Jim and Huck- Blog Post 2

     Having not grown up in a home with a supportive family, Huck seems to have attached himself to Jim as an alternative family member.  Likewise, Jim seems to have a protective presence over Huck, much as a father would.  This relationship began to build once Huck and Jim both met on the Island, and their father-son-type bond seems to be strengthening as the chapters go on.  Huck's devotion to Jim is apparent when Huck goes ashore to find out what the word about his death was.  When he was informed that townspeople suspected Jim, his reaction was, "I had got so uneasy I couldn't set still.  I had to do something with my hands; so I took up a needle of the table and went to threading it.  My hands shook, and I was making a bad job of it" (Twain 64).  Huck's loyalty to Jim is expressed through the nervousness he felt when he realized that Jim could be in potential danger.  Huck looks to Jim as a fatherly figure, trusting him, and finding comfort in his presence.
     Jim and Huck share a mutual dependence and loyalty to one another.  Through the chapters, they seem to be getting closer.  Their parallel situations have brought them together and created the father-son bond that they feel. When Huck loses sight of the raft in the fog while he is on the canoe, they both go into a panic.  Jim later tells Huck how he was feeling while they were separated, "When I got all wore out with work, en wid de callin' for you, en went to sleep, my heart was mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn' kyer no' mo' what become er me en de raf'" (Twain 89).  Jim's previous desperation  is apparent when he tells Huck exactly how he was feeling.  Much as a father would feel about a son, Jim felt that he would not be able to go on without Huck if he were to be lost or had drowned.  The father-son relationship has been built upon the adventures Huck and Jim have spent together. Their relationship will most likely only be stronger as the book progresses.

Impression of Huck- Blog Post 1

     Judging by the first ten chapters of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", Huck seems to be a very superstitious character.  Multiple times throughout the first few chapters, he reacted to situations as a sign of some sort.  In addition, although he believes wholeheartedly in the superstition, Huck doesn't seem to comprehend the religion being taught to him.  Huck is well-informed about the common superstitions, and often seems to create his own, "I got up and turned around in my tracks three times and crossed my breast every time; and then I tied up a little lock of my hair with a threat to keep witches away.  But I hadn't no confidence." (Twain, 13)  Huck describes his action after killing a spider, and even after performing his superstitious actions, he felt that he didn't even know that they would help.  Huck's superstition seems to guide many of his actions and seems to be a big part of his life.
      In addition to being superstitious, Huckleberry Finn seems to be resourceful, despite his apparent immaturity.   My impression is that Huck learned to fend for himself throughout his childhood that lacked a traditional family setting.  After Huck runs away from his father, he is living in the woods, and seems to be able to provide for his own needs during the time period he is spending there.  Huck seems to believe that his decision to live in the woods is an adventure rather than an escape. He seems to know how to pull together what he brought with him to help him live sufficiently, and how to avoid the people looking for him, for example, "... I got all my traps into my canoe again so as to have them out of sight, and I put out the fire and scattered the ashes around to look like an old last-year's camp, and then clumb a tree."  (Twain, 47)  These observations allowed me to get an impression on Huck's abilities and personality.

Would a Transcendentalist Society Exist Today?

Life in today’s world is always facing one question: Is it possible for a society to exist where everyone lives peacefully?  A Transcendentalist society would allow people to express their true personality with minimal government intervention in their daily lives.  In this type of unstructured community, people are allowed to pursue their passions without fear of judgment.  Not quite as wonderful as it sounds, this type of society would create resentment despite equal benefits available for all. Those who naturally work hard would be angry with those who are living their lives simply to enjoy life rather than working.  The conflict could cause many problems in the society.  If education was optional for all, then students would not feel encouraged to seek new technology or scientific research.  In addition, if a government body created laws preventing people from advertising their ideas, then if something in the society was not right, there would be nothing they could do to fix it.  Although some may believe that a Transcendentalist society could be successful in today’s world, the torn views, the impossibility to create any technological improvements, and the unrealistic rules, are why a Transcendentalist society could not be possible today.

There are people who believe that a Transcendentalist society could exist in today’s world.  Some would argue that it may lead to a happier, more successful society due to less societal tension.  The tensions created in today’s world include economical stress, and rifts between different classes in society.  Eliminating those obstacles would create a society that might be altogether more peaceful and more cohesive with other’s ways of life.  Economical tension is a leading factor in many controversies in today’s world.  Some would argue that a society that suppressed negativity and lacked social pressures would be successful and beneficial to many.  These views reflect those who believe that a Transcendentalist society would be successful in today’s world.  Although they are valid arguments, there are many other issues that suggest that a civilization like this one would not thrive.

                Some people naturally strive to work their hardest and achieve more.  There are also people who live life happily the way they are and do not necessarily want to change.  These different types of people are one reason why a Transcendentalist society would not work.  If every person was offered the same benefits, no matter the job or their productivity, it would eventually lead to resentment between these people.  The inequality of somebody who contributes greatly to the society and somebody who contributes less would not be accepted by many people.  Many would complain about inequalities in work ethics. If everything was offered for free, for example free housing, those who worked harder would feel they deserved more than others.  Their attitude towards the situation would put the society at risk for rebellion against the government body in order to achieve what they believe they deserve.  A Transcendentalist society would last for a short amount of time if everyone was offered equal benefits at no demanded cost in return. 

                Despite the typical bitterness students feel towards the enforced policy of staying in school until at least sixteen, without that rule, it would eventually lead to a downfall in that particular society.  Students, sometimes against their will, attend school to get their required education.  If students were not forced to go to school, society would lack a very important ability; the ability to improve.  In the society created during the Transcendentalist unit, Harmonia, students are required to get a basic education, and then are free to observe people in their professions to learn how to do that particular job.  This policy is unrealistic in that it would not help the society to advance in any way.  Students would only acquire the knowledge of their predecessors, and would not have any outside research available to improve the current situation.  Advanced schools such as colleges are in place to not only teach students what is already known, but to also teach them how to think in a particularly important way. Critical thinking encourages students to invent new ideas and formulate medicinal advancements and technological improvements, based on things they do not know, and wish to know.  The Transcendentalist type of free-will schooling is not a realistic way to educate a society, and although people might be happier short-term because they have the power to decide, they might suffer in the future due to their lack of education.

                The rules of a Transcendentalist society would be minimal. The sole purpose of a Transcendentalist society would be to limit the rules commonly set in today’s world, to allow for more freedoms.  The flaw in this plan is, however, that limiting regulations becomes a cyclical problem.  It leads to people feeling like they can do whatever they want, whenever they want.  That could essentially take away the rights of the other members of the society.  Another important Transcendentalist belief is to not harm nature in any way possible.  This makes life extremely difficult, as it is human nature to adapt the earth to fit human needs, rather than conforming to nature’s ways.  Another major flaw in the rules created in the society Harmonia is that no negative thoughts should be voiced.  This is not a practical law in any way.  The way society naturally works is that individuals see the problems in society, and point them out.  If flaws go unnoticed and unrecognized by the majority, it would be self-destructive towards the society.  When something is not right, a person should speak out against it to make the society a better place to live, and that law inhibits a person from doing so.  The laws that are supposed to help a person discover themselves and express their true self actually end up harming the society as a whole, making a Transcendentalist society impossible in today’s world.

                Although some seem to think that a Transcendentalist society would be possible in today’s world, the disagreements it would cause, the unrealistic educational systems, and the inflexibility of the Transcendentalist rules would make such a society impossible.  The aspects of a Transcendentalist society do not match up with how people run their lives naturally.  It would cause too many conflicts to be successful.  Even though a Transcendentalist society may seem to some like a perfect civilization, the possibility of one existing in today’s world is impracticable.

The Dead Poets Society and Non-Conformity

            Every aspect of Welton Academy points to the founders' particular beliefs: the necessity of conformity.  The beginning of the film starts with the students reciting "Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence".  Expectations are as defined by those four words. When Mr. Keating becomes teacher, he encourages the students to express themselves in their own way.  In his unconventional teaching style, he is misunderstood and rejected by the staff.  Despite the danger of losing his job, Mr. Keating encourages non-conformity through expressing the idea of the Dead Poets Society. This results in removal from his job in the end of the film.

            Neil, representing non-conformity in the film, places himself in danger by his actions.  It was expected of Welton Academy graduates to continue to become distinguished doctors and lawyers.  When his father found that Neil wanted to be an actor, he demanded that his son quit acting and focus on his studies.  The result of his father's demands was Neil's suicide.  Non-conformity could have lead to a superior teacher and a successful actor. Due to the conformist ways at Welton Academy, the results were firing Mr. Keating and Neil's suicide.

Google Transcendentalism

            Everyone has heard of Google, and probably used it- the popular search engine and web browser.  Being one of the world's largest search engines, Google leads the way in computer usage.  The Google Company could be considered transcendentalists for many reasons.  Google is a company like no other.  They supported transcendentalism since the very beginning of their company.  The founders used their imagination and went with their gut feelings when they had the idea to capture the world’s knowledge and provide it for all. Google has a philosophy- ten things that they know are true and stick to when they are working.  These things make the difference between Google and other companies.  They use the company’s personal beliefs to guide their actions in the business world.  Google believes that if they help the customer, then everything else will fall into place.  Most companies focus on how they can make money rather than how they can help the consumer.  Google takes the risk of hiring people who think out of the box, who have potential to create something important, rather than a person with experience as most companies would. 

The work environment is an example of how Google feels about how things should be done.  A traditional work place is a place to buckle down and be productive as possible.  At Googleplex, Google’s base in California, they believe differently on how a workplace should be. They believe it should be a fun and inspiring place.  They feel that it makes their workers more productive and happier to be at work. They provide special classes like yoga, healthy lunches and dinners, and snacks and drinks. People can travel through the building on scooters or bikes from meeting to meeting. Google is a transcendentalist company in that it took a new turn on running a business.  They believe that work shouldn’t be a punishment, but something you want to do.  

http://www.experience-it-all.com/?tag=googleplex

Walden Essay

            Compared to present times, a simplified life was much easier to obtain during the time period in which Walden was written.  Life nowadays moves at a rapid speed, overloaded with information and technology at an often overwhelming pace.  The struggle to achieve more, possess more, and learn more is human nature.  These instincts encourage us to progress in order to try and improve our lives.  Desire for a better life pushes humanity irreversibly into a world of complexity and modernization.  The advances humans make cannot be taken back, they only add to the already complicated culture.  The condition of modern humanity makes simplification of an individual's life a rare and nearly impossible feat.

             Complexity and technology are a human passion.  People thrive on the hope of the latest advancement that would effect their lives.  Simplicity seems like a far-fetched dream for many.  The thought of abandoning structured lives for a solitary cabin in the woods would be a joke to most.  In the writing of his book, Henry David Thoreau describes the structure of many lives in the one sentence. "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us (Thoreau, 491)." He means that people make the things that shape their lives. They strive to create and build, while simplification would pull humanity away from an individual's natural want to progress.  Instincts tell people that simplicity is a form of deterioration of the progress they have made.

             Progress sends humanity down a path of no returns.  Simplicity is the road going in the opposite direction.  Even the most basic modern lives have passed the point of simplicity.  Once a level of complexity is reached in a society, there must be regulations or laws set in place to control what they have gained.  These restrict the ability for the people to return to the simple lives they might have led before.  Everything a person does is to either progress, or secure that progression.  Anything achieved by a person cannot later be undone.  It is not possible to take away progressions that are already successful.  In order to lead a simple life, a person cannot progress.  Continuous progression is a characteristic that makes a person a human being.

            Humans don't want to give up what they've achieved in return for simplicity.  It seems that it is human nature to want.  Desire keeps humans from  being able to attain simplicity.  Modern advertising and new technology make it even more difficult.  If a person's basic needs are met, including food, water, and shelter, then they are left with a desire for more.  Contentment leaves people with a feeling that they can achieve even more.  Modern culture is shaped by these desire, making it so much more diffucult to achieve simplicity than ever before.  Thoreau writes in Walden, "We are determined to be starved before we are hungry" (Thoreau 491). He means that no matter how much an indiviudual possesses, they convince themselves that they need more. The only way to achieve simplicity would be to not have desires, and that is not a realistic human attriubute.

             The characteristics of humanity do not allow for simplification of human lives.  Life is one way, things cannot be taken back or reversed.  Our passions and obsessions with modernization discourage a simple life.  A natural desire pushes humanity away.  We thrive on progress, which also discourages simplicity.  Only a person who has no desires, no interest in progression, and has never progressed can simplify their life.  And none of those are characteristics of a human being.  A person in modern times cannot simplify their life.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10ch/3204310481/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-9FaJPhFxQ&feature=related

Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Student Rights

          Every student is entitled to a certain set of rights.  These basic rights are the outline for what a free public education should be, and how it should be managed.  Each student should be treated with respect, by their peers and by the staff.  This ensures that they hold their right to feel comfortable at school.  A student has the right to feel safe in their learning environment.  At no time should they feel threatened, or concerned for their well-being.  It is the responsibility of the school system to support that right to safety.  Concerning academics, every student has the right to equal opportunities.  It is a student’s right to have a variety of classes offered to ensure the success for every student of every academic ability.  No student should be feel discriminated against because of their capabilities.  If a student feels that any of their rights are being violated, they should be able to express their feelings on the situation.  As students, we believe that these rights are the structure for a strong and just educational system.

       i.            Our lunches are only 35 minutes long. A small portion of time compared to how long our classes are. It doesn’t give us enough time to eat a balanced lunch. We as students need longer lunches so we have enough time to eat and have a little time to finish school related duties. If a student has a full schedule during and after school, it limits when they can go and talk to their teachers or counselors. Our lunch time starts directly after class ends and does not count the amount of time that it takes to go to our lockers.

     ii.            When the weather gets severe, we are still forced to go to school. The students are required to be at school regardless of the weather. Sometimes their teachers aren’t even present. We are a walking district so it puts us at a greater risk as we travel to school. The schools that surround us get plenty of snow days but we are not given the same opportunity.

  iii.            The school dictates how we should dress, but it limits our free expression. In the warmer seasons, it is uncomfortable to wear proper clothes pertaining to the dress code. It is ironic that some sports have uniforms that violate the dress code but they wear them in spirit anyway. Our dress code is not taken very seriously to some, and it is unfair to the students that have stricter teachers who watch what they wear.

   iv.            Students are given 7 minutes after each class to get to their classes. For some, it can be difficult to manage this. Some students have to walk from one end of the building to another. Managing how to do this along with stopping at their lockers to trade book can be a tricky task. Furthermore, with the quantity of students walking in the hallways, the crowds move slowly. Navigating through the hallways is a challenge of its own.

     v.            School rules declare that a student may only have 10 unexcused absences in each class in order to still have credit. If a student takes more than 6 minutes to arrive in class, they are marked absence for that class hour. Even if that student is there for the remainder of the class, they receive no credit. It can be difficult for parents to plan vacations too, because sometimes the tickets available are the most expensive of them all.

   vi.            Our school looks upon sports with high respect, and teaches that sports are valuable for the continuation of our knowledge throughout the future. The current fee for each sport per season if $150. This price is an unreasonably amount when a student may play more than 1 sport per year. Equipment and transportation enough is excessive in the way that it is valued. Having to pay the large fee per season as well as the equipment is an unreasonable action from our school. We, as students deserve to have a less expensive fee to play a sport throughout the seasons.

vii.            Clinics are not available for the students here. If someone feels sick or gets hurt, they are forced to wait in the office. They receive n treatment or medication until one of their parents comes to pick them up. This could take a while because of the parent’s responsibilities. It is unsafe and unhealthy for our school not to have a clinic.

viii.            Some of the buildings in our school are not supplied with adequate air conditioning. The school can get extremely hot at the beginning and end of the year. There is no air conditioning in the main building so hot temperatures cannot be cooled down. The heat keeps teachers and students uncomfortable. It makes it difficult to work as it if hard to focus in the warmth.  The lack of air conditioning in the main building is detrimental to the student’s education.

  ix.            The Grosse Pointe Public School District is labeled as a walking district. Therefore, every day, either we must walk to school, ride our bikes, or arrange for a ride with our parents or friends. This is common problem because Michigan is a state with severe weather, causing harsh winters and freak storms. On the days where most bus transported schools have the days off, like for snow days, we not given the same opportunities, even with the dangers of the weather severity. Days where the bitter air dips below 0, is where a line should be drawn. School should not be session during days where the snow and ice cause an inability to walk or drive, without a precautious danger. Without having buses, our fellow walking peers are put into more danger than they would have, if our school provided buses. We, as students, need this way of transportation for a safer, easier way of attending school everyday.

     x.
x. We, as students, should be looked upon equally. We should deserve the same opportunities as our peers, regardless of their age or grade. As grow, we are given the decisions of driving to school, and the S-Lot of school is reserved for the seniors only. It is a great, safe parking lot, whereas the other parking places may need to be paid by hour and may be unsafe towards the cars occupying the area. We should be allowed, as an entire school, to have a first come, first serve basis on the parking spots in the S-Lot, not just giving them away to the Seniors. We, as students, deserve the equal treatment whether we are Freshman, or Seniors.

We, as the students in the Grosse Pointe Public School District, unanimously declare that each and every student should be relieved the erratic rules that govern our schools.  It is prominent that the complaints we have are appropriate. They make our educational experience transition smoothly.