Aaron Richert

1. Identify what you believe to be the thesis statement

A. All signs of acculturation were avoided as long as the natives were on show
because they were clearly heathen peoples compared to AngloSaxons.
B. I believe this to be the main argument made in the article. It states that the
cultures were purposefully simplified to enforce white supremacy. I also like how this
statement uses the word heathen, implying that there is an element of religious
superiority in the midway as well, another tool with which they enforce superiority.
2. Select 1 piece of evidence from the text that best supports the thesis
A. These people are they, who, in the mad race of nations for power and self,
seem to have been left far behind, and, compared with the nations of today, are like
untutored children.
3. Identify 1 disagreement / question you have with the text
A. She regarded these Arabs as wretches who made shrilling sounds from their
barbarous little throats. My question with this is whether or not the Arabs had been
instructed to make particularly shrill unpleasant noises in order to enforce the
otherness already in the midway.
4. Think of a space (not NOCCA) that you know relatively well, one that has been carefully
curated. Briefly discuss any arguments, implicit or explicit, present in that space.
A. A space that I know relatively well is Jacob Gonzaless house. He has three siblings,
two parents, and a dog. Houses are fascinating to me because they are a both
organized for the comfort of the people living in it but also to impress any visitors
they might have. The arguments made by this specific house is fascinating to me
because it largely contains a sibling rivalry dynamic. Whoever has the most
pictures or honors hanging publicly rules the home, while the ornamentation
around the television (the center of the room) displays that the father truly holds
all power in the household, regardless of siblings.