Differences Among Us

Once together, now apart,
Ripped away from the heart.
Only because of their color,
That separates them from the other.
Alone before, without friends,
Waiting until the world ends.
But together they are strong,
And no longer do any wrong.
For when they all act as one,
Something wonderful has begun.
A unknown feeling is now made,
That will never, ever, ever fade.

The Relationship Between Love and Forgiveness

If you go to my essay blog, http://karensessays.blogspot.com you can read my Great Expectations essay about the relationship between love and forgiveness.

An Ode to My Oboe

Squeaking, squawking like a bird,
Not caring if it is heard.
This instrument takes a risk,
The conductor goes, "tisk, tisk"
When the rest are done with the show,
The oboe doesn't seem to know.
It keeps all the notes flying,
Someone thinks a duck is dying.
And finally they think it's done,
But tomorrow still brings more fun.

The Truth Behind Pip's Expectations

While living with Joe and Mrs. Joe, Pip was nothing more than a country boy – life was right down to the bare necessities. As he became more and more acquainted with Miss Havisham, his expectations changed; he no longer was satisfied with the simple things in life – everything became too common for him. This alteration mirrors exactly what happened in Wang Lung’s life from the novel, The Good Earth; they both change into a completely different person. “As I had grown accustomed to my expectations, I had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon myself and those around me. Their influence on my own character I disguised from my recognition as much as possible, but I knew very well that it was not all good.” (pg. 273) There are many different types of love throughout the world – some good and some bad – all of them make a difference in our lifestyles.
In this quote, Pip realizes that he has changed his greatest expectation in life to something that was completely and utterly against his personal morals. Before, he believed in keeping his promises; now he turns his back and doesn’t even acknowledge them. He used to love and stand by his family, but he doesn’t even keep them in his mind or prayers anymore. Money never had any importance to Pip before the change; now his salary is all he ever thinks or cares about. With this change he has become conceited, only caring about himself. Pip now understands that he needs to get his expectations in order, putting family before fame. Life is full of accommodations and new expectations; one must refrain from letting them change their life into something they previously despised.

Duke vs. North Carolina

If you look at my poll on the sidebar you will see that Duke is winning. I personally believe that Duke is a better team; always has been and always will be. I know some of you will bring up the point that the Tar Heels won the NCAA tournament last year, but I will contradict that point. Last year, their starting line up consisted of many seniors and very experienced ball players including Tyler Hansbrough; while Duke had only one senior in the starting five last year. Even with a little less talent, the Blue Devils were able to hold their own last season and plan to this year, too. Everyone claims that North Carolina is better since Michael Jordan played on that team, but Duke also has a celebrity that is part of their program -- Coach Krzyzewski, otherwise known as Coach K. His coaching skills are so prominent and well-known that he was chosen to coach the Olympic basketball team and ended up leading them to gold. These facts clearly state that Duke is a steadily good team and will win a championship in the near future.

Music

Music flowing through the ears,
Eyes filling with forbidden tears.
Around and around it will travel,
Some memories begin to unravel.
Feelings and emotions start to burst,
Yet to come is the absolute worst.
For when the song comes to a halt,
There will soon be a terrible fault.

The two sides of Wemmick

Although it is known throughout the world that treating people with respect and kindness is the most important rule of mankind, some choose to turn against it. Wemmick, a man with two completely different lives, is one of them and needs to get his personal ethics and morals in line. At home, he is a honest man, one who abides by the Golden Rule and doesn’t turn against it; at work, though, he is like a flipped coin, deceiving others here, there and everywhere. This behavior is due to the fact that he is a selfish and conceited man, too afraid that taking a different path in his work life will afflict his personal life. With fear conning him into a different personality, Wemmick is becoming a changed man with different morals than before, he needs to take the reins of his life and start changing the course that he is on.

The Battle Against Mrs. Joe

Rather than a father-figure, Joe is more of an equal or a brother to Pip. Together, they face the wrath of Mrs. Joe; always standing up for one another. When she starts to attack Pip for asking too many questions, Joe steps in to save the day. If she gets on Joe's case for saying something wrong, Pip never leaves his side. Their small army is marching to war and will stop at nothing to defeat their enemy, Mrs. Joe.

Veterans Essay

My veterans essay is posted on my essay blog. I have the link on the side.

A Corner of the Universe Responses

Movies
A way to document time, always having those special moments with you, no matter how old you get.
Film
A keepsake, allowing you to rewind and go back in time as much as you please.
Projector
Spitting out images of your past, brightly reminding you of the future.
Screen
A place that stops those images from going anywhere else, a stop in time.
Movies
A time capsule that keeps memories, and sometimes more.

Fog

Walking into a world unknown; fog thickening, disappearing into the blanket of mist. No one; no person, animal, any living thing there to give comfort. Talking, yelling, barking, these sounds swarm my ears, reminding me who was there, but is not here. Tripping over nothing, falling to the cold, harsh ground. Falling into blackness, a black hole. Nothing to give me warmth, reminding me of what was there, but is not here. Thinking of things to come, of the future; thinking of things before, of the past. Thinking of escape, but not succeeding. Thinking of changes, accommodating. I am not there, I am here.


Walking into worlds unknown
Fog thickening
Disappearing
From the earth

Good Earth Summative Essay

My main point in the Good Earth essay was how paradox affected the change in Wang Lung's life. Anyone who has feedback about what I could do better is welcome to post on it. I would like to know if I need to fix anything or work on any one part of my writing. Thanks.
http://b/Good%20Earth%20Summative%20Essay-1.doc Earth Summative Essay-1.doc

If you can't get to that link, you can go to my essay blog, http://karensessays.blogspot.com/

Wang Lung's Change "No Fear" Chapters 18-19

There is a change of direction in Wang Lung's life, and not necessarily a positive one. Before, Wang Lung had very good life ethics, but now all of those seemed to be flushed down the toilet. Everything that was once important to him, now has no meaning, this even includes his family and mostly his wife. O-lan was a very strong woman and was able to control her emotions easily; this all stopped when Wang Lung changed his life and his ethics.

"When tears dropped slowly and heavily from her eyes she did not put up her hand to wipe them away; only she beat the more steadily with her wooden stick upon the clothes spread over the stone."(pg. 188) Changes in his daily routine, changes in his life and changes in his family have caused Wang Lung to become evil. When O-lan cries, it symbolizes her slowly breaking down -- being killed little by little by her husband -- every day. Eventually, this will cause her to die, since she will not be able to control the pain her husband thrusts upon her every single day from this day forward.

Explanation of Mountain

The whole point of this piece I wrote is to show that life has many obstacles, but you must keep going along. The mountain is supposed to symbolize life, and how you might fail, but you should keep trying. I hope anyone who reads my poem is able to see that.

Mountain

The mountain is steep
Never stopping
Climbing through wind,
Climbing
Scaling many rocks,
Scaling
Trying as it might
To hold me back
Trudging through obstacles,
Trudging
Failing many a time,
Failing
But never, ever stopping
Reaching new heights
Reaching
Keep pushing forward
Keep moving along
Keep climbing my mountain
Though it never stops
Keep climbing through

The Good Earth - Response to the Uncle and City

Wang Lung, a hard-working farmer, is nothing like his sluggish, untidy uncle. For the uncle, begging people just to stay alive isn't anything new or to be ashamed of. For him, he'd rather beg than support his family himself, something he could do easily. This man has no sense of pride whatsoever and will stoop so low as to blackmail his nephew into giving him money. He will beg, black mail, anything except work so he doesn't have to make money himself.

Even though he has seen his uncle do it a passel of times, he still can't grasp the idea of begging. This causes a slight problem, because begging is exactly what he and his family need to do to support themselves in the city. All the people around them act normal as they complete this task, but Wang Lung's pride refrains his family from following the rest of the pack. He, unlike his uncle, would rather go through the pain of hard work, than beg.

The Good Earth Chapter 1

Nature -- something that controls everyone and everything on our planet -- plays a big part in the novel, The Good Earth. The title is an important symbol of this, portraying the fact that the earth is good and can be of much needed help. Nowadays, we don't think of nature as something that can make or break our jobs, but in the time of Wang Lung that was the way of life.

"Now it was as if Heaven had chosen this day to wish him well. Earth would bear fruit."(pg 2) This quote clearly states that Wang Lung relied on nature to give him water and good weather for his crops. Without it he would have no food, or fruit as the quote explains it. His religion also shows that without the help of nature, his life would be ruined. So many things they do revolve around the earth and nature, explaining that life in China back then is much different then it is in America now.

Castle

Walking around, this place is thousands of years old.
Corners of tapestries are starting to fold.
I think back, to a time when horses roamed,
And back then, many people did not have their hair combed.
Thinking, as I am walking, I realize,
There are many things that we cannot see with our eyes.
It's like a feeling, a picture in my mind,
That tells me things that happened, things that are hard to find,
Things not of this nature, not of this kind.

Door County

Way out in the canoe, on the water,
I see something beneath me that makes my eyelids flutter.
Down in the depths below, I see a fish.
I see it clearly, it makes me want to wish,
That I could stay here forever,
And that I would leave, never.
But the silence is broken with a yell,
That reminds me that I have to go home, just as well.
So I say my goodbyes to this place,
Even though it brings a frown to my face.

The Symbolism of Music in "A Jury of Her Peers"

To be able to sing is a freedom which Minnie Foster had at one point in her life. After marrying Mr. Wright, she lost this freedom and was ignored constantly, making her life sad and depressing."She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively -- when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir." (Pg. 27) Before she was married, she was free to sing and be happy, but after her wedding, there was no more music. Without music in one's life, there is no happiness, and this was how Minnie Foster lived for a passel of years. Finally, after a long, lonesome time, Minnie got herself a bird. The bird sang and brought happiness back into her life, Mr. Wright did not approve. He killed the bird and broke Minnie's heart. Then she realized that she needed to take charge and stand up for herself; she understood that she could not go on forever without the happiness that music brought her. Without music, there is silence and nobody should have to live a silent life.