The Giver- The Giver is about a society where everyone meets the norm, while one person is chosen per lifetime to hold the thoughts of all who came before them. It seems insane at first, but is done to prevent people from acting out and breaking the law. When this young child becomes chosen to be the next Giver of thought he doesn't understand why it is done and ends up running away with a small child he was chosen to care for. The Giver taught me to never assume things as the norm. We all come from different backgrounds and cultures, yet once we all become the same life becomes meaningless. After reading the Giver I had a better understanding of where I came.

Dracula- Dracula is obviously about a vampire, and is credited to being the first book about them, other than the early Nosferatu. I thought the book was very interesting because it was written many years ago but still could be related to our time. This book was influential because it was one of the first depictions of monsters that used to be human in modern literature. Dracula set the standard for vampires; how they can't be seen in a mirror, attraction to blood, fear of the cross and so on. Also when the main characters wife gets bitten and becomes bloodthirsty herself right in the front of his eyes he has to kill her with a stake to the heart. Its a very weird scene, but definitely influenced horror stories since. 

Grendel- Grendel is a story about the monster in the common myth Beowulf. The entire story is told from the monsters perspective while he kills animals and is attacked by man. It was influential to me because I read it in school during a study of the antihero in stories. Grendel was the first antihero I came to know, and the antihero to me seems to be the most realistic form of character. It showed me question ones upbringing before judging them.

literature            
distribution       libraries                         
        \            /
   Computer/Internet
       /             \
locality           printing press

The integration of the computer into an everyday home brought upon a big change in the lives of people. I put that the computer enhances literature distribution, because files can be transferred via internet to anywhere on the planet that has access. This in turn allows the distribution of literature to flourish because it does not have to be recreated every time it is needed in another place at the same time. The copy and paste format allows us to throw out the printing press together and replace it with a printer. This is why I placed the printing press as something the computer has made obsolete. 

Then for something the computer reversed, libraries are just aisles and aisles of books, other than the computers of course, and are really not needed when presented with all the wonders of the computer. The library could be just a bunch of screens, but it is supposed to promote literature and most of yesterdays literature is not digital. Therefore it has reversed the power of the computer, by letting people cling on to the old fashioned forms of paper and ink.

Lastly, for something the computer retrieves I chose locality. Once someone grasps the new concept of online communication, they usually then try to find their part in it. For example, Bob likes Heavy Metal but none of his local friends do. However, Bob created an online forum that is dedicated to other Heavy Metal listeners in his area. This in turn allows Bob to find more people like him, thus promoting Heavy Metal in his area.

Books: As a child I was constantly reading. Everything I saw from carton of cereal to every chapter in the history textbook. It was not really for the fun, more of the from the boredom. When I got older I stopped reading as much fantasy, which was predominantly all I was interested in at the time. Nowadays, I would not say I read books anymore but still have rarely.

Newspaper: Only read at work, I consider it somewhat outdated, but useful for getting information to those who are not as computer smart.

Movies: I would watch a lot as a child, very less intrigued nowadays.

Recordings: I have been playing guitar for about 10 years and have considered calling myself a musician for the past five or so. Therefore as for recording I have tons on my computer and a recollection of many more.

Internet: Pretty much my source of television, as well as most of the articles I read.

I have not had a job in the media, but I do work for a very large corporation. I am not directly involved with any of the media aspects, but I get a first hand look at the effects of the media on customers and work ethics.
I would like to have a job in the media, I do not know enough yet to state though.
I plan to major in marketing with a minor in mass comm. which is why I enrolled in this class.