Let's be Honest and Honorable Men!

Honor and purity have motivated the character of Brutus to make great actions for the good of Rome and its republic. In the play ‘Julius Caesar’ by Shakespeare, Brutus’ character is shaped around one goal – the murder of Caesar. This he did, and so he did it with respect, love, and pure intentions in his great heart.

“This shall make Our purpose necessary, and not envious… We shall be call’d purgers, not murderers.“ –Brutus, p. 74. Honor is the story of Brutus’ life- he is always aware of what everyone else thinks of him, and is always aware of how people would perceive his actions, and how that would affect their trust in Brutus. Honor has driven Brutus to do what he believes is healthy, and what is right for Rome and the republic of Rome. The murder of Caesar is almost exactly the opposite of what Brutus would ever do for honor, or for right, yet he finds himself making exactly that decision. Since he finds himself to have no other good solution to the problem faced, Brutus spends himself many sleepless nights convincing himself that the conspiracy is a good, honorable quest for Rome’s health. “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe… Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more... I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.” -Brutus, p. 128-130. After Caesar was murdered, the people did not react as Brutus had expected. He realized that he needed to reason with them for them to understand his point of view. He knows that he has just made a great, great action, one which will not be forgotten, so he strives to make it sound like a sacrifice, like honor. Brutus uses honor for his country, and honor for Caesar, to persuade the people to understand him. He values his own death less than he values honor, and sacrifices the need of his death to the people, if in any case they would so need it. Honor drives Brutus into making great efforts to make everything honorable, even the things which would sound most disgraceful, most unkind, and most dishonest.

“This was the noblest Roman of them all… He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them.” –Antony, p. 218 Even after the murder of Antony’s closest friend, and civil war has given way in Rome, because of Antony and Brutus, even then, as everyone is getting killed, and even Brutus kills himself, even then, Antony has respect for Brutus, and sees the pure, innocent honesty which Brutus did always possess. He was the one man out of the conspiracy who truly believed that what he was doing was righteous. Brutus would never do anything without good cause, without an honest solution. “And for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general.” –Brutus, p. 62. Brutus has only ever done anything for the right of everyone else, and thoughts as to how his actions would affect himself has always come second to how they would affect Rome. Brutus had a pure heart, and pure intentions, as you do not see often in leaders. Though many thought that he was brutal, they did look through different eyes than the ones of Brutus himself. Everyone interprets situations in different ways, as Antony did to his advantage when telling the people at Caesar’s funeral speech of how Caesar thrice refused the crown. But, for those of who were close to him would say that Brutus was a true, trust-worthy man, and leader. He was respected by everyone, even his greatest enemies, for everyone saw through him, saw that Brutus would never make up a lie, would never do anything out of greed, and would never make actions without thought as to what he was doing, and how he was doing it.

Brutus was sometimes a little misunderstood, for actions which he would take for honor, would others take for disgrace, or even greed. People might say that Brutus was not honest, or trustable, for he killed Caesar, who did believe in Brutus. However, Brutus, even when stabbing Caesar, did in his heart love Caesar, and did possess the qualities of honesty and honor, to the day of his death.


http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/03/02/fea06.asp

Struggle for Life - Help

SLR Reflection

Think Creatively!

I think that I did a creative way of portraying what I thought was a crutial theme in the lives and experiences of the Lost Boys. I used colored themes to provoke in the audience the emotions and knowledge of what the refugee boys were going through, and how everything was so completely different for them. The dramatic differ in atmospheres is very overwhelming, and attributes to the rest of the difficulties the Lost Boys face in their lives, such as discrimination, new, alien food storages and vehicles, and other.

Reason Critically!

The images and text in my collage portray a fair depth of the understanding of the Lost Boys' situation. My texts gave ideas of hopelessness and undeniable pain, and sadness. The Lost Boys are forced to scatter all over the place, lonely and without protection, because of civil war, and get killed by heat, animals, guns/other weapons, or something else. Some are transported to America, and hardly successfully manage to live a healthy life.

Communicate Effectively!

My collage explains in itself how families and friends are not able to stay together, as one, and how the people are and feel very, very isolated. It displays some of the cultural lifestyle which the Lost Boys used to live by, to be aware of what the Lost Boys lost in their new, American lifestyle. You can see that some of the people do not even have as much, but struggle to even find such things. My collage also shows the heat many have had to suffer through, whilst trying to find refuge.

Live Ethically!

Some of the images in my collage are rather heart-breaking to see. There are helpless, confused infants, suffering, slowly dying boys, and overall there is a very vivid image of depression and struggle for life. I know, at least, that if I saw this, I'd definitely want to help the Boys, and spread their life's experiences, and hopefully others would too.

http://www.worldserve.org/images/helping_hands.gif

Fitting Into a New World

The American culture, being so shockingly different than the culture of Sudan, is hard for the "Lost Boys" to get used to, and takes time. Peter, after moving into Kansas, and enrolling into high school, starts engaging in many American cultural actives, a lot more than the boys whom with he set out with. However, nothing was quite the same, even then, for Peter. In a large school of American kids, all 'rich', and with parents, he felt very poor and lonely, and 'lower' than the others. When playing basketball with the other kids, there were a lot of moves which Peter didn't know, things which everyone else knew from earlier practise. Also, Peter tried attending a religious gathering with other students. However, he was at the back, and sort of lonely, not quite feeling part of the group, and Peter didn't know any of the words to the songs that were played. In small ways such as these, fitting into the American culture is a bit tricky, even when trying extremely hard. Another problem faced in America is discrimination. At work, Peter was told by his boss that he should work outside in the heat, since he came from a really hot place, and was already 'sun burnt', his boss being very racist about Peter's skin color. Acts such as these make life in America a bit depressing. Those who told the refugees about America's 'heaven-like' qualities may not have known about this, because they themselves are probably American, and were born in or have lived in America for most of their lives.

There were many cultural divisions between the 'Lost Boys' who were sent to America, and the Americans themselves. One of the ways to deal with this shock was a 'summer camp', only for these Africans, in which they would get together to do fun activities, and would talk about their life, how they had progressed, where they lived, etc. The 'Lost Boys who continued to live in Texas would still celebrate their cultural events, by coming together in a group and dancing/singing. Some of the 'Lost Boys' did make friends, with people from work, or school, and they told them about their lives, usually gaining the sympathy of others, and at least a little better understanding. Most all of the 'Lost Boys' stayed in contact, and made sure the others we're doing allright. The 'Lost Boys', especially Peter, tried hard to fit in culturally and socially with other Americans, but they didn't forget about each other, either.

The School of Athens

Art is often very much a reflection of society, and people can learn a lot about their history by studying art from times such as the Renaissance. Sculptures, architecture, and specifically paintings show people's lifestyles and traditions, and in a beautifully crafted painting you are able to break it apart and see something about the society of the people in every piece. In paintings with people in them, you can see what they do, the way they act, their overall mood (serious, joyous, etc), their social rankings and what they surround themselves with (art, educational, etc.). An exemplar painting of this is the Renaissance painting 'The School of Athens'. In it, you notice that the people are wearing bright but soft colored 'togas'. Most appear to be working on educational subjects - as you can see Euclid showing his students something using a compass, as well as, above Euclid, Ptolemy, a famous mathematician, astronomer, astrologer and geographer, with a globe in his arms. Everyone is working on some form of education. All this presents the atmosphere of a busy, serious, educational environment. The architecture of the painting is Roman, with added sculptures of Athena, god of wisdom (right) and Apollo, god of the Sun (left). These all represent the culture and time period of the painting, and the people in the painting. In general, it is often that you will find, in art, at least a hint of what society was like in the time period the work of art was constructed. Without art, people may not have learned as much about their history as they know now

I believe that I would make the character of Apollo in The School of Athens. Apollo is a Greek and Roman god, recognized as being a god for many things; light and the sun, truth and prophesy, archery, medicine and healing, music, poetry, and more. In personality I consider myself to be truthful, respectful and generally a bright, happy person. I've always had the comfort of being mostly healthy, and always loved music, and most things that have rhythm to them. Apollo always controlled the health of people (good or bad), and is associated with dominion. He is never the one to be influenced, for he is the one influencing people. In ways, I am alike. I do not control other people, for I am normally pieceful, but I am never commanded by other people if I do not wish to be; I'm a very independent person. He was also protective of what was his, and I am defensive of some of my belongings. Though he has traits which do not coincide with mine, Apollo and I are in various ways alike.

Ideas of the Renaissance Men

Leonardo Da Vinci, mostly known as a scientist and artist, was the example of a true Renaissance Man. He rediscovered things which had not been looked into since the Roman Empire, and dared to go past the boundaries of what was legal to research during the Renaissance. Da Vinci, like most others during his time, was very adventurous with his work. He re-explored and refined the ideas and knowledge of the Ancient, turning them for the best of his use. He worked at things such as making devises for man to fly, and created the sketches first hot air balloon, which, after recent trials, proved to actually work, to many people's surprise. Da Vinci also created many great, powerful tools for warfare, though, according to pages of his diary, he himself was rather displeased with all that had to do with war. This man is truly classified as one of the Renaissance, and affected those of his time greatly. Leonardo Da Vinci is today known all around the world, and it is through some of his discoveries that we have been able to enhance our own.

Don't be Intimidated by Others' Judgement

Judgements
Dream Variations by Langston Hughes


To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me-
That is my dream!


To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.


"Dream Variations," by Langston Hues represents judgement, and how it can fade into the background if thrown away into the back of the brain. This is precisely what the man in the poem has done. He lives his life carefree, and cares not for the complications of the lives and impressions of others. This poem is the story of a black man in a white man's world, and how he learns to live with them, yet not near them at all. During the day, he lives in the white man's world, and enjoys every moment of it, as he does not see nor acknowledge those around him. And during the night, he settles into the darkness around him, and enjoys the undisturbed silence of the night. "Dream Variations," is an exemplary model of a carefree life, and how, in your mind, it neutralizes judgement. Judgement may never be eliminated, however, even if it is so, we can learn to ignore it, and to live our own lives in a peaceful, joyous manner.

http://www.deshow.net/cartoon/2009/Donald_Zolan_watercolor_painting_of_children_363.html

A Chain of Friends

Friendship

Friendship prances along the path,
Bundled with jingle bells and red roses,
Keeping close to love.

Friendship is what brings people together, and allows them to learn from one another, and to see the others' mistakes, so they might be fixed. In The Alchemist, friendship constantly reappears in the text as you read along. Santiago and the Alchemist are friends in a more teacher to student way, while him and Fatima become friends in a more husband to wife way. Friendship comes in many forms, as would shoes or houses or pets. In the book, Coelho gives the speculation that friends can become of anyone, anywhere; you don't need to know the same language, nor be the same religion. Friendship is gained by communicating with positive body language, and a good attitude. A man without friendship is a man who does not know the meaning of life, and The Alchemist uses this to build Santiago's character, as well as other people's in the novel. Friendship brings people love and happiness, and is what links humans to one another, so it is best to be used as best as possible, and not mistreat it.


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