Source Evaluation

Greenwald, Anthony. "The Totalitarian Ego Fabrication and Revision of Personal History." American Psychologist 35.7 (1980): n. pg. Web. 18 July 2010.
This journal speaks about different segments of totalitarianism and things that have happened in history. It expresses the feelings behind certain issues and what they have instilled in certain times and people. I am going to use this in my essay to give the reader a description of what certain ways of totalitarianism does to an individual and their feelings.

Meerloo, Joost. "The Rape of the Mind." The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing. World Publishing Company, 1956. Web. 18 Jul 2010. .
“The Rape of the Mind” is a site that is based on sharing techniques that are used to create
“thought control.” Meerlo explains the very basics and the information on how each technique correlates with how this takes over one’s mind. It gives a breakdown of each technique and the reasoning on why it can affect one’s mind.
Joost Meerlo wrote this article in 1956. He is a psychologist who specialized in Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing. This particular article is useful even though it is dated for this research because totalitarian thought control has happened in history way before this time. This has been in effect in history dated back to Hitler times. The author uses many sources and sites them in his writing. The article seems to be filled with quality information.

Topic Proposal

My guiding question is for this research essay is, how does the method of totalitarian thought control contribute to the ways of the women in Handmaid’s Tale?
The topic I plan to research is methods of totalitarian thought control. I want to understand what exactly totalitarian thought control is. My understanding of totalitarian thought control is very sparse. The research will help me to better understand why these women felt the way they did and how they were coached into the actions they carried out. I am not too familiar with what really goes on in the totalitarian thought control processes except for what I have read in the “Handmaid’s Tale”. My research will focus on understanding these methods and how they will help me better understand the ways of this era. I want to know the events that lead up to this way of government, and why they took it to these extremes besides the fact that they just could. I’m interested in finding out the processes and amount of time it takes to gain control over one’s thoughts.
In the Handmaids Tale the women are forbidden to read on top of many other things. I understand that at this time this was a man’s world and women just lived in it. Women all over the world are still forbidden to have rights and live a life that Margaret Atwood explains. I know this and it still doesn’t dawn on me that this is happening in this world right now.
I chose this topic due to the lack of knowledge I have about methods of totalitarian thought control. This will clear up my confusion on why the women were treated in these manners and the reasons behind them going along with everything they were told. This is a tough topic for me to relate to because growing up having all the freedom in the world has made me wonder how this could actual is a reality. Hopefully this research will give me an understanding of how and why this way of control has occurred and the reasons for it continuing till this day.

Weak Thesis/Handmaid's Thesis

1. A- This thesis is weak because it is not arguable and has no claim.
2. A-The thesis is weak due to its broad nature and obvious point of view.
3. B-This statement is broad, not original, and is obviously true.
4. A-The thesis is weak due to being a statement of fact. The claim is also overly broad.
5. A-This thesis has a lot of summary and very general statements.

Thesis for Handmaid’s Tale

Why are the women of Gilead forbidden to read?

If women could read and write, this would create the temptation to strive for more in society and ultimately obtain some form of power.

Is this a Strong Thesis Statement?

I feel that my thesis is strong because it is specific and can also be argued. The women may be forbidden to read for other reasons that aren’t presented but I made a statement that the women are being shielded due to reading and writing being “too much of a temptation.” Other readers may have a total different point of view but this is what makes it arguable.

Check In

Dear Ms. Darrow,
This class has been an experience to say the least. It is a nice change away from the nursing stuff but it has its own difficulties. Being away from the writing part of things for nearly 4 years has been tough. It has been a challenge to remember the basics of writing and what is to be expected. The writing assignments have been especially challenging and I find myself struggling with making things flow when once upon time this wasn’t an issue. On the up side of things the basics are coming back slowly but surely. The biggest success I have had so far has been learning the ins and outs of the writing world. I may not be in tip top shape but I am learning all the things that once slipped away. I have been successful in racking my brain to find the ability to get back into the swing of things.
The readings in this class have really opened my eyes to what war is really like. I have never known anyone close to me to hear their experiences and war stories. O’Brien’s writings really interested me and left me wanting to read all of the chapters and not just the ones assigned. The stories from O’Brien and Huze really opened my eyes to what really goes on in the war. There is so much behind the scenes that everyday people don’t know. The stories showed each side of the characters and gave the reader an idea of what they were like besides just being in the war settings. These soldiers had feelings, wants, and accomplishments before entering the war. These readings really gave me a new outlook for these soldiers that have and that are fighting for our country.
Literary analysis is completely different from any writings I have done in the past. Literary analysis is so difficult for me compared to the usual paper of summarizing. To study the interpretation of literature is so much more difficult than to just summarize what I have just read. I struggle with keeping my mind on a certain piece for evidence. I tend to think of all the things that could relate and get lost in all of that instead of focusing on a single thing. Literary analysis definitely keeps me challenged; I consistently have to watch for the pitfalls of summary.
My goal for the second part of the semester is to improve on my overall performance. Now that I know what is expected and I am able to feel a little more comfortable with diving into things. I hope to fulfill each assignment with more confidence and excel to the best of my abilities. With this in mind, I hope to finish this semester out strong and leave this class with better writing skills then when I started.
Respectfully,
Selena Zamora