Future/Past

1. Writing a play is very different from anything else to say at the least. With a play in mind, it hinders the specifics of a stage set and the locations in which a play can be set. With my play in mind, I tried to keep in mind an actual stage and so many situations (sets, number of settings, changing of settings in between acts/scenes) I thought of wouldn't have been suitable for the stage.

2. I would enjoy writing about any of the significant (good or bad) moments in my life and then reflect about how it was overall a positive experience (even the bad ones) because of what I learned from it in order to improve my thinking about the world around us/life.

One experience that really has had a great impact on my life, was my experience at this camp that I have gone to for the past 5 summers. It's called Sup Sogui Hosu (Lake of the Forest in Korean) and it's located near Bemidji, MN. Each year, I learned more korean, met new people, and always left satisfied with everything that had happened. This story could span pages and pages because of everything I learned, everything I experienced, and overall just the story of what happened and even a basic introduction about the camp itself.

Another experience I had that greatly impacted my life was the time I spent with my (now ex) girlfriend (whom I had met at camp). I could write a lot about my emotions towards her and the entire story of our relationship and everything, but the thing I think is odd even after she broke up with me was the fact that I didn't hate her for it. Anyway, that's another story for another time so I won't ramble.

3. The problem I see with giving a 5 or 10 year kid advice about things such as the world, life, religion, and other things of the sort, is the fact that they most likely won't understand the reasoning for things with the grasp of more than just fun, school, and toys. Frankly, when I attempt to give my 13 year old sister advice, she sometimes gives looks quite confused as to what I'm talking about and claim that she's more informed about the world/life than I give her credit for. But as a cynic, I wouldn't spoil the whole enjoyment of childhood for either the 5 or 10 year old explaining things such as santa claus isn't real, puberty, driving, work, life, racism, politics, religion, technology, and many other things that they aren't able to grasp yet. I would just tell either of them to enjoy the time that they have as a child, having fun, being excited for holidays, and living for themselves in the moment.

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1. I think that theme really helps to convey messages and an author's thoughts perhaps about life, society, love, friendship, or people and can be shown through experiences. The experiences can help make the character relate to modern/real world situations (not always though) in order to give the reader a link to the character and can help in learning life lessons. One piece of literature considered to be one of the greatest pieces of american literature is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and I think it has stood the test of time as a great piece of american literature of because of what it teaches. The experiences, however, such as travelling with a black slave and floating on a raft don't really relate to today's times but can still be experiences that everyone can relate to (importance of friendship with Jim).

However, perhaps the author does not intend for such a deeper meaning to be taken with the "themes" that critics, teachers, and fellow writers think the story is illustrating. I highly doubt that in many stories by some of the (considered) well-known writers think that their writing should only be read at the literal level of a basic story board (exposition-rising action-climax-falling action-resolution). However, with the normal story board, something HAS to be learned by one of the characters about something. Even in the most basic of children's stories, a lesson is learned, a moral is taught, and something is taken away from the story after it has been read.

2. I think the major thing that helps to maintain a story and stand the test of time, is what is being taught. The contents of the story (brick roads, spaceships, wagons) may not be relative to the time in which the story is being read, but the lesson, the theme, the message, the author's commentary of the world is taken away and spread to many people to hopefully make a difference in the world for the greater good. In world lit., we read a book called Brave New World and even though it was written in the early 1940s, the story speaks of a future not so far from the present time. A movie called Equilibrium that came out in 2000, I think is very related to Brave New World and it just goes to show the importance of lessons learned (specifically society in Brave New World). Another thing that recently has been helping to keep old books alive, is books being adapted into movies. Lately, many stories (LOTR, Harry Potter, Golden Compass, Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe) have been adapted to movies and have been renewed to the younger generation of people (although the stories won't exactly be flying off the shelves (because why read a book when you can see a movie?)).

3. I think that in order to make a difference, the cause must be widespread. A cause involving killing small animals won't exactly be the population of china in comparison to a cause for curing cancer. As far as personal impact on the world though, I think that indifference is the main thing that I would stand for and help to get rid of in this world. I don't exactly know how I would help to stop indifference, but I would try and go to schools and talk about it in order to help a generation grow because "the children are our future."

Thinking

1. RACISM and INDIFFERENCE and IGNORANCE

I think racism is largely one of the reasons why there will never be world peace. Race really is the most common form of indifference; looking at someone differently because of their skin color. I think racism is derived from the combination of indifference and ignorance. Ignorance leads to indifference and thus leads to racism. "We fear what we don't understand." Ignorance shows that people don't want to "read the book once they see the cover." It's the assimiliation that creates the main problems in the world.

Happiness

1. Happiness is a very hard concept to describe because it is so hard to attain. But generally, people are able to attain happiness for a few brief moments but happiness can be attained in different ways; success and love.

2. The only time that I remember happiness that seemed better than anything else, was when I was hanging out with my former ex-girlfriend. When I was with her, I lost all my stress and only appreciated the time that I was spending with her.

3. My mom and my sister are generally the biggest influences during my day. During the day, my mom can disrupt my "happiness" while I watch tv or something and bother me about something.

4. I think my actions really affect my mom and my sister the most (during the normal weekdays). Usually, I don't really try to affect their happiness because I'm most likely on the computer, in my room, or in my basement.

5. I need people. The interaction with others can be very helpful to me mentally, psychologicaly, and emotionally. It is essential need for humans, communication, and I need it for moral support and to add to my excuse to make jokes.

Assignment #7

I liked the poetry unit the most. There were different topics that we wrote about in the poems and each conveyed a different story or feeling.

I liked the piece I wrote called "Minions" (although it didn't have a title when I wrote it) because it was very strong in conveying a message about society/conformity. When I wrote it, I didn't particularly think much of it, but when I realized what I was writing about, I felt like I was saying very important about society and about myself.

Creating Fear

1. There is excitement is being scared. I think it's enjoyable and very tedious at the same time while watching a horror movie. For me, I can watch movies but generally afterwards I have serious mental problems with what I have watched. But for me, the physical things scare me the most i.e. anything with more than 4 legs, heights, and the ocean.
2. I'm mostly scared of anything with more than 4 legs, heights, and the ocean. The ocean because of all things in there that could kill you. I also dislike the dark and being alone in the dark except when it's 3 or 4 am and I'm watching tv in my basement.
3. To me, madness is being completely mentally unstable. I'm pretty unstable myself but there are people that are more mentally unstable than I am.
4. In the movie, The shining, the main character goes insane from stress. People need to regulate and relax their stress regularly before it builds up and they hurt someone else. For example, people who bottle up their anger (in my mind) and don't express their feelings/problems to others, will endanger others in the future.

Opening Lines

1. A dark corridor. Just a dark corridor where a man was being killed. Nothing more. Nothing Less. Just a place where George saw something that changed his life.

2. The airport. Generally, a place where people start their getaway from their ordinary lives, but for George, it was something different that changed his ordinary life...

3. It began one day when George was late heading to the airport. George rushed through the airport and arrived at the gate 15 minutes befor the plane started to board. Hungry and tired, George went to buy a snack from the shop.

4. Unprepared for work, George began his day but wasn't ready for what events would ensue. The first big business escapade for George and he woke up late. Hurriedly, he rushed to the airport to make sure he did not miss the biggest business venture in his career thus far.

Assignment 3

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This trouble I see in the nation
Its no longer about separation
Conformity is what I see
There is no difference between you and me
We're all the same
But unique in our own way
We don't appreciate our differences
So we'll put up our defenses
The front that is our mental wall
That hides us all
Untrue to each other
Unable to trust one another
Can't show our expressions
Thoughts are on suppression
Lives revolve around perfection
So long to this style of drones
I won't become one of these clones

Unknown Path

I walk down this path, I don't know where it goes
I don't know I don't know I don't know
I wonder if people walk down this path or if they make their own path
I don't know I don't know don't know
Where am I headed down this path?
I want to know I want to know I want to know
Why do I continue down this path?
I keep walking but I don't know why
I keep walking but I don't know why
Where am I going now?
Today I hope to find out where this path goes
Do I have to walk down this path alone?
To a place I don't know
This path I continue to follow