How many People have YOU Ignored?
Reading Preformance Task by Christian Slomba
Introduction
Invisibility is an important part and issue in our culture today. From monsters to normal people in movies, books, and music we seem to have an affinity for invisibility. But how would the public react if we were forced to acknowledge the homeless living on our streets? The sources chosen and listed below will show examples of invisibility from fiction to reality.
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind
This book ascertains to invisibility because in the book a transfer of power has recently occurred. The people of Malawi, Africa used to be ruled by a dictator but recently an election was allowed to take place. The new president ignores all of their needs and wants and basically just leaves he poor people to starve. This is supported by this direct quote from the text "But this one just chooses not to see." (Kamkwamba. Pg139.)
Things not Seen
This book relates to invisibility because in it the character is literally invisible. He gets to experience what a person that everyone is ignoring feels like. He gets a hands on experience with how being invisible can affect a person. This effects him and is shown through when he loses his temper and gets annoyed with his parents very easily. One example of this is when he calls his father "Joe Physics". (Clements .Pg.4) Another time is when he says that "I don't say anything. I don't have to, so I don't" (Clements. Pg.32) Another reason that this book is so relevant is the fact that another one of it's main characters is a blind girl, whose stereotype is often ignored and is therefore invisible.
Homeless Children
This article relates to invisibility because almost no one, if anyone, notices homeless children in the world today. This is because most people don't wan't to acknowledge that there are homeless children. This leads to the homeless people feeling like they don't exist and that they can't affect the world in any significant way. They also can feel like they aren't self sufficient and need other people to help them and provide them with shelter and food. This in turn damages their self image and makes them give up on ever finding a better life for themselves. However there is hope for them. Theresa Muller (pictured below) is moving out of the motel room that she shares with her three children, boyfriend, and father and moving into a new home. This proves that there is hope for the homeless to get a better life.(Stateline.org)
Citations
""Invisible" Homeless Kids Challenge States." Newsela. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
Kamkwamba, William, and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. New York, NY: William Morrow, 2009. Print.
"Things Not Seen." 0142400769. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.