Love and Sex- Why Not Both? ; Sex as a Plot Device in "The Love Hypothesis"

   

  The Love Hypothesis is a New York Times best seller romance, taking place in a biology lab, involving fake dating, horrible communication, needless pining, and as usual- smut. Readers may be opposed to the usage of smut in modern literature becoming an outbreak. An outbreak that not only takes away from the plot, but makes it impossible to write a book without readers begging for smut, and impossible to read without stumbling upon a rude awakening to human anatomy. However, I believe the usage of smut in The Love Hypothesis to be an important plot device.

As one might use the death of a character to ruffle their feathers into realizing that their actions are bad, or maybe even becoming evil, smut slaps a character into realizing their feelings. Sex is, in actuality, a plot device. Romance is a hard genre to write, because it is one of the most reliant on formulaic writing, so when trying to find a plot device, it’s hard to find something realistic and not overused. You could kill off a character in romance, that’s realistic- death. Yet, how many characters would you have to add? How much will it really help someone understand their feelings (in the context of a romance novel)? Of course a character can talk about their feelings with their family, friends, consigliere, etc. Yet, how far does that go into changing character dynamics? It does change how one character may act towards another, but when in need of a fast change in dynamics that potentially affects both characters involved, why not use sex as a plot device?

Chapter sixteen of the love hypothesis sent all the soccer moms into a wizard of Oz-esque tornado-like spiral, but was it really so bad? Olive (our protagonist) already was aware of her feelings for Adam (our male lead), as was Adam of his feelings for her. Yet, Olive was the only one who had the chance to convey the whole truth to her trusted friend, Adam didn’t get that relief. Both assumed the other wasn’t interested in them, both consented to sex, both realized the other’s attraction to them. Even so, neither was aware that the feelings of the other could surpass friendship mixed with the devil’s tango. Sex, importantly, gave the characters hope. Along with other rude awakenings they discover separately during that weekend, having sex changed their dynamic to “hopelessly pining but the other is just a friend” to “hopefully pining while uncertain of the other’s romantic feelings”. Chapter sixteen, allowed for the two characters to finally be somewhat honest about their feelings (with and towards each other), even if mostly highlighting physical compatibility (and lack thereof). Coitus (sex, intercourse, in this case fornication), is a helpful plot device in this case, because it allows for the characters to talk alone. It’s a private and intimate (not just physically) moment. Here, it’s an example of a realistic way to change dynamics when all you’re working with is romance.

In conclusion, sex is an acceptable plot device. I may not love (or even like) to see smut in every romance novel, because it’s definitely not the only plot device out there. However, it is a plot device, and easily utilized for realistic romance (although balancing romance and grad school doesn’t seem super realistic). Sex is real. So is love. Why not both?

Author’s note- smut is not intended to be derogatory more than to reference written sex.

Works Cited: Hazelwood, Ali. The Love Hypothesis. 2021.

Is It Okay To Punish Kids By Taking Away Recess? (Finn)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fa-favorite-subject-returns-to-schools-recess-1497358800&psig=AOvVaw3lzZTFIUbzfyRYwrrAVayb&ust=1709255729496000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CAUQjB1qFwoTCOizuvivz4QDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

In elementary school, I and other students were often denied recess as punishment for misbehavior. Extraneous things like talking in class, bursts of energy fueled by my ever growing urge to run across the play equipment, would sometimes result in the privilege of recess being taken away for the day. As a student who grew up with ADHD, sometimes nothing felt more freeing than finally running around outside after hours spent sitting at a desk. Is that privilege necessary for elementary school students? Is it okay to take away recess as punishment? Let’s find out. 

Logically speaking, my immediate conclusion would be that it isn’t okay. If a student is misbehaving, specifically disrupting class by talking or hyperactively, it's probably not because of malicious intent. When kids disrupt, it's most likely their urge to escape the joylessness of the classroom environment. For instance, if a child struggles to sit quietly in their seat, the least logical thing to do is take away their recess. The entire reason students have recess is to release their energy before they continue learning. Playing, running around, and feeling free to talk to each other without consequence is essential to a smooth learning experience at school. With the release of energy that comes with recess, students will find it much easier to sit still and quietly the rest of the day.

Undoubtedly, students who struggle less with sitting quietly will have an easier and more successful learning experience. With the exclusion of recess from a child’s daily schedule, it's much more difficult for students to tolerate learning time. In a 2022 article, Kate Rix mentions “one study of fourth graders in Fort Worth, Texas, found that children who had just come back to school after the COVID-19 lockdown and had 45 minutes of daily recess had significantly less of the stress hormone cortisol after a three-month period than students who had 30 minutes of recess” (Article). Not only does this study support the fact, but logically speaking, the essentiality of recess is eminent in a kid’s learning process.

Recess should be understood as an essential to a kid’s day. After a long few hours spent in the classroom, recess is there to allow students the freedom to be energetic. Therefore, students shouldn’t be punished with recess exclusion in any case. Generally speaking, school is difficult, even when you're only learning the alphabet, and especially for those with ADHD and learning disorders alike. Taking away recess from them in particular is an inefficient way to control their behavior, and could cause more problems than it means to solve. 

Kate Rix, How Much Recess Should Kids Get?, Oct 14 2022, US News, https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/how-much-recess-should-kids-get#:~:text=But%20studies%20show%20that%20at,for%20kids%20emotionally%20and%20cognitively. 

Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters, Why the Movie Is Bad_Jordan

(SMALL SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE BOOK AND MOVIE)

 

Image supplied from Barnes and Nobles

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sea-of-monsters-rick-riordan/1100327442 

Alright, I know what you’re thinking: Jordan, this is your third blog talking about the difference between a book and its movie. Will you ever let it rest? Now, the answer to that question would be yes, but with me finally finishing the second book in the Percy Jackson series and hearing so much about how bad this movie would be if I watched it, I was curious. And boy should I have stayed curious. From the moment the movie started I immediately knew that the writers had taken creative liberties, and not in a good way. The first thing I noticed was the fact that there were so many moments that were cut out of the movie that simplified extremely complex situations and/or characters. For some scenes I would understand taking out for time's sake but there were some moments that I think just made the movie less impactful because of their absence. Overall, the movie production of Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters was disrespectful not only to the book but also towards the characters.

Let's start with a fan favorite: Annabeth. Throughout all the books (at least the ones I’ve read so far) Annabeth has been portrayed as this extremely wise and quick-thinking girl who almost always has a plan regardless of the situation. Which would make sense as she is the daughter of the goddess Athena. But in the movies, she’s heavily washed out and barely has any of these attributes. For example, in the movie it always felt like she was looking at Percy to see what the next step was instead of thinking of it herself. Not to mention that her internal battle with Luke being the antagonist of the story is extremely watered down. In the book there is a whole chapter where Annabeth is tricked by the sirens and sees her wants and desires: a place that she’d rebuilt with Luke, her mother, and father by her side as they share a tender moment away from all the pressures of life. This alone gives the reader so much information about Annabeth’s character and the internal battles she’s going through while seeing Luke turn more maddened by rage. You’d think such a pivotal moment of a character's life would be added to the movie rendition but no, it was swept under the rug and simply never mentioned. 

Another character I’d like to talk about would be the one that is newly introduced in this book/movie: Tyson. Tyson is Percy’s cyclops half-brother who has a heart of gold and everyone else’s wellbeing on his mind. In the book, he’s introduced in the first chapter as this homeless kid who attends the same school as Percy as a charity case. Because they’re both neglected by the other kids, they find solace in each other and, since the beginning, Percy could always tell that Tyson was a little bit different. As time goes on and Tyson’s identity is revealed Percy, in the beginning, is embarrassed that Tyson is his brother but still treats him fairly and as though he matters. (That doesn’t mean he was a stellar brother though.) Though later on he tends to truly be proud of and really care about Tyson to the point he proudly calls him his brother. In the movie, it’s completely different. Tyson just sort of shows up at camp and immediately tells Percy that they’re related. And throughout the movie Tyson is portrayed as this kind of dumb kid who brings more problems than he’s worth. It's so bad to the point where I wonder why he was even added to the movie if he didn’t do any of the heroic and impactful things he did in the book. Not to mention that Percy was treating him poorly the entire time in the movie to the point where the scene he calls Tyson his brother feels more fabricated than genuine. 

    Overall, The Sea of Monsters was a horrible movie rendition that was so bad that Rick Riordan even made fun of it online complaining on how poorly they remade his books. Every single important scene in the book was either cut out or heavily washed out throughout the movie to the point where it was painful to watch. There were so many plot holes and completely unnecessary bits that were more trouble than they were worth being put into this movie. All the characters and their personalities were so different compared to the books making the movie not only unenjoyable but also hard to call a Percy Jackson movie. Honestly, I really hope that the new series on Disney + will put back some honor to the Percy Jackson franchise.

Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers?; a Question Born of Privilege

  Between the bustling hallways, looming assignments, getting shoved or shoving to get to your locker; school is stressful. However, the most stressful of all is opening your grades, and waiting for them to load, wondering if you’re good enough, or if your parents are going to be disappointed, or if you should give up on your dream career. Grades are honestly quite horrifying, especially with how fluctuating and uncertain they can often be. With that being said, students should not be able to grade their teachers.

First of all, us students know better than anyone how painful and identity-shattering grades can be, so why should we want to inflict that upon others? Sure, you could say “if they’re a good teacher they have no reason to stress”, but that’s untrue. That would be like saying “If you just pay attention in class, you’ll be fine”, which remains untrue for plenty of students, especially those who have trouble focusing potentially due to issues in their life or factors outside of their control (such as being neurodivergent). According to Mental Health America, 8% of adults, and 15% of teens, in the US, suffer depression. We never know what’s going on in other’s lives, and of course that doesn’t mean we should say that everyone’s objectively as good at certain things as everyone else, but for a student to have a bad subject, or a bad semester, or a bad grade, it doesn’t cost as much. In college admissions, grades can be important, but if someone has a reason as to why they got said grade, they can explain said reason to the college, especially if it’s a life altering reason. Otherwise, teachers can grant extensions, or help, or if they’re a bad teacher (most people cannot learn from them), students and parents typically get mad, and speak with higher ups. Although one might say a bad grade could cost their future, or dream college, as heartbreaking as that is, it’s so uncertain, and essentially losing something you never had to begin with. Also, students can recover, or ask for help (if they’re lucky enough to have the resources), but essentially, they have other opportunities to evolve and change as a person. Students might have college, grad school, jobs that they can go to, and their grades won’t matter. However, for a teacher, being labeled as a bad teacher could potentially get them fired, or make it harder to get jobs in the future. Teachers are already incredibly underpaid as is, so being graded poorly could cost their insurance, or their next meal. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but is true in many cases, especially if they have others to support and are their sole source of income.

Lastly, us teenagers literally do not have the mental capacity for grading teachers. I don’t mean this in a hurtful way, because I do believe teenagers can be mature, but, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teenagers, compared to adults, tend not to “pause to consider the consequences of their actions”. So, a teenager could very easily cost the future of a teacher, simply for a petty revenge, or without second thought. Although there are bad teachers out there, in situations in which grading teachers would actually lead to action, people typically already have the resources they need to the point that parents would probably already get upset with the administration. 

Essentially, if a teenager’s words are enough to impact a school’s decision, that’s a case in which the school has other hiring options, or in which parents/adults around them could already act. It’s not about the means with which the message gets shared, nor the substance of the message, it’s about the resources people have. It’s about the actual choices people could make, not how they come to them. 

Citations:

“Depression.” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/conditions/depression#:~:text=Basic%20Facts%20About%20Depression,are%20affected%20by%20major%20depression.

“Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making.”  the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, September 2017, https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/fff-guide/the-teen-brain-behavior-problem-solving-and-decision-making-095.aspx.

Should the School Day Start Later? Finn

No matter who you are, school consumes a massive portion of childhood. From morning to afternoon, students as young as 5 and as old as 18 are at school Monday-Friday. Whether you’re taking exams, sitting through lectures, or learning the alphabet, for most people, school starts early in the morning. Usually this means about 7-9 AM. But, the question is, is the daily start time of school too early? 

Now, this opinion can vary depending on how refreshed a student feels in the morning and the start time of the particular school that they attend. Some prefer to stay up later (like myself), and end up feeling drowsy and unwilling to leave bed the next morning. Now, this might be entirely my fault, but, not only does it depend on bedtime, but also on general personality in my opinion; Some people just don’t like mornings. I see a lot of students consistently express exhaustion and unwillingness in relation to school, and this could be the fault of the start time. Getting up at 7-8 AM every day to attend classes can be very draining. 

A lot of arguments surrounding school start time blame students for going to sleep too late on nights before school. In my opinion, solely blaming students for an issue that isn’t only their fault is dismissive of the problem as a whole. Not every middle and highschool student goes to bed at 9 or 10 PM every night for whatever reason there may be. So, instead of blaming students, the start time of school being made later is a much better solution. No more rushed mornings, less tardies, and allows a solution for every student no matter their sleep schedule. 

NeaToday references a study in 2018—here is what they said. “A 2018 study that looked at two public schools in Seattle found that students’ sleep increased an average of 34 minutes each night after start times were moved nearly an hour later.” So, yes, a lot of schools start way too early. There's no reason that school should have to start at 7 or 8 am—we should normalize start times at around 9-10 am. If the end of the day needs to end a little later too, that’s not a huge deal. What's most important is that students feel as refreshed as possible for the many hours they spend in class. 

 

https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/later-school-start-times-more-popular-what-are-drawbacks, NeaToday, Tim Walker, Dec 1 2022.