Last Blog Post 😭😭😭😭

In what ways can writing online be liberating?

     When writing online we (being everyone) tend not to really care about what we're saying. Whether it's a negative comment towards someone else, or just your straight foreword opinion, or simply disagreeing with someone on YouTube. We allow the fact that nearly 95% of the time the people or person you maybe talking to can't see you not will they ever see you. We take a computer screen for granted in the terms of we feel more powerful and in control. We can say what we want to who we want with no repercussions.
      Most people often can't wait to go home and terrorize others and say what they truly feel. Maybe it's for revenge or to get back at them for the things other may say to them.
     
      In other ways writing online is very powers as well, such as the many people who try to pass on they're views or religion or opinion on certain people. Though there is freedom of speech theres a difference between staring an opinion and forcing other to believe what you do. There are so may hate sites and "Internet Cults" that dedicate their time to hating in others and trying to understand why people might like or enjoy that person.

     All in all, the internet is used as a place for many to be free and display their thoughts no matter how negative or down-putting they are. It allows to people to liberate themselves of anything and everything they may feel.



In what ways can writing online be limiting?

     There are many sites now that have specific terms and moderators that go through your comment and decide whether or not it's appropriate. However many times (ie on Instagram) the computer moderating the comment will mistake the slang "omfg" followed by many emojis as harmful, when in fact you're trying to display how funny you think something is. Many websites also have the power to take something down that they feel is bad or shouldn't be on their site. So most often even after something is published, you still don't really have all the power over it.

     Writing online is somewhat a privilege, one that is to often heavily abused, however in many cases the internet is a necessity to full optimize learning and working and productivity. We (being everyone) should find a healthy balance between opinion and bullying or just doing/saying negative things in general. People complain the internet is too protected and that people should have power over what I wrote or say, but most things that people write or say are horrid.

Virgin Suicides - Pain, Suffering and Understanding

The novel, Virgin Suicides, written by Jeffrey Eugenides, tells the story of the suicides of the 5 Lisbon sister and the boys of the neighborhood that watch them try to uncover why they would do this to themselves. The boys are seemingly obsessed with the girls prior to each of their suicides. During our final meeting, my philoso-fam and I came to believe the book shows us that suicide is a real problem and that there are real people that feel that suicide is the only answer and regardless if we know why they want to we should try to help them and show them this isn’t the way out of their situation. With suicide being the main issue present in this novel I began to wonder are we (we being people I'm general) never really able to fully grasp the intensity of another's problems and struggles through our own eyes.

To start off we are present with the youngest of the sisters, Cecelia, who is the first to attempt suicide, how ever fails(succeeding in her second attempt). We see that Cecelia, after attempting to commit suicide, goes to a psychiatrist, whom she tells "obviously you've never been a 13 year old girl". From what we know, we see that even though Cecelia isn't living the quote unquote perfect life it's a life many of us think we could get by living. However, this line shows us that through our eyes and the eyes of the neighborhood boys she lived an okay life. Whereas in her eyes she felt unsatisfied and lost. We (the readers and the boys) aren't able to fully understand Cecelia's issues and therefore aren't really able to help her, people, anyone could've told her that suicide isn't/wasn't the answer but to her it would've been just that, us telling her not to do it. Not us understanding, grasping and really knowing how she feels and what she goes though.

Next we see Lux Lisbon, who most times is having sex with different and many different and unusual times. Lux, evidently is the most rebellious of the sisters. Her parents pre and post Cecelia's suicide have been nothing but overbearing and overprotective towards her and her sisters. Lux, being a regular teenager wants to rebel and be more than the prisoner of her parents and uses smoking and sex to this. But, it could also be that her parents display no variety emotion towards Lux and the girls, always doing things to "protect" them. With love missing from her parents, the people we all want to love and think we are special she could use sex as a way to get 5 minutes of love, even if it is from a stranger. The love they give her she uses to replace the void left by her parents. I think Lux's ultimate reason for her suicide was this. No one would ever really be able to tell because when  you see her she's never really displaying an aura of pain or hurt. And her parents wouldn't be anole to tell because they think they are doing what's best for her and to protect her.

Lastly, we see Mr. Lisbon who seemingly goes along with his wife's over controlling nature. However we get this sense of him wanting to be free  from the intense rule and, be "normal" like the other families of the neighborhood. We can see this in the novel when the narrator describes all the neighborhood fathers coming together and burning all the fallen leaves of the passing fall. But, Mrs. Lisbon, being intensely worried the fire would grow to be uncountable eradicated any fun Mr. Lisbon would have. I think Mr. Lisbon is able to feel the pain and struggle of the girls, but is too afraid of his wife to Wally help it do anything about it. Even though Mr. Lisbon himself did not commit suicide you can still get a sense that he is struggling as well as the girls and that his wife doesn't really understand that these rules and lifestyle aren't really helping anyone.

To conclude it seems the cause of all the pain, struggling and absence of love is caused unintentionally by Mrs. Lisbon. She tries to use these rules as a way to show that she cares for and loves them all but it's misconceived. Lastly, we see that no one is ever really able to fully grasp the pain of someone else and no one is really able to fully understand why people have the thoughts they do.

RIP Lux, Cecelia, Bonnie, Therese and Mary Lisbon.

Romeo and Juliet: Lust vs. Love, Which Triumphs?

Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare tells the tragic story of two teen star-crashes lovers from rivaling families that must keep their love a secret. However, with only a week to fall in love and experience the truth wonders of it who’s to say their actions weren't driven by lust. The play often shows that Romeo and Juliet both are inexperienced at love and are driven by wanting it, more than having it.

            Firstly, at the start of the play we see Romeo, who tells Benvolio he is out of love with Rosaline after their break-up. Romeo proves to be heart broken by the fact that their "love" has ended and says “Out of her favor, where I am in love`" (1.1.173). However shortly after he his break up with Rosaline, Romeo attends the Capulets party and is breath-taken by Juliet's beauty and claims he has fallen in love with her, with having spoken a single word to her. However, love, unlike lust, is an emotion that takes time to grow and develop with the relationship. Romeo, doesn't know what love is and confuses it with strong affections towards her beauty. Even the Friar is surprised when he comes to him declaring he wishes to marry Juliet, being only Juliet as well, doesn't know much about love, being as her parents have always picked out the men she must "love". Juliet, in the sense beings to take a liking in Romeo because he younger and probably what Juliet wants instead of these older men. Both Romeo and Juliet have things they want to forget about and the fact that they both take a linking in each other is why they believe they are in love.

            Also, Romeo and Juliet both in some way bring up the idea of marriage only one day into the relationship, however, Juliet is the first to actually mention marriage when she says “Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,/by one that I'll procure to come to thee”.(2.2.144-145).  Romeo does in fact say to send for him so he can arrange the details. He then arrives to Friar Lawrence’s cell and he agrees to marry them, but not without saying “these violent delights have violent endings”.(2.6.9). This line can be interpreted many ways, but I like to see it has the Friar warning Romeo and Juliet that having known each other for a day and committing to love at such a young age and early time in the relationship is dangerous and they should wait and see how the “love” they feel progresses, because it could be that if Romeo had seen a pretty women, in the sense, there’s no saying he wouldn’t fall in love her, the same way it happened with Juliet. As well as that, the phrase “violent delights” refers to the intense speed Romeo and Juliet seem to be rushing things instead of letting love grow and take its natural course. Instead they intervene and let their wants get in the way.

The Friar himself married Romeo and Juliet simply hoping to end the feud between their families. But, their marriage happened because they had strong affections for each other, but having only spent half a day together they don’t know each other well enough to get married, let alone be in love.

Lastly, Romeo, while with Benvolio expresses his love for Rosaline in the quote “She hath Dian’s wit/And, in strong proof of chastity well armed/From love’s weak childish bow, she lives uncharmed./She will not stay the siege of loving terms,/Nor bide th' encounter of assailing eyes,/Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.” (1.1.200-206). He compliments her on al her strengths, however all them seem to be the reasons their love isn’t mutual. Seemingly after venting to Benvolio about how he loves Rosaline and the love is unrequited, Romeo, nearly 24 hours later is engaged to be married to Juliet who he claims he loves as much even more. The only thing wrong with this is that the two of them have had nearly no time to get to know each other, who they really are and what they really want, they both seem to think that just because this feeling they have is mutual, it is love, but that doesn’t always prove true.

Had the message gotten to Romeo of Friar and Juliet’s plan there is almost a guarantee that running away to be with each other would not have benefited either of them in the long run.  Romeo mainly acts on the feeling of lust and just pure impulse and Juliet seems to always trust that with Romeo everything will be alright and perfect. Neither of the two are experienced at love and seem to easily confuse it with other feelings they have. Though some might say that Juliet offering to no longer be a Capulet during the balcony scene an both Romeo and Juliet dyeing to be with the other in the afterlife proves that they were actually in love, but once again they both seem to be acting on the fact that they think that the world without the the isn’t a world they’d like to live in, but we can tell for Romeo this wouldn’t be true based on how he was able to move so fast from Rosaline to Juliet. Just like that he could’ve done the same thing with the next girl he sees.

Finally, with every move and decision Romeo and Juliet make they seems to be blinded by what they would both like to have rather than what they do have. They are both just confused teenagers that act impulsively and on lust because of how easy it is to confuse it with love. 

Eleanor and Park - What Difficult or Complex Things Happen In the Text?

What difficult or complex things are happening in the text?



          The book "Eleanor and Park" is a novel about two teens that fall in love despite their respective social groups. Park is an Asian-american who lives a "Perfect Life" and Eleanor who lives in a run down home with an abusive step dad and poor mother who is unable to provide.
           Eleanor looks to Park refuge from her daily, crazy life. A complex idea that pops up is bullying, not their concept but the way it's shown through out the story. Bullying, itself is a concept that is covered in many stories, however in Eleanor and Park, Eleanor's step father, Richie, writes inappropriate notes in her text book such as "suck me off", "pop that cherry" and "i know youre a slut, you smell like cum". It is never really addressed why he wrote her these notes being that we only receive the perspectives of Eleanor and Park. Nevertheless Eleanor ponders why he might of done this and thinks it's because he really did like her or enjoyed and fed off of her misery to make him happier.
             Another complex thing that happens is when Eleanor decides to run away. Park then agrees in the middle of the night to take his parents car and drive her across a state and a half to her uncles home where knows she will be safe. Eleanor, also questions whether or not she should go back to the house and "save" he brothers and sisters, saying she wishes she could sneak back into the house and take them with her. She realizes this would be nearly impossible to do with Richie on the loose. This entire section of the story brings up the themes of family and abuse and the act doing what you need to do to save yourself rather than the ones you love. The craft of this section of the text is written in an intense and fast passed but sincere way. This part of the text also brings up the idea of how would you go to protect the one(s) you love. (Park obviously willing to do anything to make sure Eleanor is safe even if it means he will never see her again.)
              The book in total is more than just a love story, it creates a real life scenario in the eyes of Eleanor and Park and also tests many limits.

Divergent

Allegiant by Veronica Roth is a science-fiction novel set in the distant future where everyone is grouped into things called factions. Each faction is dedicated to a single train each person in a certain factions has that stands out among all others. Each faction also has a different set of beliefs based on each trait. "Divergence" is having healed genes that you're born with. The novel introduces a new group, the "Allegiant" a group of people who are loyal to the faction system, but the "Bureau" seeks to "cure" all the non divergent people. Tris, the main character is forced to choose who she wants to help and how she’s going to do what’s right for the whole. A theme that shines through the book is sacrifice and I think that Tris is used to represent sacrifice throughout the novel and series.

First off in "Insurgent" Tris sacrifices herself to the Erudite leader Janine, when she demands that the refugees give her I divergent to test on or she will continue to use the simulation to kill two dauntless everyday. Tris represents the idea of sacrifice because she out of all of people chooses to give possibly her life to keep hundreds of people safe. Tris herself does this out of the love she has for these people. She doesn't tell anyone that she is leaving to save them so they don't worry about and try to get her to stop. This shows that she doesn't want anyone to stop her and that she does love them enough to sacrifice herself, which is what sacrifice is described as in Allegiant by Tobias.

Secondly, in "Allegiant" Tris willingly gives her life to keep Caleb from dying knowing he sacrificed himself out of guilt and not because he knows the humane values of sacrifice and loving another human. She says that she knows that he’s doing this out of guilt and realizes that it’s wrong to that. Tris, I feel ends up forgiving Caleb and accept that even though she'll never forget what he's done to her it's no reason to act like she doesn't still love him. That's the whole reason why she does what she does to save Caleb.

Last, in “Divergent” Tobias, who was under the serum of the factions had a gun and encountered Tris and was ordered to protect the room. He sees her and holds up his gun and she tells him that he can shoot her. This part shows more of Tris’s selfless side. She would let the person that loves her shoot her if they didn’t remember her. She basically offers to sacrifice herself knowing that if the one person that loves her would be willing to shoot her there not really a reason to live. This shows in a different way how Tris represents the idea of sacrifice because this for of sacrifice has more to do with revealing your own personal demons knowing someone who love can’t love you back.

            Throughout the Divergent series Veronica Roth uses her main character Tris as a way to represent the values and ideas of sacrifice. Even though it’s not always obvious, she throws in little acts of bravery, kindness and selflessness that represents that sacrifice is something that is done when you love someone enough to put their values ahead of yours and sometimes that means giving your life for the greater good. 

Divergent Series - Literary Essay - NOT A FINAL

Tris - main character

Tris is put in the story to specifically embody the meaning and value of sacrifice and what it really is and means.

What i think sacrifice in the book is often described as giving up something you love or are dear too in order to help the greater good or to help the people or objects you keep close and dear to your heart as opposed to sacrificing innocent people or objects for personal gain in terms of your own views in what may be good or bad.

How Tris represents this idea of sacrifice:

1. In Insurgent Tris gives herself to Janine after she demands that one divergent be given to her or she will use the simulation to kill several dauntless members. Tris represents this idea of sacrifice because she is doing it to keep the people of her faction but more importantly her friends and tobia safe from Janine

2. In Allegiant Tris willingly gives her life to keep Caleb from dying knowing he sacrificed himself out of guilt and not because he knows the humane values This does. She also does this to keep the people of her faction and city safe from the mmstors of the bureau

3. Still working on this

Government Control - Catching Fire - Literary Essay

  In Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins, government control is one of the central themes of the book and the series. Katniss and must return to the arena when they are once again reaped to compete. The ideas of rebellion grow stronger, but with the rebellion come tighter government control than ever. The government showcases their control and ruling in many ways and it is used to strike fear and destroy hope in the citizens of Panem.

       First off, the main way the government attempts to strike fear into the people of Panem is the yearly Hunger Games, where 2 random children are selected to compete against each other to the death until one is the victor. The reason this works is because the games showcase the power the government has and what they are able to do if anyone were to get out of line. The capital is able to create poisonous gas that kills within minutes and grows and moves on its own uncontrollably, as seen in the book while Katniss, Peeta Finnick and Mags are in the games and the are infected and poisoned by the gas. The Hunger Games are also used to exhibit the fact that the government shows no leniency to those that do no harm, therefore there will be no mercy to those who do wrong and attempt to rebel.

         In addition to the Hunger Games, the peacekeepers are also used as a way to suppress hope and control the people of the districts to make sure they are too scared to defy the rules. The peacekeepers will also attack a citizen for the smallest reasons but they are all punished the same. The peacekeepers will often publicly whip people who disobey the rules to scare people into behaving and doing the write things. The peacekeepers are chosen by the government and are told by the government what to do in case of any situations and how to make people scared into doing the right things. However, in some districts the peacekeepers aren't able to really scare people into doing the right things, like when Katniss gives her speech to district 11 and an old man salutes her but because of this he is murdered by the rulings of the government. This is only done to make an example, to keep other people in line.

         Lastly, the government is merciless and will go to extremes to make an example or even if they feel the slightest threat. Firstly, president Snow changes the original quarter quell rule to the new one stating "the tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors". He (head of the government does this to show the people that even though hope is stronger than fear they (the government) can make sure with all the abundance of their power that any shred of hope that lurks within the districts is eradicated in one way or another and this was his gameplan. However, the government's (sort of) endgame move was to bomb district 12, again to display this aura of complete control and mercilessness for the weaker and wrong doers.

         The Capitol government is able to use the immense power it has to scare the residents of the districts into behaving. The weapons most used by the government are psychological ones that have to do with replacing hope with fear and making sure that the people are too scared to ever do what they want or step out of line.

         The government continues its reign into mockingjay, but targets Katniss directly using Peeta as a weapon.

The Thoughts You Have

      Bullying is a cruel act and hurts many people physically and mentally. In some cases takes peoples lives because they aren't able to handle it. Suicide though an option shouldn't be done because you feel like others don't like who you are. Bullying damages people and hurts them more than scars or bruises can because the words someone may hear stay with them and they start to believe that they are who you tell them they are.

An 11 year old boy, who has ADHD, decided that he should take his own life because the bullying was too much to handle. He Tried to kill himself and failed. He was found by a family member and word got out that he attempted. This was all because he was being bullied at school for being a "brony", a male, fan of the show My Little Pony. He liked one of the ponies in particular that had ADHD like symptoms and behavior because he can relate to her. The kids made fun of him because he was open about liking this show and feeling connected to one of the characters.

People seem to often judge others and make them feel thinkin less than they are because they want them to feel less than they are so they can feel better about themselves. But what many people fail to understand is that words cut deepest, they stir inside you and it’s all you think about, wondering if that’s what everyone thinks of you, if that’s all you really are. But for some people it gets worse, for some it consumes them and they become people who can't handle being looked at because they think that you're thinking bad about them. They think about in their dreams, in class, the hallways and soon they just crave a way to escape their own mind and their own thoughts and who they've become. They're often unable to just stop thinking so they use the alternative, if you're not living you’re not thinking.

Bullying is a horrid act that shouldn't happen to anyone and makes people do extreme things to themselves. He was verbally and physically attacked for liking a show that most boys his age wouldn't watch. He felt he needed an escape from the bullying and that is a common side effect and felt like suicide was the only way out. Though suicide can end your problems permanently I feel like its not the only way out.