Yvonne Tapia

Yvonne Tapia

A Hunter College alumnus, with a double major in Media Studies and Psychology. Yvonne is excited for book publishing and pop culture, and enjoys a variety of music.

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Latest Articles

Latest Topics

2

The importance of multiple perspectives in literature

Analyse how books with multiple character point-of-view enhances the reading experience. What are the benefits of having both female and male main characters? In what ways does having four different points of view aide the story's plot? As with real life, there is never one side to a story, there's plenty. How does this relate to real life situations?

  • I think this would be an interesting topic since it is not just multiple POVs that enhance the experience, when done properly, it is the realisation that each character will have their own view on events that have passed. The unreliable narrator trope can be more concisely illustrated when other perspectives are shown, letting the audience know the biases of certain characters more. It allows the world in which the story is taking place feel much more like reality since a person's perspective is never actually subjective. When one character tells a story from their perspective, so much of that story is influenced by their own biases. By allowing multiple POVs this can be more obviously pointed out so that novel feels more accurate to real life. – NayanaK 4 years ago
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  • The Rashomon effect. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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3

Films: How Do They Function As Motivators?

Analyse how films such as The Avengers, Harry Potter, and A Wrinkle in Time help motivate youth and adults alike and different.

  • I meant positive motivators such as improving one's life for the better, not giving up easily, etc. – Yvonne T. 5 years ago
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  • Yes, SaraiMW, I meant in very similar films' plots can help youth and adults. – Yvonne T. 5 years ago
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  • I'd say such films help kids and adults feel more motivated to be brave. They also motivate both kids and adults to get more into reading and watching movies. They also motivate adults more so than they do kids to get in touch with their inner child from their childhood days. They motivate kids to greatly appreciate the childhood they have now of reading and watching movies and adventure. I think that they motivate both kids and adults alike to enjoy good storytelling in books and in films. They motivate kids probably more so than adults to exercise and use their imaginations. These are some of the ways that I think such films as The Avengers, Harry Potter, and A Wrinkle in Time help motivate youth and adults in ways that are alike and different. – autenarocks 5 years ago
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  • I think that these types of movies create new worlds for people to lose themselves in. There are endless possibilities for people to see and perhaps want to create in. It allows for creativity to be passed down to new generations. Also, the characters can create new interests for viewers, and who they want to be in the future. – BookieRheaWookie 5 years ago
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  • Hi there! I'm Mike Muller So interesting website – mikemuller7401 5 years ago
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  • I have always thought the reality is more the other way around, where any given work resonates with someone because they see themselves and their desires reflected in it somehow. Simply put, people who want to feel or act a certain way look to their favorite media for inspiration, and their interpretations are colored by what they already want to see. – Debs 5 years ago
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  • The question is as broad as the examples are diverse. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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8

The Need for School System Change

Analyse how schools should upgrade their current material to better prepare students for the modern world. May include a change in curriculum, how social media is/may be taught to them, security control, etc.

  • Thank you for the recommendations! I meant more academic focus, so instead of algebra, living environment, and history, more diverse, modern courses. – Yvonne T. 5 years ago
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  • I'd say the system should change its focus from past literature and writing, such as Shakespeare material, to more modern writing (perhaps much more modern books). It is evident that times have changed, and the current system is outdated. – Yvonne T. 5 years ago
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  • I have an education degree to teach high school in the U.S., and I purposefully steered away from this career path because of the lack of progressive initiative taken in updating the curriculum and teaching methods. I think the desire is present among educators (which would be important to examine for this topic), but the structural and economic factors would need to be addressed. My specialization is in English, so I shy away from the idea of forgoing classic texts and writing practices entirely, but there are certainly better approaches to incorporate more modern writing and modes of composition. Universities seem to be taking the steps more quickly, but grade schools need more attention to prepare those who may not pursue a college degree. I think a modernized curriculum could create more life-long readers and writers as well as more well-rounded and driven students that are culturally aware and capable of higher levels of critical thought. I hope this topic is expanded is and explored thoroughly! – Aaron 5 years ago
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  • This is a really interesting topic to talk about. Usually, high school students/secondary students always ask the dreading question of 'Why do I have to learn this stuff, what am I going to do with it in the future?' Some subjects they're referring to could be subjects they think are 'useless' such as English ONLY because of the period of writing that is taught in schools. I agree 100% that the school curriculum needs to become modernised. Taking the subject of 'English' for example, it would be wise to expand on more modern forms and styles of writing such as the difference in language when texting, when socialising with different groups of people such as parents, friends or even royals! In the UK, there are PSHCE (Physical, Social, Health, Citizenship Education) lessons taught which involves having open discussions about crime, drugs, social media, bullying and safe sex. But it would be interesting to see a developed curriculum which introduces the need for independence and originality which is required in the working world. Some ideas that could be explored could be the secret business world and networking events to encourage students to engage in activities they genuinely enjoy and are interested in, rather than sitting in class, wasting time and being forced to answer a dull, repetitive Shakespeare question. I really like this topic and hope someone writes an article on it! – JAbida 5 years ago
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  • Super interesting topic! Personally, I think that home economics should be re-introduced in school curriculum; common skills like cooking, balancing a checkbook, appropriating finances, and taking care of clothing seem to be becoming more obsolete. As for courses such as composition, spelling, and reading, I actually think that we may benefit by going back in history; I've dabbled in some research of 19th century textbooks, and the level of rigor that they require of students puts our school systems to shame. In addition, many of them (such as Murray's 1827 "The English Reader," Goodrich's 1839 "Third Reader for the Use of Schools," and Sanders' 1862 "High School Reader") stress the teaching of virtue, morality, and piety. Students rise or fall to our expectations; if we structure our curricula to emphasize true knowledge-building and to encourage virtue and morality, our students will grow both in knowledge and in character. Modernizing a curriculum to include the most up-to-date scientific information, to reflect our current governmental or political system, and to extend history's timeline closer to the present could all be beneficial—however, the only changes that will be truly timeless are to cultivate an appreciation of knowledge and a love for virtue. – katiemartin 5 years ago
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  • Extremely ambitious and vague. And out of the scope of The Artifice. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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7

The Importance of Travel in Film

Analyse how travel is important to the films' plot. For instance, it helps broaden the horizons for both viewer and characters. If one travels, one's mind is highly likely to broaden to what lifestyle someone can live in. In the case of the films' characters, it brings more interest to their story, they see new places, have constant change.

  • This is an interesting propostion. I would suggest defining the genre of what movies will be taken into account. There is, I believe, a very essential difference between realism and sci-fi for example which, in relation to travel, will entail diverse approaches and methods for analysis. – Kaya 5 years ago
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  • Thank you, Kaya, for your feedback! I was not focusing on any genre specifically when I wrote this. If I had to choose, it'd be action, drama, comedy, and/or fantasy, since it is with those films that the setting has a tendency to change. – Yvonne T. 5 years ago
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  • I agree with Kaya. Focusing on a specific genre or even a specific film would make the topic very interesting to explore. I think you're right to focus on both the character and the viewer, as both experience the journey and are affected by it. – JamesBKelley 5 years ago
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5

The need for Modern Young Adult Novels

Explain and analyse why it is necessary to have modern young adult novels. In other words, authors should now include modern technology (e.g., social media) into their character's lives and how it may affect their decision-making.

  • I'm not sure where the dividing line is between "modern young adult novels" and whatever comes next? Is "Lord of the Flies" or "1984" too adult so not suitable for, say, high school? Decision-making relates to what? Do you mean personal choices? – Joseph Cernik 6 years ago
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  • I am not speaking about high school or any other school category specifically. I am referring to how modern technology plays a huge role in young adults' lives now, and should be included more in novels (e.g., social media platforms, video chatting, etc.) One new young adult novel that helps integrate that is "All We Ever Wanted" by Emily Giffin – Yvonne T. 6 years ago
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  • I suppose for this topic, the writer could address how technology shapes young adult narratives and how it might complicate or show these types of narratives in a different light. The coming to age theme is pretty common in young adult novels so it might be interesting to discuss how technology and social media influences this. – jay 6 years ago
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  • You could look at books such as Hank Green's "An Absoulutely Remarkable Thing" – CatBeeny 6 years ago
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1

Why Are Old School Video Games Better

Analyse how videos games released around the 1900s-2010s were better suited for youth than today's modern ones.

  • Are they? There might be something here the problem is the way it is written. I think you mean the 1990s not 1900s. Also, 2010 does not seem all that long ago. – Joseph Cernik 6 years ago
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  • I'm not sure if old school video games are better than modern video games. Can you clarify what you mean by "better suited" and did you have any specific examples of video games in mind for this topic? Maybe you can also explore how old school video games influenced modern video games or how the video game industry has grown throughout the years. – jay 6 years ago
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  • Need to make sure you have clear criteria for both old school and new. This is a topic that may be heavily different for people who grew up in the 80s and 90s vs. growing up as a younger person in current generation, so be wary of nostalgia/rose tinted googles clouding perceptions. Try to be as objective, use as objective categories as you can like gameplay, mechanics, controls, player agency/responsibility to eliminate as much bias as possible. – Sean Gadus 6 years ago
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  • I meant 1990's** – Yvonne T. 6 years ago
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  • What I mean is that there are video games in today's world that are definitely more violent than before. Video games along the lines of Mario Bros., Pacman, etc. are not as violent-related as the ones we know now (e.g., Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto). Arcade games could also be added if the writer who writes this topic finds it suitable. – Yvonne T. 6 years ago
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  • I left some revisions about the context of the game and the time. Although it has been marked as revised, the topic still remains the same. When you find a moment, please edit your topic so that the dates are correct and it has more substance. – Pamela Maria 6 years ago
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  • There is still a lot to be refined on this topic in order to be discussed. The topic makes no mention of violence, however, your comment below does. I think there are two potential articles here - one regarding the increase in the depiction of violence in games throughout the years; consideration of rendering capability, maturity of the art from itself, external influences from literature and film, and expectations of the audience. The other side to this again takes into consideration technological developments but more of a focus on the design of game mechanics. We now have more processing power and capability to integrate more and more complex systems, however, often the simplicity of earlier game mechanics meant a greater degree of accessibility for the audience, thus seeming more succussful – CAntonyBaker 5 years ago
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  • Subjective assessment. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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0

Fiction Novels and TV Shows: The Appeal of the "Gray" Protagonist

Analyse and inform why there is such a success in the main characters who are usually supposed to be the "good" guys, but it tends to be better when they have their own flaws as well. Old fiction books and television shows tended to portray the "perfect" protagonist with all virtues. Now, there seems to be more success when it's not always black or white ("bad" vs. "good")

  • Can you give some examples please? – SaraiMW 6 years ago
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  • Maybe its because the perfect protagonist doesn't provide any tension. In order to generate obstacles, and having a character who is perfect won't provide this. – vmainella 6 years ago
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  • Rick from Rick and Morty is a good example of this. Despite his negative qualities he and at times abusive treatment of his family he truly cares about them. In a lot of ways that is one the reasons why he is the Rickest Rick because he has not completely stopped caring about his family. – Blackcat130 6 years ago
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  • In general, all characters have flaws - even the characters that are deemed as "good" guys. Well developed characters just have more development as a whole and thus more development to their flaws. Some examples to multidimensional protagonists are Deadpool and Batman - both characters have defining traits that make them heroic and flawed. For this topic, it would help having an example of a "black and white" protagonist to compare or juxtapose against a "gray" protagonist. – jay 6 years ago
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  • Fine idea, but it needs a sharper thesis. Compare modern day villains to older, mustache twirly ones? There was a good video essay on Wisecrack about this recently, about the need for morally complex villians in a more morally complex age. Article should at least touch on the 90's antihero architype. Major problem is idea is too general, needs either a modern focus or a historical focus. – ecoriell1 6 years ago
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3

The Need for Music in Films

Analyse how music has helped paved the way for the success of films. Without music, a lot of films would be missing emotions from the audience, and characters as well.

  • Love this topic. Music is so important to so many films, music has become a crucial element to so many movies. This topic could explore why and how this happens... – Sean Gadus 6 years ago
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  • Like this topic, would love to see what examples you would use for it! – CatBeeny 6 years ago
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  • I also approve of this topic. Perhaps you could focus on one or two major composers or specific films to illustrate your point, such as the music of John Williams or Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings." Another possibility is to explore specific scenes from important films, such as the powerful bar singing scene from Casablanca. – drmatteri 6 years ago
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  • Good topic, I think one good addition would be to consider periods of silence in film. The proper use of music and silence in conjunction with each other can help make a good soundtrack even better (i.e. cowboy bebop, samurai jack) – Alacrian786 6 years ago
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Latest Comments

Yvonne Tapia

Yeah, they were! It’s funny how much the show has changed since I wrote this, and its finale is close by this autumn. A lot of speculation with Rick of course, so it shall be interesting!

The Walking Dead: What Led To Its Jeopardy
Yvonne Tapia

Feel free to elaborate more on what you’re referring to!

Antagonist: An Analysis of Lucy in "The Light We Lost"
Yvonne Tapia

Thank you, Mishani! I really appreciate the time you took to read it, and hope to hear if you read any of them now 🙂

The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
Yvonne Tapia

Thank you, Rhea! Congrats on your new journey!

Exactly, youth need to feel seen and there is still an ongoing process for this to happen continuously.

The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
Yvonne Tapia

THANK YOU! Love to hear you’re a voracious reader like myself 😀
Note: Some of these characters are not based on my own experiences, they were from an objective point-of-view and what I’ve seen in society.

YES! Support your local libraries and bookstores!

The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
Yvonne Tapia

It really does (helps make life a smoother journey)! I will add it also helps builds a more understanding and empathetic relationship/conversation.

The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
Yvonne Tapia

Woo woo, that excitement is everywhere and is here to stay!

The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books