The Strength of Tragedy

What makes us stronger? Last years devastating blasts at the Boston Marathon had a profound effect on Boston. It made the people of Boston stronger.  On April 15, 2013, three innocent lives were lost and hundreds injured by the bomb that scattered packed nails, ball bearings and metal shards. What were the two alleged bombers, brothers, hoping for? What was there motivation to hurt others? In the novel Stronger by Jeff Bauman, the theme tragedy makes us stronger, is portrayed not only in Jeff Bauman, but the city of Boston.

The novel began with the marathon bombings, “And then I heard it. The explosion. Not like a bomb in a movie, not a big bang, but three pops, one after another,” (4). You would expect it to become hazy after the initial explosion, however, it got clearer.  Jeff Bauman was transported to the ICU section of Boston Medical, and there is life was changed forever. His legs were amputated, making him unable to walk for the the rest of his life. “People always want to know how I felt in those first days. Was I guilty that I hadn’t done more to stop the bombing? Was I angry? Was I afraid? Was I Boston Strong? No, I was happy to be alive,” (47). After the bombings, the recovery phase began. The conflict, person vs. self was not only in the physical pain Jeff Bauman had to endure, however, also internal challenges he had to overcome later at the  Spalding Rehabilitation Center. “But Spaulding wasn’t a community. It was the Island of Misfit Toys. Nobody wanted to be there, but were broken, so we had nowhere else to go… And just like the toys on the island, we all had one goal: to get out,” (96).

                  ****WARNING****SPOILER ALERT**** WATCH OUT****

In the resolution of the novel, Jeff Bauman sets a goal that no one could believe. He will walk in under a year. “There was nothing more his doctors could do. His legs would be this way for the rest of his life. Learning to walk again, and whatever happened after that was up to him… I’m walking,” (127).  However, walking it is not as simple as many think. “But I wasn’t done. And I wasn’t free. I could see that as soon as the first light crept through my blinds every morning. My first thought was always to stand up and walk, ” (136).  Just as  Jeff Bauman thought he would never be able to walk again, the Red Sox’s called and wanted him to throw the first pitch. “The crowd was no there feet. It was loud, and as Carlos rolled me to the middle of the infield, it kept getting louder,” (144). As the ball sailed through the air the crowd erupted.  Six months after the bombing, Jeff Bauman was back at Fenway Park, however, this time he was different. He was walking. “I wasn’t special. I was only one in the crowd of millions. this is our story, not mine. We were together- the Fenway crowd, Boston, all the good people of the world- and that made us unbreakable,” (240).

                                                           ***Spoiler Over***

In conclusion, the theme, tragedy makes us stronger, was the hidden core of the Boston Marathon Bombings. The last year has been unbelievable for the city of Boston. However, one thing that was believable was the way Boston and Jeff Bauman came together at such dark times. It began with pain and tragedy, however, it ended with Boston and Jeff Bauman proving one thing to the world. No matter what happens, what anyone tries to do to the city of Boston, we always find a way together, to become stronger.

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Guy Montag Logic: Memes

Guy Montag, the protagonist of the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, lives in a dystopian future society, where all books are burned. In the exposition of the novel, Guy Montag is the ‘normal’. He has a wife, house and a job as a fireman. However, they are not the average fireman who stop flames, they ignited them. The memes below, depict key points in the exposition, from his society, relationship with his wife and also his job as a fireman.

My first meme, “Bad Luck Brian,” describes the society that Montag lives in. “My uncle drove slowly on highway once. He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days,” (13). In their society, “Cars started rushing by so quickly they had to stretch the advertising out so it would last,” (13).  Not only can you get arrested for driving slowly, you can also be arrested for many quite odd things from being a pedestrian to the possession  of books.

My second meme, “Tough Sponge-bob,” depicts Montag’s Wife, Mildred.  “The small crystal bottle of sleeping tablets which earlier today had been filled with thirty capsules and which now lay uncapped and empty in the light of the tiny flare,” (17).  As emergency responders arrive, they slide down a tube into Mildred stomach, drain out the poison and replace her old blood with new blood.  The next morning, Mildred wakes up and remembers nothing. ” What? did we have a wild party or something? Feel like I’ve a hangover,” (23).   Montag tries to suggest that “Maybe you took two pills and forgot and took two more,” (23), however, Mildred denies everything, and said she would never do such a thing in a billion years.

My third meme, “Bad Luck Brian,” describes the relationship Montag and his wife Mildred have.  “How long you figure before we save up and get a fourth wall torn out and a fourth wall-TV put in? It only two thousands dollars… That’s one-third of my yearly pay,” (24).  Montag always thinks of Mildred, however, Mildred just wants more parlor walls to be put into their house and suggests Montag should consider her sometimes.

My fourth meme, “The Awesome Social Awkward Penguin,” shows one of the key events of the exposition. Montag is brought to a house that has been reported for having books, just as a average day being a fireman, however, this time the owner refuses to leave and the house, and the fireman are left to set the house on fire with the women inside.  Montag felt guilty for ending the life of that women, however, Mildred thought differently. ” I hate her. She’s got you going and next thing you know we’ll be out, no house, no job, nothing,” (54).

My last meme, “Schrute Facts,” or Guy Montag Logic, describes what Montag thinks reading is like. After stealing books from the women’s house that they had burnt, Montag wants to learn why firemen burn books, however, the way Montag thinks a book is read is completely wrong. He thinks that when you read, the information all comes to you, and there is no thinking involved.

Meme generator site

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The Art of Being a Copy Cat

The world is an everlasting remix being played over and over again.  Old ideas are built to form new ideas, and this process of copying is repeated, repeated and well, repeated. The world could be seen as a record player. A new record is placed on the record player and the same tune is played again, and eventually combined to transform into a newer ‘original’ record.  The video on YouTube, “Everything is a Remix” left me thinking, can a remix still be creative even though the idea was not yours?

“Everything is a Remix Part 2,” brought many unexpected twists to anything from music to movies.  This may be a surprise, however, one of the most influential blockbusters that has reshaped pop culture, Star Wars created by George Lucas, has many aspects that have been based on older movies.  This is one of Hollywood’s greatest talents, transforming the old into the new.  Many of  the most iconic moments in the Star Wars Movies where based on other movies, such as when in Episode IV, “Han Solo shots Greedo, which resembles a scene in the movie, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966),” (Everything is a Remix Part 2). As I thought at first, “Maybe all of this is a coincidence? There is a lot of movies out in the world, and this scene could have just been a odd coincidence.” I noticed then, that my mind does not accept the fact that Star Wars is unoriginal even though clearly, George Lucas has pulled ideas from older movies. Even though Star Wars has been a box office hit and a classic movie franchise, even Star Wars can admit to being a copy cat.

Star Wars has lead me to a question, do you feel that ideas should be “free”? Honestly, ideas should be free if the person who thought of the idea allows it to be. For example, if I invented a new type of phone that can charge to full battery in under thirty seconds, the concept of ideas being free to everyone would cause mix controversy.  My idea would be free, and other people would have the ability to improve my invention, however, at the same time, someone could steal my idea, and credit it to themselves.  This also can be related to, is there a problem with copying as long as [you’re] the one doing it? One may argue that they are improving an idea by copying others work, however, copying someones idea is more one- sided than some may think. Many would see no problem when copying another idea. This many be seen in many of the most influential people in the world such as Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. “Steve Jobs was sometimes boastful of apples history of copying. We have all always you know, been shameless of stealing great ideas. But he harbored deep grudges against those who dared to copy Apple.  I going to destroy android, because it is a stolen product. I ‘m willing to go thermonuclear war on this,” (Steve Jobs). When we copy, we justify it and when others copy us, we vilify it.

During Quarter two in Humanities, we worked in groups to create a travel magazine, to encourage people to visit the many different minorities in China. Before starting the very stressful project which many spent long nights working on, we were brought to the library, were we took a look at many different types of magazines. Thinking back to that experience, the idea of copying, transforming, and combining was what we ultimately had in mind.  We look at many different types of travel magazines, however, I remember specifically looking at a magazine called, Travel and Leisure. Our group used the idea of copying, transform and combining  to make a remix of a Travel and Leisure Magazine, which turned out to be much different. However, this connects to the question, can a remix still be creative?

Watching the different parts of “Everything is a Remix,” I can without a doubt change my view of creativity. However, the video has left me to the question, can you make a creative remix? In the end, I believe that a remix can be creative even though you use someones  idea, however, copying an entire idea can leave you with a reputation for being a copy cat.

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Found Poem: What If?

How to Luck Out in Life

Jeff Bauman knew exactly when his life changed. 2:48 p.m on April 15 2013, one minute before one of the most high-profile terrorist on United States soil, was standing right next him. “We were half a block from the finish line of the Boston Marathon, two in a crowd of half a million,” (1). The Boston Marathon  is the signature event of Patriot’s Day, which celebrates Paul Revere’s ride and the local militiamen who fought the first battle of the American Revolution.  Jeff Bauman had arrived early to support his girlfriend Erin, who was running for charity. “Everywhere I looked, people were cheering and clapping, yelling for them to keep going, the finish line was close, and they were almost there,” (1).  Then Jeff Bauman noticed Tsarnaev.  A foot away, Tsarnaev stood wearing sunglasses, a white baseball cap and a hooded jacket. “No doubt. no remorse. The guy was a rock,” (2). Tsarnaev turned toward Jeff and stared at him.  Jeff moved forward to catch a better glimpse of the finish line, and when he turned his head over his shoulder, Tsarnaev was not there. Only a backpack.  What was in that backpack, changed the lives of many including Jeff Bauman forever.

In the pre-bomb setting of the novel Stronger by Jeff Bauman, Jeff could be considered the ‘ordinary’. He grew-up living with his mom in a small suburb in Massachusetts. After a few years Jeff set out to become an engineer. However, that didn’t work out. Bauman had student loans to cover most of his costs, however, ended up owing nine hundred dollars, and could not register for the next semester.  “I started working part-time in the deli at Costco. I figured I’d take another semester off, work at Costco, and see if I could save nine-hundred dollars. Three years, later, I was stilling working at the Costco deli counter,” (14). Jeff enjoyed his work, it was easy and he loved his coworkers. From his work at Costco he met Erin, Jeff’s future girlfriend.  “We hit it off right away. She later told me what she liked most about me was that I was so nice. Ouch, E. That kind of stings,”(16). Eleven months later, Jeff was cheering on his girlfriend, who was running the Boston Marathon for charity. Jeff and his friends cheered her on when Erin passed mile 18 in Newton, near Heartbreak Hill, the hardest climb on the course. When Erin was near Jeff they took a group picture and Jeff told her that he will be at the finish line. At this turning point in the novel, many had no idea of what horrific event would happen next. “And then she was gone, up the slope toward Heartbreak Hill It seemed so trivial at the time, like the most ordinary thing in the world. I guess that’s usually how it is before bad luck, or random chance, changes your life, ” (21).

The setting and exposition of the novel, Stronger, could be viewed as a symbol of how life can change that any moment. Jeff Bauman was at the Boston Marathon to support and cheer on his girlfriend. However, bad luck and random chance had the ability to change his life forever. Just like flight MH370 from Kulala Lumpur to Beijing, flight MH370 was supposed to be an ordinary six hour flight.  However, it turned out not to be. It was out of random chance that out of all the planes that were in the sky at the time, the people on board of MH370 turned out to be unlucky. Life can change at any moment, right now, tomorrow or in a year, however, there is not always a way to prevent it. Life should be lived. Jeff Bauman was nearly killed in a bombing, however, he had the ability to get back up, and appreciate his life once again.

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Commercialism and Mother's Day

Commercialism. From Super Bowl Commercials to Time Square Billboards,      commercialism or the “excessive emphasis on profit” has the ability to influence the choices that I have made and also many others around the world. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, commercialism is brought to a whole new level, where commercialism can erode or over power spiritual values. “He’s a regular peppermint stick now, all sugar crystal and saccharine when he isn’t making veiled references to certain commercial products that every worshiper absolutely needs,” (84). In this part of the novel, Montag comes to Faber’s house with one book that could be the last in the whole western hemisphere. The Bible.  In the novel, “Christ is one of the ‘family’ now. I often wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we’ve dressed him up, or is it dressed him down,” (83)? In Fahrenheit 451, Christ has become an advertising tool rather than a religious figure.  Christ is only used for the materialistic purposes that the society values.”Once books appealed to a few people, here, there everywhere. They could afford to be different. The world was rommy. But then the world got full of eyes and elbows and mouths. Double, triple, quadruple population. Films and radios, magazines, books leveled down to a sort of paste-pudding norm, (58)”.  With the media controlling the population like puppets, the media could influence all the choices that the people in that society make.

The theme, commercialism can erode or over power spiritual values, is not only present in Fahrenheit 451, however, it is also in many of our lives. As you know Mother’s Day was just recently on Sunday. However, Mother’s Day has become more of a commercial holiday rather than a day where you appreciate your mom. Mother’s Day has become a manufactured holiday, just like Valentines Day, where it is more about spending than emotion. Just as in the novel Fahrenheit 451, the theme, commercialism can erode or overpower the true spiritual values, is present in Mother’s Day. Instead of appreciating all that your mother does for you, commercialism causes Mother’s Day spiritual value to become more about spending than appreciating. Even the creator of Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis hated commercialism on Mother’s Day. When Mother’s Day became an official holiday department stores jumped on the bandwagon and began selling Mother’s Day cards and special gifts. In an article published by the New York Post, Jarvis was furious because “Mother’s Day is a personal, family and memorial day. It’s a celebration for sons and daughters; a thanks and offering for the blessings of good homes.” With Mother’s Day over, I hope I and others will be able to learn the true meaning of Mother’s Day and be grateful for all that our mom does for us.

 

 

Nostalgiaception in Adventure Time

Adventure Time.  Set in the magical land of Ou, and its many kingdoms, home to candy people, animals and cast of weird characters (Personal favorite, Gunther the penguin). The popularity of Adventure Time, as one may point out is the thrust for adventure.  The stars of the show, Finn the human and Jake the dog are two best buds who gone all sorts of adventures that one may call strange and out of the ordinary. They fight monsters, overcome fears, save princesses and most importantly, have a hate against all-sorts of evil. Adventure Time is very popular with kids; however, adults also demonstrate the love for Adventure Time.  The hidden core appeal of Adventure Time is nostalgia, a feeling of wanting to go to a better time in the past.

Nostalgia is something that we all have experienced. The feeling of wanting to go back in time to a better place is believed to be the reason behind Adventure Time’s success. As an Adventure Timer, this topic automatically appealed to me when I saw it on the PBS Idea Channel on YouTube. “”It because at the same time audience are experiencing nostalgia, so to are the characters in Adventure Time.” It is nostalgia within nostalgia or “Nostalgiaception”. Just as the characters in Adventure Time, I too, seek to go back in time when life was much simpler.  Nostalgia is also a persuasive technique many commercials and ads company make to cause people to buy their product. For example, New York Times recently published an article, “In Super Bowl Commercials, the Nostalgia Bowl” which is about how the recent Superbowl used nostalgia to attract costumers.  However, nostalgia in Adventure Time brings out confronting emotions, happy and sad, or otherwise known as ambivalence.  For example, when I think about my past friends and homes, I am happy that I was able to cherish those memories, however, sad at the same time, because I know I can not go back into that time. Thus causing a wide range of emotions. Adventure Time has the ability to hack into the nine year old in me with “exciting sites, magical objects, and impossibly terrifying things.”.  However, young people do not only experience these emotions.  Adventure has become a hit with adults all over the world because of the ability the show has to bring them back to their childhood. Adventure Time is about “Rescuing princess, fight giants monsters, protecting the innocent and have a strong dislike of evil dudes,” and brings people back to a much simpler time in their lives.

Adventure Time’s subtext calls upon another comic, Calvin and Hobbes. Through friendship and adventures, the characters in both Adventure Time and Calvin and the Hobbes deny what has/had happened in the surrounding word. In Adventure Time case, it is about forgetting that Finn is the only human left on the plant and that the world almost came to an end in the Great Mushroom War. In Calvin and the Hobbes, the characters crack jokes even at a time when nothing could possibly be funny anymore.

By watching Adventure Time, you participate in the show.  The show is as important as the people who watch it. As an adventure time fan, I still believe that television stills has the ability to persuade audiences even though, it has been around since the 20^th century.  Television is a type of mass media that I believe will never go away even has years pass by.  Adventure time has been a hit for Cartoon Network and there will be more adventures to come.

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The Run From Lies and the Chase For Truth

Lies and the truth. We all are confronted by these two words day to day. However, in the end, lies all always will catch up to you. Always.

                      WARNING******SPOILER ALERT******WATCH OUT *******

In the resolution of the novel, The Kite Runners, by Khaled Hosseini, Amir and his father (Baba) had fled from all they had known to America. “Baba loved the idea of America,” (125). Loved. “America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghost, no memories and no sins. If for nothing else, for that, I embraced America,” (136). Years pass by, Amir becomes a writer, marries the daughter (Soraya) of a decorated general in Afghanistan and Amir’s father dies of cancer. Before his father death, Amir’s father told the truth of Hassan. He was Amir’s half-brother.

The text to self conflict has been present from exposition to the rising action, however, in the resolution, the text to self conflict is finally being resolved. ” A week later I sat on a window seat abroad a Pakistani International Airlines flight, watching a pair of uniformed airline workers remove the wheel chocks, (194). Amir was going back to his homeland.  The reason Amir left back to Pakistan to find his long lost friend and brother, Hassan. Amir had an empty place in his heart because of lies he had been told.  He wanted the truth to be told, however, hiding away in the shadows of America for decades, had made it to late to save his friend. Hassan and his wife had been killed on the street in front of their child, Sohrab. Amir journey’s to Afghanistan only had one goal. To find Sohrab, Hassan child. Eventually, he did. In the old house he had grown up in with is father, the same street were Hassan’s blood was spilled and the annual Kite championship was held.  However, it wasn’t his house anymore. It was Assef’s. An old childhood bully and one of the Taliban’s leaders. Assef would only give Sohrab to Amir if they finished the unfinished business of their childhood. A fight.” I don’t know why at one point, I started laughing, but I did. And the harder I laughed, the harder he kicked me, punched me, scratched me… For the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace, I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind,  I’d even been looking forward to his,” (289). In the end, only two people got out of that room. Amir and Sohrab.

                                                     ****SPOILER OVER****

In the resolution of the novel The Kite Runner’s,  I was satisfied and unsatisfied with the resolution. Khaled Hosseini left the reader on a cliff hanger, on what would happen in the future. Though, Amir and Sohrab were able to flee from Afghanistan and eventually back to America, it had scared Sohrab for life. In the end, I would have wanted to know what would happen to Sohrab in America, however, the book ended, with the reader having to assume what happens after the end of the novel. The resolution of the novel proved that even the lies you tell in your childhood can catch up to you and when they do, nothing can stop you until the truth is revealed. Nothing.

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The Entertainment Generation

Star Wars, Punch Buggy and Evian Roller Babies, Three Ads That Resonated With Me

Commercials. You love them and hate them. Watching your favorite TV show or a movie when out of nowhere a commercial comes on just when an important thing was about to be unraveled. Commercials can be viewed as many things. Down right random (Roller Babies), humorous (Punch buggy) and inspirational (Microsoft Superbowl Commercial). Over the hours and hours I have watched TV, I have seen a countless amount of commercials and have finally come down to three that I have found the most interesting.

 

The Force: Volkswagen 2011 Super Bowl Commercial

As a veteran Star- Wars fan, this commercial was something I have always remembered. It is always the first thing I think about when the word “Commercial is used”. When I was young I used to also walk around in outfits from Batman to Darth Vader, and this commercial was something that I could relate my early childhood too.

 

Evian Roller Babies: Evian Commercial

The first time I saw this commercial on YouTube, I could not believe my eyes. Babies roller skating doing back-flips of ledges at Central Park. What could be more random? The most peculiar thing about this commercial was that it was for the water brand Evian. However,  I know that it grabbed my and the 74 million other peoples attention that have watched the commercial.

Punch Buggy: Volkswagen 2010 Superbowl Commercial

Punch Buggy. A long lived tradition by many people around the world. The reason I chose this commercial was because of how I could relate to it, just as in the first commercial, The Force. I don’t know if it just me, however, most Volkswagen commercial have always had a way to remind me something of my past. In the case of the Punch Buggy, I used to play this game with my friends and was something I really enjoyed doing on road trips across the United States (By the way, when I was young we used to have a Volkswagen, and I guess from that you know what happen).