Change of Mind: Shakespeare

Up until today, I assure you that Shakespeare was not at the top of my reading list. In fact, the thought of reading Shakespeare made me cringe. I'm more of an Ellen Hopkins or Nicholas Sparks fan. Literature from the 1500s was not in my comfort zone, even though I had a delightful stroll through Shakespeare's home in Stratford on Avon and listened intently to the guide's story of his life and writings last Christmas. However, when it came time to actually sitting down with his works, neither the tricky craft of Shakespearean language nor its "vintage" seemed appetizing. Don't get me wrong; I'm always up for a challenge. However, I certainly wasn't ready to believe that his works applied to my time period. There's just no way.

So, today, when Mr. Allen asked the class to plop out King Lear, I wasn't too cheerful. The thick, purple cover did not bring any warm feelings. Rather, I was irritated. Kings? Kingdoms? No thanks. As my classmates sang aloud the words of Shakespeare, I felt perplexed. I mixed up characters like Gloucester and Kent repeatedly, and I couldn't grasp what Shakespeare was saying behind his confusing vocabulary.

But soon enough, Mr. Allen interrupted the play. He explained the characters and their personalities, such as King Lear's ignorance. Suddenly, things clicked. No longer did Shakespeare feel out of my reach. Mr. Allen's analysis connected to my 21st century lifestyle. Characters like Goneril and her insincerity reminded me of many people that I've encountered. And finally, Shakespeare's puns made sense!

Now, it seems funny that I was so "anti-Shakespeare." The craft of his language only adds to the literature's greatness. While it might've taken a while to understand this, I'm thankful to Mr. Allen for helping me. I've learned that language is immortal, which is why Shakespeare still applies to today.

An Inconvenient Truth: Improper Word Choice

"Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." -Pearl Strachan

In my mind, word choice is crucial. It may seem like just a speck of life, but to me that tiny speck makes all the difference. Forgetting to leave out something like "please" or "thank you" leaves off a vibe that many do not appreciate. Or, the word "good" versus "phenomenal" rises emotions to a much higher occasion. Many of you have probably come across those examples before and understand the repercussions of misusing common words like them. So, I want to call attention to something more intricate; word choice regarding identity.

Whenever the topic of identity comes up, I find it tricky to handle. Is it even possible to generalize such a diverse world? I don't believe so. Therefore, I think that this question is the root of improper word choice. Since it's so challenging to place words that deal with identity in a specific category, they are easily confused with other adjectives.

For example, walking through the halls of GBN, I can assure you that you'll come across some intriguing conversations. The inconvenient thing about this is that you'll most likely hear words like "gay" or "retarded" more than once. Even more upsettingly, those words often aren't used correctly. They are used to describe things like exams or clothing. People throw around these offensive words without thought. In doing so, we've created a world that has no regards for offensive language and instead substitutes them for common language.

It vexes me that a modern, 21st century world still cannot understand the implications of improper word choice. However, I think that if we educate our society, this issue will be less of a problem. People are confused on how to address identity and therefore communicate inappropriately. I believe that this inconvenient truth can easily be turned around with awareness.

iMedia: Mindsets

Mindsets Video

As an avid volunteer in the Friendship Circle, I am a testament to the fact that this video is what peaked my interest in this incredible organization. As the video shows, the Friendship Circle is a miraculous program that allows teenagers around the word to help children with special needs. The posted video demonstrates all of my emotions towards the program, and provides a meaningful perspective on life.

This video is what I find to divide truth from perception in present society. The beginning of the clip portrays the ignorant world. It demonstrates the lack of understanding that many people have. It's hard for me to imagine this kind of world, but I recognize this inconvenient truth. I think that the reason this unfortunate world exists is because the lines between perception and truth are converged. In doing so, we've created a society that cannot discover truth, because perceptions distort those abilities.

Before this video, I'll admit that I was a part of the perception based society. I remember that I'd sit at the cafeteria in grade school and was afraid to go near the kids with special needs. It wasn't that I found the children to be problematic, but I thought that if I went near them, I'd do something wrong. It was hard for me to realize that I could be so ignorant about myself. I used to think that it was much easier to stay below the radar, and that my contributions could have no impact in the world. After watching this clip, I've realized that this isn't the case at all. My assistance in Friendship Circle helps make up my identity today.

The change that this video fostered matters to me because I now know how society can trick people. Without this video, I would probably still be trapped in our culture's cave. It's important to know that humans do have purposes, one of the most important being to help others. Thanks to Friendship Circle, I figured this out soon enough to feel that I've made a significant impact in our culture today. Now, every Sunday I travel to Highland Park to play with a boy that is hemiplegic. Working with him defines my idea of happiness and purpose.