Outdoor Education

This year’s outdoor education was the greatest one of them all. I can honestly say that I have grown to love every person in the class of 2012.  The trip allowed me to talk and socialize with students I would never have talked to prior.  The ropes courses were extremely fun but scary at the same time. The leap of faith was by far my favorite one. It looked simple on the floor but it was one of the scariest things I had ever done. Thank you to the teachers and the class of 2012 for making this trip so unforgettable.  

Pride and Prejudice essay revisions

        After reviewing the errors on my Pride and Prejudice essay, I have decided that I need to go into greater depth on my quote analysis. Furthermore, I have to shorten the quotes I have chosen for the essay and make sure they all prove my point. The point of my essay is that living in moderation is more beneficial to someone rather than living on either extremes of the spectrum. I have to make sure that my essay proves that Jane and Mr. Bennet have benefited from living in the middle of the spectrum. Some of the sentences in the essay are unclear and weak. I must go through and make sure that every sentence is easy to understand and strong. Lastly, the must add me last body paragraph and a concluding paragraph. 

Pride and Prejudice: First Three Paragraphs

Children are oblivious to their surroundings and thus, can freely express who they are. However, as these children grow up, societal pressures and norms tend to influence their individuality. The extent to which people should establish their individuality versus appease societal expectations becomes a controversial issue. As a result, there is a spectrum of perspectives that have been created. The extremists on both sides of this spectrum choose to either fully direct their attention to proclaiming their individuality or satisfying society, respectively. In contrast, the individuals or groups that fall in the middle of these poles understand how crucial it is to incorporate their own beliefs and society’s beliefs into their value system. Undeniably, each individual is entitled to find his own level of comfort within this spectrum. Nevertheless, as demonstrated by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and various cultures, it is more sensible to live in moderation than to be a lone island or a universal pleaser.

            By choosing to live as isolated individuals instead of trying to assimilate in the world around them, Elizabeth and Amish people are disadvantaged to a certain degree. Elizabeth allows her prejudice to stand in her way of giving her suitors, Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy. Although she lives in a society that is built on classes, she refuses to acknowledge it.  She does not believe her lack of wealth should stand in her way and she fights for her place in society. Undeniably, her strong character is an attribute; however, given the era that Elizabeth lived in, her actions could have had dire repercussions.  Her lack of understanding her society could have led her to become an old maid and forgo the pleasures associated with marriage and family. Amish people also collectively isolate themselves from the world. Although their beliefs inherently make them who they are, unfortunately, these same beliefs hinder them from being accepted by other societies. They are looked upon as outsiders, who lack the common sense to indulge and learn from modern day technology.

            In contrast, Jane has managed to master the art of balancing her individuality with her placement within society. Unlike Elizabeth, Jane is not viewed upon as a social outcast. Her balance between individuality and society has prevented her from becoming ostracized. Although Jane is sacrificing individuality, she is gaining acceptance in the ranks of the elite.  Similar to Jane, the majority of Americans are better able to find a happy median between preserving their individuality and appeasing societal norms. Many Americans sacrifice individuality to join organizations and private institutions. 

Essay Ratings

Essay number one (A) deserves a grade in the A range. It was logical and clearly structured. The writing was clear and conversational yet extremely sophisticated. Furthermore, the essay had sufficient analysis of the topic and excellent blending of the quotes. The author was able to use evidence to back up his claims and prove his thesis.

The essay that I chose to be in the B range was essay number 2(B). The author was a little repetitive throughout his essay but had some great in depth evidence throughout. The structure was relatively sophisticated and logical, but lacked some fundamental factors in the analysis. However, overall, the essay was successful and well done.

Essay number 3 (C), which I believe to be the least successful of the three, deserves a grade in the C to B- range.  The thesis statement lacked development and interest. Not only was the essay confusing and poorly formulated, it also lacked a conversational tone. The author of the essay did not spend enough time in the planning stages before he/she started writing. Thus, the reader can see the illogical structure of the essay. The quote analysis lacked serious sophistication and meaning.  The essay present excellent ideas, but they were not fully developed. 

Individual Beliefs Vs. Societal Beliefs

        Children are oblivious to their surroundings and thus, can freely express who they are. However, as these children grow up, societal pressures and norms tend to influence their individuality. The extent to which people should establish their individuality versus appease societal expectations becomes a controversial issue. As a result, there is a spectrum of perspectives that have been created. The extremists on both sides of this spectrum choose to either fully direct their attention to proclaiming their individuality or satisfying society, respectively. In contrast, the individuals or groups that fall in the middle of these poles understand how crucial it is to incorporate their own beliefs and society’s beliefs into their value system. Undeniably, each individual is entitled to find his own level of comfort within this spectrum. Nevertheless, as demonstrated by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and various cultures, it is more sensible to live in moderation than to be a lone island or a universal pleaser.

The Interplay Between Time, Love, and Death.

      In Andrew Marvell’s poem, “To His Coy Mistress,” there is an interplay between time, love, and death. In the first stanza, the author declares his eternal love, by comparing this love to a “vegetable love” that will grow “faster than empires.”  This perspective demonstrates that he is already in love with his “mistress.” However, he also states that his love will continue to grow throughout the years, as he focuses his love to each of her body parts.  This is an interesting perspective on time. He perceives time as moving quickly, but yet he claims its eternal. From the first line of the poem, he gives the reader a sense of urgency by claiming, “Had we but world enough and time.” This shows that time is of the essence and that one must not waste one’s life. He also immediately discusses his mistress’s “coyness” relative to time. Had there been a sufficient amount of time, he declares he would have no issue waiting for the consummation of their love. He says he would pursue her even if she were to “refuse till the conversion of the Jews.” Nevertheless, as time is constantly ticking, he considers her “coyness” a crime.  In the second stanza, the poem switches from the eternity of time to graphic images of death. He discusses the repercussions of their abstinence. He refers to death by saying “time’s winged chariot” is hurrying near. This personification of time illustrates that time can be viewed as a thief who will rob people of their lives, if they do not live it fully. His image of the “marble” coffin and the worms, which eat away at one’s body, create a deeper sense of urgency. He completes the image by stating that love is only present in this world. This is true because after people are in their coffins, they no longer have the opportunity to “embrace” and love. In the third stanza, he creates images of youth and life. This stresses the importance of expressing love and sexuality as one travels “through the iron gates of life.” The theme of the poem is “carpe diem” and how although physical love dies after death, spiritual love is eternal.

A Series of Unfortunate Event: The Bad Beginning

The book that I would like to reread this year is from “A Series of Unfortunate Events” called The Bad Beginning.  This is the first book in the series.  I originally read this series when I was in middle school and I thought it would be interesting if I reread this book when I am older. The book is about three unlucky children, namely the Baudelaire siblings, and how their lives are filled with misfortune. I wonder if my own life experiences will now change my understanding of the series of unfortunate events that occur. At the least, I know that the book will bring some comical relief to my life and help put things in perspective. Hopefully, throughout the year, I can complete the entire series.