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Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Point of Peter Pan



I feel like clarifying this, because I just got back from a class that literally picked Pan's character apart as a violent and abusive bully. This is not the point of Peter Pan. Peter himself is representative of two things, childhood and denial. Peter is a child who wants to be a child forever. His extreme case can often be a complex tragedy. He forgets things, people and make believes so often that he has no constant in his life except to make believe. He is also incredibly lonely because he has no family structure, hence why he creates one. Wendy's character represents the transition from childhood to adulthood. This is why Peter and Wendy cannot be together. During the story Wendy is sitting on the fence about whether or not she wants to grow up, but she eventually realizes that she must grow up, as all children must. This realization is a rite of passage that anyone child or adult can relate to. I don't think that children's literature should be dissected with such a biased view that it has to have some sort of "adult" or "mature" element. To do so seems to defeat the purpose, because it is an immature act in of itself. There, my rant is over.
Peter Pan is a very interesting piece of literature that has lasted so long because it contains a universal theme. Everyone must grow up. I think in all honesty that the reader envies Peter and would love to go back to childhood and not have to worry about so many complications in life. But Peter also is portrayed as a complicated character who sort of lives a lie. In all honesty, Peter is an empathetic character who is in denial of reality. This type of personality is a major fault, but it also makes him endearing. He does care about others, but always masks it when he feels like his pride has lowered. He is human, and yet he isn't human. He doesn't age, but still has faults. So to sum this up, I love Peter Pan, both the character and the story. I think it hits home in the rite of passage in growing up.
The point of Peter Pan's story is that all children must grow up, because if they don't they will be stuck in a constant cycle of forgetfulness. Even so, I still love Peter Pan, because I feel that childhood is an important part of your life, and it doesn't need to be dissected into "adult" minds.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Everything Happens for a Reason



Painful conflicts
Playful fun
Daily events
Between the moon and the sun

All those times
meaningful and sad
goofy and happy
frustrating and mad

No matter what happens
you must always know
that you effect others
wherever you go

Learn from the bad
Appreciate the good
remember the important times
and forget what you should

Do what you can
with what you know
and your true self
will soon show

Everything happens for a reason,
But it is up to you
What you take from it
and what you should do

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Past





Words of wisdom from the Lion King. This quote is one of the most memorable parts of the film for me. It's amazing how, even when you're older, this movie still has an effect on you. Rafiki's words may not have made sense to me when I was younger, but now that I'm older, I know exactly what he means.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Untitled


A thread of string,
no matter how small.
Even if cut
will still affect all
The memories
The laughter
The sadness
Before and after
It is a cycle
It is a seem
sewing together
reality and dream.
The people you know
The people you meet
will get angry,
will skip a beat.
People are people
Emotions and all
Friendship and family
From the climb to the fall.
What truly matters
is how much you learn,
To remember the scar
and heal the burn.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Writing Prompt 19 : Change


Prompt: Is true change possible if someone resists?

Being a person who resisted change, I am positive that change is still possible, even you resist. It one of hardest lessons to learn in life: that the one constant in life is change. It is one experience that will happen no matter how long you resist. Even if you do not change, people around you will change, buildings will change, your perspective on life will change. Sometimes you will change with out even realizing that you have. It can often depend on the awareness you have of yourself, and the awareness you have of the world. Someone told me, just the other day that the one thing humans like to do is resist change. It is the fear of the unknown that can cause people to resist change. I know that was my reason for trying to stay the same. But the truth is, even when I felt I had not changed, I was changing. In many ways, you change whenever you learn, and it is common for a person to learn at least one new thing everyday. The more you learn, the more you grow and change. It can be understandable that someone would want things to stay the same, but I know now that wishing that is illogical. If nothing changed, life would be boring and predictable. Without that difference in our lives, we would go crazy. We would never learn anything new, and we would never be able to improve ourselves.
A person may convince their self that they are not changing, but in truth they are lying to themselves, and it is their perspective on the world that has not changed. Not changing your perspective can be a dangerous way to live. It can cloud your judgement and slow your process of maturing. Change may not be easy to handle, but it is usually necessary, at least when concerning a person's attitude in life. Learning from mistakes, taking chances and improving yourself are natural ways of life. Depending on the situation, true change is possible, even if the person resists and refuses to accept that change. The people around them may notice that they have changed regardless of how many times the person denies it. The only way to accept change, is to realize that change is necessary, and to realize that even if you resist change, you cannot stop it.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Confronting Pain



I just finished the Kingdom Hearts Re:coded game and there is a very interesting message during the ending portion of the game. Sora is told that he has two choices, to forget everything and throw his hurt away, along with his memories of the past, or to face his hurt and conquer it. Sora struggles with this for a long time. He asks himself how he should react to hurt and he wonders what type of hurt it is. The interesting thing is that Sora chooses to keep his hurt, and learn from it, even when he has the option to throw away, what feels like a void in his heart. This is where Mickey steps in and tells him, that even if his memories are painful, he still treasures them. Mickey also explains that you may forget the identity of someone from the past, but you will never forget them in your heart. Sappy? I don't think so. This makes sense because hurt is forgotten, and it is also not forgotten. The experience is still remembered, but the details are jumbled up in your mind. I was told this weekend that I don't get over pain, and I think that is true. Maybe instead of feeling like I have an option to run away from painful memories, I should confront them within myself and improve my experiences in the future.
The point of this idea that Sora had a choice to let go of hurt, or confront it is a comment on the way people cope with painful situations. In the case of Kingdom Hearts, it is more courageous than running from darkness or allowing it to control you. Confronting pain or darkness is not an easy task, which is the point. In the case of Riku, he had to accept the darkness within himself in order to confront it. Sora has to do this with pain. It is a good lesson. In order to cope with pain, you must accept it, and understand it. Only then can you confront the pain and conquer the experience. Both Sora and Riku learn this lesson with the help of King Mickey, and discover that they are stronger than they thought they were. Their battles and challenges are symbolic of the personal battles and challenges that someone has within. These internal lessons are an important part of pain.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Appreciating What you have


This may sound silly, but I am just now learning this lesson. Even though my parents have told me to do this at least a thousand times, I'm learning to stop worrying about life and start appreciating what I have. This is not just the result of reading the book: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie, but the actual experience of living life. In many ways, this lesson is the hardest to learn, especially when you feel that you need to worry all the time. The other obstacle is actually being completely honest, not only with yourself, but with other people. These experiences are extremely important, and I look back and treasure them now. It's one of those moments where everything falls into place and you're left with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Now that I'm learning about the world, and the people who live in it, I can move forward and finally reach that day where I'm not worried all the time and I live the life I admire from other people. Appreciating what you have is one step toward a more satisfying perspective on the live you live and the people that surround you. Little things are little things, and the big things are the ones that truly matter in life, not the giant worries that haunt you.

Monday, September 12, 2011

To be Somebody





This song means a lot to me. It's all about going out there, achieveng your dreams and living your life. I hope you enjoy it, and find it as inspiring as I did ^_^

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The conditions of a name



Names can hold your fate
Decide your destiny
Define your character,
A mini prophecy.
While life goes on
just like a game
The only constant
is your name.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Chaotic or normal day at school? You decide

Writing Prompt for the day , no joke: Describe a typical day during the school year.

Wake up around 8:30 or 9
Try to remember breakfast
Try to make the least amount of noise as possible while still staying awake.
Go to class
Come back and do homework
Get a snack
Depending on whether it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday I may be done with classes for the day, if not I have fifteen minutes to return to the dorm and get ready for the next class, a lunch break before my third class and a ten minute walk to my last class.
If I'm done for the day, it's usually time to go on an adventure (usually consisting of the park or a grocery store)
Disorganized is organized in this schedule and a typical day of school ca be a typical day of confusion.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Flashback to childhood :The Last Unicorn



There are so many versions of "The Last Unicorn" song, and I happened to find one song by Declan Galbraith.This was one of my favorite movies as a child, and I still love it. I also read the book by Peter S Beagle, and I think the movie did a wonderful job staying true to the novel. Anyway, here's a flashback to childhood, and a lovely remake.



Lyrics:

When the last eagle flies over the last crumbling mountain
And the last lion roars at the last dusty fountain
In the shadow of the forest though she may be old and worn
They will stare unbelieving at the last unicorn

When the first breath of winter through the flowers is icing
And you look to the north and a pale moon is rising
And it seems like all is dying and would leave the world to mourn
In the distance hear the laughter of the last unicorn

I'm alive, I'm alive

When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning
And the future has passed without even a last desperate warning
Then look into the sky where through the clouds a path is torn
Look and see her how she sparkles, it's the last unicorn

I'm alive, I'm alive

Friday, September 2, 2011

Reminiscence


(made with a photo I took at the botanic garden, and screenshots of Dissidia, FFX and FFX2)

Memories dance
through fog and mist
forever recorded
with glowing lights.
Pieces of history,
results of a choice
linger forever
with a silent voice
The places you go,
the people you miss
all become clear
when you reminisce.



Thursday, September 1, 2011

A personal fable

A mouse was cowering in a corner when another mouse walked by.
"What are you looking at?" the mouse asked.
"A cat." the cowering mouse replied.
"I am not afraid of cats," the brave mouse said.
When the brave mouse walked around the corner, he pointed at the "cat".
"You've been cowering at a bush." the brave mouse told the scared mouse.
Moral: Fears are only as big as you make them