As I mentioned in my previous post, Showtime!, we are currently reading Hamlet in my senior English class. In order to enhance our study of the play, we have been learning about different critical approaches that one can utilize while reading a work of literature. Several of these approaches include feminist, formalist, psychoanalytical, mythological, Marxist, and new historic. We have learned that reading a text from a certain approach can greatly affect the way you perceive the characters and events within a story.
For example, when reading from the mythological approach, King Hamlet’s ghost fulfills the archetype of the “wise old man.” By identifying the ghost as the “wise old man” of the play, the ghost takes on the role of the savior or guru who represents knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, and cleverness. If the reader had been looking at the ghost from a different approach, that meaning would be lost and the ghost would just be the spirit of the dead king.
Taking the Critical Approach to Life
Similarly to studying texts using one of these critical approaches, people often view life though a lens, skewing the way that they perceive themselves and others. I’m not saying that everybody looks at life through one lens and can’t ever see things a different way, but people often have certain biases that unconsciously affect the way they think and act, like a reader who has chosen an approach to read through. These lenses can come in different forms, just like critical approaches do, and are shaped by a number of things such as a person’s religion, ethnicity, upbringing, socioeconomic status, and education.
Sharing Lenses
Your identity is largely dependent on the lens that you view life through because as you saw with the ghost in Hamlet, you may perceive a person or event in a way that is completely different than the way somebody else does. There is no “good” or “bad” lens to view life from, it is just important to recognize that not everybody perceives life in the same way. Often times arguments arise because of these differences in perception. One of the best ways to solve these conflicts is to attempt to understand what lens the other person is looking through and try to see things their way, or “take a walk in somebody else’s shoes.” Similarly, it is important to look at a text through a number of different approaches because you never know what you may be missing by looking at it in just one way.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day: It's All In The Way You Celebrate
Today is a Monday. Usually on Mondays I roll out of bed, throw on a pair of sweatpants, and head to school still half asleep. However, this morning was different. When I woke up I was in a fairly good mood (which is much better than I can say for most Mondays), I dressed in red and pink, and I walked into school to see many other people dressed in the same colors. If you haven’t figured it out already, today is Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Day means something different to everybody. Most commonly, it is a holiday during which two people in a romantic relationship express their love and appreciation for one another through cards, candies, and gifts. In my family, Valentine’s Day is a holiday for expressing familial love as well. My mother always gets my sister and I Valentine’s Day gifts to show us how much she cares about us. There are also some people who find this holiday to be pointless because they feel that love shouldn’t be more important on any one day than on others.
Although initially the way that you perceive Valentine’s Day may seem unimportant, it actually reveals information about your identity. They types of relationships you choose to celebrate on holidays such as this one show which relationships are the most important to you. For some people, the most important person in their life might be a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, so they choose to celebrate their relationship with this person. Some people are more family oriented, so they choose to have a nice dinner with their whole family or call their parents to tell them how much they mean to them. There are also some people who are less comfortable expressing their emotions than others, so even if they have relationships to celebrate, they don’t do so with big, loving gestures. Valentine’s Day can also be a holiday for celebrating friendships, so some people choose to just go out to dinner with some of their closest friends. However we choose to spend our holiday, we are revealing which relationships are the most important to us and how comfortable we are with expressing this importance.
Valentine’s Day means something different to everybody. Most commonly, it is a holiday during which two people in a romantic relationship express their love and appreciation for one another through cards, candies, and gifts. In my family, Valentine’s Day is a holiday for expressing familial love as well. My mother always gets my sister and I Valentine’s Day gifts to show us how much she cares about us. There are also some people who find this holiday to be pointless because they feel that love shouldn’t be more important on any one day than on others.
Although initially the way that you perceive Valentine’s Day may seem unimportant, it actually reveals information about your identity. They types of relationships you choose to celebrate on holidays such as this one show which relationships are the most important to you. For some people, the most important person in their life might be a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, so they choose to celebrate their relationship with this person. Some people are more family oriented, so they choose to have a nice dinner with their whole family or call their parents to tell them how much they mean to them. There are also some people who are less comfortable expressing their emotions than others, so even if they have relationships to celebrate, they don’t do so with big, loving gestures. Valentine’s Day can also be a holiday for celebrating friendships, so some people choose to just go out to dinner with some of their closest friends. However we choose to spend our holiday, we are revealing which relationships are the most important to us and how comfortable we are with expressing this importance.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Showtime!
Currently, in my senior English class, we are reading Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Before starting the play, we learned a little background on the Globe Theater in London at which many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed. While learning about the Globe and the way that shows were performed there, I began to think about the advancements that have been made in theater productions between Shakespeare’s time and now. But regardless of these advancements, the general idea of theater performances remains intact, making it a timeless art form.
Now and Then
I am currently participating in my high school’s variety show, which is a huge production that showcases the many talents of the students at my school. Our tech crew spends weeks creating different lighting cues for all of the acts and our stage crew builds a beautiful set made specifically to fit the theme of the show. At the Globe, shows could only be preformed during the daytime when weather permitted because there was no ceiling and the only light came from the sun. Special effects were limited to things such as people speaking from under the stage or appearing on a balcony. The audience often had to rely on their imaginations and the descriptions of the scenery given to them verbally by the actors to figure out what was happening on stage.
Some Things Never Change
Despite some advancements made in special effects or scenery, the concept of performers being on stage and entertaining an audience with their talents has remained the same. Performances are still put on at the Globe Theater in London without the many special effects of contemporary theater, and they are well-received by modern audiences. People still read and enjoy Shakespeare’s plays hundreds of years after they were written because the themes within the plays such as love, loss, victory, and tragedy are universal and timeless.
Love What You Do, Do What You Love
People involved in theater productions have always been and still are very passionate about what they do. It is common for people involved in theater to invest so much of their time and effort into their passion that they consider performing a part of their identity. After being in the variety show for four years, I have discovered how much work truly goes into putting on a show such as that one and I have gained a lot of respect for people who are involved in theater. It is difficult to really understand how a passion can become part of your identity until you have found a passion of your own. However, there is a danger in letting your life’s passion overcome you. It is important to remember to balance doing what you love with the many other wonderful opportunities life has to offer you.
Now and Then
I am currently participating in my high school’s variety show, which is a huge production that showcases the many talents of the students at my school. Our tech crew spends weeks creating different lighting cues for all of the acts and our stage crew builds a beautiful set made specifically to fit the theme of the show. At the Globe, shows could only be preformed during the daytime when weather permitted because there was no ceiling and the only light came from the sun. Special effects were limited to things such as people speaking from under the stage or appearing on a balcony. The audience often had to rely on their imaginations and the descriptions of the scenery given to them verbally by the actors to figure out what was happening on stage.
Some Things Never Change
Despite some advancements made in special effects or scenery, the concept of performers being on stage and entertaining an audience with their talents has remained the same. Performances are still put on at the Globe Theater in London without the many special effects of contemporary theater, and they are well-received by modern audiences. People still read and enjoy Shakespeare’s plays hundreds of years after they were written because the themes within the plays such as love, loss, victory, and tragedy are universal and timeless.
Love What You Do, Do What You Love
People involved in theater productions have always been and still are very passionate about what they do. It is common for people involved in theater to invest so much of their time and effort into their passion that they consider performing a part of their identity. After being in the variety show for four years, I have discovered how much work truly goes into putting on a show such as that one and I have gained a lot of respect for people who are involved in theater. It is difficult to really understand how a passion can become part of your identity until you have found a passion of your own. However, there is a danger in letting your life’s passion overcome you. It is important to remember to balance doing what you love with the many other wonderful opportunities life has to offer you.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Time for a Change
This past week, I took my first semester of senior year final exams. Once the last test was over, seniors flooded out into the hallways with smiles on their faces and the same words were on everybody’s lips, “ We’re second semester seniors!”
Many people associate the second semester of senior year with relaxing and slacking off, but it actually can be a stressful time for many seniors as they attempt to make one of the biggest decisions in their lives thusfar. Deciding where to go to college is a daunting task for many people because it is the first time they will be living on their own. Although that may be exciting, it makes me a little nervous.
Where to go?
When I first began my search for colleges, I didn’t think that I had many preferences when it came to distance from home, religious affiliations, or the sizes of schools. However, as college is becoming more of a reality, I’m starting to get a better sense of what I want. I’ve come to realize that I prefer larger schools within the Midwest with no religious affiliations. Realizing this about myself was an important step in my selection process because it has helped me narrow my list of ten down to three, The University of Michigan, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Indiana University.
Bring on the Change
Making any sort of life changing decision, such as where to go to college, can be very difficult because people often feel that change threatens their identity. It’s true that being put in entirely new surroundings and living on your own can affect the person that you are, but that is just a part of maturing. How you adapt to change says a lot about your identity. Some people are naturally more comfortable with change and freely accept it, while others are scared by even the thought of change. I’ll admit that I’m one of the people who is easily frightened and stressed out by the thought of change and it takes me a little longer than some people to adapt to new situations. However, I’ve learned that change is never actually as scary as I anticipate it to be and adapting to change doesn’t have to be a huge struggle.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
If you are similar to me and struggle with making big decisions or adapting to change, it’s okay, there are ways to work through it. I’ve found that talking to a family member or close friend about the decision I’m trying to make and getting an outside opinion on the matter can be a big help. Also, you need to understand that making a big decision takes time. So, if you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or struggling to make up your mind, go do something else for awhile, clear your head, and come back to the decision later. Don’t be afraid to take chances or make changes in your life just because you feel like it will change who you are. Your identity can change and grow just as your outer appearance can. Change can be good.
Many people associate the second semester of senior year with relaxing and slacking off, but it actually can be a stressful time for many seniors as they attempt to make one of the biggest decisions in their lives thusfar. Deciding where to go to college is a daunting task for many people because it is the first time they will be living on their own. Although that may be exciting, it makes me a little nervous.
Where to go?
When I first began my search for colleges, I didn’t think that I had many preferences when it came to distance from home, religious affiliations, or the sizes of schools. However, as college is becoming more of a reality, I’m starting to get a better sense of what I want. I’ve come to realize that I prefer larger schools within the Midwest with no religious affiliations. Realizing this about myself was an important step in my selection process because it has helped me narrow my list of ten down to three, The University of Michigan, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Indiana University.
Bring on the Change
Making any sort of life changing decision, such as where to go to college, can be very difficult because people often feel that change threatens their identity. It’s true that being put in entirely new surroundings and living on your own can affect the person that you are, but that is just a part of maturing. How you adapt to change says a lot about your identity. Some people are naturally more comfortable with change and freely accept it, while others are scared by even the thought of change. I’ll admit that I’m one of the people who is easily frightened and stressed out by the thought of change and it takes me a little longer than some people to adapt to new situations. However, I’ve learned that change is never actually as scary as I anticipate it to be and adapting to change doesn’t have to be a huge struggle.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
If you are similar to me and struggle with making big decisions or adapting to change, it’s okay, there are ways to work through it. I’ve found that talking to a family member or close friend about the decision I’m trying to make and getting an outside opinion on the matter can be a big help. Also, you need to understand that making a big decision takes time. So, if you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or struggling to make up your mind, go do something else for awhile, clear your head, and come back to the decision later. Don’t be afraid to take chances or make changes in your life just because you feel like it will change who you are. Your identity can change and grow just as your outer appearance can. Change can be good.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Color Me Butterfly
One of my favorite pastimes is to go to my local bookstore, pick out several books I know little or nothing about, and purchase them. I think that stories are more fun to read if I have no preconceived notion of what to expect from the book. Recently, I picked up a book called Color Me Butterfly, and had a very hard time putting it back down.
This book, written by L.Y. Marlow, is about three generations of African American women struggling with abuse and racism. Their stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring because the women had to deal with the men they loved most in their lives causing them immense amounts of physical and emotional pain, while keeping a strong face for their children. Reading of the hard times these women went through was unsettling because it seemed that every time they would take a step forward, their lives would take two steps back with the loss of a child, the arrest of a husband, or a deadly disease caught by their mother. Every page brought a new challenge. However, the most surprising part of the whole book didn’t come until the very end, on the “Acknowledgements” page, where it was revealed that every part of this story was true, as it was composed of the life stories of the author, her mother, and grandmother. Knowing that all of the difficulties I read about were actually faced by a family gave me a great sense of respect for these women and their incredible strength.
What really stood out to me about this book were the immense limitations to identity that the women in the story faced. Being treated like a piece of worthless trash both physically and verbally is extremely detrimental to one’s identity. Many people who are in abusive relationships are not able to overcome the physical and mental pain, and often end up depressed or with very low self-esteem. Being able to look beyond the abuse and see that you are an important person who deserves to be happy can be difficult, however the women in Color Me Butterfly prove that with the help of family and friends, it is possible to overcome these hardships.
L.Y. Marlow is a talented author who writes in a way that captivates her readers and really pulls them into her story. She did a wonderful job of filling the pages of her story with real emotions that could be felt by the readers. It feels as if you get to know and understand the characters in the story as you read about their thoughts and feelings. I would recommend Color Me Butterfly to all readers who are looking for an emotional and inspirational true story that touches your heart.
This book, written by L.Y. Marlow, is about three generations of African American women struggling with abuse and racism. Their stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring because the women had to deal with the men they loved most in their lives causing them immense amounts of physical and emotional pain, while keeping a strong face for their children. Reading of the hard times these women went through was unsettling because it seemed that every time they would take a step forward, their lives would take two steps back with the loss of a child, the arrest of a husband, or a deadly disease caught by their mother. Every page brought a new challenge. However, the most surprising part of the whole book didn’t come until the very end, on the “Acknowledgements” page, where it was revealed that every part of this story was true, as it was composed of the life stories of the author, her mother, and grandmother. Knowing that all of the difficulties I read about were actually faced by a family gave me a great sense of respect for these women and their incredible strength.
What really stood out to me about this book were the immense limitations to identity that the women in the story faced. Being treated like a piece of worthless trash both physically and verbally is extremely detrimental to one’s identity. Many people who are in abusive relationships are not able to overcome the physical and mental pain, and often end up depressed or with very low self-esteem. Being able to look beyond the abuse and see that you are an important person who deserves to be happy can be difficult, however the women in Color Me Butterfly prove that with the help of family and friends, it is possible to overcome these hardships.
L.Y. Marlow is a talented author who writes in a way that captivates her readers and really pulls them into her story. She did a wonderful job of filling the pages of her story with real emotions that could be felt by the readers. It feels as if you get to know and understand the characters in the story as you read about their thoughts and feelings. I would recommend Color Me Butterfly to all readers who are looking for an emotional and inspirational true story that touches your heart.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Stress Who?
We all get stressed every now and then; especially around this time of year as we’re scrambling to get things ready for the holidays so that winter break can hopefully be relaxing. Stress can be an obstacle that prevents you from doing what you want, and sometimes even being who you want to be. There are many things that can cause stress: school, work, family, friends, social obligations, and countless others. There isn’t any real way to completely avoid stress because it is a part of life that everybody will experience. However, there is good news. Once you have accepted that stress will be part of your life sometimes, you can experiment with a number of different ways to relieve or reduce the amount of stress you have to deal with.
How to Deal
There is no right way to deal with stress because we are all different. Some people find that music (listening to, playing, or singing) is a good way to relieve stress. Others find that just driving around can be a very calming experience. One of my personal favorite ways to alleviate stress is to lose myself in a good movie or tv show and just escape reality for a little bit, because often once I return to it I find that things aren’t as bad as I thought they were. What’s your favorite way of dealing with stress? I’m interested in finding new methods.
How NOT to Deal
Even though there is no right way to deal with stress, there are some wrong ways. Anything that involves hurting yourself or others is an unproductive and dangerous way of handling a stressful situation. If there is any question in your mind whether or not the way you are handling your stress is dangerous, chances are you should find a new method.
When Stress Becomes You
You may be wondering what stress has to do with your identity. Being stressed is an emotion, not something that defines you, right? To a certain extent, yes. However, like any emotion, if you don’t know how to control it, stress can consume you and define how you live your life. Being stressed can lead to problems with your mental and physical health, and can also affect the way that you treat the people around you. As I’m sure you’re aware, people who are under a lot of stress aren’t always the most pleasant to be around. None of us want to be known as that grumpy person, so as an early new year’s resolution let’s promise to find healthy ways to reduce the amount of stress in our lives.
How to Deal
There is no right way to deal with stress because we are all different. Some people find that music (listening to, playing, or singing) is a good way to relieve stress. Others find that just driving around can be a very calming experience. One of my personal favorite ways to alleviate stress is to lose myself in a good movie or tv show and just escape reality for a little bit, because often once I return to it I find that things aren’t as bad as I thought they were. What’s your favorite way of dealing with stress? I’m interested in finding new methods.
How NOT to Deal
Even though there is no right way to deal with stress, there are some wrong ways. Anything that involves hurting yourself or others is an unproductive and dangerous way of handling a stressful situation. If there is any question in your mind whether or not the way you are handling your stress is dangerous, chances are you should find a new method.
When Stress Becomes You
You may be wondering what stress has to do with your identity. Being stressed is an emotion, not something that defines you, right? To a certain extent, yes. However, like any emotion, if you don’t know how to control it, stress can consume you and define how you live your life. Being stressed can lead to problems with your mental and physical health, and can also affect the way that you treat the people around you. As I’m sure you’re aware, people who are under a lot of stress aren’t always the most pleasant to be around. None of us want to be known as that grumpy person, so as an early new year’s resolution let’s promise to find healthy ways to reduce the amount of stress in our lives.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
My Life, My Religion
Currently, in my English and History classes, we are studying the Islamic Revolution. We have watched the film Persepolis and are currently reading Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, two different works that teach about Islamic culture and the oppressive regime that the people living in Iran during the Revolution faced. We are also using blogs as a means of information about Islam to get perspectives that we may not get elsewhere. However, not all blogs about Islam are purely for educational purposes, as I found when I stumbled across faithfreedom.org. This blog contained different articles, poems, and charts about the Islamic faith that I found highly offensive. For example, there is a chart labeled “differences between Jesus and Muhammad” that makes Muhammad seem like a heartless murderer and Jesus seem flawless. Even being a Christian who worships Jesus, I have a problem with this chart because the author is skewing the story of Islam to make Muhammad seem to be something he is not.
My Beliefs
For many people, religion is a part of who they are and plays a big role in their daily life. People don’t go around questioning why you have brown eyes and two sisters; they just accept that that’s who you are. So why should your religion be any different? Unfortunately, there are people in this world that think that their way is the only right way, and anybody who disagrees or has a conflicting idea is wrong. There are these closed-minded people in every faith, so there is always going to be somebody who disagrees with your beliefs or values. The important thing to remember is that how somebody else feels about your religion doesn’t matter.
My Choice
What’s really important is that you stay true to your beliefs because they are a big part of your identity. Even if you don’t completely agree with every aspect of your own religion, that is something you should recognize and accept. When people say cruel things about the beliefs that make up who you are, such as the author of faithfreedom.org, it is okay to get mad or feel hurt because it is a very personal attack. However, you can’t allow these cruel words to lead you to question your faith because then you are letting other people decide your identity for you. The judgments that others pass about you or your beliefs can be a limitation to your identity that isn’t always easy to overcome, but stay true to yourself because those strongly-spoken people don’t have any authority to tell you what to believe.
My Beliefs
For many people, religion is a part of who they are and plays a big role in their daily life. People don’t go around questioning why you have brown eyes and two sisters; they just accept that that’s who you are. So why should your religion be any different? Unfortunately, there are people in this world that think that their way is the only right way, and anybody who disagrees or has a conflicting idea is wrong. There are these closed-minded people in every faith, so there is always going to be somebody who disagrees with your beliefs or values. The important thing to remember is that how somebody else feels about your religion doesn’t matter.
My Choice
What’s really important is that you stay true to your beliefs because they are a big part of your identity. Even if you don’t completely agree with every aspect of your own religion, that is something you should recognize and accept. When people say cruel things about the beliefs that make up who you are, such as the author of faithfreedom.org, it is okay to get mad or feel hurt because it is a very personal attack. However, you can’t allow these cruel words to lead you to question your faith because then you are letting other people decide your identity for you. The judgments that others pass about you or your beliefs can be a limitation to your identity that isn’t always easy to overcome, but stay true to yourself because those strongly-spoken people don’t have any authority to tell you what to believe.
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