Post 28

 The Late Night English Blog with Andy Ferguson has my vote for the best blogger this semester. He engages and captures the audience through his writing. Andy Ferguson was always on topic and confident about what he was writing. He always had exciting blog posts titles, which actually made me want to read it more. In post #22 on finding beauty in a song, he wrote "In turn, the speaker compares his-or-herself to the things they deem beautiful and come to the conclusion that they are not good enough or a pale imitation (a creep if you will). ", which is just one example of how consistent he is with backing up his main point and idea. His posts were also upbeat, which made his posts more exciting to read. 

Post 27

 The Wife of Bath's Tale was a very unique and entertaining story that we read this semester. I particularly liked this story because of its emphasis on the role of women back in Late Middle Ages. It also was different from other works of this time period. The main character, Alyson, is aware that her lifestyle is different from the usual norm, but doesn't let that stop her from marrying and eventually finding love.  

 "Men may divide and interpret up and down, But, well I know, surely, God expressly instructed us to increase and multiply (p. 28)". I would enjoy reading The Wife of Bath's Tale again so I could get a better understanding and meaning out of it the second time around. Another theme I felt quite drawn to in this story was female dominance, and the women having more say so over the end results. This tale also looks at marriage in a different kind of light and tries to not only be one sided.
 "I would pray for you, if it were your pleasure, tell your tale as you began, hold back for no man, and teach us young men from your experience (p. 30)".

Post 26

 I believe their are several reasons and examples of why Hamlet is more of a modern hero rather than an epic or ancient hero. First, he speaks more on the topic of death and suicide in a natural tone, one that other's can relate to. Hamlet also speaks of the misery he feels, the way that daily life is a struggle and battle to face, which is not unusual in this day and age. One of the big things I noticed about Hamlet is that he consistently questions the afterlife, and he even wonders about death in great detail because he ponders on about what happens to humans after they die, what happens to our bodies and souls. These are examples of similar questions many people think about in today's society. In fact, there's even research done on this topic now because it's such a widely questioned concept. Another great example of why Hamlet is a modern character is the fact that he sets out to seek revenge on his Father's killer. Unfortunately, in modern society today, it's not uncommon for murders and other violent acts to take place, as well as victims/victims families seeking out revenge on these criminals. 

"Together with all forms, moods, shows of grief... (p. 29, Hamlet)". 

Post 25

 The character of Hamlet is similar to Alisoun's character in The Wife of Bath's Tale. Hamlet, like Alisoun, is also a more modern, liberal character. Hamlet shows us that he does not care what other's think of his beliefs, especially about the murder of his Father. Alisoun shows us that regardless of how many people looked down on her for multiple husbands, she didn't let that stop her and she wouldn't let the people get to her. Hamlet pretty much sticks out to the rest of society because of his actions and statements. This is similar to Alisoun in The Wife of Bath's Tale because it wasn't the norm to have multiple marriages, or for a woman to be head of household in those days. Another comparison between the two characters is their relationship issues and affairs. 

"Blessed be God that I wedded out! And the best that I could pick out...(p. 28, The Wife of Bath's Tale)".

"...She spoke in this way to the Knight: "You stand now"...(p. 35, The Wife of Bath's Tale)." 

Post 24

 There are many things that differentiate More's Utopia to the United States, as well a a few similarities. First, Utopia originally translates to "not place" or "nowhere" (p. 321). The United States is a widely known popular country, and we have been for a very long time to all the Nations. I find it ironic that Hythloday (which translates to "speaker of nonsense"), reports about Utopia, often speaks poorly of his people of society/his society status, which is similar to the United State's president, Donald Trump. He often speaks of what the American people (particularly in the past, a lot during the Obama Administration), should have done/what we could have done differently and what is so terrible about it that is ruining us. Aside from President Trump, God is a subject that is mentioned throughout More's Utopia, and it is often mentioned in major religion in the United States and is even in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

"..for the used often to say, that the way to Heaven was the same for all places, and he that had no grave had the heavens still over him (p. 322.)"

 "...As More praises the Utopians for consciously despising Gold, he implicitly condemns his own society,...(p. 321). 

Post 23

 Overall, I do believe Machiavelli would actually agree with President Donald Trump's policies and overall presidency. But, Machiavelli wouldn't agree with the way Trump declares acts of war without confronting Congress and other parties. There's definitely lots of ideas of Machiavelli's that Trump would agree with, but also lots he would not stand for. Machiavelli seems to agree with the ideals of keeping a strong city/border, to protect the cities and state, due to violence from the outside world. President Trump often spoke of building a wall between the United States and Mexico to help with immigration. Later, he even took impulsive military acts to show how the United States won't stand for the violence and horror that's being ongoing in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, The U.S.A., Russia, and many other's. 

"Therefore, if everything is well and considered, it will not be difficult for a wise prince to keep the minds of his citizen a steadfast from first to last, when he does not fail to support and defend them (p. 246)." 

"...everyone think the taking of them by assault would be tedious and difficult...

(p. 246)."

Post 22: Eminem - Beautiful Pain ft. Sia

This song talks about the different aspects of pain and beauty. Mostly, the pain and difficulties that can come with putting so much effort and love into something. I really like this song because it talks about the steps and effort required to rebuild yourself. Everyday is a new chance to be who you want and change into what you don't want to be, no matter what. This song talks about the struggles and pain of making yourself into the person you're suppose to be versus who you actually want to be. It may look so beautiful on the outside, or it may not even look like it till the very end, but the end work is worth it for yourself.

Post 21

What happened to the twinkle in your eyes? 

The light that use to shine so bright, the one which mesmerized

Why can I know longer feel that beautiful charm?

They say you're no longer here, but I see you everywhere.

My grief seems to come in waves
Some say it's like a shipwreck,
At first I found myself drowning
The only choice I had was to float.

I find pieces of you here and there, 
You will whisper in the thrush of the waves,
I feel you push me in every other direction
Any direction other than the deep end.

My best friend, why'd you have to go
The last thing you said sticks most,
Forever and always;
So I remember, always and forever.

Post 19

 Dante's concept of Hell includes the 9 Circles Of Hell. These include Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and Treachery. Each of these circles has a more intense level of wickedness to it. The Roman poet, Virgil, is sent to rescue Dante by Beatrice, which is Dante's ideal woman. Dante goes through hell in the Inferno in attempt to rescue Beatrice, despite the pain and suffering he must endure. 

 In today's society, it is not uncommon for a man or woman to endure some type of pain and suffering in a relationship. For example, a woman may stay with a man who is cheating, abusing (psychically/emotionally), or neglecting. Usually the woman stays in hopes that her partner will change, but often times is subject to repetitive pain and heartbreak. This can be a difficult relationship to leave for many reasons, but mostly because the person is or was once in love. 



http://historylists.org/art/9-circles-of-hell-dantes-inferno.html

Post 20: Socrates and Hell

 When Socrates was 71 years old, he was charged with corruption of the youth of Athens, sophistry (fraudulent teaching practices), and heresy (p. 330). Heresy is any belief or theory that is much different from any established beliefs, customs, or theories. It had been said for awhile that Socrates teachings were known to be dangerous because it would lead men to rebel against the state. But, Socrates points out that he only questions authority in order to keep the states healthy and aware. "For I am confident that what I say will be just, and let none of you expect otherwise, for surely it would not become my time of life to come before you like a youth with a got up speech (p. 331)." It was not the norm for people to speak out with original thought or values back in this time, which is why Socrates stuck out so much. I believe authority was scared of others following his ways and they didn't want to see him get away with it. Socrates answered and argued all questions asked of him, but he still couldn't get the prosecutors to see things from a different point of view and mindset. The fact he was asked to the the states and didn't do so shows loyalty to his word and followers. 

 I don't believe Socrates should be deemed to Hell because he truly only intended to have justice, freedom, and truth. It's not right that his opposing views caused him to obtain charges.  "Nevertheless, let this turn out as may be pleasing to God, I must obey the law and make my defense (p. 331)." When Socrates says his farewell to Athens, he speaks to his opponents along with his supporters. I believe Socrates meant well and he shouldn't have been sentenced to death, let alone spend eternity in Hell. 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/heresy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy

Post 18: Jesus and the Qur'an

Jesus, or "Isa" (in Arabic), which means peace be upon faith, is extremely significant in Islam and Christianity. The Qur'an has differences in terms of beliefs about the nature and life occurrences of Jesus. Jesus is actually mentioned over two dozen times with passages containing biblical and nonbiblical traditions about Jesus. There are 71 verses in the Qur'an that refer to prophet Jesus. In the Qur'an he is mentioned in three different primary ways.

"O May, God sends you the good news of a command of His: his name shall be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary."

"..and God will teach him the book and wisdom, and give him the knowledge of the Torah and the Gospel, and appoint him as his messenger to the children of Israel (Quran 3:45-49".

Post 17: The Qur'an & The New Testament

 The Qur'an is the central religious text of Islam, which contains more than fifty people and events that can also be found in the Bible. The New Testament is made up of 27 different books with 8 different authors - 6 are the Apostles (Matthew, John, Paul, James, Peter, Jude) and Mark and Luke are two of the disciples. Both possess many similarities relating to the Holy scriptures of Islam and Christianity. Islam teaches that the New Testament has been altered in ways by The Qur'an and is to even be considered not trustworthy. For example, the New Testament elevates Jesus from the human prophet to the divine son of God. But, now the New Testament teaches the doctrine of the trinity (in other words - God is 3 persons in one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit). The Qur'an identifies the prophets: Job, Enonch, Imram and Ishamael, but their stories are never fully told. The Qur'an also concentrates more on the significance of moral and spiritual parts of stories. In The New Testament, all men are declared righteous, but the Prophets were not (expect for Ishamael). In fact, he actually seems to be described in a very non righteous manner. On another note, the Islamic teaching also raises questions about legitimacy of the Hebrew bible and the New Testament. Both books have a varying degree of conflicting opinions.


"There is no god, but God and Muhammad is the prophet of God". 

Post 16

 I believe if you hold a high position in our government you should lead with a respectable, well-behaved manner. High government officials must lead in a professional, honest way so the people can stay united. We must have some sort of order in place, so we can go on with our everyday lives in safety and peace. The citizens of the United States put trust in these people who regulate things from our laws to where our tax money goes. We deserve someone who we can rely on and trust. If high government officials began acting out or acting corrupt, then don't you think the people would too? That's what I envision happening. 

Post 15

 Many of our past president's have similar thinking to the Socrates and Confucius. According to Wikipedia, the Socratic method is defined as, "a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presumptions (Wikipedia)." The Socrates held truths that shaped beliefs and scrutinized other opposing beliefs. "Socrates rarely used the method to actually develop consistent theories, instead using myth to explain them (Wikipedia)." I also see seem similarities in the Analects of Confucius and his beliefs and teachings are also similar to our current president. Donald J. Trump is a United States President who had similar characteristics to the Socrates and even the Confucius was of thinking. Throughout the presidential election in 2016, Trump consistently used Clinton and Obama's mistakes and weaknesses to shape his values, ideas, and plans. He even brought up things such as Obama's birth certificate, he loved to stir up theories and thoughts into his supporters heads. Another example would be Trump and his team overturning Obama's healthcare policy. I personally didn't vote in the 2016 election, but I do pay attention to what's going on in politics. That being said, Trump has made lots of promises and worked on things in a different manner than what he said. Lots of things have just been all talk and no action. 

Post 14

 I believe the role of gods and religion in war have had a profound impact on or views. In the ancient days, the Gods determined what good vs. evil, right from wrong, and the epiphany of what sins were deemed as. The Gods often commanded war or an act of violence in cases where their mortality was literally threatened. Today in modern times, God or the god(s) don't play an actual role in today's wars. Religion does play somewhat of a role in modern war today. The main difference is that our government and military officials control our war. 

Post 13

I believe the attack on September 11th, 2001, triggered most of the invasion and the war in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. In 2003, the The United States had reason to believe that Saddam Hussein was working with Al-Qaeda and developing weapons of mass destruction. They believed that he posed a threat to our world community and world peace. But, it's also believed by many that the Bush Administration went through some unnecessary measures revolving the war on Iraq. In The Bhagavad-Gita, they don't necessarily agree with the acts of war, but in extreme cases and circumstances, it is justifiable. 


"Elders and Friends! Shall I deal death on these

 Even though they seek to slay us? (p.477)" 

Post 12

I chose to write about David Sheff as my tragic public modern figure. David Sheff is an American author and journalist who is a father trying to save his son who struggles with addiction. Sheff is known for his #1 New York Time's Best Seller, "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction", and his book, "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy". He's also written for numerous magazines and is the author of several other books. Sheff is a figure who has been through pain, fear, doubt, hopelessness, and broken promises caused from the roots of addiction. He has made numerous attempts trying to save his son in the face of addiction, which often left him with a broken heart and broken promises. Sheff is an advocate for promoting addiction and mental health awareness throughout college campuses and the public community. This is different from classical tragedy because his story is based on repeated attempts at trying again and again, not losing hope. In classical tragedy, you don't see other people with realistic problems as a tragedy. Today, modern tragedy is known to have more than one character and usually involves people's problems, aspirations or ambitions. 
“David Sheff knows addiction as no parent would ever want. Through it all, he’s tapped into a unique ability to convey the pain, wisdom and love that he’s experienced through many turbulent years with his son Nic. As a journalist, father and clear-eyed chronicler of addiction, David is without peer.”http://davidsheff.com/about/

Post 11

Someone very close to me, a family member, struggles with addiction. Over the years, I've witnessed someone I love lose jobs, money, friends, their identity, everything. They continue to fight this inner battle within themselves. They live with this constant black cloud over their head. Addiction has become an epidemic in this country and too many die young because of this heartbreaking disease. Nobody wants to lose their entire life to a drug. I've seen my loved one go through multiple attempts trying to get sober. Multiple rehabs, jail time, recovery, relapse, it's a vicious cycle.

Post 10: Modern Heroes - Compare and Contrast

I view a hero someone who goes more than the extra mile to help and make a positive impact on society. I compared and contrasted my hero, Robert Langer, with two of my peers epic heroes and noticed more similarities than differences. 

Porsha's Blog Post
Detaria's Blog Post

I highly agree with Porsha's statement about modern heroes not requiring actual superhuman or supernatural powers. She explains why Batman is a hero in her eyes, and makes some key points as to why Batman's qualities match her definition of a modern hero. These qualities included courage, responsibility, and good judgement. I personally wouldn't consider Batman a hero mostly because he's fictional. But, his character does include several characteristics of an epic hero. I also read Detaria's blog who chose Veterans as her hero. I agree that veterans are an excellent primary example of a modern epic hero. Porsha and Detaria both chose heroes that don't have any superhuman or supernatural powers, which seems more common because of the modern era. My hero, Robert Langer, doesn't have any supernatural powers. He does share the qualities that my peers heroes have, like courage, being helpful to others, and nobility.

Post 9: Robert Langer

In my eyes, a hero is someone who goes more than the extra mile to help and make a positive impact on society. I believe modern heroes can be fictional or real. They also don't require a superhuman power in order to actually be a superhero. Robert S. Langer comes to my mind when I consider one of my modern day heroes. He is a world renowned chemical engineer with over 220 major awards. In fact, he is one of the 5 living individuals to have received the United States National Medal of Science and the United States National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Langer has made outstanding outstanding advancements and achievements for cancer research and treatments. He has worked in areas ranging from pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. He is well-educated, loves helping other's, respected, courageous and a passionate leader.

Langer received the world's largest prize for his invention being "one of history's most prolific inventors in medicine". Langer's research work is at the center of biotechnology and materials science. The discoveries he's made the past few decades have helped millions of people all over. I admire his work and findings that have been used to help patients in the healthcare industry.


http://web.mit.edu/Langerlab/langer.html