The Deed is Done

A drum, a drum
Macbeth doth come
Of noble having, and of royal hope
For a charm of powerful trouble makes an eternal curse fall.
Strange images of death
pour'd down before him.

The harvest is your own.
Let not light see black and deep desires
but teach bloody instruction.

The fatal entrance of Duncan.
The moon is down.
Their candles are all out.
Witchcraft celebrates pale Hecate's offerings.

All hail, Macbeth! That be king!
Things do sound so fair
Solely sovereign sway and masterdom.

Hence, horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, hence!
Let the earth hide thee!
Shakes so my single state of man!

Peace.
Macbeth shall sleep no more.

What goes on when Mr. Brown is alone...

In my soliloquy, I tried to give Mr. Brown a bit of an inside personality where he actually believes that the Igbo are violent, savage people. However, he pretends to be nice to the Igbo because it is part of his two-step plan. In the end, Mr. Brown hopes to accomplish what every Christian missionary does, and that is to assimilate the Igbo. Also, Mr. Brown's personality is not really shown in the novel so I decided to make him a generally optimistic person who is an intelligent and determined missionary.

In the beginning they had the nerve to laugh at me. They laughed at my religion, conservative clothing, white skin and brown hair. But little did they know, I had a plan. I built a trading store, a school and a hospital for the village. I became friends with the respected elders of the clan. Eventually I was presented with a carved elephant tusk. I was told that it was a symbol of dignity and rank. To me it was a symbol that part one of my plan had gone perfectly well. *hold plan sign* I had successfully gained the trust and respect of the Igbo people.

*unfold sign* The second part of my plan was to offer the Igbo something that they were lacking. This would make them come to my side and follow the civilized Christian way of life.

I noticed that the Igbo were very violent people. I was appalled at how they killed baby twins and how husbands brutally beat their children and wives.

I decided that the root cause of all the violence was a lack of education. An educated man knew that beating others was wrong and that violence was not the answer.

In the beginning, the people who came to my school were people of low status and were not accomplished in their society. They often questioned what their culture expected of them. I taught these people how to read and write and also about cilvilization and Christianity.

Week after week went by and I began noticing new people in my school and at my church. These people were accomplished men and women, people of status in Igbo culture. My plan was succeeding!! I had nearly assimilated everyone in the village!

*sadly*Unfortunately I had to return to England. All I can say is I hope Mr. Smith, my replacement continues my plan. I hope he continues to bring peace, Christianity and civilization to these people.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going and the real heroes persevere

Before spring break I thought that Okonkwo was a hero to his people because he was an inspiration and was someone to look up to. However, I am not so sure that Okonkwo is a hero anymore. The characteristics of an Igbo hero might be different from the qualities of a hero today. Okonkwo is not a hero in today's society because he is short tempered and does not consider other people's opinions. He lives in fear of becoming lazy and womanly and his actions revolve around this theme. A hero today would instead be proud, courageous and would not favour one gender over the other. Okonkwo often beats his wife and children. A hero in today's society would not hurt other people as a punishment but rather negotiate and reach a conclusion without using violence. Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna even though he was specifically advised not to. Okonkwo only disobeys because he is afraid of ruining his image as a strong man with no weaknesses. A real hero would not commit a violent act just to save his or her image. A hero is not concerned about what others think of them and it would definitely not cloud the hero's judgement.
In Igbo society I suppose that Okonkwo's accomplishments were outstanding and Okonkwo was admired by his fellow villagers. He is known as a hard worker and a successful man. But after Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, his luck changes. He is exiled for seven years after accidentally killing a fellow clansmen. This forces Okonkwo to restart his career because his home and land is burned to cleanse the village. Christian missionaries successfully convert Nwoye, Okonkwo's son, to Christianity. This is one of Okonkwo's greatest fears and he is disgusted by his son. Finally, Okonkwo hangs himself after returning to his village and realizing that his village is unwilling to fight against the Christians. The act of committing suicide is very bad in the Igbo culture and only strangers could take his body down. A real hero would not give up and commit suicide. They would persevere and keep trying no matter how long it takes. This quality is what makes a hero someone to look up to because the ordinary man would just give up, like Okonkwo.

order versus chaos

Lord of the Flies highlights many different types of conflict such as man vs environment, man vs man, man vs self and man vs supernatural. The boys are stranded on a deserted island. The heat is staggering and food is limited. The boys must work to maintain their rescue fire, shelters and food supply.
Man vs self and man vs supernatural are connected in the novel. Throughout the story, the boys always suspect there is a beast somewhere on the island that will hunt them down and kill them. Twins Eric and Sam discover the body of a dead parachutist, hanging from a rock. Because it was dark when the twins found the body, they believed the swaying corpse was The Beast. This causes the boys to fearfully search a part of the island they had never gone to before. Later in the novel, Simon is left alone at the site with the dead parachutist. The teenaged boys killed a sow and skewered its head on a stick which was left as an offering to The Beast. Both man vs self and man vs supernatural when the sow's head speaks to him, covered in flies. The Lord of the Flies tells Simon that no matter where he runs, he cannot escape the Lord of the Flies. The sow's head says his spirit lives in all the boys, who are around Simon all the time. This ominous event was a result of the supernatural as well as Simon's imagination.
Man vs man conflict plays a big role in Lord of the Flies. The beginning of the novel begins with Ralph and Jack both wanting to be chief, or the head of the stranded boys. Though Ralph is voted to be chief, Jack continually tries to gain more power and influence over the boys. Piggy, a chubby boy with glasses is constantly teased and picked on even though he has wise things to say. He is later brutally killed when Roger rolls a large boulder on to Piggy, who could not see because Jack had stolen and broken his glasses. Piggy falls on to a rock in water and his skull cracks open. He is washed out to sea.
Ralph supports order and civilization which is shown when he immediately sets up a system to build shelters, collect and hunt for food and keep a fire going as a signal to passing boats. Later in the novel the boys split up, some following Ralph, but most following Jack. This represents the fall of order. Jack and his hunters later chase and kill a large sow and eat the meat on the beach. Just as the hunters are finished eating, Jack leads them in a chant and a dance. They yell "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" The boys are fully engaged in this performance when Simon stumbles out of the forest just have encountering the words of the Lord of the Flies. Man vs man conflict is evident when the group of hunters kill Simon with their bare hands and teeth, all while yelling the chant. This also represents a complete loss of civilization. The boys killed Simon for no reason at all. Simon's body is also washed out to sea.
The conflict is resolved at the very end of the novel. All the boys become blood-thirsty after Piggy's death and wish to kill Ralph as well. The hunters light the forest on fire to smoke Ralph out from his hiding spot. Ralph is chased by all the boys with spears and weapons out to the beach. An officer who noticed the blazing fire stood on the beach. At the sight of the officer, all the boys stop immediately. The officer reminds them of civilization, their homes and sanity. They suddenly are overcome with realization and sadness and the book ends with all of the teenage boys crying.
This reminds me of a TV show series called Dexter. Dexter is a police agent who witnessed the murder of  his mother when he was three years old. This incident scarred him for life and now he must kill people. But his father, the only one who knew of this disorder, trained Dexter to kill people who were murderers themselves and not get caught. The story revolves around Dexter and how he traps and kills people, yet has a normal life with a child of his own, and an occupation as a police agent. This reminds me of the stranded boys in the beginning of the novel, versus at the end of the novel. The boys believe in civilization at first and believe that they will soon be rescued. As the days go by, the boys resort to their savage instincts and end up killing two schoolmates. The double life of Dexter is like the two sided personalities of the boys.  

Post colonialsm: Post colonialism is a result of the damage done by colonalism. When European nations began expanding and colonizing other nations, they often saw the natives to the land as inferior. Europeans would exploit the land for goods, and often exploit the people as well. The natives were not treated fairly and were looked down upon. Therefore, the Europeans tried to assimilate other cultures by disallowing certain practices. From a European point of view, the natives to the land were bad, evil and unintelligent while Europeans and their culture was good, smart, and correct. This is the damage that has been done by colonialism and is part of our everyday life.
In this cartoon, two policemen are shown, one just having shot a monkey to death. The caption reads "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill". The cartoon is referring to an incident in Connecticut where a woman was attacked by a chimpanzee. However, the stimulus bill is considered as one of President Barack Obama's legislative victories. The policeman here implies that the stimulus bill was written by someone as unintelligent as a chimpanzee. Because the bill was by Barack Obama, America's first African-American president, the policeman also compares Obama to a chimpanzee. This is an example of post colonialism because an African-American is portrayed as unintelligent and inferior. A chimpanzee is often described as barbaric and primitive which, when referring to an African-American, is another example of post colonialism.

Though this is a political cartoon, there is not much to be laughing at.

Importance of Red Pens

I am holding a red Bic pen. Since this Bic pen is red, all Bic pens must be red. If all Bic pens are red, then logically, all papermate pens are not red. For every red pen Bic makes, Papermate makes a blue, green, purple, yellow, pink and orange pen. If Papermate makes more pens than Bic, then Papermate must make more money. Holding a red Bic pen is like being rebellious. Michael Jackson always held red Bic pens! If you do not hold a red Bic pen, you are tragically misguided and obviously incapable. Hold a red Bic pen because most students do, which supports the conclusion that most Canadians hold red Bic pens. Besides, no one knows anyone who does not hold a red Bic pen therefore a red Bic pen is not held by anyone who anyone else knows.

Stranded

The main character in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a fair haired, twelve year old boy named Ralph. Ralph is heavily built yet athletic, like a boxer. He was taught how to swim by his father, who is a commander in the navy. Like the many other boys from Ralph's school, he is stranded on a deserted island. The only possessions that Ralph has are shoes, stockings, a grey shirt, a belt, shorts and pants.

The school boys were on a plane when it crashed on a deserted island. The pilot of the plane is not with boys so Ralph decides he will be the leader of the group. His friends Piggy and Jack help him with decision making. Piggy is a short, fat boy who wears glasses. Piggy tends to ramble on about his personal life, has a soft heart, and looks up to Ralph. Jack is the leader of the choir and is very efficient and has strong leadership qualities.

When Ralph finds a conch shell and blows into it, a loud note is produced. The sound draws in all the boys who are stranded on the island. When all the boys are present, they vote that Ralph should be the chief. Ralph then takes on measures to increase their chances of survival and rescue.

Ralph thinks that his father, being a navy commander, will rescue him. This drives Ralph to fight to stay alive on the deserted island. He is also the leader of the boys, many of them several years younger than himself. Ralph needs to be a role model for the younger children.

In the novel, Ralph faces many conflicts. Firstly, he must find food if the school boys are going to survive on the island. Ralph comes across a wild pig living on the island, but cannot bring himself to kill it before it runs away. Ralph also suggests they build a shelter on the island, but many of the boys are unwilling to help with the work and would rather go swimming. Only his friends Piggy and Jack understand why building a shelter is important. Ralph is also the elected leader of the group. In a way, the younger boys expect to be rescued soon and if they are not, they will likely blame Ralph.

Ralph does not remind of me of any other characters, but I do believe he is a plausible character. If I were in the same situation as he is, I would probably set up some system of leadership. I would assign different tasks to people such as hunting. Then I would focus on the basics of human needs like food, shelter, and water. I would work on keeping a fire going, much like Ralph does. He thinks that any ships or planes going past the island will see the smoke and come to the rescue. Ralph does the most plausible actions that a twelve year old stranded on an island would.

Lovebirds

If I could write a Valentine to anything, it would be Angry Birds. Angry Birds is a puzzle game for the iPod Touch that involves using a slingshot and birds to destroy pigs. The birds all have different special abilities and the pigs are often shielded by stone blocks, wood and glass. The object of the game is to destroy all the pigs.

I chose this game because anytime I have to wait for something, I pull out this game and play it. It has entertained me for many long hours, especially on flights and bus rides. The company keeps creating more levels so I do not have a new stage to play each time. This game and I have spent many hours together.

Lovebirds

To my dearest angry bird game
though rather simple you are certainly not lame
When I get bored, entertain me you do
Advancing upon levels, each one is brand new
Each special bird has different powers in flight
So charming, so unique, such a delight
The slingshot is always loaded with a bird
One who's intimidating chirp can be heard
Our common enemy, the nasty green pigs
The ones who wear crowns and hide behind twigs
They steal our bird eggs to make a meal
With our stealthy attacks, pain they will feel!
Victorious again, you and I together
To see the stone crumble and the glass destroyed
the pigs know that we are a team to avoid
We give them black eyes, and a large bruise or two
Tonight it is pork and ham that is on the menu
Just when I thought I had beaten the game,
You introduced some new levels, none of the same
A whole new adventure for me to play
How do you do it? Keep me happy all day
Tall, strong buildings made of nothing but steel
Obstacles like a balloon, flag and a wheel
Let's spend some more time, I'll get to know you better
You took our relationship to a whole new level
By introducing a new character, who is somewhat of a rebel
An eagle who kills instantly, swiftly with might
For ninety-nine cents the price is alright
The battles excite me through and through
It is no wonder that I love you

When a Friend Teaches a Lesson That Cannot Be Taught

Every child is prepared with knowledge to help them solve problems they will inevitably face in life. These poblems might be economical, social, or another topic altogether. Sometimes in life, the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves. I definitely learned this lesson with the help of a former friend. He is now living a very different lifestyle but he was the one who made me realize what kind of life I wanted to live.

I used to be a decent student in school. I liked playing basketball and playing the piano. I danced many days after school and had a few friends I could rely upon. I had a good life, but I did not realize it at the time.

I started making new friends after a while. Different friends. Ones that were daring and exciting to be with. I also began to lose contact with my old friends because we just did not see eachother another. But I did not mind, my new friends were interesting to talk to. They showed me new ideas and had different opinions on everyday life. This is where I met my friend, the one who helped me learn a valuable lesson.

School was getting harder and more difficult to do well in. My parents put pressure on me and had high expectations for my future and academic career. I quit dancing and stopped playing the piano. Stress became part of my daily life. I found I was not the only person suffering. My friend began running away from home some nights, and often did not show up at school. When he did come I noticed he often smelled of unwashed clothing and smoke. I never asked him any details about where he went, and he never told me. But I was not bothered by this. We always had other topics to discuss, like school policies, and our lives at home. I was his confidant and he was mine. I eventually started to spend more and more time with him. I did not know at the time, but that was the beginning of a life changing event.

One day, my friend asked me to meet him, not unusual for a Saturday afternnoon. He took me to a part of the city I had never been to before. The sky was cloudy, but the soft, clean breeze whisked the clouds past, revealing the warmth of the sun.

We walked on, past shops and restaurants, every place that beckoned us to stop. Before long, the sun was shrinking back while a few last lucky ligh rays escaped. A cry before the battle was lost.

The park we then stepped in to was lush and dense with trees that introduced darkness as though light was not part of this world. Though the park was tranquil, I did not feel secure. My friend seemed unaware of the sudden change in atmosphere, and kept walking. The air seemed stagnant and thick, now that the breeze had diminished.

We finally arrived at a bit of a clearing in the park. We were far from the noise of cars and buses, but even the birds were not to be heard. A large van with blacked out windows rolled up to the clearing, startling me. I looked at my friend questioningly, but he stared straight ahead at the van. After a few long minutes, my friend slowly approached the van. A strange musty smell wafted over to me when the van door opened. I never saw who the owner of the van was, but my mouth went dry when I saw my friend pass the driver money for an envelope.

I felt frozen in place and did not know what to think. A thousand thoughts ran through my head at once. I saw my friend look at me and move his lips. All I heard was the loud thumping of my heart and the pounding of my head. There was another wailing noise in the distance. I turned around and saw a figure with a dog holding a cellphone. There was the noise again. My body felt numb. The seconds seemed to slowly slither by, hissing as they went. The van roared away and I did not move. My friend took one glance at me, and ran in the other direction. He knew where he was going but I was lost. I did not know where I was, standing in the park. The wailing sounds grew sharper.

From that event on, I realized who I was and what kind of life I wanted to live. Maybe being an ordinary student who dances and plays piano is fine. I never wanted to do anything against the law. Thanks to my friend, I learned to value my own lifestyle.

But the lesson that the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves is not one that teachers or mentors can prepare a pupil for. I  had to learn through experience.

I have lost touch with that firned that helped me. All that thime I was waiting for someone else to hcange my life, to make something happen. But in the end, I lreaned I was the only one who could control what I did, and what I do now. All my success and all my mistakes are only the results of my actions. They are my fault. No parent could have prepared their child to face that challenge.