My Summer With the Felons

Pretty much everyone at the place I work has a felon or two tucked under her belt.  To these girls, I am the epitome of "good girl."  I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, and my boyfriend has never been to jail.  But, despite our polar differences, we have all become close and formed friendships across the social lines. 

Even though these women have been labeled by the elite of society as hardened criminals, I have a lot to learn from them.  Tough as nails, they perpetually fight against the odds.  Life has dealt her cards, and they put on their poker faces and play the hand they got.

I've realized how unusually blessed I am.  I was raised in a happy, loving, intact family.  I've been gifted a chance at a superb education.  All my basic needs and more are provided for me.  But it isn't always the case.  P dropped out of highschool her junior year because she was bored in the public school system.  J was kicked out of her house by her dad when she was 16.  A spent her teenage years feeding her drug addiction. 

However, despite their rough lives and the sentences each of them received from a judge, each of them is full of inspiration and hope which I can only hope to achieve.  J wants to join the peace corps after she serves her time on house arrest.  She dreams of going to Africa and opening free clinics for those in even more unfortunate circumstances than her.  A is buoyantly joyful because for the first time in years, she is addiction free and enjoying life as she ought.  She is so proud that she has been clean for 11 months.  Now, instead of getting high, stoned, and whatnot, she enjoys going on hikes with her boyfriend and going to museums, believe it or not.  P has overcome her alcoholism for the sake of her unborn baby; the baby her mom urged her to abort.  She is now 3 months pregnant and enthusiastically picking out names.  

Becoming so close to these women has really taught me that despite their rough edges, they still have hopes and dreams, they are still searching to love and be loved, and they will always stand up for those close to them, just like me.  I've learned to look beyond the social strata this summer, my summer with the felons. 

Plain Jane

Have you ever noticed the rut of "hero-ism" that many authors fall into?  In quite a few of the books I've read, so many of the protagonists are irreproachably perfect.  You just KNOW that they will never make the wrong choice, that they will never make empty assumptions, and they will never be messily disheveled mentally or physically.  Reading books like these, or watching movies with these perfect characters can reeeeeally get on my nerves because they aren't real!  They are not believable or even loveable characters because they are so, shall we say? nauseatingly perfect.

For example, (this was the first character that popped into my head) take Indiana Jones.  I've only seen the first movie, so forgive me if I make some premature assumptions here.  He is the epitome of hero.  The viewer knows that he will not fail the quest either mentally or physically.  His perfect physique and daring feats lures his captive audience into blind hero worship.  I did find the movie very enjoyable, but I prefer characters who go through the same struggles and temptations that I do, characters who could very well be real, honest to goodness people in everyday life.  At this point, I would like to applaud Miss Jane Austen for creating just such characters.

Take Elizabeth Bennet.  She doesn't have any particular talents (she's only a mediocre pianist), she isn't the most gorgeous girl on the block (Darcy says she is only tolerable), and she makes a huge mistake when she rashly judges both Wickham and Darcy's personalities.  What Jane Austen has done in Elizabeth Bennet is create a character who goes through the same struggles as women do in real life.

Elizabeth's foil is her sister Jane.  Jane Bennet is the "perfect" woman.  She is sweet, unassuming, and beautiful.  Perfect as she is, notice how she is not the main character.  Her purpose is to shine light on Elizabeth and to further enhance her "real-ness."  Jane never does anything wrong, yet she isn't terribly loveable.  Elizabeth, on the other hand, as she spunkily accuses handsome rich men of pride, crushes on a charming yet slimy lady's man, and blunderingly enters high society, is as loveable as a best friend would be.

Jane Austen, through her colorful characters, has forever placed herself in the authors' hall of fame.  It isn't for no reason that the U.K. is printing a 10 pound note with her image on it.  Jane has told the world that being real is beautiful, that plain is perfect. 

What I've been doing...

...Working, sleeping, eating, working, planning for my semester abroad, working...

You get the point...

Its been busy, but hopefully this upcoming week I will be able to write more on my little blog.

Until then...