Post 28: Best Class Blogger

I think that the best blogger of this class was Andy Ferguson. I mean, you could notice just by reading the name of his blog site "The Late Night English Blog with Andy Ferguson" that it was going to be something catchy. He always completed the blog posts in much detail, in a timely manner, and his blogs were interesting to read - there was never a dull moment with him! In almost every blog post, he started out by saying "How's it going internet?" and then continued on with something humorous to get the readers attention, and he didn't just answer the blog post and sign off; he always made a joke out of it and made it sound like he was speaking right to you in conversation. This made his posts very enjoyable to read and they didn't bore me to death.

One of Andy's blog posts that really caught my attention was in Post 10, when he was critiquing others' articles in the class over their heroes (this particular one being about nurses), where he stated: "Two of the truest traits of epic heroes, classical or modern, fictional or non are that they fight to overcome gargantuan obstacles and furthermore that they fight for the collective good of mankind." This explanation by Andy was probably one of my favorites because they are very wise words about how nurses fall into the category of a hero, and he continued to explain how he never considered them to be one before. Andy is an amazing writer with great potential, and it seems like he has an even better personality that he shares through his blog posts, which is what makes him the best blogger...well in my opinion anyways! Great job, Andy!

Post 27: Something I'd Read Again

My favorite reading we were assigned this semester would have to be The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon. I decided to write my Doc2 over this particular reading because Shonagon's writing was beautiful and about her everyday life. Also, I learned that the meaning behind the work and the hiragana used was very interesting, after I completed my research over it. In one of the sections titled "Things That Have Lost Their Power”, she describes a woman who may try to leave her husband to make him chase after her, but “she cannot stay away forever, [so] she swallows her pride and returns” (Shōnagon 458) and through this section, she describes how women could be so sufficient to men and how they have no respect for themselves, and there is real beauty here because of the truth she speaks. All of her writing comes from moments she experiences personally, or that of which she sees or hears herself, so it makes this reading enjoyable and relatable. I really enjoyed this and completing my research and papers over it.

Post 26: Is Hamlet a Modern or Ancient Hero?

Hamlet was known to be kind, but cruel, smart, but alone, and was most importantly brave and known to be a hero because of his being called upon to kill his own uncle. In my opinion, I think that Hamlet is a modern hero because it is easier for us to relate to him and his problems, rather than an ancient hero and what he/she must face. Hamlet's problem could happen to anyone, whether it be centuries before or in today's society. His feelings, questionable acts, and his issues alone are all aspects by people in the modern day. When Hamlet says, "Listen to many, speak to a few" this can be considered advice today rather than in previous years, and his heroism and the things he says still can be advice and words of the wise to anyone today, which makes him more of a modern day hero in our  modern day world; along with the fact that Hamlet's work is still popular and well-known literature today, this is another supportive reasoning.

Post 25: A Character Most Like Hamlet

Out of all of the passages, stories and poems we have read so far this semester, I think that the one character that relates most to Hamlet would be Arjuna with his guide Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. In this story, Arjuna is led by Krishna to "fulfill his Kshatriya duty as a warrior and establish Dharma", so basically he is ordered to tend to a specific and important duty in order to win a battle; however, Arjuna is torn between what to do, and most of the Bhagavad Gita consists of conversation and debate between the two. Like Arjuna, Hamlet is also called upon to complete a task. "Haste me to know 't, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge", this is Hamlet's response after he is ordered to plot and perform revenge upon his uncle after all of the evil things he has created and done to Hamlet's family. In the stories, both Arjuna and Hamlet debate with another character over whether or not to do something; in the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna debates whether to battle with family or not, and in Hamlet, Hamlet debates whether or not he really wants to go through with revenging his uncle by killing him. Lastly, both Arjuna and Hamlet are both called upon to perform these duties, and if not completed, they both could be threatened with serious consequences.

Post 24: Utopia Compared to the US

Sir Thomas More's Utopia differs that of our country of the United States because Utopia is more of a peaceful society, with no class distinctions, little crime or immoral behavior, and little war, and the US, at one point, was very similar to this style. As centuries have passed, this has changed, where we have classes, crime and murder occurs almost anywhere, and we have been apart of major wars in Iraq and now Syria and are completely fighting ISIS. We do compare to Utopia, however, in the fact that we are one of the strongest and most superior nations in the world, and that is what Sir Thomas More believes of Utopia. We also compare in many different areas as well, which are important aspects to recognize.

“There are fifty-four cities in the island, all large and well built, the manners, customs, and laws of which are the same, and they are all contrived as near in the same manner as the ground on which they stand will allow" (324) and this is build of Utopia is very similar to the build of the US, because we have many states, that most all follow the same rules and well-built, strong, independent, and all under one government. The explantation from Utopia, "Every city sends three of their wisest senators once a year to Amaurot, to consult about their common concerns" (325) is like that of the US, due to the fact that each state has different members, including a senator, that meets with higher areas of the government and address different aspects, rules and even contradictions regarding different things going on in each state. Lastly, another way Utopia and the US compare is, when it is stated in Utopia, "Whenever they are engaged in war, which is the only occasion in which their treasure can be usefully employed, they make use of it themselves; in great extremities or sudden accidents they employ it in hiring foreign troops, whom they more willingly expose to danger than their own people..." (325) so the US is only engaged in war, like Utopia, when it is needed (most of the time anyways), and war has occurred after many long battles, but also on short notice and last minute decisions from our president. But, we also have ties with other countries/nations that are aligned with us and assist us in war, putting their own people at risk for our country, just like described in Utopia and how it actually worked in Sir Thomas More's country of Utopia. 

Post 23: Is President Trump a Good Leader According to Machiavelli?

Machiavelli's view of a good leader was much different from the standards of humanity during his time period, where he believed that the prince (leader) should be the sole authority that determines every aspect of the state and to serve the public policy with his best interest. Overall, Machiavelli's views of a good leader are mostly reasonable and compare to the standards we hold and expect of our own presidents, and other leaders of the country, government, communities, etc., so Machiavelli's ideas and expectations are reasonable. 

Machiavelli would view President Trump as a well-standing public leader because Trump complies fairly with Machiavelli's rules and beliefs of what a good leader should be like. When Machiavelli states: "Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked, or if any one should attack he will only be driven off with disgrace..." (246) this complies with Trump and his actions with our current military because Machiavelli is basically saying that a leader's military should be commendable and strong, and whether it is or is not, this falls upon how other leaders, and also those whom you rule, will view you; a leader does not want to be viewed weak in Machiavelli's eyes, but instead "feared, and not hated." The military of the US happens to be the strongest in the world, and Trump has used that to his advantage to plant attacks upon those countries who think less of us and want us to become weak; however, Trump has made us strong and "feared" by fighting back and not letting enemies attack without us biting back. In my opinion, this is a good aspect of President Trump, because the US has been ran over and bullied for too long. 

The quote "...that is, whether a prince has such power that, in case of need, he can support himself with his own resources, or whether he has always need of the assistance of others" (246) from Machiavelli explains that a country should be abundant with resources and supplies and should be most independent with little help from other countries. Although the US is dependent upon resources from other countries, I think that the US isn't completely dependent on supplies from other areas, but we choose to align and trade with other countries to get the best and so we can receive alliances and more trademark, and vice versa for other countries as well. Trading with other countries keeps our country safe in the long run, and it isn't President Trump's fault that we are dependent upon resources from other places because all of this happened before his term began. 

However, another view of Machiavelli is, "...it is necessary wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong" (248) and this basically means that as a leader, one must admit to where they are wrong in order to prosper as a nation together. A president should be able to own up to his/her mistakes and apologize for them in order to gain the trust and respect from their people. President Trump does not do this, nor does he apologize for his faults, but the things he does wrong are not necessarily wrong for the country, but wrong socially, such as bashing others on social media. This does not affect the country in any way, but it does affect Trump's relationship with his people, and this is important to have strongly. This is one thing that Machiavelli would criticize Trump for, but it wouldn't be too threatening for a leader's role. 

Post 22: The Beauty in a Song

A song that is full of a beauty and is one of my favorites is "Holdin' Her" by Chris Janson. The song is based on the day his life changed when he met his wife. The lyrics are simply beautiful because in the beginning of the song he sings, "...I couldn't remember, who was lyin' next to me, or even how I got there" but explains how he spotted his future wife and sings, "she stole my heart, and I started walking down a new road" which is a beautiful change for his life because his life was not going into the right direction, but she changed that for him and made him the better man that he is today. In the chorus of the song, he sings:

When I'm holdin' her, 

It's like peace on earth

Where time stands still, 

Love's the only thing, 

Yeah, that I feel 

When she's in my arms, 

No matter where we are 

I feel right at home, 

When I'm holdin' her 

The chorus in this song is probably the best explanation of beauty because it explains how his wife makes him feel, and how she makes his world feel. He feels at peace and feels that nothing else in the world matters at that moment, except for her. The way he describes this feeling through the lyrics just proves to any listeners how strong his feelings are for her, and how amazing the love is between the two of them. In the second verse, he sings about how his first little girl was born and how his world completely changed when she was brought into it. He ties the lyrics he used to describe his meeting his wife with the feeling he had when he first laid eyes on his baby girl, and sings "I became a brand new man". The beauty in this lies not only within the love he shares with his wife, but also the love he shares for his children. He explains through his song that his life was completely changed and he became more humble and a better man because of his wife walking into his life at the perfect time, and also the creation of his baby girl. Through this song, you can tell that Chris Janson loves and cares about his family more than anything, and his love for them will only grow stronger, and there is nothing more beautiful than love. 

Post 21: Beauty in my Life

The beauty in my life is much like the sunshine on a cloudy day,

Bringing warmth, radiance and happiness upon it.

The beauty finds brings a smile upon someone's face, 

Like the sun brings light upon a flourishing flower. 

It helps life grow, strengthen, and makes it more beautiful. 

The beauty in my life is everlasting, like the sun is to the earth. 

Post 20: Should Socrates be in Hell?

Socrates was a Greek philosopher and was the main source for Western thought. He went about teaching the Athenians about life, and not about religion. He didn't teach based off of what he knew, and was known as wise because he recognized his own ignorance. Socrates also served in the Peloponnesian war, married and had 3 sons (that he had little to do with), and tried to help people by getting them to think logically through his brilliant debates and penetrating thought. Socrates was also known to deceive people, and also lied, so it was hard for him to be trusted.

In my opinion, I think that Socrates meant no harm to the Athenians intentionally. He served his time in war, married once and had children, and just tried to influence people to think logically and use their minds to think more deeply. It never said that Socrates tried to sway people from religion. I think he was just like any normal philosopher today. However, you can be a good person in life, but if you have no relationship with Christ, then you won't be in Heaven, so the only other place to go is Hell. Socrates may have been a teacher, but it really just depends on his religious beliefs whether or not he should go to Hell. Also, he was known for lying, but don't we all lie at some point? I guess it just depends on how big the situation is, and to what degree he lied. I guess we will never really know the true answer as to whether or not Socrates should go to Hell because we don't know who goes to Hell or Heaven because we've never even been.

Post 19: Dante's Concept of Hell - Punishment and Suffering

Before I begin, I want to define two very important terms to this topic: Inferno and Hell.

1. Inferno: another word for Hell. This explains the reasoning behind the title of Dante's time spent in Hell being named this. Another definition is "a large fire that is dangerously out of control" (Google). I found this interesting because the Bible describes Hell as a big lake of fire, yet Dante's "Inferno" is named after this, but is described much differently than the Bible. Hmm...

2. Hell: "a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the Earth where the wicked are punished after death" (Google).

Before reading the "Inferno", I had never read or heard of any other story that is completely focused and based on Hell besides the Bible; however, Dante's view of Hell in "Inferno" is much different than that of the Bible, considering the Bible describes it as a burning fire. "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41) perfectly describes how the Holy Spirit (in the Bible) sees Hell, which sounds to me like an everlasting burn fest under the ground. What I found interesting after reading the "Inferno" and doing further research of Dante's concept of Hell was that the 9 Circles of Hell in the "Inferno" are quite similar to the 10 Commandments of the Bible, which are a set of rules handed down to the followers of Christ, in which Christians are expected to respect, perform, and not break in their life on Earth.

In the "Inferno", Dante first begins by being lost in the woods, where he is attacked by three beasts and then saved by Virgil, a poet, sent by Beatrice, who is Dante's "ideal" woman. This leads to Dante's journey through Hell. Dante's view of Hell is quite complicated in my opinion because he is introduced to the "9 Circles of Hell" (Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and Treachery), where each display a different perspective of life to Dante. What makes Dante's view of Hell interesting is how each "sin" that is not forgivable before life ends is a "level" in Hell, and each person that goes to Hell in the afterlife goes to the specific sin they are guilty of. I think that this part of Dante's concept is an appeal of punishment because someone is punished eternally because of their faults in life, and the suffering is their actual eternity spent in their specific "circle" of hell because that is horrible and goes on endlessly forever.

Post 18: Jesus in the Quran

The Quran and the New Testament both display a positive view of Jesus and both appreciate him and his performance of good deeds and roles very highly. However, the Quran describes Jesus a little differently than that of the New Testament, considering Jesus has more of a higher standing and is followed and worshiped throughout the New Testament.

In the Quran, Jesus is considered just a prophet, and nothing more. Jesus is known for performing miracles and healing those who are not in good health, just like the New Testament. Jesus is also born of a virgin in the Quran, and that virgin being Mary. Jesus is meant to be the messenger of "Allah", the Islamic god, where Jesus said to the Islamic people, "Lo! I have come with a clear Sign from your Lord; so fear God and obey me. Indeed God is my Lord, and also your Lord; therefore worship Him alone: that is the straight way" (Quran 3:49-51). This quote entails that Jesus came to the Earth to teach others about God, and to show the evidence of God through himself. According to the Quran, Jesus was not crucified nor resurrected, but another man with similar qualities and features of Jesus is sacrificed and killed instead, whereas in the New Testament he is indeed crucified for the sinners of the Christian religion and is then resurrected days later.

In the Quran, Jesus was thought highly of, and was very important considering he is mentioned just as much in the Quran than in the New Testament. Although Jesus has a higher position and is worshiped rather than just looked up to in the New Testament, Jesus still performs miracles that no other person could really perform nor understand, so the character of Jesus is mostly similar in the Quran and the New Testament. 

Post 17: Quran vs. New Testament

The Quran and the New Testament both vary in differences, however they have some similarities. The Quran is the holy and religious book of the Islam religion, written in Arabic and is believed to be dictated by Muhammad but the revelation of God, in the eyes of the Islamic. The New Testament is the second part of the Christian religion's holy text, known as the Bible. It was originally written in Greek and was the recordings of Jesus' life and his followers along the way. The "god" of the Quran is considered to be Muhammad and the "god" of the New Testament (the Bible) is God.

The most important comparison between the Quran and the New Testament is the simple fact that they both consist of stories/parables of Jesus and his life and impact upon his followers and others during his time on Earth. In the Quran, Jesus is considered only a prophet, who performs miracles and is a healer of the those who cannot normally be healed by the human hands; "I [Jesus] also heal the blind and the leper" (Quran 3:49). Contrastingly, however, the New Testament describes Jesus as the son of God, who is born of a virgin, who is sent to the Earth to represent God, perform miracles, and be a leader of the Christian faith, where he is later sacrificed and crucified for the sinners of the Earth. In the Quran, Jesus is indeed born of a virgin, and is known to perform miracles and heal, but the Islamic religion refuses to acknowledge the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and instead tells that they sacrifice a man who closely resembles the qualities of Jesus, but indeed was not Jesus.

Also, the Quran supports the idea of multiple marriages, or being married to more than one person at one time. Having 3 or 4 marriages is normal for the Islamic religion and even worse it is supported and respected; "Marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess." Quran (4:3). According to the New Testament, "...and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Mark 10:8) once you get married or commit to someone, you both become one person, and it continues to support the fact that one marriage should be your only marriage and that you should be committed and give yourself to ONE person and that person only, since you are indeed one. 

Post 16: Should government officialsl lead by personal example and high ideals?

I think that government officials should most certainly lead by personal example because most all people look up to those of higher standing for guidance and almost as role models. Our government officials are responsible for running the country and we respect them and trust them with our lives, so they should be personably genuine and trustworthy people. However, there are government officials who are not good people, but we just don't see that side of them, yet they are still good at what they do. I think that as long as someone is running the country properly and not affecting any of the citizens in any negative manner, then they can have any reputation they'd like. It's just much easier and comforting to know that we have good hearted, kind and smart people running our government.

Post 15: The Role of the President - Socrates and Confucius

The role that the President of the United States performs can be very stressful, and contains many aspects. The main, and most important functions that the president performs include:

• Chief of state - acts as the symbolic leader of the country (probably one of the most vital) 
• Chief - executes the laws, appoints key federal officials, grants
• Executive - pardons and reprieves
• Commander in Chief - runs the armed forces (declares when we go to war; another important job)
• Chief Diplomat - negotiates with other countries 
• Chief Legislator - signs/vetoes legislation, introduces legislation, works with Congress on the budget
• Super politician - helps his/her party raise money and elect candidates

These roles are important when running a country, so it is crucial that the president accepts the responsibility of these and the actions that come along with them. It's safe to say that our president has to be a person we, as citizens of the US, can count on to fill the shoes and perform these actions to the best of his/her ability. 

When it comes to the role of the president in terms of Socrates and Confucius, a president should be very comfortable with the idea of social and political life and virtue, since both Socrates and Confucius are remembered by these aspects. They both based their beliefs on knowledge and emphasized the importance of rigid social and political order. Basically, they were familiar with people and how to treat them, and most importantly how to establish a society in a political form. Both Socrates and Confucius were wise, indeed smart, and could operate any government if given one. In my opinion, I think our president should be much like Socrates and Confucius, because it is imperative that our president be a good person with awesome social skills, know how and what they're doing when it comes to running a country, and of course he/she needs to be educated and wise. Although Socrates and Confucius were not presidents, they were still very important and well-respected leaders of their time period, and are good role models for our presidents and even any other leaders in our world today. Lastly, yes, the roles of the president are much different the roles that Socrates and Confucius had, however, when it comes to the basic skills that our president needs, he/she could easily look at the roles and changes that Socrates and Confucius took on and made, and learn many valuable lessons that could help their time in presidency. 

Post 14: Ancient vs. Modern Gods of War

Ancient gods of war were viewed as a more higher standard of being, where they were known to behold and perform supernatural things that today may almost seem unrealistic. They were almost always involved and responsible for the creation and the natural affects of the war, and less of things that can be controlled. These gods performed various tasks and functions when it came to war and its surroundings. For example, the Greek gods of war performed the "Keres" or "Death Fates", which were the scavengers of the battlefield who defied the dead. There was also the Eris, who was the goddess of battle strife and feuds. These types of gods/goddesses of war in any given culture of the ancient time period participated in functions such as this, but in their own ways. They functioned as the feelings of war as well, which include panic, pain, terror, fear, shock etc. along with many more.

In my opinion, I don't think there is a true definition or even existence of modern gods of war because our war is fought by our soldiers, and we are all guided by our one God and creator of the world, whereas most of don't believe in any god at all much less a specific one. Our modern war gods would be our soldiers in my eyes, and they are less apart of the controlling of nature and creation and more apart of saving the world, and saving our people. War today and war in the ancient days are much different and are founded on opposite types of reasonings. Our God guides our soldiers to provide service, fights, and protection for our country.

Post 13: Wars with the US

In my opinion, war should be able to be avoided at all costs, in order for the US to obtain their peace with the world. I think that peace with other countries happens to be the most important aspect to maintain because with no peace comes attack. I want to feel safe in my country, but here recently I don't, due to threats of ISIS and other non religious, evil groups. Because of the interference of war between the US, Syria and Iraq, our country has been put into great danger. It seems to be that because of pro-democracy nations, such as the US, other nations have been flipped upside down and their government corrupted because we think that our way of living is what's best for everyone - but it's not. I completely support our war with Afghanistan because their leader, Osama bin Laden, killed 3,000 of our citizens, and for that they deserved a declaration of war. In my opinion, I think the only reason we should ever go to war is if our country and our people are threatened in any way of danger, just like we were by al Qaeda. Only then should we go to war and fight for the justice of our country.

The Art of War was based on the aspects of war and obviously very much supported war of its time period, considering it landed in the hands of many politicians, military leaders and even scholars of the 8th century. As we learned in lecture on Monday, even today's military leaders make their new combats read the Art of War as part of their initiation. Since this is so, it is clear that the Art of War supports the decision of the US wars with Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan because it supports war in general. It informs the leaders of our country and more importantly, our military on how to handle their military conquests and military maneuvers, and has done so all over the world for centuries.

The Bhagavad-Gita supports a more opposite idea when it comes to war. One of its main characters is debating on whether or not he wants to go to war due to the other army consisting of his cousins and people that matter to him. I think it modern day, the US should think like this before we jump into war. For instance, in the war with Iraq, at one point we were working with Iraq and when they went to war with another country, we were supporting Iraq. As leaders of a growing nation, our politicians should think more into their decisions of war before getting ourselves into more danger, like in the Bhagavad-Gita. I am more of a supporter of the Gita than the Art of War, due to its more aggression towards peace than just violence.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/35806229

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15214375

http://www.cfr.org/iraq/iraq-justifying-war/p7689

Post 12: Public Figure Tragedy & Modern vs. Classical Tragedy

A tragedy, in general, is defined as a great suffering, distress, and destruction, such as an accident, crime or even a natural catastrophe. It is something that occurs suddenly and sometimes unexpected, and it never ends well. A tragedy can ruin the lives of many, such as someone losing a person through a tragic event that they are extremely close to and who meant the world to them. This can break a person's heart, and tragedies such as these cause serious pain and suffering for days, weeks, months, years and even a lifetime for those who can't ever seem to let go of it. Tragedies are unforgettable, and will live within those whom it affects for eternity.

In my opinion, I think that modern tragedy is somewhat relatable to classical tragedy in the sense that they both are horrible events that affect people in a negative manner. Their difference occurs in the article we read in Workshop 7 titled Fate, Family and Oedipus Rex, where Aristotle believes that a tragedy must be about a mostly great character who makes one bad mistake, however I don't entirely agree with this statement. I believe that a tragedy most certainly CAN be about someone who makes a bad mistake and has to suffer for it or watch others suffer for it, but it doesn't ALWAYS have to be based on "one mistake" of a certain person. For instance, what about those tragedies where someone randomly dies of a stroke, cancer, heart attack, etc. unexpectedly? 98% of the time there is nothing that someone can do to prevent those kinds of tragedies, so technically no one made a bad mistake. I do think that they can occur in the way that Aristotle believes, but someone doesn't have to make one bad mistake or choice to be affected by a tragedy.

A public tragedy I think is truly a tragic event and that hits very close to home is the Lauren Giddings murder, which happened right here in Macon, GA. Lauren Giddings was a 26 year old Mercer Law School student who was murdered by her fellow classmate, Stephen McDaniel in 2011. Giddings went missing on a Saturday night, where McDaniel used a spare key to her apartment, came inside in the middle of the night, attacked Giddings and strangled her to her death. Along with the horrific death, McDaniel also dismembered her body and dumped the limbs in different trash cans in the area,  where later the autopsy identified the remaining torso as Lauren Giddings. McDaniel was interviewed the day she was reported missing, where he acted in complete shock and grief at her disappearance, but days later was arrested and eventually plead guilty to her murder, where he admitted everything he did and that he wanted to get away with the perfect murder. I can't even begin to imagine how the family, friends, classmates, and acquaintances of Giddings must have felt, reacted, or even how they feel about it now. This event was a true tragedy, that has not only shaken up and horrified Giddings' loved ones, but even the town of Macon, Georgia. This case has even caught the attention of the US as well, where an episode based on this horrific tragedy was remade and aired on cable TV as "Nightmare Next Door" on the Investigation Discovery channel. Based on this tragedy, a man did indeed make one bad decision, that cost the life of an amazing and brilliant woman, and now he will suffer for it (although that will never amount to enough) but most unfortunately, her loved ones will suffer through life without her because of one man's selfish act and decision as well.

http://macon.13wmaz.com/news/news/body-found-during-search-macon-law-graduate/54621
http://www.macon.com/news/local/crime/article33540897.html

Post 11: Brief Tragic Narrative

There once was a girl, who was beautiful in every way. She loved life, and everyone around her, and brought joy and happiness to so many of those who came into contact with her and her astonishing smile. She was brilliant, and was amazing at everything she did. She was the top of her class in school, and recently found out that she had been accepted into the University of Georgia, where she would be apart of the dance team and a member of a sorority. Her parents couldn't be more proud of her, nor could she be any more pleased with her amazing life. 

The girl was scheduled for her normal check up with her family physician, but when she went in for her appointment, something was different. When the doctor looked at her blood test, he noticed that there was an abnormal level of white blood cells in the blood. He requested to get a sample of bone marrow, that was then sent off for lab testing. She would have to wait for her results, but the doctor told her there was a big possibility she could have cancer. 

Her world was turned upside down. All she could think about was how she was supposed to be going off to college in less than 2 months, and now there's a possibility she could have cancer and not even make it through 2 months of life. When she got the call from the doctor's office, it only got worse. She was diagnosed with leukemia, and would have to start treatment as soon as possible. She was crushed, heartbroken, but still hopeful. She never lost sight of her dream, and she still kept her plans to go off to college and be apart of all of the exciting and new things that she dreamed of for as long as she could remember. 

The treatment seemed to help with her cancer, but the chemo made her feel really sick and weak all of the time, and the loss of her hair wasn't helping with matters. It was approaching time for her to go off to college, and the doctor recommended that she didn't due to her sickness, where it seemed she wasn't going to get better and only had a few months to live. She was devastated. She didn't understand how someone with such an amazing life full of so many opportunities could lose it all just like that. 

This was it. Her final days. She knew that her time was coming, and she had plenty of months to become at peace with it. Her family was horrified but accepting of it. Her friends were heartbroken, but knew they had to be strong and be the best in life for her. She appreciated the life she was blessed with for 18 years, and thanked God for all the any blessings of her life. Days later, she took her last breath. And everyone says that she even made death look beautiful. 

Post 10: Colleagues' Epic Heroes vs. Mine

In society, we all tend to have different perspectives on what a true epic hero is. As I was reading the blogs about heroes from our classmates in particular, I noticed that many of us had the same ideas when it comes to the qualities and the all around "idea" of what a hero is in our minds, but we did have some differences when it came to our personal beliefs and opinions of the heroes around us. A hero is someone who makes a difference in our society, or someone who would be described as brave or notorious, and lastly, it is someone who is known for and praised for their good actions or deeds; however, my blog post speaks differently of the last part of that definition when it comes to a modern day hero, because there are many heroes that exist in the past and in our modern society that haven't/will not receive the acknowledgement and praise they deserve for what they do. Unfortunately, many people do not see that, and that can be a huge problem in our soceity.

I read in Brittany King's blog post about a female character in the Hunger Games, where she explains that the character shows bravery by taking her own sister's place in the Hunger Games and eventually ending violence in the world. Her hero is based off of a fictional character, so it doesn't represent, in my opinion, what a true modern day hero is, however it does explain something pretty important. This fictional character can represent those individuals like Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for equality of people in our nation, and eventually that led to justice, equal rights, and the end of the violence such as the KKK. There are also people in our modern day society that fight for their rights and fight against the violence, and this character can represent those types of people. The fictional, comic book, and cartoon characters are the heroes who receive all of the attention, and are the first to come to mind when people think of heroes, but no one really thinks to relate these characters to the real life people that those characters represent.

In Devasha Washington's blog post, she explained her idea of a hero as the Veterans of our country. She goes on to say that they are brave because they left their homes to fight for our country with the mindset that they may never come home again and see their loved ones. Veterans and soldiers who are currently fighting for our country are without a doubt the most important heroes Americans could ever have. Recently in our society, there are people who are choosing to disrespect these heroes, but will never forget the fictional super heroes in the stories. It's much more popular for someone to walk around in a Superman t-shirt vs. someone to hang an American flag in their yard, so in my opinion our modern day has the wrong idea when it comes to the real definition of a hero. Veterans will never receive enough respect and honor that they deserve as heroes of our country.

In my opinion, modern heroes and classical heroes are somewhat similar. A modern day hero, for example a soldier, would be considered a hero because he/she makes a courageous choice to fight for Americans, and they could die while doing this like a classical hero. But, a classical hero is considered to be "born perfect" and I don't think that anyone has or ever will be born perfect (except for Jesus himself), so I don't think a classical hero could have existed (besides Jesus) then or now in that case. Classical heroes seem to be fictional and dramatic characters in the stories of the Romans or Greeks, not anything to be taken seriously to me.

Post 09: A Modern Epic Hero

An epic hero is defined as a character who is noble and brave, is admired for his/her achievements, and who is affected by events. A more contemporary definition of an epic hero is someone whose legendary or heroic actions are important to his/her culture, society, or even race. I think a hero is more than just a comic book or cartoon character because those are just based on fiction, and they don't represent what actual real-life heroes in our world do everyday.

A hero in our modern day lives would be nurses, or really anyone who saves a life for that matter, but nurses are trained and work daily to help save the lives of anyone. In a nurse's eyes, it doesn't matter if you're black, white, or hispanic, if you're battling cancer or just being treated for the flu, or if you're 2 months old or 97 years old, they treat everyone the same. A nurse is a strong character, and I think of them as someone who can see and handle anything. Nurses always make a huge impact on any of their patients and also the families of those patients. They face different obstacles each day, and they even face hardships, such as deaths of their long term patients, but they still manage to keep going and do their jobs. They never give up on a patient until they take their last breath, and the do whatever it takes to keep them alive and happy. That is what I see in an epic hero. I look up to nurses because they have so much heart, talent, and most importantly the strength that it takes to be a true hero. Without them, patients wouldn't have the care they deserve, and sometimes all it takes is the smile of nurse to keep some patients going.

A particular nurse I want to make a case on is Renee from WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, GA. She works in the NICU and is just one of the few nurses that get shown how much they're appreciated through the love of her patients. In the article I read and video I watched, I learned how much more important a nurse's impact on people truly is. The babies that Renee cared for and saved over the years show up to show their love and appreciation to her, and for nurses like Renee that was more than enough. Nurses don't expect to get better treatment nor are they there to be thanked, they are simply there to do their job, and that expresses the true hearts that nurses have. They save lives daily, and make huge impacts on people they encounter, but they don't always get the full credit they deserve like Renee. A hero in my opinion is someone who does so much to help others and expects nothing in return.

http://fox6now.com/2015/09/24/see-it-nicu-nurse-gets-surprise-thank-you-from-babies-shes-help-save/

Post 08: My Views on The Pillow Book - Wikipedia Article

The Pillow Book consists of the observations and views of Sei Shonagon, who worked for the Empress in 990s-1000s in Japan. Her work is very personal, where "in it she included lists of all kinds, personal thoughts, interesting events in court, poetry, and some opinions on her contemporaries" (Wikipedia 2016).  You can tell through the article that it is based on what she encounters that day and what she deems right and wrong of certain ideas, and how she feels about occurring events in her everyday life. The article makes it is known that her stories were obviously for her own eyes, and especially not for the eyes of the ones above her, but somehow it was revealed and is famously read by literature students around the world.

According to the Wikipedia article, "it is composed primarily in Japanese hiragana, and generally many of her short stories were written in a witty literary style. Confessions of her personal feelings are mixed into her writing with occasionally subtle sentimentality..." and this reveals that she was indeed a rather good writer, and I would have loved to see what more she could have done in her time period if she was actually known as a wonderful writer instead of a worker of the court. I also like how the article tells the readers how her work is considered one story, yet it is divided into smaller paragraphs that focus on separate topics, because this is a very important aspect of the story and is part of what makes it unique. Wikipedia states, "in general, this piece is written in brief statements, where the length of one paragraph is relatively short, and it is easy to read the contents, even for modern Japanese speakers", so it seems that the writer of this article preferred it to be this way too, which makes it easier to follow along, stay interested, and understand. 

In my opinion, the Wikipedia article written over The Pillow Book is weak due to its lack of detail. It entails that "part of it was revealed to the Court by accident during Shōnagon's life" but leaves it at that statement and moves on to something else about the history. I want an article that tells me a fact, and then supports it with details on how it happened. Also, it gives a very short summarization over what The Pillow Book is about and how it's divided into sections, yet it doesn't address the topics, or quote anything from her stories, which help the reader understand better what the stories are addressing. Most of the time, when readers view an article like this, they want a detailed summarization over what the story was about, section by section, so that they can perfectly understand what happens in the story, without even having to read it. This Wikipedia article fails to do that, so hopefully through my proper research and writing, I can improve it and make it much stronger than it is. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillow_Book

Post 07: Romantic Love - History and Relations to Wife of Bath

Romantic love is characterized by "a strong affection preoccupation with love, an unrealistic and idealistic attitude toward a partner, and the feeling that love is forever, never ends, and is always there" (Karandashev 4). When we think of or hear about romance, or romantic love, we often think of sexual attraction to a partner, or just sex in general. Sexual attraction is closely related to romantic love, however it is a combination of both sexual attraction to our partners and also the emotional state and attachment that make up the romantic love and relationship with your significant other. Romantic love has existed for centuries all over the world, but it originally evolved in the aristocratic courts of Europe, China, India and Japan, where it has continued to grow and expand. All of these areas of the world practice different styles of religion, which makes the way they view romantic love differ from one another in unique ways.

In India, a Hindu philosopher wrote the Kama Sutra, which advised men and women to marry for love, and if anything were to happen differently than such, then this would be condemned. In China, the attitudes toward love and sexual desire were deemed positive. Sex was considered to be "a natural and powerful body function" (Karandashev 6) and since spouses during that time period were not chosen by each other, then they were not expected to be sexually attracted to one another, however they were expected to procreate. Most of the time, women were treated as servants but had to fulfill her husband's sexual needs, and public affection was not tolerated. In Europe, Christianity was the main influence on romantic love and was understood as "self-sacrificing, and unselfish, implying s harmonious, compassionate, affectionate, and benevolent relationship between people rather than a romantic sentiment" (Karandashev 7). This love could include sexual attractions, and it could also not. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, English literature changed its focus from religion to more of the ideas of courtly love. Since romantic love was being discussed more, the attitude towards love changed and has done so gradually.

Wife of Bath viewed love much differently than others around her did, much less how the other areas and religions of her time period did. Wife of Bath in my opinion was more "free spirited" and did what she wanted, and did not care what her religion expected or what the norms of her society were at that point in time. I think her attractions to her many husbands were not through romantic love because she married them with no emotion, just through her attraction to sex. Sex was all she wanted, so her marriages were bound to end, especially comparing her love life to the expectations of the different religions listed above.

http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1135&context=orpc

Post 06: Songs Compared/Contrasted in Metamorphoses and Wife of Bath

"Memphis" by Justin Bieber is a song that could easily relate to Metamorphoses because in his song, Justin explains that he wants to be the one for the girl he loves, but she won't let him. At first, in Metamorphoses, Apollo was blinded and felt he didn't need just one woman in his life, however, when Cupid's arrow hit him, he fell head over heels for Daphne, and this is what happens in Justin Bieber's song. When he sings, "I'd like to give you what you need, I'd try but you're making it hard for me, how do I make you believe? 'Cause I love you, need you, need you here to stay" he expresses his love for the girl he loves and how he doesn't want or need anyone else but her, but she refuses to let him, which is exactly what Apollo does with Daphne, expressing his feelings and how he would do anything to be with her, even if the feelings aren't mutual between the two. "Apollo loves her at first sight, and desires to wed her, and hopes for what he desires" (734) but "Daphne ran, still lovely to see, leaving him with his words unfinished" (734) and this explains that Daphne just doesn't care nor does she want to be his, so she leaves him lonely and wondering, just like Justin is in his song. Many men can relate to Apollo and Justin, because any man gives his attention to many women, but only "the one" gets and keeps it. The contrast in this would of course be that the girl in Justin Bieber's song doesn't turn into a tree, and also we never find out the girl in Justin's song's true feelings. She might have fell in love with him eventually, but Apollo and Daphne never did.

In the Wife of Bath, the "loathly lady" is, in my opinion, described as a "whore" in our society today, because she is addicted to sex, has many husbands, and uses that to get what she wants. Most women in her time period did not act that way, but girls in today's society do. A song I think fits well with the Wife of Bath is "Buttons" by the Pussycat Dolls because throughout the song they are begging for the guy to "loosen up their buttons" and have sex with them. In my opinion, I think that Wife of Bath is like this with her guys, although she is married when asking for it, unlike the Pussycat Dolls. "As long as I live I, and not he, have the power over his body" (29) is a quote stated from Wife of Bath, which means she controls his body when it comes to sex, because she is the one who is addicted and wants it when she wants it, which very much relates to when the Pussycat Dolls sang "I'm a sexy mama, who knows just how to get what I want", where they are both sounding forceful because they know they contain the power over their men when it comes to sex. The contrast between the two would be that the Wife of Bath does this in marriage and uses it to her in advantage, moving from man to man and having different experiences with sex, whereas the Pussycat Dolls' song is aimed towards one man in particular, since the song wasn't really related to marriage.

Post 05: Wife of Bath: Sexuality and Romantic Love

In Wife of Bath, Chaucer presents a "loathly" lady, who provides us with an insight to the role of women in the late 14th century. As the story pans out, we learn that Wife of Bath finds sex as a hobby, and almost like an addiction, which was not a normal standard for women during that time period. Wife of Bath's sexual pleasures remind me of a more modern time because in today's society, sex has become less of an act of love and more of a hobby, or for the enjoyment. During the time period of Wife of Bath, women were supposed to be virgins until marriage, and most were - except Wife of Bath. Her acts represent many women in society today, because most don't wait until marriage, or respect themselves and stay "pure", which illustrates how the role of women and their expectations have changed over the centuries.

While reading Wife of Bath, it is also revealed that she has 5 husbands, which also illustrates a modern quality, considering that the divorce rate for our population today is extremely high, and divorce is assumed to be more acceptable and less shameful. While reading the Wife of Bath, I noticed that she had no shame in her number of husbands, nor in who she had sex with - she was a true feminist, not because she represented women in general, but because she fought for herself, and for her rights. She did not stress over the opinion of others, and tried to make a good impression on no one. In my opinion, women in our society live like the Wife of Bath. Of course, there are still stereotypes of women and standards that we're supposed to live up to, but honestly, there are so many women who don't.

The sexuality and love in Wife of Bath can somewhat be compared to ours today because some of those expectations still exist in some human perspectives, such as men wanting a virgin, or a woman who hasn't been with every guy, and women needing to be "pure", and those expectations still to this day aren't expected as much from men as they are women - quite funny huh? I think the ideas of romance and sexuality have definitely changed over time, but Wife of Bath's idea of this has never changed, and if she were still here today, she would fit right in to our modern society.

Post 04: Archetypes in Metamorphoses

An archetype is a character, action or situation that represents a pattern of human nature. Through the usage of characters in situations of literature, the literary work is given a universal acceptance because the readers are able to identify the characters and situations in their social and cultural contexts. In Metamorphoses, Ovid works his way through subject matter, and jumps from one tale to the next, telling stories of creation that were heard centuries before his time. Metamorphoses does entail some archetypes, due to the creative stories and creatures involved, and because of Ovid's writing, the readers are able to enjoy the reading and the search of these archetypes that make the creation story unique.

The archetype that stands out the most to me in Metamorphoses is Chaos, whom was not known as a "god" but was the creator of the world, according to Greek mythology. In my opinion, Chaos is the "hero" of this particular creation story, since it is the one that brought creation unto the world in the minds of the Greeks. Chaos is a "raw confused mass, nothing but inert matter, badly combined discordant atoms of things, confused in the one place" (728) and because of Chaos, the world became a better place. Before Chaos, there was land, sea and air, but these all needed more. Chaos made the water swimmable, gave the air light and made the land livable for man and animals; basically Chaos fixed everything to better serve human life that eventually exists. Chaos represents the perfect pattern of human nature, just like God to Christians also does this. God is the creator to modern-day Christians and those before, and Chaos was and still to this day is a god to Greeks. Those who believe in the creation story Metamorphoses accept how the world was created, making Chaos an archetype in Ovid's work.

Another archetype that I was able to identify in Metamorphoses was love - be it Cupid's strike of love upon Apollo most importantly. The love Apollo had for Daphne was not brought upon him by the goodness of Cupid, but because of Cupid's fierce anger. He stated to Apollo, "you may hit every other thing Apollo, but my bow will strike you: to the degree that all living creatures are less than gods, by that degree is your glory less than mine" (733), which entails that Cupid's strike is only to teach Apollo a lesson. He falls in love immediately and wants to marry her, but Daphne wants no part in that of course. I think that this love between the two reveals to readers that not all love is real, and that sometimes feelings can be one-sided. This love expressed in Metamorphoses is a social situation in a cultural tale that easily represents human nature, because situations such as these happen all of the time in real life, and even today. Of course people, in all seriousness, do not get hit with Cupid's arrow and fall in love - that's just absurd! But it's sort of ironic how in American culture, Valentine's Day is based on the story of cupid. This archetype shows how Greek mythology relates to our creation stories and beliefs, and how past mythologies that are thousands of years old can still play an important role in our cultures today.

Lastly, rape and the other mistreatments of women in myths of Metamorphoses is an important set of archetypes. These stories of rape are definitely the most abundant, where violence and suffering are marked, and the consent of the woman is unheard of. It's sad because women have gone through traumatic incidents not only in Metamorphoses, but in real life too. Mistreatment of women, including physical violence and alienation of rights, existed in the time period of Metamorphoses to even today, where some people think it is easy and acceptable to attack women. This archetype entails how the world viewed women then, and how times have changed and what still remains of the violation of women.

Post 03: Personal Archetypes in my Life

In literature, an archetype is a character, action, or situation that may represent the patterns of human nature. These archetypes include special symbols, occasions or even people in our lives that have an impact it negatively or positively. Archetypes for us and for characters in stories help shape the structure of our personal lives, and in stories it supports the function of the literature represented in the particular story.

According to literarydevices.net, an archetype is "also known as a universal symbol, but may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting" so in my personal life, one archetype would be the a cross, as we discussed in class today. A few years ago, my grandma gave me a charm bracelet for the birthday, where I could place important charms that represent my life, for example what is important to me and what I enjoy, etc. The very first charm she gave me was a cross. She gave this to me to remind me that God is the center of my life, and that I should never forget His unconditional love for me. My family is very religious, and I've grown up learning about God's love and hearing Jesus' parables generations ago, so the cross is very beneficial to my life, which makes it the most important archetype in my life today. I've taken that little tiny charm for granted until now, because I've realized that it serves as a symbol for my life and how I live for God.

Another important archetype in my life would be my family's traditional Christmas Eve dinner. This is considered an archetype of setting or even a situation. This dinner has been a tradition since before I was born, and it brings my family together during a special time of year: Jesus' birth. We get to come together and enjoy our family, and we get to celebrate and thank God for how blessed we really are, even though we might not think we deserve it. In my opinion, being able to have plenty of loving family members to celebrate such a special time with, and just having loved ones near to help shape my life and influence me, just really serves as a archetype that serves a great purpose in my life today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Lastly, an important archetype in my family or community would be my parents, siblings, grandparents, and even my friends. These people go along with the example of characters, because they all play important roles in my life story. My parents encourage me, and have helped me grow as kid to a teen, from a teen to an adult, and now they're even helping me grow in my adult life. My grandparents are a lot older and wiser than I probably will ever be, so they keep me on the right track and understand what I'm going through better that I do, because they've been there and done that. My siblings and friends are always there to give me a good laugh and also provide a support system and just help me get through life, as I help them through as well. The characters in my life story keep me going and give me the push in life that I need, which is an important archetype in my life.  

Post 02: Creation Stories and Our View on the World

Creation stories, no matter the culture or religion, have made an impact on not only how we as humans were created, but also how we choose to view the world we live in today. These stories provide a force, which is known as a "God" or some sort of spirit as we read these stories, that navigate the creation of the world we live in. Each story we have read have all had the same theme: a creator brings about human life and the features of the Earth - simple enough right?The differences are the important feature in the the view of our world. They make each creation story come to life and make them unique. These important differences, along with the similarities, are what make the huge impact on us of how we see the world, and how we relate to and connect with others around us. 

There are some creation stories that place man in life on Earth, with other creatures and the physical features of the Earth, where they form a relationship, and there are others where man is placed on the Earth with creatures, but man is seen as being in charge of the Earth, instead of  just a part of it. For example, in the Native American myths, a brother and sister are placed along side the animals and other features of the Earth, and do not try to take over, but instead they all multiply and live together. However, in the Genesis stories, Adam is placed on the Earth by God to till the ground and care for the animals. God created Adam to be an image of him, and instead he turned away from God, and became the dominion of the world God created. 

In the Genesis story, when God created Adam and Eve, they chose to disobey their creator and ate from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil", which is a prime example of how we view the world. As we read this creation story, we observe God say, "Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" which is basically God stating that humans will live with sin now, and life will have struggle and sorrow because of Adam and Eve's bad decisions. As humans, we witness that we can continue to live with knowledge of what is good and what is bad, and no matter what decision we make, life will continue. We can live lives pleasing to God, or we can live the opposite, and unfortunately humans take advantage of this. Humans view the world as just a place we live and that we control, when really the creator controls it all, since in fact He created it. We are like Adam and Eve, where we choose to view the world in our own ways, including our opinions of others, and what we choose to do with our lives, which lead us into bad situations that we are eventually punished for, which illustrates our life of sin. 

A quote from newstories.org states that "relating to the Earth as a dead object, a vast repository of resources to be used by man for his own purposes has, on the one hand, vastly accelerated our knowledge of the universe and produced lifestyles unimaginable to earth-centric cultures" and this also represents how we view the world. We don't really think of the Earth as a functioning planet that we would not have life without. We tend to not think about what would happen if the Earth were to stop functioning properly. The article I quoted from previously states that we as humans act as a cancer (how we view/treat the world) that is outgrowing its host body (the creation from the "God", spirit, etc.) and this couldn't be more spot on. Our way of life and our attitudes are killing the things that give us life. With this being said, if you are a religious person like me, we fill our attitudes and how we live with toxic behaviors and push away the one who gives us life and reason to live: God. 

In conclusion, we view the world in a negative manner, and tend to forget what creation has done for us. These creation stories have caused us to take advantage of our creation, and instead of living differently from the humans created in these stories, we tend to live just like them and love to receive the punishment. The creation stories do help us view how our world was created, no matter what religion believe, but they also give us the opportunity to live negatively, instead of us learning lessons from those creations. 



                

Post 01: View on Creation

A creation story tells a story of how the world began. I've discovered that most of them are just basic themes rather than going into great detail. For example, in the Genesis creation story, God wanted there to be light, so he said "Let there be light" and there was light, and it can't get anymore simple than that. The purpose of creation stories are to inform us of how the world, and we as human beings, were created and how we've changed and grown since the "beginning". Every religion or culture has a creation story, and the amazing thing about them is that they all differ, but they have similarities as well. It sort of makes me wonder which one is the "real" creation story, and how it really happened, because what if what we have faith in and what we believe is actually not what really happened in the creation of our world? 

How did this world come about? Where did we, as human beings, come from? Why are we here, and what is our purpose for living? These are some serious questions that can make anyone wonder what the meaning of life really is. Most of us have a belief, and we're sticking to that belief, including myself. However, creation stories from other religions interest me, even if I don't believe it for a second. My personal view on creation is simple: I believe that God created a Heaven and Earth, which is the Heaven we can only imagine and read about in the Bible, and the Earth that we live and thrive upon today. I believe in the creation story of Genesis, because that is what our world and lives were built upon and how they were created. I have grown up learning the creation story of Genesis along with other stories in the Bible, so that's one reason why my faith in this stands firm. I realize and understand that some of my colleagues have other beliefs, or maybe even no belief at all, and I completely accept that because everyone has a different mindset, and we were all raised in opposite households. We as people are affected differently by certain creation stories and tend to believe and take in aspects of the creation of this world in different perspectives. The other creation stories that I have read, such as Metamorphoses, are interesting to read about because Metamorphoses consisted of different "ages" of life, and their world was created by "Chaos" and "nature" and the world wasn't organized as effectively as God in Genesis. These types of creation stories just seem so unrealistic and fictional in my opinion, even though I do find it entertaining. These creation stories are the foundation for world literature because there are other cultures and religions out there who believe the world was created differently, and that is okay because everyone is entitled to their own opinion in any given area, not just the creation of our world. I enjoy reading other creation stories because it helps me gain better knowledge and understandment of the world and its literature, along with how other cultures choose to believe differently about the creation of the world. 

Introduction

Hey everyone! My name is Marlyn and I'm really excited to get to know everyone in this class and learn more about world literature!!! I'm looking forward to reading everyone's opinions and blogs every week!