Online Language Arts Lesson 2 Task 1: Rainbow Death

Rainbow Death

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

By Hubert Wilson

Hubert Wilson
Hubert Wilson was a Vietnam War veteran who served in the USAF Security Service. He prepped for about 14 months at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas before being sent to an Agent Orange hotspot. About half of them ended up in Da Nang, which was an Agent Orange hotspot, in the 6924th Security Squadron. The rest of them were assigned to Shemya Island, Alaska, which was a more contaminated environment than Da Nang, with the 6984th Security Squadron

His health problems started with unexplained headaches and limb pains. His central nervous system also radically deteriorated with Parkinsonian type tremors, severe headaches, progressive limb pains and many more. No physician had ever diagnosed the specific illness. The heavily contaminated drinking water at Shemya during his year there as an intelligence analyst may be a reason for his symptoms. Organo-phosphate toxins may not run their toxic course until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure. Since he had mobility issues, he turned to writing just like his late Father.

Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant—contaminated with TCDD—used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War. According to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects. From 1962 to 1971, Agent Orange was by far the most widely used of the so-called "Rainbow Herbicides" employed in the herbicidal warfare program. During the production of Agent Orange (as well as Agents Purple, Pink, and Green) dioxins were produced as a contaminant, which have caused numerous health problems for the millions of people who have been exposed.

The poem
This small poem speaks of a modern day ingredient of warfare that has caused appalling death and suffering – not only to its intended victims, the Vietnamese people, but also the service personnel that used or even just came into contact with “Agent Orange”. This poem may remind us that wars aren’t over when the wars are over.

Source: http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Rainbow

Online Language Arts Lesson 2 Task 2: Rainbow Death

Point of view

The poem “Rainbow Death” is from the Vietnam soldier’s point of view. The soldier is the poet, Hubert Wilson, and he had been sent to an Agent Orange hot spot before and so, he is trying to depict the damage that the Agent Orange had caused. He might have seen deaths or damages caused by the Agent Orange himself so he was very frustrated at the Americans because “America did not foresee” the “Toll on the innocent and unborn.”

Situation and setting

The poem depicts the war between Vietnam and America. “America did not foresee” the “Toll on the innocent and unborn.” and used the Agent Orange on the Vietnamese, trying to defeat them. However, the Agent Orange caused sufferings of the adult and children and even caused deaths and birth defects. The Agent Orange also caused appalling death and suffering, not only to the Vietnamese, but even the USA themselves. The poet who was an American soldier was sent to one of the Agent Orange hot spot, Shemya Island, Alaska, along with the 6984th Security Squadron. Hence, the poem was written with a background of the war between Vietnam and America and the use of Agent Orange in the war.

Language/ Diction

Irony

The title “rainbow death” is an irony itself because the author use the word rainbow to connect with death. Although the rainbow in the poem is about the Agent Orange but it is very hard for the reader to associate “rainbow” with “death”. Rainbow is usually about beauty and colorfulness but the title suggest that that rainbow which is the Agent Orange actually kills. Hence, this is an irony.

Alliteration

“thinking twice” is alliteration and it suggests that we should be thinking twice before starting a war. The use of alliteration emphasizes the phrase. “Execrable effects” is also alliteration. This phrase emphasizes on the effects of the Agent Orange as it caused many deaths and sufferings. The use of alliteration also suggests that how the people who are exposed to the Agent Orange suffers.

Personal Response

I am disturbed after reading the text. The poem is about the war between Vietnam and America and it talks about how the people suffered when they were exposed to Agent Orange. This makes me sad because many people were suffering and dead. Many babies were born with defects. Hence, I am very disturbed after reading this text.

Interpersonal

Interpersonal: a. Conduct an interview with a friend (not from HCI) or family member. Find out from their point of view on prejudice and discrimination. Either record the interview or write out the interview transcript.

I : What do you think prejudice and discrimination are?

My mother : I think prejudice and discrimination is a wrong way of treating others, for example, in a unfair manner. However, there is a difference between prejudice and discrimination because I think prejudice is less significant than discrimination.

I : What is your point of view on prejudice and discrimination?

My mother: I don't like being discriminated and I also hates others who discriminate. So, I think prejudice and discrimination is wrong and we should not think or carry out any activities that is related to prejudice and discrimination.

I : What should we do when we see other doing that?

My mother: I think we would help the person who is discriminated by defending him.

I : Thank you

Intrapersonal

Intrapersonal [pick one]: a. Who would you want to be friends with in the novel? Explain.

I think i would like to be friend with Atticus Finch because I know that Atticus was a very kind man without prejudice of the blacks. He also had strong morals and he brought up his kids by teaching them the morals and letting them to be what they want to be, instead of being a true southern belle or gentleman.

Hence, I would like to learn from him and the values and morals that he had so that I can be a better person in the future and know what is wrong and what is right with the morals and values that Atticus Finch possessed.

My Multiple Intelligences Result

As from what is shown, my highest score, 21 points, is logical. Following up in scores are interpersonal and intrapersonal, both got 19 points. I score a 17 points for linguistic and 15 points for musical. Finally, I scored 14 points for both naturalist and and visual/spatial and, lastly, 13 points for kinesthestic.

This result means that I am certainly a number smart and I am also a people and myself smart but in music, I am not so talented so I scored not so high point for music smart. I am also not a naturalist or visual/spatial smart. Lastly, I am certainly not a body smart.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism means that someone use or close imitate the language and ideas of another author and make them as their own original work. I feel that this act is very irresponsible and it shows the personality of the person who plagiarize. That person is very irresponsible and he should also be considered as a cribber.

Plagiarism can cause a lot of consequences, such as expulsion from a university or loss of a job. Plagiarism can also cause a writer's loss of credibility and professional standing. When writers use material from other sources, they must acknowledge this source. Not doing so is called plagiarism, or infringing copyrights, which means using without credit the ideas or expressions of another. Hence, we should avoid plagiarism.

We should caution:

1. against using, word for word, without acknowledgment, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc., from the printed or manuscript material of others.
2. against using with only slight changes the materials of another
3. against using the general plan, the main headings, or a rewritten form of someone else's material.

These cautions can apply to information you find on the Internet, World Wide Web, or other electronic or on-line sources and to the work of other students as well as to the published work of professional writers. Hence, I think it is fine that we find resources on World Wide Web but it is important that we state the source of the resources that we are taking. Therefore, we should not plagiarize and infringe copyrights.

Information and source on Plagiarism:

1. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism

Expectations

My parents expected me to become a useful person in the future so that I can contribute to the society and let them have more glory. They wanted me to study hard and work hard in order to achieve good results. They also expected me to do well in all areas, especially acedemic.

However, when I grow up, I expect my child to do well to and want him to be an all-rounded person. I will send him for special course, such as piano playing and etc. I might also expect him to have a clear mind of what wrong and what is right. I also expected him to do well in his subjects as well as sports.

I think there are not much difference in expectations between my parents and I. It's probably because I am influenced by my parents but I think my expectations of my child might change as I grow up.