After we finished Lord of the Flies, my class wrote an in-class essay on our outside reading books. My group read the novel Black Boy by Richard Wright.To the left: Black Boy book cover
To the right: Part of a documentary about Richard Wright-Black Boy.
This story is an autobiography from the early 1900s about an African-American boy named Richard Wright. He talks about the continuing struggles in life; what it is like to be a black boy in the 1900s. In my essay, I wrote about the hunger in Richard's life. The hunger for love, hunger for money, and hunger for equality. Richard has a constant need for love and affection. He often had strident beatings in the story, and Richard never received enough love in his early and late stages. His family deals with extreme poverty. There's a quote in the story, where Richard displays the poverty that occurs in his life. "A man called me to him and whispered some words into my ear and told me that he would give me a nickel if I went to a woman and repeated them to her"(21). Richard was willing to do anything in order to get money, temerarious or not. Hunger for equality is the most important key point known in Black Boy. Black individuals used to conflict with this key point in most cases. Racism in the early 1900s was one of the worst times known in history.
To the right: Herman Cain
Cain: Racism Is No Biggie In an interview, Herman Cain insisted that racism in America isn't significantly impeding economic process by minorities. "I don't believe racism in this country today holds anybody back in a big way," the presidential candidate declared on CNN. Cain acknowledged that there are still "some elements" of racism. Cain believes that if we don't improve this economy, blacks will be hit the worst when economic policies don't work, because black people are more disproportionately unemployed. Cain blamed educational differences and hard-hit regions for high unemployment rates among blacks.However, he still believes blacks have only themselves to blame for their economic situation. Cain said, "People sometimes hold themselves back because they want us to use racism as an excuse for them not being able to achieve what the want to achieve."
To the left: This song is called "We Shall be Free" by Garth Brooks. It sends out a very important message, and an inspirational one, too. A message that says we can never really be free until each one of us accepts each other as equals, no matter who or what we are. Some of the most inspirational song lyrics found would be:
"When the last thing we notice is the color of skin,
And the first thing we look for is the beauty within,
When the skies and the oceans are clean again,
Then we shall be free"
"When the last thing we notice is the color of skin,
And the first thing we look for is the beauty within,
When the skies and the oceans are clean again,
Then we shall be free"
The class recently began reading Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
We had done brief reflections after each reading of the day. "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings" (I.II.140-141). We did a reflection on what exactly this quote is portraying. I wrote, "I believe this quote is saying that we must govern our own lives. In the book, it says "stars" means that one's life was governed by the stars or constellation one was born under. Instead of being governed by the 'stars,' we need to govern ourselves." Alternatively, Brutus and his clan feel the need to govern themselves. There are a few other examples that kids wrote when we did this reflection.* "We shouldn't blame other things for our problems. Instead, we take responsibility."
* "Caesar is above the others because of his actions, not because of fate."
To the right: Caesar
We discover that the phrase has been interpreted to mean that fate is not what drives men to their decisions and actions, but rather the human condition.
In another reflection, we wrote about why Cassius says that they have the falling-sickness, and not Caesar. Here are some of the responses we got after the reflection.
*They're the ones with the disease, not Caesar.
*This could be exaggerating Caesar's power.
*They want to hurry up with Caesar's assassination.
*When Caesar is rising, they are falling.
*Caesar is keep them down.
Below: Decius
There is a point in the story, where Decius attempts to abet Caesar into going to the capital. Caesar wasn't planning on going at first, because his wife begged on her knees to forbid Caesar from going. However, once Decius told Caesar that they were planning on crowning him, Caesar adamantly chooses to go to the capital. Decius didn't even need to put any effort into coercing Caesar to go to the capital. Caesar says, "How foolish do your fears seems now, Calphurnia!"(II.II.105). Caesar was being extremely disrespectful and negligent towards his wife, Calphurnia. He chose to fulfill his own needs, rather than listen to what his true love had to say. This also shows that Caesar is very selfish for not listening to his wife, and expunging her words out of his mind.Caesar should have just listened to what his loved one had to say, because his life depended on it. This educates the readers, by telling us that it is substantial, and should be inexorable, to listen to our loved ones. People often want things to go their way, so they won't do what's right. Doing what's right would be to listen to your loved ones. It's just like how Caesar ended up not listening to Calphurnia, even though she begged on her knees for him to stay home.
Caesar arrives at the capital. Casca was the first one who stabs Caesar. Things just became chaotic, after that. Once the killing is over, Brutus says something that didn't really make much sense. "Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace/And waving our red weapons o'er our heads/ Let's all cry, 'Peace, freedom, and liberty!'"(III.I.108-110). It's interesting how Brutus says this, even though it's contrasting to the main point of peace and freedom. Peace shouldn't involve killing and blood. As a matter of fact, it has nothing to do with that. If you look up "peace," you're not going to find something like "the act of killing; hatred." What you DO find, is harmony and agreement. Above: The death of Caesar
War is one of the worst things that occur on this world. War and peace are two complete disparities. It's never safe to say that Earth is full of peace and harmony. A copious amount of soldiers give their lives in order for our country to be safe, just because some people don't like the thought of peace. I'm a proud sister of (almost) three Marines, and I feel safe since they--and millions of other soldiers--serve/served our country so that we are protected.
Below is an extensively religious and clement poem, called "Peace." The author of the poem, Henry Vaughan, attempts to persuade the readers to seek the happiness of heaven by leading a good life. One of the main themes of the poem is peace. Henry Vaughan believes that peace is a spiritual quality. He believes that peace depends on being prepared about a war against evil. Vaughan portrays that heaven is peaceful, while our world is full of noisy activities and dangers to the soul. This poem has a lot of imagery in it. The poem contains natural, spiritual, and military images.
Peace
By Henry Vaughan
My Soul, there is a country
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged sentry
All skillful in the wars;
There, above noise and danger
Sweet Peace sits, crown'd with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend,
To die here for thy sake.
If though canst get but thither,
There grows the flow'r of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges,
For none can thee secure,
But One, who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.
Source: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174696
Above: The "Stairway To Heaven"
Above: This song is called "Happy Christmas (War is over)" by John Lennon. It sends out a very clear message about individuals wanting peace on Earth. War is over, if you want it.
Below is an extensively religious and clement poem, called "Peace." The author of the poem, Henry Vaughan, attempts to persuade the readers to seek the happiness of heaven by leading a good life. One of the main themes of the poem is peace. Henry Vaughan believes that peace is a spiritual quality. He believes that peace depends on being prepared about a war against evil. Vaughan portrays that heaven is peaceful, while our world is full of noisy activities and dangers to the soul. This poem has a lot of imagery in it. The poem contains natural, spiritual, and military images.
Peace
By Henry Vaughan
My Soul, there is a country
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged sentry
All skillful in the wars;
There, above noise and danger
Sweet Peace sits, crown'd with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend,
To die here for thy sake.
If though canst get but thither,
There grows the flow'r of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges,
For none can thee secure,
But One, who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.
Source: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174696
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