Jekyll and Hyde

Author's Note: This is my Life of Pi final essay.  I focused on how the world is always balancing itself out.  This gave me a lot to talk about, and I thought that I could put in my input to it as well.  A topic like this can go a lot of ways, which is why I chose it. 

 

Ever since our creation, humans have taken us to new and ever-changing heights.  We have shaped our world, for better or worse.  We have fought and we have killed, but we have also loved and lived, managing to create the world we live in today. A world where the impossible becomes possible. The basis of our world is because we choose to act upon the side of us that will bring us to where we need to go. The world exists in contrast, and that is what makes us who we are.  There is both light and dark instilled in us, and that opposition is what shapes the fabric of the world.

Without a balance, there is nothing.  Without a balance, what reason could there possibly be to live?  In China, there is a symbol to represent balance called Yin/Yang.  On one side, there is Yin, full of darkness.  Then there is Yang, who represents light.  There is the circle of life, and within it is two very different aspects.  Pi is thrust into a way of life that he never wanted to be a part of.  Darkness threatens to take control as he shifts from Pi to Richard Parker and back again, letting out an animal-like instinct, yet he still manages to keep a finger on reality.  Light cannot exist without Dark, and Dark would not be known without Light.  It is in Light that we find the will to survive, even when all possible things that can go wrong do.  As Pi fell into the lifeboat, as he fell into a new life, he is reborn.  Out of the screams and agony of the ocean comes an innocent child, without any knowledge of what might lie ahead.  A new beginning where Dark and Light is not known.  As a new human, Pi experiences both sides of this spectrum.  Everything from the Mr. Hyde persona of Richard Parker to his own Dr. Jekyll.  The former provides Life, an animal instinct that brings forth survival to the world.  The latter provides sanity and rationality, to keep us from delving too far into the other side.  When a newborn comes into any sort of situation, that is the only thing to rely on.  If we have lived based off of this instinct ever since that point, then two sides, two paths, are formed in each and every situation, and only one person can decide which to take.

Although the outcome of both sides can creates two very different people, there are times when one side just might save us.  Pi asks for survival, and is presented an island to find refuge, and it appears that the island has it all -- food, shelter, and water.  Why would anyone want to leave?  There are many moments like this for all of us, when it seems like nothing could ever be better.  The thing about this is that Life is standing still; there is no point anymore.  To get up and live the same life every day, there is no sense of urgency that keeps us going.  There are those in life that do nothing, the worst people of all, and it is these people that stand in one place, choosing to let Life lose meaning even when they know that they climb out of the hole.  Had Light not been shown on to this dark-lit hole, Pi would have rotted away, slowly losing himself into Dark.  Sometimes a blessing is a curse, and only we can discern the difference between the two.                

As it was on the island, there is more to anything and everything than what meets the eye.  Too many of us are determined to believe in what has been laid out for us, that there is one side.   Things like facts and numbers, for instance.  Just because it is not "the straight facts" doesn't make it wrong.  There are times when simple words spoken or simple blurbs written cannot describe what one has been through.  Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba refuse to believe another side of the balanced scale because it is not what they believe in.  Mere words cannot just be believed; facts must be there to back it up.  Faith to them is no faith at all.  To them this is Truth, but isn't believing in facts and numbers a faith in itself?  They put their faith into something, even if it is not in God or in some story about animals, but there is absolutely balance.  What Pi went through is the impossible, yet he stood before them living and able to tell his story based on the way he chose to see the situation.  It is a faith to put faith in science,  and it is a science to put faith in faith.  One cannot exist without the other, but that doesn't mean that the other cannot be true just because we don't see it that way.  It is a path, and we choose to go down it for Truth, whichever side it may be.   

The Truth is, contrast is what makes Life.  Believe in hate or believe in love, believe in God or believe in science, but know that there is no answer.  Not every moment will be love or happiness, but each moment needs to be something.   The world does not seek to balance itself out; it needs to, for we cannot exist in just one way of Life.  There is a fine line between both sides, and we are the only ones that can find it for ourselves.  When we have done that, as Pi has done that, it is then that we find out who we are.

Let There Be Light

 Author's Note:  This is my essay for Fahrenheit 451.  I tried to incorporate as many vocabulary words as I could, and I also tried to fit in a lot of my SMART goals in this as well.  I used kind of a unique idea within this essay that has a religious aspect behind it.  Let me know what you think:

 It's just another autumn evening as you stroll home from the firehouse.  Walking down the street, you approach the corner, the one you've been having ambiguous feelings about, and it is then that you see her.  She is there, on the street, almost as if she was gliding toward you.  Then she comes to you, tells you of a past where firemen helped citizens rather than burned their world down, where billboards were only twenty feet long, when people knew about the man on the moon, a world where people were not afraid.  This one conversation, this one moment, changes you forever.  You begin to realize just how converse this world has truly become, and you know that you are the one to fix it, you will be the Savior.  In life today, it can be extremely difficult to decide what is right and wrong without guidance.  Sometimes we need a sign, some way that things will change.  The path in life we take is never clear, but once a light does flicker over it, that is the way we change the world, and that is the course that we need to take.

It  only takes one second for a life to change forever.  Although this will not always help the situation, it will be worthwhile for all in the end.  In the book Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag was just an ordinary person who worked as a firefighter.  His thoughts, ideas, and life was identical to every other human in their modern society, with the exception of one.  One, Clarisse McClellan, supposedly no older than seventeen.   She is like nothing Montag has ever known, like an angel sent from Him, and opened up the world in front of Guy, of Jesus Christ.  Clarisse has given him something no one else has -- thoughts.  Because of these thoughts that feel so unfamiliar, Montag begins to see the outline of two paths.  One path that leads right back to where he came from, and the other, a way to help the world for the better, a way to righteousness.  As he begins to see the attributes in these more and more clearly, he realizes that there is more to life than he and everyone else had ever thought, that perhaps his judgment of what is right and wrong might just be changing, that he just might change everything.

There are always signs out there that points us the way we need to go, even if we can't discern them right away. In the story of Jesus Christ,  Jesus has been identified as the son of God, and sets out to teach others of the wealth of this beautiful knowledge.  Guy Montag was a normal person like Jesus, but then Clarisse came around that corner, and gave him a gift, a sacred, wonderful gift.  He then went to Faber, an old professor he had once met, who recognizes his ideas of change, and that Montag just may have something amazing to offer, just as John the Baptist recognized this in Jesus.  Faber helps to shine more light for Guy on the path that will change the world.  To spread this knowledge and try to help, Montag talks to Mildred about it, trying to teach her about books, and even shows her a secret collection of books he has stored.  Scared, Mildred becomes Judas Iscariot, the apostle that betrayed Jesus, and turns him in to Beatty, the chief priest, by sending in the alarm that the house needed to be burned down, that Montag needed to be put on the cross.  When Montag became a fugitive, when the bombing occurred, this was the crucifixion, the death.  Then, when everything is over, when there was nothing left, Montag rises again, creating  a new hope.    By fulfilling Clarisse's wish, Montag has chosen the path that he needed to take, the path that everyone needed him to take.

We can never be sure what life unfolds for us, but we do need an open mind for it.  These obstacles and paths are what makes us who we are, as it made Montag who he is.  It's the little things that count, whether it be just a conversation with a girl like Clarisse, or it be a small realization that points us in a new direction.  This is what will change the world, and this is what will change us.

Response to Fahrenheit 451: Pain Exposes Strength

Author's Note: This is my response to the second prompt which included the quote: "What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger." In the response, I added in a few of my vocabulary words that I have.  I also experimented with using some repetition.  Please let me know what you think:


"What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger." This is a famous and well known quote by Friedrich Nietzsche. It is pretty self explanatory, meaning that even if you have had hard times, it will make you stronger in the end. This can be applied to any difficult situation, including the hardships Guy Montag has faced in Fahrenheit 451. Although it is true that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, it is not valid to say that this will always help the situation we are in, but sometimes that makes all the difference.

When someone fights for what is right, it will almost never go as intended, and may just backfire on them. This was the case for Montag. In this past section of the novel, Mildred has sent out the call for the firemen to come and burn their house, because they own books. Guy is forced to burn the house down by himself, because it is his. After this point, he would have been put under arrest. This shows the difficult part of the situation. Guy does as he was told, and burns the entire house down, sort of getting sucked back into the feeling of who he once was. Then, just when it seemed as though he would fail under the pressure and fear, Montag does the unthinkable -- killing Beatty, killing firemen, killing the hound, killing the evil he saw. He was given a burst of strength because of what did not kill him, what did not change him. Be that as it may, this completely backfired on Montag. Just within mere seconds of the murder itself, Guy had become a wanted criminal. This made him stronger, and it was motivated by what he believed in, but it certainly did not go the way it was expected to.

A world without pain is a world without strength.  Montag would have never been able to triumph if he didn't have something to knock him down. Before, he was just like everyone else,and when awakened by Clarisse McClellan, he began to see and feel pain. Then, by experiencing the attributes of pain, of life, he turned that into the power to break free of the chains that bound him to the wall. Guy's mind and thoughts would be identical to every other human being on Earth if he did not have these kinds of reactions, and sometimes that does come with a price, whether it helps or not. Montag may have lost his old world that left behind a job, a wife and coworkers because of this. If it were not for that though, he wouldn't have gained a new one in the process.

It can be a complicated thing when dealing with the rough circumstances in life. Sometimes it can turn out to be better than we ever excepted it to be, and other times it completely blows up in our faces. The latter was the case for Montag, but that doesn't mean he did not gain from it. Even though Guy is wanted for murder, he is unworried, and is absolutely focused on trying to change the world. He has achieved more than he ever would have by living a corrupted life like Mildred or Beatty. Strength is a key part of life, and for that to happen, pain has to happen as well. The situations we get into aren't always easy, but they are worth it in the end.

Patriotism to Remember

Author's note:  This is my veteran's essay.  Since I don't have anyone in my family in the service, I tried to just relate this to how I feel about patriotism.  This is what it means to me, and how important I think it is:

Throughout America's history, servicemen and women have helped to shape this country. These patriots make the United States stronger, safer, and better. Without them, who knows where anyone would be? It's unthinkable to even question if Patriotism still matters, yet there are some people out there who still don't understand their importance. We should all recognize the necessities of Patriotism, because that is what keeps us out of harm's way.

People in the service have shown tremendous amounts of this for us, and we need to do the same for them. There are too many of us who misunderstand all that these soldiers stand for, and part of that is because they have never been taught it.

Thousands of families have had someone they love go to war, and sometimes have even lost them in the process. But the fact is, there are so many others that don't know anything about this. Sure, on veteran's day and Memorial Day people talk about it a little bit, but that just doesn't seem like enough. There should be an alternative to understand patriotism better. Patriotism is so important, and we forget that sometimes. Perhaps if it was associated with something everyone can relate to, some way to make them understand all the love and devotion fellow servicemen and woman put into this country. These kinds of things happen all around us, and instead of just forgetting about it, we could set aside time to do something for them.

When the words "veteran" or "soldier" are said, most people automatically think "war." Instead of that, we should be thinking "love," "help," and "honor." In order to make anything work in America, everyone needs to stick together. Whether it's family, friends, or someone we have never even met before, we have to care about one another. Why does it matter if we know the people that fight for us or not? The same amount of love should be shown back to those who do show it, because that is what patriotism is all about. When it comes to patriotism, the people that are true patriots absolutely matter, and that is something that can never be forgotten.

All You Need is Power...Or is it?

When the only possible solution for survival is to follow orders from a heinous dictator, it's impossible to be in control of your own thoughts. The leader corrupts your mind, so much that you have no choice but to believe this propoganda. You do the labor, far too feeble and gullible to do anything about this situation. A thirst for power is abundant within all of us, but the power to control the thirst and use it right shows more than leadership.

John Dalberg-Acton once said: "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." This means that when complete power is instilled in someone, it will take over their thoughts and actions. Napoleon creates this situation for himself. When Jones was expelled from the farm, someone had to fill in the void of leadership. Napoleon and Snowball worked together in this position at first, each following the same beliefs. But, for someone like Napoleon, this didn't last very long. Asking him to share power with others is like asking four-year-olds to share a bag of candy. Napoleon, sick of sharing his leadership role, chased out Snowball and controlled the farm on his own. This new role of individual and total power changed the way he and others live. Absolute power may be given to someone, but even they don't have control over it.

The longing for power can be like an addiction to drugs. Once someone gets an addiction, they become a whole new person. Napoleon becomes so blinded by his drug, he changes the farm's lifestyle to fit his new way of seeing things, not caring who it hurts. Even when people do agree with his decisions, Napoleon is far too overdosed with power to care about it. Like when Boxer, his most loyal follower, is in pain, Napoleon chooses to end his life because he is no longer useful. Under his leadership, life on Animal Farm is more dystopic than it ever was when Jones was around, and no one understands because they believe anything and everything that comes out of Napoleons manipulative mouth.

Power does have its good aspects, but that isn't the key to leadership. What's even more important is what is done with this power. When we want something under our control so badly, we will do whatever it takes to make it so. Napoleon wanted control so badly he killed and destroyed anything that prevented it. Had Snowball stayed in power, true leadership may have come first. Because of this dictatorship, Animal Farm has become the very thing they sought to destroy: Human. It becomes more and more apparent that, wherever you may go, or whoever you are with, absolute power truly does corrupt absolutely.

Blue is for Nightmares: Donovan's prespective

Everything was falling into place now. Donovan led Drea deeper and deeper into the forest. He held her hand tightly, not wanting to let her out of his sight. No one would be able to find them now. It would be just him and Drea, here forever.

They had finally arrived to the clearing. Donovan turned to Drea. "We're here, Drea. Everything is okay now." Then he showed her the house, and her name carved in the dirt, which he had planted white lillies in so that when they grew her name would appear. Donovan smiled at Drea, expecting her to embrace him.

To his dismay, Drea did the exact opposite. She became even more upset. Tears began to fill her eyes. "I don't like this, Donovan. Your scaring me! Take me back to campus right now!" she demanded. Donovan couldn't believe this. He had done so much for her! And this is how she repays him?

Donovan wouldn't stand for this. "Going back to campus won't solve anything! You have to stay here!" he said through gritted teeth. Drea shook her head, then slid down to her knees and sobbed even harder. Well, if she won't listen to me, then I'll just have to make her, Donovan thought.

He knelt down beside her. "Ok. If that's really what you want, then I'll take you back." He helped Drea back up, and they walked back in the direction of the campus. After a few minutes, though, Donovan began leading her a different way. Soon a porta-john came into veiw.

Drea looked at Donovan, confused. "I don't remember seeing that before, Donovan. Where are we?"

"That is for me to worry about," replied Donovan, pulling out a piece of rope.

"What are you doing with--No, NO!" Drea shrieked as Donovan grabbed her and tied the rope around her. He thrust open the door of the porta-john and pushed her inside.

"If you won't listen, then I'm not going to help!" Donovan shouted as he put in a rod to lock her in. If he couldn't have her, then nobody will, ever again.

Maximum Ride: Fang~~ 20 Years Later

20 years later...

After waiting so long for him, it seems so stupid to think that I will actually see Fang today. But that still didn't make the fluttering feeling I was having in my stomach go away. The rest of the flock had begged to come with me, but I had to go alone, I had to see him by myself.

The cliff was getting closer now, and I could see the hawks swooping down and around the canyon, the ones that had showed us better ways to fly. I smiled to myself, remembering when Fang, Nudge,and I stopped here so long ago when we were trying to get Angel back. For a moment, I almost believed that Fang was here, right now. That gave me a big ol' slap in the face, because when I landed on the cliff, the one where he told me to meet him in that letter, Fang was not there.

Tears began to swell in my eyes. I sank to the ground, feeling as bad as I had the day Fang left. 20 years, 20 freaking years I had waited for this day, and now it was all for nothing. How could I have let this happen to me again?

Because you love him, Max.

Oh great, my Voice is here to cheer me up. This is no time for you to be butting in, Voice! I thought hard at it, tears streaming down my cheeks faster and harder.

Don't lose hope. He's out there.

Then it was silent.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" I shouted out, my voice echoing through the canyon. I felt like I would die, right there, on the cliff. Without Fang to hope for, life just didn't seem worth it anymore.

"I told you I would wait for you," said a familiar voice.

I looked up, and my heart practically stopped. He was there. It was really Fang, standing there right next to me. He looked older, but I could still see Fang as he had been the last time I saw him. A smile lit my face, and I felt the happiest I had ever been in 20 years. He held out his hand, and I took it, standing back up. Then I slapped him.

"What was that for?" he exclaimed, holding his cheek.

"That was for leaving and making me wait 20 years to see you again!" I replied, then I hugged him, my stomach still fluttering.

When we broke apart, Fang said, "You haven't changed a bit, have you?" He gave me his crooked grin, and I nearly fainted.

"I guess not."

After that we sat down talking for what felt like forever, about the rest of the flock, what Fang had been doing, and pretty much anything else you could think of. After we had stopped talking, Fang rose to his feet. "Listen, Max, there's something I've been wanting to do for a while."

I stood up, too. "What is it?"

Fang got down on one knee and reached into his pocket. I gasped, totally not expecting this. He smiled. "Maximum Ride, will you marry me?" He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

I stood there, looking like an idiot, with tears back in my eyes. Then I finally said, "Oh, Fang." Then I leaned over and kissed him.

Fang took my hand in his and placed the ring on my hand. We looked at eachother and nodded, thinking the same thing like we used to. Then we jumped off the cliff, and unfurled our wings. Nothing could ruin this now. I finally had Fang, and now, everything was perfect. No matter how many erasers we destroyed, no matter how many evil scientists we met, it wasn't important anymore. The only thing that matters now is that Fang and I were together again, and nothing will ever change that.