Novel Study - Unwind - Part 3, Transit

In the course of the book, Connor and Risa get separated from Lev, who travels for a time with another character. Why do you think Shusterman chose to split the narrative into two distinct threads? What do you think this achieves? How does this affect the evolution of the characters?
- I think Shusterman chose to split the characters because he wanted to show us that they needed to grow individually before joining up together again hopefully near the end. I also assume that something important happens which needs Lev to leave before coming back. 

- I think this achieves the characters growths as all the characters can grow differently than what they would be like if they were all together. When they were together they always fought and had the same views as they did before, when they parted they all started having different views and started learning new things. 

- I personally think that this affects the evolutions of the character because they are all able to grow in different places and learn things that can't be learnt somewhere else. For example, if Lev was with Risa and Connor he wouldn't have learnt about how to get food from stores when they were closing, instead, after leaving them both he learnt about this and also made a new friend.

On p125 & 129 the novel touches on same-sex relationships. Has the attitude toward same-sex couples changed (for better or worse) in this futuristic society? Explain your response.
- I think same-sex relationships have changed for the better in this society. I say this because in the story it explains that families that have same-sex parents are called "Yin families" which must mean that there are many more same-sex relationships to a point where there is even a slang word for it.

P130 begins our journey into understanding a little more about Cy-Fi. Through his character, what do you learn about the effects of unwinding on both the donor and receiver?
- Depending on the body part you get, you can get their muscle memories and memories that they had when they were still whole. This gets passed onto the receiver who must deal with the advantages and/or disadvantages of the donor. If you have been given a piece that you use a lot, you will most likely get the memories, thoughts or emotions of the donor. You essentially become a host for people who don't know they are "dead". 

What is the real reason Cy-Fi needs to get to Joplin, Mo? Pg 131
- The real reason Cy-Fi needs to get to Joplin is because of his unwound right temporal lobe. The lobe contains pieces and memories, as well as emotions of the donor of the lobe. Cy-Fi doesn't know his name but knows that he looks a bit like Lev, blue eyes and blonde hair. He figured out that the donor wanted to get to Joplin so Cy-Fi hopes that once they get to Joplin it will leave him alone as it doesn't really know its unwound and acts as a spirit.    

What is the significance of Connor holding in his anger around Roland? Pg 147
- The significance of Connor holding in his anger around Roland is that Roland wants a reaction from Connor, Connor not giving him one could mean that either he is changing, or Roland will leave them alone for now because he thinks Connor might not be a threat as he thought.

Connor's anger and lack of impulse control is often a problem for him, until he learns to control and channel his emotions. Do you ever feel like your impulses are stronger than your will? What strategies do you use to control your feelings? Do they work?

- Sometimes I do think my impulses are stronger than my will. It normally happens when I'm put in a tough situation where I want two different things, sometimes I regret my decision, sometimes I don't. Some Strategies I use to control myself is to think to myself is this is really what I want, it helps me think about my choices more seriously and actually put it into perspective. It does work most times, but when my impulse is too much to handle I often forget about thinking.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 2, Storked

What is the story based on a nursery rhyme that circulates among the youth? P 105

- Humpty Dumpty, it is explained in the story as they base it off a character that was first unwound, his parents had gone insane and the nursery rhyme becomes gruesome.

Risa overhears two nurses debating law and human nature. Which argument do you think is the stronger? Why do you think this? Write a paragraph explaining your thoughts on law and human nature.  P 115

- Personally, I think that the argument which states that you can't change human nature without changing the law is the strongest. My reasoning is that we have been following these rules since we were young. Human nature is how a human being acts, without having rules or restrictions. Law is the system that people follow in society that chooses what is right or wrong and gives penalties that are suitable for that crime. they are two very different things, one being something natural to humans, the other enforced by humans to restrict and to help civilisation. Since you were born you have told what you should and shouldn't do, to suddenly be told that you can act freely, it must be foreign to you. You wouldn't know what to do and when you do something that used to be a crime in the law, you would think that you are in the wrong, when in fact you aren't. It makes you think much more than if you were free, laws can also change peoples thoughts on normal things humans do. Society now judge many people for anything that they do, to be told that you can act freely and then being judged by other people can cause you to also think that you are doing something wrong. These are some reasons on why you can't change human nature without changing the law. 

This section opens with a mother abandoning her newborn infant on the doorstep of a house in a good neighbourhood. As she leaves, she thinks "How wonderful it is that she can get a second chance. How wonderful it is that she can dismiss her responsibility so easily." 

In your opinion, by allowing new mothers to give up their children so readily, does it take away from the value of a child?

-  I don't think it takes away the value of a child as it's not the child's fault or problem that the mother has left them. It's the mother's fault as they are not ready to be responsible for something and thus give their "problem" to someone else to deal with. It doesn't mean that the child is faulty or has disabilities, it just shows that the birth mother isn't prepared and feels it's ok to leave problems instead of dealing with them.

What is the role of a mother? Do you think the title of mother is something that should be earned or a natural right of the woman who gave birth? 

- I think the role of a mother should be earned. I think it should be earned because some mothers who have children don't care for them whereas females that can't have children care for them as if they are their own. It depends on the type of person you are than if it is related to you by blood.

What skills or attributes do Connor and Risa have that work well together?
- Connor is an impulsive human being who is also hot-headed. He doesn't think about anything and can't tell if he will regret his decision or not.

- Risa is a wise person who thinks before she acts on something. She thinks about the consequences and acts when she knows nothing will really go wrong. If she knows she won't succeed she won't try, knowing that if she does she would most likely die.

- They both work well together as Connor is impulsive whereas Risa thinks before acting, Risa can help Connor understand what will happen and make him more aware of his decisions. She will also put the blame on him if anything goes wrong which is also good, as it can cause him to properly think about what he has done and how it was caused. 

Connor and Lev have very different experiences with storking. How has this helped shape each of their attitudes toward the society they live in?

- Connors experience of storking is deeper, as his experience involves a baby dying in front of his eyes. He has the emotional trauma of knowing he let something die, even though he could've saved it. 

- It has shaped Connors attitude towards the society as he thinks the world is unfair, in the story, it states that the baby was passed around his neighbourhood until it got back to his house where it was slowly dying. At the funeral for the baby, the whole neighbourhood showed up and cried, as they realised that they could've prevented this but instead put the burden onto someone else. Connor realises that and understands that the world isn't perfect, and a lot of people make mistakes.

- Lev's experiences with storking is more religion-based and happier as in a religious book, a hero was stoked due to law and to stop him being killed his mother sent him down a river. His siblings were storked and his parents were happy with it as they thought it was a gift from god. 

- Lev has been given good memories which have shaped his attitude towards society to think that the world is quite fair and that everything given to you is a blessing.

Connor is concerned the baby won't be loved, and ultimately will die, so he takes it. What does this show us about him as a person?

- It shows us that he is caring and acts on from past memories he has seen or gone through. He acts tough on the outside so that people won't disturb him but in reality, he cares about other people and will act for them if he has to.

What makes Lev realise he doesn't want to be unwound? P79

- Realising that the person who made him believe that it was a blessing to be tithed, not believing in that part of their religion made him realise that what he was taught was a lie. Pastor Dan also telling Lev to run and be free also made him understand Pastor Dans earlier statements of running away. He realised he didn't want to be unwound as a very important person in his life told the truth about his life and opened his eyes to see what he was actually trying to do.

Each of the other characters on the run has a tragic background story. Why were Hayden, Roland and Mai set to be unwound? Which, do you think, is the most tragic? Explain your response.

- Hayden was sent to be unwound as his parents had divorced and were fighting over custody of him and then thought after two years it would be better to have him unwound instead of letting the other parent have custody of him.

- Mai was sent to be unwound as she was from China, in China, the law states that each family can only have one child. Mai's parents wanted a boy, but not after having Mai and her sisters. Mai was the fourth daughter so she was sent to be unwound. 

- Roland was sent to be unwound as he was a "rebellious" kid. He wanted to be a military boeuf but had "too much testosterone" and often got into fights. He had been in many fights and was finally unwound when he beat up his stepfather after he beat Roland's mother. His mother had sided with his stepfather and he got off with a warning whereas Roland was sent to be unwound.

- I think Mai's story was the most tragic as she was sent to be unwound just because of laws stated and the fact that she is a female. I have heard about China's one-child law and I think that it is quite a weird thing and is also kind of problematic as you must get rid of extra children just because the law states it and also because of overpopulation. Her family wanted a boy but weren't as lucky as they also had three other daughters excluding Mai, so as soon as they had a boy they started got rid of their other children, we don't even know if her other sisters have been unwound or are still alive. 

What tattoo does Roland have?

- Roland has a Tiger Shark tattoo on his arm, Connor had mistaken this as a dolphin tattoo before Roland told him off for saying that.

Novel Study - Unwind - Storked Workshop

Storking is a legal process, but does that make it the right thing to do?

- I don't think storking is the right thing to do because you are giving what you call a burden to someone else without knowing anything about them. They could harm your child, or give it to someone else like Connors family had done, which in turn could let it die. It isn't the right thing to do because they could also have too many kids or have problems where they can't take care of it which creates more problems while you are now living carefree without worrying about your biological child.

Is it the mother’s responsibility to care for the child?
- I don't think it's the mothers' responsibility to take care of the child because to have a child you must have two parties that have been involved. It's both the mothers and the fathers' job because they were both involved with it and couldn't be safer than if they were safe, or if they had both planned it.  

Can Connor offer the baby a better future than it would have if left there?
- I think so because If he had left the baby there on the doorstep they would've unwound it later because of how many kids that they have at the moment or done what Connors family had done, which gave it to another neighbour, breaking the law of stooking. Now that he understands what it's like to see a storked child he could give it more experience than the family would've done which would probably be setting it up to be Unwound.

What risks does picking up the baby put on Connor, Risa and Lev?
 - Taking the child puts a lot of risks on Connor, Risa and Lev as it is a living child and needs basic necessities to function and live. The baby needs food, water, and love, as well as being cleaned to get bacteria off of it so that the baby isn't infected. The baby will cry when it is also unhappy which also puts them into risk as when they need to hide the baby could give away their hiding place.

What impact does Connors past have on his decision?

- His past impacts his decisions on grabbing the baby. It has impacted him as he didn't know what would happen to the baby if he had left it there, he thought it might have the same fate as baby Lassiter who had passed away as it was sick. 

Home Economics - Now, Settlers, Today

How has food changed in the last 100 years and what have been the big reasons for this change?

- Food has changed in the last 100 years because of technology that settlers brought, they had changed the way that Maori cooked foods as they brought over new things for the Maori to try.

What was something you didn’t know about changes in Nz Food that you learnt from the cards
- When the settlers came to New Zealand, they all relied on ships, even though most didn't make it.

What could you see happening to food in another 50 years time
- Food will be hard to find as we will overuse our ingredients.

What could you invent or change that would create a large impact on how we gather, produce or eat food.

- We could create synthetic food with plants to save our animals.

Math - Discounts

This week for Maths we have been learning about discounts. Discounts make the price cheaper for someone if they are buying something. Discounts can be used in everyday life as it can make someone buy something more.

Novel Study - Unwind - Reading The Blurb

What do you already know about pro-life and pro-choice groups? What do these terms mean? Is it an issue you have thought about?

- Pro-lifers are people who protect human fetuses and believe that abortion is not ok. They believe that it isn’t their choice if they can get rid of a fetus as the fetus is also a living creature.

- Pro-choicers are people who believe it is okay to get rid of a fetus as it is still growing. They believe that it is their choice if they can get rid of a fetus as they have reasons why they wish to get rid of it.

- I have thought about this issue as light has been given towards this situation online as protests against abortion have been going on in the past year.

What do you know about organ donation?

- Organ donations are when you sign something or give consent to allow doctors to remove your organs while you are still alive or dead. You have to be up to the hospital’s standards before signing up as if you have a disease they can’t give your organs to someone who needs it

Teenagers to be unwound are sent to Harvest Camps. Can you make a connection between the language used to describe this place, and other places people have been sent historically?

- The way this has been written reminds me of the holocaust as people are being sent to a “camp” where they ultimately die due to the government. It is a little different as in the book adults and caregivers of the child must sign papers unlike in the holocaust where you would just be sent away if you were a Jew.

What religious connotation does the word 'harvest' evoke?

- I think the word “harvest” in a religious state can mean a human sacrifice. In the book, these children bodies are being sacrificed for different reasons just because the law permits that you are allowed to.

The term "living in a divided state" here is really a euphemism for what? Can you think of other, common euphemisms? Why do people use euphemisms?

- I think is it is a euphemism for people who are alive and people who are dead. In the story, these children are sent to their deaths and their body parts are used for other people who have problems with their bodies or have suffered different incidents.

Some common euphemisms are

 - Passed away

 - Kick the bucket
 - put to sleep

- People use euphemisms to soften a harsh word or term so that people understand it a little bit better instead of being shocked and not understanding the actual meaning of the word.
What is the definition of legal?

- Something that is permitted by the law.

What about ethical?

- What a person thinks what is right and what is wrong

Do you believe that because something is legal, it is also ethical, or morally right?

- No, some laws can be extremely messed up but legal like whereas something else that is illegal could be ethical right. It depends on the personal or state and what they believe, even though it can be wrong in some senses. 

Can things that are ethically sound ever be illegal? Provide examples.

- Yes, for example, a child could be starving but can't get any food due to now money, that child steals the food and gets caught thieving. Thieving is illegal but eating is ethically correct as all children and adults should be able to get food as it is a daily necessity. Another example is if someone is in the need to go to a  hospital and they have to run a red light just to get there, its illegal to run a red light but its ethically right to drive someone who is in need of a hospital to a hospital, as they could be in a life or death situation.

 
Can you think of examples in history to support your ideas? Provide examples.

- I can't really think of anything other than the holocaust and Hitler, as Hitler believed that he was right when he started sending Jews to concentration camps when in reality as a human right everyone should have a right to live, which Hitler breached.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 1, Triplicate

How much brainwashing do you think has happened for teenagers to make this sort of claim as they’re being led to their "death"?

- I think quite a lot of brainwashing has been done as these kids are entirely convinced that they are being sent to their deaths. I think these kids are brainwashed by each other as no one actually know if these kids are alive

Why, do you think, has Shusterman chosen to have three characters tell their story?

- I think he chose to have 3 different people tell their stories to show their different viewpoints on unwinding. Two of the characters have the same idea about unwinding whereas the other has a religious view on it. I think it also has 3 characters stories because it also shows that no matter your status you can still have the same fate. Money and status don’t matter in this world.

Lev is a tithe. This means that he is the 10% that his family will give back to the church as an offering. What are your thoughts on this?

- In my opinion, I think this is kinda messed up as Lev as has been forced into this lifestyle. He has believed his whole life that this is all he has been born for and believes this is the life he should be living. I feel like he should’ve been able to choose if he really wanted to do this instead of being brainwashed.

Rita is a state home kid - she was unwanted at birth, and now the state has decided she is no longer useful. Do you think that the state should ever be able to determine if one life is more useful than another?

- I don’t think that should be possible for the government to dictate whether one life is more important than another. My reasoning is from human rights, In the document, it states that everyone is entitled to live and that they are protected by the law. Human rights can't be ignored because they are Human Rights, they aren't able to be changed as every human being should be entitled towards it. If the state were able to determine whether a life is useful or not, they are breaching an extremely important document which could lead to massive problems.

Connor's parents have chosen to unwind him due to his difficult behaviour. They have then booked a ticket to the Bahamas. In your opinion, how do parents view their children? Why do you think this?

- In my opinion, I believe that parents view each of their children differently depending on their age as when they have more children they think differently. If they have more kids they view them all different as they are all different ages and different genders. Adults base their opinions on how older children around them act. I think like this based on how my parents act around me and my siblings. They treat my older siblings differently than they do to me.

Pastor Dan presents as being conflicted. What reasons might he have to encourage Lev in his journey as a tithe? Why does he encourage him to run?

- I think Pastor dan encourages Lev to leave as he understands that lev has a lot to live for and shouldn't waste it by giving his body to be dissected by the government. I think he also encourages him to run as he might've known someone like Lev before lev was born but he was also unwound so he doesn't want the same thing happening to Lev, he always gets too attached.