Possibilities for Critical Analysis Podcast

For my podcast, I intend to focus on the issue of racism. Racism is a difficult issue to discuss with children, especially if they live in an area where there is not much diversity, but it is an important issue to make children aware of at an early age. The three books I am considering for my podcast about racism are:
    Sister Anne's Hands: This is a book centered in the 1960s about a young, White girl who discovers her new teacher is Black. It is the first time the girl has encountered someone of a different race and does not know how to respond.
In my podcast, I plan to discuss why the girl's parents did not make her aware of the different races of people and why it is more important for today's parents to make their children aware. I also plan to discuss the impact Sister Anne had on her students.
   What if the Zebras Lost Their Stripes: This book creates a scenario of what could happen if some zebras lost their stripes. The author discusses the changes that could occur within the zebra community if they no longer looked alike; how the dynamic would be different.
In my podcast, I plan to discuss why the author might have chosen to use animals to teach children about racism.
   In both possible podcasts, I will provide an overview of the book, discuss the appropriate age of the book, my thoughts on the book, and how it effectively teaches children about racism.

Quotable Quotes

She put on her white silk gloves and took out a roll of twine. "Now just keep looking at me," she said. She tied White Dog to the tree. (Otsuka 11)

   I believe this quote is significant because it shows insight and symbolism. This quote occurs when the woman has to make the painful decision to kill her dog before she and her family are forced to leave their home. It shows insight into the woman's life because it tells us she owns a pair of white gloves. If a woman owned a pair of white gloves in the 1940's, it normally meant she belonged to the upper class and needed white gloves for specific high-class occasions. The fact that she chooses to wear her pristine, white gloves to kill her dog demonstrates that the gloves no longer have importance in her life. This quote shows symbolism because it mentions the color white, which is frequently mentioned throughout the story. In the story, the color white has a few meanings, specifically purity. The woman puts on her white gloves to keep her hands clean and, perhaps, to keep herself from feeling responsible for her actions. After killing her White dog, the woman notes her gloves are no longer white and throws them away. The tarnished gloves symbolize how her life has not been the same since Pearl Harbor and may never be again. 

"Last night it was too cold," she said, but now it's so hot I can hardly breathe. Everything keeps on changing.""Isn't that right," said the man. (Otsuka 33)

   This quote occurs while the family is still on the train and the girl is having a conversation with a man on the train. I believe this quote is significant because it shows how the girl is beginning to understand how life is not supposed to stay the same forever. The man's reaction to her statement is not encouraging or discouraging; it is simply a statement of fact. Although the people on the train are in dire circumstance, it was naive for the girl to think her life was never going to change. Her general statement about change demonstrates how she realizes she has no control over the changes occurring in her life and the man's answer to her statement demonstrates how she needs to try to make the best of her situation and hang on for the ride. 

Hello My Names Are:

Kelly Elizabeth Cannon: It is my legal name given to me by my parents. This is the name that appears on my driver's license and bank account. The only time my parents ever referred to me by my full name was when I was getting in trouble. When I get married, this name will probably change because I am old-fashioned and plan to take my husband's last name.
Kelly: This is the name most people, including my friends, family, and professors, refer to me by and the name I respond to most. Since my name is short and ends with a y, it is very easy to rhyme with. When I was little, my aunt used to call me Kelly Belly. My babysitter used to sing me this song before I went to bed: K E L L Y, why? Because she's KELLY KELLY KELLY KELLY, K E L L Y, why? and so on. I used to think my name was special because it had a song until I grew older and realized a lot of names have songs.
Kel: Although I do not really have a designated nickname, my dad sometimes refers to me by this name when he speaks to me on the phone or wants to grab my attention.
Kelster: This is a relatively new nickname created by my roommates while I was studying in Rome. For some reason we thought it would be a cool bonding experience to come up with nicknames for everyone. We only called each other by our nicknames occasionally, but it was a fun bonding experience.
Cannonball: The only time people used to refer to me by this name was when I played competitive sports, but some of my friends still think it is funny to post a picture of a canon of facebook and tag me in it.
My Names Are Not:
Kelli/Kelley Canon: I sometimes have to spell my name out to cashiers and new friends because there are a few different ways to spell my first name and last name. The upside to the variety of spellings is that they all sound the same.
P.S. It would be kind of cool if my last name was spelled Canon because I could claim I was related to Canon (cameras, printers, etc.) Manufacturers.