Blog Post #3: " New Pretty Town "

Find and quote ONE oxymoron from the chapter or ONE example of irony. (Quote it directly)

Kayli Says: " ...It took only seconds to find the fishing line tied to its usual rock" Fishing lines aren't supposed to catch rocks, i'm pretty sure.

Why do you think that Tally chose to wear a mask to the party that was deemed "White Tie"?

Kayli Says: Tally probably wore the mask so no one would realize that she was an ugly. If anyone found out, there would be monsterous consequences for her comming full speed ahead.

Find information about the history of masks and post it. How does this relate to Tally"s decision?

Kayli Says: "The history of masks is a fascinating look at human frailty and imagination. Humans have used masks for different reasons throughout time, from blending into scenery to standing out from other people. The main concept behind most masks, with the possible exception of funerary masks, is to hide a person’s identity. Masks have been used for religious purposes, for artistic purposes and just for fun purposes.

History of Masks
Masks have been used for thousands and thousands of years in cultures around the world. Early masks were probably made from local materials. Harder-to-find or more precious materials would probably have been used to embellish more important masks in ancient times, as they are now.

Over the centuries, masks became associated with religion. For example, ancient Egyptians considered mummy masks to be an important part of the transition to afterlife. Today, masks made by the Iroquois people are so precious to their beliefs that the Iroquois leadership is requesting the return of face masks from museums and private collections. Traditional Iroquois want to properly care for these masks according to their ancient traditions.

Sometimes, a culture starts to use masks for a specific reason only to have that reason change over time. For example, masks were initially used during carnival to hide people’s identities. Wearing masks allowed people to cross class lines and behave in inappropriate ways without fear of shame. As societies’ morals and cultures have changed, wearing masks has become less necessary for concealing sexual indiscretions. Today, they are just another part of carnival’s atmosphere. This is not to say some naughty things no longer occur behind masks.

Masks have long been featured in entertainment. Masks have been an important part of dances around the world. They have been an essential part of theatre in countries such as China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Mardi Gras masks have been a part of American culture since the 17th century. Masks have also been indispensible in literature, plays, movies and television. You wouldn’t have “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Zorro,” or “the Lone Ranger” without masks.

Can you imagine?"
Life 123: The Cultural History of Masks; Laura Evans, Staff Writer

Kayli Also Says: This information relates to Tally's decision because she was trying to hide her identity.