What Stuck Out to AI?

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Using my annotations for part one of the book Long Division by Kiese Laymon on NowComment, AI created an essay. I generated seven essays and chose the one I thought was the best. Result six was my choice, I believe it is the best one because AI had already been fed the same information five times. Throughout all my results AI, used the same three comments. It makes me wonder why AI chose those three and what stuck out to AI. 

AI Generation

Kiese Laymon’s Long Division is a contemporary coming of age story that is full of social and political commentary. It follows the journey of City, a fourteen-year-old African American boy, as he navigates the world and discovers his identity. Through City’s experiences, Laymon is able to capture the struggles of being a black person in a predominately white society and the internal and external pressures they face. 

Laymon’s use of satire and humor is a key element in the story. Suhailah R stated, “It kind of caught me off guard that LaVander Peeler thinks being racist is fun. It makes me wonder what his race or ethnicity is.” Laymon’s use of humor to portray Peeler’s racist mindset is effective in showing how racism is normalized and can be taken lightly by some people. It also serves as a commentary on how racism is socially accepted when used by people in the same race. 

City’s internal struggles are also present in the text. Suhailah R commented, “Before this I thought City denying that he is “homosexual” was because he wasn’t. Now I know it was more of a defensive thing.” City’s denial of being homosexual shows the internal pressure of “fitting in” with his peers and the fear of being labeled as “other”. This fear of being labeled is felt by many people of color and is a common theme in the book. 

The use of culture and history as a commentary is also present in the book. Suhailah R stated, “The way you described LaVander Peeler changed my thoughts about him. We only learn about him based on City’s perspective, which is very biased. I applaud you for being able to look past that and see the benefit and importance of his character in the book.” Laymon’s use of culture and history allows readers to look at the characters beyond City’s perspective. By doing this, Laymon is able to bring attention to the importance of understanding different cultures and the need to be inclusive.

Overall, Long Division is an interesting story that is full of commentary and satire. It is an effective way of bringing attention to the struggles of the black community and the need for inclusivity. However, there are still some mysteries in the story that have yet to be revealed. What is LaVander’s race or ethnicity? How will City’s journey change him? As I continue to read, I am looking forward to finding out more about the characters and their stories.

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