Category Archives: Grade 12

I’ll Be There For You(?)

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https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/how-friendships-change-over-time-in-adulthood/411466/

What I enjoyed about this article was this real interpretation that not all friendships are going to last forever. As we transition from teenagers to young adults, then towards full-functioning adults, it’s sad for me to realize that perhaps one day the people who helped me shape the person I am today, won’t be around as much anymore. For me, it’s only until recently that I realized that friendships are more important than relationships, because I know that the one constant in this world is time. Throughout the years, people will continue to change further from who you originally knew them to be, but time will remain pushing forward. It’s the friendships right now that count, whether it is with a big group or a few select, because no one is certain of what the future could bring to any one of them. That is what the writing emphasizes in on the most for me, it’s that no matter how long you want to hold onto a moment, you can’t stop time from moving on. The author of this article wants to reassure readers that, although you may find yourself distancing yourself from your favorites as you grow older, what matters is the choices that you make on whether or not you are still willing to be there for that friend in the end.

Should You Allow Yourself To Be, Or Not To Be?

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https://aeon.co/essays/how-feeding-children-s-ambition-only-sets-them-up-to-fail

What I liked about this article was the idea of tackling what it really means to have your dream become your career. At a young age, children are inspired to become anything they want to be. While that isn’t a bad thing, some children take it quite literally, believing they could be a dinosaur or whatnot (as exampled in the article). Adults may be there to encourage or guide you to your own goal, but they should also be there to ground you in some form of realism that you can achieve for yourself. I think the author tries to convince his readers that not everything is possible, at least, not yet anyways. He displays this best when he constantly refers to his previous experiences with the subject, or when he gives hypothetical examples as to what to do when a child believes he can surmount to anything. For me, the relatability of it all relies in the writing of how we sometimes give children false hope about their dream job. Once they realize they cannot achieve that, they feel completely wasted as an individual, and in hindsight perhaps feel like they have disappointed their parents in some capacity.

100%.

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http://www.youmightfindyourself.com/post/22131227213/on-seeing-the-100-perfect-girl-one-beautiful

I chose this article because I’m in love with the idea of love. To me, love is this beautiful, alienating, unforgiving concept that pumps through our veins and shows us what it really means to be human. It’s this feeling inside of someone that causes them to grab all logic, doubt and fear that they have, and just throw it out the window. It’s this entity that you want to wake up to the next day, regardless of how last night went. The author in this story portrays that beautifully. He demonstrates this burning desire to just let go, and muster all his strength to talk to his perfect girl. He brings an amount of hope and uncertainty within himself, about the decision to whether or not chase her, he places readers in a situation they’re all too familiar with. There’s an intimacy he places within his writing, that allows people to feel something. He makes these choices because he wants people to understand what kind of situation he’s being put through, this urge to go after the girl. The girl who he believes, is 100% perfect for him.

Justice Eventually Comes For Everyone.

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https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/06/the-lazarus-file/308499/

I chose this article because I’m interested in cold cases and mysteries; however, the thing that peaked my interest the most was the fact that it took 23 years for this case to finally close. Instead of posing itself as eerie and uncomfortable, the contents of the murder proved itself to be more tragic and disheartening. From the day the murder occured, to Lazarus’ withdrawal of the situation, the author of this article provides a step-by-step analysis of her possible motives and background to what happened. It’s what I appreciated about this writing the most, instead of making it a summarization, the author provided exposition for all the details required in this case. He turned a crime report into a living, breathing story that could have easily been an episode of Law & Order. His descriptive writing allows readers to imagine what the interrogation could have been like (aside from the tape that was released), what the victim’s parents went through, and the revelation that occurs when the officers realize it’s one of their own. It’s captivative, informative, and surprising.

Miss Brill Discussion Aftermath

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What I took away from the discussion with Miss Brill was that for some people, it’s difficult for them to connect with others. Sometimes, they’re not entirely comfortable with the situation that they’re placed in, therefore they have to use other methods to connect. For example, Miss Brill’s a character who visits the park as a weekly routine, she does this so she can surround herself with other people. On some precognitive level, she’s doing this to relate to them, because she knows she’s afraid to do it directly. Why else would she just sit down and observe? She just has this desire to be with people, but in her own way. While it might seem invasive or bizzare for the people she’s observing, it’s not like she means to hurt them in any shape or form. People can’t judge others just because they have a difficult time trying to connect with others.

Good intentions still have bad outcomes.

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Actions speak louder than words, from Gandalf’s quote and Allison’s essay, this is what I feel best represents both themes. For example, Allison is trying to learn how to speak Sotho in order to adapt and be cultured within one of their groups; in return, they politely exchange conversation with her, even if that isn’t the language caucasians use in South Africa. Another example of Allison trying to adapt is by walking through the rain with the others; however, it feels like a way to learn what they experience rather than just being a kind gesture. These actions turn into something different once the man offers her a ride, to her, it’s as if he’s commited an ignorant act. By driving past the Vendas, it shows to her that he only does that due to a sense of familiarity and hidden bias, since she’s the only caucasian walking. However, I believe that she might be reading into it too much, she neglects the fact that the man was just trying to do something good. It’s probable he didn’t even know that he was doing it, therefore she shouldn’t silently judge him for whatever good deed he believes he was doing.