End of Year Reflection

     I learned so many important and valuable things this year, but there are three, yet some seemingly simple, that really came to mind first.  One of the first most important things I learned from this class was how to write different pieces of writing (argumentative, thematic, etc.) using and organized format, TIQA.  While in the past we have used TIQA, it has really been engrained into our brains, and taught more extensively, this year.  Formatting a paragraph beginning with it's topic sentence, then introducing a quote from a book, article, documentary, etc. to support it, including that quote, and then analyzing it, seems pretty straight forward and simple.  Though, if I hadn't learned it so specifically in this way, and did not have to enforce the technique in my writing, my writing would be nowhere near as organized as it is today!  Just learning TIQA was so important for me for all of my writing this year, and I know will be important to organize my writing when I go off to high school.   The second most important thing I have learned from this class is how to annotate text for different purposes.  Last year, we predominantly annotated for understanding, though this year we have been taught how to annotate for the importance of the article for the World to hear, for the importance of word choice in the writing, for the meaning and purpose of figurative language in different pieces, etc.  Learning all of these different ways to annotate has really helped to make everything I read, a lot clearer, and has allowed me to understand confusing pieces of writing, and the deeper messages within a text.  I know that I will come across many confusing pieces of writing in my future, but the techniques I've learned in annotating will allow me to understand that writing  One final thing I learned from this class was how to manage my time more efficiently.  I maybe didn't specifically learn different ways to mange my time better, but through everything we've been required to do, it has all taught me how to use my time more efficiently and effectively.  I have a lot going on already without school, and with Mrs. Larson's class this year, we have had to complete a lot of assignments.  Though, it is because of all of this that I have learned how to mange my time n a better way, because otherwise I would have terrible grades and become even more stressed out.  This class has taught me how to balance my school life, with my life outside of school, and I know that I would be a much, much worse procrastinator if it were not for this class.

     Something we did this year that I don't think I'll ever forget, is when we had our To Kill a Mockingbird "Feast."  It was so much fun trying all of the different foods we had learned about while reading the book, and a unique activity to complement the novel after we had  finished.  It was so interesting, seeing all of the different options, and finding out what people thought was unexpectedly delicious, or absolutely disgusting.  Watching people try sardines was priceless.  I'm super picky and was so grossed out, I couldn't even pick one up without cringing, so I didn't try one, but I'm sure I will try one, one day! It was all like a celebration of the end of the favorite novel of mine that we had read in class this year!  To Kill a Mockingbird was definitely the book that I enjoyed the most that we read in this class!  Everything had a deeper message, and it was so interesting and exciting when you connected the dots of the entire story from the beginning to the end at the end of the novel!  I loved reading about Scout's journey from a childish little girl, to a mature young lady, and everything she learned in between.  Atticus's wisdom was incredible to read about, but I enjoyed the wise words of all of the characters.  I loved all of our discussions about the book through the questions we had to answer, and the plot line of the story is one that I don't think I could ever forget!  We dove so deep into the meaning of the story, and it was just overall a book that I could read again, and again and love and discover more each time!  To Kill a Mockingbird is jam packed with twists and turns, laughs and tears, and so many messages and small mysteries to uncover!  I was always thinking when I was reading, and I really loved it!

     My classmates are all so kind, and I know that we have all created a special bond together unlike most other classes, so it's hard to pick out an instant where someone has done the nicest thing for me!  Everyone in the class has done something nice for me at some point or another, no matter how small, and they might not have even realized it!  Some of the nicest things were what some of my classmates said about my writing and projects!  There are two comments on different blogs, one was from a regular weekly blog, and the other was from my butterfly project.  They said, 

 When people like Abdiel and Isabelle, who I would say are both very intelligent students and talented writers, comment things like this I my blogs, it makes me feel so good about myself!  I am not the most confident about my writing, and so when people write nice comments with kind, encouraging words on my work, it gives me so much more confidence, that maybe I'm doing something right!  There are so many other things, like I said, that all of my classmates have done that were beyond nice, but even the smallest comments are some of the nicest!

     Not everybody knows this, so technically I have not taught this to my classmates, but I think that when they find this out, I will have been able to teach them a pretty valuable lesson.  On the first day of 6th grade, I made it a goal to be the Valedictorian of my 8th grade class.  With this goal always in the back of my mind, I have worked my butt off all throughout middle school, and today I am proud to say that I am the Heritage Class of 2015 Valedictorian.  I think I would be teaching my classmates the valuable lesson of how important it is to set longterm goals for yourself!  I am proof, like many other people in this World that if you set goals, you can and will reach them, and that is important because I feel like a lot of people don't think about longterm goals because they think that they are unattainable!  They are too far away, they are never going to happen, they are only dreams!  Though, I am teaching all of them that when you set a goal and pouch yourself to reach it, that goal is definitely attainable.

     I started off the year still struggling with grammar in my writing, and my writing in general.  I was being too redundant because I was overthinking everything, all of my sentences seemed to be run-ons, my work needed to simplified, it all just seemed like a big hot mess of words!  While my writing is still not perfect, I do think that I have made major improvements! I'm much more aware of how I'm writing; I'm looking out for run-ons, and reading my work over and over again, seeing and thinking about the different ways I could write pieces so that everything fits together, and there's not a giant mess of words!  It is because of the improvements I've made in my writing that have led to small accomplishments that I am proud of.  I have received very high A's on both my Blackfish vs SeaWorld paper, and To Kill a Mockingbird thematic essay.  I think that both of those pieces were the best writing that I've done all year, and I couldn't pick just one because I think I did them each individually well, and am not sure which one was better.  I think in my To Kill a Mockingbird essay I interpreted the theme of Scout's coming of age very well and organize it to create a sequence of events that shows her turning from a little girl to a young lady.  My paragraphs were well formatted, and I thoroughly analyzed each quote without being redundant!  My Blackfish vs SeaWorld argumentative paper I believe was well formatted and written as well.  I was able to form a strong argument, and strong counter arguments for the side I was opposing, and include a lot of information and interpretation, again without being too redundant.  I am definitely proud of both of these pieces of writing, and they are definitely the best I've written all year.

     The most challenging part of this year for me, though I have learned (somewhat) how to handle it, was time management!  In this class we had so much to do with a blog and AoW most weeks and vocal to study along with the other homework and work he had from the class, and of course there was still homework in other classes and the things we had going on outside school!  It was definitely very difficult for me to get everything done, even now with this reflection!  Though, it's just something that I've had to learn to deal with!  This leads to the biggest advice I have for students who will be in this class next year; don't procrastinate and get your work done!  If you don't, it's going to bite you in the butt, and you're not going to be happy with what comes out of it.  Don't hold off your AoW's and Blogs until Thursday night, when you could do them Monday or Tuesday!  Don't start an assignment the night before it is due!   Think things out, and plan out when you will have time to complete different assignments at home, and do them as soon as you can!  I promise you will feel a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders if you turn in your assignments early rather than at the last minute!

Morrie's Aphorism Project

"As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away.  All the love you created is still there.  All the memories are still there.  You live on - in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here."

     The aphorism that I chose is, "As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away.  All the love you created is still there.  All the memories are still there.  You live on - in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here."  It is very clear what Morrie's message is when you hear this aphorism, because it is a very self explanatory, explicit, aphorism.  He is saying that when and if someone really loves, cares for other, and builds strong bonds with others, when they leave the world and those that they touched and loved in it physically, they won't be leaving the world and and those that they touched and loved in it "mentally."  Mentally, meaning, that the memories will never cease to exist, the love will still be felt, and so the person who has left the Earth won't be forgotten.  If they were able to build strong relationships and bonds while they were here, those bonds will still be there.  Just because someone has died, doesn't mean those who were close to them while they were on Earth, will not be close to them any longer or forget about them.  They will still love and cherish all of their memories that were made before that person passed, and thou who has passed, will live on through the loving thoughts and words of people that they loved and made those memories with.  They were too cared for, too loving, to caring themselves, with too many memories made to be forgotten, therefor, they aren't going away with their death.  They are always there, even if it is not physically speaking because they were simply too special to certain people, to ever actually go away.

     There is an old Miley Cyrus song about her grandfather called, "I Miss You" which is about the how much she misses her grandfather who has passed on.  There is one section of the chorus that I really think relates to this aphorism.  The chorus goes, "I miss you, I miss your smile.  Nice to shed a tear every once in a while.  And even though it's different now, you're still here somehow.  My heart won't let you go, and I need you to know, I miss you, sha la la la la, I miss you."  The section of this chorus that I think really relates to the aphorism I chose is when Miley says, "And even though it's different now, you're still here somehow.  My heart won't let you go..."  At this point in the song, she is talking about how it's different with her grandfather not in her life, but even though he's gone, he's still somehow there with her, because her relationship was so strong with her grandfather that she would never forget the memories and times with him, making it like he was still on Earth with her. Her love for him would always be there, as she says "My heart won't let you go" which is what Morrie's aphorism is saying.  That even though the person who has passed away will no longer physically be in your life, they will still somehow be there with those they really cared for and shared a special bond with, like a granddaughter and grandfather, because their love for each other was so strong and the memories so great, that in their heart, they could never be forgotten, and would always be there!

     I really, truly do agree with this aphorism for many reasons both from the book, Tuesdays with Morrie, and from my own experienced.  I agree with this aphorism because I have found a lot of truth in it.  This aphorism has even shown to be true in my own life.  While I have not experienced the death of a family member that I had a super special connection with like Mitch and Morrie, I have experienced the death of family members and loved ones in my life that were very important and still are very important to me, and those people are not completely gone from my life whatsoever.  For example, my neighbor Ruth passed from Lou Gehrig's Disease a couple years ago.  She still lives on in my heart and life in so many ways!  It's like she's still here, I just don't get to see her physically.  We still live next door to the house she lived in, where her daughter now lives by herself.  She has the same breed of dog Ruth used to have, a Scotty dog named Kipper.  I still remember long talks in her dining room on hot summer afternoons, eating Girl Scout cookies and enjoying each others company.  I remember telling her one time that if she ever moved that my family would have to move too, because I didn't want any other neighbor.  I remember her coming to see my ballet performances and we still have a picture of her up on our fridge.  She is still there in my life, and I will always love and miss her, and have those memories of her that allow her to live on in my life.  She has not ceased to exist completely.

     This aphorism has also shown to be very true when it comes to the book, Tuesdays with Morrie.  Clearly, Morrie has and will live on in all of the lives he touched, with those that he knew and had close relationships with, and those that he may not have ever known, but who read Tuesdays with Morrie.  It is clear that Mitch has a close relationship with Morrie throughout the book that he started off with, lost, and then regained, and we can see this through his flashbacks of college years, the conversations on Tuesdays, and the way Mitch cares for Morrie and Morrie teaches Mitch.  Though, we can really see the care that Mitch had for Morrie at the very end of the book. While he does not explicitly state that it is Morrie he is talking about, we know it is him that he is describing as an amazing teacher in a quote at the very end of the book because the whole book was about Morrie and his wise life lessons, and this quote hints at the bond and relationship they had, when he says, "Have you ever  really had a teacher?  One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine?  If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.  Sometimes it is only in your head.  Sometimes it is right alongside their beds."  We can obviously tell that Morrie had touched and taught Mitch so much, and that Mitch truly was thankful and loved Morrie as a result of this.  After he died, it is very clear that he would live on in Mitch's life because of what a huge influence Morrie had on him!  Mitch wrote Tuesdays with Morrie about his experiences with Morrie; he wrote a book about their time together and his lessons, and so Morrie could live on in a book for Mitch and for many others too!  All of his lessons and words of wisdom, could live on and be there physically, even though he could not, which would cause him to live on as well. Not only does Morrie live on in Mitch's life, he lives on in the lives that he has touched from his book! This book, and everything Morrie has had to say in it has really impacted my life, and I know that Morrie lives on in the lives, like my own, those who have read and learned from his book!  That is why I really agree with this aphorism!

Tuesdays with Morrie: Week of 4/27/15

     Surprisingly, the 'Tuesday' that has inspired and had the most impact on me, as well as the 'Tuesday' that I could relate to the most was the Tuesday where Mitch and Morrie discuss death.  There were two quotes in particular from Morrie that, coinciding, had one of the largest impacts of the whole book so far on me.  Morrie first says, "Everybody knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it.  If we did, we would do things differently."  He then says, "The truth is, Mitch, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."  As Morrie is dying, as his body is slowly shutting down, he has to face the sad reality that he will perish soon, and he has no control over it.  He has to begin to live in the moment more, as he is losing his ability to move and talk a little bit more everyday, and he doesn't have a lot of time left to live and experience life.  He really stresses the fact that people don't know that they're going to die, that they don't believe it.  I can find lots of truth in this, as when I was younger, it seemed like I would live for as long as I wanted; I could stay healthy, right?  There would be no reason for to die, except for old age, but I figured that I probably wouldn't die until I was like, 100 years old anyways!  Though, as I got older, I began to be exposed to more ways that I had the possibility of dying by.  I could get cancer, be the victim of a shooting, get in a terrible car accident, crash in a plane, drown in a lake, etc.  I began to realize that living to 100 years old, was kind of a long shot, and I'm not sure if this is a bad or good thing, but I began to live in fear.  It could be seen as a good thing, because now I'm fully aware that something could kill me at any point in my life, and I would have no control over it, and this would really push me to live life to fullest now, instead of waiting until I got a little older to live my life.  Though, it could also be seen as a bad thing because you shouldn't live with a constant fear of death, as then you won't be able to live your life to the fullest.  When Morrie addressed the topic of death, and explained how you can only live once you learn to die, it had a great impact on me, reminding me that I need to live in the moment!

     This chapter really inspired me to live my life a little bit more adventurously, and the topic of death in this chapter, I feel, is important to read because of this.  You don't need to have a terminal illness like Morrie to actually live life to the fullest, you just need to realize the possibility that you could die at any time, not to scare yourself, but to inspire yourself to do as much as you can while you're on Earth!  That's what this chapter really inspired me to do!  I need to start taking advantage of all of the incredible things that have happened to me, and all of the wonderful experiences I have.  I have to keep pushing to soak up everything I can, before I can't soak it up any longer!  I need to start appreciating everything I have because I feel like I don't enough, and one day, I won't have it anymore!  One day, I might not have my mom or dad anymore, and until I made myself realize that, I didn't appreciate them and all they do for as much as I should've!  I have to not only live life to the fullest, but live a life full of appreciation and love for people that I will leave when I die!  This chapter centered around death has really made me think even more about how I'm actually going to die one day, I'm just going to stop berating, and I will be gone from the Earth, and I need to start living my life with more adventure and love and risk, before I can't!

     Another quote from Morrie in this chapter also really inspired me, and it is when he talks about sleepwalking through life.  Morrie explains, "Most of us all walk around as if we're sleepwalking.  We really don't experience the world fully, because we're half asleep, doing things we automatically think we have to do."  This quote made me realize that a lot of the time, I myself sleepwalk through life, without even noticing it!  I just follow the same routine everyday; wake up at 6:00 a.m., go to algebra class, go to school, go to musical rehearsal, go to dance practice, stay up late doing homework, go to bed, repeat!  I'm always rushing around that I don't notice the finer details that life has to offer, those that make life truly beautiful and special!  Though, I don't notice them because I'm too physically and mentally exhausted from long days of the same old thing, and making this realization, thanks to Morrie, has inspired me to live a little bit differently.  I don't want to look back at life, and think, where did the time go?  I want to look back and know that I got everything I could out of every single opportunity I received, every place I went, and everything I had!  I want to begin noticing more, and being on myself more when I go into "sleepwalking" mode!  This chapter from Tuesdays with Morrie has really inspired and impacted me in so many different ways, especially the quotes I talked about from Morrie!

     

Tuesdays with Morrie: Week of 4/20/15

     After reading Tuesday's with Morrie thus far, I am completely intrigued and interested in hearing the rest of Morrie's story.  For some reason I thought this book was going to be boring.  Though I was so, completely, wrong!  The book is so intriguing, and very easy to get captured into.  Mitch and Morrie seem like they have an incredible relationship, even after the years in which Mitch had not gone to visit him; a relationship that I find beautiful and love to see develop further even this early in the book!  I would've loved to have met Morrie.  He has such an interesting personality, and I find that he is so positive, yet a realist at the same time, which I think is very interesting combination.  I can't believe how honest Morrie could be with himself about his death, yet stay positive through it all, and try not to feel bad for himself.  After being introduced to Morrie,  and then soon finding he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's (Lou Gehrig Disease) I found myself being a bit disappointed right from the beginning.  Even though I knew Morrie was going to be the main focus of the book, it still made me upset to know that he would be going, as Alzheimer's is terminal.  Like most of the characters or people in books, I begin to grow a connection, and actually care about them as I read, making it a lot harder when terrible things happen to them.  I started to feel a connection to Morrie.  He was this adorable old man, who taught life lessons, and was honest with you about life and the future, even if it wasn't something desirable to hear.  He showed so much love, care, and appreciation for his friends, family, and other acquaintances, and I knew he was someone who I wouldn't want to leave the world, especially not in the way in which he would; slowly being eaten up by death.  Even though the book has had a beautiful start, and has begun to lead us on Morrie's journey into death in a somehow interesting and wonderful way, I can't stop thinking about the fact that he is going to die, and it is unavoidable to keep it a secret until the end, because he was diagnosed with a terminal disease.  Somehow, I find it all so unreal, just like a regular old fiction story, but it actually happened.  I find I have to remind myself of that a lot.

     There are so many things I want to do before I die, some that are more fun, and some that are more serious.  Like most people, I would rather cross "Graduate College" off of my bucket list than "Swim with Dolphins."  Nevertheless, I want to know that I accomplished and lived life to the fullest before I "Kick the Bucket" and a bucket list will definitely set me up to absorb all different aspects of life and living before I pass on.  On a more general note, my bucket list will consist of traveling the world, going on adventures both small and large, and accomplishing academic/work goals.  Now obviously, that's extremely vague.  Most people include all of these things on their bucket list, though these three aspects of life: travel, adventures, and academics/work, are truly the foundation of my bucket list.  You never know when you're going to die, so you want to set up a bucket list from a younger age with a foundation like mine, so you can continue to cross things off of the list as you get older and get everything you can out of life through the list.  If for some reason, you pass on earlier than expected, at least you will have hopefully accomplished some things off of your list, which is my plan!  While it would be great to accomplish everything, it would be very difficult, and so I know that I will just keep crossing things off for as long as I can, and continue to come up with more things to do before I die based on travel, adventure, and education/work.

My Bucket List:
• Travel to all 50 United States
• Irish dance in Ireland
• Visit each of the 7 Continents
• Fly on an airplane, First Class!
• Take a road trip in an RV
• Watch every single Disney animated movie
• Have a chicken wing party with Citlalli
• Visit Dylan's Candy Bar
• See a show on Broadway

• Take a tour of the White House
• Go on the Disney Cruise
• Swim with dolphins
• Graduate from High School
•  Graduate from College
• Become a Physical Therapist
• Get Married
• Become a mother
• Read all of John Green's Books
• Fill a memory jar
• Collect Seashells
• Pull a legitimate all nighter
• Run a lemonade stand
• Spend an entire day at the move theatre
• Do the smoothie challenge with my best friends
• Make watermelon popsicles
• Finish a game of Monopoly
• Meet Brogan Mccay (Only Irish Dancers understand)
• Adopt a kitten

(Will add on as I think of more things)

Life is Beautiful Reflection

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?  How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

*I am pretty much just going to be juxtaposing Night and Life is Beautiful, not any other pieces of Holocaust literature.*

     Based off of the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read, specifically Night by Elie Wiesel, many connections can be made to the film Life is Beautiful.  To begin, in both Night and Life is Beautiful there is a deep father son bond formed after entering the concentration camps.  Elie Wiesel's only connection to home and family in the camp (besides his mother and sisters but they were separated), is his father, and that is the same goes for Joshua and his father Guido (his mother is also there, but again, they are separated).  Guido becomes even closer to his son Joshua, as he makes it a priority to help him survive and protect him, not only from death, but also the dangers and monstrosities of the concentration camp.  He is always looking out for his son, and even though Joshua may not know it, he is depending on his dad!  On the other hand, in Night, Elie is not naive like Joshua, and understands how dangerous and deadly the concentration camps really are, so he and his father, while create a stronger bond, it is one that is different from Guido and Joshua's.  They know they will most likely not find the rest of there intermediate family members again, and so an importance to stay together, and never become separated is shown.  They begin to take care of each other, and worry for each other, and genuinely care about the other's health, as they both want to come out of the Holocaust alive, and together!  Their motivation for surviving begins to solely become based off of each other, and with this, they are becoming closer; more loving and caring for each other.  So, it's very clear that both Night and Life is Beautiful depict a strengthening father son bond as a result of being placed in the concentration camps.

     Another similarity between Night and Life is Beautiful is that both Joshua and Elie's fathers die right before liberation.  Sadly enough, both Guido and Mr. Wiesel do not make it to freedom, but are extremely close, yet both of their sons are able to become free!  Although both men do not make it to the end, their deaths are very different.  Elie Wiesel's father did not die because he did something wrong, but because he was doing everything right!  He went through all of the marches, and never slowed pace.  H completed his work everyday, ate what he was given, slept where he was told, and most importantly, did not attempt to escape the camp.  The conditions eventually became to harsh for his already weakened body to handle, so he was not able to continue fighting.  Though, Guido was actually killed because he was sneaking around, looking for his wife, and was caught in the act.  He was shot by a German officer (I believe) for this, and did not die as a result of the conditions of the concentration camp like Elie's father.  I'm not sure whether or not Guido would've survived if he hadn't been sneaking around, but he had more control over his death in that situation, while Elie's father did not.  He could not help tat he had become to sick to live any longer, but Guido could've followed the rules, and not snuck around, preventing death in the manned that it occurred.

     A huge difference between Night and Life is Beautiful is the tone and mood of each piece.  The book Night by Elie Wiesel, has a very dark and solemn tone, and a gloomy, and somber mood.  Everything is negative, and there is no sign of a smile, or lighthearted laugh, only negativity, and sorrow.  The Holocaust was a terrible, disgusting time, and so the concentration camps in turn, were not a bright, happy place to be, with lots of cheery, positive people.  It was a place where people were basically sent to be murdered by different means, and were tortured for months on end.  So, because Night is a true story written by Elie Wiesel about his actual experience during the Holocaust in the different concentration camps, it fits the normal mood of the concentration camps; a dark place where the Jews faced unjust hardships and constraints.  Anyone coming out if this would probably be somewhat bitter about it all, and write about their experience in a negative light, because it truly was horrific, giving that serious, dark tone along with a dark and almost depressing mood.   Though, Life is Beautiful has a much more lighthearted mood, and humorous tone, though it could be somber at sometimes.  The Holocaust was a very serious event, but Guido has to make being a part of the concentration camps and torture of it all, a positive thing for his son, so that he can protect him from all of the negativity.   He always speaks with such enthusiasm and tries to make jokes about the things that actually happened, as to not worry or scare Joshua about everything he is experiencing, and being forced to live.  For example, when Joshua overhears a man talking about men being turned into soap and buttons after being murdered, Guido makes a joke of it, explaining that it would be ridiculous to wash yourself with, and button your shirt with a human.  This gives the movie overall a much more lighthearted mood and humorous tone, even though it is about the same serious topic as Night.

     I believe that life is shown as beautiful at so many points during the film, even when life may not seem ver beautiful at all, but very ugly!  Though even in a negative, ugly situation, Guido specifically finds a way to make life beautiful for both his wife and his son!  The first way that life seems to be beautiful thanks to Guido in the film, is when he explaining to Joshua that being part of the camp is only a game (even though it is actually slaughter house for Jewish people) and that if they win, Joshua will receive a real tank for first prize.  the way that Guido lies, and turns such a terrible situation, into a positive situation to protect and shelter his son is very beautiful in my eyes.  It must've been extremely difficult to make it seem like everything was a game, and be so positive for Joshua at all times, but Guido keeps up the act in order to shelter his son from the wickedness of the camp.  The act of pure love by Guido is beautiful, and makes life in the camp, much more beautiful for Joshua.  Even though it is a disgusting place to live, it can now be looked at as beautiful because it is the place where Joshua may be able to win his tank!  The second way that life seems to be beautiful is when Joshua and his mother are reunited after Joshua has "won" his tank.  He gets to ride in the American tank (which he believe he has won from the game him and his father were playing) and eventually reaches a point where he sees his mother and runs to meet her.  The way she embraces him, and the genuine joy both of them show to be free reunited, and have "won" the game, is truly beautiful.  Their love and happiness that comes from their freedom (winning the game for Joshua) and just being able to see each other, and know that they are both alive, is a truly beautiful sight.  It is genuine joy after such an incredible time of sorrow (maybe not entirely for Joshua) and that is true beauty.

Night: Week of 3/30/15

     *All page numbers are from the new book*

     There are many changes that Elie goes through in his story Night, but the two that I am going to focus on are changes through his faith, and changes through his relationship with his father.

     We see major changes in Elie's faith in God and in his religion throughout the book Night.  At the beginning of the novel, we can see that Elie is very involved and committed to his faith.  On the very first page of the book, (even though in the book it's actually numbered as page 3) Elie says, "During the day I studied the Talmud, and at night I ran to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple” (Wiesel 3). Considering the two events that Elie explains comprise his day are studying Jewish writings that relate to the bible and it's laws, and then spending the rest of his time in the Synagogue where religious worship and instruction for the Jewish religion takes place, it leads me to believe that he holds his faith at a very high position in his life. This can also be seen towards the beginning of the book when Elie says, "Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?” (Wiesel 4). After being questioned about why he prayed, Wiesel brings up the questions of why he lives and breathes, two things that are so second nature, but important. You need to breathe to be able to live and live healthily I might add, and you need to live to be able to do incredible things and fulfill your purpose! Everyone's purpose for living is different though of course. Praying is just so second nature for him, and just as important and second nature as living and breathing, which would show how important Wiesel's faith is to him. Though, we soon see his faith and belief in God change when he reaches Birkenau, the reception center for Auschwitz. After arriving and being separated from his mother and sisters, Wiesel is left with his father, and after telling Dr. Mengele his age and profession, was put into a group that would be sent to the fire pits, would be sent to die right then and there. As others prayed behind him, Elie began to question God and become angry. This God he had worshipped his whole life, he for the first time did not see a reason to worship. We see this first change when Elie says, "For the first time, I felt anger rising within me.  Why should I sanctify His name?  The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent.  What was there to thank Him for?" (Wiesel 33).  Though Elie's and his father's lives are spared, Elie then goes on to think, "Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever," and then, "Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes" (Wiesel 34).  Elie's faith was beginning to vanish.  He had almost been killed in the pits filled with fire and God did nothing for the people that had prayed and worshipped him their whole life, like Elie.  His God was "murdered" his faith was "burned" after God had almost let him, and let dozens of people be killed before him.  His faith had been shaken, and this is the first instance that we see Elie begin to lose his faith and trust in God. 

     After several weeks of torture shown towards the prisoners in multitudes of different ways, Rosh Hashanah, the last day of the Jewish year was upon the prisoners. Hundreds of Jewish prisoners gathered to say prayers, but after all that had occurred, Elie was angry with God, and thought,"Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves? Because He kept six crematoria working day and night, including Sabbath and the Holy Days? Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death? How could I say to Him: Blessed be Thou, Almighty, Master of the Universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our brothers end up in the furnaces? Praised be Thy Holy Name, for having chosen us to be slaughtered on Thine altar?" (Wiesel 67). We see Elie beginning to build up more anger towards God. He is angry that he is continuing to let terrible things happen to the Jews in the concentration camps, and life is not getting better. He doesn't want to worship a man, no matter how mighty and great, who would let the Nazis torture the Jewish people. His faith is falling fast. He doesn't always talk about his relationship with God after every single terrible thing that happens to him, but when Wiesel is in a position where he is to worship God, he looks back and realizes that he has no reason to have faith, because it seems as if God had not cared about what happened, so why should he praise him? We see this anger and resentment continue when Yom Kippur comes along. One of the most religious holiday’s for Jewish people that occurs on the last of the 10 days of penitence that begins with Rosh Hashanah is upon the Jews in the camp, Yom Kippur. The Jewish people were supposed to fast on that day, another way of worshipping and showing their willingness to sacrifice for God. Though, Elie sees no purpose in doing this, as God doesn't seem to be committed to his welfare, and he says, "I did not fast. First of all, to please my father who had forbidden me to do so. And then, there was no longer any reason for me to fast. I no longer accepted God's silence" (Wiesel 69). Wiesel has finally had enough with God, and so he decides that fasting is not something he wants to participate in on Yom Kippur. This seems to be the first real act of rebellion against God, as Elie feels so strongly about the fact that God is abandoning the Jews and being silent amongst all of the torture, that he's just not going to take it anymore. He doesn't feel the need to sacrifice anything for a God that let thousands of Jews that loved and believed in him be sacrificed everyday. Elie doesn't bring up God much after this, until one last major time, when we see a complete change in Wiesel, which is when he says, "And in spite of myself, a prayer formed inside me, a prayer to this God in whom I no longer believed" (Wiesel 91). Even though Elie is praying, he finally makes the proclamation that he no longer believes in God. Even before this, despite what he did to show his anger and falling faith towards God, he still didn't announce, or think that God wasn't real. He just resisted God, went against him, showed his anger. Though, he never denied his existence. He finally does towards the very end, and we see a complete change in Elie, who had once worshipped God and held religion and faith at a very high place in his life, was now in disbelief of God, and had lost all faith.

We also see major changes in Elie's relationship with his father throughout the book Night. At the beginning of the book, Elie has a very distant relationship with his father. They are not very close, and his father was not a man that Elie even felt he could get completely close to. Elie informs us, "My father was a cultured man, rather unsentimental. He rarely displayed his feelings, not even within his family, and was more involved with the welfare of others than with that of his own kin" (Wiesel 4). Elie's father was a man who had a very high position in their town of Sighet, which is why he was very involved in the welfare of others most likely, but this didn't make it very easy for Elie to build a strong relationship with him, because he had so many other people to be concerned with, that he didn't always maybe have as much time for Elie. It also doesn't help, as Elie says, that he rarely displayed his feelings. How could he possibly build a strong relationship if his father couldn't and wouldn't open up his feelings to his family members? Though, this soon changes, and not exactly by choice. The people of Sighet are brought to concentration camps, and the men are separated from the women. Not only are they in a scary and dangerous environment, but the place and the people are all unfamiliar, and Elie's father is all that he has left. He explains that once he's been separated from his mother and sisters, "My hand tightened its grip on my father. All I could think of was not to lose him. Not to remain alone" (Wiesel 30). It is now so important for him to be with his father at all times. He is all he has left from home, the only person he knows, the only person that he feels secure with, even though they maybe weren't the closest. They are forced to build a relationship, and we can see this build throughout, and we can always see how important it is for Elie to stay with his father. When they arrive at the concentration camp, Buna, Elie and his father are sent to work at a warehouse counting and sorting different electrical parts. Even though they are both working in the same building, Elie says, "Please sir... I'd like to be near my father" and the worker assigning him to his position responds by saying, "All right. Your father will work here, next to you" (Wiesel 50). Even when they are in the same place, Wiesel stresses the importance of not being separated from his father. He can't afford to lose him, and the fact that even a small distance affects Elie's concern of separation, shows that they are really forming a stronger bond that Elie does not want to lose.

As time goes on, not only do we see a need for Elie and his father to stay together, but Elie begins to truly take into account the way his father is treated, and his feelings. He gains a greater concern for the effects of his actions on his father, showing that their relationship is growing even farther. Not only does he want him and his father to both be together and come out of the Holocaust alive, but he begins to care even greater for his father.  After being asked for the gold crown on his tooth by another prisoner in the camp, Elie tells him that he will not give it up, as ordered by his father to say that.  Though, Elie explains, "Unfortunately, Franek knew how to handle this; he knew my weak spot. My father had never served in the military and could not march in step. But here, whenever he moved from one place to another, it was in step. That presented Franek with the opportunity to torment him and, on a daily basis, to thrash him savagely. Left, right: he punched him. Left, right: he slapped him. I decided to give my father lessons in marching in step, in keeping time" (Wiesel 55). Wiesel could've looked at this situation as a positive thing for him. Franek wasn't hurting him for not giving up his tooth, he was hurting his father. Though, Elie's relationship with his father had grown to the point where he cared more about what happened to his father than what happened to him. He tried giving his father marching lessons, even though he and his father would be ridiculed, and in the end, gave Franek his gold crown just to end the torture that his father was going through because of it. He didn't even care about the crown, he cared more about what was happening to his father. Their relationship was growing.

Another example of this same situation where Elie took more into account his father's feelings, and the effects of a situation on his father, was when Idek was whipping him. Elie explains, "I was thinking of my father. He would be suffering more than I" (Wiesel 58). Even though he was being whipped, and the pain was extremely unbearable, he continued to think about how his father would feel. That he would be in more pain watching the whipping, than Elie being whipped, and he genuinely cared about that. He was thinking about his father, not just about himself, showing that he was beginning to care so much. He cared so much and was building such a strong relationship, that even their staying together seemed more important than living. Elie says, "As for me, I was not thinking about death but about not wanting to be separated from my father" (Wiesel 82). Even when they were preparing to go on a march to who knows where in the middle of the freezing winter with little clothing, Elie was not thinking about dying. His only concern was being with his father. Their bond was even stronger than death itself, and this is also evident when Elie says, "My fathers presence was the only thing that stopped me. He was running next to me, out of breath, out of strength, desperate. I had no right to let myself die. What would he do without me? I was his sole support" (Wiesel 86&87). Wiesel felt like he could just give up during the march from Buna to an unknown destination, but his father kept him alive. If it weren't for him, we would've given up, and I can only imagine that to keep fighting through the cramps from having to keep up with the fast pace run, not even march, of the march, and the inability to breathe would have to be immensely difficult, and something he wouldn't consider continuing if his relationship with his father had not grown and strengthened. Towards the very end of the book, Elie's father is very ill and weak and Elie explains, "Yet at the same time a thought crept into my mind: If only I didn't find him! If only I were relieved of this responsibility, I could use all of my strength to fight for my own survival, to take care of only myself...Instantly, I felt ashamed, ashamed of myself forever" (Wiesel 106). I can only imagine how hard it must've been for Wiesel to take care of both his father and himself, and even when he began to think of how much easier life could be if he found his father dead, he regretted the thought. If his relationship had not been strong with his father, I don't think he would've regret the thought, and I think he would've abandoned him a lot sooner, showing that even though thoughts like that crept into his mind at times, he still loved his father, and their relationship was too strong for those thoughts to follow through, or to actually be believed. Wiesel went from being very distant with his father, to immensely caring for and depending on their bond. His relationship with his father truly did change and grow throughout the novel.

Berlin Memorial Reflection From 3/19

     I was not in class when we did this activity, but after doing a little bit of research, I found that there were memorials in the form of signs for the Jewish decrees placed on the Jews during the Holocaust. The lampposts on the streets of the Bavarian Quarter of Berlin's Schöneberg district have signs on them with one side stating a decree that was placed on the Jews during the Holocaust and the other side being a simple picture relating to the decree.  Decrees were basically laws/restrictions put on the Jews during the Holocaust by Hitler and the Nazis, telling them what they could not do and what they were required to do; what they couldn't have, and what they were required to have.  There were tons of decrees placed on the Jews from being forced to wear the Yellow Star of David with 'Jew' written on it, to being restricted from using telephones, to not being allowed to purchase newspapers or magazines.  All of these decrees were absurd, as they cruel and unfair to the Jews who should've been able to have every right that any other human being had (specifically in Germany) but they were dehumanizing these people, and taking away their rights to some of the greatest pleasures in life, and even some necessities, like education!

     I think this monument was built to show the people in this area of Berlin specifically, though people in Germany and everywhere else, the absolutely illogical and irrational decrees put on the Jews during the Holocaust, to commemorate the fact that the Jews had to abide by these decrees, and to remind people not to take advantage of their freedoms because of this, because people had it so much worse!  As the decrees began to add up, Jews were practically restricted from everything!  Things we take advantage of, like going to school and being able to go to the grocery store whenever we would like, were freedoms taken away from the Jews.  This memorial was built to remind people of that.  To remind the people that walk and drive past it everyday, and the people who learn about it, that the Jews had so much taken away from them, and that we need to start being more grateful for what we have.  We need to think about and understand how terrible life was with the decrees for the Jews and how lucky we are to not have to live in a world where everything is taken away from us.

     I think I would have trouble dealing with a lot of the different restrictions placed on Jews through the decrees, but the two that I think I would have the biggest trouble dealing with would be the being restricted from going to school, and being restricted from participating in any athletic activity in public.  Despite the fact that I may not always love school, I would never want to lose the opportunity to attend school, and that's what happened to the Jewish people after the decree was placed saying that Jews were not allowed to attend schools.  I would never be able to live happily, knowing that I wasn't getting a proper education to set me up for a successful future.  I would be worried and upset, and be disappointed that I would not have the opportunity to learn and grow everyday!  I would also have trouble, like I said, being restricted from participating in athletic activities in public.  One of the things that I love best that I do, and that I would never be able to stop doing, is Irish Dancing.  Irish Dancing would be considered athletic activity because dancing works your body out and requires a lot of energy and stamina.  We do a lot of performances and competitions, which would all be open to the public to view, and so I would only be able to practice my dancing but never compete or perform for the world to see, and I would definitely be disappointed.  The sport and art I adore so much I would no longer be able to share, and I wouldn't really have a point in doing it because why should you be a part of a sport or art form that you can only practice, and not show anyone what that practice has led to?  These are two of hundreds of decrees that I know I wouldn't be able to live with for sure, but there are so many others as well!  The decrees were disgusting, and this monument will definitely bring attention to this fact.

(Because I wasn't in class when we did this activity, I only got to see the wall of decrees once closely, and wasn't actually completing/writing this blog when I saw it, so I don't really remember how many decrees were passed in certain years.  Every website I've gone to either doesn't show the years each decree was passed in, or shows a pretty even amount of decrees passed in each year.  So, I can't exactly comment on why I think more decrees were passed in some years than others.)