Do our choices about how we present ourselves to the world conceal or reveal our personalities? Write a brief description of someone who presents an outward appearance that is completely different form what is on the inside. Think of a character from film, literature, or television, or make up your own.
Our choices can either conceal our personalities from the world, or they can reveal our nature to those around us. By deciding to present ourselves and act in a manner contradictory to our true nature, we give others a specific impression that does not reveal our true nature. Whichever choice we choose to do, we leave upon others a specific impression for them to judge us by. In a sense, the choice of concealing ourselves from others can ultimately reveal something about our true personalities, but this is only if one sees through the appearance you bear. Most people act slightly differently around different people, leaving different impressions upon each.
I think that in most cases there's a balance between how much we reveal and how much we conceal. There's always a balance, whether we are totally conscious of it or not, to better fit the current circumstances that we are in.
The best example I can think of of someone who conceals his true personality is a character from To Kill a Mockingbird, Dolphus Raymond. Raymond is an extremely wealthy white man, but he is treated disdainfully within his community because he had children with a colored woman. In appearance, Raymond takes on the form of an alcoholic, stumbling around town and drinking out of a paper bag (assumed to be alcohol). However in reality, he is more than sane, and the liquid from the sack is actually coca-cola. He does this because he knows that the people of Maycomb will never understand why he was with a black woman, and uses the appearance of the alcoholic to give them a reason to believe why. This allows him to live an easier life.
It is from this that Scout, and the readers, learns that sometimes you simply need to pretend to be someone you know you are not, in order to fit the circumstances.
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Rites of Passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding events such as other milestones within puberty, coming of age, marriage and death. Write about any rites of passage that you know about. Have you passed through any your self? What significance do the individual words “rite” and especially “passage” have?
I will bet you anything that this journal is a prompt for the short story we are about to read, "Through the Tunnel," where a young boy tries to swim through an underwater grotto to reach the pool on the other side. This, essentially, is considered a rite of passage (especially when you think about the possible symbols the water represents).
Some rites are very explicit and obvious, while others are more personal and subtle. For example, fraternities and brotherhoods require a certain ceremony for admittance into the group, and significant life events, such as your first time kissing a girl, receiving your driver's license, high school graduation, jumping off a high ledge over a lake, puberty...
More personal rites can include things such as baptism, the acceptance of a religion into one's life, overcoming a seemingly-insignificant obstacle in order to gain approval or self respect (like in the story "Through the Tunnel")...
I guess the major rite of passage I undertook was accepting the words of Jesus as truth, and of course, puberty. That is very important.
A "rite" is, by definition, an established ceremony, and a passage is the act of passing, or going, from one state or place to another. When put together, I guess that a "rite of passage" is a special ceremony, as prescribed by a certain religion or belief, that allows you to move from one state to another.
I will bet you anything that this journal is a prompt for the short story we are about to read, "Through the Tunnel," where a young boy tries to swim through an underwater grotto to reach the pool on the other side. This, essentially, is considered a rite of passage (especially when you think about the possible symbols the water represents).
Some rites are very explicit and obvious, while others are more personal and subtle. For example, fraternities and brotherhoods require a certain ceremony for admittance into the group, and significant life events, such as your first time kissing a girl, receiving your driver's license, high school graduation, jumping off a high ledge over a lake, puberty...
More personal rites can include things such as baptism, the acceptance of a religion into one's life, overcoming a seemingly-insignificant obstacle in order to gain approval or self respect (like in the story "Through the Tunnel")...
I guess the major rite of passage I undertook was accepting the words of Jesus as truth, and of course, puberty. That is very important.
A "rite" is, by definition, an established ceremony, and a passage is the act of passing, or going, from one state or place to another. When put together, I guess that a "rite of passage" is a special ceremony, as prescribed by a certain religion or belief, that allows you to move from one state to another.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Being Tested
Think of a character in a book or a movie who faced a tough challenge. What physical and mental tests did he or she meet with? How did the character feel at the end of the ordeal? Write a brief summary of the character’s experience, then try to relate it to an experience you have had yourself.
The most obvious character I could think of that needed to achieve a goal but faced multiple challenges, both physical and mental, is Frodo from The Lord of the Rings. After a fateful turn of events, Frodo, an innocent Hobbit who lives in the Shire, finds himself in the possession of a dark object - the ring of Sauron, the Dark Lord. Following his possession of the ring, Frodo finds himself on a quest to destroy it without letting it fall into the wrong hands - or letting the rings overpower him.
The objective is quite simple: dispose of the ring. However on the way, Frodo and the Fellowship meet more opposition than ever imagined, as the "dark" forces continue to work against them. Frodo encounters the physical challenges of trekking across Middle Earth and fighting off waves of resistance. The mental test of the journey, though, was far greater; Frodo also had to guard his mind from the ring, which would try to tempt him, and infiltrate and corrupt his thoughts. Other prominent characters from the books and the movie, such as Boromir, also had to fight against the temptations of the ring. Denethor, the King of Gondor, also suffers from the corruption of his thoughts, though not originating from the Ring.
At the end of the journey, Frodo succombs to the ring's power, and almost kills himself because of this. Nevertheless, the ring is destroyed and Middle Earth is saved; however, Frodo is still traumatized by the Ring's effects, leaves Middle Earth for the Undying Lands, separate from Middle Earth.
I think that life in general is kind of like the journey of Frodo. We fight against the external conflicts of life - the waves of oppression that threaten to knovk you down - but we are also heedful of Satan, who continually croons to us, tempting us to succomb to his power. At the end of the journey, which is in our case, death, I have confidence that I can leave the world for heaven; sin and death has lost its sting. For Frodo, he left for the Elvish Undying Lands, which can be thought of as a metaphoric heaven.
The most obvious character I could think of that needed to achieve a goal but faced multiple challenges, both physical and mental, is Frodo from The Lord of the Rings. After a fateful turn of events, Frodo, an innocent Hobbit who lives in the Shire, finds himself in the possession of a dark object - the ring of Sauron, the Dark Lord. Following his possession of the ring, Frodo finds himself on a quest to destroy it without letting it fall into the wrong hands - or letting the rings overpower him.
The objective is quite simple: dispose of the ring. However on the way, Frodo and the Fellowship meet more opposition than ever imagined, as the "dark" forces continue to work against them. Frodo encounters the physical challenges of trekking across Middle Earth and fighting off waves of resistance. The mental test of the journey, though, was far greater; Frodo also had to guard his mind from the ring, which would try to tempt him, and infiltrate and corrupt his thoughts. Other prominent characters from the books and the movie, such as Boromir, also had to fight against the temptations of the ring. Denethor, the King of Gondor, also suffers from the corruption of his thoughts, though not originating from the Ring.
At the end of the journey, Frodo succombs to the ring's power, and almost kills himself because of this. Nevertheless, the ring is destroyed and Middle Earth is saved; however, Frodo is still traumatized by the Ring's effects, leaves Middle Earth for the Undying Lands, separate from Middle Earth.
I think that life in general is kind of like the journey of Frodo. We fight against the external conflicts of life - the waves of oppression that threaten to knovk you down - but we are also heedful of Satan, who continually croons to us, tempting us to succomb to his power. At the end of the journey, which is in our case, death, I have confidence that I can leave the world for heaven; sin and death has lost its sting. For Frodo, he left for the Elvish Undying Lands, which can be thought of as a metaphoric heaven.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Proving One’s Self
Why do young people feel, at one time or another, the need to prove their strength, endurance, or maturity? Have you ever felt this way? If so, describe the situation. What were you trying to prove? To whom? Have you witnessed this happen with someone else, either in real life or in a fictional account? Describe the situation and try to determine the young person’s motivation.
Young people, and generally most people in life, will at some point or another feel as though they need to prove themselves through acts that display their strength, endurance, maturity, or something else. Most times these acts of proving oneself occur because that person wishes to gain the approval or respect of group (for example, Daniel from The Karate Kid, who participates in the karate tournament to gain the respect of the local bullies). It's not only in this situation does one need to prove him/herself though; placement in society is all about how you can prove yourself. This doesn't necessarily occur because we wish to impress others; in contrast, I think that most of out actions where we try to prove ourselves are done for our own benefit - to prove to ourselves that we have the capability. People need to prove to their bosses that they should be promoted; players need to prove to their coaches they can play well enough to start; and we as students continually try to prove ourselves by doing the best in every class.
On a more jovial note, like all males from any species men need to prove ourselves in order to gain the approval of a special someone.
Have I ever felt like I need to prove myself? Except, as mentioned above, my role as a student to do good schoolwork, how I try to impress people with first impressions, and how I respond to the expectations from my parents and from God and myself, I'd have to say that's it.
A big, and famous, example I can think of is from the film The Karate Kid, where Daniel learns karate in order to prove himself to the neighborhood bullies (as well as to prove to himself) that he is worthy of respect and dignity. I think when there is a large event where we need to prove ourselves, we tend to learn from it and it becomes one of those "coming of age" stories.
Young people, and generally most people in life, will at some point or another feel as though they need to prove themselves through acts that display their strength, endurance, maturity, or something else. Most times these acts of proving oneself occur because that person wishes to gain the approval or respect of group (for example, Daniel from The Karate Kid, who participates in the karate tournament to gain the respect of the local bullies). It's not only in this situation does one need to prove him/herself though; placement in society is all about how you can prove yourself. This doesn't necessarily occur because we wish to impress others; in contrast, I think that most of out actions where we try to prove ourselves are done for our own benefit - to prove to ourselves that we have the capability. People need to prove to their bosses that they should be promoted; players need to prove to their coaches they can play well enough to start; and we as students continually try to prove ourselves by doing the best in every class.
On a more jovial note, like all males from any species men need to prove ourselves in order to gain the approval of a special someone.
Have I ever felt like I need to prove myself? Except, as mentioned above, my role as a student to do good schoolwork, how I try to impress people with first impressions, and how I respond to the expectations from my parents and from God and myself, I'd have to say that's it.
A big, and famous, example I can think of is from the film The Karate Kid, where Daniel learns karate in order to prove himself to the neighborhood bullies (as well as to prove to himself) that he is worthy of respect and dignity. I think when there is a large event where we need to prove ourselves, we tend to learn from it and it becomes one of those "coming of age" stories.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Symbols
In your own words, define what a symbol is and how it functions. Think of one or more symbols and describe them, then describe what they symbolize. Why do you think those things have acquired a culturally agreed upon meaning? How does something like this happen? Can symbols be created at will, or do they occur “naturally”? Can you give an example of one or the other (or both)?
In my own words, I would describe a symbol as an arbitrary sign or object that has a conventional, or generally agreed upon meaning, significance or indication. How it functions? I think that over time, a group of people will view a particular object, item, or sign, and according to their culture, will attribute it to something that they feel it seems to be a representation of. Sometimes you just feel that an object is a clear representation of something else; there probably is no real logic behind it.
A few universal symbols are, very obviously, things such as "fire," which represents two aspects: both warmth and destruction; and in a more contemporary point-of-view, emoticons, which uses punctuation marks to create facial expressions. A few symbols are also very prominent in western culture and philosophy, such as classical elements: fire, water, earth air; and the four temperaments: choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic and sanguine, which I learned about in last year's English course. The classical elements and the temperaments are intertwined in meaning, both finding their origins in ancient Greece. The four temperaments were originally called the Humors, and they represented different personalities according to each temperament. The classical elements vary in how they are interpreted according to different cultures and religions; for example, in early Buddhism, the four elements were a basis for understanding suffering.
I think symbols attain their conventional meanings when a group of people view a sign or object as relating to something else, in which both share a common characteristic, as is the case with the symbol "fire". Sometimes a symbol may be personal, and in this case the symbol may be referring to the sentimental attachment the person (or group) feels towards the object. In other cases it seems to be made up. Origins of symbols are hard to trace this way because they are so often borrowed, reused, and renamed due to differences in people's interpretation of the symbol (as I learned from reading The Da Vinci Code, in addition to all the other Dan Brown novels). For instance, the symbol of the dove carrying an olive branch, representing peace, I believe, probably finds its origins in the book of Genesis of the Bible, where Noah sends a dove out the ark and it returns with an olive branch. Symbols are usually disagreed upon in their meaning, again, due to differences in culture. Off the top of my head, an example could be the symbolic meaning of bats. In western culture, people seem to regard bats as though they are demons. However, in asia, bats are traditionally a symbol of good fortune.
Some symbols have a symbol that is generally agreed upon. Objects such as fire have attained universal acceptance because what they represent are clear in the object's natural characteristics. Some symbols, such as the all seeing eye and the Masonic Square and Compass (again, credits to Dan Brown) are symbols that can only be recognized - and interpreted - by few because of its limited significance for the general public.
In my own words, I would describe a symbol as an arbitrary sign or object that has a conventional, or generally agreed upon meaning, significance or indication. How it functions? I think that over time, a group of people will view a particular object, item, or sign, and according to their culture, will attribute it to something that they feel it seems to be a representation of. Sometimes you just feel that an object is a clear representation of something else; there probably is no real logic behind it.
A few universal symbols are, very obviously, things such as "fire," which represents two aspects: both warmth and destruction; and in a more contemporary point-of-view, emoticons, which uses punctuation marks to create facial expressions. A few symbols are also very prominent in western culture and philosophy, such as classical elements: fire, water, earth air; and the four temperaments: choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic and sanguine, which I learned about in last year's English course. The classical elements and the temperaments are intertwined in meaning, both finding their origins in ancient Greece. The four temperaments were originally called the Humors, and they represented different personalities according to each temperament. The classical elements vary in how they are interpreted according to different cultures and religions; for example, in early Buddhism, the four elements were a basis for understanding suffering.
I think symbols attain their conventional meanings when a group of people view a sign or object as relating to something else, in which both share a common characteristic, as is the case with the symbol "fire". Sometimes a symbol may be personal, and in this case the symbol may be referring to the sentimental attachment the person (or group) feels towards the object. In other cases it seems to be made up. Origins of symbols are hard to trace this way because they are so often borrowed, reused, and renamed due to differences in people's interpretation of the symbol (as I learned from reading The Da Vinci Code, in addition to all the other Dan Brown novels). For instance, the symbol of the dove carrying an olive branch, representing peace, I believe, probably finds its origins in the book of Genesis of the Bible, where Noah sends a dove out the ark and it returns with an olive branch. Symbols are usually disagreed upon in their meaning, again, due to differences in culture. Off the top of my head, an example could be the symbolic meaning of bats. In western culture, people seem to regard bats as though they are demons. However, in asia, bats are traditionally a symbol of good fortune.
Some symbols have a symbol that is generally agreed upon. Objects such as fire have attained universal acceptance because what they represent are clear in the object's natural characteristics. Some symbols, such as the all seeing eye and the Masonic Square and Compass (again, credits to Dan Brown) are symbols that can only be recognized - and interpreted - by few because of its limited significance for the general public.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Choices
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, for more than our abilities” (J. K. Rowling)
What do our choices reveal about who we really are? Think about an important choice that you have made. What would others learn about you if they knew how you chose? Do you agree with the quotation above? Are there times when we have to make choices that don’t reflect how we truly feel or think about things? Could this be culturally influenced?
According to the quote, our choices show how we cope under different situations, and our decisions are a general reflection of how we live our lives according to what we believe in.
Our choices generally do reveal our nature and how we live our lives. The man who decides to give up his wealth in life to pursue wisdom and the man who sits in the dark for 15 years contemplating murder give you different insights to a person's nature. What I know is that is the decision made is genuinely what one believes in their heart to be the best choice for the situation, then it's probably also a representation of who that person is.
I made a decision to follow the teachings of Christ a year or two ago, and I chose this religion over all the others that I could have chosen. This was a choice I made from the heart and probably reveals something sentimentally provoking. Bad choices are made, though, and most of them are made without thinking something through (which in itself also displays a part of one's nature). These bad decisions usually cause regret and self-pity (that is, if you are a sane and respectable human being); for instance a person's decision to give in to temptations or lust is considered by most to be immoral, and while the thought that led you to give in to the decision was favorable at first, in retrospect the choice was very poor (and the consequences dire).
Are there times when we have to make choices that don’t reflect how we truly feel or think about things? Well, I think that when one makes a decision they don't believe in, but do anyways, that in itself is a decision that they have made, because they know adhering to "what is in their heart" isn't always the most rational, or practical, thing to do. This is the case when we "go with the flow" and follow the mob interest.
I do know, though, that humans are prone to make choices that are illogical, irrational, or unsensible. Their choice also might not reflect how they really think, but due to the person's feelings or the circumstances, they may make a decision that obviously brings about bad coonsequences, but they do not fully realize it. Such is the case when anger or fear causes a person to make a bad decision (which may or may not be regretted later). This just shows that most people are human and are prone to these mistakes, but just because it is nature doesn't mean it is acceptable, either.
However we can't judge a person for what his or her actions indicate (to make a point here, we should never judge at all, but this teaching seems to slip past the minds of most people, teenagers especially). Since we are not omniscient, we can never know the true motives for the decision made, and we can't give a complete analysis of the person's character based on our knowledge, which is limited. Only the person who made the decision (and the Lord) knows himself or herself well enough to make a thorough judgment on who they are.
What do our choices reveal about who we really are? Think about an important choice that you have made. What would others learn about you if they knew how you chose? Do you agree with the quotation above? Are there times when we have to make choices that don’t reflect how we truly feel or think about things? Could this be culturally influenced?
According to the quote, our choices show how we cope under different situations, and our decisions are a general reflection of how we live our lives according to what we believe in.
Our choices generally do reveal our nature and how we live our lives. The man who decides to give up his wealth in life to pursue wisdom and the man who sits in the dark for 15 years contemplating murder give you different insights to a person's nature. What I know is that is the decision made is genuinely what one believes in their heart to be the best choice for the situation, then it's probably also a representation of who that person is.
I made a decision to follow the teachings of Christ a year or two ago, and I chose this religion over all the others that I could have chosen. This was a choice I made from the heart and probably reveals something sentimentally provoking. Bad choices are made, though, and most of them are made without thinking something through (which in itself also displays a part of one's nature). These bad decisions usually cause regret and self-pity (that is, if you are a sane and respectable human being); for instance a person's decision to give in to temptations or lust is considered by most to be immoral, and while the thought that led you to give in to the decision was favorable at first, in retrospect the choice was very poor (and the consequences dire).
Are there times when we have to make choices that don’t reflect how we truly feel or think about things? Well, I think that when one makes a decision they don't believe in, but do anyways, that in itself is a decision that they have made, because they know adhering to "what is in their heart" isn't always the most rational, or practical, thing to do. This is the case when we "go with the flow" and follow the mob interest.
I do know, though, that humans are prone to make choices that are illogical, irrational, or unsensible. Their choice also might not reflect how they really think, but due to the person's feelings or the circumstances, they may make a decision that obviously brings about bad coonsequences, but they do not fully realize it. Such is the case when anger or fear causes a person to make a bad decision (which may or may not be regretted later). This just shows that most people are human and are prone to these mistakes, but just because it is nature doesn't mean it is acceptable, either.
However we can't judge a person for what his or her actions indicate (to make a point here, we should never judge at all, but this teaching seems to slip past the minds of most people, teenagers especially). Since we are not omniscient, we can never know the true motives for the decision made, and we can't give a complete analysis of the person's character based on our knowledge, which is limited. Only the person who made the decision (and the Lord) knows himself or herself well enough to make a thorough judgment on who they are.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Welcome Back!
Write about your holiday.
So what did I do during the break? Apart from the usual (sleeping in and messing around on the computer), I spend a good amount of time with my friends from my previous school. As we have all split up to go to different schools, I don't get to see them as much as I would like to (though they get together more often than I am able to since they all generally go back to Taipei often), and I usually rely on the holidays to get together with them and joke, play XBox, play basketball, and just have a good time.
This holiday I went with my father up to Taipei as often as I was allowed to, and there I was able to spend some time with the old gang. Most recently, we went and had a sleepover at one particular person, Alain's, house. He just recently transferred to the Philippines and we don't see from him often. That night we stayed up until 3:30 playing Halo: Reach on the XBox. Being able to hang out with the guys was very stimulating and pleasing, and it was pretty regrettable when the break ended.
Christmas in Jhunan seemed to pass without anyone knowing it, but I don't really blame them - in a mostly-Hakka town, you can't expect them to celebrate a foreign holiday. Our family didn't really celebrate Christmas, either, and hardly regarded the occassion. However that night I did acknowledge that it was a time to remember and honor Jesus's birth on Earth, and what he would later go on to be known as. Silent Night wasn't such a bad night. The day before Christmas Eve was also my sister's birthday, and we had two cakes - one was bought, and another was given by one of my dad's collegues. I don't think I will be wanting any more cake for a while.
On New Year's Eve, our family did what we do every year: stay at home and watch the fireworks on the news. I can't say I was particularly impressed with this year's exhibition of fireworks, but it wasn't all that bad. Later on the news I heard that the performance didn't quite go as planned. Bummer.
Our family also went on a few trips out of doors; apart from going to Taipei (and they can't count as trips because my dad still needed to work), we went to Taoyuan and Nantou (both times to a mountain), and also visited a local fish harbor.
While I am particularly disappointed break is over (in an understatement - in reality I am closer to annoyed and resentful), I guess too much rest isn't good either... And I can't believe I just said that.
So what did I do during the break? Apart from the usual (sleeping in and messing around on the computer), I spend a good amount of time with my friends from my previous school. As we have all split up to go to different schools, I don't get to see them as much as I would like to (though they get together more often than I am able to since they all generally go back to Taipei often), and I usually rely on the holidays to get together with them and joke, play XBox, play basketball, and just have a good time.
This holiday I went with my father up to Taipei as often as I was allowed to, and there I was able to spend some time with the old gang. Most recently, we went and had a sleepover at one particular person, Alain's, house. He just recently transferred to the Philippines and we don't see from him often. That night we stayed up until 3:30 playing Halo: Reach on the XBox. Being able to hang out with the guys was very stimulating and pleasing, and it was pretty regrettable when the break ended.
Christmas in Jhunan seemed to pass without anyone knowing it, but I don't really blame them - in a mostly-Hakka town, you can't expect them to celebrate a foreign holiday. Our family didn't really celebrate Christmas, either, and hardly regarded the occassion. However that night I did acknowledge that it was a time to remember and honor Jesus's birth on Earth, and what he would later go on to be known as. Silent Night wasn't such a bad night. The day before Christmas Eve was also my sister's birthday, and we had two cakes - one was bought, and another was given by one of my dad's collegues. I don't think I will be wanting any more cake for a while.
On New Year's Eve, our family did what we do every year: stay at home and watch the fireworks on the news. I can't say I was particularly impressed with this year's exhibition of fireworks, but it wasn't all that bad. Later on the news I heard that the performance didn't quite go as planned. Bummer.
Our family also went on a few trips out of doors; apart from going to Taipei (and they can't count as trips because my dad still needed to work), we went to Taoyuan and Nantou (both times to a mountain), and also visited a local fish harbor.
While I am particularly disappointed break is over (in an understatement - in reality I am closer to annoyed and resentful), I guess too much rest isn't good either... And I can't believe I just said that.
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