This was a topic I really had to think about before I could come up with a time in which I had thought I was acting in a selfless manner, only to find that I really had my own motives tied into it. For me I realized that last year during my time in my ASB class, I would very often try to help out any of my friends in the class, running errands or whatever may be needed. This in itself was not the worst thing, except that generally I was free to do these things because I was never doing anything for myself, and wanted a reason to get out of the class. I was never causing problems or anything, and I was generally trying to help, but more because I did not want to have to do the harder tasks that were available, so I just got out of the classroom doing the menial things whenever I got the chance.
This isn't to say that I never did anything in the class, I ran the Student Store as Treasurer, but I almost took that to mean that I did not need to do anything else, as that had enough involved in it. In reality it took minimal brain power and effort to keep the store running, with an occasional requirement of effort, but on the whole, I could have very easily taken on much more in the class than I did. Yet I convinced myself that by simply helping out the others with their little tasks that I was being productive enough.
Looking back now, I would happily go back and change this situation for the entire year. I had such an easy course load, and the requirements placed on me for my position in the class really were not demanding too much of me, so I really should have been eager to step up and do more in the class. There were many other people in the class with a full class load of ap classes that also had constant requirements on them from their position in the class, but they also constantly stepped forward to help in or lead the group projects. I applaud them immensely, and am currently working towards improving myself so as to never be so lazy or entitled again.
Just another example of a time in which I was attempting to be selfless, but really being far from it would have to be again in high school. I had a free 6th period so sometimes I would just go out and try to clean up the campus or picking up trash, whatever I could do to help out, and yet I know that this was never just because. I know that part of me always wanted some sort of recognition for it, for someone to think that I was some great guy just because I was willing to do that on my own accord. I would love to say that it was just a spontaneous act because I thought it was a good thing to do, but I know that was never all of it. I always hoped that someone would notice, would say something, that I would be seen as a better person at least because of it. I am thankful now that that never happened.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Critical View of Literature
I feel that we all have our own ways of reacting to literature, some people write more in their own words, others translate it into another medium that means more to them, and some might simply choose to simply apply it to their lives, however they must dos so. I know that for me personally, when I read something, especially a story or novel that I like, I get completely engrossed in it. When the story ends, or something is not completely explained, oftentimes I will start to delve into it on my own, considering what could have been written there, how things could have gone. This is something I tend to do often, and I really do enjoy it, it makes the story come alive even more to me, I already see it as a movie going on in my mind, and then I get to basically control how things go on my own.
How we respond to literature really can change our lives, I know it has changed mine. Simply in seeing another perspective, be it that of the character or the author, opens my eyes to a world larger than my own. If the story is fiction or fact is irrelevant, it still has life in it, with wisdom to teach us. So often I will read a story or poem or verse that touches my heart in a new way, reveals something new to me. I learn new things about myself, the world around me, or a new way of looking at things, and I love it. Perhaps my favorite thing is when I read something I have read many times before, and yet something completely new pops out to me in a way that I had never even imagined before. That is one of the reasons why if I like a book I tend to reread it many times, I love learning new things from the same story. Every time I come back and read the story again, I am a different person, I have changed since the last time I read it, and so it really is a whole new experience to read it again, because different things become so much more prevalent to me.
When we really critically analyze literature, I think we really are fulfilling the goal of the author, in that we are attempting to fully understand as much as we can of what they are telling us, on as many levels as we can find. I do agree with the idea that we can never expect to completely understand everything that an author says or means, I am sure there are always more to it than we realize, but at the same time, it should be our goal to get as much out of it as we can. When literature is written, it is rarely written offhandedly, but instead is written with a purpose, be it a purpose to inspire, convince, or just simply reveal truth, there is some meaning behind it. Therefore when we analyze literature we immediately boost our understanding of it, and begin to comprehend a world outside ourselves. While we may never understand everything intended by the author, we will also come up with new ideas that they may not have thought of themselves when writing their thoughts, and in the sharing of our ideas, we all get to grow and drastically change in our lives, simply through the written word.
How we respond to literature really can change our lives, I know it has changed mine. Simply in seeing another perspective, be it that of the character or the author, opens my eyes to a world larger than my own. If the story is fiction or fact is irrelevant, it still has life in it, with wisdom to teach us. So often I will read a story or poem or verse that touches my heart in a new way, reveals something new to me. I learn new things about myself, the world around me, or a new way of looking at things, and I love it. Perhaps my favorite thing is when I read something I have read many times before, and yet something completely new pops out to me in a way that I had never even imagined before. That is one of the reasons why if I like a book I tend to reread it many times, I love learning new things from the same story. Every time I come back and read the story again, I am a different person, I have changed since the last time I read it, and so it really is a whole new experience to read it again, because different things become so much more prevalent to me.
When we really critically analyze literature, I think we really are fulfilling the goal of the author, in that we are attempting to fully understand as much as we can of what they are telling us, on as many levels as we can find. I do agree with the idea that we can never expect to completely understand everything that an author says or means, I am sure there are always more to it than we realize, but at the same time, it should be our goal to get as much out of it as we can. When literature is written, it is rarely written offhandedly, but instead is written with a purpose, be it a purpose to inspire, convince, or just simply reveal truth, there is some meaning behind it. Therefore when we analyze literature we immediately boost our understanding of it, and begin to comprehend a world outside ourselves. While we may never understand everything intended by the author, we will also come up with new ideas that they may not have thought of themselves when writing their thoughts, and in the sharing of our ideas, we all get to grow and drastically change in our lives, simply through the written word.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Meaning of Literature
Literature really matters to me because I have learned so much from it. I get to read not just a story, fiction or fact, but really also someones take on life. Regardless the subject matter, you get to see into the heart of the author, and learn their thoughts, how they really feel about what they are writing about. Generally speaking, we write about things that we are passionate about, and I am always interested to find out what other people are passionate about. I know I personally love to talk about what I am passionate about, and I am quite sure that that is a love shared by many other people as well.
For instance, some of my favorite books I will reread often and yet learn something new everytime I go through them. They teaching me something, about myself, the world around me, the author, anything really, and for that reason they are my favorites. I do not want to read something that does not teach me anything, that just repeats something I already know, but instead I want to be taught, to learn, or just to be shown something in a way that I have not seen it before, from a perspective that is not my own.
Also, I love literature just because it lets me escape. When I pick up a book, I quite literally become immersed in the story, to the extent that I can forget myself. I drink in the words, flying through the pages, enjoying every single bit of emotion portrayed through the language. I love feeling like I'm somwhere or someone else, in a life so much different than my own that I could never expect to understand it, and yet at the same time I do, I feel the characters echoing with my heart in one way or another.
When I read, I really try to find some way to internalize it, make it apply to me. Yes I read for fun, or because it is assigned, but I want it to mean something to me as well. I do not want to read it and be done with it, but instead I think a lot about what I read. I try to take it a step further, see into the characters themselves, not just what is represented on the page. A book is far better than a movie to me because I get to see inside their heads, understand them on a level far deeper than what can simply be seen on the surface, and feel that I know them by the time I finish. I learn from them, just as a character grows through the experiences they go through in the story, I find that I learn things myself, not just from the experiences, but in how they handle them in their own way.
I do not think I could honestly say that I have never been changed by a book I have read. Even if it is one that I do not like as much as others, each is full of wisdom, and worth enjoying. I love literature, primarily books, but in general I find that there is something worthwhile in any written word, it is simply up to me as the reader to discover it.
For instance, some of my favorite books I will reread often and yet learn something new everytime I go through them. They teaching me something, about myself, the world around me, the author, anything really, and for that reason they are my favorites. I do not want to read something that does not teach me anything, that just repeats something I already know, but instead I want to be taught, to learn, or just to be shown something in a way that I have not seen it before, from a perspective that is not my own.
Also, I love literature just because it lets me escape. When I pick up a book, I quite literally become immersed in the story, to the extent that I can forget myself. I drink in the words, flying through the pages, enjoying every single bit of emotion portrayed through the language. I love feeling like I'm somwhere or someone else, in a life so much different than my own that I could never expect to understand it, and yet at the same time I do, I feel the characters echoing with my heart in one way or another.
When I read, I really try to find some way to internalize it, make it apply to me. Yes I read for fun, or because it is assigned, but I want it to mean something to me as well. I do not want to read it and be done with it, but instead I think a lot about what I read. I try to take it a step further, see into the characters themselves, not just what is represented on the page. A book is far better than a movie to me because I get to see inside their heads, understand them on a level far deeper than what can simply be seen on the surface, and feel that I know them by the time I finish. I learn from them, just as a character grows through the experiences they go through in the story, I find that I learn things myself, not just from the experiences, but in how they handle them in their own way.
I do not think I could honestly say that I have never been changed by a book I have read. Even if it is one that I do not like as much as others, each is full of wisdom, and worth enjoying. I love literature, primarily books, but in general I find that there is something worthwhile in any written word, it is simply up to me as the reader to discover it.
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