Journal #20

Helen was a bright and lively girl growing up.  She had stone cold grey eyes and brunet hair.  She was the type of person who always had to be around other people.  When she was younger, she would get scared and start to cry if she was alone for an extended period of time.  As Helen became older, however, being by herself became less frightening, but it still made her feel really down.  Later, after she became an adult, she decided to adopt a young child.  She had always wanted to adopt a baby girl and doing so would give her company and fill her life with joy and energy.  The baby’s name was Elsie and she was only 5 months old at the time of adoption.  Elsie grew up fast and she and Helen and Elsie did not only have a mother-daughter relationship but they also became close friends.  As Helen soon discovered, like herself when she was younger, Elsie was terrified of being isolated from other people.  This was not usually an issue, though, because Helen was constantly with her.  Elsie also loved nature.  She would spend countless hours staring at the multitude of birds, the racing of a river, and most of all the forests of trees.  There were no trees on the property that she and Helen lived at, so she spent much of her time at the park admiring all of the tall and branched trees.  One day, Helen surprised Elsie by bring home a small tree which they would plant in the spacious backyard.  Elsie really enjoyed having that tree in the yard where she could see it from her bedroom window.  Every day, she would go outside and nurse the tree by giving it vitamin plant food and water.  If there were any weeds growing beside it she would pull those as well.  One spring afternoon, a terrible storm struck the town and the high winds uprooted the young tree.  Elsie was very sad but somewhat relieved when Helen said that they could plant a new tree in its place.  That’s what they did and eventually, the tree became huge and grew many branches.  Helen and Elsie spent much of their time together and were very grateful for one another.  Then, on a dark and dreadsome winter night, Helen was involved in a serious car accident after a car skidded on the slippery ice right into the front side of her car.  She was taken to the hospital for critical care and when it was apparent that she would not last much longer, she asked to see Elsie.  She told Elsie that she would have to go away for a long while but that she will see her again someday.  Elsie, who did not fully understand what was happening, told Helen that she was scared and begged her not to go and leave her behind.  Helen told Elsie that, like the tree that was devastated in the storm, her time has come to go but, like the strong new tree, Elsie is there to take her place.  “Do not be afraid”, she said.  “Someday I will get to see your bright smile again and I will always be with you in your heart.”

Patriotic Poem

On that cold and dark December night
All was silent that was in sight
Lo and behold there is Washington's men
Without decent food and clothing again
Freezing and starving was their condition
Many had died from lack of medicine and nutrition
Also a burden, their service would expire
Leaving the general with no longer an empire
But when it seemed that all would be lost
He would not give up whatever the cost
With thriftful silence which one cannot compare
The army finally crossed the Deleware
Paddling through the ice with each wooden oar
They finally reached the other shore
Where Hessians and British were unexpecting
Washington had succeeded at being undetecting
It was the morning of Christmas and all was sound
Drunk were much of the enemies all around
The Americans with their muskets opened fire
Bringing panic to alarm of a defense dire
Before to long the battle was won
The rebels had captured the enemy by the ton
Someday thanks to Washington's skilled hand
America may finally become a free land

Descriptive Writing #2

As I pondered the multitude of eyes beaming at me from the magnificent creature, I proceeded to present my research paper.  The bright lights were gleaming upon my anxious façade and every last person was staring into my soul and anticipating any mistakes I might make.  I took one last look around the crowded classroom.  Then I began.  “As president of the United States, Andrew Jackson had both his successes as well as his downfalls.  He was the one responsible for killing the federal bank and forcing the Native Americans across the far-off Mississippi River.  During his terms was the only time in United States history in which this broad and populous country has been completely debt free.”  I began to stutter over the simplest of words, my palms were sweating as if it were July when it was still only winter.  I continued on reading the rest of my long and dry paper to the uninterested class, some of whom had already fallen asleep before I finished reading the second paragraph.  Finally, it was over.  I looked up at the bored class and realized that they had all sprung back to life upon the end of my conclusion.  As I began to walk back towards my seat, everyone, and I mean everyone, began to throw rotten tomatoes, slimy banana peels, and other random objects at me.  One student even pulled out a paintball gun and shot me with the colors orange, green, and blue.  I shouted confusedly for them to stop, explaining that I was wearing a brand-new outfit that day and that my mom would hang me at dawn for getting it dirty.  This only seemed to increase the barbarous actions.  Everyone went crazy throwing whatever item they could find at me.  Even the teacher threw an apple with “F-x10^23”  written in black sharpie on the midline of the apple, which ended up smacking me right on the jaw.  I tried to run out of the battle zone, but I tripped on a moist and slippery banana peel.  Apparently, I was knocked out for about an hour before I awoke in front of the same obnoxious and outlandish class.  The cruel teacher began to give a lecture on the next chapter before I finally asked when everyone else would present their splendid papers.  It was then that it was explained to me that the attack which had knocked me unconscious was the entire class’s result from their research paper.  They descriptively explained how randomly pelting someone with objects is likely to scare and confuse him or her, or in my case, knock that person out for an extended period of time.  I spent the rest of the seemingly endless class period thinking of creative ways to convince my parents to let me be homeschooled.  

Descriptive Writing

As the light blue fuzz feathered through the warm current of air purring from the heating vent, I looked deep into the far-away distance and saw that my two cats, Rascal and Blackie, were in the middle of a very intense fight. I put down my history book and I sprung up out of my seat and darted with every last ounce of strength I had towards the scene of the brooding commotion.  Lo and behold, when I had arrived, the fight was over and both cats had gone their separate ways.  I, exhausted from my penetrating sprint, suddenly collapsed onto the cool green grass.  While unconscious, my tired mind went ramped visualizing the ferocious fight between audacious Rascal and the cunning Blackie.  My crazed mind imagined Blackie was dressed as Thomas Jefferson and Rascal was in the appearance of Alexander Hamilton.  They blindly charged at one another and commenced a fierce combat.  Rascal grabbed Blackie’s furry neck and screamed, “What this country needs is a strong central government”.  Blackie dauntlessly punched Rascal on his black wet nose and shouted back, “Never!  A strong central government would do much more damage than good for the deserving people of this the United States of America.  States rule!!” “Not on my nonexistent red watch.”  Rascal did a ten-fold cartwheel before spinning in the breezy air and undertaking a five-star on the unsuspecting Blackie.  “We need a national bank to be better able to pay off the immense debts which are owed from the Revolutionary War”, he said.  Blackie kicked Rascal and punched him in the gut while shouting, “You idiot!!  That would benefit the states that have not yet paid their due taxes and further burden the prudent states who already have!  Banks belong to the states!!”  They glared at one another heatedly.  “Strong military”, snarled Rascal.  “Small military” responded the nonnegotiable Blackie.  At that worrisome moment I was woken up by the gentle yet tingling sensation of the two cats licking my ice cold face to wake me from my comatose state.  Then I remember that I have yet another quiz in history in the following morning.  I had spent the entire night and day diligently reading and studying the endless chapter until my poor mind felt that it would explode into a thousand bit size pieces upon as much as glancing at another word.  I brought the two exhausted cats with me inside the warm and calming house and we all fell sound asleep.  

Reaction to Someone Dressing Differently

Sometimes going to school I see people who dress a little differently from time to time.  One day, a girl who usually just wears jeans and a shirt wore a dress like the one from Alice in Wonderland.  Also, some people come to school with their hair dyed wild colors.  I have seen people dye their hair red, pink, purple, green, and blue.  This at the time seemed like such a radical change since some of those people usually dress normally.  I am not criticizing people who do this, however.  It is each person's choice to do whatever they want to do.  It really does not affect me if someone chooses to wear something different from what he or she would usually wear.  It is a personal choice and if it is the person’s will to do so then I am not about to stand in his or her way or ostracize that person for his or her choice of apparel.  People should be valued not for how they dress but for who they are.  As long as dressing differently does not in some way lead to vanity then I see it as individualism which is a good thing to have to an extent.  While I am not likely to be one of the people who has a sudden style change or dyes my hair different colors, I recognize that this is a freedom of choice.  If people would regard a person differently for how he or she dresses then they are not true friends.  A natural wonder may be in place simply because the occurrence is so extraordinary for the person and perhaps it would be a good idea to make sure that there is no bad reasoning behind the sudden change.  If the person changed because of a depression or some psychological weakness then it would be good to recognize that and to try to help the person.  If it is not from such reasons, however, the person should be left to decide how he or she wants to dress within reason.

Someone I Miss . . .

Ever since second grade, I have been friends with a girl named Samantha.  We were best friends.  Samantha and had similar personalities and likes.  We also shared a common birthday.  Each year we would celebrate our birthdays together.    I cannot describe in words how well we got along together; sometimes it felt as if we could read each other’s mind.  We did practically everything together.  She would never dream of going shopping without me and I would always be there cheering her on at her soccer and volleyball games. We also would come over to each other’s house quite often.  Last year, Samantha and I decided that we would go roller skating for our birthday.  We planned on the rendezvous being at 5:00.  I arrived at 5:10.  I thought for sure that Samantha would have arrived already and be waiting for me since she knows that I have a habit of being late.  However, when I arrived, she wasn't there.  I actually waited about 15 more minutes before I called her.  Perhaps, I thought, she ran into some really bad traffic, got lost on the interstate, or something like that.  When I called, no one answered.  I waited another 40 or so minutes before I finally headed back home.  It wasn't until later that evening that I was informed she had died after getting hit by a drunk driver going 85 miles per hour on the interstate.  

This was the most difficult time in my life.  When Samantha died I felt like I died too since our lives were so interwoven.  I felt depressed for a long time.  I wished that I would have been a better friend, that I wouldn't have suggested that we go skating that night, and that it would have been me who had gotten hit.  I did not know what my life was without her.  I no longer knew my identity.  I would try to find some way to punish myself and to make the pain that I felt on the inside reflect on the outside.  One night, I was considering suicide.  My mom came in and offered to take me to church with her.  I thought, “Why not”.  Usually, Samantha and I would go together, but I stopped going after she passed away.  I wasn't expecting it, but the sermon comforted me.  Ironically, it discussed just what I needed to hear.  The pastor talked about forgiveness and life in Heaven.  It was the story of one of the men who was being crucified with Jesus.  He repented and Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”.  I realized that Samantha was in a better place now where she would be happy and safe.  I still missed her a lot, but yet I was reassured that I will see her again someday. As a result of that hope I was eventually able to forgive the man who ran into her car, and, with a bit of effort, I was also able to forgive myself.  

How "The Pit and the Pendulum" Reflects the Romanticism Era

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” is a good example of a story written during the Romanticism Era.  This period in literature took place approximately 1780 to 1850 (“The Spanish Inquisition”).  There are several traits that are considered to be a focus of this age of literature.  One such trait is that imagination and emotion are more important than reason and formal rules (Smith, D.).  The second is that is value the “common man” and shows a respect for nature (Smith, D.).  Third, Romantics were interested in the medieval past, the supernatural, the mystical, the “gothic,” and the exotic (Smith, D.).  Also, writers during this time were attracted to rebellion and revolution, especially concerned with human rights, individualism, and freedom from oppression (Smith, D.).  Finally, a large amount of emphasis was placed on emphasis on introspection, psychology, melancholy, and sadness (Smith, D.).  Works during this time often dealt with death (Smith, D.).  Several of these characteristics of the time period can be seen in Poe’s story. 

The first way in which “The Pit and the Pendulum” resembles Romanticism Era literature is that it used the Spanish Inquisition in the plot.  The Spanish Inquisition began in the late fifteenth century, just as the Medieval Era was about to end (“Introduction”).  While Poe’s story may have taken place in 1808 (Poe 273), it can still serve as a reference to what began centuries earlier. 

Edgar Allan Poe also would occasionally indicate the supernatural in his writing.  In the story, the narrator told the reader that he envisioned the seven candles on a table to be angels (Poe 263-264).  He said that the inquisitors had demon eyes (Poe 272) and were the “most demoniac of men” (Poe 273) Furthermore, the narrator also would often mention his soul, which, of course, would be considered spiritual (Poe 263, 264, 265, 268, 273). 

While it is not the best example ever, Poe also used a little bit of rebellion in this story.  Just when the narrator was about to be killed by the giant swinging pendulum, he jumped out of the way (Poe 272), thus rebelling against the inevitable punishment and momentarily saving his life. 

In addition, Poe had the narrator spend lots of time reflecting on several events.  He contemplated on the similarities and differences between consciousness and unconsciousness (Poe 271).  He would ponder thoughts of death perhaps being peaceful (Poe 264) while still not wanting to die (Poe 272).  Practically the entire time that the narrator was in the dungeon, he was reflecting on one occurrence or another. 

Clearly melancholy was another theme which was used.  The narrator was switching between consciousness and unconsciousness after hearing that he was sentenced to death (Poe 264). As one author wrote, “This pattern of moving in and out of consciousness is much like the pattern in ‘Ligeia’ and is typical of Poe, for in such an alternating state consciousness has some of the characteristics of unconsciousness and vice versa; one state is imbued with the qualities of the other state. As a result, Poe's stories are neither solely like the consciousness of realism, nor the projective unconsciousness of romance” (May, Charles).  The narrator would become so overwhelmed that it is difficult to tell if he is in a state of sensibility of not.  It is sad how he would try to feel his way around the dungeon and later how he would avert his death only to realize that a worse one awaited him (Poe 273).  “Death, I said, any death but that of the pit! (Poe 273)” The fact that there was despair in the story is not a surprise since the setting is a convicted man awaiting his death in a dungeon.  

Finally, the theme of death is used without ever actually occurring.  The narrator may still be alive at the end of the story (Poe 273), but the ever looming threat of death was always lurking.  Just when it seemed that he had escaped death by the pendulum, he is about to be forced down the pit (Poe 273). 

Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Pit and the Pendulum” with several traits reflecting the Romanticism Era.  It referenced an aspect of the late Medieval Era, the supernatural, rebellion, and introspection.  Themes of melancholy and death, or at least the threat of death, were also put into use in this story.  This being said, it seems safe to say that “The Pit and the Pendulum” was written with the Romantic writing style.

Works Cited

"Introduction." Medieval Era. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/markport/lit/introlit/medieval.htm>.

May, Charles. "Dreams and Reality in the Story." Bloom's Literary Reference Online. N.p., 1991. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMSSEP39&SingleRecord=True>.

Smith, D. "Characteristics of Romantic Literature." N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2012. <www.odessa.edu/dept/english/dsmith/rom.lit.char.pdf>.

"The Spanish Inquisition." DonQuijote. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/history/inquisition.asp>.

The Time When I was Most Scared

I have a friend named Suzanne whom I used to go to school with.  We were really close friends and spent lots of time together.  She was somewhat of a perfectionist and she brought a little of that out in me as well the more that we hung out.  She was very passionate about everything that she did and I admired that.  She spent endless hours studying for her classes not because she had to but because she wanted to.  She loved school, being with her friends, and participating in any activities that she was involved in.  Over time, I began to notice a change in her.  She would still study a bit for her classes but it was with dread and she did not care like she used to if she got a bad grade on an assignment or even a test.  This was really shocking.  Normally, I would ask her if she wanted to hang out and she would be all for it.  Now it seemed like she did not want to be around anyone, even her best friend.  She quit all of the clubs and sports that she was involved in.  This amplified my concern because she had participated in those events for several years now and always seemed to enjoy them.  She wouldn't sit with us at lunch anymore.  She began to sit by herself and she always looked so sad.  She wouldn't even eat lunch anymore; she would just hide behind papers from various classes pretending to study.  I did not know what was going on with her so I would go and sit by her at lunch and just talk.  It seemed like she was in her own world.  I would offer her something to eat and she would tell me that she cannot.  I asked her why and she said because she does not deserve to eat.  This confused and worried me. 

We talked a while longer and began to understand a little of her thought process, although all of her reasoning put together was too complicated for even me to understand.  I knew that she had always held herself to a high standard and would not tolerate any flaws.  When she would receive criticism she would take it to heart and become depressed for a while.  I also knew that she had been having issues with eating disorders for the past few years, but things always seemed to work out okay and she would start to eat again.  Suzanne talked to me about how she does not understand one of her classes and is not doing as well as she should in the others.  I distinctively remember her calling herself a “failure” and “worthless”.  She talked about how her family was going through some issues and how one of her family members would criticize her every time that they saw each other.  She also told me that she had not eaten for about a week and she does not want to or else she will become fat and even more of a failure.  Of course, I was scared.  Suzanne was my best friend in the whole world and she was talking as if she were suicidal.  I asked her about the cuts on her arms and she said that her cat scratched her.  “Come on, Suzanne, you don’t even have a cat” I said.  I told the counselor and she talked to Suzanne, but to no avail.

 About another week or so later, I begged her to eat something and told her that if she kept harming herself then I would too.  She decided that she would eat again for me but only a little.  I was so happy.  I gave her an apple but she could not eat that because it was too much for her stomach to handle.  She had to start off with ice to get her body used to eating again.  While this relieved my fears at the moment, she never completely recovered and still suffers from anorexia today.

Franklin Virtues Project Analysis

By doing the Franklin Virtues Project, I feel like I got to know a little more about Benjamin Franklin.  It also made me realize that I needed to become more efficient at some of the virtues myself.  I might even try Franklin’s experiment on myself sometime.  It would be interesting to see how similar my results were to his. 

I wish I could say that I liked this project but, overall, I think that it could have been improved.  One issue which appeared was that in several groups there were people that did not complete their portion of the work.  I believe that setting a due date for when each thing, including the individual video, is to be completed would be a good idea.  For the people who do not have internet connections at their house, they should be provided time to do their part during school and if that is not enough, I would go to some place that has free Wi-Fi, assuming that they each have a laptop. 

Second, I think that some people in different groups were either confused on when to e-mail their video in to the video editor or forgot.  With Gmail not loading at Farmington, it was difficult to communicate back and forth with other team members on things such as that.  Hopefully an effective method of communication will be available for next year’s classes. 

Also, I did not see a huge benefit from doing this project.  I already knew what each of those virtues were before learning about the project as well as how they can apply in a person’s daily life and where they could be found in literature.  Ordinarily, I would have said that this project helped improve my communication skills, but, with not being able to communicate with everyone, that seems out.

In addition to making sure that Gmail or some other form of communication is available and setting common due dates for everything, I would assign everyone in the group a different task.  One person could be the video editor while another would be the grammar editor and someone else could create the definition slide, etc. . . .