official reflection

Well... that was quite a challenge. Communication errors and pants and internet, oh my! The first challenge was choosing a topic, with, eventually, scapegoating turning out rather well. The blogging was an interesting component. It was a good way to see what we were doing (or not doing), even if we sometimes forgot to post every day. Another challenge was writing an essay as a group. It's hard enough, as Alanna says, having a brick thrown at you. But now we had to decide how to divide the brick and throw it at each other on time (which was almost accomplished). It ended up each of us writing on our own, then copying, pasting and editing to get the final product. The last challenge was Erika being away for most of the classtime. Relying on gmail and checking it on time didn't really work out on time. So one week late and with parental email concern to whip us into shape, we risk cramming impending math exams to have final monday morning collabaration.

margaret's essay

What was I scared of? Scapegoated illness in pale green pants.

What is more fitting than Dr. Seuss and animals? And what bizarre unrealistic animal is more Seussian than a scapegoat? Now only a metaphor, the scapegoat was an animal used to take on the guilt and sin of a society or individual. Dr. Seuss' tale “What was I scared of?” is about a character who spends his time fearing a pair of pale green pants who wander nonchalantly into his world. This story effectively illustrates scapegoating within our society -- now and throughout history. As the protagonist cannot explain the pale green pants, he projects a negative perspective on the garment; avoiding and shunning the individual completely benign to the projection. Like similarly ignorant assumptions towards those suffering from stigmatized disease (both mental and physical), the pants are unfairly regarded as an object of terror simply because the protagonist cannot understand them. These assumptions, and their resulting actions, prove to become issues.

The problem: pale green pants. Are they a problem? One so much that a scapegoat is needed? The protagonist in the story sees the pale green pants as a problem. Well, one would be frightened if they happened upon empty pants in the forest. Instead of attempting to understand the situation and approach the pants, the protagonist attempts to get out of the situation using a scapegoat.

A scapegoat is someone punished or blamed for the errors and problems of others; essentially a means of escape from an uncomfortable situation. The protagonist finds himself experiencing (or about to experience) a situation unknown to him. In his mind is this vast problem of empty pants, which made his feelings opposed to what his experience. When this occurs, one automatically looks for the easy way out. The protagonist chooses to avoid said frightening pants by focusing all his time on his chores. He turns his chores into a scapegoat and uses them as an excuse for not facing the pants. He manifests the scapegoat to avoid the ambiguous option: the pants. This is, in fact, the reason for choosing his chores: a more familiar option. In the course of avoiding the pants, they become so persistant that he has no choice but to confront them. The protagonist comes to terms with the pants, banishing his ignorance and accepting the possibility of friendship. The pale green pants were not a problem, but the protagonist made them one, which he tried to solve by blaming his chores. It was only after his own realization that the protagonist came to terms with his own deception, understood the pants' humanity, and finally met his resolve.

People with mental illnesses, like pale green pants, are quite often misunderstood and avoided. Although they have an illness like any other, they aren't treated the same as any other. Unlike helping someone fight to overcome cancer, one might cross the street to avoid someone with schizophrenia. Simply because the pants aren't like any other he knows, the protagonist cannot accept them.

One of the biggest obstacles is the idea that the mentally ill are violent and threatening. There isn't an inherent reason for it (Dombeck 1), but still one half of people believe this (Mike 1). Even the media perpetuates this myth, focusing on rare stories of the mentally ill gone bad, as opposed to those who “get better and live productive lives” . In the same way, the protagonist avoids the pants because he thinks they are a threat to his lifestyle without any reasoning. He feels unable to do his regular nocturnal chores with the pants out there. In the same way, most people believe those with a mental illness should be “locked up” in an asylum (Mike 1).

With the pants open in society notwithstanding, the protagonist chooses not to associate with them, until the very end of the story. We aren't that different here: the majority of Canadians wouldn't marry someone with a mental illness, or even hire them as a doctor, lawyer, or child care worker (CMA 28). A third of the people in the UK believe this segregation is fine: that they shouldn't have the same right to a job as anyone else (Mike 1). There is no reason that someone with mental illness cannot go about their business, any more than pale green pants going about theirs.

This segregation hasn't been around forever, but it isn't a new idea, either. Looking back over 200 years, historian Michel Foucault noticed that Europeans started putting the mentally ill in asylums at the same time, and same places, as leprosy became rare. Mark Dombeck, PhD, noted that “it was as though the Europeans needed to maintain a scapegoated class” and that mental illness was used to fill the gap left by leprosy (2). One can only wonder what the character projected his anxiety on before the pants came along.

Leprosy, unparalleled in its history of shame and social reproach, has itself become synonymous with stigma (Dhillon 31). Like the pale green pants, patients suffering from the illness face enacted stigma, experiencing discrimination provoked by their condition. While simply avoiding said garments, the story's protagonist demonstrates the negative behaviour concentrated against those with leprosy. Unlike Seuss's narrative, common social repercussions span much further than avoidance; affecting marriage, employment, relationships and community acceptance (Rafferty 120).

Leviticus 13, of the old testament, claims that “a leprous man in unclean”, verifying an impression that has persisted for centuries (HP-TIME 1). Until the late 1900's, there was no identifiable cause of leprosy. Witchcraft and damnation were the common culprits, but cited origins shifted between locations; strongly influenced by the community's feared powers. Belief that leprosy patients were tainted both physically and morally led to a degradation of their worth, rationalizing the practise of ostracism and exile. Unaware of the pants' humanity, our protagonist does not realize the object of his fear is equally capable of fear itself. It is this disconnect of empathy that condemns leprosy sufferers to unjust treatment and harmful bias.

In 2008, one third of leprosy patients were dumped by their spouses, while nearly one half reported a drop in income due to demotion or loss of their job (Dhillon 120). The isolation experienced by patients is overwhelming, frequently producing the psychological ailments of anxiety and depression (Rafferty 33). In “What was I scared of?,” the pale green pants are so confused by their encounters with the protagonist that they burst into tears; demonstrating, however simplistically, the results of continued ostracism.

That being said, the negative motifs in “What was I scared of” are extensive: conceivably branching out further than scapegoating and the stigma of mental illness and leprosy. What can be gleaned from the story is that, while something can be interpreted as fearsome, it is not always so. The protagonist faces his fears, meets the pants and -- in the spirit of children’s literature -- makes a new friend. An obvious morality tale, Dr. Seuss poses an insightful question: if his protagonist can become friends with a pair of pale green pants . . . with nobody inside them, can’t we face our fears and embrace those things we so thoughtlessly dread?

annotated bibliography - part: margaret

oh, official looking, virtually unreadable blocks of text.

Canadian Medical Association (CMA). 8th Annual National Report Card on Health Care. 18 August 2008.
This source is a report from the Canadian Medical Association. It outlines the results from a poll of Canadian citizens about our healthcare system in general, and mental health. It shows graphs and summaries of the findings, and outlines the groups of people most likely to respond a certain way (e.g. Residents of Vancouver are more likely to agree that mental illness hurts Canada's economy[20]).
This report was good for hard, solid, and current data. Since the poll was on a one to ten scale (as opposed to yes or no), it made it a little difficult to find out exactly what was being said. Since it's the compiled results of a poll, this source is fairly objective. Being done by a national association makes the information reliable.
The report was useful only for some data to back up my arguement. It barely went in depth into any issues, or provided context or background. It did not help nor hurt my views on the subject of scapegoating, merely providing a current, reliable reference point.


Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. “Scapegoating And Mental Illness Stigma”. Psychcentral.com. may1 2000. 8 January 2009.
This article, as suggested by the title, is about the stigma faced by those with mental illness. It explains the history of scapegoating and how the mentally ill are affected by it, focusing on misunderstanding and lack of funding.
It was perhaps the most useful article, explaining the issue today in its historical context. Although making it biased, the article showed the absurdity of the unfair treatment to mentally ill persons. It was written in a conversational tone, so that it is informative but not too heavy.
I found this source very useful. It explained a complex subject in simple terms, while keeping the larger context. It gave me good, basic ideas that I can use; and helped me understand the issue more.

Mike. “Scapegoating and the Stigma of Mental Illness, Part 1”. Anxiety, Panic, and Health [blog]. http://anxietypanichealth.com/2008/07/14/scapegoating-and-the-stigma-of-mental-illness/. 14 July 2008. 8 January 2009.
This blog entry presents many examples of the scapegoating and stigmatization of people with mental illness. It references a UK poll (Department of Health, May 2008), the outdatedness of attitudes towards the mentally ill (especially in healthcare and funding),and the history of scapegoating.
This source was quite useful in giving a picture of exactly what is going on. It was well referenced and written (I can't tell if it's a blog or simply a personal website), and the information seems to be legit. Again, it was slightly biased, but only towards equality (as opposed to continuing exclusive behaviors).
Personally, I think this source helped me (Margaret) the most. It truly helped me, as I've stated before, understand the issue much more clearly. It has made me more concerned about the treatment of mentally ill persons, and look at the problem as part of society as a whole.

sigh of relief... ish.

A week later, amidst the stress of impending exams, margaret abandons objectivity. Ish. With Erika being email-responsive, and concerned parents with messages of doom and disappointment from mr blauer, it is agreed to hand it in tomorrow.

Goodbye weekend

Oh, the internet is quite a lovely thing. But not lovely enough to finish the looming essay.
One intrepid lit kid goes to bed, in hope for better things in the morrow.

Editorial Cartoon (conceptual stage?)

(Here a pair of pants is sneezing . . . or maybe they are not pants but rather a sad looking cactus)

Working day and night on our cartoon it seems; the topic at this point being two pairs of talking pants gossiping (or furthering stigma if you rather) about other animate pants.
So instead of posting such silly rough drafts, maybe our energy should be focussed on (ahem) more productive activites. That being said, the following images of stunning excellence are yours to enjoy.

(Pants gossiping. Yup, nothing bizarre and nightmare inducing here)


(A pair of pants coughing and/or preforming some crazy feet of acrobatics)

(Shivering pants who could benefit from some weight loss. Please don't tell them though; they have been a bit selfconcious lately, what with all the pressure surrounding post-holiday diet regimes)

(A comparison between pants of the healthy/ill variety. See the cough lines emitting from the evidently sick pants? That's an example of artistic genius right there!!)

Ach, well

Being a procrastinator should be a career. Imagine the possibilities - the potential!
But it's not.
So the arguements have been assigned (Erika-scapegoating, Margaret-mental illness, and Mara-lepers), and now must be sufficiently researched and created. A few good websites have been found.
But now our heroes must write an entire paragraph! Quite a challenge for young Lit Kids such as these.
Tune in later to learn of the next leg in this epic adventure.

Research Day!!

**see above**

the mad SKILLS of organization

Finally, our heroes return -- after a stern talking-to, a rather stressful weekend all-round, and an elaborate 2nd person perspective writing practice. The essay outline must be decided upon! Thereby calling into action the only tools powerful and mysterious enough for the job: virtual highlighters! With some clever cutting and pasting, highlighting, and bulleting of the thesis, the three main arguements are extracted for the relentless, albiet familiar, brick of the five-paragraph essay (cut, pasted, and coloured below for your reading convienience and enjoyment)

1.fear because misunderstood – scapegoating in general
2. projecting negative stereotype/image – mental illness
3. shunning/avoiding – leprosy

By the way...

This is to clarify. Before the group wrote their thesis (or the beginning of their thesis) they had chosen China and the Olympics as the sturdy and worldly example of scapegoating. It was the next day as Mara was reasearching the event when she came across some negagtive aspects that gave the oppisite impression of what the group originally thought the idea could produce. Therefore, the group decided to cut this idea and as it fell from the minds of the Lit kids, a light shot on and another idea took form. Mara suggested mental illness and the prejudice which follows after. Margret found a very interesting wbesite with many articles on mental illness and she also suggested leprocy. It was then concluded that the group could include leprocy in with mental illness, making it the broad suject of illness (both physical and mental). YAY for having finally decided! The group phscologically jumped for joy. After discussing the fear of unknown illnesses and how that realates to the fear of unknown clothing, the group finally wrote their thesis statement (in under five minutes :O) and all was set in stone. Mr. Blauer seemed to approve. Now that the appetizers are eaten, it is now time to move onto the main course. ESSAY NOW COMMENCING.

Our Thesis Statement (once and for all)

Our thesis statement is as follows:
“What was I scared of?” effectively illustrates scapegoating within society now and throughout history. As the protagonist cannot explain the pale-green pants, he projects a negative perspective on the garment; avoiding/shunning the individual (pants) completely benign to the projection. Like similar assumptions toward those suffering from stigmatized disease (both mental and physical), the pants are unfairly regarded as an object of terror simply because the protagonist does not fully understand.

Blaming the Goat

Day three of the Seuss escapade. Margret, Mara and Erika decided it was high time to pick one topic out of the many to choose from. After making a very impressive list of three topics, the lit kids came down to agree on Satan (but not really Satan). A discussion followed where prejudice and irrational fears made appearances, along with the thought that people assume the unknown is evil. The group then jumped from Satan music, to not Satan, to blame and finally landed on a goat (scapegoats actually). Here's what was concluded: The pale green pants was an unknown figure in the night to the before said main character, thus was concluded to be...EVIL PANTS. All was needed to end such a accomplished class was, yes, a solid thesis. While another discussion formed, the group decided to pick one main focal point for the topic. Embedding the words 'BLAME' and 'SCAPEGOAT' into our minds produced two ideas: Bush and the blame the world puts on him (not to be pro Bush or anything) and the Olympics in China and how people were protesting the Olympics rather than the ethical issues. Of course the latter was chosen. With their new idea beaming brightly, the group concluded the class. Will this new idea work? Will another idea be needed? Will the world ever stop putting its problems on the goat? Answers to come.

Heartbreaking

Erika found "The Scapegoat" yesterday; a picture that succeeds in illustrating both the back-bone of our thesis and the horrifying tragedy of an abandonned goat. *** Entry ends so that Mara (and who ever wishes to join her) may burst into melodramatic sobbing and curl into a ball until she can justify that the depicted mammal was having a perfectly grand time within the sulphuric bog among the skeletal remains of who-knows-what ***

Descisions, Descisions --->

Tuesday afternoon belongs to us and with the internet at our finger tips, the group continues to search for an acceptable topic . . . only the choice is so great that Satan remains number one on the list (much to our diabolical enjoyment). Mr. Blauer suggests the Dukabours/fear of fashion and hands us a Maclean's article citing the trend of baggy jeans (also Italian lobbyist informing prostitutes to dress as nuns). The learning is endless, but by 3:25 we have decided to take the evening as brainstorming time and shut off monitors in meditation of the subject. Better luck tomorrow?

in retrospect

The first group meeting was some days just before the winter holidays. It was discovered that only one of the three had actually read the book. So the book was read, and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
The story involves someone who is terrified by a pair of pale green pants (without anyone in them), that seems to be following him. He (or she, it's not specific) gets all bent out of shape, stressed, and loses sleep over avoiding said pants. After terrifying ordeals, he realizes the pants are just as scared of him as he is of them. They become friends.
The theme of the book was discussed, and it was concluded to be "fear of the unknown." Several topics of this were brainstromed, such as: paranoia, the danger of single perspective, something not being the way one believes it should be, ignorance of other religions and/or cultures, irrational fears; and also miscommunication, and the fact that the pants just want love.
And so, with ideas in hand and refreshed from the holidays, the lit kids bravely embark towards the next leg of the project... research.