This Blog is an Interactive Reflection Journal for my English class this year. I can write anything from creativity to deep analysis essays if I really wanted to. Feel free to read this anytime you like. Explore and enjoy! -laurenl2013

A Universal Mistake: Faith

In the Odyssey, people all over their world believe in the Gods. They have never met these wondrous creatures that they presume are omnipotent. They rely on these characters to help them through their life; they are basing their fundamental strategies on the fact that the Gods will help them. These people in the Odyssey are throwing away their faith to Gods who do not answer them. If most people fight against each other and both sides are praying to the same God, one army will have their morality crushed because that God disappears when they need him or her most.

The ridiculous complete trust and confidence people throw to their spiritual beliefs is stunning. How can people believe in a being who has created such war and terror on this world? Do they believe that the Gods have given them pain because they have committed a crime, which for some reason they can never remember. I believe that people are blinded by their faith, that they see everything through a tinted window because of their faith. In some cases, I am jealous for their confidence in people or beings that they have never met. I admire the fact that they never blame their God for the problems hierarchy or war. In some cases, I am perfectly content with the way I see the world. I think I am more stable because I do not think about the consequences of my actions facing the more powerful being. I do not have a serious code of law set before me to follow, besides the law of my parents and country, which still leaves me much freedom. I do not have to follow the small path that is given to me by any leader, I can create a new one. In many cases, I am proud that I have no faith and that I do not rely on the help of others. In my opinion, faith can only get someone so far. After he reaches a point where his God will not help him, or it can not help him, he will find himself alone and abandoned, where as I will have experienced that feeling multiple times and know how to relieve feeling of emptiness in the soul.

The Fight for Acceptance: A Healthy Growth in Society

I wrote this IRJ because of the competition between the siblings, Rachel and Leah, and how it relates to modern day society. It reminds me of my own sibling rivalry, but instead of fighting over a husband, we fight over being our parents favorite.

Sibling rivalry has existed forever. For instance, not that the Bible is factual, but in the Bible Cain kills Abel over God’s approval. This need to be better than our own kin is quite a strange process of life. Usually, one would assume that because the two siblings are related and have such a history together, that they would not try to triumph over each other. This process of thinking was obviously invented by someone who hasn’t encountered the naturally competitive human race. I find that the more I know someone, the more competitive I get; because I get closer, I know that defeating each other in different things will not affect our relationship too much.

I believe that sibling rivalry is a good thing, because it makes the children better at what they do, and it creates bonding moments. A little bit of rivalry and competition will constantly get people more adept at what they do, and it will create a better society that will advance faster.

Keeping up with Death; Yet Another Reflection on Right and Wrong

Death. That word alone sends prickles down my spine, making my mind turn to my loved ones, wanting to protect them.

Most people act depressed after death because they experience the five stages of grief. I, personally, have not experienced death with an extremely close friend, but I have seen it from a distance. I have watched other family members lament over lost souls. I wrote this Interactive Reflective Journal because “Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Gen. 24. 67).

I have found that some people in society can not get over death; that they can not experience comfort like Isaac did. These people are stuck in the fourth stage of grieving, and they can’t get themselves out. I have seen this happen to a close family member. I saw her drowning in her own tears, but eventually I had to stop trying to help because there was no one to help me get out, and I refused to sit and dwell in the past. These people might not ever experience the comfort of the future and the enjoying moments it contains.

I have also seen people who immediately have support after a loss. These people can experience comfort once they overcome their loss, which is much easier with the help of others to support them. These people are healthier than the others because they have learned the skill that hides or helps escape people from experiencing a great loss

Each person has a unique way of dealing with mourning, but the sooner he gets help or overcomes his depression, the sooner he will return to his normal and hopefully enjoyable life.

This creative fictional story is based off how “the human heart is evil from youth” (Genisis 8.21).

My brother has tortured me ever day of my life, even since birth. He would crawl into my crib and spank me, then immediately crawl back out. So when my parents came into the room to see what all the hub-bub was about, they would see my perfect brother trying to pacify me, the obnoxious child who would always cry for no reason at all.

When I was four he took away my stuffed animals so I could no longer play with them. Or he would watch and listen secretly to the conversations of my Beanie Babies, to which my imagination had transformed them into great warriors who never betrayed each other.

When I was seven he built a huge ditch in front of the tree that lead to my tree house. He covered the massive hole with huge palm fronds. So when he told me he would love to play, I ecstatically  hurried to the tree, thinking I was blessed that he would think of me as his friend. He graciously said I could take the lead, because, after all, it was my tree house. I was released from that prison after six hours, and threatened that if I should tell, I would have worse experiences.

When I turned eleven and just started to grow, my brother drew on every single shirt I had. He drew fowl, inappropriate drawings, which I later got sent to the principles office. Every single student in my class commented on my shirts, pointing and laughing. I completely changed that day, scarred for life. I turned into a shell because of mortification, disgrace, and embarrassment.

On the day of my sweet sixteen, my lovely brother offered to help set up my party. Somehow his weak incompetent mind discovered how to set up a cake that would spring up and smack the unknowing and unprepared birthday girl in the face. It worked quite well. Not only had he ruined my hair, dress, and makeup, he ruined my high school career. He appeared in every hallway that I walked down, screaming dreadful family-only secrets.

Not once did he ever apologize for the evils he committed since my birth.

My brother has now requested me to write his recommendation letter to the law firm he applied to. Should I copy-and-paste and see if revenge tastes sweet? Or should I be the older person and forget? And lie?

Ways of Human Nature; The Faults in Society

I have been brought up to believe in sexism; while I do not agree with the concepts of sexism, I do however believe that it exists. And worse than that, I believe that the roles to which sexism refers to, are correctly placed in terms of gender. I wish I could change my mind about these concepts, but I can’t. I have had religious beliefs thrust upon me since I was a little girl, even though I’m not religious. I follow these concepts, I believe in certain words of the Holy Bible. I believe that “he [Man] shall rule over you [Woman]” (Gen. 3.16).

In today’s society everyone is supposed to be equally ranked and have equal amounts of power. These words are falsely preached. Things may have become more equal than what they used to be, but they still haven’t become equal. Maybe it is because of human nature, and how everyone is more comfortable with the past, and not wanting change. So because of that, everyone tries to keep the laws and society’s outlook on life the same.

I believe that sexism will always exist. The man should be the one who works and supports the family, while the woman should be the parental figure at home nurturing the children. Women are naturally built to nurture, just by the nature of their bodies. While men are built for providing, with more muscles and adapting bodies, which helps support the idea that women rely on the men to provide for them.

Everyday I wish that women could be treated equally because I see the effects it has on certain families, but I know I am not the one to change others’ minds or ideas, because I do not even believe them to work.

The Effects of Drinking Poison; A Man Dying of Embarrassment

As Lyra, a girl who has the ability to blend into many cultures, brags about how tough and unforgiving her father acts, she recounts the story of a man dying, by drinking poison, to the Gyptain. The man had slipped poison into Lord Asriel’s cup, but Lord Asriel, being the brilliant man that Lyra’s describes, decided to force the man to either confess to poisoning the drink, or drink the poison. So Lyra explains that people can die from embarrassment, describing the foolishness of the man and what happened the rest  of the night, “He drunk it. It took him five whole minutes to die, and he was in torment all the time” (Pullman 116).

When the man drinks the poison because he would rather die than be humiliated,  in pain, or controlled by Lord Asriel, it shows insight into human nature. Just like in The Things They Carried Curt Lemon got his tooth pulled because “The embarrassment must’ve turned a screw in his head” (O’Brien 88). People act rashly when embarrassed, making them seem like a fool most of the time.

When people say it is “human nature” to feel embarrassed, it is true. Everyone thinks about what others think of them, so it is okay to act timorously, just as long as no one kills themselves over embarrassment. Embarrassment results in people thinking over their previous actions, causing them to see their mistakes.

Proposition: Although embarrassment includes being humiliated and full of shame, it is a natural reaction to situations, and it helps everyone learn from their mistakes.

Going Nowhere; The Baker’s Daughter’s Story

The shop lit up, ablaze with fire. I ran: ran from my home, ran from the life I knew, ran from the life I never wanted.

Not once had I any desire for baking. The flames smoldered everything, leaving streaks of bubbly red across my arms, which repulsed my own dog.

The bread that I slaved over always oozed over the molding, slipping into the ash. My mother taught me to fold the ashy part of the dough in, so the customers would never suspect a thing.

My parents taught me to live a lie, tell lies to the customers or get no business, smile when they insult your food or your complexion, always say “thank you” to the most undeserving people. They didn’t teach me manners, because if I had any decency at all, I would have told them what I felt like, what I wanted to do to their shiny scalps, or their fake bushy perms, or their extensions that were twice as thick as their actual hair and it made them look like an elephant, but I didn’t. I told them to have a nice day, and to please come back again.

I looked back to the shafts, which were slowly caving in, at the firemen hosing the house down, risking their lives to save a girl they thought was dying. They were risking their lives for a lier, a girl who had just replaced herself with a corpse she had dug out of the graveyard behind her house. I destroyed the family business and the worst part about it was, that I didn’t care. I didn’t about the money, about the customers, about my parents, or about the ash in the bread, or the ash that started swirling in the air.

Does the Law have the Right to Question?: Making Judgements of Moral Behavior

The McManus brothers thought that god sent them to kill sinners. As the McManus brothers and their father pacify the citizens in the courthouse, they bring forward a man who has committed terrible crimes, and as they bring him forward they yell to the crowd, “Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal these are principles of which everyman of every faith can embrace./These are not polite suggestions, these are causes of behavior, and those of you that ignore them will pay the dearest cost” (The Boondock Saints). This comment sparks the idea of irony: the McManus brothers are about to kill this man for murder, but then they will sinning and killing and then shouldn’t they pay the dearest cost? Do they not get reprimanded because they kill an evil man? Do our society’s laws end at vigilantism that is for a good cause?

Plot Summary: the plot summary of The Boondock Saints

Video Clip: courtroom scene where McManus act as a vigilante (scene has foul language)

This idea of irony in our law, or our personal feeling, is a common dilemma. We have many struggles, like the struggle if truth or loyalty is better. Everyone has their own opinions of good versus bad, so people have to decide whether vigilantism for a good cause is appropriate. The law can only go so far for stopping people, so the citizens have to decide whether or not they believe in the crimes that are being committed.

Proposition: People need to make their own decisions on whether or not they believe in the concept of justice, not just let the law take over, which may ruin the justice’s of man kind.

The Reason Behind Dressing Up; When I Met Darth Maul

I turned a corner onto another street filled copiously by little children trick-or-treating. As I sauntered down with my friends toward the next house, relaxed and fun-loving, I realized that a man, with a strange accent, was calling

“Darth Maul! Darth Maul! Come here!” Since I was dressed as Darth Maul, I assumed he was talking to me, so I slowly neared his sumptuous car with black stripes down the middle. I pulled out my red light saber, turning on the light, just in case I needed protection.

His car, obviously built for speed and ostentation, began to rev menacingly. So I lifted up my light saber a little more, making sure everyone could see I was ready for a duel. The man started to speak once more.

“I’m the real Darth Maul”

“Wait. What?” I asked, dropping my protection device all together. I thought he was going to say something appalling about my costume. ‘I must have misheard,’ I thought to my self. He repeated himself more slowly the second time.

“Oh. My. God. No way!” I began to scream and overjoyed I began to jump up and down while flinging my arms every direction they could go. He began to speak again so I stopped talking abruptly to hang onto his every word.

“This is my wife Lisa, and Jango Fett is in the back. You’re costume is amazing!”

“Oh my god. Jengo Fett! Hello! And thank you Mr. Maul.” I said discreetly, looking at the man I had idolized since I was seven.

“Thanks for representing Star Wars”

“Oh my gosh. Any time,” and then, miracles of all miracles, he shook my hand, and as I reached for his hand, I thought to myself, ‘Firm handshake, like you learned in cotillion.’

After that, he drove away. I began to sway. I was so jubilant tears began streaming out of my eyes, and my vision became murky. My breathe came in short gasps and my head started to spin, so my friends sat me down on the side walk while hoards of people ran by screaming for more chocolate. As my hyperventilation slowly decreased I became more alert and was able to see more than just blurry outlines. I realized that dressing in costumes got me to meet my idle, and because of that I will always dress up on Halloween.