An English Major Thinking Stories Have Value... How Odd

I've been spending more time at the Food Pantry now that I'm able to. It's been a lot of helping Sister Lynn with the organization of everything. I do get to see a lot of the families of the neighborhood who come in to get their food.

Honestly, they don't really talk that much about their lives. They mostly ask about hours, what extra food they can take, and when they should come to pick up their bags. I did hear someone talking about the free meals around Dubuque and which ones were the best (I can't remember them, so sadly I can't give a Guide to the Best Free Meals in Dubuque...), but other than that, talk is mostly oriented on the Food Pantry services.

I really like hearing about people's lives, so this makes me a little sad. We aren't really encouraged to talk with the people who come in- I assume to make them feel less awkward. I think some of the people who do come in would like to talk more, but they don't. It could be because everything is run so methodically, or it could be that they feel awkward, or it could be some other reason.

We've been taking requests for Christmas baskets, and I think the thing that surprises me the most is the large number of people who have asked for them. I've had to sort the sheets, and I always think, "This isn't just a sheet; this is a person."

I think that a lot of different kinds of people come into the Food Pantry. Many of the people who enter you would never even guess would need a food pantry. I'm curious and maybe I shouldn't, but I always wonder what's brought them there. I think that it's harder to make ends meet in this economy, and I'm sure a lot of them would have a story about that. I always think they could shatter a lot of perceptions and stereotypes people have about the lower classes with their stories. As Nussbaum points out, "Most of us have fears and blind spots that militate against the acknowledgement of some of our fellow citizens" (99). I think that if too many people are prejudiced againt the poor (e.g. they're just lazy), then there's a chance they won't get the help they need. If more of them have their stories told, people can sympathize and also be able to better help them. They will be more aware of their needs. They will also be able to see them as relatable people.

I would hate for the Food Pantry to be shut down, because it does help so many people. It won't be any time soon. Many people donate, but it would be terrible if all of the sudden everyone stopped. (Unless, of course, it was because no one required the services anymore. That would be awesome.) I know a lot of people are afraid of the Washington neighborhood. I've heard people say that they are. I think if they heard the stories they might be less afraid. They also might learn how to better help the people there and be able to respond more to their needs.

When I read the Nussbaum chapter, I formed the opinion that she thinks similarly on this issue. She pointed out that literary works could help in forming sympathy or thinking from another group's perspective. I think it can do this. She also pointed out how there are underlying prejudices in novels, and I think this is also important to keep in mind. I'm an English major, so I'm naturally going to think books are even better than sliced bread. I think starting to read to children early on, especially books that can help them understand things- like how it feels bad to be bullied, can only aide them in the future. Nussbaum agrees when she says, "As children grasp such complex facts [like fairness for being bullied] in imagination, they become capable of compassion" (90). I think Nussbaum thinks books have great value, and naturally I agree with her.

I always understand concepts the best when I hear a story about them. I think a lot of people learn similarly. When I'm trying to explain words or phrases to my friends who don't speak English, I give them the meaning, but I also always give examples of when the word or phrase is used. One of my friends told me that he liked this approach because it helped him understand way more than if I had just given him the definition. I think this is true. Sometimes a definition isn't enough. Sometimes you need more than that to truly understand something. I think it's the same way with history. I can say, "The Great Depression was bad. A lot of people lost their jobs and didn't have enough to eat." And you'll maybe think about it for a second. If I tell a tale about a specific family who had to eat the rats that lived in the sewers for food because they didn't have enough money, you'd think about it a lot more. (That's not a story I've heard, by the way... It was just dramatic-sounding.) People have been telling stories for as long as they could communicate... I think there's a reason for that.