English 104: Essay 1

Here is my first English paper; a personal response essay on one of the short stories read for class called "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". I chose this one over the other options because I actually had a response to this story which I thought would be helpful for a personal response. Once again, enjoy if you feel like it.

What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Love?

In Raymond Carver’s short story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” two married couples sit around a coffee table, drink gin, and ponder what love is. The dominant speaker throughout the story is a cardiologist named Mel. Mel wonders if his wife Terri’s first partner Ed actually loved her. Mel also wonders how he could possibly say he loves Terri and yet have felt the same thing with his first wife whom he now deplores. The interactions between him and the other people are interesting because it appeared to me that what they talked about when they talked about love was not love at all.
Ed is the one character that stuck out in my mind, which might seem odd because he actually doesn’t appear except in conversation, but the discussions of his actions towards Terri are so much a part of the story creating some of the only conflict among the characters. Speaking of Ed, Teri recollects that he, “Loved her so much he tried to kill her” (Carver 187). That statement rubbed me the wrong way. I remember thinking about that statement against what I hold as my standard for love found in Christian scriptures. Descriptions such as, “Love is kind…It is not self-seeking…It always protects” (New International Version, 1 Cor. 13. 4,5,7) and, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15. 13). Ed says that he loves Terri but under this lens does he? In my mind he does not. There is passion expressed about their relationship but there is also passion in the most brutal war. I do not think that passion alone means love. What about his other actions? Maybe by what he does he can show that he loves Terri? He is willing to shoot himself because he has some feeling for her but he is laying down his life for his own desires not for another person.
Another piece of the story that stuck out to me is that as it progresses and they continue to talk the couples all end up intoxicated, sitting in the dark. The narrator observes at the end when all of their ideas run out, “…not one of us moving, not even when the room went dark.” (Carver 195). They are trying to find out what love is but all the while they are deadening their senses and reason with gin and falling deeper in the darkness of ignorance. The symbolism of them trying to gain the light of knowledge in the darkness was striking. It made me think that love as I see it should be something that is found in the light not in the dark. I did not want any part of what these people saw as love: I immediately wanted to read about what I think love is. I do not want what these people offer on the subject because they do not seem to know themselves what it was that they actually feel for each other, whether what they feel for each other is a lasting bond between them or just a temporary feeling. I would rather have the love that Mel saw between two of his patients, an older couple recovering from a serious car wreck, he said the husband was feeling depressed but not because of the accident but because “…he couldn’t see his wife through his eye holes…the man’s heart was breaking because he couldn’t turn his go***n head and see his go***n wife” (Carver 194). This description of what love is touches on something real. It is not describing some feeling that wears off and then sinks a marriage; it is a love that is a lasting part of somebody’s life. And that stands out to me from the rest of the story because nobody else in this story has that kind of love.
I do not want it to appear that I know all about this subject, I definitely do not. But from what I do know and believe about love the darkness they are in at the end of the story is can be seen as a picture of their own limitations and shortcomings. The four people talking about a very deep and complex subject do not hold the answers, they just create more questions about what it is they are talking about when they talk about love. But from what I see the answers are not supposed to be found in the story. [Professor's note: What about the old couple?]

Works Cited
Carver, Raymond. “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.” The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 7th ed. Ed. Ann Charters. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 187-195.
The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002

Writing 121: Essay 1

This is the revision of the first paper I did this year and it was for my Writing 121 class. The book mentioned is Persopolis by Marjane Satrapi and the topic for the essay is: "'The Story of a childhood', in the course of the the story, how dos Marji grow up? Focus on one or two important characteristics of her coming of age: either qualities of her personality or character, or aspects of the outside world."
Enjoy if you feel like it. (But don't enjoy it to the point of theft. That would be very bad.)

A Childhood Left Behind

Persopolis is the story of the author Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1978-1979 and during the war with Iraq from 1980-1988. In the story, Marjane goes from being a nine-year-old girl who wants to be a prophet to a fourteen-year-old that has experienced the pain of loss more dramatically than anyone her age should have to. At the end of the book, Marjane's parents decide that it is time for her to leave Iran and go to school to Austria to get away from the war. In one of the closing scenes of Persopolis, Satrapi depicts her parents, sitting across from her on a couch in their otherwise barren living room in Iran, and Marjane's parents are telling her the idea and she says, "But I'm only fourteen! You trust me?" (147). They reply that they do. Marjane's family, personality and experiences compel her to come to a place of early independence.

When Marjane is ten years old a full scale revolution is under way in Iran, and she sees herself as Che Guevara. In this scene, and all throughout the book, Marjane shows a need to be somebody else. Early on, while she sees herself as a prophet, she wants to be, "justice, love and wrath of God all in one." (9). But by the end, she is just wanting to fit in somewhere, even skipping out on class to hang out with some older girls. In both cases, she shows her imagined maturity by trying to be something she isn't.

Marjane's family is a very modern family, and this influences her view on the radical religious regime. Later on in the story, when she is asked to participate in religious observances, she mocks the self-torture sessions her teachers ask her to perform daily. It is fair to note, though, that the rest of the children mentioned in her school are like this too. She says, "Every situation provided an opportunity for laughs" (97). When facing punishment from the teachers for misbehavior Satrapi states, "We were all united" (97). Her family identifies themselves as socialists. Her parents give her books on socialism, and her father's brother, Uncle Anoosh, whom she adores, has his doctorate in Marxism-Leninism. Because of her family influence, she views the world differently.

Marjane's family believes in the importance of education. Near the end of the book Tehran is being bombed consistently, and Satrapi says, "Now that Tehran was under attack, many fled. The city was deserted. As for us we stayed. Not just out of fatalism. If there was to be any future, in my parents' eyes, that future was linked to my French education. And Tehran was the only place I could get it." (137). The parents' willingness to keep themselves in a dangerous situation for the sake of Marjane's education shows how much value they put on good education. Also, earlier on in the story, Marjane cuts class to hang out with some older girls in her school, and when she is confronted about this by her mom she tries to cover it up by saying it was just a religion class. Her mom is not pleased and, after calling Marjane on her lie, she says, "...Now is the time for learning. You have your whole life to have fun! What are you going to be when you grow up? ..." (113). The mother's behavior shows her belief that education plays a key role in a child's maturing process.

At fourteen, Marjane says she is a rebel. School is a struggle between her and the faculty. But rebellion and growing up are two different things. Marjane shows some very real signs of maturing near the end of the book, when her parents decide that it is time for her to leave the country and go to Austria for school rather than stay in war-torn Iran. The way she handles herself and follows through on the plan is admirable, but at the same time, what it means for her is saddening. For Marjane to leave Iran means not only a change in culture for her, but also leaving behind everything she knows, including family and friends. Before she leaves, Marjane has her friends over to say good-bye, and she says, "I never realized how much they loved me. And I understood how much they meant to me." (149). Also, when she is at the airport saying good-bye to her parents, knowing that she will never live with them again, she says that, "Nothing is worse than saying good-bye. It's a little like dying." (153). In both of these cases we see her maturing greatly during a very short amount of time, and at this point her "Story of a Childhood" ends.

Perhaps that also means, in Satrapi's mind, this is when Marjane's childhood ended, in a line of strangers at Mehrabad airport, her mother collapsed from grief, while Marjane is on the other side of a wall of glass. (153) Throughout Persopolis, Marjane's life goes through many changes, from her knowledge of her prophetic destiny, to her falling in love with punk rock. But throughout all these changes, her family is always a constant, always there. That her parents feel that they can trust Marjane on her own shows that they feel that, with the way she has been brought her up, they believe she will be fine on her own. Like Marjane, I have also left places I love, and I was struck by her depictions of leaving and how true they are. Saying good-bye is a little like dying. But, even so there is hope, because not only is somebody leaving behind what they know by leaving, they are going someplace new, with new experiences to be had. And maybe Marjane will find that, not only is saying good-bye a little like dying, but arriving someplace new is a little like waking up.

Works Cited

Satrapi, Marjane. Persopolis: The Story of a Childhood. 1^st ed. New York: Pantheon, 2004

Now Presenting the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread...

I love my church. The video mentioned at the end, is right here:
Sound Men Dance

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It's All Over

School ended tonight at 7:50 P.M. I am now a free man for four whole weeks. Nice.

Now that this happy occasion has occurred I will begin to post some of my essays up here, because really, who doesn't want to put up their hard earned effort for the whole world to see? So those will be put up soon.

I'm free.

Yay.

Happy Reformation Day Eeryone!

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.

In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.

2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.

3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.

4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.

6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.

7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.

8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.

9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.

10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory...

To continue with Luther's theses go here. Or here.

Music News

If in need of good music look no further than Over the Rhine's Trumpet Child. It is wonderful (the title track is stirring) and can be found here.

An outpouring

6While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, 7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. 9"This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."
10Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her. Matt. 26:6-13

The notes on my Bible said that the Greek for "beautiful" in v. 10 has an aesthetic meaning to it not just ethical. That made me think about how some things don't have to be deep and profound but can just be beautiful. But perhaps it can't be beauty for it's own sake but rather must be an outpouring of love for God. Take for example the stars, they are beautiful and Psalms 19 even says that

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. [a]
4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

So are they not beautiful for their own sake but rather are beautiful because they are pouring out the praises of God?

As a side note look how both passages say that the acts are lasting "There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. [a]4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world." or "Wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Thoughts? Gross theological errors?

I Can't Think of a Good Title For This Post so Here is the Post

Thanks to Opus for bringing this piece of art into the open, but Opus found it here first.

Brotherly Love in the Ancient Near East

As for the problems between us, I suggest that the fault may not lie with ourselves but with our messengers; let us bring them to trial, cut off their heads, mutilate their bodies, and live henceforth in perfect friendship.
Excerpt from a letter from king Hattusilis of the Hittites to the King of Ahhiyawa c. 1260 B.C.

Isn't it good to know that is all that it takes to get along?

New stuff from the DOA

Behold! A new video from the Dorks Of America so good it will knock your socks off.

And this is just one in a series of eight films. Now you have something to look forward to in this world.

School

I thought school was supposed to increase your knowledge of things, not make the brain incapable of forming cohesive thoughts and sentences.
I really hope it is just the first couple of weeks that make me feel like this.

Since I've Been Gone (You Can Breathe For The First Time)

Two very talented artists have passed away. (Here and here.)

The locals have been out getting a good rain tan. (Here and here.)

School is becoming more of a reality the closer it gets.

Jeffery Overstreet has released a new book to the world.

I became a paintball master. Or I went for half an hour, I forget.

And since I can't post without one enjoy this video.

Victory

Today, I got to join the problem instead of being part of the solution to the environmental woes of this world:
I now have my driver's license. Also: while pulling out of the DMV after the test I turned wide. Ironic isn't it?

With great power comes great responsibility.

September

I would just like to mention that today is the first day of the best month of the year.

Incoming Good Movie Alert

This next week Pixar's Ratatouille comes out. And if you were a little put off by the plot subject (a rat becoming a chef?) don't be. See, rave reviews here, and here. This naturally means we should all go see it. Of course we would anyway because it is directed by Brad "Incredibles" Bird. And it's a Pixar movie. So go see it.

Farewell Good Friends; For Now

I'm leaving for camp in the morning so unless I am feeling crazy enough to post on the weekends I will be signing out from Blogger until August 28. I'll see you then!

(Camp! Woo-Hoo!)

Questions You Can Only Think Up If You Are A TV Junkie

If you're in a bind who do you call: Jack,
Jack,

Or maybe Jack?
If you can't tell I've been watching more TV than I usually do.

Alphebet You.

A]- ANY FAVORITE MOVIES?: Lord of The Rings, Serenity, Man Without A Past,...
B]- BIRTHDAY: Why yes I do have a birthday. I'm so glad you asked. You can get me presents if you like. I also agree with Foolish Knight's rant: "(By the way, I strongly dislike the dating system used in the United States. Few things about the country of my birth infuriate me more than our month/day/year dating system. Doesn't Europe's day/month/year make so much more sense? Seriously.)"
C] - CRUSHING?: Well I'm sitting on a chair at the moment. So you could say I am crushing the chair.
D] - DRINK YOU LAST HAD: Water.
E] - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO: Hm.
F] - FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP: U2; followed closely by The Arcade Fire
G] - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS: Bears all the way.
H]- HOMETOWN: Have you ever asked an MK this question before?
I]- INSTRUMENT(s): Kazoo. (I'm actually pretty good on the kazoo.)
J] - JUICE: Black Currant
K] - KILLED SOMEONE: No. Unless Halo alter egos count. If that is the case then yes.
L] - LONGEST CAR RIDE: Oregon to Georgia via Canada (Look at a map to see how absurd that statement is.)
M] - MIXED FEELINGS ON: Patriotism
N] - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: Three
O] - ONE WISH: To find a living dinosaur in some jungle somewhere.
P] - PERSON WHO CALLED YOU LAST: My brother.
R] - REASONS TO SMILE: See here.
S] - SONG YOU LAST HEARD: "Discotheque" by U2. (Well, not really. Strains of Divine Discontent were coming from the bathroom after I listened to "Discotheque".)
T] - TIME YOU WOKE UP: 6:45 or so.
U] - UNDERWEAR: The definition is here if you want to know.
V]- VEGETABLE(S): Tomatoes are bad. Most of the time. Spinach is good.
W]- WORST HABIT: Back seat driving.
X] - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD: My manly chest. (As I say it with a smirk on my face.) But since this question has been changed:
X] - XENOPHOBIC?: I should hope not considering where I live.
Y] - YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL: The orca, cheetahs, tigers, dinosaurs and kangaroos.
Z] - ZAFFER OR ZAIBATSU?: Zaffer.

100 Movies, 100 Quotes, 100 Numbers

Thanks to Mr. Overstreet at Looking Closer for this amazing video.

On Fairy-Stories

Let us not divide the human race into Eloi and Morlocks: pretty children --"elves" as the eighteenth century often idiotically called them -- with their fairy-tales (carefully pruned), and dark Morlocks tending their machines. If fairy-story as a kind is worth reading at all it is worthy to be written for and read by adults. They will, of course, put more in and get more out than children can. Then, as a branch of genuine art, children may hope to get fairy-stories fit for them to read and yet within their measure; as they may hope to get suitable introductions to poetry, history, and the sciences. Though it may be better for them to read some things, especially fairy-stories, that are beyond their measure rather than short of it. Their books like their clothes should allow for growth, and their books at any rate should encourage it.

J.R.R. Tolkien from his essay "On Fairy-Stories".

Random Musings of The Blogger Why Vol. 2

Honey and grapefruit make a delicious snack.

The short stories Monday and A Brilliant Idea And His Own (by Mark Helprin) are both very satisfying stories.

The change of both weather and feel around here between early March and April is wonderful.

One week of chemistry left. Rejoice!

I just realized that I put up a post in this exact same style three hundred sixty-six days ago.

If you just can't wait for Spider-Man 3 to come out and need a comic book fix check this site out. (Caution: There is violence despite what it may look like on the surface)

That's all folks.

Happy Easter. (Edit)

Easter is here and apart from being a very exciting, important and fun day I don't have anything to say about it that hasn't been said before. But thankfully there are other people with fresh words on the subject. So if you would like to read them they are: here, here and here. O, and here too.
Happy Easter to all and to all a good night for Christ is risen indeed.

Also, see My Old Sketchbook for the Easter series by Eriol.

Chemistry

I'm taking chemistry this year and as such I am drawn to science in conjunction with the news. (Whether by just wanting to know what I am learning about or by genuine interest in the subject can vary from case to case). But nonetheless because of said interest this website grabbed my interest immediately. Seeing the effects that DHMO has on the environment and individuals is mind blowing.
Go check out the site. Be an informed citizen.

Another Cool Internet Video (I should start making these installments)

Neon Bible

The other day I purchased the new Arcade Fire album Neon Bible. Arcade Fire's previous album, Funeral, set a very high standard for their next album and I think they have met that standard. I wont write a review (that is not my strong point) but if you want to see what a professional thinks of Neon Bible you can look here. Also here are some of my favorite tracks from the album:
"Keep The Car Running"
"Intervention"
"The Well And The Lighthouse"
"Windowsill"
"No Cars Go"

Go listen and enjoy.

New blogs

There are a few new bloggers in the midst so why not go out and give them a warm welcome. They are:
Germo at Fickle Fidelity, Spork at Blazing Iron, and SpillandSpell at Children of The Burning Heart
Go forth and make welcome.

?

This link is to bizarre to explain so you should just go here and tell me what you think.

I didn't know you could do that with a treadmill.

Best music video I've seen since Did I Step On Your Trumpet?.
O.K. Go Here It Goes Again

The first of the series mentioned below

The first movie scene I would like to talk about is from the shortest of the movies I will be mentioning in this series. It is the chase scene from Pirates: Season 1, Episode Seven. This movie is the finale of the season fraught with trouble for our heroes Johnny and Roger. One of the most disheartening problems was when the Man in the Sombrero took their treasure map. After a series of adventures featuring seagulls and a knight they once again face their enemy the Man in the Sombrero. They fought with him and almost beat him but then he takes off running. And it is then that one of the best chases since What's Up Doc? begins.
When Johnny and Roger are chasing the Man in the Sombrero around the building trying to get the map back; it excites me every time I see them. Particularly when the Pirates go in and out of doors chasing their nemesis. The best of door switches is when the Man in the Sombrero runs into Roger, knocks him down, and as they chase him through one door he comes out another while their still going through the first. Such brilliant editing. Then when all seems lost Johnny flings the Magic Pig towards their adversary and brings him down.
I think the scene excites me so much because I was on the set when it was being filmed and I couldn't really see this working out to be as amazing as it is. It is a scene that is not only edited magnificently but also is so heroic that I can't help but like it.

Over and over.

I like movies. That is probably evident from the side bar and other posts in the past. And there are some movies that I love so much to watch them repeatedly would be a treat and not a curse. But within those movies are scenes that just suck me in, make me happy or give me the shivers. The kind of images that when you think back on the movie you think of this scene.
Over the next few days (weeks maybe) I would like to mention some film scenes that strike me in the ways mentioned above and why they do what they do.
It would be very professional of me to put up the first of said movies up tonight but I am tired and would like to go to bed so now the first installment is pending. Stay tuned for further updates.

My diploma

For not having my diploma yet I think that this is pretty positive

You paid attention during 91% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

Thanks to Katie for finding this.
Question: What does autodidact mean?

Edit: I took the Genius quiz. Much harder. So if your looking for a challenge you know where to find it.

Blog changes

I made the big jump from "Classic" to "Not Beta anymore" tonight so bear with me while I edit the page to taste. If you have any suggestions or recommendations do not hesitate to leave a comment about it.