Morrie blog 4/30

Prompt: Which 'Tuesday' Has Inspired You?

I think the Tuesday that inspired me the most would have to be the second Tuesday, when Morrie talks about how we should learn to hold on, but not to tight.  That we should let go, but not completely.  This was most inspiring to me because, I have this problem.  I either let go and try to completely un-associate myself with the entity, or I hold on too tight and freak out when I lose the object.  I think this has taught me to find a balance in between the two.  Of course, the only way to know is to experience it again.

Before this taught me to not let go, I would totally un-associate myself with the object that I haven't seen in awhile.  I would probably find it, then not care and put it back where I found it.  I think now, if I had that same situation, I would probably take the thing I found and put it somewhere I would remember, and use whatever I found again.  I think, then, I would be able to appreciate the object more, because I would know that it would be of some use to me.

I also said that I might hold onto something too tightly.  Say, for instance, my playstation broke.  I would probably go curl up somewhere, and look half dead.  I would come to school, half dead, and this would continue on for a long while.  I think after reading what Morrie has to say about not holding on too tightly, I would probably be really sad for awhile, then I would get over it in a few days.  

Holocaust AOW Impressions

That week that we had the Holocaust blogs was a week of gaining new knowledge.  One thing that I remember from my article is that there was a man that was being charged for being a SS member.  He was being charged for 300,00 murders in Auschwitz.  My article taught me that people are still trying to find and punish the remaining SS members, who are at the end of their lives due to their old age.  That week also taught me that people are (naturally) still extremely sensitive to anything related to the Holocaust.  I remember Steven's article was about a model train set, and it was modeling Auschwitz.  In his article, it talked about how some people were highly offended and upset that someone decided to make a place of death and suffering, into a toy.  That week taught me that people are still feeling that the world may not be ready to take that situation as lightly as the toymakers did.

Theif Lord 4/21

Prompt:  If you could ask the author three questions, what would they be?

Well, I think that my first question would be:  Why did you make the character "Hornet"  have some of the characteristics as a hornet? (Hair made to look like a sharp point, and responds sharply)  When I first started reading the books, I wondered this.  What made the author make this character?  There could have been thousands of other characters that the author could have created.  What made her make such an unusual character?

The second question I would ask her would have to be:  Why did you make the aunt so unusual?  I am being broad for a reason.  When she is first introduced, one of the first things that is said about her is her appearance.  She has a long neck, and a pale complexion, and she is a little bony.  The next thing that is said about her is that he is a bit stuck up, and snooty.  It's just that to me, her character seems a little out of place.  Maybe she is a literary foil to a character that we have not met yet.


My last question I would ask the author would have to be:  Why did you make the main characters siblings?  Why did you make them two brothers?  I am just curious.  Maybe later in the book the importance of the two brothers who are two twins will come out.  Maybe they have a special magical bond.  However, I may just be overthinking it.  I tend to do that a lot.

Life Is Beautiful

Prompt: Based on the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read, what connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading?  What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?

There are many connections that can be made between my butterfly poem, and the book Night.  In connection to my poem, the children actually do play with each other.  We saw that in the film, the children who were permitted to live got to play with the other children who were permitted to live.  Not only that, they were provided with adequate food.  In connection with Night, the children who were too young, or adults who were too old, were almost immediately sent to the gas chambers.  Also, if anyone did anything at all wrong, they were either shot, or brutally beaten.

There are a bit of similarities and difference between the readings and the film.  One similarity to the poem was that the children who are still alive all play with each other.  Once they go through the selections of course.  Another one is when Dora wants to get on the train, but does not get selected because she is not Jewish.  The same things goes in my poem because the boys father is not with them because he probably is not Jewish.  A difference is that in the book Night the children are able to play and eat ok food.  In Night, when Wiesel says that he is 16 during the selection, they send him to work almost straight away.

What is similar about the movie to the poem or Night?  Well there are not many when it comes to Night.  While this movie is happy and humorous, Night is sad, and rather depressing.  Guido is happy with his son, and wants to protect him by any means necessary.  Elie's father would do the same thing, but he would not go out of his way like Guido did.  Partially because Elie is old enough to know what is going on.   There are a few similarities between my butterfly poem and this movie.  The children are allowed to play with each other, and they do have gatherings with everyone.  Just like in the poem.

3rd Quarter Reflection

I think I had a pretty good third quarter.  I was able to get all my school work done and done right,  I was able to get some of my work ahead of time, and it felt like I just had more time to relax because I was on top of things.

What is something you accomplished in the new year that you are proud of?- Well, one thing that I am very proud of myself for doing is being less of a procrastinator when it comes to doing homework.  Before third quarter, I would normally save all my work until the day before it was actually due.  Now, I normally do my work two to three days in advance (Other than this blog).

Where are you in your 40 book challenge?- I have been reading a lot this year, and I have actually gone over my 40 books.  I believe I am somewhere around 45 books.  Of course, I will not stop reading because I have met my goal,  I will continue to read because I would like to make it to 50 by the end of the year.

In what area do you think you made your biggest improvement in the english language?- I think a pretty big improvement that I have made is using proper grammar.  Before third quarter, I would find my self saying things like "Stan and me are going to..."  or "Me and Stan are going to...".  Now I am find myself saying "Stan and I are going to go to the..."  which makes me sound more educated and well versed.

Night

Prompt:  What changes do we see in Wiesel?

     There are many changes that occur to Wiesel but there are only two that I am going to focus on.  How he changes in faith, and how he changes as a person. These two I felt are the two with the most significance because they are the two biggest aspects of his life, and quite frankly all that he has.  The only other three things he has are a number, a bowl, and his father.  Those are also  big aspects of his life but him as a person and how he changes in faith are probably the most significant.

     He changes in faith so drastically when he is in the Nazi death camps.  He entered as someone who believed in his god without question.  Some could say it's only because he had never been faced with a situation like this before, which is true.  I believe that it is not the situation that broke him, it was his will.  We see people like the Rabbi who continue to have faith, almost to the death march.  Wiesel is quick to lose his faith.  If he had the will to endure the camp and still believe in god then he probably would have continued being faithful.  Almost a quarter way through the book he starts to question and not believe in his god.

     We also see Wiesel as a person change drastically early in the book as well.  One of the first exhibits of this is when his father asks a gypsy deportee where the bathrooms are, but when the deportee strikes his father, Elie does nothing to stop him.  He says "I would have clawed and dug my nails into the criminals neck before all this."  He would have defended his father before he was sent to the camp.  Not far after that, we see that Elie is angry with his father for being struck.  He thinks that his father should know better, to be able to handle those beating in a proper way.  Then we see towards the end of the book when his father of sick and dying and Elie is looking for him he thinks, "Oh, please don't let me find him."  He thought he could lose the dead weight and take the rations that would be given to his father.

My Butterfly

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Momma told me to write to you today,
but I had no time. New children arrived
with the latest transport, and
I had to play with them.
I didn’t notice time pass.

I live better these days.
I sleep on my own mattress on the floor,
so I will not fall down.
At least I don’t have much work to fix up my bed,
and in the morning I see the sky from my window.

I was coughing a bit, but I don’t want to get sick,
for I am happy when I can run in the courtyard.
Tonight there will be a gathering
like the ones at Scout camp in the summer.

We will sing songs we know,
a girl will play the accordion.
I know you wonder how we fare here,
and you would surely like to be with us now.

And something else, Daddy. Come soon
and have a more cheerful face!
When you are unhappy, Momma is sad,
and then I miss the sparkle in her eyes.

You promised to bring me books
because, truly, I have nothing to read.
So please, come tomorrow, right before dusk.
I will surely be grateful for this.

Now I must stop. Momma sends you her love.
I will rejoice when I hear your footsteps
in the hall. Until you are with us again,
I send you my greetings and kisses.

-Your faithful son.