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Friday, June 5, 2009
Revised Identity vs. Personal Choice
Britney Collver
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101
April 17th 2009
Identity vs. Personal Choices
In Reality, Identity is personal choice. Identity is who each individual portrays him/herself to be through personal choices and decisions, and that can be changed at any point. It is true that there are some characteristics that effect an identity that are not controllable by personal choice, but even those can easily be manipulated. Identity is based upon personal actions and reactions, how each man and woman presents him/herself and ultimately how the world identifies each person.
All individuals make their own personal choices and decisions. These decisions range from determining career paths, whether to go to college, to play sports, to get married, to live a small town life, or to live in a big city. It’s these decisions that truly define a person’s identity. If Sally Mae chooses to be a doctor, she will be viewed much differently by all those around her than if she had decided to be a stripper. This may seem only skin deep as Sally is the same person either way, but those decisions change how she ultimately lives her life. A person who has made the life-long goal of continual medical education and helping others as a doctor, has a much different mind set and life values than Sally, who has chosen to entertain others for a living. This may seem unfair, as Sally may have just not had the finances to continue education, and was left with seemingly no other choice, but even if this were the case, she could have chosen to be a waitress or work retail, potentially keeping the same morals as we would assume the doctor to have. The simple fact that stripping was her decision creates a much different identity to the world.
A person’s identity is also determined by how he/she (pronoun agreement) chooses to present him/herself. Some individuals have hobbies and passions that take up a large portion of their life, which causes others to identify them through those subjects. My boss, for example, is infatuated with the Oregon Ducks. He makes this so apparent that any time he is given a gifts, everyone gets him something associated with the Oregon ducks. Those around him immediately think of him when hearing of the Oregon Ducks, because he has chosen to make the Ducks such a large part of his life, and share this with the people in his life. He has decided that this love for the Ducks is a substantial part of who he is, and through that he has created an identity for himself, as viewed by those around him.
No matter whom a person is on the inside, identity is nothing more than how others view that person, based on what the person has allowed them to see. What the census doesn’t count, states that “Individuals may choose one identity for themselves, but others in society may make another choice for them. The black Indian child may think of himself as Indian, but if no one around him does, than he has run up against the limit of his own power to choose a racial identity” (pg. 67). Likewise, if an individual is a book worm but tells no one of this, it is not how people will see him/her, and therefore is not his/her identity to the world. If and individual chooses to seclude his/herself from the world, and move to the middle of the woods, or some place where no one will know they even exist, than he/she will ultimately have no identity to the rest of the world.
There is a strong opposing side to this argument, as there are certain uncontrollable factors that play a part in a person’s identity as well. Circumstances such as culture, race and family roots, for instance, do make up identifying factors in every person’s life, changing and having strong effects on visual identity. These factors, however, are only where a person comes from and how he/she entered the world. From there, anyone can make him/herself into whomever they decide to be. Some may choose to follow their culture with things such as religion and family beliefs, others may decide not to. It is every individual’s personal choice to make that part of his/her identity or not.
The “F word”, is a great story which demonstrates how easy it is to manipulate a characteristic an individual was born into, which does effect how others view them. The story follows the life of Firoozeh Dumas, who was born with a name and into a race which was not socially accepted while she was growing up. In order to change her identity, she changed her name to “Julie.” She states, “Because I spoke English without an accent and was known as Julie, people assumed I was American” (pg 62). She was suddenly accepted by her peers, even though they had not accepted her as Firoozeh. She chose to change the name she was born with, and that alone changed her identity to all those around her. Even though she was the same person inside, it gave her an entirely new identity, as she was now presenting herself in a different light. Changing her name also changed her life style, which affected her identity as well. She began changing her daily activities and socializing with people who otherwise wouldn’t have given her the time of day. Suddenly she was getting job offers that she would not have even been considered for previously. Everything around her drastically changed, and all because she chose to change her name, and in tern her identity to others.
There are clearly many factors which make up an individual’s identity. It is not easily distinguished and there is certainly not one determining characteristic. That is what is so great about an identity, it can be formulated and manipulated by almost anything, and is so unique that there will never be two alike. Each person in this world chooses how to live his/her life, and what to present to others about themselves. Even uncontrollable characteristics can be shaped and altered. An identity can be made into anything personally desired, and it is because of this that we are all so unique.
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101
April 17th 2009
Identity vs. Personal Choices
In Reality, Identity is personal choice. Identity is who each individual portrays him/herself to be through personal choices and decisions, and that can be changed at any point. It is true that there are some characteristics that effect an identity that are not controllable by personal choice, but even those can easily be manipulated. Identity is based upon personal actions and reactions, how each man and woman presents him/herself and ultimately how the world identifies each person.
All individuals make their own personal choices and decisions. These decisions range from determining career paths, whether to go to college, to play sports, to get married, to live a small town life, or to live in a big city. It’s these decisions that truly define a person’s identity. If Sally Mae chooses to be a doctor, she will be viewed much differently by all those around her than if she had decided to be a stripper. This may seem only skin deep as Sally is the same person either way, but those decisions change how she ultimately lives her life. A person who has made the life-long goal of continual medical education and helping others as a doctor, has a much different mind set and life values than Sally, who has chosen to entertain others for a living. This may seem unfair, as Sally may have just not had the finances to continue education, and was left with seemingly no other choice, but even if this were the case, she could have chosen to be a waitress or work retail, potentially keeping the same morals as we would assume the doctor to have. The simple fact that stripping was her decision creates a much different identity to the world.
A person’s identity is also determined by how he/she (pronoun agreement) chooses to present him/herself. Some individuals have hobbies and passions that take up a large portion of their life, which causes others to identify them through those subjects. My boss, for example, is infatuated with the Oregon Ducks. He makes this so apparent that any time he is given a gifts, everyone gets him something associated with the Oregon ducks. Those around him immediately think of him when hearing of the Oregon Ducks, because he has chosen to make the Ducks such a large part of his life, and share this with the people in his life. He has decided that this love for the Ducks is a substantial part of who he is, and through that he has created an identity for himself, as viewed by those around him.
No matter whom a person is on the inside, identity is nothing more than how others view that person, based on what the person has allowed them to see. What the census doesn’t count, states that “Individuals may choose one identity for themselves, but others in society may make another choice for them. The black Indian child may think of himself as Indian, but if no one around him does, than he has run up against the limit of his own power to choose a racial identity” (pg. 67). Likewise, if an individual is a book worm but tells no one of this, it is not how people will see him/her, and therefore is not his/her identity to the world. If and individual chooses to seclude his/herself from the world, and move to the middle of the woods, or some place where no one will know they even exist, than he/she will ultimately have no identity to the rest of the world.
There is a strong opposing side to this argument, as there are certain uncontrollable factors that play a part in a person’s identity as well. Circumstances such as culture, race and family roots, for instance, do make up identifying factors in every person’s life, changing and having strong effects on visual identity. These factors, however, are only where a person comes from and how he/she entered the world. From there, anyone can make him/herself into whomever they decide to be. Some may choose to follow their culture with things such as religion and family beliefs, others may decide not to. It is every individual’s personal choice to make that part of his/her identity or not.
The “F word”, is a great story which demonstrates how easy it is to manipulate a characteristic an individual was born into, which does effect how others view them. The story follows the life of Firoozeh Dumas, who was born with a name and into a race which was not socially accepted while she was growing up. In order to change her identity, she changed her name to “Julie.” She states, “Because I spoke English without an accent and was known as Julie, people assumed I was American” (pg 62). She was suddenly accepted by her peers, even though they had not accepted her as Firoozeh. She chose to change the name she was born with, and that alone changed her identity to all those around her. Even though she was the same person inside, it gave her an entirely new identity, as she was now presenting herself in a different light. Changing her name also changed her life style, which affected her identity as well. She began changing her daily activities and socializing with people who otherwise wouldn’t have given her the time of day. Suddenly she was getting job offers that she would not have even been considered for previously. Everything around her drastically changed, and all because she chose to change her name, and in tern her identity to others.
There are clearly many factors which make up an individual’s identity. It is not easily distinguished and there is certainly not one determining characteristic. That is what is so great about an identity, it can be formulated and manipulated by almost anything, and is so unique that there will never be two alike. Each person in this world chooses how to live his/her life, and what to present to others about themselves. Even uncontrollable characteristics can be shaped and altered. An identity can be made into anything personally desired, and it is because of this that we are all so unique.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Original Identity Vs. Personal Choice
Britney Collver
English 101
April 17th 2009
Identity vs. Personal Choices
Identity is who each individual portrays themselves to be through personal choices and decisions. Each person has the power to create and change their identity at any point in their lives. There are some characteristics that ultimately do change an identity that are not controllable by personal choice, but even those can easily be to manipulated. It is based upon personal actions and reactions, how each man and woman presents themselves, and ultimately how the world identifies each person.
All individual makes their own personal choices and decisions. These decisions range from determining career paths, whether to go to college, to play sports, to get married, to live a small town life, or to live in a big city. It’s these decisions that truly define a person’s identity. If Sally Mae chooses to be a doctor, she will be viewed much differently by all those around her than if she had decided to be a stripper. This may seem only skin deep as Sally is the same person either way, but those decisions change how she ultimately lives her life. A person who has made the life long goal of continual medical education and helping others as a doctor, has a much different mind set and life values than Sally, who has chosen to “entertain” others for a living. This may seem unfair, as Sally may have just not had the finances to continue education, and was left with seemingly no other choice, but even if this were the case, she could have chosen to be a waitress or work retail, keeping the same morals as we would assume the doctor to have. The simple fact that stripping was her decision, says much about her identity. As many people say, actions truly do speak louder than words.
A person’s identity is also determined from how they choose to present themselves. Some individuals have hobbies and passions that take up a large portion of their life which causes others around them to identify them through those subjects. My boss, for example, is infatuated with the Oregon Ducks. He makes this so apparent that any time he is given a gifts, everyone gets him something associated with the Oregon ducks. Those around him immediately think of him when hearing of the Oregon Ducks, because he has chosen to make it such a large part of his life, and share this with those around him. He has decided that this love for the Ducks is a substantial part of who he is, and through that he has created an identity for himself, as viewed by those around him.
No matter who you are as a person, your identity is nothing but how others view you. What the census doesn’t count states that “Individuals may choose one identity for themselves, but others in society may make another choice for them. The black Indian child may think of himself as Indian, but if no one around him does, than he has run up against the limit of his own power to choose a racial identity” (pg. 67). Likewise, if you are a book worm but tell no one of this, it is not how people will view you, and therefore is not your identity to the world. If you seclude yourself to the world, and move to the middle of the woods, or some place where no one will know you even exist, than you will ultimately have no identity.
This brings me to the fact that there are certain non controllable facts that play a part in a person’s identity as well. Things such as culture, race and family roots, for instance, do make up identifying factors in every persons life, changing and having strong effects on their identity. These factors, however, are only where a person comes from, and how they entered the world. From there, anyone can make themselves into whoever they decide to be. Some may choose to follow their culture with things such as religion and family beliefs. But it is every individual’s personal choice to do so or not.
The “F word” describes the life of Firoozeh Dumas, who was born with a name and into a race which was not socially accepted while she was growing up. In order to change her identity she changed her name to “Julie”. She states that “Because I spoke English without an accent and was known as Julie, people assumed I was American” (pg 62). She was suddenly accepted by her peers, even though they had not accepted her as Firoozeh. She chose to change the name she was born with, and that alone changed her identity to all those around her. Even though she was the same person inside, it gave her an entirely new identity. It also changed her life style, which affected her identity as well. She began changing her daily activities and socializing with people who otherwise wouldn’t have given her the time of day. Suddenly she was getting job offers that she would not have even been considered for previously. Everything around her drastically changed, and all because she chose to change her name, and in tern her identity to others.
There are clearly many factors which make up an individuals identity. It is not black and white and there is certainly not one determining characteristic. That is what is so great about an identity, it can be formulated and manipulated by almost anything, and is so unique that there will never be two alike. Each person in this world chooses how to live their lives, and what to present to others about themselves. Even uncontrollable characteristics can be shaped and altered. An identity can be made into anything desired, and it is because of this, that we are all so unique.
English 101
April 17th 2009
Identity vs. Personal Choices
Identity is who each individual portrays themselves to be through personal choices and decisions. Each person has the power to create and change their identity at any point in their lives. There are some characteristics that ultimately do change an identity that are not controllable by personal choice, but even those can easily be to manipulated. It is based upon personal actions and reactions, how each man and woman presents themselves, and ultimately how the world identifies each person.
All individual makes their own personal choices and decisions. These decisions range from determining career paths, whether to go to college, to play sports, to get married, to live a small town life, or to live in a big city. It’s these decisions that truly define a person’s identity. If Sally Mae chooses to be a doctor, she will be viewed much differently by all those around her than if she had decided to be a stripper. This may seem only skin deep as Sally is the same person either way, but those decisions change how she ultimately lives her life. A person who has made the life long goal of continual medical education and helping others as a doctor, has a much different mind set and life values than Sally, who has chosen to “entertain” others for a living. This may seem unfair, as Sally may have just not had the finances to continue education, and was left with seemingly no other choice, but even if this were the case, she could have chosen to be a waitress or work retail, keeping the same morals as we would assume the doctor to have. The simple fact that stripping was her decision, says much about her identity. As many people say, actions truly do speak louder than words.
A person’s identity is also determined from how they choose to present themselves. Some individuals have hobbies and passions that take up a large portion of their life which causes others around them to identify them through those subjects. My boss, for example, is infatuated with the Oregon Ducks. He makes this so apparent that any time he is given a gifts, everyone gets him something associated with the Oregon ducks. Those around him immediately think of him when hearing of the Oregon Ducks, because he has chosen to make it such a large part of his life, and share this with those around him. He has decided that this love for the Ducks is a substantial part of who he is, and through that he has created an identity for himself, as viewed by those around him.
No matter who you are as a person, your identity is nothing but how others view you. What the census doesn’t count states that “Individuals may choose one identity for themselves, but others in society may make another choice for them. The black Indian child may think of himself as Indian, but if no one around him does, than he has run up against the limit of his own power to choose a racial identity” (pg. 67). Likewise, if you are a book worm but tell no one of this, it is not how people will view you, and therefore is not your identity to the world. If you seclude yourself to the world, and move to the middle of the woods, or some place where no one will know you even exist, than you will ultimately have no identity.
This brings me to the fact that there are certain non controllable facts that play a part in a person’s identity as well. Things such as culture, race and family roots, for instance, do make up identifying factors in every persons life, changing and having strong effects on their identity. These factors, however, are only where a person comes from, and how they entered the world. From there, anyone can make themselves into whoever they decide to be. Some may choose to follow their culture with things such as religion and family beliefs. But it is every individual’s personal choice to do so or not.
The “F word” describes the life of Firoozeh Dumas, who was born with a name and into a race which was not socially accepted while she was growing up. In order to change her identity she changed her name to “Julie”. She states that “Because I spoke English without an accent and was known as Julie, people assumed I was American” (pg 62). She was suddenly accepted by her peers, even though they had not accepted her as Firoozeh. She chose to change the name she was born with, and that alone changed her identity to all those around her. Even though she was the same person inside, it gave her an entirely new identity. It also changed her life style, which affected her identity as well. She began changing her daily activities and socializing with people who otherwise wouldn’t have given her the time of day. Suddenly she was getting job offers that she would not have even been considered for previously. Everything around her drastically changed, and all because she chose to change her name, and in tern her identity to others.
There are clearly many factors which make up an individuals identity. It is not black and white and there is certainly not one determining characteristic. That is what is so great about an identity, it can be formulated and manipulated by almost anything, and is so unique that there will never be two alike. Each person in this world chooses how to live their lives, and what to present to others about themselves. Even uncontrollable characteristics can be shaped and altered. An identity can be made into anything desired, and it is because of this, that we are all so unique.
The act of revising
I chose my essay on Identity Vs. Personal choice to show my ability to revise. This was the first essay I had written for the class and I managed to look over many standard guidelines in basic writing. I was able to go through this essay and put those rules into place, as well as work on the flow and content of the essay. There are some things which I kept, such as my opposing argument, which the teachers didn't seem to agree with. I had written the about there being characteristics which people are born into which do uncontrollably effect their identity. What I did do, however, was shape the essay to reflect that I was only stating this to show what can be argued against my essay, and why it is an invalid argument. I feel that when your essay is supposed to show a point, its best to point out what others might see as the hole in the argument, and prove its faults. I, as the author, wanted this to be included, but I took the feedback which I was given to make its place in the essay more acceptable and my point with it more realized.
Freedom Writers
The term "Outsider" cannot be defined by any one characteristic or circumstance.The movie Freedom Writers displays every character as being an outsider in one way or another. For every person, they are an insider to some, but an outsider to everyone else. Mrs. Gruwel and Eva each show this to be true throughout many scenes in the movie.
Mrs. Gruwel has her own life with her husband where she didn't seem to feel like an outsider at all. She knew her place in life, but when she decided to become a teacher her world turned upside down. She seemed to fit in just fine with the teachers when she first started to teach, but this soon changed. She started to protest the way the school was handling situations, and this quickly made her an outsider. Suddenly the teachers wanted nothing to do with her, and even began to publicly fight with her and the activities she was partaking in. This is a scenario where she began an insider, having the same interests and race as the teachers around her, but her actions turned her into an outsider.
In an opposite chain of events, she immediately started out as an outsider to the school kids. Eva even stated that she hated Mrs. Gruwel, because she hates all white people. The students were laughing at her lesson plans and showing her absolutely no respect at all. This slowly began to change over the course of the movie, but only as she was able to teach her students that although they felt like they had it the worst, and the races around them weren't equal, in reality they were all fighting the same battles. As the students began to realize that, they began to accept Mrs. Gruwel and she was no longer the outsider to her students. Their classroom became the first to have a diverse group of children, who all treated each other like equals. They became a family, with not one outsider in the class.
Eva was a student who had a severe hate for other races, especially whites, and would have done anything to protect her own. Her upbringing put a bad taste in her mouth, and caused her to seclude herself to one group of individuals. She was a close insider to all of them, but an outsider to the rest of the world, just as she felt they were an outsider to her. She took this so far, that she almost let her "friend" get away with murder. This all changed, however, when Mrs. Gruwel was able to show the students that just because another person was of a different race, they shared all the same interests and hardships, and in reality are not outsiders at all. Eva finally did the right thing and convicted her friend of the murder, and stood up for a fellow class mate of another race. This is an act that she would have never done, prier to Mrs. Gruwel's class.
The scenarios causing the judgement in this movie are not present everywhere, but there will always be groups and people designated as the outsiders, no matter where you go. I have always seen those kids who sit by themselves in the lunchroom and have no friends to talk to, and they have always been the outsiders. I wish I could go back to High school, so that I could take a minute to talk to these kids and hear a little bit of their life stores. I would be willing to bet that those kids shared at least some of the same interests as me or my friends, and had some of the same hardships etc. They weren't outsiders at all, they just had personality traits which were different than most of the students in my school, but as a person, they deserved just as much respect as anyone else.
There will always be differences in people, as that is what makes us all so greatly unique, and makes every person an individual. This, however, does not make everyone an outcast. If it did, than every single person in this world would be an outsider, and there would be no insiders at all. It is your personality, how you choose to live your life, and how you treat others around you, that defines whether or not you or an outsider to anyone in particular. Not your skin, not the fact that you are quieter than others and therefore don't socialize well, and not the fact that you may not agree with every single thing your peers do. There is not one thing alone that can define an outsider, just as there is not one thing that defines an insider. If everyone were to look closer and dig deeper into the lives of their peers, it may be seen that everyone can be connected in one way or another, and not one single person is a complete outsider
Mrs. Gruwel has her own life with her husband where she didn't seem to feel like an outsider at all. She knew her place in life, but when she decided to become a teacher her world turned upside down. She seemed to fit in just fine with the teachers when she first started to teach, but this soon changed. She started to protest the way the school was handling situations, and this quickly made her an outsider. Suddenly the teachers wanted nothing to do with her, and even began to publicly fight with her and the activities she was partaking in. This is a scenario where she began an insider, having the same interests and race as the teachers around her, but her actions turned her into an outsider.
In an opposite chain of events, she immediately started out as an outsider to the school kids. Eva even stated that she hated Mrs. Gruwel, because she hates all white people. The students were laughing at her lesson plans and showing her absolutely no respect at all. This slowly began to change over the course of the movie, but only as she was able to teach her students that although they felt like they had it the worst, and the races around them weren't equal, in reality they were all fighting the same battles. As the students began to realize that, they began to accept Mrs. Gruwel and she was no longer the outsider to her students. Their classroom became the first to have a diverse group of children, who all treated each other like equals. They became a family, with not one outsider in the class.
Eva was a student who had a severe hate for other races, especially whites, and would have done anything to protect her own. Her upbringing put a bad taste in her mouth, and caused her to seclude herself to one group of individuals. She was a close insider to all of them, but an outsider to the rest of the world, just as she felt they were an outsider to her. She took this so far, that she almost let her "friend" get away with murder. This all changed, however, when Mrs. Gruwel was able to show the students that just because another person was of a different race, they shared all the same interests and hardships, and in reality are not outsiders at all. Eva finally did the right thing and convicted her friend of the murder, and stood up for a fellow class mate of another race. This is an act that she would have never done, prier to Mrs. Gruwel's class.
The scenarios causing the judgement in this movie are not present everywhere, but there will always be groups and people designated as the outsiders, no matter where you go. I have always seen those kids who sit by themselves in the lunchroom and have no friends to talk to, and they have always been the outsiders. I wish I could go back to High school, so that I could take a minute to talk to these kids and hear a little bit of their life stores. I would be willing to bet that those kids shared at least some of the same interests as me or my friends, and had some of the same hardships etc. They weren't outsiders at all, they just had personality traits which were different than most of the students in my school, but as a person, they deserved just as much respect as anyone else.
There will always be differences in people, as that is what makes us all so greatly unique, and makes every person an individual. This, however, does not make everyone an outcast. If it did, than every single person in this world would be an outsider, and there would be no insiders at all. It is your personality, how you choose to live your life, and how you treat others around you, that defines whether or not you or an outsider to anyone in particular. Not your skin, not the fact that you are quieter than others and therefore don't socialize well, and not the fact that you may not agree with every single thing your peers do. There is not one thing alone that can define an outsider, just as there is not one thing that defines an insider. If everyone were to look closer and dig deeper into the lives of their peers, it may be seen that everyone can be connected in one way or another, and not one single person is a complete outsider
An inspiring writers choice
The movie Freedom Writers was very inspiring to me, and therefore I decided to use my essay written about this movie as my writer’s choice. Also, my ideas and analysis of the events which took place are clearly reiterated throughout the essay. I showed many examples of why an outsider is only an outsider to others, because they won’t take the time to look deeper and see the similarities between themselves and that person. Examples of this include the statement that “Mrs. Gruwel was able to show the students that just because another person was of a different race, they shared all the same interests and hardships.” This sentence was introduced by showing the need for Mrs. Gruwel to show this, and the change it made in the students. This movie was truly inspiring and shows such a wonderful transformation in the characters. This topic and the movie were my favorite part of the class, and therefore I thought it was a great piece for my writer’s choice.
The evolution of tradition
Listening to Does Hair Make the Person? by Bianca Butler brought out many of my own views, that your own personal choices are the most important aspects of your life. Your family traditions certainly play a role, as Bianca states that she was raised to believe that straight hair was something of beauty and to be desired. But here she is, about to enter college in a new location, and wanting to create her own image. She states that she feels she has been brain washed to believe that her hair style is unacceptable and shows unwanted characteristics in a person. College, as many of us know, is the start to a new and independent life. The beginning to the future. Biance should be able to start this journey exactly the way she wishes not letting her traditions depict her path, but choosing it for herself.
Richard Pillsbury's Thoroughly Modern Dining did show the reasons tradition is important. He speaks of holidays such as thanksgiving being spent out at restaurants instead of at home with the entire family, and how that will never be as special or filled with love as a home cooked meal around the table. This does seem to hold some truth, as at home you typically spend the whole day together, preparing food and chatting about past and present stories filling each others lives. At restaurants it is usually to loud to effectively do this, and you are rushed out to make room for the next guests. The ways this tradition has evolved to include so many restaurants does seem to be a shame. So there is truly two sides to consider when thinking about personal choice, or tradition. Each scenario has its own paths and outcomes to consider.
These two stories make it apparent that there are two sides to consider when debating the impact of traditions in today’s modern lives. Some traditions have held strong, others have been molded around today’s life styles, and others have completely faded. With each instance, however, there is a story behind its nature, which explains why it was best for each tradition to take the path it did in the lives of each individual.
Richard Pillsbury's Thoroughly Modern Dining did show the reasons tradition is important. He speaks of holidays such as thanksgiving being spent out at restaurants instead of at home with the entire family, and how that will never be as special or filled with love as a home cooked meal around the table. This does seem to hold some truth, as at home you typically spend the whole day together, preparing food and chatting about past and present stories filling each others lives. At restaurants it is usually to loud to effectively do this, and you are rushed out to make room for the next guests. The ways this tradition has evolved to include so many restaurants does seem to be a shame. So there is truly two sides to consider when thinking about personal choice, or tradition. Each scenario has its own paths and outcomes to consider.
These two stories make it apparent that there are two sides to consider when debating the impact of traditions in today’s modern lives. Some traditions have held strong, others have been molded around today’s life styles, and others have completely faded. With each instance, however, there is a story behind its nature, which explains why it was best for each tradition to take the path it did in the lives of each individual.
Audience is key
To show my awareness of audience I chose my piece of writing on the evolution of traditions as shown by the stories Does Hair Make a Person and Throughout Modern Dining. I really connected with the audience, my class mates, as I made Does Hair Make a Person, relatable to the fact that each member of the audience is attending college at this very moment to better their future. I related this fact to the story, to show the need for individuality over tradition. I also, however, showed the benefits of the opposing sides shown in Throughout Modern Dining. With this post, I stimulated the audiences mind to view reality and impacts presented by both sides. No matter which side the reader was on, they were forced to stretch their minds and view the validity in the side which they would not have considered before.
Posting discussion in this format is certainly a different feel when writing. It forced me to consider the immediate audience which would be reading and evaluating my work. It took the strain off of formal essays, but added the strain of the amount of people reading and critiquing each piece. I enjoyed being able to have that immediate feedback from multiple sources, and believe it has helped me grow in considering audience while writing.
Posting discussion in this format is certainly a different feel when writing. It forced me to consider the immediate audience which would be reading and evaluating my work. It took the strain off of formal essays, but added the strain of the amount of people reading and critiquing each piece. I enjoyed being able to have that immediate feedback from multiple sources, and believe it has helped me grow in considering audience while writing.
Non-conformity
Non-conformity is determined by the society surrounding each individual, and what is considered to go against the beliefs of the community. In reality, there really is no such thing as non-conformity. If an individual classifies themselves as a non-conformist, than they are putting themselves into a category that undoubtedly has its own stereotypical boundaries and activities. This is clearly demonstrated throughout the movie Fight Club, as they all decide to go against the normal practices of society, but in turn join a group with more rules and regulations tha than community they were getting away from.
Every individual who engaged in the Fight club, seemed to feel a thrill from what the club stood for. It was secretive, it was manly, they could show their strengths and feel as though they were a part of a club which was not conforming to everything they were taught to live by, but instead made their own rules. A guilty pleasure, an escape from reality, something they could feel great pleasure to be a part of. They were non-conformists, as it would seem. It was this excitement that created so many dedicated followers. With this, however, came a community which became more conformed than that of their previous life styles.
In order to even join the Fight Club, rules had to be followed. "Rule number one, we do not talk about fight club, rule number two, we do not talk about fight club" and the list went on. Even in a state of breaking laws and boundaries bestowed upon by society, participates were immediately hit with additional rules and regulations to follow. By the end of the movie, these rules were so embedded that even the leader could not ask questions or stray outside of the clubs boundaries. When tyler would simply ask what project mayhem was, he would be told that the first rule to project mayhem was you don't talk about project meyhem. Even he, the leader and creator of the rules, was not allowed to stray. Their extremity to the non-conformist life style created ultimate conformity. Each individual had to do as the others, had to follow the same guidelines and have the same outlook on their activities. When Tyler did not agree with project mayhem, they immediately took action against him, attempting to chop off his balls. It did not matter that he was the leader, their rules were so followed that even he was in danger by breaking them.They may have been going against what the rest of the world believed in, but within their community they could not go against a single detail. This is the complete opposite of what is pictured when stating the word "non-conformity".
No matter what the scenario is, it is truly impossible to get away from conformity. Even saying "I am a non-conformist", is conforming to the idea of what that entails, and classifying oneself into a group of similar minds and boundaries. This movie has many scenes which shows the depth of each individuals desire be non-conformists, breaking rules and go agents society, yet unknowingly going against that very notion.
Every individual who engaged in the Fight club, seemed to feel a thrill from what the club stood for. It was secretive, it was manly, they could show their strengths and feel as though they were a part of a club which was not conforming to everything they were taught to live by, but instead made their own rules. A guilty pleasure, an escape from reality, something they could feel great pleasure to be a part of. They were non-conformists, as it would seem. It was this excitement that created so many dedicated followers. With this, however, came a community which became more conformed than that of their previous life styles.
In order to even join the Fight Club, rules had to be followed. "Rule number one, we do not talk about fight club, rule number two, we do not talk about fight club" and the list went on. Even in a state of breaking laws and boundaries bestowed upon by society, participates were immediately hit with additional rules and regulations to follow. By the end of the movie, these rules were so embedded that even the leader could not ask questions or stray outside of the clubs boundaries. When tyler would simply ask what project mayhem was, he would be told that the first rule to project mayhem was you don't talk about project meyhem. Even he, the leader and creator of the rules, was not allowed to stray. Their extremity to the non-conformist life style created ultimate conformity. Each individual had to do as the others, had to follow the same guidelines and have the same outlook on their activities. When Tyler did not agree with project mayhem, they immediately took action against him, attempting to chop off his balls. It did not matter that he was the leader, their rules were so followed that even he was in danger by breaking them.They may have been going against what the rest of the world believed in, but within their community they could not go against a single detail. This is the complete opposite of what is pictured when stating the word "non-conformity".
No matter what the scenario is, it is truly impossible to get away from conformity. Even saying "I am a non-conformist", is conforming to the idea of what that entails, and classifying oneself into a group of similar minds and boundaries. This movie has many scenes which shows the depth of each individuals desire be non-conformists, breaking rules and go agents society, yet unknowingly going against that very notion.
Analyze, Analyze, Analyze!
My response to fight club is the essay I choose to demonstrate my critical thinking. I was able to analyze the movie and the concept of non-conformity. My take on this subject was a bit different than most, but it was the conclusion I go through analyzing the movie. My point in this essay was that “their extremity to the non-conformist life style created ultimate conformity” I was able to support this by showing the rules and regulations they were breaking free from, yet replacing with more strict and conforming rules and regulations. I than wrapped up this theory with the more generalized statement that “Even saying ‘I am a non-conformist’ is conforming to the idea of what that entails, and classifying oneself into a group of similar minds and boundaries.” I analyzed the story line in my own way, and supported my theory throughout the essay.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Reflection
My name is Britney Collver. I am 18 years old, and graduated from Arlington High School in 2008. Currently I'm working full time for Volt Services Group in Bothell, and therefore only taking classes part time. I plan to get a transferable associates in business, and deciding at that point which path is best for me. I have been taking courses at Everett Community College since 2006, while attending High School. I have actually already taken English 101, spring of last year. Unfortunately, I received an incomplete. I had an A in the class, but failed to complete my last essay, not realizing I would flunk the class without it. So here I am, for my second attempt and this time I will finish.
When I signed up, I didn’t realize the difference between 101 and 101D. Having taken both now I can without a doubt say there is a vast difference. Personally, I liked 101 better, and that shows as I did much better in that class. The reason for this is that this class didn't really open my mind to new views on diversity. It most definitely made me think a bit deeper about the subject, but it was really nothing new. Because of this, I had a hard time focusing and forcing my mind to read and write about the subjects. In 101, there was much more variety and potential views on subjects.
Aside from that, I also think I struggled with it being online. I took 101 in person, and I have found that I learn much better this way. Online just feels a bit incomplete to me, and I don't feel as though I come out of the class much stronger than I did prior to taking this class. It is always useful to get the feedback from the classmates, and the corrections from the teacher, but I struggled with the void in personal contact. Of course, this class has helped improve my writing skills, just not in the way I had hoped.
For the piece of writing which demonstrates my critical thinking, I chose the essay I wrote on non-conformity in response to Fight Club. I chose this piece because I really took time to think deep into this movie, and came up which a conclusion which may not be viewed the same by others, but I was able to show and support through my writing. To demonstrate my skills at revision and reseeing my work, I chose my essay on Identity versus Personal choices. I decided that this was a good piece, due to the fact that I overlooked many basic rules and there was much that I need to correct. My response to "Struggling against tradition" is what I chose to show my awareness of audience, because I took two stories and wrote of both sides to the struggle, allowing all classmates to relate to their views as well as be shown the opposing side.
Finally, I chose my response to the movie Freedom Writers and the term "Outsiders" as my writer’s choice. This essay could use some work, as it was a timed write and not my best quality, but I really liked the content throughout the paper.
Although I have a bit of a negative outlook on my time spent in English 101D, I do have many pieces of work which have forced me to think deeper than I would normally, and focus on my writing skills through content and editing. This would not be the case without the class, so all in all, it was time well spent.
When I signed up, I didn’t realize the difference between 101 and 101D. Having taken both now I can without a doubt say there is a vast difference. Personally, I liked 101 better, and that shows as I did much better in that class. The reason for this is that this class didn't really open my mind to new views on diversity. It most definitely made me think a bit deeper about the subject, but it was really nothing new. Because of this, I had a hard time focusing and forcing my mind to read and write about the subjects. In 101, there was much more variety and potential views on subjects.
Aside from that, I also think I struggled with it being online. I took 101 in person, and I have found that I learn much better this way. Online just feels a bit incomplete to me, and I don't feel as though I come out of the class much stronger than I did prior to taking this class. It is always useful to get the feedback from the classmates, and the corrections from the teacher, but I struggled with the void in personal contact. Of course, this class has helped improve my writing skills, just not in the way I had hoped.
For the piece of writing which demonstrates my critical thinking, I chose the essay I wrote on non-conformity in response to Fight Club. I chose this piece because I really took time to think deep into this movie, and came up which a conclusion which may not be viewed the same by others, but I was able to show and support through my writing. To demonstrate my skills at revision and reseeing my work, I chose my essay on Identity versus Personal choices. I decided that this was a good piece, due to the fact that I overlooked many basic rules and there was much that I need to correct. My response to "Struggling against tradition" is what I chose to show my awareness of audience, because I took two stories and wrote of both sides to the struggle, allowing all classmates to relate to their views as well as be shown the opposing side.
Finally, I chose my response to the movie Freedom Writers and the term "Outsiders" as my writer’s choice. This essay could use some work, as it was a timed write and not my best quality, but I really liked the content throughout the paper.
Although I have a bit of a negative outlook on my time spent in English 101D, I do have many pieces of work which have forced me to think deeper than I would normally, and focus on my writing skills through content and editing. This would not be the case without the class, so all in all, it was time well spent.
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