"Speaking of Courage"

“Speaking of Courage” speaks of courage through a story that wouldn’t really be considered courageous yet having the “courage” to tell a story about a time you didn’t have it, is in fact “courage”. It explores the way that telling stories simultaneously recalls the pain of the war experience and allows soldiers to work through that pain after the war has ended. O’Brien and Bowker illustrate how speaking or not speaking about war experience affects characters. O’Brien and Bowker illustrate how speaking or not speaking about war experience affects characters. Through The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien moves beyond the horror of fighting in the Vietnam War to examine with sensitivity and insight the nature of courage and fear. The young men "carried the soldier's greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to. It was what had brought them to the war in the first place" (O'Brien 21). The soldiers did not go to war for glory or honor, but simply to avoid the "blush of dishonor" (21). In fact, O'Brien states "It was not courage, exactly; the object was not valor. Rather, they were too frightened to be cowards." The soldiers went to war because they were too scared of being scolded by the entire country for being too much of a coward to fight for their nation. Some of the soldiers were such cowards that they injured themselves just to be taken away in a helicopter and extracted from the war scene. The soldiers "spoke bitterly about guys who had found release by shooting off their own toes or fingers. Pussies, they'd say. Candy-asses" (22). However, deep down inside, the soldiers who did all the mocking "imagined...They carried the common secret of cowardice barely restrained, the instinct to run or freeze or hide, and in many respects this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down, it required perfect balance and perfect posture”. It's interesting that the soldiers' potential cowardice is a "common secret." It's something they all have, and that they know they all have, and that they know they all know that they have (lost yet?) – but they still don't talk about it. Their fear of weakness, be it physical or moral, is their "heaviest burden," and it's always on their minds. Another example includes the dialogue Lee had with Dave after his injury regarding his life. "Oh, Jesus," he said, and moaned, and tried to slide away and said, "Jesus, man, don't kill me." Lee and Dave initially had a big tough-guy pact that if one of them ever got a wheelchair wound, the other would put him out of his misery. But when Strunk does get a wheelchair wound, he chickens out. Whether or not this should be considered weakness on his part is up for debate, though. On the one hand, Strunk sounds kind of pathetic and weak – he's swearing and moaning and begging. On the other, of course he sounds pathetic and weak. His leg just got blown off! And maybe choosing to live with the disability is the choice that shows strength. In conclusion, Tim O’Brien does a good job of conveying what is courageous and what is not (with a few exceptions).

~Vietnam War~

The answer is quite simple - the war for the unification of Vietnam did not threaten the security of the U.S. or the Western world in any way. The same reason a lot oppose the current war in Iraq. Viet Nam was a civil war situation. The major factor keeping one side fighting was Americans had invaded. We made it worse by being there and it was costing American lives and it was an unwinnable war. In Iraq, it is fairly easy for foreign insurgents to recruit young people by fanning their hatred of the other side and of Americans. When we leave, there will be civil war or there will be peace. While we are there, only war. And it is costing American lives.Even though some soldiers might have been a feckless youth, they eventually matured into hard-working and responsible men. The movement against the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War began in the U.S. with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The U.S. became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. North Vietnam (and their allies), led by Ho Chi Minh. North Vietnam was a communist state which was something the USA opposed. When the North made sttempts to take over the South the USA felt it was their responsibility to move in and stop these moves. Ended up an unpopular and eventually faltering goal for the USA. According to international agreement, Vietnam was to be temporarily divided into north and south, with free elections to take place nationwide in 1956. Even before the French were out, the U.S. was moving in. Prior to Dien Bien Phu, the U.S. set up MAAG (Military Assistance and Advisory Group) consisting of 350 U.S. personnel operating in Saigon in support of the French. Between 1950 and 1954, the U.S. contributed over $3 billion to their French allies in the fight for Vietnam. By 1954, the U.S. contributions were providing 80% of the cost of the war. MAAG began to train a "nationalistic" Vietnamese force of a quarter of a million men. This force was largely made up of Vietnamese who had fought for the French.In result, it became ubiquitously known througout the world and not just those literally involved in battle.
"War is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes...How many millionaires ever shoulder a rifle?

"For a great many years as a soldier, I had the suspicion that war was a racket. Not until I retired did I fully realize it.

"I was," said Butler of his own role in Central American intervention, "nothing more than a gangster for Wall Street."

"If ____ was our Narrator" Nick the Narrator

~This is the version of my merely rewritten scene through Nick's narration from only chapter 5 on pages 86 and 87.

Gatsby, as his nervous hands stayed in his pocket to keep from how scared his actually was to Daisy, was reclining against the mantelpiece pretending to be at ease with absolute boredom. His head leaned back really far, in fact so far, it rested against the face of a useless clock, and from this jocular position, his frenetic eyes looked down at Daisy who sat, disheartened but graceful, on the edge of a stiff chair that represented the conversation perfectly.
"We've met before," muttered Gatsby failing to deliver credence in his voice which was expected of him.. His eyes glanced for a minute towards me, and his lips part attempting to laugh, but not really. Due to the awkward mood through silence in the room, it was relief when the clock tilted from the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it while his hands shook tremendously to put it back in place.
"I'm sorry about the clock," he said.
My own face was now assuming to burn turning all sorts of colors annoyed. I couldn't find at least one peaceful place in my mind .
"It's an old clock," I told them foolishly.
I think that is was clearly apparent of the condition of the clock that was now smashed into pieces on the floor.
"We haven't met for many years." said Daisy, her voice breaking the stone cold ice as much as she could ever.
"Five years next November."
The swiftness of Gatsby's answer to what was meant to be a conversation opening comment put us all back to square one for at least another minute. Just as soon as I got them both to stand up and desperately help me come make tea to take a crack at the awkward ice, Finn came in the room with it already on the tray!
However, I must say, the lack of communication between me and Finnwith the presence of cups & cakes, took a strain off of the physical comfort in everyone. That's when Gatsby's seclusion of himself from the conversation made him feel awkward and distant all over again as me and Daisy talked. So, for Gatsby's sake, I realized the whole purpose of this meeting which wasn't about me getting to know my cousin more,but set the scene for the two to rekindle their love and came up with the first possible excuse to leave the room.
"I'll be back."

Article Review: The Death of The American Dream

In a recent article from the year 2011 on both how and why the so called "American Dream" is dead makes total sense to me. However, I disagree with one point Walter Russell Mead makes regarding complete absence of the dream from declining of stocks to the second dip of double housing downturn we are currently facing. In my opinion, the "American Dream" is not dead, instead, it's dying. The fact that were are living IN the days of society's downfall doesn't yet make it apart of America's past if we are still in it. ".For eighty years we have defined the American dream as an owner occupied family home, preferably with a nice swathe of crabgrass-free lawn around it. The home mortgage was the centerpiece of a society of consumers based on debt-financed living...." This qoute implies and indicates the ways of life in a perception that's lasted several decades and is the opposite of today's housing marketing in which is slowly but surely deteriorating. As much as people tried to eschew the inevitable down spiraling of the U.S. Moreover, American housing policy has come to an dead end. We can no longer excite the economy successfully by motivating more and more citizens to take for granted higher levels of debt. The bad news has come at a bad time. The Baby Boomers, the least provident and most demanding generation in American history, are beginning to hit retirement. For decades, many Boomers comforted themselves with the illusion owning a home would provide them with the savings they would need in retirement. Now many of them haven’t paid off their mortgages and they not only don’t have a lot of equity left; in some cases they cannot afford to sell their depreciated homes. In relation to Jay Gatsby (also known as James Gatz) in the novel The Great Gatsby, he fell in love with the luxurious lifestyle with all America had to offer in the 1920s (which would be considered the "American Dream"). Jay Gatsby was unable to dissemble his feelings for not only Daisy,but this turning this his dream of wealth into reality not realizing the fallacies it with held.

Music Review: "Everything is Everything"

"Everything is everything
What is meant to be, will be
After winter, must come spring
Change, it comes eventually

This is one of the only songs I have heard that is true for almost everyone. Lauryn is singing about how you really can't change life. Life moves very slowly, so you have time to take it all in.

I wrote these words for everyone
Who struggles in their youth
Who won't accept deception
Instead of what is truth
It seems we lose the game,
Before we even start to play

Just about everyone has a confusing time figuring out who they are and how they got there. We think things are impossible but here she says nothing is impossible if you try. Play through to the end.

L. Boogie spars with stars and constellations
then came down for a little conversation
Adjacent to the king, fear no human being

Lauryn's nickname is L. Boogie. She is saying that she is a star. You can look at her self confidence and be inspired to look at yourself in a different way. You can look at yourself as the best person in the world. To other people you may not be, but to yourself you are a star." Without a doubt, Lauryn Hill's music is ageless and timeless.:)

Enjoy this music video by Paramore(I absolutely love them) even though it's a bit extra and not apart of my music review on Lauryn Hill=D.


Aside from these two songs I pointed out within the categories of true Hip-Hop and Rock, I enjoy all genres...seriously. I think that my ability to find talent in something no matter if I'm use to it or not comes from my open-mindness. It's also easy for me to fall in love with it. Alot of the music that I just know will never get old to me is mostly 90s music because I am a 90s baby:) and heard it growing up. From waltz music to techno, I like it all!! Here are JUST A FEW artists I adore with some of my favorite songs they've produced (if you haven't heard some of their majic already):
Snow Patrol-"You could be happy","Chasing cars"
Coldplay-"Fix you","Paradise","The scientist"
Erykah Badu-"Window seat","Love of my life","Honey"
Angie Stone-"Brotha"
Common-"I want you","The people"
Maxwell-"Pretty wings"
Goo goo dolls-"Iris","Slide"
Avril Lavigne-"Smile","When your gone"
Hilary Duff-"So yesterday"
One Republic,The Script,Maroon 5, Seven Nation Army
Rihanna-All songs
Digable Planet-"Im cool like dat"
Beyonce-All songs
Fefe Dobson-Stuttering
Pink,Desiree',LMAO,Pixie Lott
India Irie-All songs,Jill Scott-All songs
Queen Latifah-U.N.I.T.Y
Michael Jackson,Janet Jackson,Aretha Franklin
La Roux
Kirko Bangz-"In my cup"
Owl City,Katy Perry,Selena Gomez
Kimbra,Lyfe Jennings,Karina Pasian
Marsha A.,Jenniefer H.,Nas,Nicki Minaj,Bruno Mars
Wilson Phillips-"Hold on"
Bob Marley-All songs
Jamie Foxx,Drake,Lil wayne,Ice Cube,Tupac
Nivea-"Complicated''
Mary J.,Kanye,Ludachris, Chris Brown,Chrishan
Visoto Bosses,Luther Vandross,Jerimiah,Marvin Gaye
Big Sean,A.S.K. ME,Robin Thicke,Adam Lambert
Sade-"Soldier of Love","The sweetest taboo","Smooth Operator":)