Sunday, November 27, 2011
Warren St. John's Talk
Warren St. John came to talk about his book Outcasts United towards the beginning of the quarter, and a lot of what he had to say was really interesting. He talked a little about the book and then left the rest of the session open for questions. He talked about how he had come to know several of the boys, and that he became close to one family in particular. He also talked about how he came to write the book. It was really cool to hear Mr. St. John talk because he is a successful author and journalist, and those are careers I want to go into. I also think diversity and immigration are controversial issues that need to be dealt with and talked about, so I like that he chose to write about how a small southern town was affected by the sudden diversity its population experienced. I feel bad for the refugee boys in Clarkston because they are caught between two worlds, but I think Coach Luma is an admirable and inventive person for using soccer to bring the boys together and give them something to focus on. After reading the book, I believe that the boys who went through Luma's program truly benefited from it because she taught them to follow rules, communicate with others who are different, learn to study English, and stay out of trouble.
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I also went to the talk with Warren St. John earlier in the quarter and found it to be really enlightening. He spent about half of the time discussing the novel and going into more detail about it which made this a nice compliment to the book. I do not think that if someone who had not read the book would really get the same out of it though. Although St. John had a lot of good point to make, much of the subject matter covered the book. Having read and enjoyed the book, this talk helped to clarify the themes and messages that the author wanted to get across. On a side note, it was also really cool to hear updates on the people in the book and about the progress Coach Mufleh is making with her team.
ReplyDeleteI went to the talk with Warren St. John earlier this year. This meeting helped me understand the approach the author took when writing the book. Outcasts United reads more like a newspaper article than a book; it is a huge compilation of information and is very factual . Hearing Warren St. John, I kept noticing how straightforward his style of conveying information was. When he explained that he was a graduate from Columbia's School of Journalism, this made a lot of sense. The talk showed that that seeing an author in person can reveal a lot about how they approach what interests them.
ReplyDeleteWarren St. John provided me with an entirely new perspective on the condition of immigrants from third world nations, opening my eyes to the racial biases and maltreatments that still present an issue in American cities. While a few compassionate souls have stepped forward to get to know and not only accept but embrace the cultural differences of these people, many citizens who are inhabitants of immigration hotspots still criticize these struggling newcomers who are at least making an effort to adapt to these foreign surroundings. The author briefly discussed the personal relationships he developed with the refugees described in the novel. I admire the man's generosity for aiding these children in their time of need and brining their inspiring into the light of the public to educate Americans about the severity of their situation and the senselessness of some authority figures such as the mayor and police officer. There is a lot to learn from the kids' tales about acceptance and the drastic change in population the country is bound to encounter in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI also went to the Warren St. John talk and I found it very enjoyable. It was very nice to hear how everyone from the book was doing after Outcasts United was published, like coach Luma is working on a new school for the Fugees. Warren St. John also talk alot how we should meet new people while we are in college. I thought he was a great choice to have talk for the OSU theme A Conversation on Immigration
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