There are many questions I have about freedom. But one in particular that applied to the book I'm reading, "The Giver". Is having choices the same thing as having freedom?
Well when I first thought of this question I thought the answer was immediately no. But then I decided to look at the dictionary definition of both. Choice is "an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities". Freedom is "the power or right to act, speak or think as on wants without hindrance or restraint". As I dug deeper I realized that they are not the same, but they over lap in many places and are related in different ways. For example, the power to act, speak or think comes with choice to actually DO those actions. It's entirely up to the person whether they want to act, speak or think a certain thought-in other words it's voluntary.
Another idea I had was that freedom is more like a general topic and having the ability of choice is a part of the whole "freedom". Without choices in life, a person doesn't have that much freedom. It limits ones freedom by a lot. Many people make choices several times a day (wether they realize it or not). When they pick their outfit in the morning or decide what they should eat for breakfast-it's all choices.
In "The Giver", people don't have choices. In Jonas's society decisions are made for you and though you may have limited freedom, you are safe. This simplicity can be good although people in his society don't have feelings. There are many advantages and disadvantages to being in that situation. There is something appealing about living in a society where people don't have to make choices and especially not having to worry about making the wrong ones. You are always safe (because the rules are strictly made to follow) and everything is just FINE. The choices that are made for you are made for the best of the society and the individual. Some disadvantages include not being able to feel anything or not to know what actual feelings are-I don't think I would like that much. Also you can't feel pleasure because you've never felt the opposite (sadness) so your always in a neutral state. The last disadvantage which I think is one of the most important ones is that you don't have to ability to learn from your mistakes because you never make mistakes. Your not given the choice to make a mistake of pick anything on your own. As of right now, I would give up my life I have now to be in his type of society forever. I would like to try living there but I think I would rather live in a colorful world with all feelings than none at all.
In conclusion I'm glad our society has both freedom and the choice to do what we want (with the obvious consequences). I feel bad for Jonas's society where they have been through so much pain they blocked the whole outside world. Through this blogpost I think I've answered my question to the fullest extent I could with examples. I also think I brought up many great issues. Now I have many more questions...but that will have to wait for next week!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Making A Splash: Robyn
I am currently reading the book "Making A Splash: Robyn" by Jade Parker. There are many interesting issues in this book-some bigger than others. The issue that I would like to discuss in this blog post is the issue of friendship and money.
In the book friendship and money play a big role in friendships that may occur. There is this new girl (Whitney) working at the amusement park who has a big attitude. Of course she has the looks and calls herself "gorgeous and cute" (which is a little self absorbed if you ask me). She doesn't want to work and her dad is making her. She doesn't have any friends nor does she want to. She is totally independent and seems like she doesn't want anything to do with other people (even boys).
When this new girl comes, Robyn is in charge of helping her get adjusted. It is hard for her to work with her given her attitude towards life. Robyn realizes that there are many secrets between them and things that Whitney won't tell people about herself. I feel bad for Robyn because I've been in many situations where I had to steer someone in the right direction but they don't want to themselves and are helpless.
To add on to the issue of money, Whitney gets whatever she wants. All her clothes are designer and gets driven around in a limo. This has an affect on others (especially Robyn) because having money can make you self-centered (like Whitney is in the beginning of the book). But one of the most important lessons I think Whitney learned was that money doesn't necessarily equal happiness. No matter what she thinks, people need other people in their lives. Wether its family, friends or bf/gf's.
In the end, they realize if they are going to be working together for the rest of the summer, they need to get along. But they do more than just that-they become close friends. Whitney needed a friend and Robyn need some of the self confidence that Whitney had. I think even though Robyn struggled at first it was worth it because they were obviously made to become friends. Even though they are in two different worlds, that doesn't mean they can't collide.
In the book friendship and money play a big role in friendships that may occur. There is this new girl (Whitney) working at the amusement park who has a big attitude. Of course she has the looks and calls herself "gorgeous and cute" (which is a little self absorbed if you ask me). She doesn't want to work and her dad is making her. She doesn't have any friends nor does she want to. She is totally independent and seems like she doesn't want anything to do with other people (even boys).
When this new girl comes, Robyn is in charge of helping her get adjusted. It is hard for her to work with her given her attitude towards life. Robyn realizes that there are many secrets between them and things that Whitney won't tell people about herself. I feel bad for Robyn because I've been in many situations where I had to steer someone in the right direction but they don't want to themselves and are helpless.
To add on to the issue of money, Whitney gets whatever she wants. All her clothes are designer and gets driven around in a limo. This has an affect on others (especially Robyn) because having money can make you self-centered (like Whitney is in the beginning of the book). But one of the most important lessons I think Whitney learned was that money doesn't necessarily equal happiness. No matter what she thinks, people need other people in their lives. Wether its family, friends or bf/gf's.
In the end, they realize if they are going to be working together for the rest of the summer, they need to get along. But they do more than just that-they become close friends. Whitney needed a friend and Robyn need some of the self confidence that Whitney had. I think even though Robyn struggled at first it was worth it because they were obviously made to become friends. Even though they are in two different worlds, that doesn't mean they can't collide.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Looking in Closer: Freak the Mighty
In the beginning of this year we had a re-reading unit where we re-read some of our childhood favorite books. Even though I have read Freak the Mighty two times already I decided to read it again (aside from Game of Kings, which I am still currently reading). I wanted to read it again to try and think even deeper about the character Freak.
Freak has taught me to never give up hope.
Hope is a strong word. To me, it means that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Freak knows he is going to die soon. Yet he still believes that a robotic body is going to be made for him before then. Freak uses the time he has sparingly and wisely. He makes the time he has worth wild. He learns everything he can possibly learn in 14 years. He doesn’t try to be someone else either. It has taught me to be appreciative for the time that I do have. I can be whoever I want and do whatever I set my mind to.
I hope that one day I could be as brave and as strong as Freak.
Freak was brave and strong. Having his disease is painful mentally and physically. A question I had was if having this disease affected being brave and strong as he was. I think it does. I knew that if I was only going to survive until I was 14, I would do things that I would necessarily do now. I would live life at it’s fullest. I definitely wouldn’t have enough courage anytime to stand up to a gang who had guns. I guess it depends on the persons’ personality also. Freak was outgoing, caring and smart.
People who have conditions aren’t ‘normal’ but you should still treat them the same.
Many people who have a condition get looked upon. They get judged by the way they look. Freak’s condition is rare yet the people who do have it suffer majorly. In the book, Freak gets made fun of. He probably thinks that having a condition is unfair. But he learns how to deal with it. It is unfair that some people have to suffer more in life. There will always be some time in life where some one else gets life better than me. But I always try to remember, even if you feel like your one the bottom of the chain, you never are. There is always someone doing worse that I can help.
These were just three main things I thought about as I dug deeper. I really believe people like Freak (who never give up) can change the world. So have respect and treat people the same even though they might seem "different" on the outside. They might even return the favor:)
Freak has taught me to never give up hope.
Hope is a strong word. To me, it means that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Freak knows he is going to die soon. Yet he still believes that a robotic body is going to be made for him before then. Freak uses the time he has sparingly and wisely. He makes the time he has worth wild. He learns everything he can possibly learn in 14 years. He doesn’t try to be someone else either. It has taught me to be appreciative for the time that I do have. I can be whoever I want and do whatever I set my mind to.
I hope that one day I could be as brave and as strong as Freak.
Freak was brave and strong. Having his disease is painful mentally and physically. A question I had was if having this disease affected being brave and strong as he was. I think it does. I knew that if I was only going to survive until I was 14, I would do things that I would necessarily do now. I would live life at it’s fullest. I definitely wouldn’t have enough courage anytime to stand up to a gang who had guns. I guess it depends on the persons’ personality also. Freak was outgoing, caring and smart.
People who have conditions aren’t ‘normal’ but you should still treat them the same.
Many people who have a condition get looked upon. They get judged by the way they look. Freak’s condition is rare yet the people who do have it suffer majorly. In the book, Freak gets made fun of. He probably thinks that having a condition is unfair. But he learns how to deal with it. It is unfair that some people have to suffer more in life. There will always be some time in life where some one else gets life better than me. But I always try to remember, even if you feel like your one the bottom of the chain, you never are. There is always someone doing worse that I can help.
These were just three main things I thought about as I dug deeper. I really believe people like Freak (who never give up) can change the world. So have respect and treat people the same even though they might seem "different" on the outside. They might even return the favor:)
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Game of Kings 2
I just read Ethan's post about stereo types and ignorance and it made me think about the same exact thing in my book. I am still currently reading the book Game of Kings, which is about many different immigrants from all over the world who come together to play chess. A lot of them are poor and live in small houses but despite their hardships they come to school everyday to learn chess.
Sometimes these immigrants get frown upon. Many of them think that they can't play chess and are just trying to as another way to receive money. But in reality, they don't get that much money even if they do win AND they just love playing chess. After playing a game or two with them, people start to get intrigued. Who are these people? Where do they come from? Then the press comes over.
As I said before, many of these people don't play chess for the money and the sure don't do it for the fame either. Most of them don't lie the press. they don't smile in pictures and pretend their lives are perfect. What I like so much about these people is that they are down to earth and very smart.
Being smart doesn't always mean being school smart. It doesn't always mean being people or money smart either. There are a lot of types of "intelligence". For example, these immigrants that go to Edward Murrow High School. They don't get the top grades in their class and sometimes they don't do their work. but it's not because they don't want to, it's because they love chess so much. A lot of them spend most of their time playing chess and don't have time for their school work. But does that mean they're not smart people? No.
In conclusion, many people make stereotypes. Whether it's about race, color, religion etc. It's not right to make stereotypes unless they are proven to be true-but still that doesn't mean everyone is like that. Most of America is filled with immigrants but that isn't a bad thing. Even though some people may live their life in poverty, that doesn't mean they are to be frowned upon.
Sometimes these immigrants get frown upon. Many of them think that they can't play chess and are just trying to as another way to receive money. But in reality, they don't get that much money even if they do win AND they just love playing chess. After playing a game or two with them, people start to get intrigued. Who are these people? Where do they come from? Then the press comes over.
As I said before, many of these people don't play chess for the money and the sure don't do it for the fame either. Most of them don't lie the press. they don't smile in pictures and pretend their lives are perfect. What I like so much about these people is that they are down to earth and very smart.
Being smart doesn't always mean being school smart. It doesn't always mean being people or money smart either. There are a lot of types of "intelligence". For example, these immigrants that go to Edward Murrow High School. They don't get the top grades in their class and sometimes they don't do their work. but it's not because they don't want to, it's because they love chess so much. A lot of them spend most of their time playing chess and don't have time for their school work. But does that mean they're not smart people? No.
In conclusion, many people make stereotypes. Whether it's about race, color, religion etc. It's not right to make stereotypes unless they are proven to be true-but still that doesn't mean everyone is like that. Most of America is filled with immigrants but that isn't a bad thing. Even though some people may live their life in poverty, that doesn't mean they are to be frowned upon.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
High Expectations
High expectations. I've read so many books about teenagers who have high expectations from their family to be someone their not. I've definitely experienced it and so has probably many others. Whether it's about school work or relationships, parents just want the "best" for their child/children. Though most parents think they know what's best for their child, it not always so.
One example of when this happens is in the book Back Water by Joan Bauer. Ivy is on a quest to find out who she really is. Along the way, she meets an outrages mountain guide, a great boyfriend and a long lost relative who no one will talk about. All she wants is to be understood, find her long lost aunt and break free of high expectations from her family (which is to be a lawyer).
Another example of when this happens is in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet aren't allowed to be together yet they sneak behind their parents back. Whether this was the right decision or not, they both want to free the high expectations of their parents. Even though it ends in the death of both of them, they obviously think it's worth it for each other's love.
All in all, it is normal for parents to have high expectations for their children. But there is a fine line between high expectations and over protection. Most of the time, they go hand in hand. It might take a while for the child to stand up to their parent(s) and confront them about the high expectations but it will eventually come out-even if they are used to holding their feelings in. In conclusion, children have a lot to say. A lot of times they get stressed out because of the high expectations their parents put on them. Life is hard but children learn how to live through it and speak up to their parents.
One example of when this happens is in the book Back Water by Joan Bauer. Ivy is on a quest to find out who she really is. Along the way, she meets an outrages mountain guide, a great boyfriend and a long lost relative who no one will talk about. All she wants is to be understood, find her long lost aunt and break free of high expectations from her family (which is to be a lawyer).
Another example of when this happens is in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet aren't allowed to be together yet they sneak behind their parents back. Whether this was the right decision or not, they both want to free the high expectations of their parents. Even though it ends in the death of both of them, they obviously think it's worth it for each other's love.
All in all, it is normal for parents to have high expectations for their children. But there is a fine line between high expectations and over protection. Most of the time, they go hand in hand. It might take a while for the child to stand up to their parent(s) and confront them about the high expectations but it will eventually come out-even if they are used to holding their feelings in. In conclusion, children have a lot to say. A lot of times they get stressed out because of the high expectations their parents put on them. Life is hard but children learn how to live through it and speak up to their parents.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Keep Me in Your Heart
I just finished reading a book called "Keep Me in Your Heart", by Lurlene McDaniel. This book was composed of three very wonderful short stories about the values of love and life/death situations.
The first short story was called "Saving Jessica". In this short story, Jessica finds out she has kidney failure and has to live the rest of her life on a machine unless someone can donate a kidney. Her boyfriend, Jeremy, helps her all along the way. After finding out none of her family members have a kidney that matches, Jeremy wants to donate his (which just happens to be a perfect match). But since he is 16, he can't do it with out his parents permission. In the end, he goes to court against his parents to fill a suit saying he should have control over his own body. He wins and they save Jessica. This book shows me that their love is strong. More than that though, they care about each other a lot and will do anything to help the other person, even if it's against their parents wills.
The second short story was called "Telling Christina Goodbye". In this short story, Trisha and her perfect best friend (Christina) both have boyfriends. The difference is, Trisha's boyfriend Cody actually treats her with the respect that she deserves. While Christina has a lousy boyfriend (Tucker) who takes control over her all the time. Even though on the outside it might look like he doesn't like her, if you look deeper you realize he just has a hard time showing it. After a car accident (with Tucker driving), Christina dies and Cody gets extremely hurt. People can't help but blame Tucker for the death but really it wasn't his fault at all. In the end, Tucker realizes he should have not only treated Christina better but the whole world. At the end you also see how great Trisha and Cody's relationship is because Cody wakes up not remembering anything. Though, Trisha could just walk away from him she doesn't because of their love for each other.
The third short story was called "Letting Go of Lisa". In this short story, Nathan finally gets to go to public school, senior year of high school. He meets this girl named Lisa who is popular because she is herself. She is independent and always does things her way. Though she's popular, she doesn't let anyone get close to her. Nathan starts to wonder why. He starts to study her and follow her places trying to understand or help and one night he finds out she has brain tumor. She never wanted anyone to know because she didn't want "special treatment". While she dies, Nathan is always by her side no matter what. "Lisa took flight 3:09 this morning".
All in all, these stories are all different but they all have the same message. You should love who you love and treat them special because one day they won't be there. Tucker didn't do that and now he lives his life in regrets of what he should have done. But the thing is, you can never go back. The idea of life/death also comes in to play in a lot of these stories. Life is a valuable thing and you have to treasure it forever. Keep the ones you love close and always remind them that they are special. I enjoyed reading this book a lot because it taught me how I should live.
The first short story was called "Saving Jessica". In this short story, Jessica finds out she has kidney failure and has to live the rest of her life on a machine unless someone can donate a kidney. Her boyfriend, Jeremy, helps her all along the way. After finding out none of her family members have a kidney that matches, Jeremy wants to donate his (which just happens to be a perfect match). But since he is 16, he can't do it with out his parents permission. In the end, he goes to court against his parents to fill a suit saying he should have control over his own body. He wins and they save Jessica. This book shows me that their love is strong. More than that though, they care about each other a lot and will do anything to help the other person, even if it's against their parents wills.
The second short story was called "Telling Christina Goodbye". In this short story, Trisha and her perfect best friend (Christina) both have boyfriends. The difference is, Trisha's boyfriend Cody actually treats her with the respect that she deserves. While Christina has a lousy boyfriend (Tucker) who takes control over her all the time. Even though on the outside it might look like he doesn't like her, if you look deeper you realize he just has a hard time showing it. After a car accident (with Tucker driving), Christina dies and Cody gets extremely hurt. People can't help but blame Tucker for the death but really it wasn't his fault at all. In the end, Tucker realizes he should have not only treated Christina better but the whole world. At the end you also see how great Trisha and Cody's relationship is because Cody wakes up not remembering anything. Though, Trisha could just walk away from him she doesn't because of their love for each other.
The third short story was called "Letting Go of Lisa". In this short story, Nathan finally gets to go to public school, senior year of high school. He meets this girl named Lisa who is popular because she is herself. She is independent and always does things her way. Though she's popular, she doesn't let anyone get close to her. Nathan starts to wonder why. He starts to study her and follow her places trying to understand or help and one night he finds out she has brain tumor. She never wanted anyone to know because she didn't want "special treatment". While she dies, Nathan is always by her side no matter what. "Lisa took flight 3:09 this morning".
All in all, these stories are all different but they all have the same message. You should love who you love and treat them special because one day they won't be there. Tucker didn't do that and now he lives his life in regrets of what he should have done. But the thing is, you can never go back. The idea of life/death also comes in to play in a lot of these stories. Life is a valuable thing and you have to treasure it forever. Keep the ones you love close and always remind them that they are special. I enjoyed reading this book a lot because it taught me how I should live.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Game of Kings
I am currently reading the book, "Game of Kings" by Michael Weinreb. This book isn't like any other book I've read. It is about "The odd balls and geniuses who make up America's top high school chess team". One of those teams is in Edward R. Murrow High School.
Mr. Weiss, the chess teacher, was not always a teacher at Murrow. So many times he came close to becoming a math teacher at the school but the Board of Education brought him down. But he never gave up and kept trying until in August 1981 (his third try) he finally got accepted. All through the process though he managed to play chess and make a living teaching at other schools.
Murrow is known for its chess team. The students come from all different ethnic groups and levels. They have won many awards and have a strong traveling chess team. One of their struggles though was the ability to have enough money to actually go to different states and complete nationally. Mr. Weiss tried everything he could for team because he believed in them. From something as small as selling water bottles to setting up TV and newspaper interviews. Once he did this though, the media soon kept an eye on them and saw that they kept on beating every team they played. The sponsorship money soon came rolling in and they could go to many more tournaments.
At Murrow, students have the freedoms to do what they want, when they want. If they skip class, teachers won't crack down on them. Now why is that? It's because they have the freedoms of a college students. Students can abuse the time they have and fool around (having okay grades) or they can take the time and use it wisely to study and succeed at Murrow. Many of them are independent, self motivators and hard working-that's why they got chosen to go to Murrow. This also applies to the chess students. All of them are good students but some didn't keep up with their schoolwork. It wasn't because they were lazy or didn't want to do their work though, it was because of their love and desire to play chess. "Thirteen percent of my life is spent of the ICC (the internet chess club)" says Alex Lenderman.
Only on page 65, I learned that Mr. Weiss never gave up. He was determined to have a chess team and to teach at Murrow and he did. He followed his dreams and pursued them. He developed an amazing chess team that still plays today. His students not only get the motivation to learn chess but they also get valuable life lessons from him.
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