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.