Chapter 6 Outside Post

Finally as the book comes to a conclusion we can see the transformation Jen makes. I honestly thought that Jen was NEVER going to rid herself caring about materialistic possessions. Although the wedding she has starts off as a way to scuffle in money Jen realizes that she really does love her boyfriend Fletch. She begins taking tempertary jobs and starting a blogging site. We are able to clearly see Jen's transformation from a snob to an every day person when she says in her blog post, " Did you--- heh, heh,heh, he, take the BUS? Yes. yes I did" (358). This clearly demonstrates how Jen is giving up her old life and turing into a person with scincre values. The whole reason she even took the bus was to go see her mother who suddleny became ill. The old Jen would have NEVER done this in a million years even for her mothers sake.

Jen yet again demonstrates this switch from an egotistiacal, hauty, mean, women to a empathetic, and understanding friend when she talks about a reaction to a nasty e-mail she got from a friend about her blog. Jen states:
The seventeen year old Jen would have been crushed if she'd recived a condecending notefrom Cal-the Magnificent, even if it was just ment to tease her. But what about the thirty-five-year old Jen? The one with the big butt? Who lives in the 'hood and has a pitbull and acually LIKES polo shirts from Target? Who doesn't have a job is married to a regular guy from Indiana? She just laughed and Laughed. (367) Jen's transformation has obviously finally occured in this passage. She has begun exepting herself for what she truley is not what she has, looks like, or wears. Jen Lanchaser has finally made the change we were all hoping she would.

Outside Reading 5

As the book begins to start wrapping up we are still unable to really see the wonderful qualities in Jen. Her debt is beginging to overwhelm her and she thinks of no other options then to, "GET MARRIED" (200). Jen seems to really like her boyfriend of around five years but I'm not entirley sure it's because of his charm. He has lots of money and in her scheame to get cash Jen decides she is going to marry him. Personally I find this a very shallow and self-centered thing to do. Marry someone only becasue of thier money?? To me that is possibly one of the lowest things a person can do. By Jen deciding she is going to marry her boyfriend for his money again reveals to us how she is still stuck in that "money loving" phase that hopefully she will able to over come.

Jen time and time again gives insite to how materialisc she is. Though we are creeping closer and closer to the end of the memoir she is still showing this embarassing quality. When talking about the perfect things she wants for her wedding (which she is only having to get money, and paying for none of it) she states, "I hate stupid dresses. Hate stupid bridal shops. Hate stupid empolyees at bridal shops....Hate stupid weddings" (223). This quote reveals how although Jen has lost her money, and job, she is still materialisc which seems like a quatlity that I am hopelessly rooting for to change.

Outside Reading 4

Jen's life of luxury, money, and superficial needs are beginning to crumble around her. Just when all seems to be going right, Jen is fired from her job. A classy and respectful staff member would leave with as much dignity as possible but not Jen. When she finds out about her situation Jen rants to her boss telling her, "At some point , Corp. Com. will discover exactly how worthless you are" (91). This act of complete disrespect reveals Jen's true colors once again, also allowing the reader to understand how important Jen's job was to her (i.e how important her money was) that she would feel like she was so above her boss too go and yell like that.
Jen again show this unreal "superiority" to everyone when looking for a new job. She believes she will be hired in a blink of an eye, and that she is so great that the new salary must be up to her standereds. When at an interview with a new boss they discuss salary, and Jen turns down a much needed job, "I wasn't trying to be argumentative. I honestly didn't understand becasue surly in America you can't pay an experienced professional with a college degree $16,000. I figured I was missing something"(102). Jen reveals her true love of self and desire for money through this confrontation. I hope that through losing her job she will really be able to find out that money and things are not so important.

Outside Reading 3

In this weeks reading Jen's undeniable, selfish, egotistical, character continues to not only bring down others but also rely on materialistic possessions. When Jen finds a couch that is, "A magnificent piece of craftsmanship covered in creamy taupe leather and shaped like twin mattresses standing on glossy cherry wood legs"(70). She HAS to have it although she can not afford it ($7000). The argument that follow with her boyfriend ( about buying the couch) shows how superficial and immature she really is. If someone basis their life around what others think about them and their money they can never be truly happy. Jen again shows this view when she decides to enact, "Operation Make More Money"(79). Her shallow view on the world pulls through time and time again as she bullies people and only focuses on the amount of money she makes. Personally I believe that when someone is so materialistic they will end up getting nothing out of life in the end.

On the Water Front

In the movie, On the Waterfront the difference between a "stool pigeon" and someone who is an "informant on criminal activity" is very defined. Our main character, Terry, struggles on whether to tell information about the mob or to keep quite. He knows that he might put himself in danger if he tells but he listens to his consiance and tells anyway. Although Terry makes a decision to stand up for what he believes in, many other characters view him as a "stool pigeon". These characters include the mob, Johnny Friendly and even his brother Charlie.
In my opinion I think it is right to tell about criminal activity. If someone was put in danger, or killed I believe they should be punished, and stopped from ever repeating this kind of activity again. However, I can understand why someone would be viewed as a "rat" for giving up insider information but I still believe that it is the moral thing to do!

All My Sons

Throughout the novel, All My Sons, multiple characters must make many decisions based whether they believe that the welfare of the society is greater, or that of the family. One character who strongly believes that the welfare of the family is greater then that of society is Joe Keller. We know this about Joe, when he confesses to Chris that he did send out the faulty cylinders, he states, "It was all for you! It was for your Chris, a business for you!" (69). Joe obviously thinks that the welfare of the family is more important then that of the society, because if he was more focused on the society he would have jeopardized the business, and his family instead. On the other hand Joe's son Chris takes a very different point of view on the matter. He insists on the country being more important then the family and himself when he states, "Do you not have a country? I was dying everyday" (70). Chris's view of how society is more important then family is clearly given when he rages at his father for what has happened. In my opinion Chris's head was in the right place.
I believe that when it comes to the welfare of society or that of the family, I think society should come first. If one does something that effects the whole society it can make a huge impact not only in that person's life, but also the life of many others. I truly think that communities as a whole should help and support on another instead of seaming and harming each other. Thus if one is to make a decision that would effect the society more then that of the family, in my mind harming the family would be a less severe consequence in the future.

This week, in my book, Bitter is the New Black, we are learning more and more about Jen and her way of cutting people down guiltlessly. The only thing that seems to matter to her are her money, job, and looks. Jen loves to degrade people who are not as "Up to standereds" as she is. Ever rude to those around her, during a company trip she says. "was that... was that.. Retard-y Arty? I know thats a mean nick name, but before you judge me, I challenge you to look into Arther' s empty sales funnel"(25). Jen does not care about her coworker, though he may have some challenges, she is unable to overlook them and really except he was given an opportunity to be successful in life. All Jen cares about is her job, and making more money, and if Arty is going to get in the way she expressions the opinion that he has to go.
Jen also shows her hardheadedness, and guiltless pleasure of cutting people down comes up again when her coworker Courtney is having troubles with her boyfriend. As Courtney is bawling on the plane, and confessing to Jen about her love life, Jen replies with an uncalled for cut down, she yells, "What do you expect. Acting like a whore attracts attention. They probably think your here to go on Jerry Springer"(32). This rude remark really shows how Jen enjoys cutting people down. There is no evidence of guilt and no twinge of regret in her voice. I predict that because she is such a self centered heartless person, that some experience in the near future will really knock her down, and help her to become a more caring and excepting person.