Friend nor Foe

"I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me (96)." Equality believes that to have freedom, you must be completely free of your brothers. A blank slate to begin with. From here, you may decide whether you want certain people in your life or not. Too many people today decide if someone is their friend or foe before they even meet them. Equality, similar to the Golden Rule, shall regard people as they regard him. If they do something to make them an enemy, they shall be labeled as such. Likewise, if they do something to make them a companion they deserve such title. Equality believes that once you are free from your brothers, you can then form communities of people who share the same values. These communities will prosper as neither wants to remove the freedom of their brother. Like all humans, they simply want someone to talk to and call their friend.

Thursday Randian Quotes

It is freezing outside. Luckily I have the wise words of Miss Rand to keep me all snugly warm.
"If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." If you are putting time in effort into doing something, go all out! Make whatever you are doing the absolute best it can be. Leave no regrets so later you can look back with pride upon your work. I always loved doing projects and things because I enjoy finding ways to make mine unique and original and the best it can be. There is no greater feeling than knowing you preformed at your highest level and reaping the rewards your energy has sown. And there is no worse feeling than a remorseful soliloquy full ways you wish you had done better.

"...It's the hardest thing in the world-- to do what we want... I mean, what we really want." Think of something you really want. Now think of why you want it; this should be easy. Now think of what would happen should you try to get what you want; this is harder. Now go out and get it; this is the hardest of them all. I find it increasingly difficult to say the things I want to say and do the things I want to do. So I don't. I wish I could live my life in such a way that I hold nothing back but I am just too worried of what I may mess up. So yes, the hardest thing in the world is to do what we really want. It may even be next to impossible. I applaud those who truly live their lives doing what they want, and encourage people to try it at least once. After all, life begins when we step out of our comfort zone.

Our Friend, the Earth

Our dear, dear pal Ayn Rand opens her mouth once more on a controversial subject- ecology and environmentalism. She feels that environmentalism, the act of saving our Mother Earth, is anti- man. That is, by saving nature we are sacrificing ourselves. Ayn's philosophy can be countered by the rampant hippie philosophy of the 1970's; an era in which the Peace Corps grew substantially and everything was "green." Many people would condemn the hippies for being too liberal, and for not knowing enough to make a well informed, educated decision. However, maybe the best ideas do not always come from where you'd expect. Without Earth, and until we can find a way to live on other planets, we need environmentalism. Plain and simple. Now, I am not proposing we put scientific and human development on the back burner while we clean up yet another oil spill; I am proposing a compromise. It's actually not a small world after all- a fact not even Disney deny. Earth is huge. Humans have built enough, and most of our buildings are no longer functioning. Think of the last time you saw a condemned building or an abandoned factory. Let us stop venturing into new areas until we fix up the areas we have already built. That way humans have the space they need to expand while protecting the aesthetics of nature. Sorry Ms. Rand, I just don't see your reasoning.

That Which May or May Not Exist

"... we all know the things which exist and therefore the things which are not known by all do not exist." This quote is found in Ayn Rand's Anthem, a book which creates such a dystopia that everything in it seems absurd. But how absurd is it really? How absurd is it that people cannot accept what cannot be proven to them? Look at religion. Entire followings based upon blind faith in an entity that in some people's eyes does not exist. To the believers, there is no doubt their God is their. They can believe without seeing. To the non-believers, they cannot accept the fact that a God can exist unless given tangible proof. I end this entry with a quote from Yann Martel's Life of Pi:
     I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: “White, white! L-L-Love! My God!”—and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, “Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain,” and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story.

All About MEEEE

Ayn Rand questions what makes an individual individual in her novella "Anthem." In her fictional world, collectivism dominates. All pronouns used are collective pronouns. No me, we. No him/her, them. While confusing at first, it makes sense. Collectivism robs an individual of his/ her personality. Which begs the question, are we robbed of our personality? Think about it; everything you love someone has already told you about. A favorite TV show, band, book, etc. You did not create it- someone else did and someone else told you "Oh, you'll like it!" Fight me on this all you want, you are not who you think you are. You are not an individual, you are a person made up of all the people you let into your life. And this is a fantastic thing. This means that you value these people so much that you let them become a part of you, and you in turn become a part of them. Isn't this collectivism? Borderline. But it is collectivism by choice, not by mandate. And I think it is great that your characteristics are shaped by those you admire most.

Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand believes that all of men's actions are motivated by other men. She believes that man has no true personal desires, all desires are affected by those around him. Whether he is doing something because others have told him it is the right thing to do, or because he was simply raised to already strongly believe what the correct next move is. I'm not sure how I feel about this quote. I guess it depends upon the man. Weak men are prone to want to please others, strong men seek to only please themselves. It takes great knowledge to find out exactly what you want, and extreme courage to pursue your dreams. It is understandable how so many people never achieve what they truly want for themselves; it is extremely difficult and risky. But stick with it, because the reward of knowing that you stayed true to yourself feels so much better than the bitter regret of what might have been.

Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the from way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it.

I title my blog today with the wise words of Rafiki from The Lion King. Throughout all literature, characters are affected by past events, and these events alter their future. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Caesar's death was brought about because people feared the return of a dictator. Rome had seen many benevolent dictators in the past and would do anything to prevent this from happening. Would Caesar have become an all powerful dictator? Maybe. Maybe not. However, he was never given the chance as he was cut down before he could really grow tall. The assassins learned from the mistakes people made in the past when dealing with exceptionally strong political men. They vowed to keep the republic democratic, and set out to ensure their mission was a success.

It's Elementary

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest relies on its Point Of View to give the story its full effect. The book is told through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a patient on the psychiatric ward. Ken Kesey's purpose for doing this is to give the reader an insight into the mind of a psych patient. The Chief tells McMurphy that most of the men on the ward are there voluntarily. McMurphy, like the reader, questions why any man would commit himself into this institution. McMurphy, like the reader, does not fully understand what the other patients' minds are like. The Chief very often makes reference to a "fog" on the ward. "It’s like… that big red hand of McMurphy’s is reaching into the fog and dropping down and dragging the men up by their hands… raising not just for watching TV, but against the Big Nurse…" The fog symbolizes the false lives Ratched has forced the men into living. They are not truly happy, it is only an illusion and the men are too scared to blow away the fog and see the truth behind Ratched and her ward. The only way the reader can fully understand this is by going into the fog themselves through the eyes of Chief Bromden. 
 

Friday Free Response That Turned Into A Rant

CHHHEEEEEYYYAAAAAA BUDDY. It's Friday and that means that I get to write about whatever my little heart desires. And what does my heart desire to write about? Much. Due to time restrictions I shall pick the most recent- authors and their egos.

Reading "A Rose for Emily" made me question many things. When I stopped asking myself what is even going on in this story, I began to question exactly who the author thought he was to create such a confusing story in the first place. Reading should be fun. Reading should also teach a lesson. However, when the story is so warped that the reader has no idea what is going on, the literature loses value, at least in my eyes. And since this is my blog, my eyes are the only eyes that count.

When did authors become so wrapped up in writing stories so full of symbolism and allusions and decaying dead people that story line was forgotten? Ask me to synopsis this and I couldn't. So what author sits and thinks "Wow, this story is so confusing it MUST be 'of high literary merit'." And on that note, I have read wayyyy better books than those "of high literary merit," why do those not count on exams? Why do teachers and test makers assume old stories must be better than the "trash" authors publish today? Makes no sense and it really is a shame. So many more students would love reading if they were given the chance to experience books that speak to them. Not speak down to them.

First Quarter Reflections

With a quarter of my senior year of high school done, it is time to reflect. The year is moving along steadily, and I’m sure it is about to increase speed. I finished my last season of high school soccer. I went to my last homecoming, my last first day, and many more lasts. For every yin there is a yang, and many firsts are on the horizon. With all college applications sent in, the waiting period begins. Where will I end up? What will I do? I am not too stressed over these questions. For now, I am living life and enjoying each and every moment. I still have a lot to accomplish and many more memories to make, and I am excited for all that is to come before I even graduate high school. So, if there is anyone out there following this blog a) why b) your bill is in the mail and c) I will continue to keep you updated. Thank You. 

Characters & Society

This week we take another break from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and dive into the character of characters themselves. How does society affect character?

Let's focus on a great book, pun fully intended. The Great Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan was born into a wealthy family. She grew up wealthy, she married wealthy. However, she fell in love with Gatsby, a poor man. Gatsby was only pretending to be wealthy, and it may have been this deception that attracted Daisy in the first place. Nevertheless, Daisy was distraught upon finding out her love was penniless. To keep up with society's standards, she married Tom, one of the wealthiest men at that time.

Then things changed when suddenly Gatsby reappears an extremely rich man. Daisy is drawn towards her love and his money. However, Gatsby is "new money" and is actually quite risky. He deals in mysterious, backhand ways unlike Tom who is "old money", meaning that his money was fairly earned through many generations. When push comes to shove, Daisy chooses to remain with her original financial source. She basically condemns Gatsby the punishment for her crime and moves away, leaving everything behind. Everything except her money and social standing, things society deemed more important than true love and faith.  

The Symbolic Symbolism of Symbols

Symbols are mundane objects the one overlooks at first. Then the begin to show up more and more frequently. The retain their original purposes, but also take on a new, deeper meaning. This deeper meaning is not always easily understood, but through careful examination of symbols the story becomes richer and more universal.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- It may be a bit of a stretch, but I feel that Chief Bromden's name sake broom becomes a symbol throughout the book. It is, in a way, his protector. He feels safe clutching the broom, doing his duties, and following orders. However, once the ward begins to rise up against the matriarchy, the Chief begins to let his duties slip. He is careless in his cleaning, representing that he no longer needs his broom to feel safe because the Big Nurse is losing her hold on him. He now has a new savior and protector in McMurphy. Will McMurphy's strong will be enough to change the Chief's ways? Or will his quiet, innate nature eventually reclaim him? I shall continue to follow the broom throughout the story arch to see where it lands.

The Green Eyed Monster

Taking a break from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I shall be exploring literature in which authors manipulate emotions in order to delve into the complications of the human heart. I shall be honing in on the emotion of jealousy. Jealousy is a want for what you do not possess, but which you can obtain through stealing it from someone else. In Shakespeare's Othello, most of Iago's actions are out of jealousy. He is jealous of Othello for his rank and wife, so he plots to take those away from Othello. In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Gatsby had everything in the world except for Daisy. The one thing he couldn't buy with money belonged to Tom, so Gatsby vowed to "repeat the past" and attempt to win her back from Tom. In The Lord of the Flies, Jack and Ralph were constantly jealous of the power that the other had accumulated. This jealousy put them at odds with each other, and burnt down the island figuratively and literally. Such amazing work for one little emotion.

Admitted (9/23/2013)

Today I was admitted to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a classic mental institution novel written by Ken Kesey. I chose to read this book because, like many people, I was only exposed to the Jack Nicholson film version of this story. As it always goes, the book > the film. Therefore, I was intrigued to be able to read the story I thought I already knew. I began the exposition today. The institution is described as bleak, sterile, and overall a place I would avoid at all costs. Sticking with the era the book is set in, the custodians/ restrainers are all African American. The book is actually quite racist to them, but that is the intent. The "Big Nurse" is Nurse Ratched, who may just be one of the greatest antagonists in literature. I am excited to see what nuances are in the book that the movie had omitted, and feel that I will very much enjoy this book.