Final blog for "The Scarlet Letter"

The book, The Scarlet Letter, which was written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne has been designated a classic although the times have changed dramatically since it was written. Personally, I agree that this book is a classic and should remain in this category for as long as possible. Although I truthfully did not enjoy this book as much as I would have hoped, I believe the themes and messages of this story are truly timeless. The language in this book was rather old fashioned and that was truly my biggest complaint. If the language had been more updated and current, then I believe that the book would have been much more enjoyable. Although the language was rather old fashioned, I believe this book is still relevant to our society today and should always be considered a classic.
    The main themes of romance, although forbidden, and also honesty are still important themes that many people can relate to today. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale seemed to have honestly loved each other, but they were kept apart because their love was forbidden. Many people today can probably still relate to this feeling and have had to deal with the judgments of others because of this. This book also does a pretty good job at encouraging people who have made mistakes to always be honest about them and to live your life to the fullest, despite having made mistakes. People will always pass judgments and it is essential to simply disregard them and live your life how you want to. Hester Prynne was basically an outcast in her community but instead of constantly crying about her misery, she moved on and focused on being a good mother to her daughter, Pearl. This is a great message for the reader because of its timeless and rather relevant nature.
    Lastly I believe that this story is currently and should always remain a classic. It is easy to see that many things in this book, such as the language and situations, may not be time appropriate for today, but the point is that we can still learn something from reading it. I believe that by reading this book, I personally was able to see how far America has progressed through the years. Before reading this book I was seemingly unaware of how far communities would go to punish an adulteress and basically shun her for the rest of her life. This book definitely put these things into perspective for me. While this book may not be fun or even enjoyable to read, I believe it is essentially a classic that will help preserve the history of America for many years to come. 

Quote Response #6- The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter twenty-four of, The Scarlet Letter, there is a quote that teaches the reader a moral lesson. The quote is rather simple and can be found on page 199 in the chapter that is referred to as the conclusion. The quote reads, “Be True! Be True! Be True! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” I believe this quote to mean that you should always be true to yourself, as well as to the world. You should never fabricate your life because doing so will surely only end up badly in the end. The use of repetition of the phrase, “Be true!”, allows the reader to realize how important it is to literally be true to yourself and others. Along with being true, the quote also encourages the reader to show the world that you are capable of making mistakes and therefore not perfect.
    This quote is very important to the story, as well as to our world today. Although Hester Prynne chooses to be true to herself and others, Arthur Dimmesdale did not choose to do the same. He lives a life full of lies and even when the guilt starts to damage his health, he still chooses to put on a false exterior. He wanted people to see him as the holy man that he thought he was deserving of. Even though he wanted people to view him as a holy man, he was still slowly dying from the guilt he felt from not being a honest and true person.
    The significance of this quote is rather high in this case. People in our world today can also surely relate to this tale. While it may be easier for people to live behind a fake front, it is typically not the best route to go. The lies start to intertwine and pile on top of each other, which can cause many more problems than it is worth. The bottom line is that honesty is the way to go from the beginning. If you are honest about your life from the start, there is no way that you can go wrong. Although you may feel self conscious about sharing your biggest mistakes in your life, people do respect honesty. In the end, honesty is definitely key.

Quote Response #5- The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter eighteen of, The Scarlet Letter, there is a quote which is rather important to the character, Hester Prynne. This quote can be found on page 158 and reads, “The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers,-stern and wild ones,-and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.” I believe that this quote is meant to show that Hester is a strong woman, even though her life is far from perfect. She chose to have an adulterous relationship and became pregnant out of wedlock. Obviously, this caused Hester to feel shameful of her decision, but instead of dwelling on what she cannot change she takes all of the townspeople’s judgments in stride. Instead of focusing on the negative judgments, Hester focuses most of her energy on being the best mother that she can be to her daughter, Pearl. Although the scarlet letter that Hester has been forced to wear has caused her to feel alone in the world, it has also caused her to realize she is strong enough to deal with this unfortunate situation alone.
    This quote, which relates largely to the character, Hester Prynne, can also be related to many people in the world today. Many people who have made huge mistakes often live with their guilt and shame for the rest of their lives. Although in today’s society people do not have to wear their sins on their shirts, they can still have stigmas attached to themselves because of what they have done. For instance, a person who is known for being promiscuous and (for lack of better words) slutty, will probably be remembered by many people for their mistakes. Even if they are a good person, the bad tends to outweigh the good and the person will have a hard time cleaning up their reputation.
    I believe that this quote is significant because it is timeless. It allows the reader to see that although mistakes do happen, confidence and strength comes to those who choose to move on. Hester chose to make the best out of a less than ideal situation and because of this, she grew to be an even stronger woman than she was previously. Although it may not always seem like it, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Hester saw the light and many other people in the world will surely someday see this light as well.

Quote Response #4-The Scarlet Letter

     In chapter thirteen of, The Scarlet Letter, I found a quote which really caused me to stop and think. The quote is found on page 134 and reads, “It is remarkable, that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most perfect quietude to the external regulations of society.” I believe this quote means that many people who feel strongly about something decide it is best not to speak up about it because many others will basically shun them for it. This can easily be applied to many characters in this story. For starters, although Hester Prynne knows who the father of her child is, she chooses not to tell the public because she knows that it will hurt not only her reputation further, but also the father’s. Along with Hester, Arthur Dimmesdale, is guilty of doing this. He is viewed as a holy person in their community and he knows that if he speaks up about his sin, then he will no longer be considered this.

    Along with relating the quote to a few characters, I believe that this quote can also be related to people in our world today. Some people are more concerned with their reputations rather than expressing their true opinions. Many people choose to just follow the crowds and do what everyone else is doing because they believe it will be easier. While this is a horrible thing to do, I can totally see why somebody would do such a thing. Our world is full of judgmental people who will essentially turn on others for not seeing things the same way in which they do. I believe that people are scared of this happening to them, so they simply keep their mouths closed.
    This quote is very significant because it is so true to our society today. Although I consider myself a rather opinionated person who does not have a problem expressing ideas, I know that there are people who are not secure enough to do the same. Their insecurities have probably been caused by situations where they felt judged for actually expressing their opinions and this is just ridiculous. It is unrealistic to say that the world will ever change and people will stop judging others, but it is realistic to say that if we all choose to be more confident in our own beliefs, then the world will be a more diverse place.   

Quote Response #3-The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter nine of, The Scarlet Letter, there is a quote that I believe applies to many people throughout the world. This quote can be found on page 106 and reads, “Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.” I believe that this quote is designed to mean that when people have guilty feelings stored in their hearts and minds, then as a consequence their physical health may also be effected. People who live for long periods of time with guilt lodged within themselves may suddenly stop taking care of their health because all they can think about are all the wrong doings in their lives. It is as if their guilt is a demon which takes over everything they do and everything they think about.
    This is obviously very true when it comes to poor Mr. Arthur Dimmesdale. He has wronged Hester Prynne, as well as the innocent, young Pearl because he has never publicly acknowledged the fact that he is Pearl’s father. While it is understandable why he would wish to keep their affair a secret, I believe he should own up to it for the sake of Pearl. In a way, he probably does wish that he could just come out with the truth and this is probably what causes his poor health. It is a situation of easier said than actually done. Until he actually owns up to his wrong doing, his health will surely do nothing more than decline.
    Personally I find this quote to be rather significant because many people can relate to it. I know that in my life, whenever I am feeling guilty about something I have to quickly own up to it or else it will slowly consume me. Although my guilt typically does not cause health issues, partly because I own up to my wrong doings quickly, I figure that some people are not so lucky. No matter how many times I have tried to put my guilty feelings out of my mind, they always find their way back in until I stop and fix the situation. I know that I can easily relate to this quote and surely others who do not enjoy living with a guilty conscious would be able to as well. 

Quote Response #2- The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter eight of, The Scarlet Letter, I found a quote describing Hester Prynne’s daughter, Pearl. This quote can be found on page 97 and is only a few sentences long. The quote reads, “The old minister seated himself in an armchair, and made an effort to draw Pearl betwixt his knees. But the child, unaccustomed to the touch or familiarity of any but her mother, escaped through the open window and stood on the upper step looking like a wild, tropical bird, of rich plumage, ready to take flight into the upper air”. I believe this short statement shows the true innocence of Pearl and how unfair her life has already been. Later on, it describes Pearl as being about three years of age and it is clear that in the those three short years, she has been pretty much sheltered from the world around her. While I can totally understand why Hester would want to shelter her daughter from the judgmental people of their community, I also think that her daughter would have benefited greatly from being around other people.
    Also, I believe that Pearl may have felt the tension that her mother was experiencing from being around these judgmental individuals. She obviously could sense that her mother, the one and only person that she was close to, was feeling uncomfortable and in a way, that feeling became familiar to her as well. The simile, “But the child, unaccustomed to the touch or familiarity of any but her mother, escaped through the open window and stood on the upper step looking like a wild, tropical bird, of rich plumage, ready to take flight into the upper air”, compares Pearl to a bird that needs to escape from a predator or unfamiliar situation. Pearl was unfamiliar with this man and obviously did not feel comfortable with him being as close to her as he had been.
    I believe this quote is significant because it illustrates the fact that the tension Hester Prynne feels every time she has to walk around her town is very real. This tension and uncomfortably has now transferred into her own innocent daughter. Although Pearl has done nothing wrong, the town finds her very existence to be sinful within itself. This quote illustrates just how innocent, but also how aware Pearl is of all the tension that she is unfairly experiencing. It just goes to show that life is sometimes unfair and no matter how much you want to change it, it simply cannot be done. 

Quote Reponse #1-The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter five of, The Scarlet Letter, I found a very interesting quote which began on the bottom of page 80 and ended on the top of page 81. The quote reads,             “ Again, a mystic sisterhood would contumaciously assert itself, as she met the sanctified frown of some matron, who, according to the rumor of all tongues, had kept cold snow within her bosom throughout life. That unsunned snow in the matron’s bosom, and the burning shame on Hester Prynne’s-what had the two in common? Or, once more, the electric thrill would give her warning- “Behold, Hester, here is a companion!”-and, looking up, she would detect the eyes of a young maiden glancing at the scarlet letter, shyly and aside, and quickly averted with a faint chill of crimson in her cheeks; as if her purity were somewhat sullied by that momentary glance”. While this quote is rather long and shares a large amount of information, I believe I have a rather good understanding of it.
    The above quote explains the similarities between women with “cold snow within her bosom”, and Hester Prynne. A woman with “cold snow within her bosom”, is simply meant to be a woman who is cold-hearted or simply put a person who acts cold to others. The quote also explains that the woman’s cold heart and Hester’s scarlet letter are basically one in the same. It is as if these two types of women, cold-hearted ones and adulteresses, are meant to be companions. Whether or not Hester is cold-hearted like these other women does not even matter. Her scarlet “A” on her bosom is enough to qualify her as one of these women just because the stigma attached to it. Then, in the last sentence of the quote it states that many young women attempt to steal glances at Hester’s scarlet letter, but Hester meets their gazes and they then become embarrassed. It is as if they lost some of their own purity just by looking at Hester.
    I believe this quote is rather significant because it shows how many stigmas were attached to Hester. She had a child with someone who was not her husband and because of this fact, she immediately was treated like she was pure evil. I find it so crazy that a community would turn on one of their own members due to her personal sin. It is as if they want to be in total control of everything that their community members took part in. This quote truly shows just how significantly America has changed from the time of establishment up until now.

Women In America- The Scarlet Letter

In America, the status and role of women in our society has changed multiple times. While women were once only viewed as maids, children bearers, and basically to put it bluntly, objects, today things are much different. Women today can vote, own property, have a job, as well as share the responsibility of a family with another individual. I simply cannot imagine my life if I had to live how many women lived their lives in early America. In an excerpt from The Scarlet Letter beginning on page 246, it states that men should only consider certain women when they are looking for a future spouse. Things such as chastity, sobriety, cleanliness, and beauty are all things that an 1831 article suggested a man look for in a woman that he intends on marrying. This totally struck me as hilarious because nowhere in this suggestion does it mention what a woman should look for in a man or if a woman’s feelings even truly matter. This reinforces the idea that women were once simply known as objects. Luckily, women today are viewed as equal to men and there are rarely significant differences in status between the sexes. The old America was filled with double standards and while there are still instances of this issue, our society seems to be better off today.
    It seems so hard to believe that America has changed so much in only a matter of years. Another excerpt from the book details the idea that women that cheat on their spouses are to be considered prostitutes and just down right filthy. They reason that this idea is acceptable because they believe women are supposed to be the fairer and therefore more delicate sex. Nowhere in this explanation do they mention the idea that men shall be deemed disgusting if they cheat on their wives. This excerpt is a total double standard. It is absolutely ridiculous to believe that a man is not as much at fault for cheating on his wife.
    The last excerpt that I discovered to be rather obnoxious was written in 1765 by a man by the name of William Blackstone. It states that by marriage, the husband and wife become legally one person. The very being and legal existence of the woman is said to have been suspended during the marriage and therefore consolidated to the husband completely. Personally, this statement makes me believe that these men only viewed women as a piece of their property. They basically became owners of their wives under this law, which probably made the men extremely happy and the women rather unhappy. Women are not pieces of property and luckily America gradually became more intelligent about equality. Men and women of America are now considered equal and while I believe it should have always been this way, I just like to remember the idea of better late, than never.     

Adultery in America- The Scarlet Letter

    Throughout the history of America, adultery has always been a generally debatable subject. While the settlers of America found adultery to be an act that required for the persons’ involved to be physically punished and sometimes even killed, Americans today view adultery in a much different light. Most people still agree that adultery is a rather horrible act to commit, but nowadays, it is not at all illegal. There are no strict laws prohibiting this act and people who commit adultery no longer have to fear for their lives. Unless of course, you are Tiger Woods and your wife (allegedly) chases you down with a golf club and beats you senseless after she finds out about all the women you have been with. In such a case like this, you may have to start fearing for your life. But for the massive number of Americans who choose to commit adultery today, there are really no severe consequences for their actions. While I personally find adultery to be truly repulsive and insensitive, I do not believe our government should be entitled to punish the offenders.
    In the text referring to adultery beginning on page 241 of The Scarlet Letter, it states that  many of America’s original colonies had strict laws prohibiting adultery. The Massachusetts Bay colony established their adultery law on October 18th,1631 and it proclaimed that if any man fornicates with another man’s wife, he shall be punished by death. Many other colonies followed suit and established laws that required offenders to be beaten and sometimes killed. They also required the adultery participants to be publicly ridiculed for their actions that they believed greatly dishonored God.
    While I do understand that times were very different back when America was initially established, I find it so incredible that adultery, which was once something so taboo, is now only frowned upon. In our society today, people commit adultery all the time. The media tells us daily of new tales of adultery that were committed by celebrities and even political workers. While these people technically do receive some sort of public ridicule, they do not receive much more than that. Our government is no longer involved in these affairs and I believe that this is the way that it should be. If somebody decides to engage in a sinful act, then I believe it should be up to them. They will be the one’s who have to live with a guilty conscious and personally I find that to be punishment enough.  

Response to, "Death and Justice"

      In our society the death penalty has always been and always will be a debatable subject. In the short essay, “Death and Justice”, which can be found on page 534 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Edward I. Koch, discusses his view on this truly touchy subject. He has worked in the public service industry for a large number of years and over those years he has heard the many differing opinions on the capital punishment controversy. While he has heard positive and negative things about the death penalty, he personally is in favor of capital punishment. To illustrate why he is in favor of the death penalty he discusses seven reasons why people tend to find the death penalty unfair. The first reason why people tend to find the death penalty unfair and wrong is because they consider the death penalty “barbaric”. While some may find it a barbaric practice, it tends to be one that is done as humanely as possible. Another reason why people dislike the death penalty is because America is currently the only major democracy that uses the death penalty. Also, people like to question what would happen if an innocent person was accidentally convicted and then put to death. Mistaken identity cases have happened before and without a true confession there seems to always be an element of doubt. Along with this doubt comes the idea that the death penalty actually cheapens the value of human life. If the government is so willing to put these convicts to death, won’t the value of life be lessened? The last three issues that many people have with the death penalty is that it is applied in a discriminatory manner, the bible is against it (Thou shalt not kill), and the fact that the death penalty is basically state-sanctioned murder. While these ideas are all very interesting, the author discusses his main reasons why all of these reasons lack real substance. He explains that the death penalty is only given to those who truly deserve it. If there was no death penalty how would these criminals know there is the harshest form of punishment waiting for them if they take the life of someone else.
    While some may call the author’s opinion hypocritical and the wrong way to think, I personally agree whole heartedly with him. If someone decides to take the life of an innocent individual I believe that the government is totally right to take their life from them. While this may be considered an “eye for an eye” type of way to look at it, I believe it’s perfectly acceptable. If there was no death penalty wouldn’t this give criminals the okay to do as they please? There truly would be nothing stopping them other than the fact that they have to spend their life in jail. For all I know, these people wouldn’t mind spending their life in jail. I always think of it like this, if someone killed someone that I loved, I would want them to be killed as punishment. While some believe an “eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”, I would rather have the whole world be blind than have these disgusting criminals literally getting away with murder.  

Response to, "One Thing to Do About Food"

    For the millions of Americans who are always on the go, fast-food is typically the easiest way for them to catch a bite to eat. While this food may be convenient and easy on the wallet, it is rarely very healthy. In one of the responses from the essay, “One Thing to Do About Food”, which can be found in The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Eric Schlosser, discusses the hidden dangers of the fast-food, as well as processed foods. He stresses the idea that looks may indeed be deceiving, especially when it comes to the food that we eat. He claims that numerous nameable fast-food and also processed food chains use advertising that truly is not realistic. Skinny and attractive people who seem to be having fun have been known to sell these cheaply made and nutritionally disturbing items. He also explains that Americans tend to buy things without really doing their research on the products. In 2005, the United States House passed The National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005. This act seemed to be a prime example of how food companies prefer to keep their consumers in the dark about what they are really selling. The author explained that if the Senate followed up on passing this act into a law, states would be prevented from having food safety or labeling requirements stricter than those of the federal government. State created laws that help keep people informed about what exactly is included in their favorite foods would all be virtually unheard of. Obviously this is all very troubling information. The author urges people to do more research about the foods that they buy before they buy them.
    I found this essay to be rather interesting. Truthfully I rarely do my own research about what is really in the food products that I eat. I guess you could say that I have always thought that our government would create restrictions on food companies so that they wouldn’t be able to sell their products without a warning. Obviously I am just too trusting and would prefer to have someone else do all the research about such things, rather than having to do it all myself. Besides the fact that I don’t have the time to research every food item that I decide to eat, even if I did research the ingredients that are included, I probably wouldn’t know what to do with the information. How am I going to distinguish whether an ingredient that is included is harmful or harmless without doing even more research. There comes a point where it just seems like a never ending cycle and this should not be the case. Bottom line is that our government should be looking out for the welfare of the citizens of our country and we should expect nothing less than the absolute best in information about these types of issues.        

Response to, "My Friend Michelle, an Alcoholic"

    In America, the legal alcohol drinking age for citizens is twenty-one, and although this is the law, many teenagers choose to illegally ingest these beverages. In the student essay, “My Friend Michelle, an Alcoholic”, which can be found on page 338 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Bridgid Stone, discusses the problems her friend had with alcohol. Although the author never directly stated if her friend was of the legal drinking age, she does inform us that they are both college students. The author then delves deeply into the many instances where alcohol became a problematic substance in her friend Michelle’s life. For instance, Michelle constantly announces her want to go out and get drunk and even does so to the point that it makes her miss her classes. When she goes out and partakes in these parties she gets so drunk that she will, without a doubt, have to be carried back to her dorm room, where she will most likely get sick. When the author finally confronts her about her drinking issues, Michelle swiftly brushes off her concerns and questions whether she should finally go to class, or go out and get drunk again. Sadly, Michelle chooses to go out and get drunk, rather than attend her classes, which seems to be the breaking point for the author. The author decides at that point to move out of their shared dorm and doesn’t see Michelle as frequently. When the author does see Michelle, she learns of the new consequences that she is facing due to her drinking, and unfortunately Michelle seems to have no regrets.
    Personally, I do not party and really don’t have a want to do it. I do, however, know of people who choose this type of lifestyle. While I cannot scorn them for doing it, because it’s their life and not mine, I do hope that they don’t become as out of control as the author’s friend, Michelle, did. Alcohol may seem like no big deal to some people, but what they may not realize is that you can become addicted to it. Once someone is addicted they may actually be considered an alcoholic, and they would require some serious help to overcome their issues. While people choose to drink alcohol for several reasons, I just do not see the need for it. Why can’t you have fun and be sober while doing it? Why do people believe all their life problems will be solved if they choose to drink? Truthfully, I believe there are a lot of misconceptions about alcohol and it really can be dangerous to a person. I can only hope that more people will read Bridgid Stone’s important essay and will realize the dangers of alcohol and partying.

Response to, "Do Americans Really Want Jobs?"

    Illegal immigration in America has always been a hot topic of debate and it surely will remain this way for many years to come. In the short essay, “Do Americans Really Want Jobs?”, which can be found on page 547 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Ruben Navarrette, Jr., delves into the topic of illegal immigration and the effects it has on the American industry. The author believes that many people are misinformed on the topic and tries to explain many of the misconceptions. Firstly, the author believes that there is a big lie hidden in the illegal immigration debate. This lie is that Americans would be happy to do jobs that illegal immigrants are currently doing, but only if the wages were higher. He believes that while this may be true in some cases, generally Americans are lazy and would rather work less physical jobs that provide them with good benefits, as well as a large sum of money. Obviously there are jobs out there that may not be the most “glamorous”, but they do need to get done. The author then discusses cases involving several meat-processing companies. Supposedly, these companies were more prone to hiring illegal immigrants rather than Americans because they would work for smaller wages and didn’t complain as much. After delving deeper into these issues, the author then ends his essay by saying while he doesn’t condone the hiring of illegal immigrants over Americans, he is beginning to understand the concept more.
    After reading this essay, I was shocked. While I knew that illegal immigration has been a big problem in the United States for many years, I didn’t know of these specific consequences that we are facing due to not enforcing stricter rules on illegal immigration. It’s horrifying to think that an American would not receive a job in their own country, where they legally reside, just because there is a bad rap for some Americans and their work ethic. This practice is totally unfair and stricter actions should be taken on those companies who choose to hire people who illegally reside here. I truthfully can see why a company might be drawn to hiring someone who doesn’t complain a lot and who will work for less money, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. In my opinion, unless you are a legal resident of the United States, you should not even be given a chance to get a job in America. Some people may call my philosophy harsh, but these immigrants are taking part in an illegal situation, and until they come to our country legally, there is no excuse for them.
    While I do understand that some Americans may have poor work ethic, the author should not put us all in this unfair category. I know of many people who may not enjoy working, but they push through this to do the best work that they can do. They don’t sit around complaining and they surely do not ask for constant vacations of pay raises. Many Americans even take pride in their work, although I am not sure the author of this essay could even understand this concept. I can quite obviously agree with the author when he suggests he is learning more about this topic, but does not condone it. I do not condone illegal immigration and I surely do not agree with hiring illegal immigrants over American citizens. If we do not take action against this practice now, when and where will the line ever be drawn?           

Response to, "I'm O.K., but You're Not"

    Our world is inhabited by billions of people who have billions of differing opinions. While in most situations there is rarely a right or wrong answer, many people enjoy believing that everything they do and say is the only way to view a situation. In the essay, “I’m O.K., but You’re Not”, which can be found on page 31 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author Robert Zoellner discusses his experience at a restaurant with a very hypocritical couple. Robert Zoellner admits to smoking three to four packs of cigarettes a day and has done so for about 40 years of his life, so when he arrives at a restaurant, he knows he will be sitting in the smoking section. He is seated at a table that is literally five feet away from a table in the non-smoking section, but since he is technically in the smoking section, he decides to light up a “breakfast” cigarette. Soon, a well-dressed couple walks into the restaurant and chooses to eat their meal in the non-smoking section. Basically a minute after they are seated, they clearly become annoyed with Robert’s smoking habit. Robert is quickly asked by the man to stop smoking immediately, which leads Robert to point out that he is technically not doing anything wrong because he asked to be placed in the smoking section. The couple, visibly annoyed, eat their meals quickly and quietly and then leave the restaurant to go jump into their gas guzzling vehicle. In the vehicle are two poodles who clearly were in need of a “potty break”. The dogs do their “business” on the restaurant’s lawn, and without picking up the waste, the couple gets back into their car and drive away. Robert watches the whole escapade and finds them completely hypocritical. They had asked him to stop doing something that they found gross, while they didn’t have to stop doing things that he found gross.
    I found this story to be one that I believe many people can relate to. When people feel so strongly about something, they take comfort in believing that they are right and people with opinions different than theirs are wrong. This obviously should not be the case, but as they say, ignorance is bliss. While many people enjoy living their lives in an ignorant state, there are also people out there who are open minded. Personally, while I do have strong opinions, I find it interesting to listen and process through others opinions as well. I believe it can be helpful to hear others opinions because it can either help me validate my opinion more, or slightly alter it. Either way, I don’t feel the need to penalize others for having different opinions than me. After all, opinions are important in creating diversity.
    In conclusion, I really enjoyed reading this particular essay because it made me remember that there are people out there who lead ignorant lives. While I do also believe smoking is disgusting and I would probably have been offended by the smoke in the restaurant, I would not have singled out the smoker. Sure it would be annoying, but I am aware that I do things that annoy people as well. It’s all about remembering that we live in a free country where we can choose to live our lives how we want to. So while the non-smokers found Robert’s actions rude and gross, they are in the wrong when they ask him to stop. In situations like this, we need to step back and take a moment to think it over. We need to realize that we are only in control of ourselves, and nobody else. The mentality that “what I do is perfectly okay, but what you do is perfectly awful”, is not correct, but rather very ignorant, and until that mentality is changed, the world will continue to clash on the rights and wrongs of societies. 

Response to, "Gimmie An A (I Insist)"

    As a student, I have always worked hard to maintain my good grades. Apparently though, this is not always the case for all students around our nation. In the essay, “Gimme an A (I Insist!)”, which can be found on page 283 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Abigail Sullivan Moore insists that students of today are more likely to receive an “A”, than the students of yesterday. She draws her facts from a new survey that suggests incoming freshmen at more than 400 colleges and universities received higher grades than usual (283).  Apparently, a researcher at the University of California believes that students of today are not studying as frequently as students of yesterday, which makes her question how these students are still receiving such good grades. Could the teachers be to blame? Are they carelessly handing out “A’s” to the students as to not “shatter the student’s self-esteem”(283)?
    Personally, I find it irresponsible to accuse educators of not really doing their jobs. I simply do not understand why a teacher would feel the need to please a student by giving them only good grades. If we were all just given good grades just to appease our self-esteem, how would we really learn? Where would the lessons on what we need to improve on go? I would hate to think that I have survived in school and received good grades only because my teachers feel “sorry” for me and want to please me. That would not be fair to me, nor would it be fair on my teachers. While I do enjoy getting good grades, I also enjoy the knowledge that I had to work for them. I enjoy the fact that I’m not perfect, nor is anyone else in the world, so there is always something I can improve upon.
    In conclusion, I do understand that some teachers may feel the pressure to give only good grades because of the pressure from their students, or even their students parent’s. While I understand that pressure may be hard to ignore, I believe the teachers should be more focused on helping the students improve on their work. Of course, credit should be given where credit is due, but for the other situations, I believe there is always room for improvement.   

Response to, "Today's Special"

Every single day, many Americans choose to eat meals at restaurants that are considered “fine dining” establishments. In the essay, “Today’s Special”, which can be found on page 419 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, David Sedaris, recalls his experience at a fine dining establishment in New York City. Though he normally was not a regular “fine diner”, he accompanied his friend to this dinner on account of his birthday. They ordered entrées that the author claimed had names that were “fifteen-words long…” (419), and seemed to be “unrecognizable” once the author brought them to their table. Obviously, the author uses a lot of sarcasm and funny little quips in this writing, but it also tells an interesting tale about something that many Americans can relate to.
    In this essay, the author jokes constantly about the atmosphere and also the menu of the restaurant, that I am assuming the author’s friend chose. He jokingly complains about the snobby waiters, and the hard to pronounce food choices. The essay becomes even more comical when he claims that he couldn’t even tell which entrée was his and which entrée was his friend’s. In the conclusion of the essay, he describes how anxious he got when their meal was over, because he couldn’t wait to go and get something to eat. It seems kind of ironic that he would be worrying about food right after he finished eating a meal, but he obviously didn’t get full off of his long named, but rather small entrée. To me, it seems like the whole dinner was a waste of time, worry, and money.
    Personally, I rarely venture out to restaurants that are considered “fine dining” establishments. More often than not, I eat at Ruby Tuesday, or Applebees, which are truthfully considered to be” casual dining” establishments. I have never eaten at any restaurant that has unrecognizable or overly priced entrées because I simply do not see the need to. When I do decide to eat out, I prefer to get something that I can easily recognize, such as a cheeseburger and french fries. I also want to eat in a place with a casual atmosphere because that is where I feel most comfortable. Eating out shouldn’t be an event where you feel obligated to wear your “Sunday best”, or where you feel like people are judging you. If I am going to spend my time and money to eat somewhere, I don’t want to feel uncomfortable, and I surely don’t want to waste my time trying to figure out what each entrée is made out of. Some people may call it simple-minded to only eat at restaurants where I feel comfortable, but I guess I am just a simple person who enjoys simple things. 

Response to, "All's Not Well in Land of 'The Lion King' "

In America, Disney movies are typically very popular with young children and their parents. While this is usually the case, there are obviously exceptions to this idea. In the essay, “All’s Not Well in Land of ‘The Lion King’”, which can be found on page 418 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Margaret Lazarus, discusses the issues that she has with a popular Disney movie. The movie she delves into is the well-known, “The Lion King”, which is basically about the circle of life. Personally, I believe the movie sent a positive message to children, but apparently the author of this essay doesn’t agree.
    The biggest issue that Margaret found in, “The Lion King”, was that she believed it promoted stereotypes. A few of the stereotypes that she mentioned were about homosexuals, as well as African Americans. Personally, I just don’t see where she came up with any of the specific ideas about stereotypes in this movie. Out of the probably 100 times that I have watched this movie from beginning to end, I have never once thought that anything in this movie promoted stereotypes. It’s truly incredible and unbelievable that this woman came up with such specific ideas about each character in the movie. To specifically call out each character and attach a stereotype to them takes some serious thought. Apparently, the author is good at attaching stereotypes to people and characters because she basically labeled everything in the movie!
    The author took my disgust for her lame opinions to new heights when she resorted to stereotyping the voices to each character as well. She claimed that Whoopie Goldberg, who voiced a dark hyena character, had a voice that was ,“…clearly inner-city dialect.”(418). She then went on to say that Disney used her voice because they wanted to create a “ghetto” image. Personally, if I were Whoopie Goldberg, I would be offended that someone called my voice “ghetto”. I just don’t understand how the author can label people or characters, by not only their physical appearance, but also their voices. Deep down, I think Margaret Lazarus has some serious issues that she needs to work through! Disney movies are meant to be enjoyed, not be to picked apart until there is nothing left to say.
    In conclusion, I found this essay to be annoying and an overanalyzed view of the movie. “The Lion King” is a story that teaches children about the life cycle, not about stereotypes and false labels. As a child, I always enjoyed this movie, and subconsciously, I never thought of the characters as stereotypical people. The easiest way to describe this essay, is to say that the author obviously had a lot of free time on her hands. To put it bluntly, I think that Margaret Lazarus should put down her “label gun” and focus on things of higher importance.

Response to, "Teaching Tolerance in America"

    High school is a time in every young person’s life where they learn many things about themselves, as well as the world around them. In the essay, “Teaching Tolerance in America”, which can be found on page 190 of The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Dudley Erskine Devlin, discusses the many issues plaguing American school systems. The main issues of the schools that Devlin discusses are reduced funding, larger class sizes, fewer music and art classes, violence in schools, and also racial and class divisions among the students. While I agree that many of these issues are serious, what I do not agree with, is the manner in which the author suggests these issues be reformed.
    The author begins his essay, by stating that social cliques are basically the biggest issues known to mankind; or to all American high schools, anyways. While I agree with the idea that cliques are bad, I don’t believe they are as visibly present in the high schools as the author wants the reader to believe. Personally, I believe that people enjoy spending time around others that they have common bonds with. I don’t believe that people choose their friends based on their race, gender, social class, family income, or any other silly label. It seems to me like the author of this writing enjoys labeling things or putting people in categories. High school students choose their friends because they find them funny, or they enjoy their personality, or even because they share a similar interest. I get so absolutely irritated when people try to point out, what they assume, are “cliques” of people. What does it matter if two people who are raised in the same type of families, are friends? Does this mean that you should only look for friends who are from totally different backgrounds, or who are of an opposite gender? Isn’t that the only way for these so-called, “cliques”, to be taken care of?
    Another large issue that the author discusses in his essay, is the issue of bullying in high schools around the country. I understand that bullying is a horrible and degrading thing, but I don’t understand why the author decides to believe that bullying happens mostly as a result of the “cliques of America”. Personally, I always thought that bullying was a result of many more things than just the issue of not being in the same “clique”. Bullying can take place between people from the same background, people who both have low family incomes, and even people of the same gender and race. I just don’t understand why the author believes all the issues of a high school simply revolve around “cliques”.
    After the many discussions of all the negatives in high schools of America, the author decided to discuss how he believed these problems can be reformed. His number one recommendation, was to create strict, zero-tolerance uniform policies. I know first-hand, that just because you may be wearing the same exact polo as the person sitting next you to, it doesn’t mean that you will be best friends. It also doesn’t mean that you won’t be bullied by a person who tucks their shirt in neatly, rather than a person who comfortably wears a shirt and a pair of blue jeans. The whole idea is ridiculous! The author also suggested that schools should begin to create single-sex classrooms, and also require students to wear a photo ID around their necks at all times. To me, all of those ideas seem be big nuisances that would simply create even more issues in our schools, which we obviously don’t need.
    High schools in America do have issues, but I don’t believe they are as easy to fix as the author seems to suggest. If you were to fix all of these issues, you would basically have to go into every single high school and pin-point the unique issues that plague each one. Every high school in America probably has things in which it can improve upon, but to say you can solve these issues by reforming “cliques”, or by changing a dress code, is just irresponsible. If real change is going to happen in American high schools, it cannot and will not happen overnight. Real change takes time, and also, brighter ideas than what the author of this essay suggested.

Response to, "The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl".

    Our world is inhabited by billions and billions of people, and like snowflakes, these people all have things about themselves that make different from others. In the essay, “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl”, which can be found on page thirty of the textbook, The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, the author, Elizabeth Wong, discusses her hardships that she faces in her life. Mainly, her issues were focused on what her true identity was. She was brought up in America, but was born to Chinese parents. Although she was used to American schooling, and American customs, she was forced to attend a Chinese school as well. By being forced into two totally different types of schools, she became aware that although she was born Chinese, she truly enjoyed her status as an American much more. It was as if she embraced her role as an American, but felt distant from her Chinese ancestry. This brings up the question, if you are multicultural, like many of us are, which culture would you feel the closest bond to? While many of us are born into families of multiple cultures, it can be a confusing experience to distinguish between the bonds we have to each one.
    I was born into an American family, and primarily consider myself an “All-American Girl”. While I may have been brought up as an American, my family ancestry reaches many parts of the world. From what I have researched, my ancestors came to America from France, Ireland, Italy and probably a few other parts of the world. Sure, it’s true that I’ve never once stepped foot in any of these places, but the fact still remains that I am linked to these nations in one way or another. The problem that I have with the story about Elizabeth Wong, is that she basically hates her true identity. In the story it never mentions that she has been to China, but yet, she complains about learning more about her culture. I simply cannot understand why you wouldn’t want to learn more about your ancestry, or why it would ever be a nuisance to a person. Her annoyance towards her Chinese culture could be due to the fact that she was forced to study, and it left her little time to do things that “normal” children would be doing. As a child, I probably would have thought the same way, but now as a young adult, I find family history and ancestry to be very fulfilling. I take interest in knowing that my ancestors are not all from one nation, and I believe it makes for some awesome diversity.
    While some people, such as Elizabeth Wong, shy away from embracing their culture, I believe that people should be proud of where they come from. There should be no embarrassment, or fear of judgment, because as we know, America is comprised of immigrants. Elizabeth may just have been too young to truly appreciate where her ancestors have brought her, but I believe in time, she will more fully understand how important her culture really is. Ironically enough, I found a quote about diversity that was said by Hu Jinato, who is the paramount leader of the People’s Republic of China. Hu Jinato said, “Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today.” Truthfully, I don’t know if anyone could have summed up our world better than that.