Farwell to April

    As school is coming to a close, an important reflection is to be made."Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Buddha said this quote to help put our egos back into place. This is very relevant to the literature that we read this semester, particularly this month. In class we read, The Stranger, which portals about a man who did not fit in societal norms. As seniors in high school, it is important in our development to experiment and branch out to find ourselves. Meursault, the protagonist, is much different that his normal society. By Meursault emotional disconnection, socially unaware on how to behave, and relationships, his life style is similar to how a freshman develops into a senior in High School.
    Every person goes through a disconnection period in their lives. For most, it happens during a death of a loved one, or having a occurrence happen like breaking up with a significant other. Whether the case, Meursault has an emotional disconnection when his mother dies. He doesn't show his true affections like how society would like it to be shown. He stands out and that's why society doesn't accept him. This is similar to high school because students who stray from the norm are disconnected from rest. Emotional connection is allowing yourself to relate to someone, and it builds a network. If you cannot relate to someone, it is very hard to fit in.
    Socially unaware how to behave in proper settings can lead to major judgement. In high school, if you act like a child you will be treated like a child. Even in the real world, if you aren't aware of your settings, horrible things can occur like car accidents or running into poles. It's also a societal norm to be careful what you say in front of others because in the United States, we worry too much about what others think. In The Stranger, Mersault is an extremely honest man. It's a shame to say that honesty is a flaw but that was Mersault fatal flaw. He didn't lie to save himself, he stayed true to who he was.
     Lastly relationships have been built since the beginning of time. For a freshman, your first day of school can determine your 4 years at high school just based on the relationships made. You meet people everyday and create new relationships whether good or bad. Mesualt's relationships with other people were not really for his sake. He only became friends with his neighbor because he offered to make him dinner. His girlfriend Marie, only satisfies his needs of lust. Essentially he is a man all alone, he won't even accept God into his life.
           Since this is my last blog ever, I would like to say farewell to my readers. Thank you for taking the time to read my true opinions on literature. As Robert Frost says, "Two roads diverge in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and it has made all the difference." My years at High School are coming to a close, and I have learned how to behave in society but still be myself.
  Happy Summer Everyone~ Namaste

Women in Society

        "A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done." The month of March allowed many opportunities to explore women in society and examine the progress that has been made. In class, we had the chance to explore the media's view on women. The perspective that women are suppose to be seen as flawless and perfect is unrealistic to our world. Virtually nothing is perfect in society and Virginia Woolf expresses that through her novel, A Room of One's Own. The connections made to how women are treated and the time period of society are related to another novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Women are treated differently around the world through media, government and society itself.
            During class, we focused on how women are portrayed through the media. In American culture, the ideal woman is flawless. She has a tiny waist, big breasts, big butt but can still manage to be skinny as well. The companies who create these false women need a reality check. The average woman today is a size 12 not a size 2. The novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, has the complete opposite effect on emphasizing women's beauty. In the Middle East, women are suppose to be covered, head to toe, and the focus on women's assets are not encouraged. Media can twist the minds of people and make them believe what true perfection is...which does not even exist.
             The government can dictate a lot in this world. Government in the Middle East, controls dress and how people are allowed to act. In, A Thousand Splendid Suns, government did not allow women to walk around without a male escort whom has to be a family relative.  Virginia Woolf argued that women were not given the necessary funds for education and schooling therefore men always had the better chance of learning and receiving better jobs. 
        In the United States, the stereotypical role of a woman is to be a mother, wife, and homemaker. Society has proven this through classic conditioning. While society has been evolving constantly, women and men are still not equal in the work force. Virginia Woolf argues this about women and fiction. Therefore we see that in other countries as well. 
        In conclusion, women are treated differently all around the world through the media, government and society. We experience this through literature such as, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and A Room Of One's Own. Nothing is perfect and our world has to understand this.
           
          
       

Where is Freedom?

      The definition of freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without restraints. In the United States, our Freedom is protected by numerous laws and by our beloved Bill of Rights. Without these rights, as a country we would not be able to coincide with one another. While reading A Thousand Splendid Suns I have realize how grateful I am to be living in America. Many problems were faced during this novel such as domestic abuse, war,  and the need for individual freedom, these problems made me realize that the United States has progressed further than most countries in today's modern society.
         When a man or woman physically, emotionally, or verbally harms their partner or spouse it is called domestic abuse. Domestic abuse was constant throughout the novel A thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam  and Rasheed were the main examples of  this because Rasheed constantly took out his disappointment in Mariam with violent attacks. When Laila enters Rasheed's household, his violence became particularly towards Mariam because for him, she no longer held much importance. According to the National Abuse website, every nine seconds in the United States a woman is being beaten or assaulted. When a man controls a woman, her freedoms decrease and are stripped away.  Until the end of the novel, when Mariam finally killed Rasheed  was when she gained her independence back again.
      War can break or make a Nation. September 11, 2001 was a day that put the United States into shambles. This attack created multiple feelings that united us as a country. Pride is considered one of the most powerful emotions. Pride allowed the United States to fight and protect what is ours. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, war was the main setting. There was war between mother and daughter, war between husband and wife and lastly war in the country.  This war caused a lot of problems that drove families apart and took away every ounce of freedom a woman had left.
       The thought of not being allowed to wear what I want or see whom I want to see makes me incredibly frustrated.  Those women in Afghanistan have my respect because not being able to express yourself is the ultimate torture. Individual freedom is the greatest right to have. These women in Afghanistan were restricted by their husbands and the Taliban, and the only way to express themselves got them either killed or severely punished. In United States, profession has been made. Women used to have to honor their husbands and be good wives, today women can do anything we set our minds too.
            While reading A Thousands Splendid Suns, I became very proud to be part of the United States because we have adopted change. Without change we would be like Afghanistan and there would be no such thing as individual freedom. Freedom is such a prize possession and we should never take advantage of it.

What is Happiness?

       Happiness is the state of being happy or an experience that makes you happy. January has blessed me many opportunities to be a happier person. In literature such as, The Awakening, and A Doll's House, ideas of happiness are presented through the characters actions and thoughts. Recently, in my psychology class we learned about motives and what drives people to do things. Some people have a higher threshold meaning they must be constantly doing something to keep them occupied and around people compared to others who require alone time. Happiness comes from all different places, people and objects. "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." The Awakening, A Doll's House, and my own life follow this quote.
       The overall conflict in The Awakening, is a woman seeking her own happiness. Edna Pontellier is an obedient wife and mother but she seeks more in life. Edna becomes infatuated with a few men who give her the things that she desires. First she meets Robert Lebrun. They have romantic interest for each other but her need of companionship is met by him because Robert constantly cares of what she thinks. Edna then meets another man, Alcee Arobin. He meets her sexual desires but she is still not continuously happy. Edna tries painting, anything to help her reach that goal of self-independence including leaving the house and moving into a smaller one to become self-dependent. In the end, none of her actions led to her happiness, but the effort made up for it. Her happiness was to be completely free and an individual but in the end that was not met.
                Another attempt at happiness was the main character in The Doll House, Nora. She desperately wanted to break away from the life that was built for her and become her own person. Her sense of happiness was created when she decided to leave her adoring husband and children. In that society, it was a major scandal for a woman to leave her husband and children, but it was her only way to achieve happiness. Nora did not care about being rich or secure, she wanted to figure out who she was in this world. Once she left that house, she was free.
            Lastly in my own life, I try to seek happiness everyday. Sometimes I fail but it's the effort that counts. Currently, I am listening to the soundtrack to the movie The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It made me think that when I am truly happy, others are around me are too. Making hard decisions but for a greater and better impact make me content in the end. I am happy when I laugh with good friends and troubles are wiped away. I am happy when I know I am being myself and others accept that. This all comes from my own actions, just as the quote mention. I am happy because I am me.