Leaves Of Grass

Whitman wrote this poem during the times of the civil war. Racism was very common, and yet he shows respect and admiration towards the "negro". His ideas are very controversial and liberal in the sense that he respects everyone, and sees them as equal. In this poem, he creates a visual image at first, which he then transforms into an idea or concept. In this case equality.

The negro appears to be confident and strong. His dominion over the beasts suggests that he also has power over others, and yet has no reason to abuse it. He also appears to be interesting and attractive, and he is probably referring to the whole race.

Change In Our Lifes

“The smoke of my own breath; echoes, ripples buzz´d, love root….” (2) As I read poem number two I thought of how life can be different for everyone else. Whitman expresses a way of life. This poem is very similar to books we read in 9th grade. Considering the time the book was written, a time when people started reasoning or thinking on revolution people as Ralph Waldo Emerson on self reliance. I like the way he approaches the reader, he has a new and renovating idea of a life style.

All that Walt Whitman is asking from us is to awaken. Whitman is encouraging us to appreciate everything that we experience in our lives. Every little thing that we take for granted is much more complex and beautiful than what most of us see of it. In this case, he starts by mentioning individual characteristics of the human bodies, but progresses into a broader concept of life in general.

By using vivid imagery and metaphors, Whitman allows us to see his perspective and although I do believe that we should stop for some moments to admire the world in which we live in, it becomes more difficult every day. Not to mention the technology that surrounds us, but also that our generation has accustomed to craving things at an incredible pace, and we are never satisfied. In these days, few people would simply ignore, and discredit the wonders that surround us.

Something funny I noticed was that Whitman made an involuntary gesture that looks like a winking face. When he said "(there are millions of suns left;)" Considering the time period, I believe it to be chance, but I do have to say that it looks intentional and suits the idea well.

Who Defines Our Style?

One of the best things in the world is listening to a good speaker. Now there is always a good speaker on your life, for instance my Grandfather is someone who I love to hear speak, especially when he is talking about the past. His voice is low but sweet, the tone just invites you in, and when you listen to it, you would probably enjoy hearing it forever. It is like having a good book but instead of you reading it, he reads it for you. It may be the way he narrates the story he speaks a though he were there watching the person make decisions, I don't know if I have the words to describe it, but he always starts with the word "cuando". The simple soul is a book that I would love to hear my Grandfather read out loud. The book uses these words that I don't normally hear, and the tone that it has reminds me of the nights I used to sit at my beach house with my Grandfather at living room discussing politics with his friends. Some of the books sentences even start with his words, "When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his right foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such feats would give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat. There was a small growth under his tongue like those chickens are sometimes afflicted with."(Chapter IV). When I was little I used to picture myself narrating just like him, and I have tried but I have trouble with words, they are so many and mean so many things that I don't know how to use them and if I do, I can't help wondering if I used them correctly. One of the worst things is the mal practice of words, sometimes I am afraid to write because I don't know what I am doing. Writing is something scary to me, the idea of someone judging you or the thousand ways to fix a paragraph, how can I, have it the right way. I have heard that practice makes perfect but I practice, I have journal and I still can't get the good grades in the class or have the effect on people like Gustave Flaubert or my Grandfather do. Their style and choice of words is something that I wish I would get to one day, they make the things that are very common and give them life. In my family where writing is something you have to relief emotions, award winning writing and newspaper columnists, like my Great aunt, who's writing got her a trip to Europe and some chocolates. Her use of words is breathtaking. Style is something unique to every person but I am afraid is don't have one yet, but I enjoy the different types I get to read every day.

Carta a dios:

Te llevaste a mi niño, nuestro niño, el hijo de mi marido y mío, el hermano de su hermana, el amigo de sus amigos, el compañero de su amiga, el cuñado, el nieto, el tío, el sobrino.

El profesor, el bailarín, el teatrero, el escritor, el dibujante...

Te hacía falta quién te llenara el cielo de cuadros coloridos, quién te escribiera cuentos y te los leyera, quién bailara y actuara para ti.

Quién te divirtiera con su ingenio, con su risa.

Quién te ordenara y decorara el cielo, quién hiciera las fiestas de bienvenida para todos
los nuevos inquilinos.

Quién se encargara de los libros, las velas, la música, los postres, y de mover la luna.
Quién diseñara lo que aún no se había inventado.

Quién llenara ese vacío de santa monotonía, y acaso de falta de novedad que a lo mejor respira por allá.

Jorge llegó con Pafi, su osito de felpa, a barrer las nubes y a poner las estrellas en su sitio.

A sacudir la lluvia, a formar copos de nieve.

Y a hacer que el sol brillara más claro por su propia transparencia.

Jorge llegó con su verdad, según tu voluntad. A conversar contigo.

A oírte...y a que lo oyeras.

Una vez él había escrito una 'Oración a Diosesito', tú debes conocerla...

Él te llamaba así, 'Diosesito', y escribió en su diario: "Yo sabía que tenía que darle el regalo de mis danzas a la gente y a Diosesito".

He oído que mucha gente te da las gracias a ti, Dios, por una cosa, otra y la de más allá.

Pero esta vez toca que Tú, Dios, me las des a mí o nuestra cuenta sigue pendiente.
Formal saludo.

Mariluz Uribe de Holguín.

A Complex Style In Simple Words.

As I read the chapters, I thought of how the title is so contradicting to the style of the book. A Simple Soul, the book is not even near simple, the over descriptions of a house a garden are just so complex and so complete, that the name of the book is pure irony. “The new moon illumined part of the sky and a mist hovered like a veil over the sinuosities of the river. Oxen, lying in the pastures, gazed mildly at the passing persons. (Chapter II).” The sentences are about the same length. The imagery is very notable. I also enjoyed the way words, foreshadowed some events in chapter III Virginia, the little girl is very ill and living at a convent. She comes back, “Virginia walked in it, leaning on her mother's arm and treading the dead vine leaves.” (Chapter III) notice the word dead vine leaves, it foreshadows Virginia’s death. As Virginia walks towards death the same way, she treads through the dead leaves.
It is felicities nephew who dies, but when Madame Aubin compares Virginia to Victor it guessed that Virginia was next to die. The description of Victors death, it can be representing how somebody else is dying, the words “Here goes another one!” are rather insulting or diminishing human life. “He died almost instantly, and the chief surgeon had said: "Here goes another one!"(Chapter III)
So far the story is, enjoyable I like the way I can relate it to my history class, when they speak of American Revolution. After these mentions, I can imagine the way they lived easily, for what I know of the time. I liked the style of how is unpredictable and I had to read several times to understand the exact meaning of the words.

Good Girl Gone Bad

The Crying Of Lot 49 is probably the weirdest and most random book I have ever read. I understand some of the satire, which makes it enjoyable sometimes but is very hard to read. Thomas Pynchon´s style is awkward and beyond description, like my mom would say special or different, the use of commas, instead of periods and the story itself is just random. I think this story is one where things just happen and I believe this is not the common cliché story a bit innovating I think.
Odepia so far is a woman that represents the stereotype of the wild persons in the 60´s. I say it because it reminds me allot of my grandmother, a revolutionary who left her kids and husband and went and discovered the world ending up in theater and modeling. Not that Odepia is wild but, she is probably a woman who has the looks judging on the five or six boyfriends she has: Mucho, Pierce, Metzger and Roseman. All of these men are satirical especially Metzger a lawyer who was an actor in his youth. How can careers like those possibly interfere, they are extremities arts and law, not that a job defines our personality because this Metzger guy is somebody outgoing and daring. “That cuts down the probability, he told her, smug. She squinted at him through her glass. Then give me the odds. Odds would give it away.” Is it me or does that look like flirting , he knows she is married she is on a dead boyfriend business and she still has the nerve to flirt with her lawyer mentioning that she ends up sleeping with him. As much as I hate to say it this women is messed up. She has some kind of problem no wonder she thinks she is being persecuted she is crazy, and messed up these are the people end up at an asylum. She is like one of those good girls gone bad, "she wondred when then if this were really happening in the same way as, say her first time in bed with Pierce, the dead man." (pg23) we know from the start that her first boyfriend is Pierce and after Pierce came Mucho, so i wonder if Odepia´s feeling is regret. Regret on missing out on things so my reasoning or her excuse of sleeping around allot is her not having the wild life most people have in college and i think she is taking advantege that some people consider her as attractive and living the moment. Perhaps odepia is not crazy but she is in lament and sorrow. But the girl is still messed up, persecution really? she should go see a shrink.
So far the book is not boring like others I have read I still want to read and find out how it ends… yet is not a book I would read for fun, but is acceptable for class. I still see no point whatsoever on the story and I guess the reason we are reading this is to see the different styles like Mr. Thomas Pynchon´s writing and his story of persecution. Although I must say this is way better than science… I have enough of it in class.

KLIM Or KCUF, MILK Or FUCK

The story begins with a letter, a will that names our character Oedipa executor of a lot that belonged to her ex-boyfriend. It amazed me how drama evolved from a single way of communication, at first it did not understand it was a letter but as soon as I re-read it I focused on it. I kept reading and I found several mentions of different communication methods, such as the “greenish dead eye of the TV tube.”(pg1), book reviews, and most importantly oedipal husbands work pace a radio station. I have minor dyslexia and as I read the name of the radio station KCUF, I read it backwards and it said FUCK, just like KlIM backwars is MIlK it had to be on purpose. So I Googled it, and to my surprise, it was no mistake that the radio station name was that. I tried reading the explanation to the name of the station, but it was too far on the book. As I read the Google information, I got more interested in the text and concluded that the story revolves around communication. Notice also that some telephone conversations happen. In addition, the story besides revolving around the letter, it is as well revolving around on past conversations Oedipa had with Pierce his ex-boyfriend. Something I might also guess is that when they mention Oedipa´s husband worked at a car-lot, which made me remember the title so I think that this story has to do with the car-lot, because the writer described to extension Mucho´s fear of cars and the place.

Lady MacBeth Show Dawkins That She Is All About Business

"Are there any reasons for supposing our own species to be unique?"(pg189). Macbeth in regards to the question would answer that our species is supreme, because of the right to choose as he did, on killing his best friend Banquo. As for Dawkins, explanation would have to do with the fact that we have a culture. "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o' th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false and yet wouldst wrongly win." (act 1 sc5). As I write this, Microsoft word is trying to correct me, it does not understand that Shakespeare is not wrong, but what can I do? Languages evolve so says Dawkins, is a part of culture. Well I am glad that Macbeth's culture did not go to me, because I would not like to live in a world full of killers like MacBeth who betray their friends for his own good. But then again is just as Dawkins explains we are selfish, our genes are selfish, MacBeth wants survival of his genetic information by becoming king and maybe have little Macbeths running around.

If Dawkins were to have a conversation with Lady MacBeth or so as a lesson…

So Lady Macbeth how would you explain culture?

"Look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't. He that's coming must be provided for; and you shall put this night great business into my dispatch, which shall to all our nights and days to come give solely sovereign sway and masterdom."(act1 scn6)

"These ideas are plausible as far as they go, but I find that they do not begin to square up the formidable challenge of explaining culture, cultural evolution, and the immense differences between human cultures around the world, of the Ik of Uganda, as described by Colin Turnbull, to the gentle altruism of Margaret Mead's Arapesh. I think we should start again and go right back to first principals." (pg191)

What are memes?

Just when, the witches predict to MacBeth he is going to be king, and we do so the idea is passed on such as, "ideas catch-phrases, clothes, fashions… propagate themselves in the meme the pool by leaping from brain to brain." (pg192) or when I said to MacBeth to kill Duncan "when in swinish sleep their drenched natures lies as in a death what cannot you and I perform upon th' unguarded Duncan?"(Act one scn7)

Yes very well.. You are getting the concept of selfish.. Now if I were to propose a game, Prisoner's dilemma that goes on like this: we are two people sitting backwards from each other a banker or judge on the middle we can either defect or cooperate. Such as this chart:

You are blue I am green…

Which of the strategies I taught you before today would you choose?

			Cooperate	Defect
	cooperate		We, both win.. but a small amount	I win you lose points
	Defect		you win I lose points	Nothing happens

 

Remorseful, you hurt me I will hurt you back have you forgotten that I want was best for me, I want to become queen! I defect and not cooperate for my own good… like I said before "business into my dispatch, which shall to all our nights and days to come give solely sovereign sway and masterdom."(act1 scn6)

Ok great! You are a proof for my human selfishness; however, I might say that you would behave altruistic if it were your husband, or someone you cared for.

I think MacBeth and Lady MacBeth act just as Dawkins would explain she wants what is best for her and cares for her. She is surviving among nobles to become queen. There is a relationship between the Selfish Gene and MacBeth, one is the example of the other.

Pakistanis View U.S. Aid Warily.. Selfish Gene

In chapter 10 shows a new form of selfishness, what is as altruism is really selfishness. “Of animals live together in groups their genes must get more benefit out of the association than they put in… emperor penguins conserve heat by huddling together. Each one gains by presenting a smaller surface area to the elements than he would on his own.” (pg166) working in-group benefits us all, like my MacBeth reading group, we all provide different points and discussions we all benefit our personal understanding of the book ergo learning more.
“The Obama administration weighs a shift in its military strategy in Afghanistan, it is also stepping up its efforts to increase aid to neighboring Pakistan.” (NYT) after years in the war at Afghanistan fighting against Pakistan all of a sudden the US cares for their welfare, the Pakistanis have a right to lack trust for the Americans. After all, “if any individual cheats them, they remember the incident and bear a grudge.”(pg185) the Pakistani president holds some criticism to those who are in favor of the US although he accepted the aid, he is yet not convinced. As a former Pakistan senator Mr. Baig explains, “he felt that America needed to change how it has treated Pakistan and its democratic governments. “We always loved the Americans, but they deserted us soon after the first Afghan war,” he said. “Since then, the trust is gone. It is time to rebuild that trust, but with the introduction of Kerry-Lugar bill, distance between America and Pakistan is increasing because of some severe conditions in the aid package.”” (NYT) this current situation is a perfect proof of what Dawkins has been saying all long. As well as the behavior on group work for self-benefit Mr. Baig also explains, “There is an impression that America wants to micro-manage everything in Pakistan,” (NYT). The US just wants self-benefit, and I believe that the Pakistan point of view towards the americans right now is completely appropriate and common according to our ‘genetics’ and Dawkins. As I read this article, I started to believe on the selfish gene, for real, not as a homework but as a learning opportunity.

READ MEEE!!!

I Wonder..

Vocab. Chap 8

Wean: verb
To detach from a source of dependence.
To accustom to take food otherwise than by nursing.
miriam webster dictionary

swallow: bird
The Swallow gets is name from catching the insects they eat in mid flight. Its feet are designed for perching instead of walking and its front toes are joined at the base. Both the adult female and male swallow are similar in color. They have metallic royal blue upperparts and breast, cream to buff colored under parts, reddish brown forehead, chin and throat. They also have white markings on the inside of their tails. Their bill and legs are black. The female swallows tail streamers are shorter than the male. The juvenile is a duller color that the adults and lack the color in its forehead, chin and throat and its tail is much shorter. (wikipidia)

optimum:
2. Biology The most favorable condition for growth and reproduction. (there is no picture of this)
miriam webster dictionary

My Poor Mom Had A Handfull!

Why is it that lying is sooo bad? I am not encouraging it I am asking why it hurts people when we lie. “A child will lose no opportunity of cheating. It will pretend to be hungrier than it is, more in danger it really is. It is too small and weak to bully its parents physically, but it uses every psychological weapon at its disposal: lying, cheating deceiving exploiting …” (pg 131). Lying is a device used for ones benefit. We all lie, is something unavoidable, small lie, big lie, good lie, they come in all shapes and sizes. I still do not get it, why it is your friend gets angry with you when you lie, does he have to know every aspect of your life. When we tell the truth, we are becoming vulnerable, foolish exposed to others. Lying is not so bad is protecting us from the outside, and making our lives better full of smiles. Truth hurts, so lie and spare some crying. If my friend asks me if she looks fat, you out of instinct say no, although she may look fat, we protect her from self-starvation and bulimia. In the end, she already knows the answer and she knows we are lying but wants a cheer up so we do it anyway. Did it hurt her? No, it made her feel better.
“Parents, on the other hand, must be alert to cheating and deceiving, and must try not to be fooled by it. This might seem an easy task. If the parent knows that its child is likely to lie about how hungry it is, it might employ the tactic of feeding it a fixed amount and no more, even though the child goes on screaming. One trouble with this is that the child may have not been lying…” (pg131) this brings me back to the 4th or 3rd grade. I hated school, I really did, kids bullying me I was ashamed of myself, so I would lie to my mother and tell her I was sick. I did this so many times that there was a point where she did not believe me and made me go to school anyway. One day I was very sick, and I told her (I used to place my thermometer under a light so it looked like I had fever) I showed her my thermometer and she did not believe me, and made me go to school. When I got to school I threw up and had a very high fever, so they sent me home, in Medellin my school was about 1 hour drive from my house she had to pick me up. When I lied I was protecting myself from a horrible day at school, but my mom could not risk keeping me at home every day while she was paying for my education. You never know if someone is lying or telling the truth. Sometimes lying is good but other times lying is very bad. There is no black or white with lying it is more of a grey, it depends on the situation.
You know when you are a child and you really really want a toy, so you hold on to your mom’s leg, you cry and cry make a scene and embarrass her until she buys it. “The child is ‘saying’ ‘Fox, fox, come and get me.’ The only way the parent can stop it screaming is to feed it. So the child gains more than its fair share of food…”(pg 131). We instead of calling the fox we call for attention and embarrass our mothers, that social pressure we put on our poor mother forces her to buy us a new toy we don’t really need. One time on vacations, I was at a toy store and I really wanted this stuffed animal, man I tried hard to get it I cried and cried and made a tantrum but I did not get it. My mom just dragged me out of there, I got so angry that I tried everything until I realized I was too old for this and she was not going to buy it, so I started crying more but now it was out of frustration, my childhood techniques did not work anymore what was I going to do? That was the time I realized that my mom was smart and was not going to buy any of my childhood spoiled actions so from that moment on I think I started doing things for myself instead of waiting for her to do it. It was at that moment I realized I was old and I detached from her feeding and grew. I became the older child looking for its own food.

Compete

I am writing this blog no inspiration at all, so I go and check my friend’s blog and then I found Christina Falero. I click on the name and read; she asks herself why did she get a failing grade on her paper? Well I am sure I can´t answer the question or judge it but what is see here is an example of the selfish gene. She is clearly upset that she wasted her time and gave it her best. This is what Dawkins has been saying all along, competition. If she were the only one in Mr. Tangen class, she probably would not have felt what she did, because she could have not compared herself. “In a large and complex system of rivalries, removing one rival from the scene does not necessarily do any good: other rivals may be more likely to benefit from his death than oneself.”(pg68) this quote taken out of context but for me it showed the clear answer or explanation of Christina’s feelings. She is obviously sad because comparing with her friends she was not the best, she feels or should feel rivalry against all of us who did get good grade. However, what I think is that in a large complex of rivalry like is our school, which is full of over achievers and perfectionists, she is questioning the rivalry system. “I actually read the stupid book, and thoroughly checked to make sure my quotes all made sense. In addition, in the end you fail me, and all I could think was "What did I do wrong?" (Crysitna faleros blog honesty of truth) when she asks the what did I do wrong, she is simply saying why is there competition and because she did not get a good grade or benefit herself she is sad. This is an example of survival, she just happens to be the plant that cannot move the example of defeated by rivals. She shows competition, which in the end is what the selfish gene is about surviving, and evolution. Christina is another victim of overachievers in the school a sign that competition is what matters to all of us, and what motive us. I believe that she is now prepared to give her all best to survive for the next essay.

Plant Diary

I am here, something that can´t be changed. I am who I am. The why is out of my understanding. I move slowly and unnoticeable to others, I live, I breathe, I see the sun. We “plants move, but very slowly.” (pg47) I see the animals every day in the meadow, they move so fast and quickly, they reverse their actions and repeat them many times. Sometimes I wonder if I can ever do that, take a step back. However, I have tried and it seems impossible. When I wonder why am I here my parents yell at me and tell me that pants just are. Before I see the sun fade I think of what would have happen if I was an animal, or those big creatures who give me water when I lack of it, who five my air. My mom says we have to help them but I simply do not like them one bit. I believe they do not see us for what I am. My mom and dad do not like to talk or even express themselves they are just there without any motivation, I for a change am always thrilled to see the sun the worms that pass by me the animals and most important the blue sky, it inspires me. Sometimes I think I do not fit in, my friends do not talk to me and they always say cruel jokes like you are a plant and “plants have no need for a neuron” (pg48). I tell them I want a neuron, and that I want more than just “living without moving around” (pg 48) but they can´t understand and they make me cry. I cry not only because my friends do not like me but also because I am upset. “Natural selection favored animals…and they became equipped with sense organs, and devices which translate patterns of physical events in the outside world” (pg 49). Doesn´t that seem unfair to you I have none of that things I wish I were an animal! Oh and what I envy the most is memory! I wish I had one just like the pale white creatures. In addition, what is worst of all is that I am not a survival machine meaning that I have more or less 3 months of live and then I die. Meaningless and sad. Oh, I wish it were morning again so I could see the blue sky! However, life is selfish and those genes they are indeed the most selfish of all. Alas, my genes are not as selfish as those of an animal!

I Want To Sleep!

“Incidentally, there is of course no ‘architect’. The DNA instructions have been assembled by natural selection.” (pg 23) have you ever asked a science teacher if they believe in god? The most common answer is a no, ‘no architect’ no god… things were predisposed and naturally selected, as for the best survive, we are a prove of survival, though not for long in we destroy the world from global warming. I just came back from leadership, we did social service as something normal. Today however we did something completely random trying to save the world (unselfish off course) we planted 400 trees in a mountain to help with the deforestation and took part of a project to educate campers on how to save the rivers and lakes. We took a small step in the direction of reforesting the mountain we were acting like DNA “making proteins may seem a far cry from making a body, but it is the first small step in that direction.”(pg 23) I am a protein that helped and took a small step on to helping the world. Did I have a choice? No, is a part of being in leadership that we have to help others, but I did choose to join leadership because in my genes there is a need for overachievement. I am trying to study in the states therefore I need things on my application, did I have a choice? No, I would say more of pressure from family, who can’t seem to understand that “knowledge and wisdom you acquire during your life not one jot will be passed on to your children by genetic means.”(pg23) so this is a cry for help, to my parents who do not understand that I give all my energy on to pleasing them in my grades at school, that I have a need for overachievement for acceptance in my house. I am tired of a camping trip, full of bruises and falls yet I need to do my homework, and although I tried my mom is still angry at me for not doing my homework before the trip, but I did. She can’t seem to understand that I take more classes than English, although none help me express my thoughts. I still have one more thing to do, analyze the chapter and the book, because if do not then this writing was done in vain.

“They do not plan ahead. Genes just are, some genes more so than others, and that is all there is to it.”(pg 24). This quote somehow answers the question I did in the begging no science teacher believes in god because the things are just what they are humans are genetically arranged therefore are what they are and there is no afterlife, no planning just our bodies. I strongly disagree with what I just said, there is no reason for a science teacher to have no faith if science and god are two things that are separated genes may be, but the soul and the reason are another. Right now, my reason tells me to go to bed and eat something good, not rubber like meat, but my selfish gene tells me to keep writing. I can’t help to decide with reason to end this blog and go to bed.

Choice Or No Choice?

The selfish gene got me thinking of free will, if there is such thing as one. If we are genetically selfish then do we have a right or a choice to be kind and unselfish? “”our genes may instruct us to be selfish, but we are not necessarily compelled to obey them all our lives.”(pg3) notice the words all our lives, this sentence could be an explanation for selfishness, next time someone asks me to think of others I can simply answer my genes are telling me not too and I have to follow the path of evolution. For what I have read so far I believe this book is questioning our human existence, why is it that we tell ourselves that we are the smartest creatures of earth. Some say we have a choice, which is the thing that separates us from animals, but the book itself says that there is a relationship with our genes and our actions, (which we have no choice on our genes, being red-haired or blue-eyed) then we are compelled to follow our genetics therefore our actions. So I have to question the existence of a god, there can’t be such thing, as faith or destiny simply because we follow our genes path, and if there is a god it should be Darwin who developed his theory of evolution and human behavior “social Darwinism”.
Why do we drink cow’s milk and not zebra’s and why is it that we do not see a zebra drinking horse milk. We humans do everything so differently from animals, call ourselves unique and advanced; however we are the guilty ones for global warming, not a cow? So in the end did we drive global warming by choice or by genetics?
Are we stable creatures, “a stable thing is a collection of atoms that is permanent enough or common enough to deserve a name.” (pg 12) notice that we use the word stable for emotions, am I stable as a person, I am common and permanent and have a name. This is the first time I heard this definition of the word, when I use the word stable I think either of love or human emotions. “Sometimes when atoms meet they link up together in a chemical reaction to form molecules, which may be more or less stable.”(pg 13) love is not a choice it is chemical, and in love one is stable or not. If my parents got a divorce I could simply blame the fact that the molecules where not common enough to deserve a name. Moreover, people who say we have a choice at love, I think we do not I think love happens because It was meant to (by molecules off course not destiny) and people simply click, that is why you can’t force it but help it.
So do we have a choice? how many sides of evolution are they? Can this book relate to the common good? How should I act now?

Class Argument

“That is very well put, said Andrea but we must go and work our garden.” Said the teacher.
“How can I possibly cultivate my garden” Asked andrea to the teacher.
“well our garden, has the best of both worlds” said the teacher
“with all due respect, sir, your being irrelevant here, your optimism is kind of ironic to Eden´s garden, this statement just changed my whole view of the best of worlds, you sound like Hannah Montana and you add a boredom to the statement, what you have been explaining in the class of destiny is that we have no control whatsoever but now you implying that we have to cultivate our garden therefore saying that is up to us. And this is completely irrelevant to the novel, but is a perfect ending it contradicted what I had been saying all along and I think you should reconsider your thoughts sir.
“how dare you’”
“how dare you? I have just expressed my thoughts on what I think is right and it seems to be that you are ignoring the fact that this novel is a piece of satire therefore it can´t be taken seriously, and I have to question or state better that Pangloss was wrong throughout the novel. Even his name is contradicting, he wants s optimism yet his name suggests loss.”
“Go to the office”
“Sure thing, but I can´t get punished for my analysis on the book.”

Candide In El Dorado

Candide and Cacambo have reached El Dorado. Wow! Men wasted their lives searching for this city, which is one of the reasons we gained independence. And all of sudden Cacambo find this lost city, this reminded me of Pirates Of The Caribbean. In this movie we have Jack Sparrow, who is in the Davy Jones locker, and his friends went to find him. This place is for dead and is a place lost in time, to find the place you need to be lost. I believe that by dumb luck, Cacambo and Candide found this place. When you are new to a place you make different analyzes and expand your views, which is why people who travel more have a different view of the world. Voltaire may have use the finding of El Dorado as a way to express or amplify the topic of political views mocked. In this place what we find of material importance are the same as a plain rock in the ground which kind of mocks the idea of optimism and death, what seems important is not. So if we have optimism for money we find this world where is not worth it. I also believe that Voltaire was making a point and mocking those who lost their lives on finding gold. “Brittan plans to send 500 more soldiers to Afghanistan” war is being promoted and in this case being optimistic that with 500 more soldiers there is a chance of maybe winning or helping the war. But in Afghanistan the values of life are different than in Britain and El Dorado is a very different place to where either Candide or Cacambo have been a cultural clash. And those soldiers who are going to Afghanistan may expand their thoughts like Candide.

Aladdin's Magical Whole New World: And Its' Relation To Candide.

Today’s assignment is to link whatever we write to a youtube video, so I did!
In Candide we see people who are dead and later appear alive a forbidden love due to lack of royal relatives, a bad dude! It is like a whole new world. Candide kills Cunegonde’s brother and he escapes to a new world where monkeys are women’s lovers, Cacambo helps him and does miracles for Candide. This story is just like Aladdin, Cacambo is Candide’s genie, and Aladdin is supposedly dead but appears alive to share his love with jasmine. I am guessing that that is what is going to happen with Cunegonde and Candide. Cunegonde is royalty like Jasmine, Candide and Aladdin are poor and no royal relatives, they both pretend to be something they are not and they both kill someone Aladdin kills Jaffar and well Candide kills allot of people. The magic carpet can be the old woman who takes them to place-to-place and makes love happen between them. Jaffar can also represent the Bulgars, the Jesuits and all the bad persons in the book. And Candide has a sword just like Aladdin does. It is perfect and weird how to a children’s book can relate to An adult’s comedy.

Stay dead! Please!

I have had it with this book! How many times do dead people appear alive! It is creepy and yes, and what kind of book are we reading all that I can think of is if any of my dead relatives are coming soon, it gives false hopes to children. and yes I sometimes consider myself as a child, I am naïve and if it weren’t for my brother I would probably believe in Santa Claus. Mr. Tangen with all due respect this book was like Christina Mejia told me when I was little, and by that I mean the fourth grade that she happened to be my Spanish teacher in Medellin. “First time funny, second time silly, third time stupid, fourth time punch” here I would like to replace punch for freaked out! “Are you really lovely Cunegonde’s brother, your reverence?” (Candide pg64) all I can expect know is maybe Pangloss appearing all of a sudden, and be like, yeah I was hanged but I turns out that my neck really did not break while I was hanged it seemed as, and magically a doctor examined my body found out how I was not dead and fixed me! Yes! Hurray life is not bad everybody who dies appears later on! Or who knows maybe Cunegonde’s parents appear. And maybe even better after Candide “kills” Cunegonde’s brother he will live, and tell everything to everybody. the target here could be religious people, or witches who bring people back to dead! I am way to freaked out to discuss target!
and the picture i posted, that was my reaction!

Old Women: To Die Or Not To Die

After the old women tells her story, which I got surprised in how such bad stories can happen in a satirical book. All of a sudden, she explains how she thought of suicide “hundred times I wanted to kill myself, but always I loved life more. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our worst instincts; is anything more stupid than choosing to carry a burden that really one wants to cast on the ground? To hold existence in horror, and yet to cling to it? To fondle the serpent which devours us till it has eaten out our heart? —In the countries through which I have been forced to wander, in the taverns where I have had to work, I have seen a vast number of people who hated their existence; but I never saw more than a dozen who deliberately put an end to their own misery.”(Candide pg53) the question of why more unfortunate people don’t kill themselves is rational in this book were everything is sad stories which we mock, the auto-da-fe the earthquake, Cunegonde’s story. In past times and still today the Church forbids suicide she might have been following but it would be ironic, that she is a sin herself being born from the pope itself the bastard child, so technically she is bound to go to hell. After suffering such harsh experiences I would guess that the old woman’s’ thoughts are to be that nothing can be worse to what she has already lived so if killing herself is as sin, hell can’t be worse than life so why stop living? This seems like a good idea which kind of goes along with Pangloss way of thought, optimistic. I don’t really have clear why did the old women decide to live but perhaps is because all is for the best and she was bound to meet with Candide (I was trying to be funny there, because I do not believe in faith). She might also not believe in an afterlife and her mention of the serpent may be referring, to Adam and Eve, the sin of life. The fact that she questions it proves that she does not believe. This is also ironic because with a parent that belonged to the church she should believe it. But anyway allot of questions came up to me as I read this, one thing I can say, congratulations old women you if it weren’t for you maybe this whole story in the book would not have happened, you are very important good thing you decided to live!

Mute Movie

Hi, my name is Andrea Moseres and I am the producer/actor/editor of the mute movie you see below..
I decided to make something fun for homework, because I do not like getting bored and the work is better when you give it your dedication than when you do it just because. The name a mute movie is due to that the other day we were in class and Mr. Tangen said that is ok to include videos as long as you write so instead of talking I write. I found out you can do video essay’s I do not really know how to, but if you can do video essay why not do a video blog. I am presenting chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11. Which is the biggest homework yet but here I go.
Chapter 8 tells us about Cunegonde’s story, I did not really find anything funny but more of absurdity or hyperbole. “A Bulgar captain came in. He noticed that I was bleeding and that the soldier made no attempt to move. This lack of respect for an officer so enraged the captain that he slew the brute across my body.” (Candide pg. 41) it is a lack of respect to not attend to a wound but it is okay to kill an entire family, this part gave me the creeps I realized Voltaire really means what he says. The funniest part of the book yet is, when after Candide killed the Jew and the inquisitor he and Cunegonde go to the old woman for advice. She tells them that they have to flee to Cadiz and all of a sudden, she says, “the weather could not be finer, and we shall enjoy traveling in the cool of the night.”(Candide pg 46) excuse me, I do not know If heard well but you are criminals you should be running, and you are talking about the weather which is the most common small talk. Do you even have time for a small talk? Noo.. you don’t run away! It was funny..
When I got to chapter ten, I saw that Cunegonde and Candide are just kids. They complain about everything, the old women finally acts like a mom and tells them to shut up! However, it was about time, and this is ironic because it contradicts all that Pangloss had to say about optimistic, they are turning in to suicidal. “but I have been so terribly unfortunate in my affairs, that I have lost almost all hope.” The way you both complain!” exclaimed the old women.” (Candide pg49)
I could not find a better way to do homework, and Candide is a very satirical book that I am enjoying so I wanted everybody to see how if the book can be satirical and fun why can’t the blogs be as fun as reading a book.
There are no credits but to me because my dearest brother or mother or father or maid did not want help me in the production of the video.

Death, Kind, love, Cruel

Is there such thing as heresy? Who decides whether your way of thinking is wrong and mine is right? “Two Portuguese Jews who had refused to eat bacon with their chicken; and after dinner dr. Pangloss and his pupil, Candide, were arrested as well” (pg36) intolerance is seen in the earliest of times, and I believe is a problem that cannot be solved as much as we try. People say the holocaust was terrible and I agree it was dreadful, but so is burning people alive to prevent an earthquake. Voltaire mocks allot the religions, the Anabaptist who is more concerned on drafting people to his religion than the religion itself. When Pangloss says that everything happens for a reason then why is it that people as innocent as children die, and have to pay the price of people´s intolerance. Instead of laughing in this chapter, I got sentimental, thoughtful.
I give Voltaire the right to laugh, and ridicule all the religions as possible because in the end we all kill in the name of something we do not know it exists, and we can never be sure. Yet in at the begging of chapter seven this old kind woman helps Candide. So it is at this times where I can´t understand kindness and evil, it makes no sense at all how after all of sadness Candide finds cunegonde and it all seems like a fairytale. Sometimes I can´t understand the world, so I give up trying and start appreciating more and more what I have.

A Wierd Way To Do Homework

“Hey what are you doing?”Mary said
“No not much you?”Andrea responded to Mary.
“Hey, so check this out I was reading Candide right? And I was in the part were um Pangloss gets syphilis and I don´t get it.”
“Oh, yes! My dearest Pangloss, I am forever in debt with him. He enlightened me on how we have to thank those who have syphilis, because if it were not for them there would be no such thing as chocolate.”
“Wait dude, your optimistic theory, is way creepy. If everything happens for a reason, I am implying that is what you are saying. Then in theory I could sit my life in a couch and wait for life to happen.” Mary said with confidence
“Okay no, that is not what I meant, but instead I was saying that we should be thankful for what we have and see there is a side to… um… Yeah”
“That does not make sense”
“I know I got carried away, it was absurd”
“So you never answered by question, you did not even let me finish it. So what I don´t get is how syphilis was cured at the time it says, “During treatment, Pangloss lost only an eye and an ear” (pg31) how did he get cured?”
Well sweetie you are not getting the book is satire, Voltaire is making fun of the cure is absurd as well as Pangloss theory.”
“well good point, but something I still do not understand is that, it says how James the Anabaptist, off course Anabaptism is considered as heresy in the 17th century and the Amish descend of this religion, since they rejected any conventional Christian believes such as wedding rings and oaths.”
“What is your question?”
“Oh nothing I just did not understand Anabaptism so I though neither did you, so I quoted the meaning and included a picture”

Fortunate Candide...

Has there ever been such thing as love? Why is that we believe that love works? Now more than ever, the divorce rate has gone up, is more common to find someone with divorced parents than married. There used to be no such thing as a divorce, because there was no love we married by interest. “Whom the young lady would never agree to marry because he could only claim seventy-one-quarterings” (pg 1) this was a common thing to do, reject someone because he did not have enough relatives to claim as royal. Imagine if I did that, it would be considered absurd, it was at this point where I realized this was satire. Although it had been explained in class how Voltaire used satire, I opened the book and start reading, I was bored wanted to play Farmville on facebook, and then it came to me, enjoy the book! So I kept reading, and I ask why did this fair lady did not marry the baron when he “was one of the most influential noblemen in Westphalia for his house had a door and several windows.” (pg1) I mean wow, I will take in consideration before I get married, my husband has to have more than seventy one royal relatives and his house needs to include a window and a door, and I will make sure that even if I love him and he does not have this I will think that my fortune is not made.

This is a beautiful time I would certainly like to live in, there is no hope of love and where there happens to be a spark of it, like it happened to Candide and lady Courgone, it is broken. Maybe Candide did not own enough doors, but he sure found his fortune when he was drafted to war, war “your fortune is made. Go where glory waits you. And with that they clapped him into irons and hauled him off to the barracks.” (pg23) Now could his life get better? Heartbroken and in war oh well I doubt it.

Pentathlon or wrestle?

“You want to do the pentathlon, or to wrestle? Look at you arms, your thighs, inspect your loins” (sec 29) Make your choice according to your situation. One thing I finally agree with Epictetus, we can´t follow instincts when taking choices is in the line. We or at least I evaluate every possible outcome before choosing. I can’t´ become an athlete with my body even if I wanted to so I naturally don´t become an athlete. But with my brains I can become a lawyer or something that requires more thinking than moving. I have to make choices every day, and sometimes I do not have the time to think and analyze everything so I make an educated guess, and almost always I get the outcome I was hopping.
Surprisingly I found another thing in common with Epictetus, I have to work for the things I want. One thing I can´t stand is spoiled people, if you want something get it yourself. “You must be disciplined, keep a strict diet, stay away from cakes.” (sec29) I liked this quote particularly because of the cake part it made me laugh but mostly because it explains if you want to be in a marathon you have to be disciplined and do it yourself. Our actions depend on none else but us. If I want to be skinny I stay away from the cake, like I do. The cake mention was interesting for me because is something teenage girls tend to worry excessively about weight so I could analyze that Epictetus is directing to everyone, making me contradict what I had said before about this handbook being on mindless fools who try to become leaders. This Handbook provides a life style, that regardless to what I said I still would not follow it.

Dear, Robbie

Dear Robbie,
I am writing to you in account of your poem “The Road Not Taken”. First of all, if you call that a poem you obviously have not read my handbook, I will make sure you get a copy and for you to be able to write something good. If there is something I teach is never to be sorry, “if it ever happens that you turn outward to want to please another person, certainly you have lost your plan of life. Be content therefore in everything to be a philosopher, and f you want to seem one, make yourself appear so to yourself, and you will be capable of it” (sec23) if you are a philosopher then you now there is not two roads and that you can´t be sorry but you have to deal with it. Make best of what is given so in the case that there is two roads travel them both!
Ok, now I have a problem with this line “I took the one less traveled by,” how can you take a road less traveled by? if in here you mean the road of life you and I both now that there is only one road of life and it is traveled on because we can´t stop time. “I doubted if I should ever come back” Robert now you have disappointed me your doubting yourself? If there is one thing I know is that we have to be sure and have confidence, never do that to yourself!
There is more damage than what it thought the original purpose to this letter has been derived now I want to invite you to my house so I can teach you how to write, and be a mindless fool of a leader! And so you can stop that sensibility and deepness and become insensitive and all the opposite of a great poet!
Sincerely,
Epictetus

Dr. Epictetus I Am Afraid You Are Wrong

If we see something too much we will get used to it, “let death and exile and everything that is terrible appear before your eyes every day, especially death; and you will never have anything contemptible in your thoughts or crave anything excessively” (sec21) okay sure, I will have a brain wash dr. Epictetus. It will make my life easier I bet.
I was talking to a friend the other day about war, why is it that a soldier gets mental illness after war. First of all like dr. Epictetus said if you see something excessively then you will get used to it, and then become insensible. In sec 11 Epictetus mentions that we should be insensible to reach glory, now we learn how to. I have to ask if Epictetus wants me to kill someone every day to get to glory? No wonder soldiers are screwed up they have no feelings left, they stopped being humans for god’s sake. “so the idea of preventing war on earth is stupid” (sgh5 pg 117) so losing our humanity is inevitable, then soldiers should reach glory but guess what, is not working. We should not follow Epictetus because as far as I have seen, war soldiers without feelings reach as far as a mental hospital and doomed lives. So what can you say about that Epictetus.

The Joy Of Humanity

The thing that makes us all go weak and break down is human vulnerability. What I mean by vulnerability is human feelings the weak side in every one. It could be kittens it could rainbows it could be love, is that thing that makes us cry and sigh is that sweet part in everyone. Epictetus states very well how we should all be strong and avoid emotions to control us, “if you see a beautiful boy or women, you will find the capacity of self-control for that. If hardship comes to you, you will find endurance.” (sec11). Humans are resilient, we can recover from almost anything but there is still that side, so is sensibility and compassion a bad thing for leadership]?
We often criticize people who lack of sensibility but we also criticize them for having too much. I think there should be a middle point, but I wonder is there? You are in the last part of a contest, your “enemy” is your best friend he has his reasons for being there as you do, the reasons are as strong as yours what do you do? Do you squash him and win or are you sensible and let him win and in the long run you still have a heart. “if you want to make progress, let people think you are mindless fool about externals, and do not desire a reputation for knowing about them” (sec13) one would guess that this is the right thing to do, and my point here is strong. Hitler was a leader, a bad one and he was following Epictetus he had no desire of a good reputation and he did not care about externals. Now, should we follow Epictetus and become a mindless fool like Hitler? I think not, so I strongly disagree that we should be leaders without love and care as Epictetus state.
Humans are the advanced species, because we have the privilege of choice and mind, an ant has no choice but to guard his colony instead of running they have no courage, they have instinct. If by any chance a alien species came to us, they would see that most humans are naïve on making this vulnerable decisions and believing that “you want your children and your wife and your friends to live forever”(sec14) but that humanity that we have makes us unique, and strong and yes we have hard times because we care but I simply cannot care or making the end justify the means as Nicholas Machiavelli states. There is no possible way of all humans make in to progress or win if we stop caring.
Epictetus handbook applies to a small group of people who are willing to lose humanity to get their way. But I have to ask do we really want to lose such a big part of our lives. I would not want lose the smile I have on a baby, or my naïve way on thinking my family is there forever, yes I might get hurt but that is the joy of being human.

When Rules Are Not Followed

Have you ever seen the TV series of friends? Each character is so complex and represents different stereotypes. Rachel is the typical Preppy who tries to work her way out of her stereotype. Chandler is my favorite character he is the entire not dos on Epictetus. He is a man with a rough childhood, a mom and a transvestite dad very interesting. He always uses sarcasm as mechanism of self-defense meaning he is uneducated by Epictetus standards. “And uneducated person accuses others when he is doing badly.”(sec 5)
Chandler is the example of wannabe successful in everything, he over cares the things and complains about everything that comes in his way. “And if it is about one of the things that is not up to us, be ready to say, you have no relation to me.”(sec1) everything bothers him, those things that are not up to him and he suffers he by not succeeding , he has a lousy job he complains no women no money and uses too much sarcasm or jokes no one understands(the misunderstanding of chandler is what makes the audience laugh).
Friends is the example of what happens when you do not follow the rules of Epictetus. Therefore, it would be a great advice to follow Epictetus or there is a chance we could

So It Goes

“One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, “Poo-tee-weet?” (sgh5 pg. 215). Why did Vonnegut write the end of the book on bird language? As I read this last chapter I understood one thing life nor death can be explained or reasoned one thing we can’t understand are birds. It is not explainable yet is so simple, so Vonnegut took this chance to write a three-syllable word, who a child of three can understand as not human. We cannot justify war or a massacre is not understandable not something, human beings do with reason.

“Martin Luther king was shot a month ago. He died, too. So it goes.” (Sgh5 pg 210) the so it goes, for me was a demonstration of the things we can do after someone dies which is nothing, maybe go on. So it goes is unavoidable as death so it had to be used as many times. The so it goes is sad like death because it leaves the reader wanting to know more about the piece but it ends suddenly and without an explanation like a human life.

As I read I knew the so it goes was coming wanting to stop it I could not it was a sure thing to expect from the book. However, as I waited for the next so it goes great things in the middle happened, a story developed, and before I knew it the book caught me. Now the end came nothing more to say but simple words as poo-tee-weet. What happened to the so it goes? i wandered, but then I remembered Gilgamesh he is eternal because his city is eternal. The book is still alive! is in our hands whenever we need it, is hidden on our memories .

So one thing I can say I learned from this book is that we are never sure of anything but a so it goes.

Victory Came With A Side Effect

Victory came with burden.
Patient: Billy pilgrim
Disease: the patient happened to be a prisoner of war, the usual side effects. (“I was in Dresden when it was Bombed. I was a prisoner of war.” Sgh5 pg 193):
1. Hallucinations caused by possible brain exhaustion.
• “And then Billy was allowed to speak. Off he went, in that beautifully trained voice of his, telling about the flying saucers and Montana Wildhack and so on.”(Sgh5 pg206)
•
2. The patient may experience a possible creation of an alternate world, mixing the things he sees and pretending is magical.
• Things like the life of a character in a book can be confused as his own. “The time-traveler in the book went back to the bible times to find out one thing in particular.”(sgh5 pg 208)
• “Billy closed his eyes, traveled in time to a May afternoon, two days after the end Second World War in Europe.” (sgh5 pg 193)


Observations: sleep talks, “all he does in his sleep is quit and surrender and apologize and ask to be left alone” (sgh50g. 184) observation made by his roommate.
Comments, and suggested treatment: this man time traveler, several days after release abducted by aliens so he claims. The medical report suggests strongly keeping the patient under severe physiological observation until further notice. A recent patient of mine, Valencia Pilgrim died in her way to the hospital who happens to be Billy Pilgrim’s wife. In conclusion, this patient clearly suffers from emotional exhaustion and post-war disease. Never under any circumstances leave this patient alone possible sign of dementia, he can overwhelm a person and making him believe that he was indeed a time traveler but now he is a lonely men suffering a victory burden.

Who Would I Be In A War?

What makes us keep going after the worst has happened? Is human instincts, “those with eyes had seen it burn and burn, understood that they were on the edge of a desert now. Still-they had opened for business, had polished the glasses and wound the clocks and stirred the fires, and waited and waited to see who could come.” (Sgh5 pg 181). They eyes of the people had seen their city their friends die and still they opened the business they forgot about prejudice and pride, by letting the Americans stay there in the barn. This chapter remained me much of the twilight zone. A city destroyed no one else but enemies Americans and Germans, they need each other to survive. Would you let in your house the people who destroyed your city? That is what the Germans did with the rest of the Americans there is a point where you just can´t fight anymore. Parents divorce, because they hit the point were is not worth fighting anymore people take different interests in life. Yesterday in class I was asked is war justified, I answered that it depends on each case, but then is said is it worth all the suffering for then suffer even more, isn´t there a peaceful solution to avoid pain for everyone. I think there is, a mediation is much better where you talk a reach a solution to a problem.
“You’re going to have to fight the communists sooner or later, “said Campbell. “Why not get it over with now?”(sgh5 pg 164) this is ironic, they are in war all sore and weak and they ask them to join the people who did that to them just to get a war out of the way. The Americans are in a war and want to get it over with and then they ask of them to keep fighting and obvious answer would be a no. One of the characters, I enjoyed most of this book is Campbell although he is right about the communists he talks in a way that makes ask what is this dude up to. I like that about the book, we get to see difference characters acting differently in war. Would I be the same person in a war than what I am now? I don´t know but I do not want to find out because I like peace.

Deal With It!

I ask one thing why care? Who said we have responsibilities and if we do, why should I do them. I still accomplish my responsibilities or at least try, I am writing this blog. But can you imagine just stop caring and start doing what pleases you sometimes in life we feel like that, why keep going when we eventually are going to die why clean if it will get dirty tomorrow again. I don’t know but we humans tend to search for a meaning in life, what if there is no meaning. We can´t do just because we do, no there has to be a why do it so we do it. It gets confusing, imagine a world where we don’t have to ask the why we just do because we can is all alright and ok. “It was all right with him. Everything was pretty much all right with Billy.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 157) humans should just learn to deal with it, the world would be so much easier if there was tolerance much more quiet you get what you get and there is no way of solving. Everything would be still and I would enjoy it. People get in their minds that a so-called greater power will mysteriously change their life course but there really isn´t. I think that destiny or life is up to you and you are the only one that can change it you are in control of your life. If people would see that power they have life as we know it would be different people would stop self pitying and try to make something of what they have. I think this blog is a response of an anger caused by people who avoid responsibilities. There is a slight chance it took a different focus that what I meant.

Billy´s Slippers

“Anybody ever asks you what the sweetest thing life is-“said Lazarro, “its revenge” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 139). Sweet as what? As sweet as lollipop you just started and you lick repeatedly like if you were a kid? Waiting for your dad in bed, hoping he reads Cinderella and tucks you in. Why is, Cinderella even mentioned in this story? “The boots fit perfectly. Billy pilgrim was Cinderella, and Cinderella was Billy pilgrim.”(Slaughterhouse-five pg 145. Well we have established before that Vonnegut uses satire throughout the novel, and I think is allegorical. The real Cinderella story is in German, its name comes from the cinders in the fireplace and she used to sleep besides them therefore Cinderella. Cinderella’s mom died when she was young and her stepmother killed her father for money. As time passed, the ball came and she had a magical appearance by the ghost of her father who helped her get ready, she forgot her glass slipper and the story begins. Cinderella’s stepsisters tried everything possible to make sure the slipper would fit them, which is when they cut their feet so they glass slipper would fit them.
Why is Vonnegut using Cinderella’s boots, I believe is since Billy does not belong in war he finds this boots and he tries them on waiting for a perfect fit. The next we hear is that Billy pilgrim was Cinderella. Billy after all the war suffering comparing to Cinderella’s suffering with her stepmother was a war, Cinderella got married because of the slippers and Billy solved a problem because of them. I made the connection that is when we see that someone as simple as Billy is a. Like a Campbell soup simple life made great, Billy was nobody why examine him why take the time, why even mock him. Because simplicity is beautiful and Billy is a soul in suffering, like everybody else but seen as great.

War Inc.

I came to a very deep conclusion after I finished chapter 5, Human beings are very complex subjects. It may sound vague and a cliché, it’s been said to me repeatedly but it just passed through my ear and went out the other. As Billy Pilgrim, heard Howard W. Campbell Jr., read through the monologue that described the typical Americans I had to re-read that section several times until I got it. It says, “They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.”(Slaughterhouse-five pg 130) humans in order to tolerate have to be able to tolerate themselves, differences happen because if you are unhappy with who you are you take it out on another. Most of the time I think people just smile and pretend to be ok and therefore faking. Some people have a problem with fake people but I think at the end were all-fake, I can’t even tell the difference between real and fake. Reality hurts, and fiction is an escape, for humans.
We often say “try to put yourself in the others shoes.” What I respond to it, is we do it all the time because I am being very honest with you here, if I was the real me all the time then I would probably break most of the society standards, and we are in other people shoes most of the time. “The American army, however, sends its enlisted men out to fight and die in a modified business suit quite evidently made for another man” (Slaughterhouse-five, pg 130) what it took out from this part is not literal is more allegorical. Soldiers go to war to fight something that has not much to do with them, it has to do with the government and interests, the business suit made for another man refers to fighting a war that is not your own. Each and every one of us, have a war, either being to pay the bills or struggle in school is a silent war, because life is a war. This part reminded me of a movie, which I did not really like called, War Inc. the plot of the movie is to explain or show the real point of war. To show what we will get there someday War is not a government thing anymore but a profitable thing humans care more about business than the life of someone else. “Before you kill somebody make absolutely sure he isn’t well connected.” (slaughterhouse-five pg 109) this quote is talking about Jesus and I strongly believe that what it says is right humans will kill as long as it does not affect their economic life. If you kill someone connected with Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaeda will hunt you down and kill you, as instead If you kill a homeless person nobody will avenge his death. I am not saying that I am going to kill anybody, but human morals have gone down to the point where self-benefit is what matters. In addition, we can’t get by looking inside ourselves but by destruction .

if you want to see the War Inc. trailer just go to this following link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9SFoiYIs_4#watch-main-area

Mustard Gas And Roses And A Solved Dilemma

It was in the beginning of the chapter, to be exact the first page when I saw a quote and suddenly I felt a like an epiphany. It is just amazing what I felt, today we were in class discussing the different types of narrators in the book, me and my group came to a conclusion that there is 3 narrators Vonnegut who was at war with Billy and shared some of his life with him, a third person omniscient and Billy Pilgrim as a first person. We all can tell that in the first chapter is Kurt Vonnegut talking about the book then somehow we change narrators and talk about Billy, Vonnegut explains his time in war what he did after wards and says, “I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone. I get drunk, and drive my wife away with a breath like mustard gas and roses. And then, speaking, gravely and elegantly into the telephone, I ask the telephone operators to connect me with this friends or that one, from whom I have not heard in years.” (Slaughterhouse-five, pg 4) we know that, calling the operator was the way Vonnegut contacted his friend O´Hare, we also know for a fact that Billy and O´Hare are friends. So how do we prove that Vonnegut and pilgrim are not the same people as some say? “Billy answered. There was a drunk on the other end. Billy could almost smell his breath—mustard gas and roses. It was a wrong number. Billy hung up.(slaughterhouse-five pg 73) aha, as clearly quoted Vonnegut said himself that he was drunk and called his friends and he had a smell of MUSTARD GAS AND ROSES who called Billy that had mustard gas and roses, it was obviously Vonnegut. In other words, Vonnegut is not Billy therefore there are three different types of narrators and this may sound like a cliché but this case is closed and today´s dilemma was solved by me!

Light In The Dark

I believe that Billy is coming to realize that he can’t change much of his life, although he may want to, I think he found himself trapped in destiny. “Among the things Billy Pilgrim could not change were the past, the present, and the future.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 60) when you can’t change your fate, is because of destiny, and technically speaking if there is such thing as destiny you could sit in a chair waiting for life to happen. I do not understand why Billy has a problem with destiny, “GOD GRANT ME THE SERENTY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANE, COURGAE TO CHANEGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND WISDON ALWAYS TO TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 60) as the poster in his office says. He obviously needs help to deal with what is happening to him and I would imagine is a very difficult life. Imagine hoping around from moment to moment I would need COURAGE or WISDOM to know how to handle all the things I learn from time traveling. Billy needs sleeping, according to his doctor and a massager for his back, I would probably need one too if I had to relive the worst moments in my life, walking up in a different place and trying to figure out what year you are how old. Some people could say that, time traveling or hoping is good but the more I read this book, the more I want to freeze time and stay as I am.
Even though Billy is going through difficult times, Vonnegut makes you laugh by giving to the book good humor. ““Billy found the after noon stingingly exciting. There was so much to see-dragon’s teeth, killing machines, corpses with bare feet that we blue ivory. So it goes.” (Slaughterhouse-five pg 65) as I read this I felt guilty because when you talk about death is not very normal to laugh but the sarcasm of stingingly exiting, made me laugh very hard. Even in the darkest time, you can find light that is what my dad says to me when I cry or feel sad there is always a positive side of life or you can make it positive.

Op-Ed essay Materialistic Who Said

Materialism,
What is materialism? For those who don’t know materialism is the importance of material things more than anything else. Who are the affected people? Teenagers mostly, women or men there is no difference regarding which sex is more materialistic than the other is. Why are they affected? Personality would be my first guess but most of the affected people, have lots of opportunities and have been taught in their houses that material things make them happier. What bothers me about it? First of all, they don’t have the worth ethic or the “working for it” because everything is handed to them. And when something is not handed they have to talk in an annoyingly way expecting you to solve it for them. Second, they can’t seem to get in to their heads that life is not only money, and lipsticks and cars and that this bubble they are living in someday will pop, and they are going to be unprepared for what it is life. I know what they do with their lives is not my problem but one of the materialistic characteristics is criticizing people’s lives, so when these people mess with what is not their business it is my problem. They can’t control themselves and believe is all about them, this people usually are found in rich people environments, not to be stereotypical but middle class people can’t afford to buy as much as materialistic people do. Self-centered people are grabbed by the hand with materialism it is very common for materialistic people focus on them and ignore all of their surroundings. Because they ignore their surroundings I just cannot have a serious conversation with them it is like talking to a pineapple with makeup, I dare you to try and explain to them what goes around you without getting annoyed by the winey voice you will get as an answer. Sometimes they are confused as lazy but the term I would like to use is spoiled, spoiled people do not do anything. This syndrome of spoiled is found on girls allot, who by stupidity try to flirt. One thing I can’t seem to get in my head is the idea of what person on earth enjoys stupidity. This is often called attention seekers, and I agree it is attention but I think there are much better ways to achieve it.
How to solve this problem? Well you can’t blame a person for having money and you can’t stop them. You can’t control what their parents teach them, but you can control the media influence. Three words very common on materialism is “I want” “I need” “I must have” notice the I is used in the begging because it is selfcenterd. Where do the materialistic get the idea that they need, that is the media such as the television programs (Gossip girls) girls my age using a prada dress more than $2400 and never use again. That is a start the advertisement super skinny models and young havind tha Gucci bag the superstar having the fendi glasses. Gets the idea of this girls to have and have and have. So who should I blame well the consumer system and always wanting more. I can stop it by controlling the media but how can I do it, is still under reaserch. And someday I will be able to control it you will se me!

Death And Life In A Smile

I could not help seeing how many times Vonnegut wrote, “So it goes” in this chapter. Honestly I think it is allegorical he uses it after talking about death, therefore making it common and simple. “He died there of pneumonia. So it goes” (slaughterhouse five pg 41) “… And you cut out his eyelids so he has to stare at the sun till he dies. So it goes.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 37) he explains how the death came and he moves on. It is allegorical, as I interpreted, we can’t let things like death stop us and we have to enjoy every moment of life, so time is irrelevant and inconsistent in this book because enjoying is not a matter of time. The Tralfamadorians for me were Bill’s idea of a God he tries to act like them: “I simply shrug and say what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people, which is ‘so it goes.’”(Slaughterhouse five pg 27) bill shows an admiration towards them by telling people that he follows his thoughts, I think that is very clear.
Another allegory I found was when Billy said, “Frames are where the money is.” (Slaughterhouse five pg 24) it sounds like something you wouldn’t normally pay attention too but I think this has a double meaning. It seems to me that this quote is talking more about life than about frames, the fact that Billy is an optometrist is just significant. If I am not wrong, optometry is the study of the eye and you need the eye to work in order to see life and to make something out of it, and by the eye, I mean the conscience. In other words, the optometry could represent the study of life in this world. You need safety hence the safety goggles s for your life. The frames is just the part we know about or the part we let people know about us. So when he means were the money is where we enjoy life so we enjoy life by letting people see it and money means joy because who does not enjoy money? It is complicated but I think this book is going to lead me towards interesting discoveries. Life and death it is all connected and we should all be enjoying life as we go on and time as it said it could be irrelevant.

वर बेकोमेस फैथ

Wow, this first chapter just contains too much valuable information worth talking. While I read I thought about faith and Kurt Vonnegut perception of what is predestinated, and time seems to be mentioned allot. You notice how he quotes “if the accident will”(Slaughter house-Five, chapter 1 pg2)many times, first used by the cab driver and then he uses later on referring to his son “and another will be “if the accident will” ((chapter 1 pg 20). I think this is just pure destiny, if it’s meant to happen it will, it is faith and hope or some sign that he believes in a greater power. Today I was talking to a friend on msn, we were talking about going out some day, and she said something very alike to “if the accident will” I quote “you never know… maybe causally bump in to each other” (Camila Arango) the you never know has the same meaning, as the accident will. Is the thing you know and want that is going to happen but still you leave it up to faith. I found it very interesting
“I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I feel my fate on what I cannot fear. I learn by going where I have to go”.(chapter one pg 20) more faith though here he is quoting from a book he read, and it maybe that all the war he had been through got him in to destiny. At the begging he explains how war makes you tougher “World War Two had certainly made everybody very tough”(chapter one pg 10) and he just needs and escape and that could be a reasonable explanation. I felt Vonnegut felt the obligation to write about war and ended talking and because everybody was writing about anti-war books “what he meant, of course, was that there would be always wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe, that too”(3)and he just wanted some laugh in his life. “Poo-tee-weet?”(chapter 1 pg 22) that sounds like a comedy to me. I do not know what to expect from this book but it certainly looks interesting.

Betrayed By His Emotions

I want to make clear that before you read this you note that this is a role-play. Imagine that an outsider who by a miracle was pardon in hell and went to heaven to teach his wrongs wrote the first paragraph. Here he explains Dante’s last words. I as a student respond in a blog on the last chant written by the subject who is in heaven.

“Hold tight”, my master said-he planted like a man exhausted-“it is by such stairs that we must take our leave of so much. Then he slipped through a crevice in a rock” (Inferno, Canto XXXIV 82-85) as they fell down the crevice Dante couldn’t help wonder what was happening, all of the thoughts he had before, that Virgil was taking him deeper in to the inferno seemed very real. Dante suddenly started to feel this hate toward Virgil he couldn’t explain it all the love he had during hell why was he controlled over his emotions. As they arrived, back to Dis where Satan was, Dante did not dare to ask Virgil what was happening, he was afraid that he could hurt him. He had become a giant overwhelmed by his emotions all left of Dante was a big horrendous creature.

Virgil said to him, I do not understand what has gone wrong we cannot leave! Dante in his fury grabbed Virgil and squashed him with one of the cracked walls due to the earthquake. He hit him so hard that there was nothing left of Virgil. You could see a half smile on one of Satan’s head while he chewed Judas. So much had happened all turned black and the next thing Dante knew he was standing in front of Minos, not as human anymore he had become dead he was a soul. As Minos asked him what was his sin He could not speak, Minos tail coiled and there it was the ninth circle, Dante was destined to a life or should I say after life in the Judecca those who betray their masters. He was to be frozen by the ice were he could not move, not breath just stand very still.

Dante’s punishment was the ninth circle, because he vanished Virgil on a rage attack, after Virgil told him that they could not leave. the evilness seen had been so much it simply could not be washed out, they had to stay until it was fixed by a greater power (in this case and angel like the one who opened the gates of Dis or even God himself). Unfortunately, Dante stays frozen in the ninth circle and Virgil returns to the limbo, on the other hand, we learned that hell is not for the alive since our bodies and minds can’t take that much evilness. We have to behave according to what we have and we can never ask for too much like Dante did by going to hell. Though we still have this text because according to the bible it was passed on to new comers in heaven and by accident fell to the earth.