If I was given power to create life in the same manner that Frankenstein did, I believe that I would choose to not make life or give away the instructions on how to do so either. Creating a living being unnaturally is wrong and can bring about some serious problems.
To me, bringing life to something that does not naturally live is morally wrong. If a being or creation has to have someone artificially put life in it, then it is obviously not meant to have life in the first place. In my belief system, only God has the power to create life or bring something dead back to life. Therefore, a person trying to create life with science is trying to play God.
Also, trying to create a being and bring it to life is only going to cause problems for everyone involved. Dr. Frankenstein had to take body parts that he stole from graves in order to make the body of his monster. Think of all of the trauma that would be unnecessarily inflicted upon a person if their family member's body was mutilated and pieces of it stolen in order to make some sort of unnatural race of monsters. Not only that, but the project itself has every way to go wrong and become a disaster. Ever Dr. Frankenstein, the creator of the monster, showed disgust towards the hideous nature of his beast: the yellow skin and eyes, shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips of the living scientific anomaly. He ran from the "miserable monster whom [he] had created." This shows that trying to animate something that is not meant to be alive has its drawbacks and consequences. The monster turned out to be evil and soulless.
Even if I had the intelligence and ability to create life as Dr. Frankenstein did, I would not have the motivation and inclination to do so. Though I admit that it would be tempting to put my research to use if it was someone close to me that had died, I would refrain from bringing them back to life. After all, maybe it is not meant for that person to keep living and maybe, in death, they are accomplishing that they were destined to do all along.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thoughts About Frankenstein
My initial thought after hearing about Frankenstein is that it is amazing that a girl so young could write a book that has been and will be so well-known throughout the ages. She raised the standard of writing and what is considered a classic novel; an amazing feat considering the fact that, in her time period, men were considered the more dominant, more important gender.
In Frankenstein, a scientist decided to take life into his own hands and create life. I believe that man has no right to create an artificial life. Playing God, to me, is extremely immoral. Though a person may be able to bring something to life, they lack the ability to give it a soul. Only God can create a creature that contains a soul and a conscience.
I do not believe that it is possible to live forever while still residing on Earth. Something inanimate cannot give eternal life to a creature because it does not possess life in the first place. Nothing can completely keep nature from taking its course because nature is not a physical being. Just like time, the cycle of life and death cannot be stopped. Though a life can be either taken or prolonged, death is not something that can be denied completely.
I do believe that monsters can reside within us. A monster does not necessarily have to be a living being. It could be an object or addiction, as seen in an alcoholic, drug junkie, or even an anorexic person. An alcoholic is consumed only by thoughts of alcohol; an anorexic consumed by fear or revulsion of themselves. Anything that overtakes your mind and controls your actions could be labeled as a "monster." It is possible, however, that a monster could be a living being. I have grown up believing that a person could be inhabited by a demon or a creature that originates in hell. After all, if one believes in heaven, they must also believe in hell. Therefore, if creatures from heaven exist, creatures from hell must also be real.
In Frankenstein, a scientist decided to take life into his own hands and create life. I believe that man has no right to create an artificial life. Playing God, to me, is extremely immoral. Though a person may be able to bring something to life, they lack the ability to give it a soul. Only God can create a creature that contains a soul and a conscience.
I do not believe that it is possible to live forever while still residing on Earth. Something inanimate cannot give eternal life to a creature because it does not possess life in the first place. Nothing can completely keep nature from taking its course because nature is not a physical being. Just like time, the cycle of life and death cannot be stopped. Though a life can be either taken or prolonged, death is not something that can be denied completely.
I do believe that monsters can reside within us. A monster does not necessarily have to be a living being. It could be an object or addiction, as seen in an alcoholic, drug junkie, or even an anorexic person. An alcoholic is consumed only by thoughts of alcohol; an anorexic consumed by fear or revulsion of themselves. Anything that overtakes your mind and controls your actions could be labeled as a "monster." It is possible, however, that a monster could be a living being. I have grown up believing that a person could be inhabited by a demon or a creature that originates in hell. After all, if one believes in heaven, they must also believe in hell. Therefore, if creatures from heaven exist, creatures from hell must also be real.
Monday, January 9, 2012
2012 Theme Word
I chose the word relax because I need to learn to let things go and quit worrying about that which I cannot control. This year I will be ending my junior year of high school and beginning my senior year. I feel constantly pressured about homework and project deadlines as well as trying to decide what college I would like to attend. As I think back on years passed, I realize just how much time I have spent worrying about something that I really could not do anything about.
My personality ensures that I rarely miss school or do anything wrong. On the other hand though, it causes me to lost much needed sleep over my next oral communication speech or pre-calc. homework that I forgot to do. This year I would like to concentrate on relaxing and realizing that one missed assaignment is not going to kill me. I believe that this would eventually help with my overall grades and goals because I would not be failing to accomplish even more due to lack of sleep over one grade.
Additionally, I am beginning to realize that, though school is an important part of life, it is not everything. There are more important things in life than grades and college. Spending time with my family and friends, whether just hanging out and watching a movie or going out and doing something, is just as important. This year I am going to stop all of my pointless worrying.
Sit back...Relax...and enjoy life.
My personality ensures that I rarely miss school or do anything wrong. On the other hand though, it causes me to lost much needed sleep over my next oral communication speech or pre-calc. homework that I forgot to do. This year I would like to concentrate on relaxing and realizing that one missed assaignment is not going to kill me. I believe that this would eventually help with my overall grades and goals because I would not be failing to accomplish even more due to lack of sleep over one grade.
Additionally, I am beginning to realize that, though school is an important part of life, it is not everything. There are more important things in life than grades and college. Spending time with my family and friends, whether just hanging out and watching a movie or going out and doing something, is just as important. This year I am going to stop all of my pointless worrying.
Sit back...Relax...and enjoy life.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
All About Antonia
Willa Cather, in her novel My Antonia, offers her view of life during the pioneer times. She portrays herself and all of her views through her characters. Through Jim and his experiences the audience gets a view of life in the good ol' days.
If the book were told in the point of view of Antonia instead of Jim, the story would have been drastically different. In her perspective, the audience would have gained insight into what it was like to be in a family who was new to the country and struggling for survival. Also, we might have gained a motive behind some of her actions, such as her behavior towards Jim and her dancing escapades. Her thoughts and feelings would have been made known during the tough times, such as when she had to work in the fields like a man or when she was betrayed by her supposed fiance, Larry, and left alone and pregnant. The book would have turned out completely different if we had learned all of the facts firsthand instead of hearing them through as Jim learned them through the grapevine.
Willa Cather was fairly effective at writing in the point of view of a man, considering she herself is not one. The only way that one could even guess that the author was a woman was that Jim seems to be fairly feminine for a guy. Not to the point of being ridiculously or overly girly, but still more so than some guys would have been. There was not really any description of him doing any manual labor, which could hint at the fact that the author is a girl due to the fact that most woman did not do any sort of field work in that time period. Overall, though, Cather did a good job portraying a man in the book.
Jim changed the title of the story from Antonia to My Antonia because he was telling the story of his friend Antonia as he saw her. The different people who grew up or lived around Antonia would have viewed her in a completely different way than Jim did. He saw the good in her; the willingness to do anything for her family and how she refused to give up on making something of herself even though she was left alone and pregnant in a time where that was highly frowned upon. However, others viewed her with pity, as the girl who was gullible enough to be tricked out of her money and left pregnant. She would have been seen as cheap and a floozy. Jim wanted to show people how he viewed her; how he loved her. The title My Antonia shows that the story is not about her flaws and mistakes and meant to degrade. It shows Jim's unconditional love towards her.
My Antonia is a very unique book that would have been completely different if the author had made even one minor change. Cather's novel is very good at showing the lifestyle of a typical family during the pioneer times. The story shows not only the good in life, but also the hard, unforgiving times that occurred so very often in those times. The book is well written and interesting enough that I would recommend it to anybody who likes classic books.
If the book were told in the point of view of Antonia instead of Jim, the story would have been drastically different. In her perspective, the audience would have gained insight into what it was like to be in a family who was new to the country and struggling for survival. Also, we might have gained a motive behind some of her actions, such as her behavior towards Jim and her dancing escapades. Her thoughts and feelings would have been made known during the tough times, such as when she had to work in the fields like a man or when she was betrayed by her supposed fiance, Larry, and left alone and pregnant. The book would have turned out completely different if we had learned all of the facts firsthand instead of hearing them through as Jim learned them through the grapevine.
Willa Cather was fairly effective at writing in the point of view of a man, considering she herself is not one. The only way that one could even guess that the author was a woman was that Jim seems to be fairly feminine for a guy. Not to the point of being ridiculously or overly girly, but still more so than some guys would have been. There was not really any description of him doing any manual labor, which could hint at the fact that the author is a girl due to the fact that most woman did not do any sort of field work in that time period. Overall, though, Cather did a good job portraying a man in the book.
Jim changed the title of the story from Antonia to My Antonia because he was telling the story of his friend Antonia as he saw her. The different people who grew up or lived around Antonia would have viewed her in a completely different way than Jim did. He saw the good in her; the willingness to do anything for her family and how she refused to give up on making something of herself even though she was left alone and pregnant in a time where that was highly frowned upon. However, others viewed her with pity, as the girl who was gullible enough to be tricked out of her money and left pregnant. She would have been seen as cheap and a floozy. Jim wanted to show people how he viewed her; how he loved her. The title My Antonia shows that the story is not about her flaws and mistakes and meant to degrade. It shows Jim's unconditional love towards her.
My Antonia is a very unique book that would have been completely different if the author had made even one minor change. Cather's novel is very good at showing the lifestyle of a typical family during the pioneer times. The story shows not only the good in life, but also the hard, unforgiving times that occurred so very often in those times. The book is well written and interesting enough that I would recommend it to anybody who likes classic books.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Effects of a Setting
Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
The setting plays a major role on the lives of the characters within the novel. For example, if the Shimerda family had moved to a large city, they might not have fallen on such hard times. Mr. Shimerda might have been happier and not killed himself and Antonia would not have been forced to live the rough lifestyle of a man. She may have been a prim and proper lady and been married off to some rich guy, never to have to work in the fields again. If Jim had not moved to the farm with his grandparents, he would have never learned to appreciate the things he has in life. By living on a farm, he learned to work hard and follow instructions. He also would not have been exposed to the people, such as Otto and Jake, who taught him all of the things that a father would teach a son. The setting of the story made a huge impact on the plot and all of the characters.
The woods are a paradise to me. The best time is during the fall when the leaves turn colors and float softly to the ground. The tall, imposing trees give me a sense of safety and comfort. They stand tall and proud, like a veteran soldier bravely defending his country. I love to hear the small creek whispering its song to the world as it weaves its way across the landscape. I can sit, relax and ponder the ways of the world when there is nothing but nature surrounding me. Off in the distance, the sun is slowly losing its battle with the night, leaving everything bathed orange in its warm glow. When I see this, I know it is time to head back to my home. However reluctant, I am placated by the realization that my paradise is permanent and I can always visit again tomorrow.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
The setting plays a major role on the lives of the characters within the novel. For example, if the Shimerda family had moved to a large city, they might not have fallen on such hard times. Mr. Shimerda might have been happier and not killed himself and Antonia would not have been forced to live the rough lifestyle of a man. She may have been a prim and proper lady and been married off to some rich guy, never to have to work in the fields again. If Jim had not moved to the farm with his grandparents, he would have never learned to appreciate the things he has in life. By living on a farm, he learned to work hard and follow instructions. He also would not have been exposed to the people, such as Otto and Jake, who taught him all of the things that a father would teach a son. The setting of the story made a huge impact on the plot and all of the characters.
The woods are a paradise to me. The best time is during the fall when the leaves turn colors and float softly to the ground. The tall, imposing trees give me a sense of safety and comfort. They stand tall and proud, like a veteran soldier bravely defending his country. I love to hear the small creek whispering its song to the world as it weaves its way across the landscape. I can sit, relax and ponder the ways of the world when there is nothing but nature surrounding me. Off in the distance, the sun is slowly losing its battle with the night, leaving everything bathed orange in its warm glow. When I see this, I know it is time to head back to my home. However reluctant, I am placated by the realization that my paradise is permanent and I can always visit again tomorrow.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Argument: Pit Bull Bans
Assertion/Claim (Topic Sentence) = Main Idea
My Thinking: I believe that this paragraph is based mainly on inductive reasoning due to the fact that the conclusion can still be argued and is not a definite fact.
Sources:
- Pit bull bans should be abolished.
Evidence -Concrete Detail:
- The problems that occur seemingly due to the breed are actually caused by the owners, not the dogs themselves.
- Commentary 1: Pit bulls are not born killers, they are turned that way as a result of a bad upbringing or traumatic experience. Most of the dogs that attack people have been the victims of abuse or neglect or have taught to fight or kill.
- Commentary 2: There are thousands upon thousands of pit bulls around the world that have never attacked anyone. All of the dogs are not vicious just because some of them have attacked people before. Besides, how many times do ban supporters mention the pit bulls that have saved their owners from certain death? Or do they ever specify whether or not the dog was provoked by the person they attacked? Hardly ever.
- The breed "pit bull" is probably one of the most misused terms ever.
- Commentary 1: Most people group any dog with certain characteristics, such as a stocky build, as a pit bull. a majority of the time, it is one of the many other breeds that are incorrectly labeled as a pit bull.
- Commentary 2: The pit bull gets blamed for the actions of dozens of many other breeds due to their misidentification. This would multiply the attack number for the breed by huge amounts and would account for why the numbers are so high and why the breed has such a bad reputation.
Opposing Claims/They Say:
- The Dog Bite Law Center argues that "these dogs are bred killers."
- Some claim that they "have not place in a family home" and that any "defense of them is misplaced affection."
- However, I say that the majority of pit bulls are being unrightfully punished for the mistakes and actions of the few. Most of the "pit bulls" aren't actually pit bulls at all. If you are counting the number of attacks for many different breeds all under one breed, of course the number is going to be higher than any one single breed.
My Paragraph
Pit bull bans should be abolished. The problems that occur seemingly due to the breed are actually caused by the owners, not the dogs themselves. Pit bulls are not born killers, they are turned that way as a result of a bad upbringing or traumatic experience. Most of the dogs that attack people have been the victims of abuse or neglect or have taught to fight or kill. There are thousands upon thousands of pit bulls around the world that have never attacked anyone. All of the dogs are not vicious just because some of them have attacked people before. Besides, how many times do ban supporters mention the pit bulls that have saved their owners from certain death? Or do they ever specify whether or not the dog was provoked by the person they attacked? Hardly ever. The breed "pit bull" is probably one of the most misused terms ever. Most people group any dog with certain characteristics, such as a stocky build, as a pit bull. a majority of the time, it is one of the many other breeds that are incorrectly labeled as a pit bull. The pit bull gets blamed for the actions of dozens of many other breeds due to their misidentification. This would multiply the attack number for the breed by huge amounts and would account for why the numbers are so high and why the breed has such a bad reputation. However, not everybody believes as I do. The people at the Dog Bite Law Center argue that "these dogs are bred killers." Some claim that they "have not place in a family home" and that any "defense of them is misplaced affection." Nevertheless, I say that the majority of pit bulls are being unrightfully punished for the mistakes and actions of the few. Most of the "pit bulls" aren't actually pit bulls at all. If you are counting the number of attacks for many different breeds all under one breed, of course the number is going to be higher than any one single breed. Thus, pit bulls should not be banned and they should get the same treatment that any other dog breed does.My Thinking:
Sources:
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Dependent & Independent Clauses
Whenever I have the chance,
Although I'm stressed for time,
After the school bell rings,
Until the sun goes down,
I ride horses at the barn.
Although I am reluctant,
When the sun has said goodbye,
Before it gets too late,
Because of my responsibilities,
I go home and prepare for tomorrow.
Although I'm stressed for time,
After the school bell rings,
Until the sun goes down,
I ride horses at the barn.
Although I am reluctant,
When the sun has said goodbye,
Before it gets too late,
Because of my responsibilities,
I go home and prepare for tomorrow.
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