Chapters Ten, Eleven, and Twelve
- Do you agree with Kenneth Jernigan's definition of blindness? Why or why not?
- Re-read Hingson's second paragraph on page 125 ("If there is just one message about blindness ..."). How has his life been spent living this philosophy?
Chapter Eleven
- The opening of the chapter shifts the book's point of view dramatically, and these shifts continue throughout this section. Are these changes effective, or are they too jarring? Why?
Chapter Twelve
- Evaluate the impact of 9/11 on Hingson's personal and professional life. How did the events of that morning change him?
Chapter Ten
ReplyDelete1. I agree with his definition. I do because many times blind people can do the same things as people with vision in the same ways so they are really only different when they have to find other ways to do things.
2. His life has been spent living this because he has done and enjoyed all the things he talked about. Though the experiences may be different for someone that is blind, that doesn't mean they aren't just as great. He doesn't spend his life feeling sorry for himself, he does what he wants to do and shows that something like this shouldn't stop you from living your life to the fullest.
Chapter Eleven
1. I think these shifts are effective and I really like them. You've gotten to see how he feels about everything and what he has experienced but getting his wife's point of view makes it even more real. She spent hours waiting and not knowing what had happened to her husband and if he was alive and her feelings and descriptions add a lot to the story.
Chapter Twelve
1. I think the main thing 9/11 changed in his life was his priorities and what he valued in life. He looked at all the things that could've happened to him and he starts to believe in the fact that he has a purpose in the world. He saw the value in talking about things he'd learned his whole life that helped him that day. He decided to take a job where he could be a help and be a part of something he enjoyed because the money and demands of his office job didn't seem as important anymore.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Kenneth Jernigen's definition of blindness because a blind person is exactly the same as a person with sight and can compete just as effectively. A blind person just has a different way of doing things.
2. Hingson has done everything that he talked about in this philosophy. He has enjoyed it and maintained accomplishing success in all of his decisions. He doesn't treat blindness as a handicap but as an advantage. An advantage to prove that blindness can sometimes be better than sight. Hingson lives his life like every moment is his last.
Chapter 12
1. Michael faced a near death experience on 9/11. This caused him to appreciate his life even more. He got a job being a part of something he enjoyed because the money didn't mean as much to him anymore.
Chapter 11
ReplyDelete1. I think the shifts are important because you get to see Michael's story from his wife's point of view. You see how Mrs.Hingson lives with him being blind.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I agree with his definition. A blind person can still lead a fulfilling life without vision. While some opportunities may be impeded by loss of vision (such as football and driving... for now) the life of a blind person can still be very fulfilling.
2. Hingson's life is practically based off of this paragraph. He sees blindness in his life as nothing more than a human limitation. He says how there are many human limitations, and always a way to overcome them. His entire life is devoted to loving life and proving the blind stereotype incorrect.
Chapter 11
1. The concept of chapter 11 I thought was promising, but I felt the execution of the structure was a lacking. I felt 9/11 through Karen's eyes was a vital part of the story; a look from the other side. But the back and forth nature, alongside with varying topics, I felt was a little too fast and jarring.
Chapter 12
1. Hingson seems to completely reevaluate his life after 9/11. This is truly his mid life crisis. He sees his life as new slate to help others. This vision starts as he tells his story to America as a sign of hope, to discussing "blind people sex" with grade schoolers. He feels that he has an obligation to help people around the country as a sign of strength with his story.
10.1
ReplyDeleteI do agree with his definition because blind people can do the same things as sighted people, blind people just have to figure out different ways to do them.
10.2
Hingson is living by his philosophy. He continues to say how blindness is not a disability and he proves that blind people and do everything sighted people can do.
11.1
Yes they are effective. The shift gives you insight as to how Michael's wife felt during the attack on 9/11, which would have to be very hard to deal with.
12.1
It effects his personal life because he now values skills that he learned when he was a child and those are the skills he used during 9/11. In his professional life he know is not a business man but an author, so the attacks really changed his professionall life.
Chp 10
ReplyDelete1) I do agree because he views blindness as not a disability, but as an obstacle that causes blind people to devise alternative methods of doing daily tasts.
2) He has clearly followed this philosophy; he has created alternative ways of doing daily tasks, he is very intelligent and went to college, he has traveled to several places, he is close with his friends and family, he is happily married, he has had great jobs and has been very successful, and he is above all, happy.
Chp 11
1) The shifts are effective because it shows how his wife was feeling and what she was experiencing throughout the tragedy. The transitions are good because they cover how both of them are feeling and what they are doing, and they create more depth to the story because 9/11 isn't only about what happened in the towers and the loss of lives; it is also about how it affected the people at home, their feelings and experience, and how the government handled the situation.
Chp 12
9/11 affected Michael by making his re-evaluate his life. He appreciates life more and the skills he has acquired over the years, and now has realized that money does not matter to him and that sharing his story is inspirational. He finds that his purpose in the life is to share his story and help people by doing so.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1)Yes I agree with his definition because blind people are the same as people who can see, they just have to live their every day life a little differently. They can still do almost everything everyone else can do and I agree that sometimes their techniques may be superior to the way we do thi8ngs.
2)Hingosn has been living by this philosophy all his life. He decides to live every day to the fullest, works for what he wants and is very happy with the way his life is.
Chapter 11
1) I think it is effective because we are able to see what Hingson's wife was going through while at the same time what Hingson himself was going through.
Chapter 12
1) I think the events of 9/11 made Hingson realize that he had a purpose in life. He decided to give up his high paying job because the money didn't seem as important anymore. He wanted to share his story about growing up bloind and how it helped him survive that day. He realizes that helping people with his story is what is important to him.
Chapter 10:
ReplyDelete1. I also agree with this because blind people only lack vision. They have to adapt to performing certain tasks in unique ways but in all other aspects, blind people are just the same as sighted people.
2. Hingson has spent his life living out this philosophy because he was always determined to be independent and do things sighted people could do. He holds a job and is married and doesn't let being blind hinder him from being positive and happy.
Chapter 11:
I didn't mind the switch because up until then, it had been Michael's point of view. It gave the situation a new perspective to hear his wife's side of the story.
Chapter 12:
These events made Hingson re-evalute his life and he came to the conclusion that money wasn't important but rather his family. He quit his job and went around telling his story in hopes that it would help others.
Chapter Ten
ReplyDelete1. I do agree with Kenneth Jernigan's definition of blindness because visually impaired people can still live a fulfilling life even though they live it differently from a non-visually impaired person.
2. He has lived by his philosophy because he doesn't let blindness limit him from living the fulfilling life he wants to live. He acts independently and creates his opportunities by not letting his blindness get in the way.
Chapter Eleven
1. I thought this shift was odd. I didn't like that his wife took on the role as narrator because it was confusing. This takes away from the point of the novel which is Roselle bringing him to safety on September 11th, 2001 rather than enhancing the book by strictly keeping to one subject matter.
Chapter Twelve
1. September 11th, 2001 had a huge impact on Hingson's personal and professional life. He took a step back and realized his true potential, and purpose in his life. He re-evaluated his priorities and concluded that family is more important than money, so he quit his job. He figured out how he could use his story to make a difference in the world.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. Before reading this book I probably would have disagreed with his definition, believeing that blindness was a disability that prevents bling people from functioning as well as people who can see. Now I understand that blindness is just an obstacle that can be overcome. Blind people do all the things seeing people do, they just do them a different way.
2. Hingson has always done whatever he wanted to. He's travelled, gone to college, flown a plane, and done many other things that many seeing people have never done. He never let being blind hold him back. His life experiences are proof that blindness doesn't have to stop anyone.
Chapter 11
1. Though it was a bit confusing at first, I quite like the shifts. I like hearing his wife's part of the story. Her point of view makes the ordeal that Michael went through that much more emotional and understandable.
Chapter 12
1. 9/11 forced Michael to re-evaluate his life and look at his choices. He made the decision that he would rather focus on his family than on money, a decision which led him to quit his job. He also decided that he wanted to help and inspire people by sharing his story and his experiences.
Chapter Ten:
ReplyDelete1. I agree with his definition of blindness because people who are blind are able to do the same things as someone who isn't. They are able to perform the same tasks, sometimes just in different ways. There are some exceptions, such as driving, but even this may be possible in the future.
2. Hingson has not let his blindness prevent him from doing anything or stop him from going after his dreams. He has ridden a bike, flown a plane, traveled, gone to college, and has earned a living. He has proven in his life that being blind does not make him or others who are blind any less than someone who can see. That it is okay for someone to be blind because they deserve and are capable of getting the same pleasures from life such as getting a job, falling in love, or experiencing the thrills of traveling such as he has.
Chapter Eleven:
I think the shifts are effective because up to this point, we have only read about what happened through the author's point of view. By switching the narration to Hingson's wife, we are able experience that day through someone who wasn't in the tower but nervously waiting at home. It added more of an emotional aspect to the story that, in my opinion, wasn't really present before.
Chapter Twelve:
The events of the morning of 9/11 changed Hingson in many ways. Personally, he developed a new respect and outlook for life. He realized that he had a greater purpose - to share his story. This also affected his professional life because he stopped working as a manager and moved to California to work for Guide Dogs and then public speaking. It was no longer about money or material things, but helping people by sharing his story.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Jernigan's definition, a blind person isn't really blind unless they let them self be. blind people may not be able to see in the normal sense but they can find ways around not seeing.
2. Hingson has lived his philosophy because he never let his blindness keep him down. He was able to ride his bike and even drive a car a few times. He traveled around and had a good job that he enjoyed. He didn't feel like he was blind and that the blindness kept him from living his life.
Chapter 11
I think it's effective to tell Karen's point of view. The book hasn't really talked about her except to say how Hingson wants to stay alive for her. You get to see what she was experiencing while she wasn't able to hear from Hingson. I liked that it talked about how they met and her disability to. It shines more light on her and Hingson's relationship.
Chapter 12
Hingson realized that he needed to do more with his life. He no longer worried about how much money he made, so he took a job at Guide Dogs for the blind in California. He then traveled telling his story knowing that he wanted to make a difference in peoples lives. He quit his job to travel and tell his story hoping that people will understand and learn from what he has gone through.
1.10 After reading this book for awhile know, I do agree with the definition of blindness, but at first I was wary. Blind people are able to do the same things as sighted people, just in different ways.
ReplyDelete2.10 Hingson has lived his life by this philosophy by not letting his blindness hinder his everyday activities. He has taken advantage of all of the new technologies, rides bikes and worked at a business just like everyone else.
1.11 I think that the change is point of view added to the drama surrounding the terror attacks and what was going through Karens mind. I think there should have been some sort of transition though between Hingson speaking and switching directly over to Karen.
1.12 The events of 9/11 changed his life by bringing some fame his way. Hingson was on Larry King and started to travel and tell his story. He also became more appreciative of life due to his near death experience.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. Jernigan's "human definition of blindness" seems to be quite accurate. If a person with impaired vision does not need to "devise alternative techniques" for anything, then they may as well have fully functioning eyes. On the other hand, if someone must rely on a cane or a reader or make other adjustments to their lifestyle, then they are blind to a greater extent.
2. Hingson clearly applies this philosophy to his own life in many ways. In fact, one might even assume that this philosophy of treating blindness as "just another human limitation" is based on or inspired by Hingson's own experiences. Hingson is a living example of each and every point that he makes in this second paragraph on page 125: he is clearly very intelligent, he travels, he's close to friends and family, he got married and had a family, he got a good job and made a living... each day, he proves to himself again that it really is okay to be blind.
Chapter 11
1. I didn't find the switches between Hingson and wife to be too jarring, as it was pretty easy to figure out who was narrating within the first sentence or two. I was glad to learn a little more about his wife, who has been mentioned repeatedly but without any detail. One thing that did bother me, not relating directly to the change of perspective, was the fact that Karen Hingson had her "eyes on the television," watching anchor Charlie Gibson's face turn white---but then reached for the remote and turned on the TV. What's that all about?
Chapter 12
1. In the aftermath of September the eleventh, Hingson's mind turned to existential questions and "what-ifs". However, he quickly contented himself to know simply that he had survived, and had done so for a reason. From this point, he looked to find his larger purpose in human society, and found it by retiring from his sales job and turning first to Guide Dogs for the Blind and then to public speaking, which he had tasted in the days and weeks immediately after 9/11.
Chapter Ten
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Kenneth Jernigan's definition of blindness. Blindness is considered a disability, but if the person who can't see well can still function perfectly normally, then they're a fully functioning person. That being said, blindness is still the loss of sight. There is a difference between blind people, and people with 20/20 vision, and it is an obvious difference. So perhaps the "human definition of blindness", as told by Jernigan, is less of a definition, and more of a reminder that most blind people are still perfectly able to function in society.
2. Hingson has never let any so-called obstacles keep him from doing what he wanted to do. He has had a normal life, just like any normal-sighted person, and hasn't let his blindness stop him in any way.
Chapter Eleven
1. I enjoyed the changes of perspective, as they allowed for a new view on what was happening at the World Trade Center. Hingson could only tell so much, being trapped in the stairwell. His wife, however, knew more, and was able to tell about what was going on in the world around the disaster. I felt like it also made the story more emotional.
Chapter Twelve
1. Hingson was lucky in that he didn't have "survivor's guilt". But at the same time, he asked a lot of "what if"s. He knew he could easily have died that day, and thought that there must be a reason that he was allowed to live. Because of that, he quit his old job and went on to work at Guide Dogs for the Blind for a while. He then became a public speaker – influencing people's lives with his words.
Chapter 10:
ReplyDelete1: I agree with his definition, if someone doesn't have an alternate way of doing something then might as well not be labeled blind.
2: Everything Hingson does applies to that philosophy, he does everything a sighted man does, he lives a normal life.
Chapter 11:
1: I didn't find the changes to "jarring" and I enjoy learning about his wife a little more.
Chpater 12:
1: After the events of 9/11 Hingson beleives he survived for a reason and devoted his life to find it, he now travels around and does public speaking.
Chapter 10:
ReplyDeleteI agree with his definition because blind people are able to the same things that sighted people can, just in different ways. Hingson can do the same tasks as any other person and is not much different from us.
He lives by this philosophy by being successful in his professional life and personal life and sharing all the experiences he has had, unaffected by his blindness.
Chapter 11:
I thought it was interesting when Chapter 11 it changed from his point of view to his wife's. Even though I was told before hand that the perspective would be changing, I was still surprised and somewhat confused when it happened. I thought it was insightful to see her take on 9/11 but also thought it was somewhat random and jarring at the same time.
Chapter 12:
Hingson could've died on 9/11 but what happened that morning made him realize that what he learned as a child was so important and made him value his skills even more. Even though he had previously known about God and was a religious man, he grew closer to God that day and prayed as well.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1 I agree with Jernigan's Definition of blindness. Aside from intrinsically sight-oriented tasks, like many sports, blind people are usually fully capable of preforming everyday tasks, although they may have to find alternate methods to preform them.
2. He has spent his life living that philosophy in many ways. From learning to ride a bike as a child, to working hard in a regular high school (as opposed to a school for the blind), going to college and succeeding on a high level. Hingson has done many things that even many sighted people haven't had the courage or drive to go out and try such as flying a plane and traveling the world. He was able to live a comfortable life, starting a family, getting a good job, and generally having a good time. He has never let being blind stop hold him back from life.
Chapter 11
1. I personally enjoyed the shifts. They were effective because most stories can give us one point of view of an event, but by bringing in his wife's narrative we get to experience the event even more fully. It's also nice seeing more his wife, who is clearly very important in Hingson's life.
Chapter 12
1. The events of 9/11 forced Hingson to step back and reevaluate his life. He saw that he had been enjoying his life, but he wasn't living his life for the greatest joy. The events of 9/11 let Hingson remember that it wasn't all about money and power in his professional life, so he decided to make a bigger difference in the world by being a speaker.
Chapter 10:
ReplyDelete1. I do agree with Jernigan's definition of blindness. People who live without there sight are still human beings that just do things different ways. All people, blind or not, often do certain tasks different ways, this makes them unique.
2. Hingson has spent his life living this philosophy by never not doing something just because society may have told him he couldn't. He has a good career, a loving wife, and parents who never gave up on him. Hingson has had many blessing in his life and his blindness is one of them in my eyes.
Chapter 11:
1. I think Hingson's shifts between himself and his wife are effective. Although it's hard to understand at first it give the perspective of someone very close to him. It's also interesting that his wife also has a disability, this shows a lot about Hingson.
Chapter 12:
1. Hingson was very thankful that he survived the 9/11 tragedy and knew that God had saved him for a reason. After 9/11 Hingson became much closer with God and began sharing his story of that day. This changed his career from a well paid salesman to a less paid national speaker and forced him to move. Hingson knew this was the right move to make though.
Chapter 10:
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Jernigan's definition because if a blind person is able to function in most of the same ways as a person with functioning eyes then they should be considered a fully functioning person.
2. He has spent his life living this philosophy because just because he may be handicapped when it comes to his vision, he still does things and enjoys them like any other person would. He hasn't went through life being afraid to try things and has never felt sorry for himself. He does whatever he can do to make sure he is living his life to the fullest and having a great life.
Chapter 11:
Yes, these shifts are very effective and I enjoyed reading them in this chapter. The book has given all of Hingson's thoughts throughout his life but these shifts give his wife a chance to speak her opinions. This helped the reader learn what his wife's thoughts were while he was trapped in the stairwell on 9/11.
Chapter 12:
After 9/11, Hingson basically rethought his ways of living. He realized that life wasn't always about having money and power. and it was about enjoying it and making the most of it while it lasts. He got rid of his office job because it wasn't giving the joy and exposure he wanted and he found a job working with Guide Dogs and then became a public speaker.
Chapter 10--
ReplyDelete1. Yes, I agree with the definition that Kenneth Jernigan proposed because a blind person is equally the same as any regular person who is able to see. No matter what, anyone who has a life, is considered someone who is able to function and do anything that their mind and hearts set to do.
2. Michael has spent his entire life living this philosophy because hes like any other person on this Earth. Just because of the fact that hes blind, that one little thing about him won't keep him from enjoying the beautiful life that was created for him. Anyone would think that a life being able to see is wonderful. Although, being blind and living would be all around the most wonderful thing ever. Yes, you wouldn't be able to see, but you could imagine the most beautiful things in your mind.
Chapter 11--
1. The shifts between Michael and his wife, Karen, are all above effective in this story. It doesn't just show the perspective of Michael and Roselle, but it also shows Karen's reactions to what is happening. It gives the story a dramatic touch as we read on to see what has happened in the minds of two who are thinking about each other nonstop.
Chapter 12--
1.Due to Michael and Roselle surviving 9/11 has impacted his life severely. He didn't have the guilt of surviving, but he had a million what if questions pop up in his head. He then realized that he was alive for a reason, quit his office job, and became a public speaker to tell the blood-streaming, unbelievable tale of his survival.
Ch. 10:
ReplyDelete1. I agree with his definition of blind people because they can do most all of the same things that sighted people can, but in slightly different ways.
2.Hingson lives by his philosophy by leading a relatively normal life and not letting his blindness get in the way of living his life.
Ch.11:
1. Other than the initial "wait, this isn't from his perspective",I thought the point of view change to his wife's was beneficial to the story. It was interesting to see her take on the 9/11 events.
Ch. 12:
1. After 9/11, Hingson reevaluated his life and figured out what was really important to him. He switched jobs to one where he could share his story and help other people.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. Kenneth Jernigan’s definition seems logical enough, so yes I would agree with it. His definition looks at blindness from the practical and emotional side rather than the scientific and legal definition that is given right before Jernigan’s definition.
2. Hingson has lived his whole life with the philosophy given on page 125. Just as he has written, he doesn’t let blindness be the defining factor of his life and he doesn’t let people see him as a blind person first. He is a normal person who is blind, not a blind person who acts normal.
Chapter 11
1. The shifts is chapter eleven are not too jarring for the chapter to make sense, but that also might have to do with the fact that you told us about the shift of point of view before I read the chapter. As for the shifts effectiveness, it is interesting to see the story told from a different point of view and the viewpoint of an outsider, but it doesn’t add all that much to the story. Its nice to have it in there, but the story wouldn’t suffer from it being gone.
Chapter 12
1. It seems as if Hingson’s experience on 9/11 brought him closer to his god because he believes that he was saved for a purpose. 9/11 changed that way he looks at the value of life and it made him reorder his priorities. He made a point of saying that he has moved on with his life, he says he isn’t stuck in the past and that he doesn’t have any survivor’s guilt.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Jernigan's definition because a blind person is only limited by physical sight, but this means they just have to find different ways to do things, like Hingson and his echolocation. They can still live fulfilling lives even though they are blind, take Michael for example. 2. Hingson lives by the philosophy by continually saying that his blindness isn't a disability, it just makes him learn to do things in different ways to become an independent person.
Chapter 11
1. The shifts in the story keep me, as a reader, very interested because the story is now in the point of view of Karen, Michael's wife, and I get to know now what she was going through.
Chapter 12
1. The effects of 9/11 on his life made Michael reevaluate what was important in life, which he now believes is family, over his job. He quit his job and is using his story to help make a difference all over the world.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I suppose I agree with Jernigan's definition, but I don't have a preference between his definition and the legal definition. I think both definitions are important and useful for use in everyday.
2. Hingson has not let his blindness slow him down ever, and in fact, has advantages from his blindness. He has always just kept going through life as normal as possible, like riding his bike, getting a good job, and getting married. He also uses technology effectively to read, and possibly some day even drive.
Chapter 11
1. I thought the change of perspective to Hingson's wife was a fresh change rather than jarring. I personally thought it was a nice addition to the story.
Chapter 12
1. Hngson's experience showed another example of how tenacious he is as a person in general, not just for a man that cannot see. He gained a bit of clarity and decided what was important in his life. And obviously, his office with all his work was destroyed, so that probably didn't urt his decision to switch jobs.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Jernigan's definition. A blind person can do just as musch as a person who has there vision can do, it's just in different ways.
2. Hingson will always live the life he wants. He will never let his blindess stop him from anything he wants to accomplish.
Chapter 11.
1. I thought that the shifts were both good and bad at the same time. I thought that it was confusing at first, which is a bad thing. Then again I thought that the shifts were effective in this chapter. I gives you perspectives of all the people and thought it worked well.
Chapter 12.
1. After 9/11, the effects on hingson were life changing. He realized what was really important to him in life. He had quit his job because you knew that family came before work. He now speaks about his story all over the world, trying to make a difference.
Ch. 10
ReplyDelete1.I agree with this definition because any blind person can develop their own ways of navigating through lie. They might not do things the same, but they sure can do them.
2.Hingson found his way to do the same as everyone else. He also got perks like not being able to see with his eyes, but being able to see with his ears.
Ch.11
1. I believe the shifts are effective because I liked knowing the thoughts of his wife.
Ch. 12
1. 9/11 changed his life because he know longer could work at tower one. He also realized that family was more important than work because they could be gone one day without knowing;
The events of Sept. 11 have given Hingson a tremendous platform from which to advocate for the rights of the blind. He has taken full advantage of this by touring and speaking extensively. His message of "blind power" (for lack of a better term) also applies to people with other disabilities, giving all of us a much-needed reminder to look first at the person and not at the "condition."
ReplyDelete