told Prez he wanted to. I'm not sure what will become of him yet, but I think he still has a lot of options.
1.This final/second to final episode that we watched today in class really got to me. I felt extremely sad many times and a little laugh after each of these. I still loved how they made the ending more realistic than a happily ever after ending. The part that really stuck with me was when Bubbles was absolutely breaking down. I could relate to this character and felt the saddest during this scene. He had so much happen to him. He wanted to die, and if not, be jailed for life. His conscience will never be at peace, and he hopes to attempt to heal through self-punishment. My hope for Bubbles is to find religion or some reason to live. Sherrod was his reason up until he killed his own reason to live. The whole story of Bubbles is hard to swallow.
ReplyDelete2. The positives of this episode:
-Namond gets to live with Bunny, and is accepted by his father. This is positive because it gives Namond a chance to become something besides a corner boy, which he isn't even cut out for.
-The government is seeming to improve with Carcetti and he has kept away from corruption.
-Freedman's Major crime's unit is back in action and finding loads of bodies, which is good for just cleaning up the city and catching Snoop and Chris. (Sidenote) I don't actually want snoop to be caught, i find her character hilarious. There is a charm about how she is.
3.The wire is about the unfairness of life and the choices that you have which determine what happens to you. The show gives characters different choices like Michael going with Marlo or Cutty, and Herk's bad decisions. The Wire shows how unfair life can be through Randy's situation with his foster home, Bubbles' murder and Herk's lucky break seeing Royce. It shows the different paths that are caused by the combination of luck of the draw and self-influence.
4.I loved the Wire i would recommend it to almost anyone. I plan to watch seasons 1-5 this summer and if u did this class again i would LOVE to be apart of it so we can talk in depth about the episodes. It's different to watch it alone than to analyze and dissect the show with a group.