Sunday, November 23, 2008

How do we define who we are?

A person defines themself based on individual experience. Our actions, no matter how small they may be, leave a mark. The choices that are made, accomplishments, jobs, friends, all contribute to truly deciding who a person is, it’s a reflection. I liked this question because it propelled me to stop and think, how have I defined myself?
Organizations do define people because they imply our interests to those around us. Being a member of the newspaper has defined me in numerous ways. Besides having to be responsible, you have to be confident and able to make split decision. Newspaper also bring out those who are shy, I can be a somewhat shy person and it has forced me to be comfortable when meeting new people, since I often do a story on a student or teacher I have never be aquatinted with.
In the end, I hope I've defined myself as a proud daughter, devoted friend, determined worker, genuine and selfless as well as a person who never gave up, no matter how difficult the circumstances might have been.

A film that relates to my big question

One of my favorite films is Marie Antoinette, it may not always be historically accurate but you get the gist. The film is definitely a journey for her and how she adjusts to new life at Versailles, and of course, how she defines herself. Antoinette was a bride at sixteen, so she had to adjust to restrictive court life at an early age. Basically, her whole life became one big schedule; she was never able to be a teenager. She had to make the leap from child to adult very quickly. This was the catalyst for Antoinette’s lavish lifestyle. After she was established as queen, her rebellion was spending on pretty much anything she desired and fueling her inventive temperament. When the U.S rebelled against England, they allied with France, who sent money to aid in funding. To the people of France, she had defined herself as a cold, bitter queen who cared little for the suffering her people had to endure, since taxes had been raised sharply. In reality, she did care for her people, she was just too isolated to really understand the impact the French people were going through. Ultimately, she defined herself as a young child wanting to simply be able to do what she wished, instead of having such a restrictive life.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Other novels that relate to my big question

Becky Sharp, one of the most famous female heroines of all time in the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, immediately came to mind, in reference to my big question. One of the novels main focul points was satirizing society in early ninteenth century England. Becky is vying to be apart of high society and is more than determined to fufill that ambition. Strong-willed, astute, confident and witty are pertinant charactertistics of Becky and they all appear to be positive, but indeed they cement her fate.

Her social stature or her family and friends is the ultimate descision she has to face and through this, she defines who she is. Becky has never known what is it like to have finanial security, so it is natural that she desires this but she soon finds that it comes with price. But in the process, her decisions cause her nothing but pain. She can never be the person she wants because she’s constantly morphing herself into someone she can never be. She ultimatley defines herself as a cold mother, untrustworthy wife and mainpualtive friend.

Though this is a somewhat negetive response to the big question, its perfectly valid bcause it demonstrates how we cannot change who we are, but we can make peace and value the characterisitcs that define and make each person truly extraordinary. In Becky’s case, she never made peace with herself.

Although Becky may not be literature’s favorite character, she is famous for her distinct personality and demonstrates how every decision we make, minor or major, effects us and defines us.