Tag: Inquirypost1

The Friday Everything Changed: How one person can change many

Original Text: “The Friday Everything Changed” (By Anne Hart)

Secondary Sources:

Surfing Possibility: The Surfing girls of India

Malala Marches Toward the Nobel Peace Prize

Inquiry Questions:
Why do some people choose to accept their fate (determinism) while others try to create their own (free will)?
What are the consequences of an individual not pursuing his/her identity?
How does inequality get perpetuated?
How does the influence of others impact our lives?
How do we learn to see through another’s eyes? Or why is it important?

“The Friday Everything Changed” (By Anne Hart)

The Friday Everything changed is a story written by Anne Hart about a battle for gender equality in which the boys acquire the superior gender. The short story follows the narrative of the main protagonist, Alma Niles. It starts of by a school in a remote town receiving a water pump at a nearby train station. Every two days, the “strong boys” went to go get the water because they were recognized to be more “capable” of doing it then the girls. Having the boys getting the task for carrying the water, made the girls a target for the boys because they were known to be the “weaker” gender. The boys played softball, and the girls kept score. The boys had first pick for magazines, and girls got trampled over. One Friday, Alma Niles, raised her hand to ask Ms.Ralston “Why can’t girls go for water, too?” The protagonist becomes a hero because of her bravery and courage to stand up for herself and the rest of the girls. It is an act like Alma Niles that makes us question how much power us girls actually have and how much of it is shielded by today’s society. It only takes one persons courage, one small act, and standing up to what they believe is right to make a difference and a change in this world.

Sometimes, us humans, are blinded to the possibilities we have to make a difference in a situation. However there are numerous times where small acts led to immense changes. For Example “The Surfing girls of India.” The video shows a girl who has a passion for surfing but her amusement for surfing was not always accepted and welcomed by others. Even her own Mother was not accepting of her passion. She still pushes through all of the negativity and ignores the beliefs of society that girls are not meant to surf but have to get an education and raise a family instead. She then inspired other girls to surf and proved that females are just as powerful as males. Malala, another girl, standing up for gender equality, demanding an education for all girls and inspiring other women. Many people think of themselves so small, so powerless, and that even small acts cannot make a difference. Both “The Surfing girls of India” and Malala inspired other girls to stand up for what they believe is right and reminded them they they too have a voice that is just as strong as the boys.