Invisibility
What does it mean to be invisible? By: Allie Santoro
THINGS NOT SEEN
In the book "Things Not Seen" there are many examples of invisibility and what it feels like to be invisible. Bobby, the main character, suddenly became invisible to everyone around him and could not see himself again. In the text it states, "And I'm still not there. The mirror is the mirror, and it is on wall, and I am not there in front of it. I think I am-I mean, I see the mirror, I see my towel wave through the air, I see the shower curtain jump when I punch at it. But I don't see me. So I panic." (Clements 2) This example shows that Bobby was nervous and didn't know how to react to this sort of type of situation. This has never happened to him before and may have felt like he was alone because no one else was experiencing what was happening to him also. Another example from the text states, "I couldn't see myself, I couldn't see me going to dances or college or grad school, couldn't see myself becoming an archaeologist. I was never going to get to see the pyramids or the Valley of the Kings. I couldn't even see myself getting married or having kids, or anything I used to wish about. Everything just disappeared." (Clements 106) This piece of evidence is from one of the main characters, Alicia. She is blind and was telling her story how she felt was she became invisible. This shows and tells us that everything that she ever wished fro and wanted in her life just practically came falling down. She felt almost ashamed and most likely disappointed. This book was a great example to show invisibility and what it is like to be invisible.
Clements, Andrew. Things Not Seen. New York: Philomel, 2002. Print.
THE CIRCUIT
This article shows many reasons why and what it is like to be invisible. The main character in this book mostly is the one feeling invisible around others and even his family. His name is Panchito. One way that you can feel invisible is from moving from place to place, and this is what happened to Panchito. In the text it states, "Yes, it was that time of the year. When I opened the front door to the shack, I stopped. Everything we owned was neatly packed in cardboard boxes. Suddenly I felt even more the weight of hours, days, weeks, and months of work. I sat down on the box. The thought of having to move to Fresno and knowing what was in store for me there brought tears to my eyes." (Jimenez 66) This example showed us that Panchito felt disappointed that he was going to have to move again to a new place. Many people can feel this way and especially Panchito because he had been through this experience many times before. Another example from the text states, "Mr. Lema was sitting at his desk correcting papers. When I entered he looked up and smiled at me. I felt better. I walked up to him and asked if he could help me with the new words. "Gladly," he said. The rest of the month I spent my lunch hours working on English with Mr. Lema, my best friend at school." (Jimenez 71) This example shows that the kids in his class did not take into consideration that there was a new kid in the classroom and no one offered to become friends with him. When having no friends or anyone close to you can feel like you are invisible to the world. Panchito felt like no one excepted him except for Mr. Lema. Not only does these reasons impact people's lives but can make them feel like they are physically invisible.
Jiménez, Francisco. The Circuit. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Print.
HOMELESS CHILDREN ARTICLE
Homeless people and children in the United States feel like they are invisible to others that pass by them and ignore them. More and more children are becoming homeless and the number is at an all-time high of 2.5 million children. In the text it states, "Poverty is the great cause of homelessness. Homeless children typically belong to a family headed by a single mother in her 20s, without much education and who is frequently out of a job. Many of these mothers avoid going to shelters for as long as possible. They don’t want their children to live in shelters or they are afraid the family will be split up." (Stateline.org adapted by NEWSELA staff) In that example it says that without much education and who is frequently out of a job, that means that the mother's children have a less likely chance of getting a job and raising money of them own. Without an education they will never get opportunities to get a job, go to college, or have their own house or apartment. Another example from the text states, "Fifty-one percent of kids without a permanent home are under age 6. About 25 percent of homeless preschoolers and 40 percent of homeless school-age kids have mental health issues. Homeless kids are also more likely to be beaten, said Barbara Duffield, policy director for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)." (Stateline.org adapted by NEWSELA staff) This means from being homeless more and more children could get beat up and could get very hurt from other people. Then they would have to go to the hospital to check their injuries but they do not have money to even check if they are badly injured. The problem of homeless children is huge and affects how they feel and act around others.
"Child Homelessness at Record High, Report Says, "call to Action" for States." Newsela. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.