Thursday, December 13, 2007

Find the Difference in These Two Passages...

The stronger of the two connections would have to be what each, the book and the passage, are describing. While the book is describing China in the late 1900s and the “re-education” of young men and women, the passage describes and lugubrious valley, which is getting older and less interesting for the character. Balzac speaks more on how the past is better for the future, meaning the way of life worked so well in the past, that that same path should work for future generations. Little items, like an instrument, were common to the average American, but a mystery to most in the villagers in China. “The headman held the violin upright and peered into the black interior of the body, like an officious customs officer searching for drugs” (Sijie 3). On the other hand, the passage for Pere Goriot is more of a man’s acknowledgement that the valley, which was probably treasured, has lost the dazzle. Because of the way this passage is worded, one can go so far as to infer that the characters in both the passages of text are choosing to see life in a different light.

In Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, the plot seems to be escaping the re-education process, but maybe the plot was daring to think differently; taking the plunge in doing something against the rules, not for sport, but because one’s heart desires the taste of something new. Four-Eyes said it perfectly with the question, “What is it with you two, always going for stuff that’s forbidden? (Sijie 77)” The tone in the passage from Pere Goriot gives off that same vibe. The character describing the valley as “that valley where suffering is always real” or “A Parisian losing his way here would see nothing but lodging houses and institutions,” he makes it seem like he just wants something fresh, so, in putting down what he or she already has, he or she hopes to gain a beautiful, new future.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

The Vision That was Tragically Visualized

There are several players that play a part in a tragic vision and they all bring their special “talents.” In Othello, two women play some of the most important parts, but one would never guess. Desdemona’s bursting love for her new husband and Emilia’s attempts to keep her husband get theses women entangled in someone’s “sport and profit.” But their fate is what makes the vision so tragic.

Her loyalty to her husband is what puts Desdemona in the path of tragic vision. The naivety of the young bride influenced her to put all her trust in Othello hoping that he would return the trust, and then some. This full hearted commitment and her unwillingness to be “disobedient” destroyed what she thought was a blessed marriage. “You [Barbantio] are the lord of duty; I am hitherto your daughter: but here's my husband, and so much duty as my mother show'd to you, preferring you before her father” (Othello). Desdemona’s hopes and wishes were denied with each whisper Iago gave Othello about her “disloyalty”.

For Emilia, she was so fixated on pleasing her husband that she was not aware of what was going on with her mistress. Although she has the most direct contact with the “divine lightening,” her lack of skills did not prove to be useful to Iago until the handkerchief. “And give't Iago: what he will do with it heaven knows, not I; I nothing but to please his fantasy” (Othello). In fulfilling her husband’s wish she endangers not only her friend’s life, but her own. Emilia’s devotion is her ultimate weakness and connection to the tragic vision.

As the “clumps of grass” around the victimized “great tree,” Emilia and Desdemona suffer for the trust in one man: Iago. Because of one’s loyalty and the other’s devotion, they were swept up in the whirl of the tragic vision. Although Othello is perceived to be the true tragic hero, some credit is deserved for Desdemona and Emilia for making it a tragic vision.

Bad To The Bone

This is a question that has been haunting people's minds since the dawn of time. Why are people so mean? Well, I don't think that a person comes out of the womb slapping people and causing havoc, but it is really the events in a person's life that makes them as mean of as nice as they are. I was in a heated argument about this topic and my friend said, "Well, everyone is different. If they were born into a bad situation..." and I had to stop her there. I told her about my six adopted cousin, four of them were born with crack in there systems, and they are all the nices people. Not because of the crack, but because of the people who took them in and taught them how to be nice and living and kind. Then there are people out there who seem like every bone in their body is a mean bone. For those, you just have to pray for.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

What's Love Got To Do With It?

The reason I think love is so complex is because it is the only emotion that contains all the other emotions. When one loves someone and the significant other does something to upset the relationship , now anger and hatred join the club. Or when the best friend of a girl says the girl has a cute boyfriend, now jealousy and suspicion come in. I also feel because that love is so strong is another reason. When we first come into the world the first emotion that is given to us is love. It's so complex, I can't even really explain how complex love is. Look at all the stories we read. Everyone of them had an aspect of love.

Friday, November 2, 2007

It's Hard Out Here For A Teenager!

Being a teenager us much harder that people think. Do you know how much energy we use to make it l look like were lazy? I mean, leaving clothes on our floor and not cleaning the dishes is a burdening thought. But thankfully God gave us enough strength to come up with a good excuse. Seriously, I think the only big issue with teenagers is dealing with what type of family they were born into. If you have parents who are the CEO of big companies, then most would expect you do follow suit. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" I HATE THAT QUOTE! What if the child does want to "fall far from the tree?" With all the pressure of pursuing our parents life for us, we as children just cave and do whatever makes everyone happy. And we end up grumpy.

But that's not my case. For me, it's the siblings that suck. Just want to send a shout out to my big sister and brother for being the perfect students they are. I strongly dislike you right now. Appreciate that...thanks. In middle school, I thought that I would relax and just breeze through high school. SIKE! I had to actually do work, can you believe that? Ugh. So, I never really reached the bars that they set, but I came really close and now that I'm graduating I'm ok with them, because as I worked I realized different options that would never be in reach if I didn't work.

One of the paradoxes for me as a teenager is not wanting what my parents give me. What I mean is, my sibs are both old so when they were my age, my parents had a different mentality, so now when I want to watch tv or something, I can't, but when they give me extra money I don't want it. It hurts my feelings to remember the privileges that they had and when my turn comes around, how fast those privileges expire. How convenient (said sarcastically). But I try not to sweat it too much. Because guess who is taking care of those two parents when they're old. NOT ME! I'm just kidding...but seriously, I'm not taking care of them...maybe my sis...yea, her, she's good.
It's a hard knock life for a teen!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The Five Grapes of Welch's Grape Juice

My family? You wanna talk about my family? Well, if you look at us from the outside you see this calm, relaxed, jolly, happy-go-lucky family that has pinics every Saturday and dinner at the table every night and has everyhting under control.

WRONG!!

Well, not completely. We don't ever go on picnics and almost never eat toget her. We all have such busy lives that it is very hard to spend time all together.
Sometmes I'll treat my parents to a movie of their choice (it's really me mom's choice, my dad just goes cause that's what married people do, but he does love her..too much) and my sister and I always play video game and watch action flicks together, while sitting and figuring out what to name her latest character for her books. But my brother, I'll feel like I have to schedule and appointment just to spend a meaningless fiveminutes together. But every now and then he and I will get into a good discussion; our last one was about fate and freewill, he's believes in Optomistic Realism.
My dad has to be the coolest of us all. He's on the hill and knows more about celbrities that most young people. "I know her, that's Jessica Alba" he'll say as he walks down the stairs into the den where I'm watching TV and I just have to look at him with amazment. Plus his atire has changed drastically. My sister and I use to have to monitor what he wore and if it didn't match we would send him back upstairs to change. But lately he has been matching well, but every now and then...
My mom is our life guard. She saves everyone while performing CPR on herself. It's amazing how she juggles her life nd all of ours, but I think that's all moms specialties (my mom's the coolest). She's also our walking encyclopedia. No matter what the subject is, she has a little insight into it. She doesn't like sports and cars to much, but knows enough to keep my dad happy.
My brother and sister are the same person with different morals and priorities. My brother is all aboutliving life and enjoying it while it last, while my sister is about getting the job done and then having fun. The two of them together is choas. We call them the Task Taker Offers.
I am the perfect blend of all four of these people. And because we all mesh together very well, we don't make the perfect family, but we're pretty close.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Screw Fate!

I believe that everyone has free will. The way I think of it is that if Little Jonnie hurts Little Timmy, Little Jonnie cannot blame anything or anybody for what he did. Most people wan to say "TV and what I see on the news affected my judgment," but these comment cannot hold up in court. The decisions we make hurt not only us, but the people around us. Now, if there was fate, or like in mythology the three old ladies, why would it or they hurt others? Is that not cruel? Maybe "they" are that cruel, to let other people get hurt based on our decisions. Or you can blame the root of the problem, you and me.