Torture on Trial
Welcome to my Torture on Trial page! Here on our goal to answer 3 essential questions:
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Are humans the real instruments of torture? Is torture ever justified?
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How can we practice resilience, reclaim strength, and celebrate vitality in the face of opposition?
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What does it mean to be a "survivor"?
With these 3 questions, it took us straight deep into our project starting with research, field trips, designing, learning, and performing. Here you find a big summary on our project, including pictures, research documents, and a big reflection on everything.
Our First Weeks
We kicked our project with a field trip to the Museum of Man, in Balboa Park. There at the Museum of Man we visit a torture exhibit presenting different torture devices used around the world in different generations. It was a really shocking experience to see all these different tools that got used. From that moment on, I knew this going to be a really interesting project. The next day, we made groups of 4 with each a different time period. Each group had to pick a torture device from the time period they got and to build it. I was first very uncomfortable working my group, but later on I was really happy with my group. Between the 4 of us, we did research on the torture device we picked (The Stocks) and also made a design and blueprint for it. Apart from all that we were starting to do research of different torture court cases in different time periods, we ended picking the Salem Witch Trials. Our group made a cardstock model of our torture device 2 in fact. Our group and other groups that had same time period all form up together to create a cohort. In our cohort we explained our torture device and showed our design and cardstock model too. We were ready to begin the building process... but a tragedy happen. The building part of our project was cancelled due to parents and teachers not understanding the point of building torture devices. It was sad, but we were going to focus on our court cases.
Court Trials
We broke our mini groups of 4 into just the cohort itself to start the court trial work. Our cohort ended up picking the Salem Witch Trials. We all separated into doing individual research on the multiple court cases that happen in Salem and also the background and aftermath of what happen. We did research for both the defense and prosecution. After we felt solid on our research we got back into our cohorts to split into the defense side and prosecution. Together, we all made a background to court case base on true events that happen in Salem. My role was defendant (Thomas Putnam) in the court trials.
Salem Witch Trials - Background Story
Open Salem Witch Trials - Background Story
"Here is the background story of our Salem Witch Trial Court Case"
Together we also made the different evidence for our court trial that we can use, and also picked out roles. Once that we split back into defense side and prosecution side and got to work. On the defense side we try to use our evidence to our side and also try see what counter arguments we can use. The defense lead attorney made a really amazing opening statement. Our cross examining attorney and direct attorney made really good question to ask the witness, plaintiff, and me (defendant). We felt solid on everything, now it was just a matter of practicing.
From Practice To The Grand Court Case
The prosecution was solid, the defense was solid, we were ready for practice. We got together and did our first practice trial outside. It was choppy, really choppy! It choppy, but good because we all figured out what we had to work on. The witness, plaintiff, and defendant had to work on memorizing the story so whenever attorney ask us questions, we were ready. The attorneys had to work on making questions as they go and also making sure to ask the right questions. We all had a lot of work to do, but the great thing was that everyone was willing to help each other. Witness, plaintiff, and defendant all help to make sure they knew the background story and the type of answers we were going to say so that everyone was on the right page. From that we did more practice trials, each time we got better and better. Our final 2 days before the great exhibition we did actual big practice trials with whole room design to be a court. We practice on everything up to the actual court rules and procedures! The exhibition finally came, all I think everyone was a bit nervous. We practice hard and work hard for everything to out great... and it did. The jury was consisted of parents and teachers, they made final verdict. Before they said the verdict we took them behind the scenes to meet the whole cohort and team and ask questions about everything. For once I felt like I was really prepared to answer any question due to all the hard work we did. In the end the defense team lost, but I didn't really mind. I was just glad that we finished the project and that our cohort had a really fun time working together.
Reflection
The Torture on Trial was one of the most hard working projects I've ever done in my life. When the project was finally over, I was so relief from doing weeks and weeks of hard work. Even though it was a hard project, I don't regret doing it. Like I said before, I was really worried about the group I was getting, but once I got to know everyone I really enjoyed everyone. I was really proud that in the end everyone was able to get their wits together and pull of a great exhibition. I was also really proud that everyone actually did a lot of work, countless hours pulled together to make the exhibition amazing. In the end the only thing I think I would change would be time management because not everything was plan out. It was harsh when it all of sudden we had like 10 things to work on at once, but the good thing is that we pulled it off. I think my group did answer the 3 essential questions, that in life torture will always be around, but it all depends on people to stand up and take these actions to justice for not only them, but for everyone. I think I grew mostly in "Be uncomfortable", I never been so "chilled" out in working with a group, I'm always stress in working in a group, but it was different this time. I learn that teamwork is important afterall if you want to be something big and amazing. It was really cool project and I enjoyed it.
Project Gallery
