Living with a dream gives life a greater purpose. When the mind posses a dream, there are many possibilities that present themselves to us that make us want to achieve our dream. Whether the dream is to become a doctor or the president or a rock star, dreams are personal.
In "A Raisin in the Sun", everyone in the family has some kind of dream they want to pursue. Walter dreams of investing in a liquor store while Mama wants to live in a nice house and tend to a garden of her own. Dreams create a better place for them to think. They can escape the little house that they live in and become lost in their world of dreams. We see when Mama talks about her dream of buying a house with her husband back when they were younger, her voice becomes airy and out of this world because she is in that state of mind where her dreams become her reality. Walter, he has the strongest dream but most dangerous dream because his relies on money. He wants to invest in a business with the hopes of striking it rich. He becomes greedy over money that isn't his to spend. Why? Because he yearns for his dream to become his reality.
Reading the poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes is closely connected to this play and specifically Walter's Dream. It emphasizes that a dream can shrivel up and die away or BLOW UP in your face, and just like that, your dream is gone. It shows us that it's painful to watch all of the hard thought and strive put into reaching the dream, die as fast as it came.
Now I'm not discouraging you to dream... and neither is Lorraine Hansberry or Langston Hughes...
Dreaming is beautiful because there is always a possibility of it becoming reality.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Giving Thanks
There can be many things to be thankful for. I am thankful for my wonderful, loving, and supportive family; without them I'm not sure where I would be right now. Also, my friends are a big part of my life and I am forever thankful to the amazing friends that have given me so many memories to cherish.
Giving thanks is a big part of what the world does. Tim O'Brien gives thanks to the many courageous souls who risk their own lives for the protection of ours. F. Scott Fitzgerald gives thanks to his family and celebrates his own life story through his works of writing, People throughout the globe have their own ways of giving thanks. They may volunteer at a shelter to help the people who are in need of care. They may plant trees in a community that has suffered terrible destruction from natural disasters. They may just have a good day and walk around and tell you "Thank You" because they know you are capable of kindness and love.
Looking back on the years, we see that Thanksgiving is an obvious day of giving thanks for the things we have in life, whether it's family, food, love, good health or support. It is a day that celebrated peace between two cultures while giving thanks for the things they can share together, as one. We take one day out of every year to reflect on our lives and be genuinely thankful for all of the commodities we possess. It is also a day where people give back. Places run Thanksgiving dinners for those who cannot afford to buy a turkey or let alone have a house to make it in. Our world is full of people willing to give everything they have for the good of someone they have never met. It's amazing how the world runs on giving thanks and receiving it. I hope all or your families had a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving!
Giving thanks is a big part of what the world does. Tim O'Brien gives thanks to the many courageous souls who risk their own lives for the protection of ours. F. Scott Fitzgerald gives thanks to his family and celebrates his own life story through his works of writing, People throughout the globe have their own ways of giving thanks. They may volunteer at a shelter to help the people who are in need of care. They may plant trees in a community that has suffered terrible destruction from natural disasters. They may just have a good day and walk around and tell you "Thank You" because they know you are capable of kindness and love.
Looking back on the years, we see that Thanksgiving is an obvious day of giving thanks for the things we have in life, whether it's family, food, love, good health or support. It is a day that celebrated peace between two cultures while giving thanks for the things they can share together, as one. We take one day out of every year to reflect on our lives and be genuinely thankful for all of the commodities we possess. It is also a day where people give back. Places run Thanksgiving dinners for those who cannot afford to buy a turkey or let alone have a house to make it in. Our world is full of people willing to give everything they have for the good of someone they have never met. It's amazing how the world runs on giving thanks and receiving it. I hope all or your families had a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Power of Poetry
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Our Inner Battles
Why do we torture our minds with our own guilt? I always say "better out than in" but does it really make a difference?
In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale lives with his own guilt. It slowly drives him crazy because he can't handle the pressure of his faults. The townspeople can see his outer appearance deteriorate while he becomes sickly with the disease of guilt. It's almost like cancer, it spreads throughout the entire body until is encompasses the mind as a whole. Within Dimmesdale, he yearns to tell people what he has done, but he worries about how the townspeople will react. They think of him as a holy figure because he is the minister of the town, while he views himself as a sinner. It's not healthy to keep such strong emotions bottled up inside. Proof of that statement refers to when we see the devastating toll it has on Mr. Dimmesdale.
This seems like the perfect time to compare The Scarlet Letter to the movie "Easy A". The main character, Olive Penderghast, is socially out casted as being a slut because of a rumor she unintentionally started, spread around that she "got together" with a college guy. For the people that knew the truth, she was open to helping them out. The weight of all the pretending and secrets started to pile up and at one point, she needed to tell someone her problems. She needed help. She couldn't take keeping everything bottled up inside her anymore. It's always better out than in, no matter what you're trying to hide.
In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale lives with his own guilt. It slowly drives him crazy because he can't handle the pressure of his faults. The townspeople can see his outer appearance deteriorate while he becomes sickly with the disease of guilt. It's almost like cancer, it spreads throughout the entire body until is encompasses the mind as a whole. Within Dimmesdale, he yearns to tell people what he has done, but he worries about how the townspeople will react. They think of him as a holy figure because he is the minister of the town, while he views himself as a sinner. It's not healthy to keep such strong emotions bottled up inside. Proof of that statement refers to when we see the devastating toll it has on Mr. Dimmesdale.
This seems like the perfect time to compare The Scarlet Letter to the movie "Easy A". The main character, Olive Penderghast, is socially out casted as being a slut because of a rumor she unintentionally started, spread around that she "got together" with a college guy. For the people that knew the truth, she was open to helping them out. The weight of all the pretending and secrets started to pile up and at one point, she needed to tell someone her problems. She needed help. She couldn't take keeping everything bottled up inside her anymore. It's always better out than in, no matter what you're trying to hide.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Meaning of the Motto
A motto embodies the beliefs and ideas of an individual. It shows the world insight into the person you are and the person you want to achieve.
When you look at the beliefs of a transcendentalist, their motto's contain things about their love for life and nature and carpe diem. This week, I read the commencement speech from Steve Jobs. He was a big supporter of living the life you want to live; he wants people to be happy with their lives by doing what they love. Using the transcendental themes, he emphasizes going with the flow when he talks about taking the calligraphy class which ends up creating the pretty fonts we have today.
Thinking about a motto, my own involves the things i believe in and care about dearly. "Dream like the world is listening while singing for the world to hear" is my motto because I am in love with music and I will always dream for the world to be able to hear my voice. I can relate to Justin Bieber who tells his fans to believe and "never say never" while Demi Lovato says to stay strong and stand up to bullying. Your motto embodies your entire being. Whatever it may be, "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
When you look at the beliefs of a transcendentalist, their motto's contain things about their love for life and nature and carpe diem. This week, I read the commencement speech from Steve Jobs. He was a big supporter of living the life you want to live; he wants people to be happy with their lives by doing what they love. Using the transcendental themes, he emphasizes going with the flow when he talks about taking the calligraphy class which ends up creating the pretty fonts we have today.
Thinking about a motto, my own involves the things i believe in and care about dearly. "Dream like the world is listening while singing for the world to hear" is my motto because I am in love with music and I will always dream for the world to be able to hear my voice. I can relate to Justin Bieber who tells his fans to believe and "never say never" while Demi Lovato says to stay strong and stand up to bullying. Your motto embodies your entire being. Whatever it may be, "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Does An Equal World Exist?
Equality should encompass every man, woman, child, and ethnicity; but then the real world sets in, and you realize that equality is not a world-wide accomplishment.
As stated in The Declaration of Independence, "all men are created equal". The Founding Fathers of our nation set out to create the foundation of our country with this document and they had good intentions. They wanted to set us up for easy success by following their guidelines, but little did they know how our world would stray from traditional values.
Does this quote have any significance at all anymore? People seem to think of themselves ranked higher than the rest of us, treating people "under" them like dirt while sitting with a gold crown on top of their head. Yes, many have worked hard to be a respected big shot, and I respect their determination. But for those who get everything they want, those are the people who deserve to see how terrible the lower ranks are treated. No so equal, right? Also, in the work force, many women aren't given the same rights as men. Often receiving lower wages for the same job or not enough recognition for the work they do, women have to trudge through many obstacles in order to be praised like the leading business man. It is true that our world today is working towards equality on a grand scale, but behind closed doors, there are the favorites of the office who get special treatment and those fighting to survive under a grudge. Our world is still not equal, no matter how much we'd like to believe it.
As stated in The Declaration of Independence, "all men are created equal". The Founding Fathers of our nation set out to create the foundation of our country with this document and they had good intentions. They wanted to set us up for easy success by following their guidelines, but little did they know how our world would stray from traditional values.
Does this quote have any significance at all anymore? People seem to think of themselves ranked higher than the rest of us, treating people "under" them like dirt while sitting with a gold crown on top of their head. Yes, many have worked hard to be a respected big shot, and I respect their determination. But for those who get everything they want, those are the people who deserve to see how terrible the lower ranks are treated. No so equal, right? Also, in the work force, many women aren't given the same rights as men. Often receiving lower wages for the same job or not enough recognition for the work they do, women have to trudge through many obstacles in order to be praised like the leading business man. It is true that our world today is working towards equality on a grand scale, but behind closed doors, there are the favorites of the office who get special treatment and those fighting to survive under a grudge. Our world is still not equal, no matter how much we'd like to believe it.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The Thing That Causes Craziness Within
People who are bonded closely together, tend to share the same beliefs and reactions. Mass hysteria occurs when a large group of people exhibit a common state of mind, usually violence and anger are included in the package of craziness.
In The Crucible, the whole town falls under the curse of mass hysteria. While innocent people are being sentenced to death, the guilty girls roam free, all because the towns people and court believe Abigail's wretched lies. People in the town seem to have no personal opinion. They always go along with what everyone else does. This causes problems because if people think you're a witch, there is no changing their minds about it. The irony is, all of the people in the town of Salem are bewitched (excuse the pun) by Abigail's condescending power. The court also has immense power over the town, adding to the hysterics. As an example, Proctor shows them proof that the girls are, in fact, lying about the ridiculous Witch accusations and they choose to take the names and question John Proctor himself, rather than justify the proof.
Looking back to our history, The McCarthy Trials are very similar to the Salem Witch Trials in The Crucible. Mainly because Arthur Miller based it on his own experiences in The McCarthy Trials, we see the mass hysteria of the people in Salem relate to the Red Scare. His comparison makes The Crucible seem real because the legacy of false accusations will sadly, never disappear.
In The Crucible, the whole town falls under the curse of mass hysteria. While innocent people are being sentenced to death, the guilty girls roam free, all because the towns people and court believe Abigail's wretched lies. People in the town seem to have no personal opinion. They always go along with what everyone else does. This causes problems because if people think you're a witch, there is no changing their minds about it. The irony is, all of the people in the town of Salem are bewitched (excuse the pun) by Abigail's condescending power. The court also has immense power over the town, adding to the hysterics. As an example, Proctor shows them proof that the girls are, in fact, lying about the ridiculous Witch accusations and they choose to take the names and question John Proctor himself, rather than justify the proof.
Looking back to our history, The McCarthy Trials are very similar to the Salem Witch Trials in The Crucible. Mainly because Arthur Miller based it on his own experiences in The McCarthy Trials, we see the mass hysteria of the people in Salem relate to the Red Scare. His comparison makes The Crucible seem real because the legacy of false accusations will sadly, never disappear.
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