Taste the Freedom

America The Great, America The Beautiful, America The Delicious? The Declaration of Independence states our natural rights and freedoms as citizens of the United States. Although I am a native Jamaican I also consider myself an American. Being a part of the American culture and society is something often taken granted for by native born Americans. Little freedoms such as the things we eat, things we wear, places we shop, our religions, our hobbies, and things we say, are all things we are guilty of assuming the freedom of on a day to day basis. In places like China and North Korea people would love and value even minutes of the opportunity to worship freely or even express themselves they way they want. Almost everything we do daily is allowed because of the freedoms granted to us in the Declaration of Independence. As cliché as this topic may be, it can't be stressed enough. With Thanksgiving soon approaching it deemed appropriate to take some time to appreciate the little things that make up all the big things. Living in  such a privileged and suburban city makes it very easy for us to overlook those outside of our immediate sight. It's harder to be constantly grateful when we're not physically forced to see people without all the freedoms and liberties that we have. However, it is essential that we learn how to be constantly appreciative of the little freedoms bestowed upon us that we use to our advantage daily because without them, we'd be a mess!

The Power of One

While watching The Crucible in class it suddenly hit me how truly ridiculous the power Abigail has over the girls in the town. With one lousy threat she has them all willing to die for the accusations of witchery before they tell the truth. After coming to this realization I started trying to relate it to everyday events. All too often we are more affected by the things our peers say as opposed to those in real authority. Something about the fear of not being accepted easily paralyzes us into succumbing to our self appointed higher power- our peers. We see things like this happening everyday in schools all over. Teenagers are willing to do almost anything to fit in regardless of the consequences or risks. Laws are broken everyday by youths all around because they view the influences around them as being greater than the law. As sad as it is, most of us have fallen victim to the hands of peer pressure. Although, the majority may not have been pushed to do something illegal. Despite the negative light I have shed these influences in, they are not all bad. If we consciously decide which forces we will allow to affect us and make sure they are positive we could use it as a tool in better our selves as human beings. Peer pressure can be a good and bad thing depending on who is involved. If you're the one inflicting the pressure, understand the power you hold. Abigail understood what influences she had over Salem and she used it for her own grimy purposes. If you're the one being pressured, have enough soundness of mind to depict right from wrong and don't allow yourself to be lost in the 'popular' thing to do. Influence is a dangerous thing.

Assuming and Accusing

 

 Why are people who make accusations not viewed as a threat and automatically seen as innocent? In the Crucible Abigail is a genius! Like many kids today, she takes advantage of her age and even uses it as an excuse to be blameless. Many people have a first hand account of a child using their age and implied innocence and honesty to their advantage. Although Abigail, at the age of 16, may seem too old to have an untainted soul she is still viewed as a child and incapable of reeking such mayhem. Her age gives her the ability to be viewed as a credible source yet not as a threat. The irony throughout the whole play revolves around the fact that Abigail  is the one who created the witch hunt, who created the havoc, and who is responsible for multiple deaths, yet she is the only one not suspected of anything. Her word of mouth is enough to prove her innocence. Ironically the person who is viewed as helping do God's work is the only one truly guilty of doing something wrong. Abigail selfishly conjures up lie after lie despite the consequences simply because she could. As human nature leads us to behave, she acted purely with her best interest in mind.  In all honesty, because of assumptions, her false stories were seen as fact and because of assumptions she was viewed as innocent and even helpful. Moral of the story, don't assume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Values or Venom?

 Colonial Literature was predominately based off Puritan writers. In turn, most of them used writing as a tool to condemn the unconverted, praise God, or just share their points of view. While it was argued that the values of these people were tainted, America today follows closely beside these 'extremists' of the Colonial times. Although Puritan beliefs are not necessarily popular with the majority today, many ideas that create the frame of their religion are enforced today. For example, current day, the thought that everything happens for a reason is a reoccurring theme in lives of the religious and nonreligious. Many argue that the judgmental and condemning works of many puritans, such as Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon, are the reason that Colonial Literature contribution to literature has expired. However wrong and unshared the Puritan values may seem now is of no importance because America was formed on these great and able writers, whether the content written is agreeable or not. The quality of the writings and techniques used have continued to inspire many modern-day Contemporary writers. As if techniques and values aren't enough, Colonial era writings have a very diverse and interesting view on the past. These writings are amazing sources of history from the eyes of everyday people. The perceptions of the New World through the point of view of Puritan settlers creates a multitude of facts and information used by various people for many different things today. Literature doesn't expire or lose value. Writings are renewed every time a fresh pair of eyes reads it and can be perceived in multiple ways. Therefore, Colonial Literature will never be forgotten nor will it cease to be effective as time goes on.

Who Said Living Up To Stereotypes Is Bad?

Although some stereotypes most stereotypes may not apply to some people they are not necessarily inaccurate.  Sherman Alexie spends a large quantity of time fighting racial profiling and exhibiting how hurtful an absurd it really is. Although in contrast, he is also the perfect stereotype of his own 'kind'. He goes into makes a point to emphasize his cultural pride. Alexie grows his hair long and works extremely hard to succeed as a kind of defiance against the 'white culture' that is so blatantly forced upon him. Even though at certain points Sherman felt torn away from his heritage and isolated from his people, he never felt ashamed of who he is. Native Americans are known for being resilient and prideful and that is exactly what Sherman embodies perfectly. He works hard to become valedictorian, he resists the pressure of alcoholism, and he pushes past the doubts he encountered while trying to get his pieces published, and ultimately, he came out on top. On a less serious and even more contradictory note, Sherman also pokes fun at his profile while profiling someone else based on their stereotype. In the 7-11 Alexie describes the man and his shoes as being just like all the other 7-11 workers, partially because he too had been in the mans shoes. He then goes on to use his intimidating exterior and the prior stereotype that the 7-11 worker would be thinking of about him to his advantage. He makes a game out of terrifying the man simply because he know he can. Throughout the book Alexie focuses his attention on the way white's viewed and behaved toward Native Americans. From this Alexie formed a skewed generalization of  all whites as being terrible people because of his passed experiences. Furthermore, Sherman created a biased view of both whites and Native Americans in his book in order to express how his people felt and feel about both his culture's pride and injustices.

A Bad Kind of Good

What is the distinction between good and evil? Who decided what would be evil and what is considered good? Everything is relative. The definition of evil varies from person to person, as does the definition of good. These definitions are directly linked to ones morals and values. The text book definition of evil is something morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked. While the easily accepted definition of good is morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious. Both these definitions are fairly vague and could easily vary from person to person. People are not innately good or evil, when one is born they are neither. One could even argue the world is innately evil with some good sprinkled in the cracks. Every human is born with the power to create their own definitions of good and evil. Each person exists with a choice, whether to be good or evil. While society has a socially accepted definition of these two words, every individual has the ability to construct their own truths to these words. In the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain the main character Huck is torn between what he thinks is right and what society accepts as good. At one point in the book Huck says if  helping Jim-an African American run-away slave-is evil and sinning he'd go to hell for it. Huck's morals were put to the test when he made this decision. What he thought was good was perceived as evil in his society. Like Huck, everyone has the liberty to choose their own distinction between good and evil.  Before deciding one's destiny to be 'good' or 'evil' these words must be defined to oneself.

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