Anyone with siblings know just how frustrating and infuriating they can be. Growing up I felt a lot of pressure to be as good as my two older sisters, and quite frankly still have to resist the feeling sometimes. When you have very high achieving siblings you can quickly feel like you are living in their shadows and that most achievements are just a "expectation". Fortunately neither of my older sisters have ever been the type to gloat or "rub" their achievements in my face so we do not really have ongoing conflicts. Sure we bicker sometimes and don't always get along but I think our sibling rivalries ended a long time ago when we realized we were different people and were all more than adequate.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Cain and Abel-Garrett Uebelhor
The story of Genesis 4 is one of rivalry and jealousy. Two brothers Cain and Abel ( the children of Adam and Eve) both sacrificed to God. The oldest son Cain tended soil while the younger son Abel tended to flocks of sheep. So naturally Cain offered some of his crops while Abel offered one of his firstborn sheep. The Lord looked favorable on Abel's offer but not on Cain's, this sparked jealously in Cain. God asked Cain why he was "pouting" and admonished him say if you did what was right would you not be accepted. This seemingly sparked even more jealousy in Cain because soon after while in a field Cain murders his brother Abel. Very displeased with Cain's actions God curses Cain to no longer be able to raise crops, however hearing this Cain decides it is to much to bear and leaves for the land of Nod exclaiming whoever finds him will kill him. After this exclamation God marks Cain in a way which protects him from harm saying that no one will murder him for fear out of suffering 7 times over.
Odysseus and The Trojan Horse- Ryan Collins
After 10 long years of siege, the Greeks finally hatched a scheme that would win them the war. They constructed a colossal wooden horse, a tribute to the the Trojan's most worshiped deity, Poseidon, and staged a surrender. The Trojan's rejoiced, and held a huge feast in honor of finally defeating their opponents. What the Trojan's didn't know was that hidden in the belly of the wooden steed sat a small group of Greek soldiers. In the middle of the night, the Greek's snuck out of the Trojan Horse, and opened the main gate, letting in the rest of the Greek army, and ransacking the great city of Troy.
Unlike the Greeks, I do not spend hours planning a tactical takedown of the city of Troy, instead, i chose to spend my time fantasizing about traveling back to Costa Rica. As a junior, I made the long trek to this tropical paradise, and stayed for a week. Ever since I yearn to be back in the clear ocean, to be eating the rich local foods, to be surfing before the sun rises. We stayed in a small surfing village that had no name, but was filled with lively, energetic locals whose names we will never forget. The only thing that would have made this trip my dream vacation was if i went with my life long best friend, Alex Reese. Together, we would take on all that Costa Rica has to offer, and have great time doing it.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse--Sofi Tzouanakis
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War, as told in Virgil's Latin epic poem The Aeneid. The events in this story from the Bronze Age took place after Homer's Iliad, and before his Odyssey. After a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of 30 men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greek army entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war.
Odysseus's story is an epic; it is unlikely even my wildest dream of a journey will compare to his, waxing glory and conquest every day. My dream journey a much more modest endeavor. At seventeen, my travel exploits reach far and wide, and I find topping each excursion more difficult the more I travel. I do not believe my dream journey requires an exotic destination, or copious amounts of money, or other extreme characteristics. I want my next journey to be long--ridiculously long. I've never been away from home for more than a couple months, and I've never been homesick. I feel the only aspect of travel that could truly push me out of my comfort zone is the product of time. I want to spend a year steeping myself in the culture of a place truly alien to me. I want to immerse myself in outer worldly experiences, not just for a couple days, but for months and years--until those outer worldly experiences become normalcy to me. I find purpose and enlightenment through experiencing different cultures, and finding the common bond between all humans. I feel the only way to see this common bond is to go and experience the culture firsthand, and to take the time to experience it until it is truly a part of you.
Odysseus's story is an epic; it is unlikely even my wildest dream of a journey will compare to his, waxing glory and conquest every day. My dream journey a much more modest endeavor. At seventeen, my travel exploits reach far and wide, and I find topping each excursion more difficult the more I travel. I do not believe my dream journey requires an exotic destination, or copious amounts of money, or other extreme characteristics. I want my next journey to be long--ridiculously long. I've never been away from home for more than a couple months, and I've never been homesick. I feel the only aspect of travel that could truly push me out of my comfort zone is the product of time. I want to spend a year steeping myself in the culture of a place truly alien to me. I want to immerse myself in outer worldly experiences, not just for a couple days, but for months and years--until those outer worldly experiences become normalcy to me. I find purpose and enlightenment through experiencing different cultures, and finding the common bond between all humans. I feel the only way to see this common bond is to go and experience the culture firsthand, and to take the time to experience it until it is truly a part of you.
"Trojan Horse." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. <http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Trojan_Horse.html>.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse- Brittany Graul
The Greeks
had been battling the Trojans in the Trojan War for 10 years when a Greek
general, Odysseus, came up with an idea. He schemed to build a massive,
hollowed-out horse that the Greeks would place at the gates of Troy and then
make the Trojans believe that the Greeks had left. One Greek soldier remained
outside of the horse to tell the Trojans that the Greeks had indeed deserted. However,
many Greeks actually hid inside of the horse and when the Trojans brought the
horse into the city walls, the Greeks later emerged and massacred the
Trojans, winning the Trojan War.
My idea of an adventure or
magnificent journey is not to lay siege to an entire city, but rather, something far tamer. What I would find truly enchanting would be to travel across the world and
visit as many of the famous libraries that I could, like
the Bodleian Library in Oxford or the Vatican Library to name a couple. Since libraries are a
universal concept, that would also allow me to travel the globe and visit many
different countries. The beautiful part about this would be that some of these
libraries in Europe and South America and Asia were made hundreds of years ago,
so not only are their literary collections astonishing, but the varying ancient
architecture is breathtaking as well. I feel that beyond that it could be a
culturally enriching experience; I've always believed that sometimes more than
anything, books and art can give a deeper insight into a culture that you wouldn't otherwise receive, which is why a trip like this one would ultimately be the most rewarding.
“History of
the Trojan War.” History of the Trojan
War. N.p. n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014
<https://web.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html> Cain and Abel -- David Stevens
The story of Cain and Abel is that of the first brothers on
Earth. Cain was the first-born son of Adam and Eve, and he became a farmer. Eve
later begat another son, Abel, who herded sheep. At one point, both of the
brothers brought a sacrifice to God—but while Cain only offered some ordinary
grain to the Lord, Abel slaughtered one of his fattest sheep. Thus, the Lord
had respect for Abel, and He had none at all for Cain. Because of his brother’s
success, Cain grew resentful and slew Abel in the field. With the dubious
distinction of the world’s first murder, Cain was marked by God and then exiled
from the Garden of Eden to wander the land of Nod.
I was—depending on your perspective—either blessed or cursed to
grow up with three siblings: all sisters, all older than me. Personally, I
wouldn’t have it any other way. Constantly in my adolescence I was buoyed by
their optimism and educated by their experience. Holidays, weddings and other
family events became indelible memories because of my sisters’ joie de vivre. I also gained these
benefits without enduring much sibling rivalry, due to the wide age range
between us; my youngest sister is five years my senior. Since they moved out to
seek the Great Perhaps, I have had the only-child experience, and, for me, it
does not compare.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse - Kyle Luo
The Trojan War was a long and bloody war fought by the Greeks and the Trojans that raged on for a decade. In the last year of the war, the Greeks offered the Trojans a wooden horse which they took into Troy. As the Trojans celebrated what seemed to be a victory over the Greeks, Greek soldiers hidden inside the wooden horse surprised the Trojans and (led by Odysseus) routed the Trojans. After they destroyed Troy, Odysseus and his men embarked on their journey back to Greece, along which they encountered a wide variety of obstacles.
I think a dream journey for me would be to fly around the countryside in a hot air balloon cause they're a pretty dope contraption and a unique way of transportation. I think it'd be even greater if I could fly in a hot air balloon over the New Zealand countryside and be able to appreciate the quaint feel and the large number of sheep.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse
It’s the Trojan Wars between the Greeks and the Trojans. The Trojans are protected in the walled city of Troy. Odysseus makes a plan to invade the walled city of Troy. Odysseus plans on building a giant horse of wood that all but one person will hide inside. When the Trojans bring the horse inside the Greeks were to jump out and attack the Trojans in their walled city. The Greeks agree on Odysseus’ idea and build the giant horse. They leave one man out of the horse who acts as a traitor to the Greek military and states that the Greek army left it there as a gift and that the Trojans should take it into their castle in order to please the gods. The Trojans bring in the horse and celebrate immensely. Since the Trojans were drunk from celebrating it made it easy for the hidden Greek soldiers to massacre the soldiers and enslave the women and children.
My dream journey would be to anywhere tropical, I love the climate of tropical areas and I likee being able to observe new nature that you don't see everyday. I would definitely want to go to somewhere that spanish is their first language so I could study it throughout my time there. I went to Cozumel, Mexico on a cruise and it was one of the best experiences that I've ever had and I'd love to do it again!
My dream journey would be to anywhere tropical, I love the climate of tropical areas and I likee being able to observe new nature that you don't see everyday. I would definitely want to go to somewhere that spanish is their first language so I could study it throughout my time there. I went to Cozumel, Mexico on a cruise and it was one of the best experiences that I've ever had and I'd love to do it again!
Cain and Abel - Hans Stromberg
The story of Cain and Abel is a biblical story about jealousy and envy. Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve who were banished from the Garden of Eden. Cain made produce and offered it to God, but God preferred Abel's lamb. Due to this, Cain asked Abel to go out to the fields where Cain struck Abel with a rock killing him.
I have three older sisters who I have always gotten along with for the most part. They are all off at college now so I don't see them as much, but when we were little they would never play with me because I would want to go play football or basketball outside. Unfortunately for me, I had three sisters who would rather not hoop with their younger brother so I made due by making friends and playing with basketball with them. Considering these were the worst of my problems my conflicts with my siblings were almost nonexistent. I am also always compared to them by teachers (especially in middle school) which kind of annoyed me. I would always walk in the first day of school and the teacher would read roll call and get to my last name and say, "o, you are a Stromberg?". I would just nod my head and secretly glare at the teacher. Fortunately, I lived up to the standard that is a Stromberg. The worst thing about having three older sisters is that they always relate to one another while I have no idea about what they are talking about, but all in all we are family and get along with each other.
I have three older sisters who I have always gotten along with for the most part. They are all off at college now so I don't see them as much, but when we were little they would never play with me because I would want to go play football or basketball outside. Unfortunately for me, I had three sisters who would rather not hoop with their younger brother so I made due by making friends and playing with basketball with them. Considering these were the worst of my problems my conflicts with my siblings were almost nonexistent. I am also always compared to them by teachers (especially in middle school) which kind of annoyed me. I would always walk in the first day of school and the teacher would read roll call and get to my last name and say, "o, you are a Stromberg?". I would just nod my head and secretly glare at the teacher. Fortunately, I lived up to the standard that is a Stromberg. The worst thing about having three older sisters is that they always relate to one another while I have no idea about what they are talking about, but all in all we are family and get along with each other.
Odysseus and the Fall of Troy- Andy Hoyt
The story of Odysseus and the fall of Troy is one of the most well known tales of all time. Odysseus, a Greek commander, and his army were besieging the city of Troy, but seemed to be making no progress. Odysseus finally came up with the idea forever after known as "The Trojan Horse". The Greeks would build a giant wooden horse as a sign of peace and give it to the Trojans, but the entire Greek army (minus one guy to present the horse) would be hiding inside. Once they had brought it inside the walls of the city the Greeks would wait until the Trojans lowered their guard and take the city from the inside. The plan worked perfectly, and the Greeks took Troy.
Over the summer I visited Norway with my family to see the land of our ancestors. While there I witnessed the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen in my life. Only a few days before we left I learned of the most wonderful law ever created by humankind. In Norway you can camp anywhere you want as long as it is 50 meters away from a building. Ever since I learned of this simple rule my dream journey has been to backpack across Norway. I would most likely travel from south to north, beginning in the early spring while it is still cool, and traveling towards the Arctic Circle as it warms up. I would travel from the port f the capital city Oslo, to the largest northern city Trondheim. From here I would sail through the scattered fjords and islands into the Arctic Circle, sleeping under the Northern Lights every night. I would continue into the cold northern waters, following the coast until I reached Sweden and finally Finland, where my Journey would end, in a grassy Finnish valley, surrounded by sheep and barley fields.
Over the summer I visited Norway with my family to see the land of our ancestors. While there I witnessed the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen in my life. Only a few days before we left I learned of the most wonderful law ever created by humankind. In Norway you can camp anywhere you want as long as it is 50 meters away from a building. Ever since I learned of this simple rule my dream journey has been to backpack across Norway. I would most likely travel from south to north, beginning in the early spring while it is still cool, and traveling towards the Arctic Circle as it warms up. I would travel from the port f the capital city Oslo, to the largest northern city Trondheim. From here I would sail through the scattered fjords and islands into the Arctic Circle, sleeping under the Northern Lights every night. I would continue into the cold northern waters, following the coast until I reached Sweden and finally Finland, where my Journey would end, in a grassy Finnish valley, surrounded by sheep and barley fields.
Cain and Abel Schuler Ravencraft
Cain and Abel are the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was in charge of farming while Abel was in charge of the herding. Adam and Eve told Cain and Abel to sacrifice a lamb to God to show them how grateful they were and how sorry they were for their sins. Abel wanted to sacrifice something special to God, picking out his best lamb. Cain didn't understand why Abel would give up his best lamb and instead decided to sacrifice some extra straw he had. God ended up favoring Abel which angered Cain. Cain ended up killing his brother. This was the first murder. God became angered and cursed Cain so he could no longer easily grow crops and made sure that Cain could never be harmed and would have to continue living in misery.
"The Story of Cain and Abel." DLTK. DLTK's Site, 1 Jan. 1998. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://www.dltk-bible.com/genesis/chapter4-cv1.htm>.
I can proudly say I have never had a problem with sibling rivalry.... probably because I don't actually have one. That is one of the plus sides about being an only child. I have no competition, no expectations and no high standards. I've never had to fight for attention (even though sometimes I wish I was given less), I've never had to share my stuff and I've never had to worry about one upping someone. Sometimes I wished that I had someone to play with when I was younger or talk to when I was bored. However I have witnessed sibling rivalry among my friends it made me want one less and less. I've watched fights break out over who is smarter, who has more friends or even who gets the last piece of cake. Sibling rivalry is not an experience I'm upset I have missed out on.
"The Story of Cain and Abel." DLTK. DLTK's Site, 1 Jan. 1998. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://www.dltk-bible.com/genesis/chapter4-cv1.htm>.
I can proudly say I have never had a problem with sibling rivalry.... probably because I don't actually have one. That is one of the plus sides about being an only child. I have no competition, no expectations and no high standards. I've never had to fight for attention (even though sometimes I wish I was given less), I've never had to share my stuff and I've never had to worry about one upping someone. Sometimes I wished that I had someone to play with when I was younger or talk to when I was bored. However I have witnessed sibling rivalry among my friends it made me want one less and less. I've watched fights break out over who is smarter, who has more friends or even who gets the last piece of cake. Sibling rivalry is not an experience I'm upset I have missed out on.
Cain and Abel - Megan Woodrum
Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve, and also the two men involved in the first murder: Cain the murdered and Abel the victim. Cain became jealous of the recognition that Abel was getting for his lambs from God. The jealousy drove him to ask his brother to go off with him into the fields, where he attacked him and killed his brother.
I have one brother and one sister, we're all very close in age. Growing up we were on okay terms but there were always our little rivalries. My brother enjoyed picking on me and my sister, me especially, he would tease and actually physically beat us up. My mom said his pestering was his "way of showing he loves me", but it honestly just made me completely miserable. Me and my sister were close until she got into middle school and thought she was too old for me (she got over it). She would never play with me or let me hang with her or her friends.
I have one brother and one sister, we're all very close in age. Growing up we were on okay terms but there were always our little rivalries. My brother enjoyed picking on me and my sister, me especially, he would tease and actually physically beat us up. My mom said his pestering was his "way of showing he loves me", but it honestly just made me completely miserable. Me and my sister were close until she got into middle school and thought she was too old for me (she got over it). She would never play with me or let me hang with her or her friends.
Cain and Abel - Alexander Reese
Cain and Abel is the story of two brothers who make a sacrifice to God. Cain is a farmer and offers God his produce, but Abel is a shepherd and offers God his fattest sheep as a sacrifice. God is pleased with Abel and is not impressed by Cain's, which enrages Cain so much that he kills Abel with a stone. After that Cain is banished from the Garden of Eden.
I can't say I've really had much of a large conflict with my sibling. We pretty much keep to our own. However, because I have a sibling, I often get compared to him which is just plain awful. Let's be real here, he will never be able to compete with my beautiful blond hair, witty sense of humor and charmingly good looks. And before anyone says anything, WE DO NOT LOOK THE SAME. It seems like every day, somebody tells me how they think my brother is funny and how I'm just like him which kills me on the inside. As the older brother in this situation, being compared to your younger sibling is terrible; you're expected to be better at everything and when you aren't better it just makes it that much worse. What irritates me more than anything is when my parents tell me about how smart he is or how good of a job he did on something.
I can't say I've really had much of a large conflict with my sibling. We pretty much keep to our own. However, because I have a sibling, I often get compared to him which is just plain awful. Let's be real here, he will never be able to compete with my beautiful blond hair, witty sense of humor and charmingly good looks. And before anyone says anything, WE DO NOT LOOK THE SAME. It seems like every day, somebody tells me how they think my brother is funny and how I'm just like him which kills me on the inside. As the older brother in this situation, being compared to your younger sibling is terrible; you're expected to be better at everything and when you aren't better it just makes it that much worse. What irritates me more than anything is when my parents tell me about how smart he is or how good of a job he did on something.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse-Wes Grigsby
Odysseus (a Greek) is trying to win a war against the Trojans. He tells all the Greeks to pretend to surrender by sailing home. The Greeks build a huge, wooden horse and leave it near Troy. Odysseus and his men hide inside the wooden horse. The Trojans believe it is a gift and take into the city. At night, the Greeks sneak out of the wooden horse and slaughter the Trojans. The Greeks win the Trojan War.
My dream plan or journey would be anywhere really. It could be a place with beaches. It could be a place with trees. It could be a place with dirt. It could be a place with rocks. It could be a place with bugs. It could be a place with grass. It could be a place in space. It could be a place in America. It could be a place in India. It could be a place in Australia. It could be a place in China. It could be in a place in Japan. It could be a place in Canada. It could be a place in Mexico. It could be a place in North America. It could be a place in South America. It could be a place in Europe. It could be a place in Asia. It could be a place in Africa. It could be a place in Antarctica.
My dream plan or journey would be anywhere really. It could be a place with beaches. It could be a place with trees. It could be a place with dirt. It could be a place with rocks. It could be a place with bugs. It could be a place with grass. It could be a place in space. It could be a place in America. It could be a place in India. It could be a place in Australia. It could be a place in China. It could be in a place in Japan. It could be a place in Canada. It could be a place in Mexico. It could be a place in North America. It could be a place in South America. It could be a place in Europe. It could be a place in Asia. It could be a place in Africa. It could be a place in Antarctica.
Cain & Abel- Chelsea Southworth
Adam and Eve, the Biblical first humans, made love and had two sons: firstborn Cain and his brother Abel; Cain was a farmer while Abel tended to the sheep. When the time came to make offerings to the Lord, Cain brought some vegetables while Abel offered the best meat from his firstborn lambs. God favored Abel's gift, but didn't really care for Cain's. God asked Cain why he was angry, and warned him against imminent sin. Cain took his brother out into a field and promptly killed him. The Lord was understandably displeased with Cain, and cursed him to wander the earth forever. He did, however, give Cain a mark that would stop others from killing him. Cain went on to father many generations of important men, including one named Lamech who had two wives, Adah and Zillah. Adam and Eve, at that point, produced another child who they named Seth.
The reason I started working on this blog in the first place was because of sibling conflict. You see, I needed to use the computer -- like, really needed to use it; my research poster for a big fancy conference was due the next morning and, since I never bought Office for my Mac, I needed to use the computer to finish it. My sister, however, insisted that she also needed the computer to finish a project for Colonel Brown. In the end we worked it out (I had to let her use the desktop computer, so I started blogging), but those were a tense ten minutes. Sibling relationships seem to be like that -- moments of frustration and conflict punctuating a general camaraderie. My little sister and I can bake cookies, poorly dance around the living room, marathon TV shows on illegal websites, hate each other for a little while, and then go right back to the couch to finish our episode. Whoever coined the term "love-hate relationship" clearly had a little sibling.
The reason I started working on this blog in the first place was because of sibling conflict. You see, I needed to use the computer -- like, really needed to use it; my research poster for a big fancy conference was due the next morning and, since I never bought Office for my Mac, I needed to use the computer to finish it. My sister, however, insisted that she also needed the computer to finish a project for Colonel Brown. In the end we worked it out (I had to let her use the desktop computer, so I started blogging), but those were a tense ten minutes. Sibling relationships seem to be like that -- moments of frustration and conflict punctuating a general camaraderie. My little sister and I can bake cookies, poorly dance around the living room, marathon TV shows on illegal websites, hate each other for a little while, and then go right back to the couch to finish our episode. Whoever coined the term "love-hate relationship" clearly had a little sibling.
Cain and Abel-- Siobhan O'Neill
After Adam and Eve were forced out of the Garden of Eden they began having children. Their two children's names were Cain and Abel. Cain grew up to be a farmer and Abel a Shepherd. When it was time to give offerings to God, Cain offered fruit ad Abel offered fat from some of his first born sheep. God favored Abel's gift and because of that Cain was infested with jealousy and anger. God warned Cain not to do anything rash to his brother but he refused to listen. He invited his brother into the fields where he murdered him. God's punishment to Cain was to drive him away from his people.
My sister and I haven't had a terrible conflict for about three years. Ever since she moved out of the house to go to school in Georgia, nothing has really arisen to fight about. Although before then, it was quite obvious that every single conflict and I mean every single one had originated from borrowing each others clothes. If you are not a girl and do not have an older sister or a younger one you probably have no idea what I am talking about. You may think its just clothing, whats the big deal? What is there to even fight about? Well let me enlighten you. It starts with borrowing clothes without asking, say I took a shirt from my sisters closet and then she later discovered that I had done that without asking. Next thing you know she is yelling at my from down the hall in her room and sneaking into my room once I'm asleep to steal clothes without me knowing. Strategy is involved. When will my sister be out of the house? can I steal these pants and wear them to school without her finding out? Although the arguments have become heated I've never thought about killing her...
"Cain and Abel: Bible Story Summary." What Christians Want To Know RSS. Web. 1 Oct. 2014.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse - Caty Beth
The Trojan war had been going on for 10 years when the Greeks
decided to set a trap for the Trojans. They made a wooden horse and hid all of
the ships and soldiers. The Trojans thought that the Greeks had finally given
up, and were just giving an offering/sacrifice to Athena, so they took the
horse into their walls, and had a celebration. There were, in fact, men inside
of the wooden horse, and when the Trojans were not paying attention, the Greeks
climbed out of the secret door that Odysseus had made in the horse, and
destroyed the city, winning the war.
I don’t really have a "dream journey" like others
might, but I would definitely love to visit a country in need, and do mission
work. I spend at least two weeks every summer with my youth group,
volunteering. One week we go to the mountains and help chaperone elementary
kids while camping, and then the other week, we go to a different state
(usually) and volunteer in the community there. I have always loved doing that
and would love to go to a totally
different country, even a different culture to see how they could use my help.
Gill, N. S. "Read
About the Story Behind the Trojan War." About. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse-- Haley Longworth
Odysseus' idea to build the Trojan horse came during the war between the Greeks and the Trojans, which was caused by the kidnapping of Helen- the Queen of Sparta. He proposed the idea to help the Greeks invade the city of Troy that was protecting the Trojan warriors. The horse held all the Greek soldiers except one, whose job was to tell the Trojans that the horse was a peace offering from the Greeks so that they could enter the city secretly. During the Trojan celebrations the Greeks departed the horse and went on to easily destroy the city of Troy and the Trojan army, because they were totally unprepared for the surprise attack, and were not in the proper state of mind to fight back due to the celebrations.
"Was Odysseus the One Who Planned the Trojan Horse, in the Trojan War?" CliffsNotes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/literature/was-odysseus-the-one-who-planned-the-trojan-horse-in-the-trojan-war>.
My dream journey would have to be to travel the world. I don't see the point in staying in one place your whole life when there is a world out there that is meant for exploring. I see great importance in experiencing and observing how people around the world live, no matter how different or similar their culture is compared to America's. Life is short and we only get to live life on this Earth once, so during my time on our planet I hope to travel and see the beautiful people and landscapes that are here at this moment. The places I most want to visit are Australia, France, the Bahamas, Hawaii, England, but also many others as well! Another part of my dream journey would be to find a career that I will enjoy my entire life. Currently I feel a lot of pressure to determine the college major I want to pursue, but I know I have time to figure it out. I just hope that future me will make a good choice. :)
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse- Maranda Gaines
During the Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans,
Odysseus creates a master plan to defeat the Trojans. His idea is to create a
giant wooden horse that all of the Greek soldiers will hide in except for one.
The Greeks create the horse and hide inside while the one man left out pretends
to be a traitor to the Greeks. He convinces the Trojans that the Greeks left
the horse as a gift to the gods and that the Trojans should steal it. The
Trojans take the horse filled of soldiers into their castle and celebrate their
believed victory. The drunken Trojan soldiers are caught off guard when the
Greeks attack from the inside and are now easily defeated. Odysseus’s plan was
a success.
http://faculty.asd.wednet.edu/~asmithson/odysseus.htm
http://faculty.asd.wednet.edu/~asmithson/odysseus.htm
My dream plan or journey is far less of a massacre than that
of Odysseus’s. In my dream journey, I would travel to an island, maybe in the Caribbean’s,
all on my own, starting with only the clothes I wear on my body. I would get
there by car, plane, and/or boat with whatever money I could earn along the
trip. Once there I would live off the land and become a fully raw vegan and
have pure little vegan babies with my yoga and nature loving islander man that
I fall in love with. We live happily ever after :)
Odysseus & the Trojan Horse - Jacquelyn Engel
There once was a city, Troy. It was
a grand city built with 20 foot walls that provided an outstanding defense and security. It resided across the sea from Sparta and
maintained cordial relationships with the other Greek city-states, but over
time attitudes changed. Greece wanted to conquer Troy, but because of Troy’s
high walls, it was difficult to achieve. The Greeks nearly succumbed to their
plan since they could not conjure up an idea, but the Greek general, Odysseus,
had a cunning idea. His idea was to give a gift to the Trojans. The gift would
be a huge, hollow, wooden horse where the Greek military would hide inside of
it, but this gift was a ploy to hoax the Trojans into thinking that the Greeks
gave it as a symbol of defeat. The Trojans willingly accepted this gift and
brought it into their city and celebrated all night. When all the Trojans fell
asleep, the Greeks attacked, and this ended the Trojan War and ultimately the
Trojans.
Once on a plane, the passenger next
to me seemed like an average business man. He carried a messenger bag, wore a
collared shirt, and wore glasses. Little did I know, he was commencing his
journey. He was backpacking on the coast of the Mediterranean and visiting the
different tribes or communities that lived there. I’m not sure what
specifically he was doing since it was so long ago, but he was for sure
backpacking on the Mediterranean coast. The idea immediately captivated my
interest, and I wish to complete a journey like that. I believe it would be a
very cool and rewarding experience. I know there are many tours that hike
across Western Europe, and one day I would like to do that. But I also want to
do more than that. I would love to immerse myself in a different country,
community, and culture and in particular help them. I think that participating
in the Peace Corps would be the ultimate experience and journey. If I was able
to join the Peace Corps, I think that it would be a rough adjustment but the
reward in the end triumphs it. Overall, I want to travel all over the world
because the many different cultures intrigue me.
Cain and Abel-Gibbs McKinley
The story of Cain and Abel began with their birth-they were the first two children ever born, with their mother being Eve. Cain worked the land and Abel kept herds of animals. When they offered sacrifices of each of their products to God, he favored Abel and his offering over Cain and his. This made Cain furious with Abel, and incredibly jealous. In revenge, Cain took Abel out into his fields and killed him. He was the first man to die. When God discovered what Cain had done, he was enraged, and declared that the land would no longer yield crops so easily to Cain; he also placed a mark upon Cain that made it so any man who harmed Cain would have his violence returned 7-fold. This way, Cain could never escape his misery as a wanderer and he would remain an outcast.
Sibling rivalry is an area of expertise for me; I have two younger sisters, and we are intensely competitive. My relationship with my fifteen year old sister is particularly intense, as we share many of our activities. We both play soccer, and for the past two years have been trying out for the same high school team. Rivalry this personal and constant can sometimes be hard to deal with-it can be difficult to not let the competition affect our sisterly relationship. Our constant proximity also increases the rivalry; we share a room, and seem to constantly be at war. From how the room is kept up, to how we organize the closet, we are constantly debating whose way is better, which way is more effective, who is the more correct. We also have a social rivalry, though it is certainly more frivolous. Clara has many more followers on social media; though this is no concern now, in middle school it was a matter of pride for me. How could my 2 years younger sister manage to be more popular than me? I realize now that this was ridiculous, but at the time it only increased my sense of rivalry. Siblings will always be competitive; from who hold the affection of parents to who is more successful. The key to a relatively healthy relationship is to not let jealously overtake familial love, as Cain did.
Sibling rivalry is an area of expertise for me; I have two younger sisters, and we are intensely competitive. My relationship with my fifteen year old sister is particularly intense, as we share many of our activities. We both play soccer, and for the past two years have been trying out for the same high school team. Rivalry this personal and constant can sometimes be hard to deal with-it can be difficult to not let the competition affect our sisterly relationship. Our constant proximity also increases the rivalry; we share a room, and seem to constantly be at war. From how the room is kept up, to how we organize the closet, we are constantly debating whose way is better, which way is more effective, who is the more correct. We also have a social rivalry, though it is certainly more frivolous. Clara has many more followers on social media; though this is no concern now, in middle school it was a matter of pride for me. How could my 2 years younger sister manage to be more popular than me? I realize now that this was ridiculous, but at the time it only increased my sense of rivalry. Siblings will always be competitive; from who hold the affection of parents to who is more successful. The key to a relatively healthy relationship is to not let jealously overtake familial love, as Cain did.
Odysseus and the Trojan horse - Katy Estes
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse is about the Greek and Trojan war. The Trojans were kept safe in their city by their city walls. Odysseus, recognizing this challenge, came up with an idea to surprise the Trojans and attack them while they were ill-prepared. The Greeks listened to Odysseus and built a giant wooden horse, which was then given to the Trojans as a gift. What the Trojans didn't know was that many Greek soldiers were hiding in the stomach of the wooden horse, waiting to jump out and attack the Trojans when they least expected it. Because the Trojans were celebrating and off guard, it was very easy for the Greeks to overpower them and kill the soldiers as well as enslaving women and children.
I do not hold the same aspirations as Odysseus to attack and kill a city, but I do hold a wish to travel as Odysseus did. Not condoning his ten year journey home, I simply want to be able to discover more places around the world than the few I have come across. I have only been out of the country twice (both to Mexico), but I want that to change. I would love to go to Australia. I understand you have to spend about a day on a plane, but I personally love flying. Planes are so fascinating to me: how they work, how they take off, how they land. I would love to be able to go to Australia and see the wild life that resides "down under." Ever since I saw the movie "Kangaroo Jack" in middle school I fell in love with the idea of visiting Australia, or really any foreign country, and being able to merge yourself in the wildlife so completely.
Outside of Australia, I also would like to see Europe. Italy, France, Germany, etc. I want to be able to say one day that I was able to see the ancient ruins of Rome as well as taste real Italian pasta (my favorite food). Seeing the Eiffel Tower as well as Big Ben are things on my bucket list that just need to be crossed off.
I am always impressed when I learn where all people have traveled. I want to one day surprise and impress others too.
I do not hold the same aspirations as Odysseus to attack and kill a city, but I do hold a wish to travel as Odysseus did. Not condoning his ten year journey home, I simply want to be able to discover more places around the world than the few I have come across. I have only been out of the country twice (both to Mexico), but I want that to change. I would love to go to Australia. I understand you have to spend about a day on a plane, but I personally love flying. Planes are so fascinating to me: how they work, how they take off, how they land. I would love to be able to go to Australia and see the wild life that resides "down under." Ever since I saw the movie "Kangaroo Jack" in middle school I fell in love with the idea of visiting Australia, or really any foreign country, and being able to merge yourself in the wildlife so completely.
Outside of Australia, I also would like to see Europe. Italy, France, Germany, etc. I want to be able to say one day that I was able to see the ancient ruins of Rome as well as taste real Italian pasta (my favorite food). Seeing the Eiffel Tower as well as Big Ben are things on my bucket list that just need to be crossed off.
I am always impressed when I learn where all people have traveled. I want to one day surprise and impress others too.
Cain and Abel - Jonathan Tungate
In short, Cain and Abel is the story of two brothers, the sons of Adam and Eve after they are sent into the world. Abel kept the livestock, and Cain worked the land. In an offering to god, Cain sacrificed a portion of his crops, while Abel gave his fattest sheep. God was most pleased with Abel's offering, and this angered Cain, and he killed Abel. Cain is exiled by god, but wanders the land east of Eden where he has a child named Enoch, and Cain named his new founded city after his son. Adam and Eve have another child named Seth to replace the one that died.
I think all of us with siblings can relate to Cain in a way. While this fable shows an extreme side of sibling rivalry, it's something that we experience when having to live with brothers and sisters. This is very similar to the story of the founding of Rome, where Romulus slew his brother Remus over a petty squabble. Conflict between siblings reaches back very far, and isn't that much different now. Being the oldest of two much younger brothers myself, I can absolutely understand that anger towards a sibling when you feel you are being unfairly treated in comparison. But sometimes it's just not fair, and you need to get over that because nothing in life is going to be fair, and you'd better get used to it now rather than later. If he had been able to control his anger, Cain should of not chosen to kill his brother, but instead not worry about the competition and do what he needed to do to maintain the relationship. When you have to live together with you're family it's more important to worry about working together than sibling rivalry.
"Genesis 4. The Holy Bible: King James Version." Genesis 4. The Holy Bible: King James Version. The American Bible Society. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
I think all of us with siblings can relate to Cain in a way. While this fable shows an extreme side of sibling rivalry, it's something that we experience when having to live with brothers and sisters. This is very similar to the story of the founding of Rome, where Romulus slew his brother Remus over a petty squabble. Conflict between siblings reaches back very far, and isn't that much different now. Being the oldest of two much younger brothers myself, I can absolutely understand that anger towards a sibling when you feel you are being unfairly treated in comparison. But sometimes it's just not fair, and you need to get over that because nothing in life is going to be fair, and you'd better get used to it now rather than later. If he had been able to control his anger, Cain should of not chosen to kill his brother, but instead not worry about the competition and do what he needed to do to maintain the relationship. When you have to live together with you're family it's more important to worry about working together than sibling rivalry.
"Genesis 4. The Holy Bible: King James Version." Genesis 4. The Holy Bible: King James Version. The American Bible Society. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
poetry blog 2 daniel horne
For the Fallen
Laurence Binyon
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
"England mourns for her dead across the sea" is an example of the first stage of the elegy lament.
"They went with songs to the battle, they were young," is an example of the second stage of the elegy praise and admiration.
"As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust," is an example of the third stage of the elegy consolation and solace.
This poem is a traditional elegy because you can see the three parts of an elegy.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Elegy--Sofi Tzouanakis
How It Is
Shall I say how it is in your clothes?
A month after your death I wear your blue jacket.
The dog at the center of my life recognizes
you’ve come to visit, he’s ecstatic.
In the left pocket, a hole.
In the right, a parking ticket
delivered up last August on Bay State Road.
In my heart, a scatter like milkweed,
a flinging from the pods of the soul.
My skin presses your old outline.
It is hot and dry inside.
I think of the last day of your life,
old friend, how I would unwind it, paste
it together in a different collage,
back from the death car idling in the garage,
back up the stairs, your praying hands unlaced,
reassembling the bits of bread and tuna fish
into a ceremony of sandwich,
running the home movie backward to a space
we could be easy in, a kitchen place
with vodka and ice, our words like living meat.
Dear friend, you have excited crowds
with your example. They swell
like wine bags, straining at your seams.
I will be years gathering up our words,
fishing out letters, snapshots, stains,
leaning my ribs against this durable cloth
Kumin is a poet referred to as the "Roberta Frost", due to her attention to New England rural life and her masterful control of emotional subjects--the order that a human can impose on the chaos of his emotions and the chaos of events. Her renowned style is represented well in the above poem, "How It Is". It's homely quality and composed style live up to her epithet well, but through the schooled writing readers are sobered by the raw melancholy of the elegy. The three classical elements--lament, praise, and solace--are all given fair representation in this poem on wearing the blue-collar jean jacket of someone who was deeply loved.
Lament begins this poem, the author stuck on past memories with the owner of the jean jacket. "In the right, a parking ticket delivered up last August on Bay State Road." They continue to reflect on the jacket, which retains the previous wearer's "old outline", among other old memories which prevent the author from moving on from the grief caused by the beloved owner of the jacket.
Praise comes to replace lament in the middle portion of the elegy. Our author romanticizes the jacket owner's actions, no matter their significance. The subject makes even "a ceremony of a sandwich" in the author's mind, speaking to the idealizing aspect of elegies. This " dear friend" of the author has excited crowds, making them "swell like wine bags" at the friend's example. The owner of the jacket was not only adored by the author, but also the community they were a part of. These words also hold contempt, though; the author's contempt for the people who pretend they understand the grief the author holds from this loss.
Solace sweeps over praise and finalizes the elegy. The author tells us that they will be "years gathering up our words"--piecing together the real memories of the friendship, possibly giving some closure to our grieving narrator. By the end, our narrator dons the "dumb blue blazer" as they did at the beginning, resentful of the wearer's passing, but accepting of its happening and embodying the qualities of the person passed through this weathered jacket.
In conclusion, "How It Is" is the first poem that I have read by Kumin, and it struck me particularly because here we see grief for a friend--for someone who had holes in her pockets, got parking tickets, and chatted over “vodka and ice in the kitchen”. This is a poem not for a literary myth or persona, but for a real person--a “Dear friend”--and it is this quality that I feel makes it most interesting and touching for me and other readers.
In conclusion, "How It Is" is the first poem that I have read by Kumin, and it struck me particularly because here we see grief for a friend--for someone who had holes in her pockets, got parking tickets, and chatted over “vodka and ice in the kitchen”. This is a poem not for a literary myth or persona, but for a real person--a “Dear friend”--and it is this quality that I feel makes it most interesting and touching for me and other readers.
Elegy- Garrett Uebelhor
No Children, No Pets
I bring the cat’s body home from the vet’s
in a running-shoe box held shut
with elastic bands. Then I clean
the corners where she has eaten and
slept, scrubbing the hard bits of food
from the baseboard, dumping the litter
and blasting the pan with a hose. The plastic
dishes I hide in the basement, the pee-
soaked towel I put in the trash. I put
the catnip mouse in the box and I put
the box away, too, in a deep
dirt drawer in the earth.
When the death-energy leaves me,
I go to the room where my daughter slept
in nursery school, grammar school, high school,
I lie on her milky bedspread and think
of the day I left her at college, how nothing
could keep me from gouging the melted candle-wax
out from between her floorboards,
or taking a razor blade to the decal
that said to the firemen, “Break
this window first.” I close my eyes now
and enter a place that’s clearly
expecting me, swaddled in loss
and then losing that, too, as I move
from room to bone-white room
in the house of the rest of my life.
For the most part this elegy follows the three traditional stages. In the very beginning of the poem Sue Thompson describes the death of her cat and the circumstances surrounding the cats death. Although this stage where the grief and sorrow take place is present the next stage is where the poem does sort of deviate from the normal stages. Although we do see some version of praise for the "idealized death" in phrases such as "in a deep dirt drawer in the earth" it is not as easy to identify in the poem as the other two stages. Lastly we have the stage of consolation. In the last phrase "I move from room to bone-white room in the house of the rest of my life" I think we definitely see acceptance of the situation and although I wouldn't say she was comforted in the end it definitely still mirrors the consolation and solace stage. I believe that the message presented in this elegy is one of unavoidable change. By the end of the poem I think the author has shown that as you grow older some undesired things will occur which simply cannot be changed. I think by the end Sue Thompson shows that in life you sometimes just have to try and accept the cards you have been dealt.
Thompson, Sue. "No Children, No Pets." Nimrod International Journal: The Healing Arts,49.2 (2006). Print.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178865
Ryan Collins Elegy
Another Elegy
Jericho Brown
This is what our dying looks like.
You believe in the sun. I believe
I can’t love you. Always be closing,
Said our favorite professor before
He let the gun go off in his mouth. 5
I turned 29 the way any man turns
In his sleep, unaware of the earth
Moving beneath him, its plates in
Their places, a dated disagreement.
Let’s fight it out, baby. You have 10
Only so long left—a man turning
In his sleep—so I take a picture.
I won’t look at it, of course. It’s
His bad side, his Mr. Hyde, the hole
In a husband’s head, the O 15
Of his wife’s mouth. Every night,
I take a pill. Miss one, and I’m gone.
Miss two, and we’re through. Hotels
Bore me, unless I get a mountain view,
A room in which my cell won’t work, 20
And there’s nothing to do but see
The sun go down into the ground
That cradles us as any coffin can. 23
You believe in the sun. I believe
I can’t love you. Always be closing,
Said our favorite professor before
He let the gun go off in his mouth. 5
I turned 29 the way any man turns
In his sleep, unaware of the earth
Moving beneath him, its plates in
Their places, a dated disagreement.
Let’s fight it out, baby. You have 10
Only so long left—a man turning
In his sleep—so I take a picture.
I won’t look at it, of course. It’s
His bad side, his Mr. Hyde, the hole
In a husband’s head, the O 15
Of his wife’s mouth. Every night,
I take a pill. Miss one, and I’m gone.
Miss two, and we’re through. Hotels
Bore me, unless I get a mountain view,
A room in which my cell won’t work, 20
And there’s nothing to do but see
The sun go down into the ground
That cradles us as any coffin can. 23
This Elegy is rife with sorrow and lament, the only aspect of a traditional Elegy that I found while reading this poem. The author clearly has dealt with a lot of death by titling the poem “Another Elegy”, showing he is no stranger to the melancholy style, and therefore, no stranger to death. Brown grieves for two individuals in this poem, his “favorite professor” who “let the gun go off in his mouth” and an unknown person, who he refers to in the second and third lines: “you believe in the sun, I believe i can’t love you” Brown struggles to accept the death of this incognito individual and his professor, preventing him from resuming his life. This is described in line 6 where he explains that he turned 29 “the way any man turns In his sleep” showing he remains inattentive to his life. This is also conveyed in lines 12-16 where Brown won’t look at the picture of himself “turning in his sleep” because it is his “bad side, his Mr Hyde, the hole in a husband’s head, the O Of a wife’s mouth”.The picture represents his life, and he refuses to look at it because it is plagued by death and sorrow. Instead of facing their deaths, he gives up all hope, describing that since he “misses two” he is “through”. Brown is lamenting that since he lost both people, he has lost his will to live, and therefore prefers to dwell in solitude, in places where his “cell phone doesn't work.” It ends with “the sun go[ing] into the ground”. The person Brown referred to in line’s two and three “believed in the sun”, and with the sun setting, so does her memory, leaving Brown feeling empty as the sky with no sun.
Elegy- Julian Perry
No Children, No Pets
I bring the cat’s body home from the vet’s
in a running-shoe box held shut
with elastic bands. Then I clean
the corners where she has eaten and
slept, scrubbing the hard bits of food
from the baseboard, dumping the litter
and blasting the pan with a hose. The plastic
dishes I hide in the basement, the pee-
soaked towel I put in the trash. I put
the catnip mouse in the box and I put
the box away, too, in a deep
dirt drawer in the earth.
When the death-energy leaves me,
I go to the room where my daughter slept
in nursery school, grammar school, high school,
I lie on her milky bedspread and think
of the day I left her at college, how nothing
could keep me from gouging the melted candle-wax
out from between her floorboards,
or taking a razor blade to the decal
that said to the firemen, “Break
this window first.” I close my eyes now
and enter a place that’s clearly
expecting me, swaddled in loss
and then losing that, too, as I move
from room to bone-white room
in the house of the rest of my life.
This poem by Sue Ellen Thompson follows a mother's experience after the loss of her cat, using all three elements of an elegy (lament, admiration, and consolation). A sense of detachment is portrayed at first, hinting at a state of shock and overwhelming sadness felt by the narrator. The author purposefully stays vague in using "the cat" and instead of calling the cat by its name, as well as giving details about the shoe box holding the cat's body to show this feeling, which creates a sorrowful tone. This detached feeling fades with the second paragraph's beginning. "When the death-energy leaves..." the narrator, she is left with memories of her own daughter's childhood which reflects the loving relationship she had with the cat. The narrator reminisces about events that had changed her daughter's life and her own, similar to how the narrator's own life has changed as a result of the cat passing away. Surely there is sadness, but she chooses to remember how much love they once shared instead. She chooses to remember the good. The final element of an elegy pokes through at the end, as the narrator states "I close my eyes now and enter a place that's clearly expecting me..." The calm has washed over her, and her memories have consoled her sadness. Ending on this note, the poem is trying to give the reader a feeling of hope and happiness in such a bleak time seemingly without feeling. The message that one should appreciate what love they have had in their life ties this poem together, as the narrator experiences this appreciation and betters herself for having had it.
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