I'm Grateful

Okay so to all of you all reading this I'm grateful for each and every one of you. And trust me I don't say this to be cheesy or unrealistic. But come on, I feel like we all have had those moments in class where we were happy that someone spoke up, or helped you out. As a class I'm sure by the end of the year we will grow to become a family. This is like the shortest blog I'm probably gonna write. But, I'm happy to have you all in my class and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. 

I Celebrate Myself

In today's society, one would say that there isn't enough self appreciation. Everyone is so focused on fitting in and conforming to society that they lose themselfs in the process. Or they are too afraid to conform that they become jealous of the people within it. I don't think that people should be so attached to fitting in. In the words of Emerson, "Envy is ignorance. Imitation is suicide." Why would we all want to be the same? You only lose your individuality. I love myself, and for those who don't, I really can care less. 

For example, I came from am elementary school where we had to wear uniform everyday. Coming to Whitney Young 7th grade was the happiest day of my life. I got to wear whatever I wanted the first day. It made me feel different. I was so tired if the navy blue and white. 

I'm not saying there should be no firm of unity. However I think within that unity there should be you being you, and no one else. Celebrate yourself. 

"To be great is to be misunderstood" - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Poe

In my opinion Poe's writing comes across as very depressing however meaning something larger. I have read The Raven in elementary school and never dissected it as much as I did in this class. I just saw it as a "oh my gosh why must we read this depressing poem." But I looked a little into the biography of Poe. Why he seemed to be so sad. As a reader, in the word of my English I teacher Dr. Bloland, when the dragon got into my head, it was sad, depressed, hopeless. All you saw was pure agony and defeat. His mother died soon after his father abandoned them, and although a family took him in, he was never format adopted. 

When reading something like that, growing up with both parents in my life I couldn't have been more grateful. He used poetry as a way of life. To disay his emotions. When I used to write, and I didn't have a specific topic, I always chose my mood. How I was feeling.

I do not think that because of the somber mood Poe's writing gives off it would make his writing bad. I think it makes his writing better. You write better when you're writing truly you. 

What is an American?

In my opinion, being American isn't owning 762 American flags, or wearing red white and blue everyday, or being fat, or whatever other stereotype you would like to throw at me. It's not even agreeing with your president or various government representatives. But it's believing our first amendment. Freedom. American would not be America without it's freedom. To a certain extent, I can wear what I want, worship who I want, be who I want, live where I want, etc. And I can't be thrown out the country for doing so. 

Being American does not consist of celebrating the 4th of July. In all honesty, I do not celebrate the 4th of July. African Americans were not free that day. Bring American is understanding that no matter what the law says, who got killed for it, the skin color of our president, America is a racist country. Even still to this day. 

Being American is knowing the rights given to you, the rights people fought for, so that you can have it easier than they did. 

I feel like now as Americans we just think this stuff is automatic, and we just came and the country was like this for us. I feel like as an American we should be grateful because I wouldn't want to live here 100 years ago. 

I feel like being American is being capable of not calling yourself Mexican, Irish, Polish, French, African, or Brazilian, but calling yourself American. Not forgetting your heretage but being able to consider yourself a part of the country in which you live 

Modern Day Puritan

I feel like in today's society, the Puritan way of life is still expressed even if not directly. For example, how in Scarlet Letter, Hester was publicaly embarassed for commuting her sin. We as Americans publicaly embarrass someone for something bad or uncharacter like they did, especially famous people. If the president of the Unied States were a drug lord (extreme I know) but if he were caught, you would not stop hearing about that, even years later, it may no longer be headline news but it'snow  something passed on and talked about. 

I also feel the Puritan strictness of religion is well alive as well. Some churches don't want women wearing short dresses or can't have relations until marriage and enforce the 10 commandments heavily. The puritans considered you ungodly if you did not know your commandments. 

Although Puritan culture is alive, I also feel that it is constantly shut down by modern day society. For example, one is not publicaly embarassed for commuting adultery. And in modern day society, adultery is much more common than in Puritan time. I feel like I wouldn't agree with a Puritan way of life because it's too strict for my life.  People should live how they want, and what they do is their business. Not that of the community.

Proctor...Hero or Stooge

I was actually not surprised when John Proctor did not want to sign a confession. He was ready to face death to stand up for his opinion. I consider him a hero not a stooge. He confessed to adultery, a secret he had been keeping not only from his wife, who knew anyway, but from everyone. John Proctor was not going to fall into Abigail's trap to keep herself alive and paint herself as an innocent young girl. He rather lose his life than lose the little morality he had left. Him dying raised question. It questioned accusations and other unexplained deaths. It also saved his own wife's life. Some may consider Procter a stooge for not accusing someone else and staying alive. But his death set a mark, to show people why these accusations and deaths are bogus. It's sad it took him dying for people to realize. John Proctor, in my eyes, is a hero

"Arrivals...there goes the neighborhood"

So when the settlers came to the "New World" they encountered the Native Americans. Now when you meet someone new, and I assume this goes for anyone, but if what they do, how they act, what they eat, etc, is different from your norm, you think "that person is weird." 

Some people may enjoy encountering new people and experiencing a new culture or way of life, and some, well most, are like the new comers. They want everyone to adapt to them. To be how they are, and do what they do, because it's "normal". 

I'm feeling the same way with where I live. My mom and I were so used to not sharing our town home area. Once the property value went down the other homes became owned by the bank and they rented them out. Now how we did things became to change because the new neighbors did not do anything the same as we did, and like the new comers they made no attempt to adapt to the usual flow. So we adapted to them. 

Now, this is just one minor example. But imagine a school like Whitney Young, filled with so many people and cultures, changing to just one standard. Would it even have as many students? Would it be as successful? I imagine it wouldn't be. 

All this to say, in my opinion at least, the key to success is unity and unity is adaptation. Everyone can't be the same. Even those who share similar values have differences. But eliminating the differences isn't going to help you. At the end of the day you're killing one of your own.

All About Me

My full name is Kyla Jacqueline Marshall. However because most people mess up my first name upon reading it, I also go by Jacqueline or Jackie. I was in the Whitney Young Academic Center, so I'm in this class as a frackie. English is not my strongest subject, although I do enjoy a lot of writing and reading. Before going to Whitney Young, I went to South Loop Elementary School where I worked this past summer as a camp counselor for grades First through Eighth. I'm in the Whitney Young Wind Ensemble playing the clarinet. This is my seventh year playing and I plan on continuing playing throughout the rest of my high school career. 

I love playing sports, my three favorite being soccer, volleyball, and basketball. I didn't join any team this year though. Hopefully I will my sophomore year. I can be shy at first but I really do enjoy talking, I get told I talk entirely too much. I also text a lot. I am pretty much addicted to my phone. That's one way you can always reach me.

One of my favorite activities, sleeping. Sleeping is my life. When I finish everything I'll happily just go to sleep. I really don't travel for breaks. I would rather just sleep, or just hang out with my friends. I usually don't care what it is we do. I just love doing it with people I enjoy being around. My friends are like my lifeline. They keep me when I'm falling and I really appreciate them for that. 

Favorite Show: Psych, First 48, Family Guy

Favorite food: I like eating

Favorite movie: legally blonde, mean girls, Halloween series

I think that's all I can say about myself. Any questions or if you want to know more feel free to ask.