Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Nathan

College is considered a "different world" for several reasons. Although Nathan is referring to Woodson's text, Mis-Education of the Negro, when he tells Souljah, "It'll definitely open your eyes to whats going on in the world," this statement encompasses the experiences and exposure Souljah receives during her tenure at an institution of higher learning. Having read chapter 2 of No Disrespect, discuss the underlying theme, as you have interpreted it, with evidence from the text. Remember you must respond to a peer's post to receive full credit. Challenge each other's views. Question each other's perspective. Push each other to think deeply about the issues and concerns being raised.

42 comments:

  1. Having read chapter 2 it is evident that Souljah has grown as an individual. Moving into this new open environment she was able to expand and explore on her thoughts and articulate herself to others that can understand her level of intelligence. Many things happened in the chapter entitled "Nathan" such as finding love and overcoming her fear of trusting a man. Souljah dismissed a lot of young males because they were "too dark" but she realized that if she continued she will be like everyone else. Nevertheless Souljah falls in love with Nathan and this happens because they challenge each other to deepen their thoughts to go to a place in both their minds they did not believe was possible to reach. This chapters mainly focuses on self identity and realization. Having becoming a college student away from her mother and siblings played a major role in Souljahs life and dealing with issues. While on campus Sister found out about a lot of things that hurt her severely that was falling apart that she wish she was there to save and keep together. Many changes took place while she was in college for the better even though Sister was not doing it for herself solely it impacted her greatly. "I looked at her and I felt superior, dominant, and far more beautiful" (Souljah 83). This demonstrates a time when Sister saw Nathan after a while with a white girl. Here Souljah seeks her security through the eyes of others, she has to look at others and find fault in them to feel better about herself. Souljah signs up for different organizations because she wants to help improve the future and give blacks more opportunities that may have not been offered before. Souljah loved Nathen and then he broke up with her a couple months after he took her virginity. She tried day in and day out to get him back until he told her he was gay she finally gave up. Souljah was hurt she thought that Nathan was someone she can trust but yet another man deceives her.

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    1. I agree with Jada because I have also seen that Sister Souljah have mold into a strong and intelligent girl. While attending college, she is very skeptical of who she should be around. She also faced obstacles on and off the campus with both Nathan and her family. I also agree with Jada that the chapter mainly focuses on self-identity because Sister Souljah becomes more observant of the way black people are being treated, both in the past and present. Eventually, Souljah fell in love with Nathan but in the end, she was hurt and supposedly lied too.

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    2. I agree with you Jada in some aspects. I don't believe Nathan ended with Sister Souljah because he was gay or because he just wanted to take her virginity. Nathan had a big conflict within himself which was he had no clue who he truly was. He fell in love with Sister Souljah and set her free but he wasn't set free . He still felt incomplete manhood when seeing other guys and he felt he wasn't much of man for her because "they've all been so destroyed in one way or another" (p.116). He was able to articulate the history of blacks but did not have the confidence to show his true him . This might be due to racism in America. I do agree that the theme is self identity and realization because self Identity is something Souljah lacked but Nathan helped her gain a little . Realization occurred in this chapter when Sister realized she doesn't have to be into someone exterior because the interior is what makes the person. Also when she realized she has natural beauty and she can show that to others without being scared or embarrassed .

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    3. I agree with both Jada and Lisa on the statement made in connection to Nathan and his status of being gay or straight. Him revealing his affair with david definitely place Sister Souljah in a state of shock. But I believe she was more heartbroken due to the fact that she believed she finally had someone that had all she desired. I truly believe that once you have thought of being with and/or had relations with the same sex you are automatically consider homosexual n society. Now to what degree?, is what causes the controversy. Nathans manhood was surely evident to Sister Souljah and everyone he surrounded his self with but he did not feel it within in himself. Being a strong black man is something he lead on to the public but he was really a man of confusion. He still was trying to understand how to get past the phase that he experienced. Honestly the only way I believe he could move on is by excepting who he was and not destroying the man he is now.

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  2. As Souljah begins her journey through college, her perception and view of the world as a whole begins to change drastically. She is being introduced to new material that she didn't have access to prior to her enrollment, and the process is mind blowing. In fact, she speaks of the mental misguidance and seclusion that she felt after discovering this wealth of knowledge, which she believes was the result of the lack of exposure she was deprived of from her old high school. They had not taught her at all about her own race and she was surprised at the fact that books on African studies ever existed. She then hunts down every one of these books to quench her need to learn more about what was hidden from her her whole life. She also meets an African man named Nathan, whom she dated, that shared similar anti-racial beliefs with her, and he also exchanges vasts amounts of knowledge with her as well. He teaches her about the nation's attempts to keep blacks at low positions and at maintaining their white dependency as well as trying to suppress them from the knowledge of the contributions that they themselves have made. He explained that they did this by disguising the Egyptians as an ethnic group apart from theirs. Both her access to new information as well as Nathan helped Souljah to pull away from the social chains that were binding her back from being knowledgeable of her own race. As a result, she then separates herself from what one will call the "ordinary African American negro", that knows nothing of their race to a more enlightened individual that is much more aware of their situation inside White America. She becomes less assimilated with the American culture and defines herself more as an African being. Her tenure in college transitions her even more into an intellectual and has a very positive impact on her. She realizes how severe her naivety is, which, if not corrected any sooner, could have proven to be her downfall. She may have unknowingly become the product of America that the government hoped she would become just like her mother. She may have thought she knew enough about her race, when in reality there was much she didn't know and she stayed within the mental boundaries that society has placed on her. But her exposure to a college education helped free herself of these bonds, which helped her to become the intellectual that she truly wished to be.

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    1. I agree with you 100%. Sister Souljah learns more about her race in her journey in a institution. She was oblivious about everything pertaining to Africans before Nathan came along . Nathan and sister shared many anti- racial beliefs like you said. Her college education and the people she encounters helps her free herself from the constraints of being in the projects almost her entire childhood and teenage years.

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    2. I agree with Marlon, Sister Souljah gains knowledge about her race though our her journey in college. However i believe she lose that belief one she met Nathan because they shared the same beliefs. This chapter i believe will change her drastically within the next chapter due to the various experiences she had growing up.

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    3. I agree with Marlon because Sister Souljah strengthen her mind with new information about her race. When she first met Nathan in the library, she was not interested in him. Until, she had a clear thought from a sister, did she change her mind. From there, her and Nathan and a few other colleagues have been having intellectual discussions. With these discussions, her mind have opened up to learn more about the African studies.

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    4. I strongly agree with Marlon, Sister Souljah has always been use to the life of not having. But the sense of nothingness allowed her to see life for more than what she actually made it out to be. Meeting Nathan also helped broaden her mind and aspect on everything around her. She began to have a really good thirst for knowledge and college was just the place for that.

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  3. As Sister Souljah is beginning her journey to college, she is faced with many challenges both on and off the campus. As she gets adjusted into her new college lifestyle, she gets into romance and heartbreaks but, that did not stop her from continuing with her education. As she gets settled in with her classes, she meets a boy named Nathan, who was "...a tall, very dark skinned brother..."(Souljah, 58). Souljah was not very interested into Nathan at first until she was at the hut one night, listening to one of her sister spoke "all I am asking is that when you look at me you realize that I am you --- And, if you hate me you hate yourself and who we are as a people"(Souljah, 62). How could we hate ourselves, when we are all the same? I believe that no matter what color we are, people should have some sort of self-identity. From there, Souljah has been hanging around with Nathan, mostly in his room with other colleagues, in high intellectual discussions. She began to learn even more about her ethnicity with all the books she has been reading and found them intriguing of the existence of African works. Nathan and Souljah started to become more engaged with each other and with her learning new pieces of information about her race. Nathan told her "...that white civilization had taught African people to hate themselves"(Souljah, 75). Are we not all equal? Who said that one race should be beneath the other and have superiority? Why do white people corrupt African people minds with lies? What makes African Americans different from society?Sister Souljah said "The difference is cause and effect---The white girl represents the people who, throughout history, have caused the destruction of the African culture, the African family and the African value system...African people...have been destroyed year by year by the conditions that were created and caused by whites and their government and their educational system"(Souljah, 87). She is starting to become less assimilated with the American society and more into the African experience. The more knowledge that she begins to obtain, she starts to get an even more in depth clarification of who she is.

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    1. I agree with you Shenika. I like the way you used symbolism to fully develop your thought. I strongly agree with your thoughts about Souljah no longer trying to assimilate into another culture and is now focusing on African culture and experiences. This shows growth and individuality because Souljah was looking for beauty through the eyes of others and seeing fault in others to feel better about her self (83). Having been brought up in a community that constantly watches you and your every move with people who are against you because one thinks they are better they want to see one fail. This is why Souljah found it necessary to build her knowledge on her African background because she does not want to be like all these other colored individuals walking around with no clue of their past.

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  4. I agree with you that Souljah matured and transitioned into a woman. She did change her image to please Nathan and make him notice her more on another level. Blacks are under-educated because whites wanted to stay in control. Whites believes that if blacks was given the same advantages as they were they would retaliate and conquer. Yes Sister overcame her fear of trusting males but she was still skeptical because Nathan continuously gave her reasons for her still to believe in to not trust a man. Souljah grew but still have a lot more growing to do. However, losing a male in her life is repetitive which is why she tried to hold on to Nathan because he was her true definition of a man.

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  5. After reading chapter “Nathan” I begin to get a whole new perspective on the new matured Sister Souljah who has grown as an individual. She is now attending a university and as a result there is a new environment to her. In this new environment she has the ability to expand and explore her thoughts about other people she encounter. Shocking and seeming a bit odd Souljah is in search for love and having the capability to trusting a man. This seems odd simply because I remember her stating she would never trust or love a man. In the beginning of this chapter I began to realize Sister was losing her focus because she has been overwhelmed by the new environment and boys. “Just then a few brothers passed our table with their trays. One of them looked good to me must have been staring because the other junior girls quickly said don’t waste your time girl he’s a player!” (Souljah 55). She than began to say how she believed the other girls was just jealous. I think she is becoming a bit arrogant when she described her body as a weapon and her intelligence to drive men crazy. Everything changed once Sister Met Nathan who she believes was very handsome and charming. I believe she was a bit overwhelmed by this boy because how she would act towards him. She states that she lost her virginity to her ex-boyfriend who she had been going out with in high school for 2 years but she didn’t feel much attracted to him. Well at the end Nathan takes her “virginity” and breaks up with her. I believe this was a lesson welled learn simply because she trusted a man and had her emotions played with and her heart shattered. But what I found funny was when she was fighting to get Nathan back he confessed that he was an homosexual. I did not see that coming I actually believed he was the one for her. However I seem to understand his reasoning for having sex with Sister. He wanted to be accepted in college and after not having economic problems having sex with men was his way of surviving in this new environment. He is a prostitute and based on my opinion it seem kind of weird but I was able to understand his point of reasoning.

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  6. I agree with you both i began to notice a change in Sister Souljah and how she was transitioning into a young women. These changes however resulting in her being heart broken by a man who was actually a homosexual. Although she may have been heart broken i seen Nathan as being a man who could be considered her love. I just think her love was at the wrong time and it wasn't really Nathan's fault it was his fate simply because he had to have sex with men in order to make money. I believe losing a male in her life is repetitive.

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  7. “Freshman women ain’t considered nothing around here but pieces of meat. These dudes is like sharks smelling blood. But y’all are dumb and young, so I’ll warn you. But you’ll give ‘em some anyways cause you still think the goddamn world revolves around you” (Souljah 55). As she attended college she started to let her guard down with the idea of not trusting any man. In college many books enlightened her to think of her community in the Bronx and how the projects made her miserable. She meets Nathan; a young and intelligent black boy that complemented her in many ways. Later, as she became to feel confident about her body, but Nathan also began to slip away. However, Nathan was able to educate her into loving herself. Nathan’s lesson to life is, don’t live up to white people’s expectation of greatness but figure out your own identity. Nathan taught her “that our minds were actually so destroyed that we found it hard to such basic things as love each other and see the goodness and values in ourselves” (Souljah 76). Even though Nathan may seem knowledgeable and helps Souljah to recognize her flaws, what was the purpose for him to go out with her? I felt as if he was confused about his sexuality and didn’t know where to place Souljah in his life. He quotes “To put them odd all I had to do was keep pointing out their faults so they would never see my faults” (Souljah 115). I believe Nathan was joke and she should have realized it a long time ago so she could move. He felt that girls had no self respect because based on what he has learned he find that we tend to hate one another. One thing I would point out Nathan is significant to Souljah life because beyond the beauty, he looked at her intellectualize. Nathan is attracted to Souljah because see is natural, she is able to show her true self, from all the fake, such as the weave she had.
    I believe the theme of chapter 2; as a black person in this society don't forget where you came from.

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    1. Yes Stephanie, I agree. It's a shame when things happen to us at young and impressionable ages and it becomes hard for her us to shake off the experience when we grow up. I think that their relationship could have grown to be something beautiful, however it was just the wrong time. Besides, Nathan told her it would take years to catch up with her (Souljah 116). I don't blame Sister Souljah for her decision not to wait for him because time goes on whether one likes it or not. Nathan probably did receive help with learning how to have healthy relationships with women, but I still feel like he'll always have a small piece of him that stays in touch with homosexuality.

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  8. After reading the chapter entitled "Nathan" I gained a new vision of who Sister Souljah is and the potential woman she would become. It was very evident that she matured and became a very strong minded woman. Now that she is in her freshman year of college, there lots of new things she will experience that are put there as a wave of distraction. Her thinking is so far fetch,that the only people who she gravitates toward and crave attention from, are from those who are positive leaders on campus as well as intellectually strong. Honestly ,I believe that there is not battle Sister Souljah has/will encounter were does not know how to go about it. Through her experiences before college, as a reader you understand that she clearly knows who she is and her expectations of those who are around her. Souljah's look on life is definitely unique and inspiring to me. Even though she had all her academics together, she still longed for a partner to love. Sister Souljah writes in a way where the reader is constantly engaged, allowing you to never miss the point that she is making. Her vivid descriptions paint a clear picture of the situations she was placed in and gave a step by step explanation on her reasoning. Its hard to express all my thoughts because she puts so much on out once.

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    1. I agree with you Correl. Sister Souljah thought she had found a partner love, Nathan, until she came across the fact that his interest wasn't fully in females. She was disappointed to find out this news but she continued as the strong minded individual she is as you stated. Indeed it was evident that she had matured but she was always portrayed as a strong minded female ever since adversity hit her family. However, coming to college finally brought her to freedom.

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    2. Now that I look at it, I believe her explicit words, her brash attitude, and the "vivid descriptions" she uses is a way to connect specifically to blacks in America. The diction around poor predominantly black areas are, lets be honest, very vulgar and unapologetic, so she uses the way her target audience talks to connect to them. I believe Sister Souljah has the capacity to be very verbose, to intimidate even the most well-read of intellectuals, but this explicit writing ignores all the flowery fittings that college books and such have. Reading her text is simply like watching a reality TV show.

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  9. Attending college appeared to be a well-needed experience for Sister Souljah. Prior to her attendance, she had always been strong, outspoken and curious about the world. Souljah describes college as "the one place on earth that offers young people the chance to be free" (51). Meeting Nathan allowed her to explore a world of freedom. She appreciated him being the first man to actually "take the time to show and explain thing [she] never knew" (Souljah 93). Her faith in their relationship was so strong that she hoped and prayed for logical reasons that explained his frequent disappearances and strange behavior. I don't think she was being judgmental or shallow because he admitted his homosexuality. I believe her hurt and anger derived from the idea of them growing so close together and he still couldn't be honest with her. After he revealed his secret, Sister Souljah viewed him as a "shattered husk of a man" that needed to be set free as well (Souljah 116). She was too strong of a woman to continue entertaining a broken who could no longer do anything for her.

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    1. I agree with you Sarye. I also don't think she was being judgemental or shallow because of what he finally admitted to her. I believe she was angry and more disappointed because she expected them two to get somewhere. However, this news crushed her expectations. Although she liked the experiences Nathan opened her to, she was disappointed to find out about his homosexuality.

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    2. I agree with Sarye and Chanel, because once Souljah heard the secret, she was very confused and shocked because everything she did was for Nathan. She had fallen for Nathan that she decided to love him more than worrying about herself. She made sure she had impressed Nathan because she was attracted by his knowledge and appearance. I believe since she don't have both of her parents, she has to maintain being independent. She has a lot of thing going on in her life. She was extremely hurt because she never once expected Nathan to be that person

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  10. I agree with you Lisa. I was happy that Sister Souljah was able to expand her horizons and not be so quick to judge what she liked and didn't like. It's better to give people a chance than to judge a book by it's cover. Ironically, Sister Souljah learned to admire and appreciate Nathan's "cover" as well as the content of his character. In contrast, I think she always had an idea of what she wanted in a man. It just may have been hard for her to accept male-female relationships because of her childhood experiences.

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  11. Reading "Nathan" showed the experiences that Sister Souljah was now coming across. She was at her point of her life where she was finally open to freedom. When she attends college she felt excited and hyped. "I was excited and hyped to be going to college. After all, college is the one place on earth that offers young people the chance to be free" (Souljah, 51). She was at her point of life where she felt she could free her sexually for the first time since high school. Having encounters with different people, she came across Nathan who she first didn't have the best impression until she took the time to know him. Meeting Nathan she was impressed by the conversations and the exploration she came across with him. When she discovered his homosexuality, i don't think she her intentions were to be critical, i believe she was disappointed because of the expectations she had for them as they became close. But, she continued as the strong individual that she is.

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    1. I agree with you a 100% Chanel. After not paying any attention to Nathan and then going back and taking tot he time to get to know him and finding out such news, would have took a toll on anyone. Not intensionally trying to be rude but disappointment can come out in the wrong way. Do you think that after finding out his homosexuality, that she wished she didnt take the time out to know him?

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    2. I believed that you elaborated on her extraordinary experience with Nathan. As she was in college she fell in love with him. This is an experience each individual may similarly face in college. After finding out about his homosexuality she should now gain knowledge of not trusting no one. This was simply a lesson being taught the hard way.

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    3. This chapter did include her being free physically but I wonder was she free mentally? She was blinded by love which prevented her from noticing the obvious. When she said "I was excited and hyped to be going to college. After all, college is the one place on earth that offers young people the chance to be free" (Souljah, 51) I predicted that she would get caught up with a boy. This chapter opened her eyes and brought her back to reality.

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  12. In Chapter Two of No Disrespect Souljah is starting her college experience. The escape to college is something Souljah needed with her family issues.She found that college was a fall she can be free. she found a sense of pride in the Black Community, she took African Literature classes. “Freshman women ain’t considered nothing around here but pieces of meat. These dudes is like sharks smelling blood. But y’all are dumb and young, so I’ll warn you. But you’ll give ‘em some anyways cause you still think the goddamn world revolves around you” (Souljah 55). Souljah at first allowed herself to be open to men and love for the first part in her life , but after the juniors let her know what men in college thoughts were about she quickly reverted her ideas.Then she meet Nathan who inspired her intellectually and spiritual. Nathan was very intelligent but his religion and sexuality left his very confused she was very hurt his confession to her. Chapter 2 shows Sister souljah growth as a person.

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    1. Inari, I agree with you but what do you mean by at first she allowed herself to be open to mean and love for the first part in her lif? I remember SOuljah always saying that seeing the things that her mother went through with men had put a toll on her life. She said she would have male friends but she did not want a relation like a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. Do you think that her thoughts on relationships like boyfriend and girlfriend changed since she went away to college?

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  13. This chapter was a miasma of disappointments, confusion, and disillusions. We follow Souljah through her first real relationship in college, and her "official" deflowering. At the root of it all the problems presented in this chapter all stem from a parental absence, specifically the father. We hear that her little sister is pregnant at the tender age of 13,"It was my mother's voice on the other end of the line. She was calling to tell me my sister was pregnant." I believe Souljah's sister naively got herself involved with a boy because of the absence of a respectable male figure. Most have heard the generalization that females who do not have a father figure, or had a bad relationship with them, turn out to be the most promiscuous ones. There may be some truth to that, as Souljah's little sister did not have a responsible male figure to admire, or to base her own expectations of a man on. As a result she wilts in the presence at any male who shows any interest in order to validate herself. The key word here is a "responsible" man, because one can argue that Nathan had a male figure to look up to, but that is sadly not the case. Nathan was permanently wounded at a young age by a male that took advantage of him. Imagine what kind of man he would be if that rapist did not taint the waters of his mind, he would not have to drown his sorrows in alcohol in order to get rid of his "demons." The relationship between Nathan and Souljah would have been stable, and if that relationship did end for another reason, it would not be from a simple "I'm not interested in women right now." It seems that in both these cases, the absence of a male figure while developing, leads them to seek out that figure later one.

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    1. I agree with you Dale because there is rarely any role models or father figures that guide a teenager throughout their life. Based on what we have reed thus far, her life hasn't improved since her father left. Souljah never had a father figure, so eventually she didn't have a clear idea what she was going to do in college. She had no support, and she was an independent women holding down her family. If Nathan and Souljah both had a person to look up to, they would have lasted. When reading this chapter, I was confused and became very weird because even though Souljah was intelligent or cute;what was the purpose of going out with her? In looking at your statement toward Chapter 2 dale, I would say the underlining theme of the text is neglecting a child. Abandoning a child can impact them in a huge way, because in the future they lose all faith in hope.

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  15. After, reading the second chapter "Nathan" I believe the underlying theme of this chapter was enforcing your values and morals. Even though she had a rough childhood she decided that she wouldn't become a statistic. During this chapter she decides on focus on bettering herself and enhancing her education not only on her history but the way others interpret it. She develops a new sense of pride and confidence not only in herself but in her roots. Even though it takes for her to meet Nathan to really embrace who the real her is she develops a whole new sense of pride that one's way beyond what Nathan showed her. Sistah souljah stays true to her values and makes it evident that she wants more. More than what anyone had every provided and is determined to let society give it to her. Embracing her mind, body and culture is helping her become a woman that can't be stopped. She uses the skill of being very observant to her advantage and begins to learn some lessons vicariously from others

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    1. I admire how you began to clarify the themes within the chapter. I agree with you a 100% Brietnni on how she tries to better herself. Knowing Sisters’ childhood background not having a father figure impacted her tremendously. Do you believe that this will allow her to view all men to be the same? You should also incorporate literary text to support your opinion.

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    2. I too agree with the themes that you've clarified within the chapter. I was surprised to hear that her 13 year old sister was pregnant. That is a relevant issue in today's society. I agree with you brittania, i wonder how her life would e if she had a strong male figure in her life? Do you guys think it would have changed her life completely?

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  16. After reading chapter to of Sister Souljah's No Disprespect I believe that Shouljuah began to realize her values in life. Sister Souljah felt a bit excited to go away to college because she was getting away from all of the issues her and her family was facin back home. " I was excited and hype to be going to college. After all, college is the one place on earth that offers young people the chance to be free. by living on campus, far from home, we get the opprtunity to act out of all our suppressed personality traits and hidden desres. We then become the person we've always wanted to be" (Souljah, 51). That statement shows that Sister Soulja was ready to get away was ready to open a new chapter in her life and she was ready to finally be able to do as she please. Being in college was new for Souljah but she was definitely ready for anything tha decided to come her way. SIster Souljah was a very smart young women and believed that no one could talk her for a fool.When first meeting Nathan SOuljah didnt like him. She thought of him as "black as the ashes from the incinerator of my old building in the projects" (Souljah, 59). But after going to the speakeasy on Friday noghts and listening to the other college astudents soeak there mind Souljah realized that they made valid points. One point that I beleive stuck with Siouljah was the one about the not paying attention to the dark-skinned students because that is exactly what she ended up doing to Nathan.

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  17. After reading No Disrespect by Lisa Williamson’s the chapter “Nathan” was a mind opening condition. This chapter elaborates on how she began attending college in order to be free and responsible. I was impressed with her actions as she took the initiative in learning African studies. She was neglected by her high school teachers as they hidden her culture from her. As she learnt the truth I am surprised when she meet Nathan her reactions towards him was unexpected. The hut was where the discussions and concerns of African American actions arose. As African American we degrade ourselves by putting down each other especially the dark skinned brother and sister. As stated “If Africans were the first people on this earth… And, if God is black, and most of us say that we love God, why do we hate ourselves?”(62). Lisa began to fall for Nathan who she once consider was as black as the ashes. She found someone who challenged her with her culture. Lisa learnt her lesson as she was blinded by love. Nathan seek out the little faults in Souljah to pretend that he has no imperfections himself. Her father warned her not to trust no man this may be an incident that contribute to her benefiting from those disadvantages.

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  18. After reading chapter two of Sister Souljah's No disrespect, I've realized that that she is her road to woman hood. In comparison to the first chapter Mother, She is now search for more information about her culture. She is encouraged to make a difference in her community. She lacks a father figure so she has no foundation and falls for boys without understanding everything that comes with them. What she thought of Nathan ironically changed. She was blinded by love meanwhile he was gay. He mentally and physically pleased her, leading her to finding out his truth. This chapter showed extreme confusion and misleading results to show how her experiences shaped her as a person

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    1. Jahceim-I agree with certain things you stated in your post but I got to disagree. In chapter 2 I never really saw where she transformed into a women. Since young she was matured and had insights about life. Like in chapter 1 I believed that Sister Souljah knew what it meant to be a women, just do the opposite of her mom. I also, disagree because she had many father figures in her life, many was just not permanent.

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    2. I also believe that she is becoming a women in this chapter. She's becoming more responsble in decisions. However I believe you should consider the fact of that once females get attach it becomes real hard to loose admiration of them. Although Nathan was gay didn't know that and her feelings were as strong as any young naive feeling untouchable.

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  19. In "Nathan" the second chapter of Sister Souljah's book No Disrespect, she presented her reader with various theme. I believe the underlying theme of this chapter is learning who you are as a person. In college Sister Souljah started realizing how she was truly as a person. She started changing the way she dressed,the way she keep her hair, and her sexually fantasies."I felt good being brown. But black was far too extreme for me..So I was guilty of self-hatred and never knew it"(Souljah 62-63). Sister Souljah started to embrace her African heritage. She felt guilty that she ignored boys because they were black. Souljah went so far to remove the weave out of her hair. In addition, she was taking many black studies classes and could not find her self from reading books that uplifted African culture. In conclusion, when she went back home and saw her mom with a white man it would hurt her more than if her mom was sleeping with a black man. Sister Souljah had a hatred for the "white' man and believed they were the devil. This all came from her regularizing her true self.

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  20. Having read chapter 2 of no disrespect the underlying theme is that college seem to create these experiences that allows us to learning who we are.I believe that the underlying theme also of this chapter is to expect the unexpected. I say this because sometimes especially early in your life you go through many changes or problems that lead to you changing. Mostly these changes are unexpected it affects you and others you may encounter with in many ways. In this case from reading chapter 2 who would expect that Nathan would turn out to be who he truly is. After leading Souljah on to believing that they were in a stable relationship and then completely ended up breaking her heart. She went through getting to love him and not because of his looks but because of his spiritual, and intellectual appeal. She grew a strong bond with him by talking to him and learning from him about life, meeting his family, staying over his house when she got time, and mainly trusting him never to hurt her. Everything changed later in the chapter when Nathan became depressed from not getting a job after he graduated college. "I decided it's best if we don't see each other. I'm asking you not to come, not to call,not do anything".This left her in a great despair with no idea of why this was happening. This example explains my reasoning for why I believe the theme for this chapter is to "expect the unexpected"

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