Monday, December 03, 2007

 

Evolution of a Revolutionary Cyber-Assignments due between Dec. 3-Dec. 12

Weeks of December 3-12, respond to 5 of the following questions in separate essays here. Each essay response should be about 250 words (at least three paragraphs with a clearly stated thesis). Please edit your essays before posting them. Use Evolution of a Revolutionary to support your claims with page numbers (MLA).

Oh, if there is something you'd rather comment on that I have not listed here, please send me an email with your recommendation and I can add it to the list.

Essay topics
1. Talk about the structure of the book and whether or not you think it works given Guy's purpose. Hint: read the preface. Use examples.

2. How does the author use her life to help tell Afeni's story? The two women seem so different: Guy is a new mother, Afeni's children are grown, one is dead; Guy had a good relationship with her parents; Afeni didn't; Afeni grew up poor; Guy did not. Yet, the two women are also the same. How does getting to know Afeni, help the author, Jasmine Guy, get to know herself?

2. Evolution of a Revolutionary is the story of a friendship. There are many examples of friendship given in the book, that between the two women and elsewhere. What is friendship as defined in the pages of Evolution of a Revolutionary?

3. How is Afeni a product and a victim of her environment both historically and presently?

4. Talk about how the similarities between Afeni and her son Tupac Guy are uncovered as she converses with her friend.

5. One of the themes in Evolution of a Revolutionary is family. Related to this are the themes: forgiveness and responsibility. Talk about the theme family and forgiveness, family and responsibilty. Do you think Afeni will ever be able to forgive herself? How is telling this story theraputic?

6. Evolution of a Revolutionary is also a story about self-love and acceptance. Talk about how the Black Panther Party allowed Afeni the space to be herself in all of her black majesty. Who was she prior to this transformation.

7. How does Afeni's name change reflect a new outlook? Who was she prior to this transformation? What remnants are left of the old self?

8. Choose a chapter or two and discuss what you liked, what worked and also what didn't work.

9. Guy is an eloquent writer; share a few passages spanning 3-5 chapters that you felt captured an idea beautifully and tell us why. Talk about Guy's writing style.

Comments:
Hearths That Make Hearths Break(Tupac's poem)
Jessica and Debbie
We think that our peom is inductive. The poem talks about how the heart can get easily broken by many different ways and reasons. The heart can get broken by people being selfish. Another way that the heart can get broken is by being lonely, people that lie and offend,like personal statements.
 
Debbie and Jessica,

I moved your comment to the post specific to the assignment. Thanks for being so prompt in responding to the lesson.
 
5. One of the themes brought up in the book Evolution of a Revolutionary is family. The family is important to everyone, and in this book we can see that for Afeni and Jasmine their family is very important. Throughout her life Afeni had some difficulties with her family. She didn’t get very along with her father, but she loved her mother and her sister. There were times when her family was going through some hard situations and that’s when Afeni just started to hang out in the streets and get into fights. Afeni also started to not do so well in school, when she was going she would get into fights or sometimes she didn’t go at all.
When Afeni started her own family, she wasn’t very responsible with it. She was into drugs and she didn’t take good care of her kids. While her son Tupac was growing he didn’t receive much love from her because she was into drugs. Even though they went through hard times Tupac loved his mother very much, he even wrote songs about her. Because Afeni was into drugs she wasn’t very responsible with her kids. She didn’t give them the whole attention that they needed.
Having your kids and not spending much time with them because you were using drugs may be a reason to not forgive yourself. Now that Afeni is older and is aware of the mistakes she did, it will probably be hard to forgive herself. I think that Afeni will be able to forgive herself even though it will be kind of hard and she will feel better with herself.
 
Deon Johnson
English 201
1-3pm
1of 5

Question: Evolution of a Revolutionary is the story of a friendship. There are many examples of friendship given in the book, that between the two women and elsewhere. What friendship is as defined in the pages of Evolution of a Revolutionary?

Evolution of a Revolutionary is a book, which takes you on a journey through the life of Afeni Sharkur. In this book, author Jasmine Guy, and Afeni really makes it clear why their friends, and what makes friendship last when neither one of the two has been in the person situation(s).
Friendship is a person whom one knows, like, and trust. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement (The American Heritage Dictionary). Afeni Shakur and Jasmine Guy have been friends for a long time, prior to writing or publish of the book. Through the chapters you can clearly see that they have a bond, an unbreakable trust that keeps their friendship alive. Reading through the book and examine their dialogue, you could see that those two came from two different worlds.
I believe their friendship stays alive because of the respect and love. They respect and love one another which keeps everything in perspective. Jasmine doesn’t necessary need to have gone through what Afeni’s has gone through in order to accept or even feel for her and her situation.
 
Deon Johnson
English 201
1-3pm
2of 5

Question: One of the themes in Evolution of a Revolutionary is family. Related to this are the themes: forgiveness and responsibility. Talk about the theme family and forgiveness, family and responsibility. Do you think Afeni will ever be able to forgive herself? How is telling this story therapeutic?


I believe in this book, Evolution of a Revolutionary, the main, if not the topic, is family. Different families go through situation that every family goes through without knowledge.
It’s something about being a part of a close tight family that makes you feel like you have to protect and direct them in the right direction, however and whenever. Afeni Shakur family isn’t any different. Even though Afeni wasn’t the ideal mother, she gave something that I feel every child needs, experiences both good and bad, to show her kids what not to do, and hopefully what they should do.
Family is defined by a group of persons related by blood or marriage. Forgiveness is stated as being pardon; to excuse for a fault or offense. Responsibility is known for which one is responsible, which I felt Afeni and all her children try to do with another.
I believe that Afeni Shakur has or can forgive herself, and at the end of the book you kind of get that feeling. A part of me feels that she doesn’t feel anything that may lead her to having to be forgivable. She clearly took responsibility for all her wrong doing, and that is the first step, in every therapist book, of recovery.
Telling this story is very therapeutic. It allows for Afeni not to keep it inside, letting it out helps her move on. Therapeutic is having healing or curative powers. Healing restores or regains health or soundness and Afeni Shakur is healing every time she opens up and let it go. She also helping others who feel they are alone.
 
Deon Johnson
English 201
1-3pm
3of 5

Question: How does Afeni’s name change reflect a new outlook? Who was she prior to this transformation? What remnants are left of the old self?

Afeni’s name change reflects a new outlook. She was more into herself and what she could do and not of herself. She was only concern about how she can make it through that day. Afeni change her name from Alice Faye when she felt a recovery of her true self.
Before the transformation Afeni was a “go getter.” Afeni rob people, beat people, she was “fucked up” (chap. 3 page 61). She was powerless, expressing “when I join the party [Black Panther Party], that’s when I felt most empowered.”(chap. 3 page 63) I feel Afeni was selfish before the Black Panther, where she decided to change her name. It was all about her and no one else.
I’m not sure what remnants from her prior, but I do think some determination has followed her. She’s determining now for good, to do good things. Back then, pre-Black Panther, she was determined to get ‘high” and do all the negative things she wanted to do.
 
Deon, your comments are vague, except in the third which does connect the ideas to the text, in a way the first two don't. Answer the questions with specific examples from the text. Also, do not answer the questions in one sitting unless you're feeling in a profound mood. These are not freewrites, rather they are essays, which I have assigned to make sure students have read at least enough of the book to answer intelligently a few questions.

Jessica, you do a good job looking at the theme family and how it is explored in Evolution of a Revolutionary as pertains to Afeni Shakur's life.
 
Q How is Afeni a product and a victim of her environment historically and presently?


Afeni Shakur is no longer a victim of circumstance, rather she has became a

product of unfortunate mishaps. The title of victim has no bearing on her life due to the

fact that she has regained control, and no longer partakes in the victim role. The mere fact

that she now possesses the ability to speak openly and candidly about her drug abuse is

proof of her recovery and growth. Through her journey of self-discovery Afeni Shakur

has now become a product of her environment.

Afeni’s drug abuse is what labeled her a victim of her environment historically.

Rather than using her experiences as a medium for positive change, she succumbed to the

perils inflicted in her life and drugs took control of her. In Afeni’s own words: “Addicts

lie. That’s what they do. They keep secrets and they lie”. (186) This idea is reaffirmed in

her attendance at an AA meeting when the attendees were required to state their names

and their addiction. When it was her turn to speak, Afeni introduced herself by

stating “My name is Afeni, and I’m just here” (172). Having lied to herself and others,

this gesture showed that she was still in denial. In fact, she was Afeni, a drug addict.

She now uses her past life experiences to inspire others in an attempt to prevent

them from making some of her same life-changing mistakes. Her actions involving

keeping her sons legacy alive confirms this notion. She’s is now finishing Tupac’s

projects, running his company, producing films and publishing his books. She also

runs the Performing Arts School erected in his name which was his desire. (197)
 
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
 
halina
Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy was quite interesting and wonderful story. When I first started reading the book, I thought it would be about Tupac and Afeni, but as I went on I noticed that it was mainly aimed on Afeni. Guy does not explain how and why Tupac died. In some parts of the book, Guy talks about the similarities between Tupac and Afeni, but she does not give lots of details about Tupac. On the other hand, Guy gives details of Afeni as Panther, her struggles with addiction, her achievements, and her determination to beat the odds. I believe Guy’s purpose was to tell Afeni’s story and present her as a role model for others who suffers or have drug addiction. She wants them to know that if Afeni survived and beat her addiction, they can do it too. Guy explains that though drugs killed Afeni’s spirit, she made it through the rough times and overcome the struggles. Over all I loved the book though I trouble distinguishing between what Afeni was saying, and what Guy was saying, because Guy had over used the quotes in her book.
 
When Afeni was young, there was a lot of racism, not everyone was treated equally where Afeni lived. Afeni heard Bobby Seale saying that the Black Panther Party was opening offices in New York, “that they [were] coming and bringing change and order to [the] community, coming to heal the wounds of slavery and Jim Crow, coming to take arms against the aggression.” (60 Guy) When Afeni heard this, she got happy to know that the people in her community were not going to be ‘beaten’ anymore. She wanted to be a part of the Black Panther party because she wanted change in her community.
Afeni felt very good while she was with the Black Panthers. She knew herself as a person who spoke out and that’s what she wanted to do while she was with the party. She wanted to speak out and let other people know of the necessities that the people in her community were going through. Afeni was not a person who was scared. Whenever she wanted to get something done, she went for it and got it accomplished, even if she had to go through some struggles.
 
Deon Johnson
English 201
1-3pm
4 of 5

Choose a chapter or two and discuss what you liked, what worked and also what didn’t work.

I have to make it clear when I express how much I loved chapter four (4). Love and Power, the chapter’s title, was one of the best in the book. I feel even though it was number four, it was the climax of this whole book, without any question(s).
The quote for each chapter is remarkable, but this quote, from Frederick Douglass was a tip off to greatness. I have a special bond with the particular quote, and it made me excited about reading this ten page chapter.
What I liked most about the chapter is the love Afeni shared. I was excited to hear or read the post “break-down” situation that Afeni faced. I love that she expresses Lumumba, her first husband, as partners. Afeni expressed, “The key word being partner. I was his partner. We made agreements. We had discussions. Lumumba loved my fire and my candor. He loved debating with me.”
What I didn’t like, even though it was real and apart of her life, was the part about Afeni being the second wife, in Lumumba Muslin lifestyle under Islamic laws. I also didn’t like the discussion about Huey Newton, and the advances he tried to have or make on Afeni. I didn’t quite understand what those parts had to do with love and power, but I could see how it had to do with love or power. Basically what I’m stating, is that maybe she should’ve made two chapters out of that one chapter.
 
Deon Johnson
English 201
1-3pm
5 of 5

Talk about how the similarities between Afeni and her son Tupc Guy are uncovered as she converses with her friend.

I believe that Tupac and his mother, Afeni, were so much alike. They had the same problems, just different outcomes and towards different things. Them being so much alike, is the reason why, for the most part, they “clashed,” didn’t get along, had disagreements.
One of their similarties is that they were both addicts. Tupac was an addict of music and trying to hold up his “thug-life” image. While Afeni, was an addict to drugs; smoking, drinking, and not taking care of her responsibilities. I also feel that they both were fighters, physical, mental, and even verbal. Tupac always went down with a fight; rather it was because of his ego or principal. Afeni, in my opinion, was the same way. Pre transformation, Afeni fought to survive, live her life, her way. Post or during her transformation she fought, she fought for the Black Panthers and the supporter’s right, now she fight for her son, the same way her son fought for her. I personally can’t wait until Afeni has to fight no more, until she has a piece of mind and have a sense of contentment.
 
friendship

Friendship is define and different aspects. Also theres different ways of viewing friendship. In this world if we didnt make friends, everyone would call themselves strangers. In life, i believe that you need to have a friendship in order to make you life better. Friendship is a companion in life that gives you good advices and helps you when you need it(basically is there for you in your happiness and strougles in life). Is also a support, good influence in life.
In the book called "Evolution of a Revolutionary", there is friendship between Jasmine(the authour of the book) and Afeni(Tupacs mother).They both have being friend for many years. Now Jasmine made a book about her friend Afeni to not only desmostrate the word the thru meaning of friendship, but also to have a better understanding the values, stuggles that she went thru.
A lot of people judged Afeni, not knowing and seen what she really went thru. After reading the book, i realize that she was a thru friend to the world and that she really helped a lot of people in the different places in her life that she was living. I am happy that the book about her ,life come out because, she is really and amazing friend. Despite her strugles that she faced, Afeni still manage to keep her head up and be a positive, friendly person.
 
Ms Sabir, I accidently put annonimous and its me DebbieAdame.
 
Q: How does Afeni’s name change reflect a new outlook? Who was she prior to this transformation? What remnants are left of the old self?

One of her teachers gave Alice Faye a new name ‘Afeni’ which has a meaning of ‘dear one’ and ‘lover of people’. It reflects a rebirth, Afeni’s new identity and life. In the chapter of “I Got a New Name,” Guy extended this idea to portray Afeni’s new identity she got through her encounter with the Black Panther Party. After she joined the Black Panther Party, she began to love herself and her Africanness. BPP taught her self-worth, her strength to help the weak and the ability to teach the black ignorant, like the teacher who gave her a new name and saw her as a lover of people.
A hopeless fighter who only fought for herself without direction transformed into a revolutionary. Before she joined the BPP, she didn’t take responsibility for her nasty actions. Without hope and opportunity to change her life, she was violent and depressed with a victim’s view of life. She wanted to be a professional killer; in her mind, she thought this would make her feel like somebody (55). When she joined the party, she believed in them and had a chance to feel proud of herself. The party educated her mind and gave her direction that helped her community and live a worthy life. Once she was a fighter to protect her family, but now she transformed to a revolutionary to fight for her community, the black disenfranchised people.
However, her rebirth couldn’t reform her inner self, her rage. Even as a fighter who transformed to a revolutionary, it couldn’t solve her victim’s view of life. She stated what the BPP did for her rage, “They took my rage and channeled it against outside [she points outside], instead of us [she holds her heart]” (62). At the end of the chapter, she criticized her once beloved Panther Party; it did not have a moral imperative on their principle. Finally, they had drawn violence to themselves and dropped the ball to reform society (68). Because of the remnants of her old self and uncontrollable rage, she experienced the same downfall in her life like the Panther Party; she dropped the ball in her life even after she was reborn as a revolutionary in the BPP.
 
8.Choose two chapters and discuss what you liked and what worked; talk about the structure of the book and whether or not you think it works given Guy's purpose.

The first page of Evolution of Revolutionary starts with Guy’s monologue, “…There was a time when my life was all ahead of me. Today, there is a big chunk behind me and maybe just as much in front. All this means is, I still have time to change my attitude and sensibilities, but I am just less inclined to do so...” (1) As the sun sets behind her, Guy looks back at her life on the way to Afeni’s house in the first chapter, “The Stuff”. I like the first chapter and the last chapter of this book because Guy dropped subtle hints about Afeni’s life and the reason why she wrote this book in the first chapter, “The Stuff,” and she unveiled and concluded Afeni’s new life in the last chapter, “Rise.”

In the first chapter, young Afeni identified with where she came from and how it influenced her life. “The Stuff”, the history of her family and the background of the revolutionary, foreshadowed the rest of her life. When she was ten years old, from the experience of the Lumbee Indian who fought and won against Klan, she learned that she can and must resist when unfair things happen to her; she called it ‘a sense of don’t let that happen to you’ (14). She was raised as a fighter, and her life was dominated by the character of anger and rebellion. When she encounter with Black Panther Party, she developed as a revolutionary by the character of resistance. However, in the last chapter, “Rise”, when the old Afeni looked back on her life, she saw the forest as her whole life, rather than a single tree which was the problem that hindered her and caused her to self-destruct. She saw her life in a different perspective, “I used to react to the winds because I would be thrown off by them. I felt out of control, and I didn’t like that. Now I know that when change is coming I must be calm. I must be still instead of frantic.” And she added, “This is my evolutionary understanding of the matter” (203).

The first and last chapters stand for the beginning and the end; the beginning starts with a tunnel of darkness and the end reflects her new birth. With “The Stuff”, young Afeni had tramped into the tunnel of a stormy and stressful life and when she emerged out of the tunnel she rose, freed from “The Stuff.” She accepted and embraced her stuff, her history, and was born-again as a new creature. In the last chapter, Guy hears Afeni’s voice as an answer to her monologue in the first page of this book, “Live life from here. Pick up from where I am now. I give my experience to you so you don’t have to go down like I did to learn it” (205). This quote, which is written in the last chapter, serves as the purpose for Guy and Afeni writing this book. From the first chapter to the last chapter Guy’s insights stem from her spiritual connection with Afeni. They communicated with each other about their lives and carried out their purpose together which was to help those who are facing storms in their lives and overwhelmed by it.
 
When you are having a conversation with someone, if proper attention is paid then you begin to understand concepts. Important ideas that helps you to gain clarity, and understandment on either the subject, or the person you are holding the the conversation with. Jasmine Guy uses the writing struture “conversation” in her book Afeni Shakur to help her audience understand,share, and grasp the struggle of Afeni Shakur on a personal level.
“ In this book I share the personal conversations Afeni and I have ofer the course of our friendship so that you might get to know her as I know her… intimately” (pg x prolougue)
Jasmine Guy had a purpose to writing her book on Afeni. This purpose was for us as the veiwers to gain a strong sense of clarity on Afeni on a level beyond a “ rap stars mother”. Normally Afeni is a women, a normal woman at that, with struggles, and wrong descions that made her life a bit of challenge. Sharing the deep sensitive topics the absence of a father and the weakness of her mother.(pg 35)only intesifies the ability to understand Afeni stronger, with emtions that relate to hers.
In Jasmines preface she simply explains how to up so ts that she wants to organize her book. This is to set it up so that we get as with Afenis life as she is. Jasmine in my oppinion captures this extremly well through using conversations. Conversation is indeed the only way that you can fill a person out, and at least try to understand where it is they are coming from. Im sure that all who have read Jasmines book Afeni Shakur seen a side to Afeni that didn’t know exsist.


Being African American we all root from the same thing. Although we may grow up differently some less fortunate then others but yet we are all similar. Jasmine Guy uses Afeni’s life to help understand the flip side of how things could have been.
Jasmine grew up in circumstances that were more furtunate then Afeni’s. She had a good relationship with her parents, she is a proud great new mother. Where as on the flip side afeni grew up with hating her parents, poor, and she is a mother to children that are grown, and one gone. In chapter two Up the Road Afeni talks about how she hated her parents and Jasmine says: “Its hard to hate your parents..” Afeni says: “Iknow. All that hating hurts. As a girl child, I just hurt, Everything around me seemed hurtful…” This compares and contrast the differences between the two. These differences shine a light onto Jasmine world to understand that she is different and although they are both women with similarities, they have strong differences.
Jasmine uses Afeni to show herself the truth about herslef. She has respect Afeni for growing through her struggle as an African American woman, but she also grows perhaps a greater appriciation for herself, and her life situation of being bit more fortunate.
 
1. Talk about the structure of the book and whether or not you think it works given Guy’s purpose. Hint: read the preface. Use examples.

Jasmine Guy used her special way to write this book by conversations. She wrote stories of the friendship with Afeni from their young ages until current days without logically. Instead of her writing from conversations to the conversations each other. Story one by one to talk about African-American women, Revolutionary, Afein’s lives and her son Tupac, and her daughter or other people relative with Afeni. She precipitated the author’s ideas in this book as she said that“ the purpose of a preface has always eluded me. I do not read introductions, prefaces, or any words that precipitate the author’s ” She reluctantly but dutifully to write Afeni’s stories. For example: She said that in this book she shared the personal conversations of their friendship so that people could understand who was Afeni and what were the stories talked about.
She asked questions and Afeni answered, Jasmine Guy used the special way to write this book. Through the stories, we are affected by their conversations and interested in some words by their personal talking. I like to know more about Afeni’s secret things when she was young, and her personal lives in the different periods with men, or her closed friends, and we need to keep going to read Guy’s words.
This conversations style of writing by Jasmine is a special way to tell people stories. This is a very good work to readers. She used too much simple and black slang to readers to understand their feelings and history.


2. Evolution of a Revolutionary is the story of a friendship. There are many examples of friendship given in the book, that between the two women and elsewhere. What is friendship as defined in the pages of Evolution of a Revolutionary?

At the pages of 51-54 where talked about the great friendship of Sandra and Afeni in the 1966. .Sandra was Afeni’s best friend, they both were at the age of 18. Sandra thought that she had taken hysterectomy by doctor. But the doctor didn’t tell her that she was taken out the tubes only. After that, she got pregnant and she hadn’t known during the baby in the five months.
Afeni was hanging out and doing dope with her. They hit in the clubs, tried heroin during her pregnant period. Sandra met a street dude Henry who was not a very bad white man with her. One day, they rode horses, Sandra’s baby was grown in there. After work, Afeni stopped by to see Sandra, she looked happy and was standing in the doorway to say goodbye to her. Later on the night, she collapsed in the bathroom. She got brain hemorrhage. Henry rushed to take her to the hospital, but she died on the table.
When Afeni was going back to her history with Sandra, she cried and got sad for her best friend. As she said that the doctor treated people like animals so that Sandra died in her 18 years old. On the other hand, they were too young to know about “pregnant” and their lives.

3. Evolution of a Revolution is also a story about self-love and acceptance. Talk about how the Black Panther Party allowed Afeni the space to be herself in all of her black majesty. Who was she prior to this transformation.

Before Afeni met her first husband Lumumba and joined the Black Panther Party, she was a bad girl who was against humanity, robbing people, beating people, and slap in the street. She also cussed her mother out, disrespected her, and made her cry in the kitchen. She left home and lived in the street with boys. She did a lot of bad things before Lumumba had appeared to her.
She met Lumumba for couple moths and married him was allowed by his father. Lumumba was a great organizer of Black Panther Party. After she joined the Black Panther Party, it clarified her situation and took her rage out. It was given her education and direction of life. She met her first husband Lumumba and joined the Party at the same time. He was her mentor, lover and comrade in her life. As she said that Lumumba was her king.
She said:“ I felt duty bound to my people, my community, the mothers, and children of my community that were my mother and me and Glo”. She had her obligation and responsibilities for her people. So she wanted to change some thing to her community that was infiltrated and sabotaged. So, she reacted the old unjust attack. She did a great fight to the war against oppression during she was in the Black Panther Party.

4.

How does Afeni’s name change reflect a new outlook? Who was she prior to this transformation? What remnants are left of the old self?

Before Afeni changed her name from Alice Faye was a school dropout student when she was young. She didn’t get high education from school, lived in the dirty roads in Bronx, and fought through a violent. Her new name Afeni that reflect a new outlook because she joined the Black Panther Party. It was her new education, new direction, and her new mind was changed by it.
She knew about her community was in the developing period so that she had decided to change herself and care more about her African-ness and her culture. She began to study the Yoruba culture and religion from her motherland. She said: that her teacher wanted her to be a Yoruba believer. Oya was her god.
And the Black Panther Party told her:“ Afeni, you are strong so use your strength to help the weak; you are smart, so use your mind to teach the ignorant.” (P62) So, she did the great job in the Party. She had been changed and become a new born lady after her name was changed. She was not the old Alice Faye anymore. She devoted herself into the revolutionary in the Black Panther Party for her people and community. Her all strength could be explained like from the God she believed. Her new mind and her new direction were from the god and her Party.



5. Choose a chapter or two and discuss what you liked, what you worked and also what didn’t work.

I liked chapter 4 so much because of it talked about Afeni’s personal life with her first husband Lumumba, the Islamic family, and the Black Panther Party.
First, Afeni told people that she had met her first husband Lumumba who was the great organizer of the Black Panther Party for moths and got married. Lumumba was her king to her. He was her mentor, lover and comrade. She marriage him was allowed by his father. He had the first wife already before Afeni got married with him. She was the second wife with him. His first wife called Sayeeda and had two children. They lived together, but did not sleep in the same bed. As she said that her husband Lumumba sometimes sleep with her, and sometimes with his first wife. They had a very good relationship with each other.
Second, I only knew about Islamic family could have more than wife for men. Lumumba was the one of Islamic men. Under their religion, men have such power to have more wives and protect the families. Afeni liked this family so much because the father, brother, and other people of this family were so nice. The other thing was interesting to know that was Lumumba wanted to get married with Afeni after their moths meeting. The reason was he wanted to have sex with her. We know Islamic men couldn’t have sex freely with women without marriage. So, he had his second wife.
Third, the Black Panther Party was the organization in which changed Afeni’s life. She joined it and met her husband at the same time. She devoted herself into the revolutionary with her comrades, and had great fought to the unjust attack. She tried to develop the new forms for her the revolutionary of her people and community. She was the brave woman in the Black Panther Party.
 
Question (5): One of the themes in Evolution of a Revolutionary is family. Related to this are the themes: forgiveness and responsibility. Talk about the theme family and forgiveness, family and responsibility. Do you think Afeni will ever be able to forgive herself? How is telling this story therapeutic?

I believe a family member should not be upset or mad at another member because that’s the closest thing you can get during your life. Even though Afeni isn’t a good mother but in the end she regret her doings and she knows she went the wrong path. A family of coarse will get in to ups and down situation, but in the end that’s the most precious thing in the world. A family should not blame one another at fault because they share a strong force of love. They should respect one another for what has been done in the past.

Family, it means love, bonding, respecting each other, and living as one. No matter how mad are you at the person its still part of your life. Tupac was very close to his mom and was very thankful for the way in which she successfully beat the struggle to raise him right. Evolution of a Revolutionary opens the door to the young mother’s pain and shows the parallels between Pac’s life and his mother. Its shows that Afeni Shakur really wants to change what she has done in the past and hope for forgiveness.

Afeni Shakur has been a revolutionist, activist, black panther, and is a mother of multitalented Tupac Amaru Shakur. All the wrong things she has done are unforgivable to herself, but it’s understandable that she went through all that and deserved what she has. Afeni retelling the history of her past helps her speak out for Tupac telling him that she is sorry and hoping for forgivness. I’m pretty sure Tupac already did.
 
Ashley Dorsett
12/12/2007
Eng 201
Evolution of a Revolutionary Cyber Assignment
(Question 1)

The book Evolution Of A Revolutionary written by Jasmine Guy,is a book about a dialogue between Guy and Afeni. Guy tells us the story of Afeni Shaukurs life, the ups and downs and how she has over came all of her dilemmas.
Guys writing structure, can get very confusing, she uses the 1st person a lot between her and Afeni, even when she would be telling us about what Afeni has said. In part of the book on p.42 i get very confused. “ Look, look here... i love Langston Hughes and Toni Morrison, James Baldwin... dont think im stupid. How are we the readers suppose to know which person is talking. That would be the only thing i dislike about the book.
Guys details are very descriptive when she talks to Afeni and Afeni brings up a place or moment that she remembers, i can image being there myself. This is something that most readers enjoy.
Reading the Preface this just might work for Guy, the dialogue because she wants people to understand that you can overcome anything, and when some reads personal stories they do get inspired.
 
Q. Talk about the theme family and forgiveness, family and responsibility. Do you think Afeni will ever be able to forgive herself? How is telling this story therapeutic?

A. Family, forgiveness, and responsibility are all close ties. In order to carry the label

of a family, you must first understand the responsibility that it entails and have a

willingness to forgive. This is the true definition of a family.

Afeni never gained a full understanding of her role in relation to her family.

Having never been taught or exposed to its meaning, the broken-home cycle extended

into her children’s lives. Her father was abusive, her mother submissive and weak.

Reflecting on her childhood, Afeni recalls:“We had no protection. I never felt safe.” (35).

How else does one use this past example and implement into their lives, especially being

a mother? This proved to be a weak form of guidance which prevailed in her addiction

and absence in the lives of her children.

In her personal growth experience, Afeni began to forgive. She soon gained the

Ability to forgive her parents for the damage inflicted upon her in childhood.

The ultimate forgiveness stage came during her recovery which aided in her growth

process. “This is my evolutionary understanding of the matter. We flow through these

winds of danger, distress, and confusion to be able to be sure-footed on the other side.

What we must do now is do these things that we are duty bound to do” (203) says Afeni

in reference to her life.

Afeni was able to profess her forgiveness of herself in the form of a conversation

with her good friend Jasmine Guy. When asked “Do you forgive yourself Afeni”? she

responds by saying “I feel sorry for people who are not addicts or alcoholics because

doing these steps changed my life (12-step program) . I learned about how life from that

program…In addition to asking God for forgiveness, I have to have faith that I have

done what I could and it is time to learn from my errors.” This was Afeni’s

admission that she had finally forgiven herself.
 
Question 1
Talk about the structure of the book and whether or not you think it works given Guy’s purpose.Hint: read the preface. Use examples

EVOLUTION OF A REVOLUTIONARY is the book about the Afeni Shakur written by Jasmine Guy. Before I read this book I thought that it’s all about tupac’s life. Jasmine Guy wants to write about the African American women, who doesn’t care about racism and only fights for freedom. And Afeni was one of her friend who is African American and who faced many problems for her poverty. Jasmine Guy and Afeni Shakur had a conversation about Afeni’s life and this book is all about that conversation “In this book I share the personal conversations Afeni and I have had over the course of our friendship so that you might get to know her as I know her …intimately (preface)”.
Jasmine Guy was like interviewer of Afeni Shakur because she asks alot of question regarding her life. This book tells us about the problems faced by Afeni. She told Jasmine about her whole story that she was Black Panther, about her drug addiction, about her family although his son Tupac is dead. But in my view I think Jasmine Guy’s purpose is to tell whole story about Afeni Shakur, mother of the famous artist Tupac Shakur. She wants to people know about how Afeni lived her life to reach at this point today and also she wants to tell that although drugs killed Afeni, she took care of her children and never let them to face the problems that she had faced. Although I loved this book to read about Tupac’s mother one of the African American women who faced many problems.
 
Question 1
Talk about the structure of the book and whether or not you think it works given Guy’s purpose.Hint: read the preface. Use examples

EVOLUTION OF A REVOLUTIONARY is the book about the Afeni Shakur written by Jasmine Guy. Before I read this book I thought that it’s all about tupac’s life. Jasmine Guy wants to write about the African American women, who doesn’t care about racism and only fights for freedom. And Afeni was one of her friend who is African American and who faced many problems for her poverty. Jasmine Guy and Afeni Shakur had a conversation about Afeni’s life and this book is all about that conversation “In this book I share the personal conversations Afeni and I have had over the course of our friendship so that you might get to know her as I know her …intimately (preface)”.
Jasmine Guy was like interviewer of Afeni Shakur. This book tells us about the problems faced by Afeni. She told Jasmine about her whole story that she was Black Panther, about her drug addiction, about her family although his son Tupac is dead. But in my view I think Jasmine Guy’s purpose is to tell whole story about Afeni Shakur, mother of the famous artist Tupac Shakur. She wants to people know about how Afeni lived her life to reach at this point today and also she wants to tell that although drugs killed Afeni, she took care of her children and never let them to face the problems that she had faced. Although I loved this book to read about Tupac’s mother one of the African American women who faced many problems.
 
sorry for posting as anonymos..
mani..
 
Q.How does the author use her life to help tell Afeni's story? How does getting to know Afeni, help the author, Jasmine Guy, get to know herself?

Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary is a personal biography of Afeni Shakur that led by a series of intimate conversations between Afeni and a writer Jasmine Guy. When I read to know Afeni Shakur, the revolutionary, closer, I was intrigued to discover Guy and Afeni’s relationship and unfolded story in which their lives are woven together.
Guy has relationship with Shakur family including Afeni, Tupac and Sekyiwa, the daughter of Afeni. As a close friend of Tupac, Guy have known Afeni and Sekyiwa since 1994, when Tupac was first shot. Through the intimate relationship and conversations, Guy lad Afeni to recollect her memories. Her relationships with Tupac and Sekyiwa made Afeni’s story more solid where Guy eloquently overlapped each other’s conversation (128, 179).
To help Afeni tell her story, Guy put herself the position of a friend and a daughter. As a friend, she view Afeni in different perspective with Afeni’s. She feel sad and joyful because of Afeni. She encourage, understand, and trust Afeni even she was in trouble in her life. Guy always is on Afeni’s side like a friend usually do. As a daughter who doesn’t live her life out yet and who has chance to accomplish better life, Guy listen to Afeni’s voice with respect, “Live life from here. Pick up from where I am now. I give my experience to you so you don’t have to go down like I did to learn it” (205)
From the first chapter to the last chapter Guy’s insights stem from her spiritual connection with Afeni. In the last page of this book, Afeni express her gratitude to Afeni, “Thank you for falling in front of me and for getting back up. Thank you for believing in me what I could not see for myself” (209). They communicated with each other about their lives and carried out their purpose together. With love and respect, Guy helped Afeni to tell her story.
 
How does Afeni’s name change reflect a new outlook? Who was she prior to this transformation? What remnants are left of the old self?

Alice Faye Walker was the former name of Afeni Shakur. She changed her name to start a new life and a new start.It wasn't the life she wants, smoking weed and doing drugs. Another reason she changed her name is mainly about her joining the Black Panther Party.Joining the Black
Panther Party was one of her achievements helping her finding her real self.
The life she had before was all wrong, doing all the negative things like robbing people and laying hands on people. It has changed her life in a dramatic way.
Even though, it can be a good thing
after joining the Black Panther Party to her, because she realized that she is strong and can stand up for herself. She has the power to change the community and people that are ignorant with her own strength and will. Afeni is very smart so she rebirth to a whole different person after her name was changed.
She's not the old Alice anymore, she's the new Afeni Shakur that dedicated herself to the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party educated her and guide her through the way in helping the community fighting for new hope changing to a revolutionary fighter in helping the community.
 
Similarities
Tupac and his mother had a lot in commen. They both had a lot of struggles and in their lives. Both struggled to get past their lives. Even though they ended up doing drugs and getting alot of trouble, Tupac and Afeni managed to survive and leave behind the hardship. They started their new lives when they moved out of the "getto". They always spoke out their minds, not caring whether people care or not.
Afeni and Tupac grew up in the poor. At one point in their lives they went to jail. In jail they made friends and help them mentor the fellow inmates, by giving them words of hope, advise and wisdom.
Eventually they got themselves involve in the community and gained fame and hatred. They also gain Fans. Afeni was in the Black Panther, and Tupac was a musician and a poet. Through their hard work they manage to make money and support themselves.Like mother and son they forgave each other for their mistakes and become friends. Is was then when Tupac died,different people wrote a lot of books about him. Afeni`s friend(Jasmine Guy)wrote a book about Afeni life called "Evolution of Revolutionary". In the end, Tupac left behind a legacy, while Afeni has history to talk about herself and her son.
 
What i like about some chapeters.
The book is really interesting. From reading the book i can say that Afeni is a strong lady who survive and manage to talerate her struggles. Yet she also put up with the public and her sons struggles, and publicity. I am very happy and i thank Jasmine for taking her time to write about her friend Afeni. From reading this book, I can say that Afeni is not has bad has people judge and think that she is. In general people, a lot times people dont see the good side of the person, and this is why i am happy that Afeni let her friend Jasmine write a book about her life. I am sure that after people wreading this book will have a different view and aspect about Afeni.
In some of the chapters, like in the first five ones, i can see where she is come from and why she is the person that she is. I see why and what motive her to have an adnormal life. She comes from a poor family, and an abusive, manipulating father, and a suffering mother who constantly has to hold everything in. When she grows up, she is by herself with no help.
Then Afeni gets into drugs and has two kids by two different dads. She is of and on on drugs. She goes to jail, and rehabilitates herself. Joins the Black Panther and changes her life style. In the book she talks about life conditions, and situations that she face living and has a single parent. Good gravy! You turn the page, bam! she smokes, read later into the chapter she smokes, its crazy. Overall I would say this book is great book and I would recommend this book to anybody.
 
Question 1


The structure of this book is that Guys put together is extremely well done. Guy lists so many important topics. From facts about her child hood, to the Black Panther party and where she stood in the movement. Afeni trail of NY21 and her experiences as a mother, and her neglect ion as a mother were listed in details.

When I read this book I felt as if I was their, it made me feel the struggle in Afeni life and I compared it to mind or any other women in my life that goes through the same thing. Women who try to hind their anger, feeling abandon, different, alone, and lacking hope. This book touches the facts about women who experience segregation and poverty and the impact it had on women of color. This book is so well put I feel like I went to a therapy section.

Guy really put 100% of thought into this book. After, reading this book I feel more aware. I learn more about Afeni and her depression on life, and why she went through so many things. This book help me realize how drug addicted mother can fall, and how they can still be pick up. This book shows me life is not over because you make many mistake. You can still feel alive and be accepted by your family and you self just by changing and letting go of bad habits, that means your body and mine harm.
 
Question 9



Beautiful is evolution of a Revolution, Jasmine Guy captured so many beautiful moments in this book. This book helps me understand thing I never imagine. I never understood the role Afeni played in the Black Panther movement. I just imagine maybe she was a groupie or women among the crowd. This book helps me realize just how important a woman of the late legend is. This book is beautiful because it gives you detail of Afeni tribes and Tribulation. Helping you sees the picture, and how she lack motherhood for her children. Showing how she didn’t mean to neglect her children, but crack cocaine as its way over the body.

This book will be forever remembered, because Jasmine captured these situation for the source it self. When I read this book especial Chapter 3-5 I feel like she was my mother or a friend of mines mother. I can visualize these stories as if they were going on right now.

Jasmine guy is a magnificent writer, she is able to critique and really get in involved. Guy doesn’t miss a beat. She is a perfect example of an unorthodox, She make read for me effortless.

This book is really beautiful because this entire thing Afeni went through really happen. This book help me see answer all my curious question I always wanted to known
 
Question 7


The name Afeni, came about after Alice Faye attended a political rally. Afeni began to study the “Yoruba culture and religion. Afeni was inspired by her teacher and his beliefs, and he thought the name Afeni would fit who Alice Faye stands for. This name motivated afeni to want to learn more about beliefs and the worth of women spiritually. The name Afeni is defined as the “dear one” and “lover of people”. These meaning represent who Alice Faye really is on the inside.

Afeni believe that she was responsible to help the weak, and the poor in her community. To give back thing she felt that was lacking in the community, schools, programs, and clinics. Afeni main goals were to help protest and support. Giving her individual time to others, trying to provide a way to raise money to help support programs to provide lunches for the community was Afeni main priority.

Alice Faye was a hardcore, arrogant, love to fight on the spot, fearless, determine, rageful female. Who in her past did drugs, and often fantasize about becoming a contract killer. This type of fantasy came from the grievance of racism and being abused. These intentions come from the anger that’s kept on the inside.

Through Afeni tribes and tribulation she still is a passionate person who still is connected spiritually with god, a powerful, and determined lady who at all times still believe she has to protect herself, family, and still is very strong on her beliefs.

To me a name is something you stand for. It’s something that defines you with detail. Weather it’s a rap name or a nick name, this is a name that you want to be known by
 
Q. Talk about the similarities between Afeni and Tupac that Guy uncovers as she converses with Afeni

Afeni, like her son Tupac faced many of the same trials and tribulations. From

their childhood experiences of being impoverished and neglected, to sharing the same

anger and pride attributes would prove to be their greatest downfall. They both

possessed the ability to overcome many situations and they were fighters in addition to

being protectors. “That’s what Tupac and I got from my dad, the rebellion and the need to

fight back and be recognized for being different.” (34) Says Afeni.


Jasmine discovered that Tupac and Afeni shared a passion for reading, and when

Afeni shared with her that she was fond of Shakespeare, her response was “That’s funny.

Tupac loved Shakesphere, too. I thought he got this affinity from the school for the

Baltimore School for the Arts but he got it from you.”(42) which in fact was another

similarity they possessed. Like Afeni, Tupac also attended a performing Arts School and

both were said to have brilliant minds.


Their likeness didn’t end there. It also extended into the negative traits of having

low self-esteem and not thinking fondly of themselves. In Afeni’s younger days she says

that “Boys made me feel ugly and weak.” (32) In Dyson, Tupac was said to have low

self-esteem and it was shown in the relationships he held with numerous women…many

of which didn’t think highly of themselves as well . Tupac and Afeni also both spent

eleven months in jail, held East Coast/West Coast rivalries with rappers/Panthers, had

sharp minds and were politically involved. (114) I believe that both Tupac and Afeni

endured years of discovery and self-validation which led to their triumph. Tupac became

a talented commodity and Afeni utilized her past to inspire others.
 
Afeni shakur’s former name was Alice Faye walker. At that time her life was all bad…just smoking weed, doing drugs, living in dirty roads, robbing etc. then she joined the black panther party .they told her that she is strong enough to help the weak, she is very smart too. Then she realized that she was doing all wrong taking drugs, robbing, smoking weed etc. and changed her name as afeni shakur to live a new life. The Black Panther party helps her to get education and teach her to fight for her community. Then she devoted her life into the revolutionary in the Black Panther party.
 
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