The Peacemaker

                                                             
          I'm so tired of being worried all the time. Worried about what I'm going to do about the new baby, worried about how we are going to earn money, and worried about Walter's state of mind. Walter is changing, becoming more depressed and is drinking himself into oblivion. I know that Walter needs help and support right now but "he needs something- something I can't give him anymore". Lord knows that I want to keep this new baby but how can we afford to keep it? I fully support Beneatha's chocie of becoming a doctor but I don't know if that is enough to make it come true. Mama, bless her heart, doesn't understand her children anymore. She "got good children" and she is a good mama that "keep'em in hand". Oh! It hurts me to see them fight and hurt each other so often. They know that they love each other though, or I sure hope they do. Walter might not understand but, Mama loves him with all her heart. Travis is my baby and I love him so much but sometimes a mama has to do what she has to do. It hurts me but I have to teach him how to be grow up and be a good man. I know Lena means well but sometimes she needs to leave Travis' discipline to me. I sure hope that everything gets better or at least doesn't get any worse. 
Resource:
 A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

The Myth of Karma

                                          

           
                 A theme that can be drawn out of The Diamond as Big as the Ritz is how materialism causes corruption, and this will ultimately lead to the death of society. This story demonstrates all the characteristics of a fairy tale gone wrong. It entails the whole "once upon a time" scenario; indulging in the magic palace and the land that is physically separated from our world. However, behind this story that is impossible in reality, there is no sense of security that this fairy tale is a one in a lifetime thing. There are many things that make up a fairy tale: the idea that it can't be replicated, the wonder, and the unrealistic ending. Fitzgerald's story has the wonder and the magic that everyone is attracted to; it may not be as obvious as pink elephants but Kismine's physical perfection is just as improbable. This is not a story of the past; it is the realization that corruption is a problem today and it will be a dilemma tomorrow. Fitzgerald's use of rhetoric greatly displays the inescapable outcome of the Washington's greed. The author's inclusion of colors in his style of writing also serves to emphasis how addicting materialism can be to people like John. Fitzgerald is serving as the Moses for future generation in predicting the fates of the corrupted. Leaping from fantasy to reality, bad people don't actually get punished for their deeds; instead society as a whole gets penalized. 

Resources: 
 The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Different Goals

     


      The gender of a person determines the type of relationship that people will have. A girl's judgment in guys is based on personality and security. Myrtle is with Tom because of his stature in society and he has enough money to spend at her whims. This is shown by her request stating that she wants "to get one of those dogs" (Fitzgerald 27). He immediately buys her the dog at an expensive price. The same goes for the men. Guys search for girls that they can provide for and that makes them feel like a man. Nick didn't marry the girl from his old town because according to him he is "too poor" (Fitzgerald 19). Gatsby also had to pretend to be well off for Daisy because that is what she expected. He would also have to provide comfort for her. Gatsby tries to show off his ability to provide for Daisy in terms of material possessions and lavish parties. He owns a car that Nick looks at "with admiration" (Fitzgerald 64). The relationship between two guys is different because their goal is to look for a buddy to hang out with or someone to compare themselves against. Tom is an example of the second case; he looks for other guys to be jealous of him. However, Gatsby becomes friends with Nick and he invites Nick to go "up in the hydroplane" (Fitzgerald 53). The gender of a person decides how they will be treated and their expectations of other people.
Resources: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I'm Right and You're Not

           
                                             


               Secrets are a controversy in the daily lives of the human race. Teenagers are a particular group that delve into unraveling the frustrations and the power that comes from this concept. When you are the only person that doesn't know a secret, you are left out, an outsider. The person who knows the secrets of others has leverage and can use that to their benefit. If you are the person on the outside and your friends know something that you don't; then you start thinking up of ways to get them to talk. Secrets are not limited to truths that very few people know. A secret can be anything that is even partially covered up. The poem : The History Teacher demonstrates this idea. The events of history are known to many and therefore history is not a secret. However, history becomes a secret when the teacher changes the course of history with the intent  of protecting his student's "innocence". The students then do not understand the importance of history and they do not learn from the mistakes of the past. The truth covered up can also impair the judgments of a person leading them to make ignorant decisions that can affect many lives. Then, as people might think, it would be best if everyone told nothing but the truth. Wrong. Truth to an individual, is based on a person's perspective and their past history. To the history teacher, the War of Roses is a series of wars for the throne of England. To the students, their truth is that "The War of Roses took place in a garden". They are both truths to the individuals and therefore truth is not objective but subjective. That is why, in our society, there is the concept of lying. It is to judge another person's truth or subject our own truths to be evaluated as fact or not. In the end, the person with the most facts that are tainted with the least emotions holds the highest truth. This person has the power to change other peoples perspectives and can influence many others. Talk about pressure. 

Resources: The History Teacher by: Billy Collins
"Wars of the Roses." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Nov. 2014. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses>.

The Link

   

       
      Punctuation. A personal fear of mine and one of the many subjects in which I definitely do not excel. However, my dislike of punctuation does not change the fact that punctuation is vital to the English language. The rules to punctuation is forever present but the rules that we wish to adhere to, they change. As Elizabeth Austen said she wishes for the "the sweet interrupting dash" (Doc A). This clearly describes the rules for the use of the dash but it was the choice of this author to use the punctuation, or not to, in her piece . The author of Semicolons: A Love Story (Dock B) tells of his change from a student who listened to his teacher's advice to a self-educated author who follows his own experiences. The rules for symbols such as the "snark" and the "hedra" (Doc C)are the same as they were when these were created. This is completely separate from the use of these and both the hedra and the snark are no longer in use. Every rule of punctuation goes down in history to be looked back on as a guide to the previous generation's thoughts. That is why no punctuation can change. Punctuation, or the lack of, is the link between the literature between past generations and future language. 

Resources:
   Doc A: On Punctuation by Elizabeth Austen
   Doc B: Semicolons: A Love Story by Ben Dolnick
   Doc C: Punctuation, Social Media, and Evolving Rules of Communication by Henry Hitchings

Pauline's "Blue Eyes"

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          Morrison's style includes many soft words that make the passages flow more smoothly and quietly. This lets even the most shocking portions seem less appalling and more like a dream. A single passage that illustrates Morrison's use of repetition, metaphors, and the logic to her character's actions is when Mrs. Breedlove starts to push away from her family. As Morrison puts it, "more and more she neglected her house, her children, her man--they were like the afterthoughts one has just before sleep, the early-morning and late-evening edges of her day, the dark edges that made the daily life with the Fishers lighter, more delicate, more lovely" (Morrison 127). The simple repetition of the word "my" shows that the house, kids, and Cholly belong to Mrs. Breedlove; she is deserting her life to serve the Fishers. The metaphor that Mrs. Breedlove's life at home is just the beginning and the very end of a day where nothing is happening determines that, to her, that time doesn't matter . The most important part of the day is the middle and all of that is spent at the Fishers; in including this the thoughts and feeling of Mrs. Breedlove towards her family situation is captured. To Pauline, working at the Fisher's home gives her everything she could want and it is equivalent to what Pecola believes that she will get if she has blue eyes. The diction in this sentence such as "lighter" and "lovely" leads to a fragile, soft feeling of the passage. However, the message of distaste towards her own possessions in the section reveals a unsettling situation. 

An Indication

                            

      In this day and age many people have cats and dogs that they have learned to cherish (or hate). People who own a cat doesn't necessarily own a dog and vice versa. There are many people that are labeled as being a cat person or a dog person which lines up with their personalities. Studies show that dog lovers are more lively, outgoing, and stick to rules-- sounds very much like the personality of a dog. Cat people, on the other hand, are introverted, open-minded, and sensitive. People who said that they like dogs better stated that it was because of the companionship that dogs offered. Cat lovers stated that they like the affection cats give. This leads to an insight as to why Geraldine from The Bluest Eye is a cat person.  She prefers the affection of her cat over the company of her husband; who can represent the dog. Geraldine likes to sit at home reading magazines with the cat in her lap instead of going outside. Her personality lines up with the statistics. Gender can also play a part in the cats vs. dogs inclination. Cats are associated with femininity and dogs are definitely placed under masculinity. There are always jokes about the cat lady-- also known as the old lady who owns 97 cats, but there has never been jokes about a cat man. Dogs are also said to be a man's best friend, but dogs aren't said to be a woman's best friend. Although the word "man" in that sense refers to human kind as a whole; it still gives a sense that dogs are under the possession of the male.

Resources: Rettner, By. "Dog People vs. Cat People: Who's More Outgoing? More Intelligent?"                     LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 27 May 2014. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.

Mayer, John. "Can You Tell the Cat Lovers From the Dog Lovers?"Psychology Today: Health, Help,                Happiness Find a Therapist. 17 June 2014. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.

Vulnerable

   

        Everyone, no matter who, has secrets. Sometimes these secrets can include the ugly monster called: abuse. There is no way to tell what a person has gone through based on their appearance or personality. A teacher of mine once said, "Everyone wears an invisible armor and every time they are hurt or abused the armor gets dented. Since that piece of armor can't be seen no one knows how beat up that piece of armor is". The surface mask that people wear covers the hurt that someone has faced. This gives them a sense of power in their lives, but they also do it to cover up what has happened to them because they feel self-blame. However, the forward of The Bluest Eye alludes to the idea that rumors of what Pecola has gone through will circulate throughout the town. Pecola doesn't have the chance to pretend that nothing has happened. While most kids have the ability to pretend to be someone else at school and to act the part of a perfectly happy child, Pecola doesn't have that choice. Child abuse is not a new situation in the daily lives of Americans. In 2012 alone, 3.8 million kids were investigated for maltreatment and 678,810 kids were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect. There was also an average of 31 children a week who died from maltreatment in 2012. This is just plain sad. Even though kids of abuse are told that it is not their fault, most still believe that they are to blame. Since the statistics for abuse is so high it makes me wonder if I know anyone who is abused. I sometimes go down the hallways of my school analyzing people, and trust me-- I know how weird that sounds. However, after my teacher told me about the invisible armor thing I have always wondered how eye opening it would be if we could actually see it. 

Resources: Our Bodies Our Selves. OBOS Violence and Abuse Contributors, 14 Mar. 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.

"Library." National Statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.

Who is the Hero?

           

        Many people are commended for being heroes in times of need, but it is common knowledge that many heroes go unnoticed. The invisible saviors are important in every day life and their actions can change the future in ways that cant be predicted; however, they are usually not given the credit they deserve. Giovanni summons this up perfectly when she says "Harry Potter was just a boy who lived".The reason that Harry lived was because his parents sacrificed themselves to protect their little boy. This would make his parents heroes, but they are not the center of the story. If it weren't for Lily and James Potter than Harry wouldn't have been able to live on and defeat Voldemort. Harry is the hero in the eyes of the people and his parents, in this case, are the invisible heroes. In the case of Frederick Douglass, he is a celebrated hero which is expected due to his work as an abolitionist. Although, in truth, he would never had the chance to learn how to read and write if it weren't for his master's wife, Sophia Auld. She taught him despite the risks and the rules against it. The people, who are brought to mind every time the word hero is mentioned, should be reviewed. They are definitely heroes, but there are most likely unseen people who stood behind the heroes and made them successful. 

 Resources: This Amazing Troubling Book by: Toni Morrison

    "Frederick Douglass." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

The "Helping Hand"

            Police officers are generally thought of as protectors of the people within a nation. In the United States many people have the "just call 911 when you are in danger" thought ingrained in their heads. However, it is questionable to some people the trustworthiness of police officers. This uncertainty ranges from race to race. A survey shows that 59% of white adults have a great deal of confidence in the police, 29% have some confidence, and only 10% have little confidence. On the other hand, the survey shows that 37% of black adults have a great of confidence in the police, 37% have some, and 25% have little or no confidence. The trust in this group of authority figures are different based on the encounters that different people have had with them. Many people believe that police officers are guardians that will even give you directions when you are lost. Others believe that they misuse their authority after occurrence of events like the that happened in St. Louis. The belief in the police also range from country to country. The job of the united states police range from directing traffic to finding a murderer. This increases the trust in the police. In other countries, like Saudi Arabia, the police is thought of as an oppressive force that is not to be reckoned with; they invite fear instead of security. 

Resources:

Mitchell, Bard. "Human Rights in Arab Countries - Discover the Networks." Human Rights in Arab                   Countries - Discover the Networks. 14 Feb. 2005. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.

 Newport, Frank. "Gallup Review: Black and White Attitudes Toward Police." Gallup Review: Black and          White Attitudes Toward Police. 20 Aug. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.

Rayman, Noah. "St. Louis Police Officer Fatally Shoots Black Man, Sparking Protests." Time. Time, 9             Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.

Confessions of a Girl

   

          Personally, I have experienced times where I wish I was born a boy and not a girl. I'm sure many girls have had the same thoughts. Boys don't have to worry about getting periods and getting accused of PMSing every time they are being mean. When a girl is pregnant then EVERYONE knows but if a guy knocks up a girl no one can tell. The last time I had a conversation with my friends from my old school they told me that there were four girls pregnant. I knew all four of those girls. However, when I asked who the dads were that is where the stories started to vary. Girls are also judged very hard on their appearances and looks. Guys can say that is not true or they can say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder; but there is a standard of beauty that can't be denied. Most people can agree when it comes to how pretty a girl is; so I am guessing this means that every beholder has the same pair of eyes. These are only a few reasons why girls feel that being a boy is better. They have always said that the grass is always greener on the other side. Well that applies to boys as well. In talking to some of my guy friends they say that being a guy isn't all that great either. If a boy has a girlfriend then they are always broke. They get compared based on strength and manliness. If a girl cries then they get comforted where as when a boy cries they get told to "man up". There are pros and cons to each gender but I can't say that they are equally as desirable to the opposite sex. I have heard girls say that they wish they were boys but I have never heard a boy say that they wish they were a girl. 

Resources: "Boys Have It So Much Easier: 19 Times Every Girl Wishes She Was A Guy." Elite Daily.            Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
Gregoire, Carolyn. "These 9 Cliches May Sum Up Everything You Need To Know About Life." The                 Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 4 Oct. 2013. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.

A Guessing Game

                                               


        It is every girl's dream to receive flowers from someone. That is especially true when you are given flowers from a special someone. Most flowers have a good meaning. However, many flowers have specific connotations that they are associated with. My mom always told me that in Chinese culture a child only gives Peonies to their mother on Mother's Day. The Peonies represent the love that a child has for their mother. Roses, on the other hand, have a more universal meaning. Everyone recognizes the meaning behind giving someone a rose--the love that is behind that action. Orchids are also a favorite; not only are they beautiful but they symbolize proudness and femininity. Sometimes, it is hard to decipher the story behind a flower. In The Scarlet Letter the rosebush that is incorporated into the first chapter can have a double meaning. It can symbolize hope but it can also entail human frailty. The choices in flowers that society surrounds itself with are also in accordance with the history of the flower. The stories behind flowers aren't always associated with a positive thought. When someone thinks of posies, a certain nursery rhyme comes to mind; its origins deeply rooted in the time of the bubonic plague. That is definitely not a flower that you want to receive on Valentine's Day. Next time you receive flowers from someone make sure you research the meaning behind them. You may be surprised by what you find. 

Resources: 
"Flower Meanings by Type, Name, Color and Occasion - The Flower Expert." The Flower Expert. 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.
Berry, Gail. "‘Ring Around a Rosie’ A Brief History of the Bubonic Plague."Orca Health Decide Ring Around a Rosie A Brief History of the Bubonic Plague Comments. 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.

Am I In Your Bubble?

         For each person, personal space is a different distance. Different societies have different social norms in regards to what the right amount of space between people are. Passing this arbitrary distance would be awkward and it may also deem you as a social outcast. This distance is almost entirely based on the environment in which you were raised. In the busy city of Cairo, where 16 million people reside, there is almost no sense of personal space. People are crowded together in every situation. However, that kind of closeness does not apply to America. Here we have a bigger personal bubble then people from other countries. In other countries a kiss on the cheek is a greeting or a show of affection, but in America it is highly unusual to do that between friends.  If you kiss your friend's cheek it will probably freak them out. To people in America that is a shocking invasion of their personal space. This personal space expands even further at night. When walking down a street people will usually walk on the opposite side of the street from you. If you both happen to be on the same sidewalk then they will walk on the furthest end of the sidewalk from you. Some people will even go to the trouble of walking through the grass to keep the optimal amount of space between them. This is considered the acceptable social rule in America. In interacting with people that are not from the same region as you; attention to personal space is very important. 


Resources:
 Maskil, Arona. "Understanding American CultureTips for Acclimating to US Daily Life." Understanding    American Culture. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
Staff, NPR, Leila Fadel, and Lourdes Garcia-Navarro. "How Different Cultures Handle Personal                  Space." NPR. NPR, 5 May 2013. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.

Opposite Ends of Parenting

 







         
             VS





         There are tons of kids out there who wish their parents were like other children's parents. However, those kids can't say that there is not a single redeeming feature about their own parents. Yet, they wish for the best of everything which often seems contradictory. The two types of parents that often get talked about is the strict parent who doesn't let their kid do anything and the permissive parent who lets their children run free. The kids of those two different kinds of parents tend to show characteristics that are different but just as harmful. For example children who have strict parents usually have no relationship between the child and parent; they also judge themselves very harshly. The child most likely would live a secret life to get away from the pressures brought to them by their parents. It makes these kids have harsh lives in the way that they can't relax and just enjoy life. On the other hand, the parent who isn't invested in keeping track of every detail in their child's life have children with very different personalities. Kids under the guidance or actually, the lack of guidance from these permissive parents are usually very demanding and spoiled. They have no self-discipline and no respect for adults. Many different outcomes can come from how a parent deems it reasonable to instill their values into their children. There is no perfect parenting technique and each different type comes at a price. Therefore before children blame their parents for not being perfect; think about how difficult it is to raise a child right. If there even is a "right way" to raise a kid. 


Resources: 
Poulsen, Alison. "Parenting Together: Authoritarian vs. Permissive Parenting." So What I Really Meant.      Wordpress, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Sept. 2014.
Verial, Damon. "Comparison of Permissive & Authoritative Parenting Styles." LIVESTRONG.COM.                 LIVESTRONG.COM, 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 14 Sept. 2014.