Final Reflection

  In the article we read earlier this year, called Why Literature, the author suggests that society will fail us if we do not incorporate literature in what we do. He writes, “The autonomous individual would not have been created, science and technology would not have progressed, human rights would not have been recognized, freedom would not have existed.” (Why Literature, page 44). In response to this quote earlier in the course, I concluded that the writer, Mario Vargas Llosa, was 'suggesting that there are many things in life that would have never existed without literature.’

I’ve noticed that while we read about the many issues that are or were taking place in our world, we focused a lot about what each of us are going to do about it. "So what?” is something people would ask if they didn’t care to talk about the things we did in class. But the answer should stick in our minds forever. We study the subject of Humanities because the future of humanity relies on what we’re going to do about solving the issues associated with our world today.

Obviously when you put minds together some may collide, argue, or create complicated conversation. But that is what made Humanities fun for me. There is no way anybody would get anywhere unless they truly thought critically about the world and everyone in it. As a class we discovered cultures. Learning about even our own was important because that is the culture where we have the most influence. 

I was glad to read sections of sacred books that mean so much to people around the world, because that’s something I probably never would have done otherwise.  I enjoyed learning about individual people and the many ways we act, love, believe, and suffer. There are so many different views about the many aspects of life. 

Going through this Humanities class really expanded my critical thinking. I’ve learned that without it, many things would have never been accomplished. I never thought that I would be pondering these issues the last couple terms of my senior year, but it has proven to be very beneficial to lead into what lies ahead of me for the future. I can remember the answer to all of my “so what?” questions so that I can make a difference in the world and strengthen humanity.

Miscellaneous Artwork

I am very into Photography, and just recently got excited about doing photomontages. This is a photo comprised of 134 separate photos digitally stitched together to make one scene. So each square is a separate picture. It was fun to try to fit them together, and I also had fun making it not match up exactly to give it some character. This piece was entered into an art show at Fashion Place Mall and received an Honorable Mention. Since then I have done another photomontage with black and white film photography, where I developed each photograph in a dark room. That montage received first place in the Murray High School Arts Fest Art Show. I currently do not have a photograph of that one because it is being entered into my portfolio. 

Qur’an

“There are some who say: ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day;’ but they do not (really) believe.” (pg. 232)

When I read this verse I can think of many people who are examples of this. This is very true about people belonging to my own religion. I think it is interesting to listen to other’s conversations when I pass them on the way to seminary, while they are on the way back. Some of their language and topics of conversation are appalling to me. There are so many people that stand with those that believe just because their family is a part of it, but are not really into it themselves. It is sad to see people who attend but hide their true feelings and actions elsewhere to their loved ones or teachers. Yes it’s their choice, but it really is a two-faced act and is very interesting to watch. 

Tristan

"Their high feast was Love” (pg. 304). I find it so amazing that love does provide “nourishment”. In the excerpt from Tristan, written by Gottfried von Strassburg, my favorite portion is “The Nourishment of Love”.

I connected this “nourishment” to something that I ponder a lot. I think about how children that are brought up feeling love are healthier. There have been many studies about this. It’s like mothers have the ability to provide such nourishment more than any body else. “Hidden away in [a mother’s heart she] carried the best nutriment to be had anywhere in the world.” (pg. 304)

Two lovers can carry this same type of sweet, life sustaining love for each other. It’s amazing what one look at your love will do for you. “Love made sweet as balm that consoles body and sense so tenderly, and sustains the heart and spirit--this was their best nourishment.” (pg. 304) Attitudes change, and even health increases because you know the person is there so you don’t worry as much. I know that sometimes people feel sick when the one they love is away.  Tristan vows to take care of himself while they are apart for her sake because he is her life.

Tristan also explains how love can endure. It’s the increase that makes it, when the one you love becomes even more beautiful, and more fairer, every day. It’s constantly growing and growing.

This piece of text is so beautifully worded. The way love is described and what it doe for the soul really does make you appreciate it more when you experience it!

Gender

Male Privilage Checklist

“If I’m careless with my driving it won't be attributed to my sex" (pg. 537).
I’ve noticed that when people see one girl driving bad it’s blamed on the fact that she’s a girl. there is a lasting stereotype that women aren’t very good drivers. I’ve also noticed that if a man is seen driving recklessly on the freeway, or anywhere else, comments are only made on how crazy that guys is. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it said the same way that it is about girls. People just comment about the one guy, and not the sex.

Media Portrayals of Men and Masculinity

"The Joker is a very popular character with boys, perhaps because laughter is part of their own 'mask of masculinity.' A potential negative consequence of this stereotype is the assumption that boys and men should not be serious or emotional. However, researchers have also argued that humorous roles can be used to expand definitions of masculinity." (pg. 539). picture of somebody that has a role like that.

Jim Carry, Bruce Almighty


"The Jock is always willing to 'compromise his own long-term health; he must fight other men when necessary; he must avoid being soft; and he must be aggressive.' By demonstrating his power and strength, the jock wins the approval of other men and the adoration of women." (pg. 539).
300 Spartan

"The Strong Silent Type focuses on 'being in charge, acting decisively, containing emotion, and succeeding with women.' This stereotype reinforces the assumption that men and boys should always be in control, and that talking about one’s feelings is a sign of weakness." (pg. 539).
Hitch

"The Big Shot is defined by his professional status. He is the 'epitome of success, embodying the characteristics and acquiring the possessions that society deems valuable.’ This stereotype suggests that a real man must be economically powerful and socially successful."(pg. 539).
Zucherburg, Facebook owner

"The Action Hero is 'strong, but not necessarily silent. He is often angry. Above all, he is aggressive in the extreme and, increasingly over the past several decades, he angles in violent behavior.'"(pg. 539).
Hulk 

"The Buffoon commonly appears as a bungling father figure in TV ads and sitcoms. Usually well-intentioned  and light-hearted, these characters range from slightly inept to completely hopeless when it comes to parenting their children or dealing with domestic (or workplace) issues."(pg. 540).
Raymond

All images were retrieved from Google Images. 


Looking for my Prince Charming
This piece of literature written by Shalmali Pal simply illustrates the way of life for a single girl. She’s looking for the perfect one, but has specific limitations to the one that will be hers. Is she too critical to have a set list of things that she prefers? I don’t think so. I think it’s great to set goals or standards because they are the one you will be spending a lot of time with so they better fit something you like! I wonder what it is like to attend BYU where there are people like this all over the place that are just ready to get married. She points out that it’s been two years that she has “phoned, e-mailed and dined with three potential ‘ideal husbands.’” Seems to me it’s a bit exhausting to be a bachelor/bachelorette and find that Prince Charming. 

Diversity: Race

Graduation

This excerpt from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, written by Maya Angelou, gave me some interesting new insights on how life would have been while separate was equal. Being so close to graduation it definitely applies to me. Even though in the book she is talking about her 8^th grade graduation, I still would have reacted the same to the speakers that she did if something with the same type of insults.

Angelou writes, “The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and our boys (the girls weren’t even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises.” (pg. 616) Even though the speaker was trying to tell them that they could become like this “idol”, they also did the opposite. Those who are not athletic or not male have no chance to become what they viewed should be their example. It was interesting to me when she talked about how she responded to the quote, “to be or not to be”. She stated that they just told her that she COULDN’T be, so she doesn’t even have that choice.

Two different songs were sung at the graduation. Because of this separate anthem for the country America, I thought about “I, too, am America” from the Langston Hughes poems on page 594.  Are they acknowledged as Americans if they are to sing a different anthem for their country?

Selected Poems

“I, too, am America” is only one of the many poems selected to highlight Langston Hughes’ poems. It really is my favorite as well. I like how he describes the day when he will gain his rights as a citizen. He talks about how nobody will tell him to eat, breath, or basically do anything somewhere else, and that they will be ashamed because they once did. This poem is also quoted in “The Great Debaters”. I believe that people really did quote him to keep each other strong. His works must have influenced many.

The Shocking Story of Approved Killing in Mississippi

I am having a hard time responding to this article by William Bradford and I’m not sure why. I guess it could be because it really is a “shocking story”. This is the first time that I learned about the things that people got away with in those days just because they did it to a black man, especially murder. Its crazy to think that there were no penalties for things that were done in that time of our history.

Our discussions in class about the incident in “The Great Debaters” where a scholarly and very wise black man is still trumped by scraggly, farmer, white men made me think about this a lot. They could have killed him and his whole family right there and gotten away with it. I think the father knew that. That would be so stressful to know that at anytime somebody has the right to kill you.

Of course in this story, Emmett Till did make a choice to go and get himself into trouble. I’m not sure that he understood, at the time, that he really could be killed for doing what he did to that girl. I wonder if he ever fully thought about that.

Passion and Romance

The Art of Courtly Love

Now days, there really aren’t any set rules about love. It seems that in the past love was a simple thing. You didn’t have to wonder what to look for, you just were surrounded with your options in your rank. And if there was an exemption, you followed those rules. It is amazing to me how much this ideal has changed over time. 

We have worked around these rules and found out a way of living that permits the opposites. TV has definitely played a huge role in deciding our society’s views about love. The way Males and Females interact now is completely different. It is less strict. There used to be very set rules on the way gentlemen had to treat women. We here about how knights used to be punished for not doing sertain gentlemen-like actions.

The idea of “Courting” is almost nonexistent nowadays. When my brother was going to school at Murray High, I attended the musicals that he preformed in. One of which was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I remember loving this musical and the music. The song “Going Courtin’” made me a bit confused though because I had never heard of such a word. I even asked my mom what it meant. It just goes to show that “Courtly Love” is no longer an “Art”.

Sonnet: Love Is Not All

There are people who are bitter towards love. I believe that this author is either bitter or have done experiments with other people that are bitter about love. She explains that love isn’t everything, just by giving a few small examples of things that love cannot fix. 

I think the most interesting line written in this poem is, “ I might be driven to sell your love for peace, or trade the memory of this night for food.” (page 320) It definitely explains deeper than the words alone. It is different for me to hear about love in a negative way. We often hear about how the love of the beloved is peace and everything to those that feel of that love. Maybe thats how people feel when they are in a poor relationship? They probably feel as though they would feel more peace if they were not with a certain person. 

This poem puts love on a smaller scale. When reading you realize that the things the author explains it cannot fix really are true, but why does love make us feel like it does fix everything, and is everything?

Symptoms of Love 

I love the name of this poem. It gives another way to explain the common phrase, "Love Sick". When you hear about an illness, you also look up what symptoms to look for to diagnose the problem. That is the same with Love and this poem.

Something I can definitely relate to is "Listening for a knock, waiting for a sign" (page 318). Sometimes I literally stand next to the window waiting for him to get to my house. I feel anxious and excited to see him walk up and knock on the door so that I can open it and see him there. Just hearing the door knock and knowing that he is there is a real exciting thing for me! I get butterflies! It's the same feeling I get when I hear his ringtone, telling me that it is him calling. The waiting is the hardest part. And I think that is where the "migraine" comes in to play. Sometimes worrying about your loved one, for me, is the most nerve-racking.

It was funny to realize that people really can tell when you are giddy about somebody, just by the way you act. There really are symptoms of love.

Creative Writing Response to Passion and Romance

Creative Writing Response

To Passion and Romance

           

            “Love calls for guts and initiative.” (The Art of Love, p. 295) To obtain a long lasting love, there is a hard work involved others could not imagine if they hadn’t gone through it before. It takes a leading action, readiness and ability. But once your whole self is out there, you are the happiest you’ve ever been before. No regrets.

           

I know that there are doubts and fears put into the things we care about the most and in our greatest strengths to stop us from progressing and achieving. These can be overcome and the progress desired will be obtained. Something people need is the guts to communicate. I struggled with this. I never trusted myself to say the right thing. But I’ve learned that that doesn’t matter. It’s the extra work you put into that has got to come through face-to-face, positive communication and more personal talks. It takes the sharing of everything, your whole heart and soul, in trust and unconditional love. It never slows down. The love and support can’t be held back. Your hopes, dreams, desires and needs all should be verbalized and confided. The only change you want in your love is just to love more and more. It truly is a joyful work. I’ve learned that it is better for my desires to be known, than regret ever expressing them at all. He would never know. And I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. Everyone has the opportunity or big growth. Make the most of it!

           

“Love has no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. Love still stands when all else has fallen.” I don’t need to define love to know that I feel it. I’ve never had to work for something as hard as I have for the Love I belong to today.  I can’t believe the guts I had to tell him how I felt and wait to see if he would accept what I had to say. The passion is in the risk. I think about where it’s got me. That was 7 months ago, and now he is my everything. I am grateful for the initiative I had in that critical moment. If you knew me before, you’d understand that I would have never thrown myself out there like I did. I love the way we talk to each other. We can work through anything. But the greatest part is that we haven’t had to work any contention out of our relationship because we work on avoiding it together by the way we treat and speak with each other. There has never been a time that I have been angry with him. I know that it will take continuous hard work. But it is worth it to get to that attachment stage, where you are with that person in old age and still wonderfully in love. I don’t think people realize the work that goes into it. There is no destination in love. It is a constant journey. You always work toward something.

            This is the greatest work anyone could ever do. I’ve been seeing the world in new light and can see the joy from the effort.  I love how determined people in love are. Only people who are in deep sincere love would go through some of the things they do. There are guts involved, thats the first step. Love is not a destination. It’s a journey worth every risk that comes with it. It takes guts and initiative.

The Symposium

            The word Symposium is defined as a group of people coming together to discuss ideas. This philosophical dialogue by Plato, deals with ideal love and the vision of absolute beauty. The dialogue expresses the discussion between Diotima and Socrates. Socrates believes that love is absolute and the ideals are perfect, whereas Diotima explains that love shouldn’t be black and white, or perfect.

           

my little sister :)

            Our discussions in class about the different views of love between men and woman were very interesting. Something someone said they had heard before was very true. She said, “Women wear makeup because men fall in love with what they see. Men lie because woman fall in love with what they hear.” Every person has a unique way that they attract people they are dating, or crushing on (some more noticeable and obvious than others). What are we most attracted to about love? What makes us want to go the extra mile for that love? For some, it is just the possession of it, and others just the other’s want of possession of them even if they don’t want to possess. There are people who love and pursue towards people, but then won’t take possession of them in return. They just like to be wanted. “Then love, may be described generally as the love of the everlasting possession of the good?” (p. 286). In many cases, this is very true. She goes on to say that this ties in to procreation, where love becomes of immortality. It becomes lasting and creates generations.

           

During the discussion Diotima points out Socrates’ mistakes and errors in his theory about what love is. I thought this was the most interesting. She explains that he has confused Love with the Beloved. “For the beloved is the truly beautiful, and delicate, and perfect, and blessed; but the principle of love is of another nature” (p. 287). She describes how love isn’t described as one thing or another. It’s between “ignorance and knowledge…wise and foolish…mortal and immortal.” Perhaps this is why love is so impossible to describe as just one sided.   

To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress

         

            To His Coy Mistress took a lot of thought to get through. I had to read it a few times or more. But the more thought I put into it, the more understanding I got out of it, even though I still don’t understand it fully. I like how poetry does this to you. It stretches ideas so that they are not as clear as the rest of literature is. It has a message that has to be discovered.

            Coy means to be shy and reserved, so I believe that the narrator of the poem is speaking to his Lady to get her out of her shell, because their time to love is short. I may be wrong on my interpretation, but that was my thought process.

The author, Andrew Marvell, states “The grave’s a fine and private place, but none, I think, do there embrace” (p. 310) and then proceeds to say that before we end up in the grave and while we are in our youth we should “sport…while we may.” Ages go by and “beauty” slips away, so there should be a time in our lives where we should be making the most of it because we won’t be cuddling in our grave with our Love for eternity. Time is running short for all of us and while we are living we should Love before it dies.

           

                                           

2nd Annual Favorite Poem Project

Poetry Reading Review

1.       Rachel Voorhees

Class period 3

2.       Name of the poets:

There were many poets that read at this event. Some of their names were Marene Holter, Florin Nielson, Kirsten Scott, Peter Saunders and many others.

3.       Location and date of the reading:

The reading took place on April 25^th at the City Library.

4.       Organization sponsoring the reading

This event was sponsored by the Utah Humanities Counsel to provide for the continuation of the Annual Favorite Poem Projects. This was the 2^nd.

5.       Find out as much as possible about the poet of poets presenting the reading before you go. If possible, read some of the poetry by the poet(s). Tell me what you found out and what you thought of the poetry.

All of those that read were either very experienced and famous for their poetry and other writings or they were making their first poetry reading appearance. I did not know who was going to be reading before hand so I wasn’t able to research their works before going. But finding about what they each have accomplished before they read gave me a larger appreciation for them and I found myself more into listening to them because I realized that they were professional and passionate about poetry. It must have taken a lot of dedication and hard work to get where they are today.

6.       Discuss the kind of poetry the poet writes. What themes are important to his/her work? Are there images that recur in more than one poem? What is the tone of the poetry? What sort of formal devices (rhyme, rhythm, figures of speech) does the poet use?

There are scenarios and similarities in why they read the poem that they did. Some would reoccur through out the poetry that was read. I think it is interesting that many of the poems were about animals. I think that people connect with animals. These types of figures of speech describe feelings from another prospective. Sometimes stories are implied but not bluntly stated. Each poet spoke rhythmically and gave each poem a new mood. For example there was one read by a girl named Claudia Bilingnal. Her poem was about how language doesn’t need to be a dividing power. It was about a father that wanted Spanish to be spoken in the home, and English to be left outside of the home and the frustrations it caused for the daughter. The way she read portrayed the emotions of anger and frustration. Different culture’s poetry was also read, which I thought was very interesting to listen to and try to understand.

7.       Comment on how the poet’s reading contributes to your appreciation of the poetry. Does the poet emphasize the rhythmical or musical qualities of his/her poetry in the oral interpretation?

I loved the creativity in the way a poet speaks. It flows beautifully and its almost like singing. The rhythms go faster or slower and is always moving. Poets know exactly when to read quicker or slower. Their pauses enhanced the poem. The way they read is very much like music. The musical terms “phrases”, swells and crescendos, rests and rallentandos all apply. While these things turn notes into music, they also turn words into poetry.

8.       If the poet comments on the poems, discuss how those comments illuminate the poems.

Because this event was all about people’s connection to certain poems, the comments that they made were the reason for the whole event and were very important. These poets connected with the poems for many different reasons. Everyone’s life is different, so a poem could mean the world to one person and won’t mean anything to another. Poetry connects to you because of memories, profession, your children, grandchildren, culture, and anything else you experience. One poet read about a pig, and connected it to her son whose favorite animal is a pig. Another read about the anatomy of a frog and said it grabbed his attention because of what his profession was. All of their comments just proved the fact that poetry can run deep in individuals because of they way their life has gone.

9.       If the poet is available after the reading, try to ask him/her an interesting question or two.

I wasn’t able to stay after the reading, because I had to rush somewhere right after, but I would have liked to talk to the girl who was in 6^th grade that read. I wanted to ask her how she got so far in poetry and what sparked her interest. I think it is great to see kids get into poetry because it seems to be something not very many people are interested in anymore. I hope that schools like hers are teaching about poetry.

10.   Go back and read the poet’s work again. How did the poetry reading affect your understanding and appreciation of the poetry?

Instead of looking up a particular poets work, I looked up Florin Nielson, because I was interested in what he does for a living. He teaches the writing of poetry class at the Mount Olympus Senior Center. I thought it was great that he helps people find guides for their lives through poetry. It shows how influential it can be. He said that his youngest student is 65 and his oldest is 95.

11.   If you use quotes or paraphrases form outside source in your review, document them according to the MLA Style.

Information about Florin Nielson- http://www.deseretnews.com/article/660220179/Senior-writers-have-winning-way-with-words.html

The Art of Love

Love is compared to War. The author of The Art of Love, Ovid, talks about similar love and war is. A few things he says I believe are completely true!

            He states, “Who but a soldier or lover would put up with freezing nights—rain, snow, sleet?” (p. 295) People truly in love are so determined. It is hard work. Many people think that love is a destination. They believe that once you get somebody to love you, you don’t have to work on it anymore. But the only way that a love can last is if both are always giving, and lifting each other as they work together to talk through anything. They should treat each other as their greatest priority, and stewardship. I love movies where the guy goes through so much for the girl. Lovers do things that otherwise they would not. I think about Darcy in Pride and Prejudice as he does those things for Elizabeth even though she before had rejected him. “Love calls for guts and initiative.” (p. 295)

            Its amazing how well love and war relate. I was so surprised as I read his comparisons. One last quote that I really thought about said, “The defeated can recover, while some you might think invincible collapse; so if you’ve got love written off as an easy option you’d better think twice” (p. 295).  The men we view as “invincible” do have a weakness. Love, like war, can make grown men cry. So is anybody strong enough for it? It all depends on how hard you are willing to work. It can make anyone the happiest they have ever been.

Song of Songs

Photo I took of Kallie Sommercorn's and her husband’s rings.

As a class we read a piece of the Hebrew Bible, called Song of Songs or Song of Solomon. These “lyrics” are written very beautifully and portray the love between man and woman. As I read a long I found a few sections that I loved and underlined.

The man and woman talk about each other in the most loving and special way.  This kind of talk from a lover is ideal and very romantic. I love the names they give each other. It reminds me of how I feel when I get called a sweet name by my man. J The one I can relate to the most is the name My Love. I know that these simple but sweet namesmean a lot to me so I connected with that probably more that some people in our class. I think the greatest joy is to be able to say these names to each other in person.

Today, relationships are becoming all in writing. Guys text what girls want to read but then cannot say the same things while they are actually around that person. I imagine that these songs were sung or recited to the one they love. It would be amazing to have someone that loves you to recite a poem he/she wrote in person. Our culture is completely different now though. We don’t see that very often. I think about all the things that Romeo says to Juliet when he is with her. We don’t speak to our loved ones like that anymore.

Chapter 2 also has one of my favorite quotes. “—As a lily among the thistles, so is my love among the maidens. –As an apple tree among the trees of the orchard, so is my Beloved among the young men.” This quote has things said from both the woman and the man. It’s very sweet the way they talk to each other. 

What is Love?

  

The general point made by Helen Fisher in her work What is Love? is that there are biological explanations for the reasons that we feel the emotion of Love. More specifically, Fisher suggests that our brains have different networks and chemicals that are released in certain sections of our brain. He writes about the science behind romantic love and stated, “Dopamine is associated with excessive energy, elation, focused attention and the motivation to win rewards—basic traits of romantic love.” (page 335) In this passage, Fisher is suggesting that romantic love is a craving just like our need for food because dopamine is also released then. In conclusion, it is Fisher’s belief that our brain and the chemicals in our body create these reactions of love. It is in our culture and how our brains are taught to react and what they have been taught to be satisfied with.

In my view, Fisher is right because the chemicals released are real. It is scientifically proven through tests of the brain. For example, they can do test on the brain to show what parts of the brain are active during certain situations. The author talks about a test where they would show those under testing a picture of their beloved and their reactions in their brain were specific to a certain part of the brain. Although Fisher might object that there are also reactions within the heart associated with love. I maintain that the heart allows us to feel the actual reaction to seeing a loved one. We do not have the nerves in our brain to actually feel love. But the heart skips beats, beats faster, aches, and all of these reactions are felt physically. Therefore, I conclude that love isn’t only connected to the brain’s reactions but also to the heart’s.

Introduction to Passion and Romance

          
           This unit we are studying something very hard to explain, define, or determine its source. To introduce this topic, this passage familiarizes us with the stories and articles that we will read. Many have different ideas about what Love is.

           

There are many different theories and experiments led out to figure out how this connection we have with others affects us so much. Some even try to argue their explanations on how it affects us. All of these plays, songs, movies, tell us a majority of things about love.

           

In the Introduction to Passion and Romance it states, “Loving is the way we tap into that divine, immortal world. Love becomes a way to talk about the eternal, about our innate desire to feel that there is something permanent about our selves.” I really like this. It makes me thing about how I want love to be eternal. Even Plato argued about this so many years ago. Have we gotten closer to understanding it since then? Not much. It’s still a mystery to every one of us.

           

My favorite way that people describe love is very poetic. Metaphors are used to compare love to something we are familiar with because there aren’t many other ways to explain it! I love how clever people get with their metaphors. Many of them just make sense to us, especially those who have experienced love. Those metaphors become truthful, and create a visual of love and not just the feeling. When I was in Jr. High I loved to collect quotes and poems about love that describe it very creatively. I want to look through some of the ones I wrote down and share them with the class. 

Divine Lovers- Our Own Creation Myth

Divine Lovers


Before there was a before, there was a then. Before there was a below and an above, there was a there. It was called The High, and all Gods dwelt there. A community of Deities, living, roaming, and loving. The most true of those that loved was the love of He and She. They could not be separated, and completed one another fully. One not surviving without the other.

A war broke loose in The High, out of greed for power. Gods are powerful creatures, so the horror was immense. Destruction was eminent, and He and She became fearful. They decided to make a safe haven for themselves, knowing the fate that lied before them if they retreated to it. The safe haven was genuinely beautiful, and full of color, and they named it Earth. As a symbol of his love, He created small beings that he called Animals as a gift for She. They were created to represent him, and for his spirit to live within if anything were to happen to him. She was amazed and thankful, and knew that she must create something in return. With He in mind, She created nature, the plants, trees, water, and sun. When presented to He, it was said that they could sustain the animals that He had created, keeping them alive and pleased. Her spirit would live throughout them, constantly providing for the spirit of He. The plants and animals worked together constantly. One not surviving without the other.

Since He and She were Heavenly beings, they could not live on this Earth that they had created, unless they were to forever become spirits. This made Earth a last resort for He and She,so they created a protector that could live on Earth, as well as in The High temporarily. This protector wass a being, similar to He and She, yet not as powerful because it was not a Godlike figure, and could exist on Earth. They named it Soul.

Complete demolition began to occur in The High until nearly everything was destroyed, but He, She, and Soul made it out just in time. As they were bursting through space at the speed of light, blasting down into Earth, the evil Gods did not want them to escape! They used their powers to destroy He and She, but Soul who was following behind surged a globe of safety around Earth to protect them. Earth was made forever round, and protected all inside it from the evil Gods, but Soul was seemingly destroyed. He and She instantly became spirits, and were hidden throughout Earth, to stay forever.

He and She felt great sorrow over the loss of Soul, and searched high and low upon Earth for it. Suddenly, they came upon Sould, but it seemed to be different. Soul was found in two halves. These halves resemble that of He and She, only weaker and Earthly. They were called Soulmates. He and She helped the Soulmates to find one another, and they lived in harmony, simply sustaining one another, living off of the plants and animals created by their own creators. The spirits of He and She, in gratitude for protection, helped and guided them the rest of their lives, living through the Soulmates, sustaining one another forever. One not surviving without the other.



Rachel Voorhees and Abbey Smiley

Nature Argument Paper

Several of the authors in the Nature themed section such as Carson and Leopold, agree and believe that  becoming more respectful and acquainted with the earth will protect it from getting destroyed and will benefit ourselves.

For example, Carson stated, “It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility.” (p. 370) Our relationship with the earth has been neglected and ruined. Carson stresses the idea that is necessary for us and maybe even vital to enjoy the beauties of it. We will be benefited mentally, physically and spiritually. There are so many opportunities for activities revolving around the land and natural surroundings.

 Author of Wildlife in American Culture, Leopold, stresses the concept of “Unplugging”. Gadgets have become a necessity and are often times being used to destroy nature. He stated, “The conquest of nature by machines has led to much unnecessary destruction of resources. Our tools improve faster than we do.” (p. 372) We need to Use these new tools gently. He describes a conflict that I think is very true and interesting. The new good and easy to use guns are creating people who go out and shoot just because they have this gadget. These people are called bad shooters with good guns. They just leave the dead carcasses behind. This skill that used to be a practice to feed, clothe, and sustain your family is now used as a damaging tool.

Because nature is not being enjoyed, many of our historical nature plantations will be torn down. Fighting for the interest in these places will help restore them. Programs for kids, which help them to become more knowledgeable about the trees, animals, bodies of water, and plants around them are very important and should be encouraged. I remember when I was in Elementary School, I attended field trips to the local Nature Center. There I learned more about the nature than I did anywhere else. Getting kids to think critically and to become more interested in being outdoors will help encourage future generations to preserve it. Statistics show that we are coming closer to the destruction of all of the natural nature sights.

Nature is getting destroyed. We have created a power to destroy nature. Foreseeing what our actions are doing to the earth should be addressed so that we can more appreciate and protect it. It is becoming more destroyed and less flourished. Not only is nature becoming more damaged because of the technologies that we build to further destroy the land and the humane ways of hunting, but because of our lack of getting out of our houses, cars, and comfort zones to enjoy them. Technology is moving us further and further away from the enjoyment of these lands.

On the other hand, people believe that we have a need of increasing the children’s knowledge of technology. It’s amazing to me to see small children operating IPads like its no problem. My niece Jaylee knows exactly how to turn on a movie for herself at the small age of 2. I have heard people talk about studies about those that play Call of Duty. It was said by a man in the Army that if you want to be in the armed forces and learn more about the wars of America then just play Call of Duty because you’ll learn more accurate things there than anywhere else. The story lines are accurate and that’s great! But how many of the people that are spending hours and hours on these games actually want to pursue a carrier in the armed forces?

Our time is being wasted. Agreeing with the authors, it is my opinion that the time we spend on our technology instead of outdoors should be limited. Every person should have a goal to do something to get involved and enjoy these beautiful surroundings. And as we visit these beautiful places we should not abuse the abilities that we have to control these technologies when we are dealing with nature. These goals will benefit our family time, stress relieving skills and many other aspects of everyone’s lives.

Drama Event Critique- WICKED!

1.) What play or musical did you attend?

On March 30 of this year, I attended the musical Wicked performed in New York on Broadway.

2.) Give a summary or description of the play you saw (at least 150 words).

This breathtaking story is a behind the scenes look on the classic tale of Wizard of Oz. It shows the lives of the good and the wicked witches of the land and how their lives were leading up to the original classic story.  It explains questions like how Elphaba became green, and the different relationships between the witches.  It also explains how she becomes wicked. The story goes from their days in school to after the Wicked witch of the West “melts”. It is interesting because you find out things that you would have never thought about before. Elphaba becomes Wicked because of the way other’s judged her wrongly and she started to believe them and give them what they wanted her to be. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are all incorporated as well and the story goes through their lives as well. Almost any question that was left unanswered in the Wizard of Oz gets answered in this musical.

3.) In 250 words, discuss the quality of the performance [include a discussion of the costumes, lighting, acting quality, direction, sound quality, and any mistakes or other problems that detracted from the performance.)

The set for this play was phenomenal! This play has been running around 10 years and has used this same stage and set the whole way through. People that I know who have seen the traveling cast and stage for Wicked said that that set doesn’t even compare to the one they have at this original stage. Everything abut it went smoothly and sometimes you didn’t even realize that the scene changed until minutes after. There was a live band that sounded very professional and the mic set up in the pit was absolutely perfect so that you could hear every single instrument. The only thing that detracted from the play was he temperature in the theater. That was the only thing but it would quickly be forgotten once the play started more into it. It was pretty cold in there.

These people are professionals so their acting quality was amazing. You compare it to other plays and its amazing how talented at acting people can get. The story was believable and you were apart of it because of how well they acted it out.

Once again I want to talk about sound quality. Their sound system is very well put together. You heard every little thing that you were supposed to hear. I don’t know how other places have some hard times with mics not working at all or making very loud noises that are distracting and sometimes hurts your ears. There was absolutely none of that. It was simply amazing how clear their voices the music, and every little detail was. And we were on the last row in the balcony!!

4.) In 250 words discuss the social & philosophical issues the play addresses and indicate what answers/conclusions were reached. What is the argument?

There are a number of issues in this play that either get solved or cause many things to happen.  First, because Elphaba is green, she struggles with fitting in anywhere.  Her father uses her to be protection for their other child and doesn’t treat her like a daughter of his own.  At school, all of the students judge her and make fun of her for the way she looks.  The good witch Glinda in her school years roomed with Elphaba which was a problem at first because Glinda is very confident in herself and is popular.  As they grow older they both love the same guy.  This messes with the friendship they had developed and by the time Elphaba is in hiding, Fiyero runs off to find her and protect her from all the people who believe she is wicked.  Every good deed that she did was viewed wrongly and the stories told by certain people were believed and Elphaba was viewed as a very wicked person even though she isn’t.  Eventually the criticism made her believe that she in fact was a wicked person.  Because she got punished for all the good things she did, she decided to never do a good thing again.  She just figured that she would just get criticized for everything she did so why try?

One connection I made with Humanities class, was how Elphaba wanted to protect the animals of the land.  In our humanities class we discus doing what we can in saving wildlife and protecting the environment.  That’s what Elphaba does and was criticized for it as people are today.

5.) If this was a musical or opera, discuss the role of music played in the work. (150 words)

Music is a very large part of this Musical. It is called a “Musical”! All of the feelings of characters and very prominent parts of the book are expressed through the Music. The music is very important to me because that is all I was able to hear of the play before I got to see it. For many people that is the only part of the Musical that they know. Even just by listening to the CD you get pretty much all of the story There are only tiny details that you don’t hear in the music. I was very impressed by those who played and sang the music when I was there. The music very much gives a dimension to the play that is wouldn’t have gotten anyway else. It is amazing to me how much Music can impact any musical or play. Can you imagine a movie without background music. Try it sometime and put a horror movie on mute. Its definitely not as scary, or maybe even not scary at all. The same is with musicals. It would not be the same without the Music. And I LOVE  to sing a long J.

6.) What did you find out about the background of the work or playwright? (look it up on the web, 100 words)

Wicked was originally a book but when it was read by Stephen Swartz, music writer and composer, he knew instantly that he wanted to make it a musical. With the help of Gregory McGuire they worked together to revise the book so that it would be compatible as a play. After getting the music and costumes finalized they took it to the San Francisco Pre-Broadway trial. After they were done playing they received a standing ovation. The crowd’s reaction was as if they were already a smash hit on Broadway. They were then placed on Broadway were the city buzz about the show made it become a big hit and still is today. (http://www.wickedwestend.co.uk/articles-reviews/wicked-history.htm)

7.) Would you recommend this performance to others? Why or why not? (100 words)

I would definitely recommend this performance to others!! I really enjoy Wicked and it was amazing to see it on Broadway. If people don’t get a chance to go to New York and see it there then the traveling show would still be worth seeing. The story is very interesting and I think that those who don’t know what it is are missing out on a huge story that occurred before Dorothy even got to Oz. It’s amazing what else is incorporated and the things you find out for yourself. When you see the story you become shocked to know the “truth”. It becomes the real story and makes watching Wizard of Oz so much more fun!

8.) What was your personal reaction to this performance? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not? (100 words)

My family has loved this play and we sing to the CD all of the time. I remember the first time I listened to the music, we listened to it the whole drive to and from Las Vagas. Watching the musical live was exciting and I couldn’t help but sing along. Which probably was very annoying to the people sitting infront of me but I loved it. I am excited because the traveling cast is coming to Utah this summer and I will most likely be attending. Any Broadway experience in one that you will never forget your whole life because of how well done it is and how much you fall in love with the story! I am very excited and so yes, I would definitely attending this event again.

Tao Te Ching

The general point made by Lao Tzu in his work Tao Te Ching is that there is a state of mind, and specific ways that you can gain more integrity. More specifically, Tzu suggests that your identity can become one with the “the Great Integrity.” He writes, “But when the universe becomes your self, when you love the world as yourself, all reality becomes your haven, reinventing you as your own heaven…for you will be not you but she (the universe) and both—the universal Great Integrity.” (pg 167) In this passage, Tzu is suggesting that we should love the world as ourselves and then reality will become where we want to be, and as he describes, “your haven.” In conclusion, it is Tzu’s belief that people need more wisdom about the world they live in. Obviously he knows what should be known to make your life better and more fulfilling.

In my view, Tzu is right because all of these strait forward yet philosophical analogies really are ways of forward thinking. It is all based on positive values and ways of life in many different situations. For example, the concept of Tao is “often translated as ‘the Way’” and also translated as “the Great Integrity.” Although Tzu might object that many people may not understand his analogies if he wrote them just in regular paragraph form. But because of the way they are written through balance of words, I believe that they are easier to understand the way they are. I maintain that his sayings through rhyme and rhythm connect to people more that just words. Therefore, I conclude that these writings would reach to people and inspire them to have more integrity.