“It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause but to spurn at him, but for the general. He would be crown’d: How that might change his nature, there’s the question.” Honor and nobility are two things that are very important in a human being. Brutus, a character from a famous play by Shakespeare; Julius Caesar, possesses both honor and nobility, and so does he posses other characteristics, too. Brutus’ sense of honor and patriotism makes him more confident as a leader of Rome, which leads him to be easily manipulated, which can lead him to make wrong decisions.
The quote above shows that Brutus is an honorable man, who cares for Rome more than anything. He tries to publically image himself as a leader, in which he is a leader, however the people of Rome do not know that he has both a public, and a private side to him. The way this quote, by Brutus, drives himself as a character, is honor. In this quote, he shows the people that he is an honored man, and a man who can be trusted, because he is being truthful and stating his opinion about what should and what shouldn’t happen. “Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe.” In this quote, Brutus is basically telling the people that he agrees that he is an honorable, and trustworthy leader of Rome. This could lead to himself as being self-confident, which would make him someone who is easily manipulated.
Brutus is motivated by patriotism; or being a leader. Brutus is motivated in this way because, ever since the death of Caesar, he likes to be known as a leader of Rome- someone who is patriotic, because all of the people of Rome feel as if that there is no one to solve anything if there is a problem or a war, because whenever there was a problem, Caesar would always solve it. When Caesar ends up dying, Brutus tries to be a leader so that he can make the people feel that Brutus is just as good, or even better of a leader than Caesar was. “That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; what you would work me to, I have some aim: how I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter.” This quote proves the fact that being patriotic motivates him. He shows the people that he has everything he needs and wanted, which is being a leader. He tells the people that he is not jealous of anything he does not possess. In a way, he is rubbing in the fact, to Cassius, that he is a leader and controls everything that goes on in Rome. How Brutus’ patriotism as a person shows his behavior as a character, is someone who is a leader and is respected by all people.
One more motivator also inspires Brutus, which is the devotion for his country.
“If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” This quote shows that he killed Caesar for the people. He cared so much for Rome, and he knew that the people knew Caesar as a person, who was arrogant and self-confident, and for they wanted him dead, until they realize, after his death, that everything was going to fall apart now that Caesar was dead. Brutus cared so much for the people that, now that he knew the people wanted Caesar dead, Brutus flatters the people by killing Caesar. This shows that he cared so much about what the people wanted for Rome. The fact that Brutus is devoted for his country changes his behavior as a character makes him seem like someone who only focused on one thing, and only cares about that one thing, which, in this case, is his devotion for Rome.
Brutus is motivated by both patriotism, and that he is devoted for his country. I think that Brutus becomes more self-confident as he becomes more of a leader throughout the story. All in all, Brutus’s behavior has changed in the story ever since Caesar’s death, which affects his love for Rome. I think the goal was worthy, because Caesar deserved to be killed, and Brutus was more of a leader than Caesar was.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Collage Reflection: Where Has Empathy Gone?
Thinking Creatively
I think that I thought quite creatively for this assignment. Instead of jotting random pictures and words onto a piece of plain paper, I decided to be creative and outline the map of Sudan as the main part of the collage, and drew a small map of the United States a little above it. The message I was trying to get across to the viewer of choosing to work with my collage like this, was so that the viewer knew that Sudan was the main part of their whole story, and how they had to face many difficulties in their life, in which some of them are still having to face. I also included a little route-map which showed where they started their migration, and where they migrated to over several years. I cut around this and some pictures and words that were hanging out of the collage, which I thought was kind of unique. I noticed that some people had their collages outlined of the Sudan map, but I decided to add the map of the United States to clearly explain that they also lived in America. There are footsteps that are leading from Sudan, around the Darfur area, to Houston Texas, which precisely explains where they migrated from and to. I do not necessarily think that my 6-word memoir is the whole anchor of this collage, however, I feel as if my pictures and words really stand out the most. My 6-word memoir basically just looks like words I typed up that describes what they went through in six words that was just randomly pasted onto my collage- which I definitely could have worked on. However, it does still stand out, but not as much as my other words or pictures do. One thing I did to enhance the fact that my memoir is actually on the college, was by outlining it in black and red, which, in this case, would relate to blood and war. Another part where I used creative thinking with my collage was when I tried to choose specific pictures to add symbolism to it. For example, the blood splotches that I had on my collage obviously symbolized blood, with connected to the main conflict of this problem; the war in Sudan.
Reason Critically
All of my images and words that I chose for my collage highlights my understanding of the Lost Boys plight by choosing the images, carefully, that I thought would be significant to my collage. Before I pasted my text and pictures onto the collage, I made sure that I understood the message behind this story. All of my pictures relate to the conflicts and the challenges they faced through every little thing and the steps they took. I looked over all of the words I chose to put on my collage, and picked out only the ones that I thought really showed the situation the Lost Boys were, and still are in. Every little piece of detail that I had on my collage clearly describes what they were feeling throughout their journey.
Communicate Effectively
By communicating effectively, I think the way my collage creates awareness for the Lost Boys' plight are by choosing the right images and text to put on my collage, it is getting to the point with the audience; asking them to help. I communicated in this sense by the word choice I chose to use and the pictures that I chose to symbolize certain things for my collage. I also tried to use the right images that would catch and to inform the viewer's attention about the Lost Boys' journey. This, hopefully, by choosing the right text and pictures to get the point across to the viewer, makes them realize that they should help with this major issue. In this way, I communicated effectively with my collage.
Live Ethically
By trying to live ethically, I made people want to help, by, again, the pictures and text that I had on my collage. I had several words that said "help", which definitely was purposed to make the viewers want to help. I also put the logo of the American Red Cross and their statement saying "Together, we can save a life" which is a hook for the viewer to start helping. Throughout most of my text, I was trying to come to the conclusion that they need to be helped by a whole lot more of people. Also, once again, all of my text incites people to join with programs like the American Red Cross or the relief agency- 'Save the Children', and to help Sudan.
I think that I thought quite creatively for this assignment. Instead of jotting random pictures and words onto a piece of plain paper, I decided to be creative and outline the map of Sudan as the main part of the collage, and drew a small map of the United States a little above it. The message I was trying to get across to the viewer of choosing to work with my collage like this, was so that the viewer knew that Sudan was the main part of their whole story, and how they had to face many difficulties in their life, in which some of them are still having to face. I also included a little route-map which showed where they started their migration, and where they migrated to over several years. I cut around this and some pictures and words that were hanging out of the collage, which I thought was kind of unique. I noticed that some people had their collages outlined of the Sudan map, but I decided to add the map of the United States to clearly explain that they also lived in America. There are footsteps that are leading from Sudan, around the Darfur area, to Houston Texas, which precisely explains where they migrated from and to. I do not necessarily think that my 6-word memoir is the whole anchor of this collage, however, I feel as if my pictures and words really stand out the most. My 6-word memoir basically just looks like words I typed up that describes what they went through in six words that was just randomly pasted onto my collage- which I definitely could have worked on. However, it does still stand out, but not as much as my other words or pictures do. One thing I did to enhance the fact that my memoir is actually on the college, was by outlining it in black and red, which, in this case, would relate to blood and war. Another part where I used creative thinking with my collage was when I tried to choose specific pictures to add symbolism to it. For example, the blood splotches that I had on my collage obviously symbolized blood, with connected to the main conflict of this problem; the war in Sudan.
Reason Critically
All of my images and words that I chose for my collage highlights my understanding of the Lost Boys plight by choosing the images, carefully, that I thought would be significant to my collage. Before I pasted my text and pictures onto the collage, I made sure that I understood the message behind this story. All of my pictures relate to the conflicts and the challenges they faced through every little thing and the steps they took. I looked over all of the words I chose to put on my collage, and picked out only the ones that I thought really showed the situation the Lost Boys were, and still are in. Every little piece of detail that I had on my collage clearly describes what they were feeling throughout their journey.
Communicate Effectively
By communicating effectively, I think the way my collage creates awareness for the Lost Boys' plight are by choosing the right images and text to put on my collage, it is getting to the point with the audience; asking them to help. I communicated in this sense by the word choice I chose to use and the pictures that I chose to symbolize certain things for my collage. I also tried to use the right images that would catch and to inform the viewer's attention about the Lost Boys' journey. This, hopefully, by choosing the right text and pictures to get the point across to the viewer, makes them realize that they should help with this major issue. In this way, I communicated effectively with my collage.
Live Ethically
By trying to live ethically, I made people want to help, by, again, the pictures and text that I had on my collage. I had several words that said "help", which definitely was purposed to make the viewers want to help. I also put the logo of the American Red Cross and their statement saying "Together, we can save a life" which is a hook for the viewer to start helping. Throughout most of my text, I was trying to come to the conclusion that they need to be helped by a whole lot more of people. Also, once again, all of my text incites people to join with programs like the American Red Cross or the relief agency- 'Save the Children', and to help Sudan.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Adjusting to a New World
"The Lost Boys" were a group of boys and a few girls, who were forced to leave their tribe that was known as the "Dinka Tribe" and their family, due to the wars that were happening in Sudan. The Lost Boys stayed in a refugee camp in Kenya for several years; where they had migrated to from Sudan. 4,000 Dinka boys were then chosen, several years later, to migrate to the United Sates, where they believed they would live a better life.
One, out of the 4,000 people who were chosen to migrate to Houston, was Peter. As a new "American", Peter faced many difficulties whilst living in the United States. He thought that life would be much easier, until he found life to be, in fact, much more difficult, and nothing like the 'heaven' he thought he would encounter.
One of the many difficulties he faced, was getting used to the language, and could not speak it fluently. He found it difficult to understand people; with what they were saying, how they acted towards themselves, or even towards Peter. He also found it hard that people could not understand Peter, though he tried his best to clearly elaborate on everything he did or said towards other people. Another difficulty that adds onto this, was him not at all being used to the food. He did not know what to do with it exactly, so he decided to experiment with it, which was to keep eating. Later on, Peter started to overcome his in-fluency of English by speaking to his friends from Sudan that were also forced to migrate, not only in the language he speaks in Sudan, but in English too.
Another difficulty that Peter faced was the stereotypical thoughts of the people in America. As a black man, he was subject to all the prejudicial misconceptions of a mostly white American. He was a much darker version of the African Americans, and not only was he nothing like the African Americans, but he was a much different color then the white-Americans. People assumed that since Peter was the closest resProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
blance to the African- Americans, that he would hurt people, or even steal from people, which was nothing close to anything Peter would do. Similarly, people figured that Peter was someone who didn't care about anything that was related to his future or school, and that he would not succeed. Whereas, Peter wanted to succeed in everything he did, and he wanted to learn. A good example of this was when the school counselor talked to Peter about him not having to worry about getting into a 4-year college, but to know that he would only have to go to a community college, which shows that the counselor did not see Peter as someone who was good enough to get into a 4-year college. Adding onto that, Peter showed the counselor his biography that completely surprised the counselor. He didn't think that Peter, out of all people in his school, would have written a biography before even talking to the counselor about a 4-year college. As the counselor started to read his biography, he decided that his biography was too sad to read. This concludes that the counselor was oblivious to the fact that someone of such a stereotyped background could live through everything that he had written about in his biography.
Beyond the issues with racial stereotyping in academic and career terms, his boss at his work assumed that he would be fine working in the hot sun, since he is African and that he is supposedly used to the heat. Just by hearing this from his boss, Peter wasn't pleased with what his boss said, because he didn't agree that ability-or not-to work in the sun should be in any way associated with the color of one's skin or place of birth. Peter started simply to ignore the racism that surrounded him and began to distance himself from the things people said. In doing so, he moved forward from everything, which slowly started to bring up his self-esteem.
Another big difficulty that Peter had to face was what he believed to be his continued responsibilities to his family in both Sudan and Kenya. He felt as if he should help his people by sending them some money, when he was in no position to do so. He worked hard for his money, just so he could survive on his own in America. Adding the obligation of support for those he left behind was too much for him. He had to manage all of his time and money efficiently for this. Peter soon realizes, after living in Houston for a few months and hearing his sister complain that he does not call, or send money as much as they would like him to, he moves to Kansas. He made this move because he was frustrated by the fact that he was unable to enter a school in Houston and unable to fulfill his familial obligations. Peter's cousin also had told him that there was a high school in Olathe, Kansas that had accepted a few Sudanese boys to join their school. Clearly, Peter was a young man who cared about his education, his future, his duties to his family and that he was, in no way, merely one more stereotypical black man as he had been perceived.
As months passed by living in Kansas, Peter started to make friends, and wanted to be able to play basketball with his friends; because Peter always had an interest in basketball. He tried out for the basketball team, though he wasn't accepted on the team. He finally establishes his identity as a new American with roots in a far-off land. Though all of the difficulties he faced impacted his life in America, he still managed to survive, even excel, just by moving forward through each obstacle presented to him. As we can see, Peter is an example of how, through consistency, faith, self-confidence and a strong belief in the power of the individual - the power and the strength he had in his own soul - each of us can succeed. Each of us can succeed in a world that, like a minefield, can bring failure at every step. However, success can come and will come with the courage and never-give-up attitude of a single person, whether that individual is an African refugee in a new land, or a student at home struggling with his or her own problems.
One, out of the 4,000 people who were chosen to migrate to Houston, was Peter. As a new "American", Peter faced many difficulties whilst living in the United States. He thought that life would be much easier, until he found life to be, in fact, much more difficult, and nothing like the 'heaven' he thought he would encounter.
One of the many difficulties he faced, was getting used to the language, and could not speak it fluently. He found it difficult to understand people; with what they were saying, how they acted towards themselves, or even towards Peter. He also found it hard that people could not understand Peter, though he tried his best to clearly elaborate on everything he did or said towards other people. Another difficulty that adds onto this, was him not at all being used to the food. He did not know what to do with it exactly, so he decided to experiment with it, which was to keep eating. Later on, Peter started to overcome his in-fluency of English by speaking to his friends from Sudan that were also forced to migrate, not only in the language he speaks in Sudan, but in English too.
Another difficulty that Peter faced was the stereotypical thoughts of the people in America. As a black man, he was subject to all the prejudicial misconceptions of a mostly white American. He was a much darker version of the African Americans, and not only was he nothing like the African Americans, but he was a much different color then the white-Americans. People assumed that since Peter was the closest resProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
blance to the African- Americans, that he would hurt people, or even steal from people, which was nothing close to anything Peter would do. Similarly, people figured that Peter was someone who didn't care about anything that was related to his future or school, and that he would not succeed. Whereas, Peter wanted to succeed in everything he did, and he wanted to learn. A good example of this was when the school counselor talked to Peter about him not having to worry about getting into a 4-year college, but to know that he would only have to go to a community college, which shows that the counselor did not see Peter as someone who was good enough to get into a 4-year college. Adding onto that, Peter showed the counselor his biography that completely surprised the counselor. He didn't think that Peter, out of all people in his school, would have written a biography before even talking to the counselor about a 4-year college. As the counselor started to read his biography, he decided that his biography was too sad to read. This concludes that the counselor was oblivious to the fact that someone of such a stereotyped background could live through everything that he had written about in his biography.
Beyond the issues with racial stereotyping in academic and career terms, his boss at his work assumed that he would be fine working in the hot sun, since he is African and that he is supposedly used to the heat. Just by hearing this from his boss, Peter wasn't pleased with what his boss said, because he didn't agree that ability-or not-to work in the sun should be in any way associated with the color of one's skin or place of birth. Peter started simply to ignore the racism that surrounded him and began to distance himself from the things people said. In doing so, he moved forward from everything, which slowly started to bring up his self-esteem.
Another big difficulty that Peter had to face was what he believed to be his continued responsibilities to his family in both Sudan and Kenya. He felt as if he should help his people by sending them some money, when he was in no position to do so. He worked hard for his money, just so he could survive on his own in America. Adding the obligation of support for those he left behind was too much for him. He had to manage all of his time and money efficiently for this. Peter soon realizes, after living in Houston for a few months and hearing his sister complain that he does not call, or send money as much as they would like him to, he moves to Kansas. He made this move because he was frustrated by the fact that he was unable to enter a school in Houston and unable to fulfill his familial obligations. Peter's cousin also had told him that there was a high school in Olathe, Kansas that had accepted a few Sudanese boys to join their school. Clearly, Peter was a young man who cared about his education, his future, his duties to his family and that he was, in no way, merely one more stereotypical black man as he had been perceived.
As months passed by living in Kansas, Peter started to make friends, and wanted to be able to play basketball with his friends; because Peter always had an interest in basketball. He tried out for the basketball team, though he wasn't accepted on the team. He finally establishes his identity as a new American with roots in a far-off land. Though all of the difficulties he faced impacted his life in America, he still managed to survive, even excel, just by moving forward through each obstacle presented to him. As we can see, Peter is an example of how, through consistency, faith, self-confidence and a strong belief in the power of the individual - the power and the strength he had in his own soul - each of us can succeed. Each of us can succeed in a world that, like a minefield, can bring failure at every step. However, success can come and will come with the courage and never-give-up attitude of a single person, whether that individual is an African refugee in a new land, or a student at home struggling with his or her own problems.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Duet Acting: Casca & Cicero
There is a thunder storm; thunder and lightning strike the night, and very strange sightings start to occur. Casca had a meeting with Cicero and told him about what he has seen on the streets. Casca thinks that either there is a civil war in heaven or that they have upset the Gods and that they are going to destroy the world. Casca claims he has see an ordinary slave have his left hand on fire but the fire didn't burn him it didn't even hurt him, a lion at the Capitol who passed without hurting him, men walking up and down the streets on fire, ghosts, and an owl in the middle of the day hooting and shrieking. Casca believes there is something very wrong here but Ceciro is not scared.
Tiahni and I chose this piece because we thought it was significant to Caesars death.
This passage is significant to the play because it is one of the first signs that something bad is going to happen. In this case it is towards the conspirers because they are planning the killing of Caesar. People are getting worried. Casca thinks that this is because of them and is having second thoughts about it but Cicero is staying strong and tells him to calm down and that this isn't because of them because they are doing the right thing.
Act One
Scene 3
Lines 1-40
A street. Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.
Cicero Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home?
Why are you so breathless? and why stare you so?
Casca Are you not mov'd, when all the sway of earth
shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and i have seen
Th' ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds:
But never till tonight, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, to saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.
Cicero Why, saw you anything more wonderful?
Casca A common slave, you know him well by sight,
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd.
Besides (I ha' not since put my sword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who gazed upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with fear, who swore they saw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit,
Even at noonday upon the market place,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let no men say,
'These are there reasons, they are natural';
For I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.
Cicero Indeed, it is strange-disposed time:
But men may construe things, after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Comes Caesar to the capitol tomorrow?
Casca He doth; for he did bid Antonious
Send word to you he would be there tomorrow?
Cicero Good night then, Casca; this disturbed sky
is not to walk in.
Casca Farewell, Cicero
(Exit Cicero)
Partner for Duet: Tiahni Curtis
Tiahni and I chose this piece because we thought it was significant to Caesars death.
This passage is significant to the play because it is one of the first signs that something bad is going to happen. In this case it is towards the conspirers because they are planning the killing of Caesar. People are getting worried. Casca thinks that this is because of them and is having second thoughts about it but Cicero is staying strong and tells him to calm down and that this isn't because of them because they are doing the right thing.
Act One
Scene 3
Lines 1-40
A street. Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.
Cicero Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home?
Why are you so breathless? and why stare you so?
Casca Are you not mov'd, when all the sway of earth
shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and i have seen
Th' ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds:
But never till tonight, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, to saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.
Cicero Why, saw you anything more wonderful?
Casca A common slave, you know him well by sight,
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd.
Besides (I ha' not since put my sword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who gazed upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with fear, who swore they saw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit,
Even at noonday upon the market place,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let no men say,
'These are there reasons, they are natural';
For I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.
Cicero Indeed, it is strange-disposed time:
But men may construe things, after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Comes Caesar to the capitol tomorrow?
Casca He doth; for he did bid Antonious
Send word to you he would be there tomorrow?
Cicero Good night then, Casca; this disturbed sky
is not to walk in.
Casca Farewell, Cicero
(Exit Cicero)
Partner for Duet: Tiahni Curtis
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