Walter

As soon as I finished reading "A Raisin in the Sun," one bold thought kept running through my head. Walter's actions have caused me to strongly dislike him. Walter is such a bitter and selfish character throughout this whole novel. First of all, who simply gives away thousands of dollars without thinking twice about it? Walter. He failed to even put the $3,000 away for Beneatha's schooling, and took a part in crushing her medical school dream. He was so self-absorbed about his possibility of a liquor store that he didn't consider the thought of damaging his family. How Ruth can even stand him is beyond me. Walter's terrible blank expressions when she considered destroying the baby shows how non considerate he is. Why should Ruth carry a baby for nine months, when the father shows hardly any sign of wanting it? Plus the times when he treats his son Travis the best is when he has money behind him. He gives Travis a motivating talk, because he knows he now has Mama's money. Money is truly the cause of Walter's happiness. Ruth exclaims how excited she is that Walter took her out to the movies, and they actually held hands. The mournful fact is that Ruth can't even remember the last time that happened, but do you think Walter would have taken her to the movies if he didn't receive that money? No. 

Walter reminds me of people who gamble. Whenever my mom or dad come back from Las Vegas, they always tell me stories about how much money they see people gambling or betting. Some people are lucky, but others are super unfortunate and loose it all. Just like Walter, gamblers need to find a time to stop before they loose everything. Many hear stories about how people go to Vegas and keep betting until they have lost all their money, their cars or house even. These people and Walter need to stop carelessly using their money.  If Walter would have been less selfish, he wouldn't have caused such pain to his family. 

Proud to be an Individual

As a student of Troy High, I think it becomes hard to recognize how diverse our school is compared to others. After all, we are surrounded by so many unique cultures every day. Just looking around my classes I am able to hear and see the diversity of many different races: Indians, African Americans, Albanians, Whites, Italians, Asians, and many more. Many schools all across the United States are not as lucky to have such an exemplary diverse student population. The great thing about Troy High is that nobody is afraid to hide their race or who they truly are. We have talent shows, different clubs, teams, and events to express an individual's uniqueness, and nobody is afraid to let their culture shine. 


In "How it Feels to be Colored Me," Zora Neale Hurston expresses how even though she is African American and may feel separated at times from whites, she is still joyful and proud of her individuality. She illustrates the time she was listening to a jazz orchestra, "I dance wildly inside myself; I yell within, I whoop; I shake my assegai above my head, I hurl it true to the mark yeeeeooww!" (864). Zora's true thoughts are displayed when she eyes her white friend sitting motionless, causing her to realize the distinct separation of their cultures. The jazz had affected Zora so much more. Similar to the poem "The Weary Blues," written by Langston Hughes, jazz music had such a big impact expressing the varied emotions of African Americans. The jazz Zora listened to made her feel proud and energetic, while Hughes gave off a more sympathetic and depressing tone. 

Also shown in the poem "I, too," Hughes writes, "Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed-- I too, am America." The whites discrimination to Hughes doesn't weaken his view of himself, he still is beautiful. Like students at Troy High, Zora and Hughes don't frown upon who they are because of their color. Zora writes, "At certain times I have no race, I am me" (864). Both authors are proud of her individuality and nobody can change that. 

Truly Wealthy?

A quote that constantly kept flashing through my mind while reading the Great Gatsby was "Some people are so poor, all they have is money." Wealth plays a major role throughout the novel and is portrayed as something everybody desires. Daisy refuses to be with Gatsby when she first meets him because he didn't have enough money. When Daisy looks at Gatsby's beautiful expensive shirts she breaks into tears knowing that she could have been a part of his luxurious life, and displays her crave for wealth. Gatsby throws parties for hundreds of guests, but when he was murdered how many of his party guests or even his friends came to his funeral? ONE. To me, the most depressing lines throughout the entire novel was, "The minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came" (182). Gatsby might have had money, but it shows he lacked caring friends and love. The woman he cared about the most didn't show any hint of emotion or concern when he passed. Also, a man he had spent much time with was Tom, who basically killed Gatsby himself, after revealing the car that ran Myrtle over was Gatsby's. This displays that money doesn't always make you rich, maybe dollar wise, but dirt poor of all the other great qualities of life, like family, friends, and love. This reminds me of a scene in the movie You Again, one of the characters Ramona accuses her friend Gail of being jealous of her wealth and accomplishments. Gail explains to her though, how her family is her accomplishment, not the amount of money she earns. Being rich can be interpreted at so many different levels. In Gatsby's case his wealth only hurt him. It may have attracted Daisy, but she still ended up with Tom. It is true that wealth can actually make you poor.

Secrets

A special blog I didn't know had even existed until a couple weeks ago was PostSecret. When we watched the video about it in class, the whole concept behind this blog really spoke to me. I found it incredible how so many people had the courage and wanted to reveal their secrets to an audience of more than a million. Many of the secrets broke my heart to read, but as Thanksgiving came it made me very thankful that I didn't have to hide the secrets many others do and it made me blessed for the life I have. Reading this blog has made me appreciate everything I have more. By just looking at somebody they may seem as happy and joyful as can be, but you may never know the secrets that are slowly deteriorating them.



 As we wrapped up and finished the Scarlet Letter we saw the effect that a secret can have on one. Dimmesdale passed away and grew sick because of the burden he felt by trying to hide that he committed adultery with Hester. His secret was too much for him to hold onto any longer. Also in the poem "The History Teacher," the teacher tries to hide the truth about past events and how they actually happened. By making historical events seem innocent, his secret only impacts himself. The kids on the playground are just as harmful anyway not knowing the truth about world events. This shows that maybe some secrets can make you feel better about yourself, just like the history teacher feeling proud and innocent lying to the children.Secrets can make you feel joyful, trapped, angry, depressed, or even happy, but it is up to you to be the judge of that. 

Slavery

You know a piece of literature is good when you can't take your eyes away from it. This past we week we read the incredible piece "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," by Harriet Jacobs. The journey the narrator Linda had to make was unbelievable. This narrative was even more powerful because it was told in a first person point of view. When it came to the lines, "I was about to risk everything on the throw of a die; and if I failed, O what would become of me and my poor children? They would be made to suffer for my fault." The suspense leads up, but it also shows how kind and considerate Linda is of others. She did not choose to run away for her own personal benefit, but for her loved ones. It is crazy to think that slavery did happen in America. When you look around the classroom today, you see so many different races. It is hard to imagine that there were once separated drinking fountains, buses, or restaurants and the abuse humans went to get their equal rights. The piece Jacobs wrote helps connect anyone to what many African Americans had to suffer through. Most people here take their freedom for granted, but imagine how different the world would be if we didn't make a change and slavery still existed. It would be an abusive, disastrous, and a terrifying place. 

Society

 
Society kills, litterly. The guilt Dimmesdale let climb upon his body and weaken his mind, finally destroyed him in the end. It wasn't just his own guilt though, it was the way society viewed him. The townspeople loved and worshiped Dimmesdale. Their praise for him only led him to feel worse about himself. Society also hurt and punished Hester. The townspeople and even the children judged and looked down upon her because of the scarlet letter she was forced to wear. Even when she did helpful things for the poor she was rewarded with harsh and bitter insults. 

Why is society so judgmental? Has it changed much to this day? If you commit adultery now, you will not be as severely punished, but will still be looked down upon. Society has the tendency to believe that everyone should be a certain way and act like perfect little angels. That is not true, each individual should be able to be themselves and not have to worry about being judged. Just like how "Self-Reliance" expresses the need to misunderstood. Emerson states," Is it so bad to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus...and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."  If you want to be great you must break out of the barriers society has set on you. Don't let society ruin you. Hester's punishment made her stronger even when she was faced with the toughest battles. 

Kindness

Many people in today's society do not have the courage to stand up and take the blame for the sins they may have committed. Even though Hester can be seen as a bad person through many eyes, she is actually a very powerful and kind character. She receives her punishment and wears the scarlet letter without complaining. She is also very caring towards the sick and the poor. I know for a fact that if I tried helping a person and they just threw insults back at me instead of being thankful, I would just stop trying. They would be on their own. Hester has the incredible ability though, to keep helping and giving her time to the less fortunate even when they are not appreciative. 

Hester's courage and kindness relates to everyone striving to do good for our country. Many will get criticized for the hard charitable work they do, but that will not stop them.We have such a large amount of volunteers right now trying to help with Hurricane Sandy and deep down everyone knows they are appreciative of the extra help. Criticism should never stop you from achieving your full potential. We need to learn how to be more like Hester and to put other's needs before our own. Imagine how much better the world would be if we all just helped each other out. 

True Beauty is Found In Nature

One of the best feelings to me, is walking along the beach with my feet sinking into the squishy white sand, hearing the gentle waves crash against the shore, and watching the bright orange, soft yellow, and light pinks begin to mingle into a beautiful sunset. The effect nature can have on you is incredible. Nature has the capability to teach everyone different lessons about life. 

One of the lessons taught by the poem "Thanatopsis," is how you shouldn't fear death, you will become a part of nature, and will never be alone. If you are ever sad you can turn to nature to make you feel better. Also in the poem  "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls," Longfellow describes how nature is always permanent. I agree with these writers and believe that nature is such an important part of life. It has the ability to open up your eyes        to new experiences.

Just like the movies: Up, 127 Hours, and Journey to the Center of the Earth, nature guides each one on their own unique and unbelievable adventures. I believe that everybody should go out and appreciate the beauty God has given us. Whether it's fiery orange canyons in Utah, gushing crystal clear waterfalls in Maui, or just playing in the white soft snow in your own backyard, each is amazing! Nature will truly take your breath away. 

Women Are Equal

 The famous statement, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...." can be described as one of the most powerful sayings in "The Declaration of Independence." But note the word choice of "all men." Throughout the entire piece there is no mention of women, at all. The Declaration shaped America and is still one of the most meaningful elements in American history, but it failed to include women. Neglecting the female helps to show that during that time period, women were not seen as equal and inferior to men. Women were eventually granted greater rights like suffrage, but as time continued on I feel that to this day women are not treated equally to men. 

This is relevant to my sister's experience in college. She was telling me about her school, Case Western Reserve University has a club called WISER (women in science and engineering roundtable). It is a club to encourage women in STEM (science technology engineering and math) to always be able to compete at the same level as men. It has been proven that in STEM fields women generally have lower self confidence and self efficacy than men. WISER was formed to provide networking opportunities and a solid support system for women in male dominated fields.

Also, even though women are equally athletically talented to men, hardly anyone watches women's sports. Unless it is a big event like the Olympics, many would rather watch men's professional NFL, NBA, or MLB sports. It shows how gender-based discrimination still exists. However, in today's society there are more people fighting for equality than ever before. 

No Regrets

Many people will pity the tragic stories they read in the newspaper or hear about on the local news station about innocent helpless people getting hurt, robbed, or even killed. While doing so one question may ponder in their mind: what would I have done? A few would be thankful they were not put in that situation, but a numerous amount would say; I could have been the superhero and saved their life. In reality though,many people say that, but don't have enough courage to stand up for what they believe is right. 

As shown in The Crucible, if any of the girls were brave enough to stand up for themselves and tell the truth, they could have saved and protected innocent lives. Sadly though, it was like Abigail was truly a witch and cast a spell on the girls forcing them to say and behave the only way she commands them to. If one girl would have spoken out against Abigail, there is a chance many would have followed. 

This also relates to the article we read, "The Dying Girl That No One Helped." People saw that Kitty was struggling severely and bleeding, but did anyone help her? No. When put into the situation of sacrificing your own life to help another, many back down. The fear of what may happen to your own life sweeps across the entire body. Just like the girls in The Crucible, fear of what Abigail might do to them caused them not to speak out. Standing up for what you believe is easier said than done, but in the end it will be worth it. We need to learn to put others before ourselves because just one helpful deed could save a life. Also, realize that courage will come when you pursue the right action, just don't back down or you may regret it forever.   

What a girl will do for a guy

The crazy unspeakable actions that a girl will do for a guy she wants, becomes another crucial factor of The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. Abigail Williams begins to demolish and horrify the lives of others just so she can try to get revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail still has a craving lust for Elizabeth's husband John Proctor, one guy. 

Her jealously powers her to become insane. Abigail begins by slapping poor Betty across the face, yelling at her and demanding she only confess that they danced in the woods, nothing else. She also threatens to kill them if they speak more about what they did. Also, even though John Proctor feels guilty about his affair with Abigail, she makes him feel even worse. She claims that he ruined her virtue by taking her virginity. She also goes crazy by sticking a needle inside her stomach trying to blame Elizabeth. She achieves in displaying that Elizabeth is part of witchcraft and did that to her. Abigail performs many other terrible actions to others just because of her jealously for John.

The insane actions that a girl will do for a guy is not only found in The Crucible. It is also displays in the "love" story of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet is willing to go against her family, fake her death to get out of marriage, then kill herself over a guy she met a couple days earlier. Instead of helping kill others like Abigail, Juliet kills herself. Similar to Abigail though, Juliet is willing to go to the unnecessary extremes for a guy. Girls should realize that true love isn't what you or others die for, its what you live for.

"Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter."

Many people talk about how it's wrong to stereotype others, but they may not realize they do it every single day. Just walking down the halls, it becomes easier to judge someone by what they look like, their clothes, or who they hang out with. Everybody knows that they do it. This past week, we welcomed an incredible speaker Dr. Mykee Fowlin, to speak to us about how it feels to be that person who is mistreated every day. His presentation touched every person in our auditorium with his powerful words. He mentioned how easy it is to stereotype a person based on their outside appearance, but you never truly know the struggles a person is going through.

 In the literature we read this week, Anne Bradstreet displays how Puritan women can show deep emotions, too. Even though Puritan women are not supposed to reveal their feelings about their husbands, Bradstreet awes everyone by writing To My Dear and Loving Husband. It shows how people shouldn't be scared to breakout of their stereotypes because it can lead to a greater success.

Dr. Fowling also taught us not to judge others and that nobody should be afraid to show who they truly are. The realization of the harmful effects that stereotyping can have, reminded me of a scene from the movie Mean Girls. After judging and gossiping about almost every single person at her school, Cady finally came to a conclusion as she met Caroline Krafft. She thought, "Miss Caroline Krafft seriously needed to pluck her eyebrows. Her outfit looked like it was picked out by a blind Sunday school teacher. And she had some 99 cent lip gloss on her snaggletooth. And that's when I realized, making fun of Caroline Krafft wouldn't stop her from beating me in this contest. Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter." Stereotyping will not add any positive qualities to yourself to make you a better person. All it does is destroy a person's self esteem. When people make the effort to be nicer, it can remove the badness from their hearts, too.

The Hardships of Native Americans

The life of Native Americans was never easy, each tribe or community had to face their own struggles and battles each day. There are many stories and myths that portray the hardships that  Native Americans had to go through. In, "Indian Education," Sherman Alexie describes all of the abuse he had to deal with when he was just a young boy. He explains much about how he was stereotyped by other students and even teachers just because of his race. One teacher mentioned to him, ""Hey," He said. "What's that boy been drinking? I know all about these Indian kids. They start drinking real young"" (178). Just because Alexie is a Native American he is expected to already be drinking and to be a bad kid, though that is not true. Stereotyping and  bullying of any human being will sadly remain with them for a lifetime. No kid should ever be hurt, mentally or physically. Alexie writes, "They pushed me down, buried me in the snow until I couldn't breathe, and thought I'd never breathe again" (171). It is incredible how mean kids can be to one another. Bullying does not stop with Native Americans though, it can relate to everyone in one way or another. Phoebe Prince, committed suicide from the continuous harassment of her classmates. Nobody should ever torment another individual because you never know what struggles they're going through. Native Americans have been forced away from their land and looked down upon, but they never give up. Their life style and culture is so utterly unique and fascinating that each one of them should be extremely proud of where they came from.

I can blog now! Yay!