A Day at the Beach

I spend many endless summer vacations at the beach
The crystal water smells like a mixture of salt and God's countless sea creatures
Building sand castles with my family is a sunny day at the park
The air tastes like melting fruity popsicles as the playful children run by
Relaxation whispers like the cool breeze that dances around our warm bodies
The unique seashells persuade me to take them home when they say, "Look at me! I'm beautiful"

Dont Blame the Teens

Sometimes it’s hard to be a teenage twin. I live in a house with my two parents, my twin brother, and my two dogs. Since my brother and I are both teenagers, we get blamed for the majority of mishaps in my home. If Ryan, my brother, forgot to do his chores, it suddenly becomes my fault because “we are twins” and we share the same duties. Or if my father breaks a glass plate, I am accused because I am “a teenager” and teenagers apparently have a reputation for not caring about little, unimportant things. No matter what the problem is, if something goes wrong in the Burchfield household, my brother and I are the first suspects. In Wanda Coleman’s poem “Sears Life”, the speaker gets accused of shoplifting because she is an African American teenager. The minute she walks into the store, “eyes follow her everywhere”, because the workers assume she is going to steal something. I know how this feels. Right when trouble presents itself, my brother and I get thrown under the bus. The world needs to know that not all teenagers lack morals and responsibility. Also, my parents need to know that if my brother messes up, it is not automatically my fault too.

Click Here to Learn All About "God Says Yes to Me"!

      Right this way to take a look at Kaylin Haught’s poem “God Says Yes to Me”. As you can see, this is a rather short poem. The speaker is most likely a little girl seeking affirmation. She questions whether it is okay to be melodramatic, short, to wear or to not wear nail polish, and to not paragraph letters. If you’ll notice, the speaker’s questions are all related to general standards and critiques of feminine perfection. The poet uses simple diction and syntax, which reflects the speaker to be humble and ignorant. She doesn’t know what girly behavior is socially accepted which is why she simply asks God these questions. Here’s something you will want to pay attention to—God, in this poem, is portrayed as a woman. Now this contradicts the common image of God. Normally, we see God as being mighty and powerful. We refer to him as The Father. However, in this poem, God represents a motherly figure to the little girl. She calls the girl “honey” and “sweetcakes”. Interesting isn’t it? Another special effect the poet uses is quoting God’s answers, word-for-word. Now, the answers don’t appear in literal quotation marks, but they are straight from God’s mouth. To wrap up this tour, the message of the poem to know that God will help us. Whether God is represented as a male or female, God is a parent figure in our lives and we are all his children. When we seek affirmation like the little girl, we should just turn to God. Thanks for coming everyone!

Appreciate All

APPRECIATE ALL

      Martin Espada’s poem, “Jorge the Janitor Finally Quits”, portrays the importance of loving and appreciating all people, no matter how much of a difference they are making. Jorge in the poem is a janitor, a job that normally doesn’t receive much attention. He says, “No one asks where I’m from. I must be from the country of janitors.” He cleans the floors and bathrooms and no one ever seems to care about him. Guests show no respect towards him when they are around him. Even though his job isn’t outrageous like finding a cure to cancer, he is still helping many people in little ways. The bumper sticker, “APPRECIATE ALL”, well suites this poem because it represents the importance of appreciating all people, no matter what job they have. Jorge received no gratitude as a janitor and at the end of the poem, he finally quits his job.

Que es Poesia?

Que es Poesia? dices mientras claves
en mi pupila
tu pupila azul.
Que es poesia? y tu me lo preguntas
poesia eres tu.
What is poetry?  You ask as I get lost 
into your deep blue eyes.
What is poetry?
You are poetry.

A Dream of Her Own

       Tears racing down my cardinal cheeks, I laid hopelessly in my bed. Why did this have to happen? Why did my mother have to die? Was it my fault? The burden of last night’s fight lay heavily on my shoulders, haunting my every thought. I kept replaying every dreadful moment in my head. It was a cloudy, dull day in San Diego, California. I could hear the news reports of my mother’s car accident streaming throughout the lifeless house. “Someone turn that off!”, I screamed. But I was alone. How could someone be so stupid to text and drive? They killed my mother! I knew I wasn’t to blame, but I couldn’t help thinking that if we hadn’t gotten in a fight the night before then things would be different.

       I impatiently waited my father’s arrival from the hospital. He told me I wasn’t allowed to go because “I’m not old enough” and he didn’t want me to see her dead body. Each minute felt like an hour. I wanted to see him. I wanted to know more than what a CNN news report could tell me.

       School was hard the next few weeks. I sat emotionless in my desk, never saying a word. My friends tried comforting me, but I never found the courage to open up to them. That’s just how I am. I tend to keep all my problems and struggles in a box, which remains locked up until something better rolls around and I can forget about them. I am not your typical girl who pours their emotions out like a glass of milk. That night at dinner, a new encouraging thought suddenly popped into my head for the first time since before the fight. I would start a “Texting Awareness” organization at my school, specifically about the dangers of texting while driving. I knew I couldn’t bring my mother back, but maybe by sharing my story I could save some other classmate’s loved ones.

       So there I was, speaking in front of my entire school of 1,700 people, just three weeks after my mother passed. Palms sweaty, knees weak, and voice shaking, I shared my story. When finished, the loud sound combination of hollers and claps consumed my ears. Surprisingly my story spoke to many of my fellow classmates. They supported me. For the first time in weeks, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness that I hoped would stick with me.

       The old saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”, is extremely true. I loved my mom dearly through the ups and the downs. We had our share of fights, but then again, what mother-daughter duo doesn’t? I regret ever arguing with her and taking her for granted, but I now realize that I cannot dwell on her death forever. She wouldn’t want me to feel pain the rest of my life. At my school, I am now the president of the “Texting Awareness” organization and am being followed by 700 of my other classmates. We have now expanded the organization to other schools in the district, and someday I hope to make it worldwide. I know my mother is smiling down on me from heaven and I know she is very proud of me. I know I will see her beautiful face again in the future, but until then it is my mission to put an end to texting while driving. I am just a motivated 17 year old girl with big dreams, hoping to save lives.

Similar Teachers

       In the short story “Gryphon”, a unique substitute teacher, Ms. Ferenczi, comes to sub in Tommy’s class. She is wild, eccentric, and knowledgeable. Ms. Ferenczi tells her class many stories and myths, which leaves her students curious and wanting more. She gives them freedom to imagine and does not limit their creativity. Ms. Ferenczi is also very creative and her teaching style is intriguing to the students, unlike a normal boring teacher. She reminds me a lot of Mrs. Hill, my second grade teacher. Mrs. Hill was no ordinary teacher. She always inspired us to think outside of the box and she told us to never settle with something we don’t understand. She wanted us to imagine. In her classroom, she had a pet rabbit. The rabbit always radiated positive energy and lightened the mood of learning. When Ms. Ferenczi’s came, the first thing she did was draw a tree on the board. A tree represents peacefulness. The tree in her classroom brought positive energy, much like Mrs. Hill’s rabbit.

The Blinder Man

      In the story “Cathedral”, we can examine how Bub changes whenever the blind man comes to stay with him and his wife. The blind man, Robert, is a close friend of the wife because she used to read to him. Bub is not at all attracted to the idea of the blind man coming to live in his home. Before his arrival, he would make snarky comments to his wife about Robert’s blindness. Even though Bub can physically see, he lacks insight and self-awareness that makes him even blinder than Robert. Bub is socially awkward and doesn’t mesh well with other people, including his own wife. He doesn’t take the time to get to know her.  They are hardly even a couple. However, Bub is jealous and bitter at Robert and his wife’s relationship. At the beginning of Robert’s arrival, Bub remains quiet with not much to say. When the wife decides to go to bed, Bub and Robert are forced into conversation. To limit all awkwardness, Bub and Robert talk about the cathedrals because there is a show about them on TV. Robert reveals that he has never seen a cathedral, causing Bub to attempt their description. Robert eventually asks Bub to draw one with him, which turns into a self realization. Eyes closed, Bub draws the cathedral as Robert asked. This small act of drawing leads to Bub having an epiphany. For the first time in a while, Bub feels uplifted rather than empty. He is inspired. He takes a deep look into his life and realizes that there is more to life than shallow relationships and getting high. After this drawing, Bub finally sees for the first time.

Sharecroppping 101

         Sharecropping is an agricultural system in which a landowner allows a tenant farmer to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land. The landowner in return would provide the farmer with food, clothes, and other necessities. This method was created in the South after the Reconstruction era and lasted until the mid twentieth century. Sharecropping was intended to benefit both sides of the deal. Farmers were encouraged to stay throughout the harvest season so they could rely on the landowners for food and supplies. However, the farmers were never given the chance to move up on the socioeconomic ladder. The landowners would benefit from receiving the crops from the harvest. Eventually, there was tension between the harvesters and the landowners. Throughout the story, “Barn Burning”, Abner Snopes and his family switch from owner to owner because Abner cannot contain his anger causing him to burn down all the owner’s barns. The Snopes family constantly goes through this cycle. This horrendous cycle is really hard on the Snopes family because they can never settle down. Sarty, one of Abner’s sons, finally cannot put up with his father anymore and decides to leave the family at the end of the story.

Martha's Meaning

      Martha is Lieutenant Cross’s love, motivation, hope, and reminder of his life before the war. She never leaves Cross’s mind, which isn’t always a good thing when it comes to fighting. Cross carries her letters, pictures, and a lucky pebble that she sent him. He daydreams about her more than anything. Martha signs all of her letters, “Love, Martha”, but Cross knows this is not the love he desires. Martha is hope for Cross’s future when he comes home. She is his motivation and his reason worth fighting for. Before the war, Cross and Martha would go to the movies. Cross even kissed her outside of her dorm once. Some of his memories haunt him because he wishes he would have “been brave” or made a bigger move. However at the end of the story, Cross makes the decision to get rid of all her letters, pictures, and even the stone. Cross does this to commit to the war and step up as a leader. No more Martha means no more daydreaming and no more distractions. From this point on, “when he thought about Martha, it would be only to think that she belonged elsewhere.”

Maggie Knows Best

      In Alice Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use”, the character Maggie is more in touch with her heritage than Wangero. Wangero is Maggie’s sister, whose real name is Dee. Wangero is trying to learn more about her heritage and where she comes from which is why she claims to have changed her name. Wangero says, “I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.” However, the name Dee actually goes back many generations in their family. By changing her name from Dee to Wangero Leewanika Kemamjo, Dee is disrespecting her family’s heritage and portraying that she isn’t in touch with her family’s history. Dee also wants the quilts that have been passed down to hang up on her wall and preserve, which is not the right use of the quilts. Unlike Dee, Maggie knows how to quilt. Quilting is one of their family’s traditions and hobbies. Everyone in the family including the grandmothers, the mother, and Maggie, all know how to quilt. Dee’s lack of knowledge for quilting adds to the point that she knows little of her family’s culture. Maggie is more in touch with her heritage than Dee.

Dear Mom

Dear Mom,

      I am sorry that I wasn’t the perfect child you always wanted. I know it must have been hard for you to lose everything in China. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like. But, growing up was hard for me too. Sometimes the pressure to be perfect got too much for me to handle. Now that I am older, I understand your reasoning for pushing me so much. You simply just wanted me to try my best at whatever I do. Although at the time it seemed like a lot to ask, I am glad that you had faith in me. I appreciate you giving me the piano. After practicing a few of my old songs, I’ve come to realize that I wasn’t so bad after all! With more practice, I could actually become pretty good. Anyways, thank you for always putting your faith in me, even when I couldn’t find faith in myself. Thank you for also opening new doors in my life and introducing me to things I never would have considered without your encouragement. I love you so much and I am sorry for the rude things I said when I was younger.

            Sincerely,
            Your loving daughter

Letter From Sammy

Dear Mom,

        Today I decided to quit my job at the A&P. I know this won’t make you happy; in fact, it will most likely make you upset. But I’m not sad one bit. I did this for myself. During my shift, three girls came in to the store wearing nothing but swimsuits. One in particular caught my attention. She was so beautiful and different from any other girl I have ever seen. I know you are probably thinking that this doesn’t mean much because I am a teenage boy. But this girl was different. Anyways, this girl made me realize that I am so much more than a cashier at a grocery store. She is probably out living some glamorous life while I’ve been working at this dumb store being a nobody. I now have this desire to seek out new opportunities and let go of any limits that I have previously put on myself. I want to start a new life. I know it will be hard and there will be many struggles, but that is how life goes.

Your Son,

Sammy

                                                                                                              

Future Runner

       Drink a lot of water; limit the sodas and candy; eat healthy; always wear your hair up, out of your face; never dress uncomfortably or in something that prevents you from reaching success; this is how you tie your shoes tight; this is how you warm up; this is how you stretch properly; listen to your coach, they are wiser than you are, no matter what you think; run hard in practice; don’t be lazy like the kids are accustomed to failure; push yourself; when times get hard, pray and push through; God gave you legs for a reason, use them; don’t brag about your success because everyone has potential to be great; this is how you get a good start in a race; this is how you finish with everything you have left; always congratulate your teammates and opponents; strive to be better, there is always room for improvement; run for the freedom, not to please others; do it because it makes you happy; don’t complain because of the early morning practices, they scheduled then for a reason; give your body rest when it needs it; take care of your injuries; take a lot of ice baths, you’re going to need them; never give up; never be satisfied-there is always competition; run fast; run hard; have faith in yourself; always try your best because that is all that matters.

Kingsolver's Rhetorical Techniques

      Barbara Kingsolver is a highly relatable and talented author who writes essays and novels about common American controversies. For a whole year, her family moved to a farm and grew their own food, rather than purchasing their food at the local grocery store, to experience what eating all organic food is like. The controversy of health and where food comes from is explained in both her non-fiction works titled, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, and Lily’s Chickens. Kingsolver uses many rhetorical techniques to express her beliefs, including, logos, pathos, ethos, a gentle yet warning tone, and an entertaining yet suggestive style.  She does a good job of conveying her purpose on the importance of organic food by relating to the readers and expressing how simple gardening can be. Kingsolver assures that if her family can do it, then so can other families.
      The use of logos is a very important technique in persuading the reader to pay closer attention to their food choices. Kingsolver adds in multiple heath facts and statistics to help make her points. She explains food miles, which is the distance food goes from where it is grown or raised, to your own kitchen. Most food travels all around the world when it can easily be grown in your own backyard. Kingsolver contributes many of her personal life experiences of living on a farm as a child, which gives her logic about gardening and organic food. Pathos is also common in Kingsolver’s writings. She touches the hearts of many parents through her works by telling stories of her children and also subtly convicting them by asking, “don’t you want to do what is best for your children?” Because Kingsolver is a mother of two daughters, she knows what it is like to raise children in a world of bad eating habits and she can easily reach out to other parents who are going through the same problem.  
      Kingsolver also uses ethos in her writings. She earns credibility by not raising herself to a higher level than her audience. She admits to her shortcomings and assures us that she is not perfect. Kingsolver also uses her personal experience to make her more reliable and knowledgeable about eating healthy. Her tone is very gentle and loving, rather than rude and snotty. Since she went through a drastic food change, she could have chosen to act superior to other people, but instead she portrays herself as a normal human being. She doesn’t strictly tell us what we need to eat or make us feel bad about ourselves, but she does suggest a healthier lifestyle that would be more beneficial to our families. Her style is relaxed yet entertaining. She keeps the reader listening by using anecdotes and mixing in some witty jokes.
      Kingsolver is an excellent persuader, informer, and role model in our world consumed with fast food unhealthy diets. She acts as a motherly figure towards her readers by making them feel comfortable yet warning them of the negative consequences of bad eating habits. Kingsolver simply wants us to be aware of our food’s origin and point us in the direction of healthier lifestyles.

                                           

The Kingsolver Challenge

          Fast food is one of America’s greatest pride and joys. Growing up in a family that goes on many road trips has meant a lot quick drive-thru stops for cheap meals. Whether we were traveling for sports or for simple vacations, we always manage to make many fast food stops. After learning about the Kingsolver family and how they lived off food from their own gardens or local farmer’s market has really made me question my love for fast food. Yes, it is delicious, but not knowing where the food truly came from is a huge turn off. The Kingsolver’s challenge would be very difficult, maybe even impossible, for my family. We are always on the go for either Ryan’s, my twin brother, sports or my cross country meets. However, I am now going to commit to being more careful about my eating habits. The Kingsolvers are very inspiring and great role models for keeping the American tradition of farming alive.

Rhetorical Analysis of Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

                Ralph Waldo Emerson was a phenomenal essayist.  One of his most famous essays was, “Self-Reliance”.  This essay was written in the 1800’s, which was the start of the movement for individualism. Emerson was the founder of transcendentalism, who strongly believed in truly being yourself and not being altered but the influences of the world.  He wrote this essay to encourage people to have confidence in who they are. Emerson’s audience is “the unknown friend”, which means anyone who can relate to him or apply his lessons to their lives. He wants people to break out of their shell and be the person God made them to be. Emerson uses many rhetorical strategies in this work to express his true feelings.

                Starting at the second paragraph, Emerson uses pathos and repetition to convict the reader. He writes that “envy is ignorance” and “imitation is suicide”. This merely means that if you are jealous of someone, then you are a fool because everyone has problems and no one is perfect, and if you imitate someone, then you are sacrificing your own individuality. These short ideas are emphasized by being straight forward and to the point. Emerson then continues to say that we should take ourselves for better or for worse. This line relates to wedding, where we take those we love, for better or for worse. Emerson writes this to encourage the reader to love themselves for who they are, just like we would love our significant other. In this same sentence, he compares a nourishing kernel of corn of the growth of an individual and explains that we must use what the good world has given us to become the people we were meant to be. We are in control of our destiny. Emerson wants the reader to feel powerful and confident in themselves.

                In the proceeding sentence, Emerson writes in a motivating tone to once again make the reader feel in control. He says, “The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried.” Emerson doesn’t want his unknown friends to limit themselves or assume that they are incapable of accomplishing something. This motivating tone he is expressing emotionally makes the reader feel secure with themselves and their ability to branch out of their comfort zone. In the next sentence, Emerson again uses repetition by repeating all the things we as individuals face in our lifetime. He does this by using multiple different short experiences to create one big idea that we are influenced everywhere we go. With this repetition, Emerson informs the reader that everything happens for a reason. He then goes on to use the metaphor, “the sculpture in the memory”, to describe our life experiences. By this he means, all of one’s experiences leave a mark on our life, like an imprint in our brain, and we can’t go forward in life without looking back at the past and what it has done to us and our society. This “sculpture” grows as we grow. Emerson once again does this to remind the audience that we are in control of our future. Pathos is used many times throughout Emerson’s work and is used to stir the emotions of the reader by giving them a hope for the future.

                Later on in the paragraph, Emerson uses a simple style to convey simple ideas. He says, “A man is relieved and gay when he has but his heart into his work and done his best.” This simple statement is purposeful by making this idea clear and easy to understand. If you simply do your best, then you will experience true happiness. Once again, Emerson plays with pathos to assure the audience that they will be happy if they simply put their heart into their work. The next idea of this sentence contradicts happiness and portrays a feeling to distress. Emerson does this by saying that if you don’t give life your all, then you won’t have peace. This warns the reader of the negative emotion they could potentially experience without a motivated heart.

                Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” essay is very influential and encouraging to whoever reads it. He teaches the importance of individualism and how it affects our lives daily. The use of pathos, repetition, motivating diction, and metaphors effectively portrays the beauty of being one’s self. Emerson wants the world to be unique and diverse. His powerful essay has truly spoke knowledge and hope into many lives and will continue to for many more years.

Seeking a True Pal

                                                     

I enjoy reading books, traveling across the nation, and writing essays and poems.

Religion is something I am very passionate about. I attended Harvard University to become a Unitarian minister. I definitely believe that there is a divine God and that all things on our earth are connected to him; however, I am also a strong believer in Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the balance of nature, spirituality and humanity. The Holy Trinity does not exist. There is a very power God, but I can’t speak to him. There is a soul within me, but it is my own, not the Holy Spirit. Jesus was a great man who lived on earth at one point in time, but he was nothing more than that. I don’t consider him to be my savior. I am not in need of a savior.

I am in search of a true, genuine friendship. I need a friend that is both sincere and honest. A person who is sincere has the ability to be their complete selves at any time and any place. I need a friend who doesn’t feel like they need to impress me; rather, they feel freedom to be real. I shouldn’t feel the need to impress them either. There are so many fake relationships that are consumed with hypocrisy. If a person acts one way in front of just me but another way with a group of people, I don’t want them. I am seeking a friend who is real all the time. They need to have confidence to let down all barriers. I want to be able to think out loud without feeling judged or ridiculed. A true friendship is revolved around love. I’m not searching for romantic love. I desire a brotherly love, an unconditional love that is there through the ups and the downs. I need a friend who loves me for who I am and not for what I have. True friendships are hard to come by, but I strongly believe they are real.

Throughout our lives, we connect with a wide variety of people. Some are only temporarily apart of us, while others last a lifetime. No matter the circumstance, a true friend by your side through thick and thin. If they leave you when times get tough, they are nothing but an association. You should never hate people, but if they aren’t there to support you, then you shouldn’t confide in them. True friendships are rare. They hold together like a strong cloth while being pulled or twisted. Friendships represent equality. No one person is better than another. We were all made for different reasons which should not be compared. There is no competition in friendship. I don’t want to alter my beliefs and personality to merely fit in with a group. I also wish that no one would ever feel like they need to do that for me. A real relationship requires acceptance. I want to feel accepted for who I am, not judged. There is a freedom in friendship. I want to be able to speak my mind and completely open up my heart without feeling discouraged. Personal thought is extremely important and should not be ignored by anyone. Friendship involves truly listening. A real friend listens to your problems and isn’t selfishly always trying to talk about themselves. When friendships are real, they are not glass threads of frostwork, but the solidest thing we know. They should not be taken lightly. A true friendship is powerful. However, they are hard to find. If anyone feels that they hold these friendly characteristics, please contact me. I’d love to meet up and get to know you. I am always open to new people and I believe that one can never have too many friends.

A Trail of Your Own

                The highly influential, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said, “Don’t go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Throughout high school, there are many pressures to be what is considered “popular” or “cool”. Many teens completely change who they are and what they stand for all to just fit it. For me, feeling accepted, whether it’s by my peers or completes strangers, is extremely important. However, throughout my high school experience, I have found that complete, true happiness comes from accepting yourself and never giving up something you believe in.

                No matter where you go, social media seems to be subconsciously defining what is beautiful and perfect. Starting the summer before my freshman year, I became really self conscious about my physical appearance, especially my weight. Being a teenage girl in a world full of false interpretations became a huge struggle. One of my good friends was consumed with trying to be the best physically, and her outward desires started rubbing off on me. The subliminal messages of beauty portrayed on commercials and in magazines caught more of my attention every time I would see them. I slowly developed into a psycho health freak at the age of fifteen. I would barely eat any food, and the food that I did eat I burned off by running four miles a day. After a few months I had lost a lot of weight yet I still felt ugly and unwanted. My friend would continue to tell me, “if we look like them more people will like us”, even after my drastic change.

                As the year went on, I stayed at a consistent unhealthy weight. I wasn’t losing anymore, but I hadn’t gained it back either. One night my brother persuaded me into attending a Christian conference called Field’s of Faith. At this conference, many high school students gave their testimonies that included various struggles commonly faced by teens. One girl’s testimony particularly caught my attention. She spoke of her serious struggle with anorexia and how it caused her to quit all sports activities and even put her in the hospital. However, during her hardship, she developed a faith in God which saved her life. Later on in my freshman year, with the encouragement of that girl’s testimony and my amazing brother, I also developed a strong faith in God. I learned that he sees me as beautiful no matter what I look like, and that he has a put me in this world for a special reason.

                When Emerson warns us to no go where the path leads, he is it talking about the path that takes us farther and farther away from who we really are. Emerson wants us to be leaders and to not conform to society because we think it will make us “popular”. My problem wasn’t as severe as the girl’s in the conference, but it was something that altered my personality and my morals. Because of my faith in God and his greater plans, I can now make a positive trail, which will hopefully inspire other girls who are going through the same things I went through. Emerson truly wanted people to accept themselves and to stand up for what they believe in, and now I can successfully do that.

Individualism at Its Finest

            Ralph Waldo Emerson was an exceptional poet, essayist, and lecturer during the 1800’s. He strongly believed in individualism and wasn’t fearful of society’s judgments. In his famous essay, “Self-Reliance”, Emerson emphasizes the importance of personal thoughts and beliefs. He believed that everyone in the world is born with their own individualistic abilities and talents, and that people shouldn’t limit themselves until they have truly tried to accomplish something. Emerson says, “The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried.” Emerson wanted people to reach their full potential and be all they can be. So many times people are afraid to try new things or express their own thoughts because they are terrified of judgment, however, Emerson didn’t want people to be this way. Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that everyone could be great if they would just allow themselves to be.

Thomas Jefferson: Loving Family Man or Hypocritical Slave Holder?

        

                In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Jefferson, however, lived at Monticello, a huge plantation, where hundreds of slaves were under his control. How could someone who believes that, “all men are created equal”, own an abundance of slaves who are treated as inferiors? Thomas Jefferson, who appeared to be an advocate of individual freedom, was in fact a hypocrite and racist slave holder, who felt that he was the only one worthy of owning slaves.

                In 1770, Thomas Jefferson preached his views on personal liberties by saying, “Under the laws of nature, all men are born free.” What exactly is Jefferson’s definition of free? We know he saw whites as free but he believed colored people were “pests to the society by their idleness” and there is much evidence that leads us to assuming he didn’t actually see them as equals. Monticello, Jefferson’s beloved heaven on earth, was the home to many enslaved people who worked from sunrise till sunset. In the scorching summers, through the penetrating winters, his slaves worked endless hours of intense labor. Whether they were working on the land, making tools, or building, these workers were far from freedom. Thomas Jefferson, however, was certainly a manipulative man. He didn’t call his workers slaves, rather he referred to them as his “children in need of protection” and he was the father. Jefferson felt obligated to protect them because they were “incapable as children trying to care for themselves.” He probably wanted the slaves to feel like they were important and appreciated so they would be more successful in their work, making Monticello a better place for Jefferson.

                Thomas Jefferson, we know, was a greatly intelligent, determined man with a wide variety of talents and interests. He was a scientist, architect, politician, musician, cook, husband, and a father. Having been all these titles, he was a very busy man. It is suspected that he owned slaves because he was so busy all the time, but I think he believed he was an exception to the rule against slavery. Jefferson could have easily hired workers to do all the things he made his slaves do, and pay them accordingly. However, he did not pay his slaves and they didn’t get to choose what field of work they participated in. It hasn’t been recorded that he ever abused his slaves, but also he didn’t give them the freedom that people were supposedly born in to. Jefferson believed that the issue of slavery was too large to abolish in his generation, so he did nothing to even attempt to end it. This might have been out of his selfish desires. Being a famous, well respected figure in society, abolishing slavery may have been accomplishable in his era. However, Jefferson probably didn’t go through with this huge political change because he still wanted to own slaves for his Monticello plantation.

                Thomas Jefferson did suggest little steps in trying to help the obstacle of slavery. He absolutely did not like African Americans and he didn’t want them in Virginia unless they were working for him in Monticello. To get rid of the colored people, Jefferson thought that it would be a good idea to send them all away and let them have their own community however they would still be required to work when needed. This option still limits African Americans of their freedoms even though they are getting to live away from their slave holder. Thomas Jefferson wasn’t horribly mean to all his slaves and African Americans, but he was a racist and kept them from making personal decisions that white people would have the privilege to make.

                Thomas Jefferson accomplished many great things in his lifetime which people still learn about today. He impacted American in more ways than one by his scientific discoveries and political achievements. He was a true family man who truly believed in family values and morals however, he was indeed a slave holder. He spoke of human rights and personal liberties but went against his words and owned hundreds of slave at Monticello. He supposedly was against the issue of slavery, but didn’t have what it took to give up the slaves of his own. He couldn’t practice what he preached making him a racist and a hypocrite.

http://www.monticello.org/site/plantation-and-slavery/thomas-jefferson-and-slavery

http://www.reformed-theology.org/html/issue07/jefferson.htm

Thomas Jefferson's Tattoo

If Thomas Jefferson were to have a tattoo it would look like the design above. The triangular shape of the tattoo symbolizes Jefferson’s love for architecture. Many of the buildings Thomas Jefferson designed included a large triangle strategically located above the columns. These triangular structures are called pediments. Jefferson’s beloved Monticello incorporates a pediment in the architectural design. The UVA abbreviation stands for the University of Virginia, which was founded by Jefferson himself. This was one of his favorite accomplishments along with co-writing the Declaration of Independence and writing the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson strongly believed in being educated and he especially liked the idea of public education. The tree in the tattoo represents Jefferson’s interest in nature and gardening. His beautiful home, Monticello, is surrounded by tons of gorgeous gardens. He also kept many records of plants and studied about plants from all over the world. Lastly, the music notes symbolize Jefferson’s passion for music. He was a big time violinist and it has been rumored that he practiced for at least three hours a day! His absolute favorite composer was Arcangelo Corelli, but he also had a great love for French and Italian opera. Jefferson’s famous violin is now housed at the University of Virginia. As you can see, Thomas Jefferson had many passions and a wide variety of interests. This tattoo strongly depicts the intelligent man Jefferson was and signifies his role in history.

Onuf's Review of Thomas Jefferson

                Thomas Jefferson was a studious, intellectual man with a powerful mind. Throughout history, uncovering Jefferson’s exact religious beliefs have been a challenge. In the book, The Mind of Thomas Jefferson, by Peter S. Onuf, some of the mysteries as to when he truly believed are revealed. Within this book, Onuf quotes and shares his knowledge of the great Thomas Jefferson.

                In the beginning of the book, Onuf describes Jefferson as very rational. Onuf says that according to Jefferson, “moral philosophers remain the best guides to the good life.”  This shows us that he believes strongly in the importance of philosophy and reason, rather than a spiritual figure leading a godly path for his life. Onuf also tells us early in the book that Jefferson doesn’t believe that Jesus was “begotten by God, born a virgin, suspended and reversed the laws of nature at will, and ascended bodily into heaven”, but that Jesus was “a man of illegitimate birth, of a benevolent heart, enthusiastic mind” who got many people to follow and trust him. This evidence informs us that Thomas Jefferson didn’t believe in miracles, or anything that couldn’t be supported by science.

                Later on in the book, Jefferson’s views of priests are acknowledged. In a letter to John Adams, Jefferson writes, “if we could live without an order of priests, we could then moralize for ourselves, follow the oracle of conscience, and say nothing about what no man can understand, nor therefore believe.” Jefferson strongly believed that priests were clouding the reasonable part of religion, causing America to believe anything they hear. He also vigorously thought that a person should hold the freedom to believe whatever they wish to believe, without the role of a priest preventing them to think for themselves. According to Jefferson, a priest’s job was to obscure religion, which turned him away.

                Jefferson however, had a fairly positive view of Jesus. He said that Jesus was, “the benevolent and sublime reformer”, and that Jesus spoke of God being “good and perfect”. He believed that Jesus “preached peace and love.” Jefferson saw Jesus as a real and great person who came and left this earth. According to Onuf, Jefferson could never believe in the trinity, which states that Jesus lives as three persons. This evidence reflects Jefferson’s views of science that I mentioned earlier. If science can’t explain it, then it must not be real. He once said, “Ignorance is preferable to error and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong”. Onuf tells us that Jefferson would rather be caught believing in nothing than believing in something that is incorrect and unreasonable.

                In this book, Onuf repeatedly emphasizes Jefferson’s belief that religion should kept private. In the famous Danbury Baptists letter, Jefferson states that, “religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God.” Jefferson tells Calvinist Ezra Stiles Ely, “I am of a sect by myself”. This reveals that Jefferson has his own personal, spiritual beliefs and he doesn’t want the people of this world to compromise to his beliefs because he is seen as an intelligent, respected man. He greatly feels that everyone should believe in what they want no matter what others say or do. People should have freedom to think for themselves and make decisions on their own without anyone telling them what is right and what is wrong. To Jefferson, freedom of conscience is key.

                Still today, no one knows for sure what Jefferson’s exact religious believes were. But Jefferson doesn’t want the world to know. He wants everyone to explore religion for themselves and question God’s existence. That’s the beauty of freedom. Onuf does a great job of portraying some of Jefferson’s views, however his true beliefs remain a mystery.

A Religious Mystery

                 Many people throughout history have sought to find the truth behind Thomas Jefferson’s religious beliefs. Nobody knows for sure exactly what his defined religion was, but I believe this was all a part of his mischievous plan. Jefferson once said, “I am of a sect by myself”, meaning he has his own personal believes and doesn’t care to share them because religion should only be shared between a man and his God.  Historians trying to figure out this mystery have argued that he might have been a Unitarian, a Deist, or a Christian. However, after reading bits of “The Mid of Thomas Jefferson” by Peter S. Onuf, I believe the Thomas Jefferson was neither of those. Jefferson strongly believed in the freedom to follow your own conscience and not be forced to believe something that doesn’t necessarily make sense to you. He especially didn’t like the idea of a priest. Jefferson believed the priests of our world were clouding the reasonable part of religion and leaving people without the strength to actually think for themselves. In a letter to John Adams, Jefferson wrote, “If we could live without an order of priests, we could then moralize for ourselves”.  I believe that Jefferson had his own spiritual beliefs that in some ways may have reflected multiple real religions, but at the same time had their major differences which he made up on his own. He was an extremely intelligent man who knew a lot about many things, however he was also a man who remained true to his spiritual beliefs and he didn’t want anyone to solve his religious mystery.

Dear Mr. Jefferson

Dear Mr. Jefferson,

                After recently seeing pictures of your beautiful Monticello home, I couldn’t help but notice the thousands of gorgeous flowers in your beloved gardens. All of the vivid colors and unique arrangements literally bring your home to life. You seem to be well educated about gardens and what it takes to successfully maintain them. There is a book in your library called “The Theory and Practice of Gardening” by Antoine Joseph Dezallier d’Argentville that I would absolutely love to borrow from you if you would so kindly let me.

                Growing up, I carefully watched my mother plant radiant flowers around the perimeter of our home. She methodically placed each and every flower in a specific spot. My mother was the artist, flowers were her paint, and our yard was her canvas. I never understood how spending hours out in the intense Texas summer heat, putting plants in the dirt, could be enjoyable at all. However, to her it was a passion. She would always tell me, “Just try it Court! You never know if you like something until you give it a chance!” After quite some time of contemplating whether or not I actually want to take up gardening, I decided to give it a shot. If something so simple can bring such joy and peace to a person, why shouldn’t I try it? So here I am, taking my mother’s advice.

I need your help with my new journey in the world of gardening. With your permission, I would use your book to learn of this commonly practiced hobby and put a smile on my mother’s face. You truly know the beauty of nature and it is my hope that I can someday have a magnificent garden of my own so my future children can experience its elegance.  I promise to return your book in tip-top shape.

Your friend,

Courtney            

 

The Marvelous Monticello

             Have you ever wondered how your life would be different if you lived on a plantation? Or what it would be like if you were a slave? There is a really informative, yet intriguingly fascinating, website about the famous Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home that includes many biographies and real journal entries about enslaved workers. Whether you are interested in domestic workers, field workers, or skilled trade workers, this site has it all. These biographies are about actual slaves that worked for the real Thomas Jefferson! This awesome site also includes biographies and journal entries of free workmen, the Hemings family, Sally Hemings, and even Thomas Jefferson himself! You will be able to learn about how Monticello operated and all the contributor’s roles in making Monticello Thomas Jefferson’s heaven on earth. This site also includes pictures of the beautiful gardens where some of the slaves worked, and pictures from inside Jefferson’s self-designed home. Check it out now! You won’t regret it!


http://www.monticello.org/site/plantation-and-slavery/people-plantation

Thomas Jefferson

          Thomas Jefferson was a very talented, respectable man. Before attending class today, I knew very little about his interests and accomplishments. When I heard Thomas Jefferson, all I thought of was a former president who helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Now, after learning more about this great man, I know that he was well known for his achievements in politics, architecture, exploration, science and education. Thomas Jefferson strongly believed in religious freedom and the separation of church and state. Jefferson also daily recorded the temperature for multiple years and intensively studied plants from all over the world. He was very fascinated with the world and sought to learn more about it to improve it. One of Jefferson’s biggest accomplishments was founding of the University of Virginia. He strongly believed that everyone should be educated and he initiated the idea of public education. One thing I found uniquely interesting about Jefferson was that he would rather be at his beautiful home, Monticello, than behind a desk in an office somewhere. This appropriately shows his love and passion for the world and family time. There are many, many great things about Thomas Jefferson and he has been a large part of our country’s success.

Communication is Key

Writing is a very important skill and a crucial aspect of communication. Many people in the world believe that they can get by without knowing proper writing techniques because they don’t pertain to their career. However, reading and writing is beneficial where ever we go and with whatever job we decide to pursue.  Without these skills, we would lack the ability to successfully persuade, help, instruct and communicate with people.  Learning to read and write properly will help us to be successful with any job, for the rest of our lives.

Various business professionals today stress the importance of reading and writing in their work force. One, an insurance agent, daily reads insurance policies, construction contracts, and writes emails to her clients. These essential skills help her to review her client’s insurance requirements for jobs they are working on and help her to make sure that her clients have proper coverage in place. Without knowing how to properly read and write, she wouldn’t be able to communicate with her clients which would hurt her in trying to help them. Another professional, a business development manager for sales, is always writing proposals and reading building plans and requirements. For his job, these skills are very important because they help him provide a solution of his customers. When I grow up, I want to be an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists help people who are mentally, physically, emotionally, or developmentally impaired. Reading and writing are crucial in this field of work because occupational therapist need to read about the certain disabilities, write about the progress of their patients, and may even teach someone with impaired vision to read or help someone with a hand injury how to write. To be successful with any job you must know how to correctly write and read. No matter the field of interest, communication is always key.

Burchfield, Lee. Personal interview. 28 Aug. 2011.

Burchfield, Jana. Personal interview. 28 Aug. 2011.

About Occupational Therapy. The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. Web.
             28 Aug. 2011.

Change the Texters, Save the World

Many people in the text messaging world are hurting crucial communication. The abundance of abbreviations, multiple grammar issues, and lack of punctuation make, what should be simple messages, difficult to understand. Some people are starting to abbreviate full sentences thinking it will be quicker, when really the reader has to spend five minutes just to decode the text. Without punctuation, how are we supposed to know the intent of the sender? Are they asking a question or are they making a statement? To prevent these common mishaps, text messagers should only use worldwide abbreviations such as "omg" or "g2g". Senders should also take the time to type on more character to add punctuation to eliminate potential confusion. If texters would follow these simple rules, communication across the nation would be much more effective and the text messaging world would be saved.