Year End Reflection.

I have learned a lot this semester. I enjoyed being apart of CO-OP Leadership because I got to see another side of the school. I was never into volunteering and I got to learn that there are endless opportunities at Sullivan Heights. I honestly enjoy being apart of this amazing community. English this semester was amazing. I really liked the identity portion of this course because I really got to understand and learn about myself. Now I know who I am and who I want to be. Macbeth was very interesting because I started to understand Shakespearean language and I love to listen to it. I find it so unique and creative, how each word sounds and what it's meant. As of my goals, I am still working on them, for example, I have improved on my public speaking by maintaining eye contact and speaking at a good level where everyone can hear me but i still get nervous. As for my vocabulary and essay structure, I feel I still need to improve and work on those two skills.

Lord of the Flies

Individuals are basically evil and must constantly fight against their violent nature.

All individuals have evil in them and they are constantly fighting against their violent nature.  I agree with this statement because appearances may be deceiving. Everyone is capable of murder, they may not know it but it is possible. Many face guilt for their crimes and can't take it no more. For example, the OJ Simpson trial what unexpected because he was a successful, young, and rich athlete. Who seem to have a happy marriage but no one knew he was capable of murder and getting away with it. 

Individuals will go along with any type of activity, no matter how violent, when pressured by their peers.

I believe that being pressured can make an individual go along with any type of activity, no matter how violent because in the society that we live in everyone wants to fit in and feel accepted. For example in gangs, in order to prove your loyalty they would make you do something that you wouldn't have done. For example, robbing a store or beating someone up on the street. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-drug-war-police-investigate-links-to-latest-drive-by-shooting-1.3033782

The human race is destined to destroy itself

Although it’s unfortunate, I do agree with this statement. The human race is destined to destroy itself, because every creation has an end. It isn’t something that is intended; not everyone wants to be a part of this horrid truth, but it is just how the world works. We are selfish, and we are self-destructive. We are human beings, our emotions consume us and most of the time we overlook things that can benefit us. For example, there’s global warming. Humans have to cut back on things that they are attached to, such as cars. That has become a necessity, an obsession of sorts. For these reasons, we are destined to destroy ourselves. 

Rules and punishments are absolutely necessary if we are to maintain a civilized society.

Rules and punishments are the structure of a civilized society without them there would be chaos everywhere. I agree with this statement because in India there is chaos roaming around since it is a third world country that isn't that rich where society does what they want. People get robbed and there is reckless driving. Whereas in Canada, there are rules and regulations that everyone must following in order to avoid consequences. 

We are our own worst enemy!

I both agree and disagree with this statement. There are times where the only place where you are safe, and can be yourself is in your own mind. There is safety in loneliness because you don’t have to live up to anyone else’s expectations. And that is when you are the best choice for yourself, more than anyone else. There are also times when you are at your low point in life, and you don’t feel like you’re secure with yourself, and you form a self hatred toward yourself, doubting your decisions. We have the ability to be the best for ourselves, or the worst. 

Macbeth's Post Mortem Monologue

Lady Macbeth

I have cruel intentions. I know I do. All this has resulted in nothing but absolute terror, and it is I, who is to blame for it all. How could I have expected to be happy after all the troubles that I’ve created? I should not have trusted Macbeth. I should’ve known he would get things wrong. He isn’t intelligent enough. I’ve driven us both down this highway of hell and I’ve opened the doors to hell. Things will only go down from now, I should’ve kept karma in my mind. This is all coming to a brutal end. If only I had done things differently. If only I had just been happy with all that I had. I had so much. Most people spend their whole life trying to get where I already was, and I threw that all away in the fiery pits of power lust.

Macbeth Themes and Motifs

• As one strives each day to do better, ambition plays a huge role towards your attributions in society.With ambition comes desire and hard work because ambition drives you to perform well. Ambition can be triggered towards good or bad.

As for Michael Jordan trying out for his varsity basketball team during his sophomore year was important towards his athletic career. Learning that he was too short to play at that level was disappointing because his taller friend was the only sophomore to make the team. He was then motivated to prove his worth by joining Laney's junior varsity squad becoming the star. Therefore, he didn't just quit he went back and tried again. Eventually, making it on the team.

As for Macbeth to become king, his ambitions were power and proving himself to his wife, which was deprived by violent consequences and pressure. By manipulation and bloodlust, made his desire even stronger with the encouragement of the witches. In order for him to obtain power he would first have to get rid of the powerful people standing in front of him. In Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth determines to kill Banquo in order to prevent his children succeeding to Scotland's throne. As one of his three prophecies to the throne and pressure to prove himself to his wife, he decides to kill Banquo in order to claim the throne and throw off the competition. Having power is so vital for Macbeth and he would do whatever it takes.

• The ability to choose, think, and act voluntarily with the belief that human beings can be the authors of their own actions is incredible. Because to a certain extent we control our own destinies. 

With the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, today we live our lives with free will. We can vote, speak freely, and express ourselves to a certain extent. With all the freedom to do whatever we want we can take the Charter and create our lives based on what we believe in. Therefore, we live our lives by our own philosophies. Rather than our lives be destined to vote, we have the choice to vote with the Charter.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/constitution-act-1982/

Happy endings is an example of fate and free will. Many believe that everyone is destined to have a happy ending, but people like Mozzie view it another way such as, “If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” Therefore, it is up to you when you want your happy ending because it is your life and not all get one. 

•  "Don't judge a book by its cover", as you may have heard. Without knowing someone or something you may draw many conclusions that can be misinterpreted. 

In the TV series Deter, Dexter Morgan works for the Miami Metro Police as a blood splatter analyst. But, no one knows that he is a serial killer at night. Not even his friends or family. He may seem like a nice normal guy with a girlfriend and child but who would expect him to be a serial killer that kills criminals who beat the justice system. 

Kylie Jenner has been under the media microscope for awhile and recently she revealed that she has had temporary lip fillers to enhance her beauty. After all the speculation she has come clean and said she had done this because of her insecurity. Because she is very popular in the media today, many people created the Kylie Jenner Challenge.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3070852/Kylie-Jenner-17-FINALLY-admits-lip-fillers-big-sister-Khloe-Kardashian-urges-stop-lying.html

http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Kylie-Jenner-Challenge-37309508

Superstitions & the Supernatural

One can define superstitions as a worldwide phenomenon. Others may depict it as a blind belief. Superstitions may be a fear prospered inside, good or bad luck, and simply unexplainable. There are many common superstitions that yet exist in this very world. But, what I am most curious about are...

• Breaking a mirror 
• Bloody Mary 
• Walking under a ladder 

The myth "break a mirror, face seven years of bad luck", first originated back to the Romans, whom coincidentally first created the glass mirrors. The Chinese, Greek, Africans, and Indian cultures shared the same belief as the Romans that the mirror had the strength and power to inherit part of the user's soul. During Roman times many believed that each person's body undergoes physical change every seven years. Thus, the mirror represented a break in the person's health and well-being.

http://www.wisegeek.org/why-is-it-considered-bad-luck-to-break-a-mirror.htm

http://psychiclibrary.com/beyondBooks/broken-mirror-superstition

http://www.snopes.com/luck/superstition/breakmirror.as

Bloody Mary was named after Mary I, Queen of England. During her reign as Queen she resent the Protestants and wanted England to turn back to Roman Catholicism. Therefore, she killed many innocent people by force as well as executed all the Protestant leaders. Naming this period of time Mary's bloody reign of terror.

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/queen-mary.html

http://www.castleofspirits.com/bloodymary.html

The superstition, "Walking under a ladder", originated back to medieval times where the ladder signified the gallows- a place where people were hung. Thus, when someone walked under a ladder it was considered that they would evidently face their own death by hanging. Many believed that the triangle of the ladder formed a haunted area because the person was hung at the top rungs of the ladder, their spirit rested within the triangle. The fact that the ladders were leaned against the gallows and typically used to help remove the dead bodies it was perceived that walking under the ladder would cause the dead body to fall on you resulting in an injury or death.

http://psychiclibrary.com/beyondBooks/ladder-superstition


The purpose of these superstitions is to prevent these situations from happening. We all know that breaking a mirror is dangerous because it is sharp and hard to see when broken, therefore, to prevent this from happening many would rather believe the myth behind it in order to understand why you shouldn't do such an act like that. Thus, that carelessness will cause you to believe you are cursed for the next seven years. As for Bloody Mary, taunting her name in a game is a ridiculous way to see a ghost. Because of this belief many are haunted by a memory of her and can play a trick on young minds resulting in nightmares. Hence, the myth plays a great role in scaring people and realizing that ghost don't exist, it is just your mind playing tricks on you believing in what happened and what your mind thinks that happened. Lastly, you have walking under a ladder, which is another way to say don't walk under a ladder because it is dangerous. To prevent something from hitting you that can either be an object or the person on it, it is better if you just take the time and walk around to avoid any injury that may lead to death. These situations result in common sense and in order to understand why not to do them many would like to believe in the myth as a reason why not to. These beliefs persist due to religion, tradition, or background knowledge of the individual.