Mentor Texts | Austyndavis

Mentor Text

In the shadows of a young girl is a coming-of-age story centered around a young girl and her confusing relationship with her father. Growing up, she battled society's stereotypes of how girls should behave, dress, and front themselves to the world. She always envied the more masculine look and looked up to manly people her father hired, like yardmen and contractors. Following the plotline of her sexuality is the tragic story of her father’s death. It is unclear how exactly he died, as she talks about a car crash, suicide, and a snake. Throughout the story, she grapples with the idea of life and death and outlines key points of her and her father’s relationship. By the end, she comes to the conclusion that “the end of his life, coincided with the beginning of [her] truth”.

This coming-of-age text is dramatic and fiction based which reminds me of the novel “Catcher in the Rye”. While they have wildly different plot lines, something about the underlying tones and monotony gives me the same feel as a reader. Also, the speaker in both of these texts is the main character trying to navigate their life. I think that in both, the author is trying to shine their own experiences through the words of the fictional main character.

Response

Mentor Text #2

This specific video was about the struggles of deaf people when they go to see a movie. It talks about the tiny screens that have closed captions that never work because they play the wrong movie and it makes your head hurt. While this video helps to show people the everyday tasks that are hard for deaf people, it also works to bring overall awareness. Clearly, if something as small as going to a movie is so challenging, there is a bigger issue at hand. We as a society need to work to improve our access for all disabilities, whether that be being deaf, blind, paralyzed, etc.

I think this video was for informational purposes and to promote change within society. It was targeted at the general public and I think all of us, as students, meet the intended audience. I get the vibe from the text that people are very tired of putting up with subpar experiences just because society does not want to put in the extra work to make a better experience for people with disabilities. This video serves as a call to action and a wake-up message for our world as a whole.

Mentor Text 3- Religion and Sexuality

I believe that this video’s genre was informative, educational, and to raise awareness. Watching someone share a deep, personal story allows the audience to connect and better understand the issue at hand. It also pushes people to reflect on their own experiences and make connections, whether it is a shared experience or not. I am not sure who the intended audience would be…possibly anyone looking to be more informed on the relationship between the Church and the LGBTQ community. I think any informational text is made because there is a lack of understanding that needs to be addressed. Often times, the Church is seen as an antagonist to the LGBTQ community, so it is important to combat this misunderstanding and give support to the people stuck in-between the two. One thing that was a conflict in my mind is that, unfortunately, this bridge between the two communities is not always the case. It is important to not undermine the discrimination that does occur in religious settings and instead promote understanding and empathy.

Response:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00918360903445806
My tweet:

Mentor Text 4- Above and Beyonce

This text talk touched on Beyoncé's life from childhood to her future success as a singer, actress, and dancer. Beyoncé started her early life in a wealthy family who pushed her to her full potential both as a human being and artist. She was placed in dance classes where she fell in love with performance. She was in bands and performances from the age of 7 and at only 17 she landed a spot in one of the biggest girl groups to ever exist, "Destiny's child". From there she broke out on her own, started a family, and accumulated a lifetimes worth of notability in only a few short years. I would say this text could be categorized as a bibliography or an informational article. The vibe from the text is that Beyoncé is trying to be more relatable and have people understand her story and where she comes from. I think I am definitely apart of the intended audience as it is directed towards anyone interested in a celebrities viewpoint.