Is this really happening?
When did we become so far apart,
when did we become strangers?
I put my faith in you, so much faith,
and then you just threw it away.
I never wanted to say this,
I'm sorry;
I know my words cut you inside,
but I'm only speaking the truth.
It can't hurt you anywhere near as worse as the pain you've caused me.
The pain.
The scars.
I hope you know,
we'll never be the same.
And I'm okay,
I'm okay with that.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Haven't written in a while..
Yeah, it's summer. So I'm a bit rusty and haven't had time to put up any posts in a while.
Endless crashing,
The waves.
They speak in a rhythm
that is never broken.
One wave hits the sand,
And then another,
And another,
And another...
Even when the world comes
Crashing down to its end,
There will always be the steady
rhythm of the waves.
Endless crashing,
The waves.
They speak in a rhythm
that is never broken.
One wave hits the sand,
And then another,
And another,
And another...
Even when the world comes
Crashing down to its end,
There will always be the steady
rhythm of the waves.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Friends.
Always supporting,
Always comforting,
no matter what dumb mistakes,
or lowly levels I stoop to,
they are there
to help,
to build me up
and keep me from breaking down.
Even at my lowest points,
they understand.
My supporters,
My heroes,
My friends.
Peace
Such a simple concept,
but so rarely does it happen.
Holding hands,
hugging,
even a simple smile
to soothe the hate
blooming all over the world.
Why?
Why can't we just all get along?
Is it really that difficult
to be kind to one another?
These questions frequently swirl
around our minds,
but never can we seem to come up with an answer.
All we can do,
is strive towards the same goal:
Peace.
Always supporting,
Always comforting,
no matter what dumb mistakes,
or lowly levels I stoop to,
they are there
to help,
to build me up
and keep me from breaking down.
Even at my lowest points,
they understand.
My supporters,
My heroes,
My friends.
Peace
Such a simple concept,
but so rarely does it happen.
Holding hands,
hugging,
even a simple smile
to soothe the hate
blooming all over the world.
Why?
Why can't we just all get along?
Is it really that difficult
to be kind to one another?
These questions frequently swirl
around our minds,
but never can we seem to come up with an answer.
All we can do,
is strive towards the same goal:
Peace.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Candle
Complete relaxation.
Eyes closed, the smell of
"Midsummers Night" wafts around the room.
Inhale deeply,
Everything is perfect,
Even if it's just for a few seconds.
The fire dances,
Casting shadows on the walls.
Complete relaxation.
Eyes closed, the smell of
"Midsummers Night" wafts around the room.
Inhale deeply,
Everything is perfect,
Even if it's just for a few seconds.
The fire dances,
Casting shadows on the walls.
Complete relaxation.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
This I Believe - The Importance Of Summer Vacation
In Honors English 9, we had to write an essay called "This I Believe" which had to be about a concept or idea we thoroughly believe in, or like. Not wanting to write about something depressing or too deep, I chose Summer Vacation. Enjoy!
There is one single thing that gets me out of bed early every morning to go and spend seven hours of my day sitting on a hard, cold chair learning about some things that I will never again use in my life: Summer Vacation. Yes, those two months and three weeks of free time is really that important to teenagers all around the world. Maybe it's the feeling of freedom that we have when we can wake up at any time of day, or maybe it's the ability to eat lunch at any hour. Hell, it could be the fact that we don't have to waste most of the day in a school. But for me, it's all these reasons and more.
I love having the choice to spend my day at the beach, or at home playing soccer. Being able to stay up till 8 P.M. or four A.M. And of course, the feeling of freedom and release from a world full of stress. The way I spend my summer defines the rest of my school year; the memories that I make over the summer help keep me sane until the next. The past summer was absolutely unforgettable; there were so many events that occured that will always be with me. Such as when my best friend and I broke an elevator in the hotel we were staying at in Florida. Yeah, we were sitting there for a good forty five minutes with nothing to eat but raisins, until the local fire department came and broke us out. Or maybe when another friend and I decided to take out our anger and frustration by drawing very humerous pictures on her two little whiteboards for three whole hours. We seriously stayed in her basement for the whole morning entertaining ourselves by drawing on whiteboards. Possibly one of my most memorable summer nights from last vacation was one that was spent at my friend Zach Taylor's house, a few of us drove his golf cart around for an hour or two. I'll never forget the thrill of driving that old golf cart super fast in circles around his house while getting bombarded with water balloons. So many crazy things happened that I never want to forget, each summer greater than the last.
No matter what happens during the school year, summer can fix everything. No more high school drama, no homework, no daily time frame and most importantly, no stress. Every teenager loves knowing the fact they don't have to do any homework for a good eighty five days. Along with being able to do whatever, whenever, my all time favorite thing in the world to do is easiest done in the summer; going out on a warm night and just laying under the stars, it's the most relaxing thing ever. Without this nice warm season, I would never get the chance to do that. Summer vacation is truly vital to all teenagers' survival. I believe that summer vacation is the most important part of the year and that it always will be.
There is one single thing that gets me out of bed early every morning to go and spend seven hours of my day sitting on a hard, cold chair learning about some things that I will never again use in my life: Summer Vacation. Yes, those two months and three weeks of free time is really that important to teenagers all around the world. Maybe it's the feeling of freedom that we have when we can wake up at any time of day, or maybe it's the ability to eat lunch at any hour. Hell, it could be the fact that we don't have to waste most of the day in a school. But for me, it's all these reasons and more.
I love having the choice to spend my day at the beach, or at home playing soccer. Being able to stay up till 8 P.M. or four A.M. And of course, the feeling of freedom and release from a world full of stress. The way I spend my summer defines the rest of my school year; the memories that I make over the summer help keep me sane until the next. The past summer was absolutely unforgettable; there were so many events that occured that will always be with me. Such as when my best friend and I broke an elevator in the hotel we were staying at in Florida. Yeah, we were sitting there for a good forty five minutes with nothing to eat but raisins, until the local fire department came and broke us out. Or maybe when another friend and I decided to take out our anger and frustration by drawing very humerous pictures on her two little whiteboards for three whole hours. We seriously stayed in her basement for the whole morning entertaining ourselves by drawing on whiteboards. Possibly one of my most memorable summer nights from last vacation was one that was spent at my friend Zach Taylor's house, a few of us drove his golf cart around for an hour or two. I'll never forget the thrill of driving that old golf cart super fast in circles around his house while getting bombarded with water balloons. So many crazy things happened that I never want to forget, each summer greater than the last.
No matter what happens during the school year, summer can fix everything. No more high school drama, no homework, no daily time frame and most importantly, no stress. Every teenager loves knowing the fact they don't have to do any homework for a good eighty five days. Along with being able to do whatever, whenever, my all time favorite thing in the world to do is easiest done in the summer; going out on a warm night and just laying under the stars, it's the most relaxing thing ever. Without this nice warm season, I would never get the chance to do that. Summer vacation is truly vital to all teenagers' survival. I believe that summer vacation is the most important part of the year and that it always will be.
Monday, February 22, 2010
First Game
Click.
The wind blows ferociously as they walk.
Click.
Fear wells up inside her as they near the field.
Click.
Her old, faithful cleats click as they walk across the concrete.
Click.
The team finally steps off the concrete as they start jogging
onto the perfectly manicured field.
All of her hard work,
All of her pain,
Every practice,
Every extra shot,
Every little thing she's done
All leads up to now.
This game.
The first game.
The team huddles together,
Her team.
Her varsity team.
Tears drip down her face
as she steps onto the field
as starting striker
on the girls varsity soccer team.
Click.
The wind blows ferociously as they walk.
Click.
Fear wells up inside her as they near the field.
Click.
Her old, faithful cleats click as they walk across the concrete.
Click.
The team finally steps off the concrete as they start jogging
onto the perfectly manicured field.
All of her hard work,
All of her pain,
Every practice,
Every extra shot,
Every little thing she's done
All leads up to now.
This game.
The first game.
The team huddles together,
Her team.
Her varsity team.
Tears drip down her face
as she steps onto the field
as starting striker
on the girls varsity soccer team.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Driving.
Windows down, hair blowing in the wind
Hands tightly grip the wheel
Country music blasts out the speakers
The little pickup races down the highway into the unknown.
A small town disappears in the rearview mirror
And she savors her escape.
Escaping her problems
Her fears,
Her responsibilities.
Running never felt so damn good.
Windows down, hair blowing in the wind
Hands tightly grip the wheel
Country music blasts out the speakers
The little pickup races down the highway into the unknown.
A small town disappears in the rearview mirror
And she savors her escape.
Escaping her problems
Her fears,
Her responsibilities.
Running never felt so damn good.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Liar
What we had once
was perfect
or so we thought.
You act like you know me
but trust me,
you don't.
A relationship
built on lies
is no relationship at all.
But
I'm better off without you.
I promise.
Untitled.
Whispers.
They echo around the halls,
their stares are piercing.
Alone.
It's crowded here,
but I've never felt more alone.
Finally.
Finally we're together.
The look in your eyes says it all.
Every heartbreak,
every bad emotion,
every terrible thought
disappears when I'm here,
in your arms.
What we had once
was perfect
or so we thought.
You act like you know me
but trust me,
you don't.
A relationship
built on lies
is no relationship at all.
But
I'm better off without you.
I promise.
Untitled.
Whispers.
They echo around the halls,
their stares are piercing.
Alone.
It's crowded here,
but I've never felt more alone.
Finally.
Finally we're together.
The look in your eyes says it all.
Every heartbreak,
every bad emotion,
every terrible thought
disappears when I'm here,
in your arms.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Eh.
Here are a few things I work on when I get in bored in class.
I'm a little rusty.
Also, I don't give any of these titles, I can never think of a good title.
Shimmering, Glittering
The moon is reflected perfectly in the lake.
Relaxing in the hammock
Fireworks dancing in the sky
Burning bright,
The fire is perfect for roasting marshmallows.
Summer nights don't get any better than this.
Stuck.
Trying to escape
To get out
To leave
Reaching for your hand
I want your help
I need your help
Please.
I'm a little rusty.
Also, I don't give any of these titles, I can never think of a good title.
Shimmering, Glittering
The moon is reflected perfectly in the lake.
Relaxing in the hammock
Fireworks dancing in the sky
Burning bright,
The fire is perfect for roasting marshmallows.
Summer nights don't get any better than this.
Stuck.
Trying to escape
To get out
To leave
Reaching for your hand
I want your help
I need your help
Please.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
ASP Prompt 1
Everyone has a few flaws, the Achilles heel of their personality. In some people, its insane jealousy; for others, it could be a short temper. Although both of those personality traits tend to stand out a lot in a person, one of the most deifined flaws within one's character is fearfulness. In the novel A Seperate Peace by John Knowles, the author places himself back in time when he lived at the Devon School. His main character, Gene, lives in constant fear of almost everything.
Gene's fear clouds his vision and causes him to become quite paranoid. When re-visiting Devon School, Gene looks back on his time at the school. He recalls the deep, chilling fear that continuously haunted him throughout his school years. Gene admits to his fear when he thought "looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it" (2). Back when he attended the school, Gene was in a chronic fear of anything and everything. Phineas, or Finny, wanted Gene to jump off a tall tree into the river below and the only reason Gene accepted was so he wouldn't look foolish. Often would Finny want to break the rules, Gene went along so he wouldn't look afraid, even though he was usually scared senseless.
When people get scared, they make rash decisions that tend to have negative effects on their lives. Gene's fears and unwillingness to accept them always put him in some kind of danger. One day, Finny and Gene decided to climb the tall tree to make their infamous jump yet another time. Finny climbed out onto the branch to make the jump and Gene jounced the limb, causing Finny to lose his balance and plummet to the ground. Although Gene purposely hurt his so called "best friend", he feels no regret as he recalls, "with unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fears of this forgotten" (52). Once he doesn't have to compete with Finny for attention, Gene's fears vanish. He is a huge coward and it's quite sad that Gene has to hurt someone else to finally forget his own fears.
Gene is an easy character to relate to for everyone, fear is something we all have in common. It's how we deal with the fear that makes or breaks us. Fear is a flaw that can be very dangerous if it isn't handled correctly. Gene bottles it up and finally lets it explode into violent actions which is something that should never be done. He is truly a danger to everyone at Devon School.
Gene's fear clouds his vision and causes him to become quite paranoid. When re-visiting Devon School, Gene looks back on his time at the school. He recalls the deep, chilling fear that continuously haunted him throughout his school years. Gene admits to his fear when he thought "looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it" (2). Back when he attended the school, Gene was in a chronic fear of anything and everything. Phineas, or Finny, wanted Gene to jump off a tall tree into the river below and the only reason Gene accepted was so he wouldn't look foolish. Often would Finny want to break the rules, Gene went along so he wouldn't look afraid, even though he was usually scared senseless.
When people get scared, they make rash decisions that tend to have negative effects on their lives. Gene's fears and unwillingness to accept them always put him in some kind of danger. One day, Finny and Gene decided to climb the tall tree to make their infamous jump yet another time. Finny climbed out onto the branch to make the jump and Gene jounced the limb, causing Finny to lose his balance and plummet to the ground. Although Gene purposely hurt his so called "best friend", he feels no regret as he recalls, "with unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fears of this forgotten" (52). Once he doesn't have to compete with Finny for attention, Gene's fears vanish. He is a huge coward and it's quite sad that Gene has to hurt someone else to finally forget his own fears.
Gene is an easy character to relate to for everyone, fear is something we all have in common. It's how we deal with the fear that makes or breaks us. Fear is a flaw that can be very dangerous if it isn't handled correctly. Gene bottles it up and finally lets it explode into violent actions which is something that should never be done. He is truly a danger to everyone at Devon School.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
SOS
Hello to anyone and everyone who still uses these blogs!
I'm trying to write the dreaded balance and comparison paper right now but sadly procrastination has yet again gotten the best of me. Dilpreet and I were talking about our essays and somehow the topic of last years blogs came up. We both feel that it would be really great if some students from last year's advanced english class would use the blogs again every once in a while; I think I speak for many when I say that the blogs are sorely missed. Also, it's a great place to be able to share our essays and get positive feedback without the negative comments from some pupils in our midst. If you see this, please leave a comment or a post!
I'm trying to write the dreaded balance and comparison paper right now but sadly procrastination has yet again gotten the best of me. Dilpreet and I were talking about our essays and somehow the topic of last years blogs came up. We both feel that it would be really great if some students from last year's advanced english class would use the blogs again every once in a while; I think I speak for many when I say that the blogs are sorely missed. Also, it's a great place to be able to share our essays and get positive feedback without the negative comments from some pupils in our midst. If you see this, please leave a comment or a post!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Power and the Glory Essay
If no one in this world ever suffered, there would be no compassion. Suffering and pain give our actions so much more meaning. Take Martin Luther King, for example. If he hadn't died for his cause, he wouldn't of been so popular. Rosa Parks went to jail for standing up for what she believed. Both real people, who suffered for their beliefs, but eventually became heroes. In the novel The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene illustrates the importance of pain and suffering with his main character, the "whiskey priest".
Throughout the novel, the priest goes through so much just to do what he believes is the right thing. When he went back to hear the Gringos confession, he knew it was a trap. He knew he would get caught and brutally killed. But going to hear the confession was the right thing to do, so he went and suffered for his decision. All the suffering the priest went through gave alot more meaning to his actions. The priest had a love for his religion, a love for his people. "But I do know this -- that if there's ever a single man in this state damned, I'll be damned too...I wouldn't want it to be any different. I just want justice, that's all." (p 200) The priest really does care about his people, which is exactly why he goes through so much for them.
The priest knows the importance of suffering, but on the other hand the lieutenant does not. "Suffering is wrong." (p 176) He doesn't understand that without suffering there would be no hope. Hope for better things to come, hope for the future, the lieutenant just doesn't get it. If no one suffered or had pain, nobody would care about each other. "If you see somebody in pain, people like you reason and reason. You say -- pain's a good thing, perhaps he'll be better for it one day." (p 199) The thing is, pain does make you stronger. The lieutenant just doesn't get that.
Pain and suffering is vital to our existance. Without it, there would be no love, no hope, no compassion. All things that we absolutely need to live life fully. The priest is a very heroic character in the novel, when things got difficult, he never gave up hope. If only more people in the world were like him in this way, too often do we give up hope when we go through hard times. If only more people could see the bright side in pain and suffering, that things will get better. If only.
Throughout the novel, the priest goes through so much just to do what he believes is the right thing. When he went back to hear the Gringos confession, he knew it was a trap. He knew he would get caught and brutally killed. But going to hear the confession was the right thing to do, so he went and suffered for his decision. All the suffering the priest went through gave alot more meaning to his actions. The priest had a love for his religion, a love for his people. "But I do know this -- that if there's ever a single man in this state damned, I'll be damned too...I wouldn't want it to be any different. I just want justice, that's all." (p 200) The priest really does care about his people, which is exactly why he goes through so much for them.
The priest knows the importance of suffering, but on the other hand the lieutenant does not. "Suffering is wrong." (p 176) He doesn't understand that without suffering there would be no hope. Hope for better things to come, hope for the future, the lieutenant just doesn't get it. If no one suffered or had pain, nobody would care about each other. "If you see somebody in pain, people like you reason and reason. You say -- pain's a good thing, perhaps he'll be better for it one day." (p 199) The thing is, pain does make you stronger. The lieutenant just doesn't get that.
Pain and suffering is vital to our existance. Without it, there would be no love, no hope, no compassion. All things that we absolutely need to live life fully. The priest is a very heroic character in the novel, when things got difficult, he never gave up hope. If only more people in the world were like him in this way, too often do we give up hope when we go through hard times. If only more people could see the bright side in pain and suffering, that things will get better. If only.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Chapter 4 Response
In chapter four, Graham Greene describes the priest in two very different, yet very alike situations. When he finds the wounded dog in the abandoned house, a very animalistic side of him is exposed. On the other hand, when he is with the mother and the dead child, a more compassionate, caring side is shown. Both sides are vital in any person; without an animalistic side covering the basic needs like eating and sleeping, survival would be impossible while the more compassionate and loving side is very important too.
When the priest finds the starving dog, he covers his own basic needs before the dog's. Survival in mind, he takes the bone for himself and eats the scraps sticking to it. "Hope is an instinct only the reasoning human mind can kill." p 141 Even though the dog was slowing dying it didn't give up hope. The indian woman didn't give up hope either, even when the little boy died. The sugar cube placed by his head was a small symbol of hope for a miracle, although the priest ate it to try to satisfy his animalistic needs again. His caring side was exposed in the second situation; worry for the indian woman made him turn around to check if she was still by the dead baby. The priest's actions in both situations help us see a few different sides of human nature that are needed for survival.
When the priest finds the starving dog, he covers his own basic needs before the dog's. Survival in mind, he takes the bone for himself and eats the scraps sticking to it. "Hope is an instinct only the reasoning human mind can kill." p 141 Even though the dog was slowing dying it didn't give up hope. The indian woman didn't give up hope either, even when the little boy died. The sugar cube placed by his head was a small symbol of hope for a miracle, although the priest ate it to try to satisfy his animalistic needs again. His caring side was exposed in the second situation; worry for the indian woman made him turn around to check if she was still by the dead baby. The priest's actions in both situations help us see a few different sides of human nature that are needed for survival.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Life of Pi Essay
The gigantic ugly ship slowly chugs its way through the Pacific. On it is a Hindu family, my family, prepared to start a new life in Canada. Suddenly, the ship goes down and I am on a lifeboat. Alone. I never got to kiss my mother goodbye, embrace my dad, or say a word to my only brother. My family has been unwilling taken away from me and I’m lonely and heartbroken. In Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the reader is thrust into Pi’s position and it soon becomes clear how valuable, unbelievable and precious life really is, and how we should never take it for granted.
When drifting in the Pacific, Pi witnesses animals savagely devouring each other numerous times. He starts to realize that what animals have done, people have done too. The animals are meant to say: What are we not capable of? Whatever you believe, no matter how crazy or weird it is, live it to the extreme. So many of us take our lives for granted and never express who we really are, even though we could be dead in a heartbeat. “Now I will turn miracle into routine.” (page 148) Life itself is a miracle! Everyone needs to start treating life as that, it really is a miracle.
“It was something to pull me out of my limited mortal ways and thrust me into a state of exalted wonder.” (page 233) The lightning Pi sees is wondrous; he’s getting a taste of how beautiful life really is. The sooner the rest of the world can see it, the better off we’ll all be. There are those in the world who choose to see everything in a pessimistic view. “That’s right, we believe what we see.” (page 294) Well, if we decide and believe what we see, why can’t we decide to see things in an optimistic view? People start to believe that life really is terrible and they give up hope, just as Pi does at one time in the novel. “With the very first rays of light it came alive in me: hope.” (page 119) Pi believed he wouldn’t make it through the night alive, but when the sun came up, hope came back. His hope did begin to dwindle though, as the day went on and he wasn’t saved. Martel seems to be telling the reader to never give up hope—no matter how bad things get—everything will get better. I fully agree with him.
“Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer.” (page 297) This quote is definitely my favorite from the whole novel. All of the ideas mentioned in the quote are so unbelievable, but with faith many people believe all three. If these hard to believe ideas were gone, life as we know it would be demolished and gone forever. Our beliefs are what make us who we are and define us from every other being in the world.
After drifting on a humungous for an enormous amount of time, the sandy beaches of Mexico are heaven. Right away Richard Parker deserts me and I feel as though part of me just left forever. Thankful is the only word that can describe how I feel now. Thankful for my life, thankful God let me live, thankful that after leaving for a while my hope of survival came back. Never again will I take any part of my life for granted; I see now how much of a miracle it really is.
When drifting in the Pacific, Pi witnesses animals savagely devouring each other numerous times. He starts to realize that what animals have done, people have done too. The animals are meant to say: What are we not capable of? Whatever you believe, no matter how crazy or weird it is, live it to the extreme. So many of us take our lives for granted and never express who we really are, even though we could be dead in a heartbeat. “Now I will turn miracle into routine.” (page 148) Life itself is a miracle! Everyone needs to start treating life as that, it really is a miracle.
“It was something to pull me out of my limited mortal ways and thrust me into a state of exalted wonder.” (page 233) The lightning Pi sees is wondrous; he’s getting a taste of how beautiful life really is. The sooner the rest of the world can see it, the better off we’ll all be. There are those in the world who choose to see everything in a pessimistic view. “That’s right, we believe what we see.” (page 294) Well, if we decide and believe what we see, why can’t we decide to see things in an optimistic view? People start to believe that life really is terrible and they give up hope, just as Pi does at one time in the novel. “With the very first rays of light it came alive in me: hope.” (page 119) Pi believed he wouldn’t make it through the night alive, but when the sun came up, hope came back. His hope did begin to dwindle though, as the day went on and he wasn’t saved. Martel seems to be telling the reader to never give up hope—no matter how bad things get—everything will get better. I fully agree with him.
“Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer.” (page 297) This quote is definitely my favorite from the whole novel. All of the ideas mentioned in the quote are so unbelievable, but with faith many people believe all three. If these hard to believe ideas were gone, life as we know it would be demolished and gone forever. Our beliefs are what make us who we are and define us from every other being in the world.
After drifting on a humungous for an enormous amount of time, the sandy beaches of Mexico are heaven. Right away Richard Parker deserts me and I feel as though part of me just left forever. Thankful is the only word that can describe how I feel now. Thankful for my life, thankful God let me live, thankful that after leaving for a while my hope of survival came back. Never again will I take any part of my life for granted; I see now how much of a miracle it really is.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
To Kill A Mockingbird Essay
"Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down...I could take being a coward for him." p. 77 To some of us, the word hero invokes a picture of someone with superpowers and tights. Someone who always does the right thing and saves the day. Someone who always defeats the evil villain. There is a more realistic version of a hero. A hero can be someone who does the right thing, someone who is looked up to, someone who never holds grudges. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are a few very definite heroic and non heroic characters that can be easily recognized.
Atticus is definitely the easiest heroic character to recognize. His two children never want to let him down, and they look up to him. Always doing the right thing, Atticus suffered from a lot of ridicule from children and adults. No matter what anyone said, Atticus stuck to his guns and defended Tom Robinson; it was the right thing to do. "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand." p. 112 Being the great person that he is, Atticus wanted Jem to see the real bravery in Mrs. Dubose, she never gave up fighting her sickness even though death was inevitable. If a disgusting man, inside and out, spat in my face, I would of probably lost it and hit him square in the face. When Bob Ewell spat in Atticus' face, he kept his cool and didn't do anything irrational. "I wish Bob Ewell didn't chew tobacco." p. 217 Atticus didn't lose his temper, didn't throw any punches, didn't even name call. He is a true heroic character.
Although not as recognizable, I believe Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are also heroic figures in the novel. Tom always helped Mayella Ewell, even though getting paid was out of the question. "It occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson's manners were as good as Atticus's." p. 198 Black people were looked down upon a lot in this time period, so saying an African American's manners are as good as a very polite white man is definitely saying a lot. Tom was a very polite, very good man and he didn't deserve to die. Boo Radley was also a hero in his own way. When Miss Maudie's house burned down and Scout was sitting on the curb practically freezing to death, Boo covered her up with a warm blanket. Bob Ewell attacked Jem and Scout and Boo saved them. He is definitely a very heroic character. "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mocking bird, wouldn't it?" p. 276 Shooting a mocking bird is a sin, sending Boo to court would be a sin too.
On one hand, there's the heroic figures. On the other, there's antiheroic and Bob Ewell is as bad as they get. Ewell forces himself upon his own daughter and he won't admit to it at the trial, even though the evidence clearly shows that it was him. He was completely ready to let someone else take the blame and be killed to cover up the truth. "The witness said he never called a doctor to any of his'n in his life, and if he had it would of cost him five dollars." p. 175 The safety of his own daughter wasn't even worth five dollars to Bob Ewell. He also carries terrible grudges against everyone connected to the case. Sure, he's really mad about the case with Robinson going wrong, but that is a terrible excuse to attack children. Ewell is just a nasty, disgusting villainous man, like many that live in our world today.
If only there could be more people like Atticus, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. The world needs more heroic people and less anti heroes. Everything could be so much safer, so much better. Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird shows the heroic type of people that we need more of, and the non-heroic type that we need way less of.
Atticus is definitely the easiest heroic character to recognize. His two children never want to let him down, and they look up to him. Always doing the right thing, Atticus suffered from a lot of ridicule from children and adults. No matter what anyone said, Atticus stuck to his guns and defended Tom Robinson; it was the right thing to do. "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand." p. 112 Being the great person that he is, Atticus wanted Jem to see the real bravery in Mrs. Dubose, she never gave up fighting her sickness even though death was inevitable. If a disgusting man, inside and out, spat in my face, I would of probably lost it and hit him square in the face. When Bob Ewell spat in Atticus' face, he kept his cool and didn't do anything irrational. "I wish Bob Ewell didn't chew tobacco." p. 217 Atticus didn't lose his temper, didn't throw any punches, didn't even name call. He is a true heroic character.
Although not as recognizable, I believe Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are also heroic figures in the novel. Tom always helped Mayella Ewell, even though getting paid was out of the question. "It occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson's manners were as good as Atticus's." p. 198 Black people were looked down upon a lot in this time period, so saying an African American's manners are as good as a very polite white man is definitely saying a lot. Tom was a very polite, very good man and he didn't deserve to die. Boo Radley was also a hero in his own way. When Miss Maudie's house burned down and Scout was sitting on the curb practically freezing to death, Boo covered her up with a warm blanket. Bob Ewell attacked Jem and Scout and Boo saved them. He is definitely a very heroic character. "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mocking bird, wouldn't it?" p. 276 Shooting a mocking bird is a sin, sending Boo to court would be a sin too.
On one hand, there's the heroic figures. On the other, there's antiheroic and Bob Ewell is as bad as they get. Ewell forces himself upon his own daughter and he won't admit to it at the trial, even though the evidence clearly shows that it was him. He was completely ready to let someone else take the blame and be killed to cover up the truth. "The witness said he never called a doctor to any of his'n in his life, and if he had it would of cost him five dollars." p. 175 The safety of his own daughter wasn't even worth five dollars to Bob Ewell. He also carries terrible grudges against everyone connected to the case. Sure, he's really mad about the case with Robinson going wrong, but that is a terrible excuse to attack children. Ewell is just a nasty, disgusting villainous man, like many that live in our world today.
If only there could be more people like Atticus, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. The world needs more heroic people and less anti heroes. Everything could be so much safer, so much better. Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird shows the heroic type of people that we need more of, and the non-heroic type that we need way less of.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Cave
One way in, one way out. We have created this mess for ourselves, and we expect it to resolve itself. One way to resolve it, one way out of the cave we are stuck in. The darkness of the cave shadows our relationship, but not for long. Soon we will resolve, we will see each side, we will both understand. Soon we will be free of our cave, free and able to be friends again?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Fahrenheit 451 Essay
Fire. Our savior, burning everything in sight. Every book will be burned. Books are the roots of all evil. Who would ever of thought that kerosene could smell so sweet? I, as a fireman, have the most important job in our society. To dispose of books and whoever is hiding them. Watching the flames swallow houses whole fills my body with raw joy. These are the nightmarish thoughts of a "noble fireman" in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In the novel, Bradbury shows the reader that for some people, no matter what happens, it is never too late to change.
When the word "wife" is said out loud, the first thing that comes to my mind is a woman that love and cares about her husband. Mildred, Montag's wife, is the exact opposite of what a wife should be. Montag was changing right before her very eyes, Mildred didn't care for him enough to change with him. "Ladies, once a year, every fireman's allowed to bring one book home from the old days, to show his family how silly it all was, how nervous that sort of thing can make you, how crazy." (p. 94) Not wanting anyone else to witness the drastic changes being made, Mildred tries to hide them. Finally, when she is unable to avoid change any longer, she flees.
Faber was always a good person but he was too cowardly to do the right thing by himself. It took Montag's help to make Faber do the right thing, instead of hiding and doing nothing. "I feel I'm doing what I should've done a lifetime ago." (p, 131) Faber is one of the characters who shows that it's never too late to change and make the right choice.
Of all the characters who underwent changes, Montag made the biggest change of them all. He goes from a depressing, ignorant "fireman" to a man with a reason to live again. "Last night I thought about all the kerosene I've used in the past 10 years. And I thought about books. And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of those books. A man had to think them up. A man had to take a long time to put them down on paper. And I'd never even thought that before." (p. 52) Meeting Clarisse was the beginning of all these changes, and witnessing a women burn was the turning point of Montag's life.
Freedom at last. Breathing in the smoke free air and relishing on the sweet escape. How could I ever of thought books were bad? Firemen and the government are the evil in this society, not the books. Walking through the darkness, so alone, but finally feeling good inside. Change is always possible, no matter what circumstance.
When the word "wife" is said out loud, the first thing that comes to my mind is a woman that love and cares about her husband. Mildred, Montag's wife, is the exact opposite of what a wife should be. Montag was changing right before her very eyes, Mildred didn't care for him enough to change with him. "Ladies, once a year, every fireman's allowed to bring one book home from the old days, to show his family how silly it all was, how nervous that sort of thing can make you, how crazy." (p. 94) Not wanting anyone else to witness the drastic changes being made, Mildred tries to hide them. Finally, when she is unable to avoid change any longer, she flees.
Faber was always a good person but he was too cowardly to do the right thing by himself. It took Montag's help to make Faber do the right thing, instead of hiding and doing nothing. "I feel I'm doing what I should've done a lifetime ago." (p, 131) Faber is one of the characters who shows that it's never too late to change and make the right choice.
Of all the characters who underwent changes, Montag made the biggest change of them all. He goes from a depressing, ignorant "fireman" to a man with a reason to live again. "Last night I thought about all the kerosene I've used in the past 10 years. And I thought about books. And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of those books. A man had to think them up. A man had to take a long time to put them down on paper. And I'd never even thought that before." (p. 52) Meeting Clarisse was the beginning of all these changes, and witnessing a women burn was the turning point of Montag's life.
Freedom at last. Breathing in the smoke free air and relishing on the sweet escape. How could I ever of thought books were bad? Firemen and the government are the evil in this society, not the books. Walking through the darkness, so alone, but finally feeling good inside. Change is always possible, no matter what circumstance.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wild
She stared at the mirror. The empty wild eyes that stared back at her were frightening and unfamiliar. Her dirty hair was lank and hung around her neck without a purpose. She didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered to her anymore. No one knew her anymore. As she looked at her crazed reflection, she remembered that the only thing keeping her sane was gone. The reflection was the last thing she saw before the anger and sadness took over. She was lost forever.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Island
Paradise. The beautiful waters almost touch the gigantic palm trees. Coconuts litter the sands. Daydreaming, thinking, walking, so peaceful. Setting over the ocean, the sun is so magnificent. A gorgeous picture that is worth a million words. Breathless, staring at the glorious sunset. Falling in love with this place, jumping into the bathlike water. Swimming, floating, happy.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Great Expectations Paper
The inside of the house is darker than a moonless night. Bars cover the windows to prevent sunlight and anything else from entering or leaving. Roaches and other critters crawl through the many decade old food, laid out for what was supposed to be a happy event. The clocks are all frozen at nine twenty, the very time my heart was cruelly broken. I will never forgive him, that man who ruined everything for me. Everyone deserves to be hurt as I was. In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, this was Miss Havisham’s dark view of the world. It was before she learned the importance of forgiveness, and how to forgive. Forgiveness was, is, and always will be one of the most important traits found in a person.
Havisham plays a very important role in Dickens’ masterpiece. She is a representation of those who have been burned or scorned by the people they love. Holding onto the anger and pain like a steel trap for decades, Havisham aims to hurt everyone as she once was. Although she wasn’t the main character, that was her tragic flaw. It took her too long to realize that you cannot hold onto that pain. All it did was hurt her and those around her.
Eventually Havisham learns how to forgive everyone who hurt her. The fire that engulfs her is a symbol of cleansing. It cleansed her soul of all the hatred and anger, turning her into a new person. She forgives Estella for not returning her “love”. “That girl’s hard and haughty and capricious to the last degree, and has been brought up by Miss Havisham to wreak revenge on all the male sex.” (p. 175) Havisham pretty much created another monster just like herself. Estella becomes just like her, because that’s all she ever knew. No one ever showed her how to be different.
Of all the forgiving characters in the novel, Joe and Biddy were the ones that stood out. Joe is a symbol of true love. He never tried to control or hurt Pip and didn’t even get angry when Pip was being difficult and rude. Always forgiving, Joe was a role model for Pip, though Pip wasn’t bright enough to follow his lead. Joe was never good enough for Pip. Biddy was also very forgiving. Pip said some very rude and mean spirited things to Biddy, and she forgave. “I observed to myself one evening that she had curiously thoughtful and attentive eyes; eyes that were very pretty and very good.” (p. 125) Eyes are a symbol of the soul which means Biddy has a good soul. If Pip would of paid attention to the things right in front of him instead of wishing for Estella, he might of ended up happily married with Biddy. Of course, he made the wrong decision and decided to chase after Estella.
Flames jumped onto me. I do not know how it started or what happened, but next thing I knew I was drenched in fire. As the flames burned away at me, everything became clear. I hurt others. I hurt them the way I was hurt so long ago. It was wrong, so very wrong. Remorse swallowed me whole. It was clear to me that to forgive was the right thing to do. I forgive Estella for not loving me back, because I have loved her all these years. Screaming in pain and excitement for my epiphany I ran from the house into the daylight. Pip looked at me crazily. I knew I was going to die. What a good way to end my life. Finally, after so long, I felt good. Whole. Before I blacked out, I realized that forgiveness was, is, and always will be the most important thing found in a person.
Havisham plays a very important role in Dickens’ masterpiece. She is a representation of those who have been burned or scorned by the people they love. Holding onto the anger and pain like a steel trap for decades, Havisham aims to hurt everyone as she once was. Although she wasn’t the main character, that was her tragic flaw. It took her too long to realize that you cannot hold onto that pain. All it did was hurt her and those around her.
Eventually Havisham learns how to forgive everyone who hurt her. The fire that engulfs her is a symbol of cleansing. It cleansed her soul of all the hatred and anger, turning her into a new person. She forgives Estella for not returning her “love”. “That girl’s hard and haughty and capricious to the last degree, and has been brought up by Miss Havisham to wreak revenge on all the male sex.” (p. 175) Havisham pretty much created another monster just like herself. Estella becomes just like her, because that’s all she ever knew. No one ever showed her how to be different.
Of all the forgiving characters in the novel, Joe and Biddy were the ones that stood out. Joe is a symbol of true love. He never tried to control or hurt Pip and didn’t even get angry when Pip was being difficult and rude. Always forgiving, Joe was a role model for Pip, though Pip wasn’t bright enough to follow his lead. Joe was never good enough for Pip. Biddy was also very forgiving. Pip said some very rude and mean spirited things to Biddy, and she forgave. “I observed to myself one evening that she had curiously thoughtful and attentive eyes; eyes that were very pretty and very good.” (p. 125) Eyes are a symbol of the soul which means Biddy has a good soul. If Pip would of paid attention to the things right in front of him instead of wishing for Estella, he might of ended up happily married with Biddy. Of course, he made the wrong decision and decided to chase after Estella.
Flames jumped onto me. I do not know how it started or what happened, but next thing I knew I was drenched in fire. As the flames burned away at me, everything became clear. I hurt others. I hurt them the way I was hurt so long ago. It was wrong, so very wrong. Remorse swallowed me whole. It was clear to me that to forgive was the right thing to do. I forgive Estella for not loving me back, because I have loved her all these years. Screaming in pain and excitement for my epiphany I ran from the house into the daylight. Pip looked at me crazily. I knew I was going to die. What a good way to end my life. Finally, after so long, I felt good. Whole. Before I blacked out, I realized that forgiveness was, is, and always will be the most important thing found in a person.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Patriots Pen
Veterans. What does this word mean to us? To most, it means previous soldiers too old or somehow physically or mentally unable to carry on in the service. You can describe them any way you want, but they really are hard working men and women who sacrificed a lot for our country.
So many people died in previous wars and battles, and veterans are the survivors. They could’ve been shot or captured, and may have been, yet they still went out and fought for our country. I bet many of them lost loved ones in the service, or watched their friends die. Such great sacrifices for a nation of which they don’t even know most of the population. Why do they do this? Love. Love for our country, love for what’s right, love for the hundreds of millions of people they don’t even know.
We make sacrifices. I’m sure everyone makes great sacrifices every day. But, most of them don’t deserve the recognition we give veterans. They put their lives on the line for us, they deserve all the honor and medals they get. It’s not about the recognition, honor and medals, though. Fighting to keep the country safe is what’s right. Without them, life for us wouldn’t be the same. So many things could have been different if brave men and women wouldn’t of gone out and fought for us. Their sacrifices can’t be ignored. They’ve done so much for us, we should repay them as much as possible.
Everywhere I go, veterans are honored. That’s how it should be. No matter what happens, I know they always will be honored, because the sacrifices they have made for us are too great to go unnoticed. We should all honor veterans, because most of them suffered life long injuries to protect us and our country.
So many people died in previous wars and battles, and veterans are the survivors. They could’ve been shot or captured, and may have been, yet they still went out and fought for our country. I bet many of them lost loved ones in the service, or watched their friends die. Such great sacrifices for a nation of which they don’t even know most of the population. Why do they do this? Love. Love for our country, love for what’s right, love for the hundreds of millions of people they don’t even know.
We make sacrifices. I’m sure everyone makes great sacrifices every day. But, most of them don’t deserve the recognition we give veterans. They put their lives on the line for us, they deserve all the honor and medals they get. It’s not about the recognition, honor and medals, though. Fighting to keep the country safe is what’s right. Without them, life for us wouldn’t be the same. So many things could have been different if brave men and women wouldn’t of gone out and fought for us. Their sacrifices can’t be ignored. They’ve done so much for us, we should repay them as much as possible.
Everywhere I go, veterans are honored. That’s how it should be. No matter what happens, I know they always will be honored, because the sacrifices they have made for us are too great to go unnoticed. We should all honor veterans, because most of them suffered life long injuries to protect us and our country.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Leaf
The leaves swirl around us as we walk down the small dirt path. Just me and you, you and I, no one else. You take my hand as we walk, I sigh. Wishing we could stay like this forever, just walking. Walking nowhere, just to be. To be with you longer. Already dreading that moment that has to come, the moment you let go.
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