Thanksgiving and Gatsby

Happy belated Thanksgiving!! I hope everyone had lots of fun shopping during Black Friday, too. :) There were so many parties this week and so much food (and still more to come)! Personally, none of the parties I attended reached Gatsby-like proportions. There wasn’t quite as much dancing or other (unmentionable) festivities either, but the amount of food prepared and consumed just might be able to compete with that of Mr. Gatsby’s fabulous bashes… And hurrah for me for I was actually invited by the wonderful hosts and didn’t just show up, in which case I probably would have been thrown out. I had lots of fun catching up with old friends and meeting new people as well. Thanksgiving has to be the best holiday ever, second only to Christmas of course.  

I wonder how the Buchanans and their society would like Black Friday. Would they think, “Yay shopping, spending, and extravagance!” Or would they frown and scorn our frenzied rush for deals thinking, “We can afford all of that, at double the original price. So we would much rather stay in our lavish homes away from you nasty, lowly masses.” Either way Black Friday was quite fun even though I by no means reached the extravagant standards of Daisy and her world. I do get the feeling that Daisy and Jordan would enjoy the south side of Somerset mall though. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and last few days of break!

Lies

We have all been lied to countless times in our lives. Many of these lies are meant to protect us. Many others were simply told out of convenience, tricky topics adults maneuver around and save to discuss at later dates. Others are simply told out of malice, to protect secrets or spread rumors. Adults will argue that most of these fibs are told for our own good and that they are “white lies,” harmless and perhaps even beneficial. However, no matter the intent, one should always avoid dishonesty. Unless, of course, its one of those questions a three-year-old asks like, “How is a baby made?”

The history teacher in Billy Collins’ poem is foolish and misguided. He claims he is trying to protect innocence; however, this innocence he is trying to protect exists in himself, not his students. Furthermore, it is not innocence either; it is ignorance and an inability to face harsh realities. His “protection” obscures important truths that the students, and he, will eventually have to face anyway.

We are taught more of the truth in school as we progress through the grades. We begin by learning “Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.” Later, we learn he is an Italian explorer employed by Spain. However, we continue to think of him as a wonderful man; we never learn about all the crimes he committed and the murders he conducted (he actually died disgraced by King Ferdinand). In other words, we merely begin to uncover the lies we were originally told. This will, unfortunately, continue throughout our lives, but, hopefully, we discover the truth when it's important and put it to good use and impart the truth whenever possible. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il5hwpdJMcg

Always Important

The rules of punctuation remain important even through changing times due to their abilities of preserving order and ensuring correct interpretation of text.

Punctuation can be extremely powerful, delivering an author’s message clearly and effectively, and adding style to literature. As Lewis Thomas says, each “mark seem(s) to carry (its) own subtle meaning.” A period is a forceful stop; a dash is a momentary diversion in subject (Source D). These marks all serve a particular purpose in writing—to create order. Without these “vital tools,” writing would be incomprehensible and “(appear) to the reader as a wild torrent” (Source E). Confusion is bound to ensue without the structure and rules of punctuation (Source B). Punctuation can change an author’s message drastically as well. The lack of just one Oxford comma can change JFK and Stalin from esteemed world leaders into exotic dancers. Likewise, the substitution of a colon for a comma could anger many feminists (Source F). As Hitchings says, “Rules for grammar and punctuation are vital for clear, effective and consistent communication” (Source A). In order to convey the intended message, one must be careful when using punctuation and follow the rules prescribed.

Marked

We are all marked. We are marked in the clothes that we wear, the words that we speak, the actions that we commit. But according to Deborah Tannen, men have the luxury of being able to choose to be unmarked and therefore escape the judgment that accompanies labels. Unfortunately, “There is No Unmarked Woman.”

Tannen points out the double standard that women face and how unfair this is. She says being marked is a distraction; people will focus more on the markings (like clothing, surnames, and titles) than the accomplishments and messages a marked person is trying to deliver. Because of this, men (who have the ability to dress in an unmarked fashion and are always “mister”) are able to concentrate better on their jobs etc. In contrast, any clothing a woman wears can be judged falsely/negatively and also hinder their completion of tasks at hand.

This bias that women face has been present for an eternity, even though it goes against the biological standpoint, which places men as the marked sex. So why are women marked and can this be changed? Unfortunately, it is already deeply ingrained in society and would be extremely difficult to eradicate. However, women can work their markings to their benefit. Like Hester Prynne, people can positively change the way in which they are viewed and change society’s perception of their markings. 

Adulterer to Able

            Hester Prynne was labeled as an adulterer. She was branded with a scarlet A to let everyone recognize her sins. The town and council marked her without knowing the complete truth; they did not even know the identity of her partner in crime. Though Hester did sin, perhaps she did not deserve a punishment this harsh, which would last for a lifetime.

            Hester worked hard to absolve herself of her guilt and pain. She could have ran away to where no one would know or recognize her or her crimes; however, she stayed and endured the shame, hoping to redeem herself. Hester was kind and caring. She made clothes for the poor, fed, and took care of them without any compensation but their scorn. Through her earnest efforts, she was eventually able to change others’ perception of her and the A changed from “adulterer” to “able.”

            Many people are labeled, often unfairly, taking into account only one specific trait while ignoring many other equally, if not more, important characteristics. The town identified Hester as an adulterer and perceived her as nothing more than her sins, disregarding her many other redeeming qualities. But Hester was able to show them her benevolence and slowly shed her former title, becoming “able” instead. By proving one’s strength of character, one can dissolve the social markers designated unto oneself.