Owl creek bridge Journal blog

As I stare down into the shallow waters below, my heart pounding in my chest as my breathing grows heavier and heavier with each passing minute at the terrible fate that awaits me, my thoughts would be mostly clouded with fear and depression. However, during the midst of it all, I would still manage to contemplate on my life and all the memorable moments I have experienced up until this point. I would be thinking of my mother, and all she has done for me to keep my happy and satisfied with my life. I would be thinking of all the friends I have made in my time here on earth, and all the joyful moments and laughs we shared. In addition to the people that I care about, I would also be thinking of the major life decisions I made throughout my life, and what I could have done differently to live a better life. In the end I would just accept my fate, knowing that I lived my life to the fullest as I close my eyes, awaiting deaths cold embrace.

What are some modern conveniences we take for granted in our life? Do we really need these items?

In this new age of technology, we have access to all kinds of electronic devices, tools, household appliances, air conditioning, and many more items we use and see in everyday life. While these items may help us at school and at work, as well as provide us with entertainment and essential living conditions, there are some things we take for granted. For example, entertainment items, such as iPods, laptops, video games, and cell phones, are things we use constantly and depend on everyday. If we were to lose some of these items, we would not be able to perform our daily tasks as well and would probably be more confused about what to do, even though these things are unnecessary to live a normal life. The same applies to other modern devices, if we were to lose anything, it would make our lives much harder to live. People back then did not have access to these items and lived just fine, while having all this new technology makes life better and easier, it is also important to know we shouldn't take it for granted, because one day we may not have it.

In what ways do individuals make a difference in our society?

With many individuals living in one society, there are bound to be some disagreements about the way things are, and there will always be those who will try their hardest to make a difference in their society, or even attempt to change it. The reason for this, is that people don't agree with the way their society is run, and want their society to be better for everyone to live in. They attempt to make a difference by organizing protests, starting petitions, or having a talk with city officials. Sometimes these tactics work, while sometimes they do not. However, whether they succeed or fail, their efforts are noticed by others and can have a big effect on them, maybe even causing them to join their cause and increase their numbers.

How much power do formal institutions have in our society?

Formal institutions, such as churches and the government, have had several impacts on present day society, as well in the past, so it is safe to say that they do have power in in our society. Churches convince people to come every sunday to praise and worship god, as well as convincing them to help out and give back to the community. They do this by appealing to the religious side of people, telling them that by going to church, you are showing how much you love our lord and savior. The government, instead of asking or persuading and not forcing people, forces changes upon the society, such as tax increases and increased gas prices. They do this and other things for the greater good of society, no matter how many people are against it. Whether a good or bad impact, these formal institutions do indeed have power in society, and it is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Can one be too determined?

When someone is determined to do something, it is usually because they have a specific purpose for doing it. Another reason could be it is just something they really want to do. If a person is determined, they can be very persistent in doing whatever it is that needs to be done. Whether it be a homework assignment, getting all the bills paid, finding a job, or just trying to solve a hard puzzle, we have all been determined or persistent at one point or another. However, even though persistence is something to be admired in a person, it does have its limits. If someone works day and night with very little sleep and does nothing else, then their persistence and determination may have gone a bit too far. It's important to be determined and work towards a goal, but it's also important to remember to take a break every once in awhile and focus on other things so it doesn't reach the point of obsession. Obsession is bad for anyone and might cause your work to not be as good if you just took it reasonably.

Summarize a Poe story from poestories.com

                                                                 The Tell-Tell Heart

            One of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous stories is "The tell-Tale Heart". It is a short story about a man who is bothered by the pale blue eye of an old man, sand decides to end his life in order to be rid of the eye forever. The man succeeds in killing him, very cleverly and cunningly too. After he murders the old man, he cuts up his body and hides the pieces underneath the floorboards and uses a tub to drain the blood. The police officers arrive shortly after to investigate, but find nothing. However, because of the mans guilt and insanity after killing the old man, tears up the floorboards and cries out that he killed him. What makes this story so great is the main character's personality and feelings aaas he goes about killing the old man. Throughout the short story, he constantly claims that he is not mad, when in reality he is clearly insane.

What is the most important quality of Gothic stories?

In gothic stories, or any form of gothic literature and media, there are several factors and qualities that make the story dark and terrifying. The most common among these qualities is the ability to shock and frighten, as well as the ability to create suspense and mystery. The question most people ask is which one makes the story better, and thus more terrifying. Some people prefer the ability to shock and frighten, like in a horror movie when something jumps out of nowhere and scares the viewer. I personally do not care much for this quality, while it is effective to keep the viewer intrigued, the scare goes away almost as quickly as it happens, not exactly creating a long lasting impact. The other quality, the ability to create suspense and mystery, is another favorite among most fans of the gothic genre. I think this is a better quality because of how deep and thought provoking the situation can be. I like the idea of a man slowly slipping into madness thanks to the situation he is in combined with his inner most feelings. This can create a much better lasting impact on the reader or viewer, and I think is something that should be done much more often in gothic literature.

Is there darkness within us?

The term "darkness" is a strong word that can be used to describe the bitter hatred and evil within a person's soul. I do believe that darkness is hidden within us all, and is just waiting for the right time and place to  overtake us in a fit of rage. Whether or not we want to admit it, we have all been angry at one point or another, and the darkness inside us is what helped to fuel that anger. Whether you were mad at yourself for accidentally running into something, or mad at someone else for whatever reason that may be, the darkness inside you and how strong it is determines how angry you are and how long your anger will last. However, this is completely natural for humans. Just as it is normal for us to feel love, nervousness, and fear, it is normal for us to feel hate at one point or another. What matters is that you do not give into these feelings and let your rage take control of you. This is easy for some people, while for others it can be very hard to control their emotions.

Why can dreamlike settings be powerful in literature & film?

Dreamlike settings are usually settings which take place in an imaginary or fictional world. They aren't real and aren't usually bound by real life laws and physics, allowing them stand out more and create a much more powerful and creative environment. Dreamlike settings can help a movie or novel tell a unique story, not possible if you keep to ordinary settings and places. They also help the work of fiction they are in become more original and well known, such as Alice in Wonderland. The original and dreamlike settings, places and characters are what helped it to become one of the most well known and loved classics we still know to this day. I personally prefer dreamlike settings instead of a real-life setting. With real life settings, there isn't but so much you can do before you start to run out of ideas and resort to clićhe, ordinary story lines, and while this may appeal to some audiences, I don't really care for it. With Dreamlike settings and ideas, there is unlimited room for creativity and imaginative ideas and therefor, allows for a much more dynamic story for all ages to enjoy.

What can happen if a secret is kept too long

Secrets are usually kept because of something the person is not willing or wanting to admit, mainly because it is something embarrassing, something only they should know, or something that would get them in trouble. If a secret is kept too long, it can result in being either good or bad. For example, if my secret is that I am a homosexual, keeping it would be the better option. Mainly because of all the people in this area that are very homophobic and would try to hurt or even kill me if they found out. An example of a secret being kept too long being a bad thing, would be if I was depressed and suicidal. If I keep it to myself, no one can help me with my issues which can cause me to go over the edge and kill myself. If I had told someone, then maybe they could help me work out my problems and help me feel better. Personally, I think it's best if you keep your secrets. If it's something you don't want others to know about and are perfectly okay with it, then by all means keep it to yourself. If it's something that you find hard to cope with and think its best to tell a friend or family member, that's fine too.

Greedy behavior

I remember when my brother showed greedy behavior. A few months ago, he would steal money from my other brothers piggy bank. He got up really early in the mornings so he could take quarters from it without him noticing. Eventually one morning, he was caught. They fought for a long time while I just watched. I did not interfere, I just told my mom so that she could talk to them and have them work it out.

Why do people hear voices in the woods

The woods can be a scary place for many, so there could be plenty of reasons why certain people hear voices in the woods. If they are traveling alone, chances are they will become frightened and think they are hearing things, when it is just their imagination. However, what they are hearing could also be real, but could be a different sound than what they think they are hearing. For example, the wind can make sounds and noises similar to that of a whisper. Another reason is that they are paranoid from being in such a big place alone, they start hearing them when in reality there is nothing to hear at all. The imagination is very powerful, and can get the best of you if not careful.

Why we fear what we do not know

In my opinion, we fear the unknown mainly because we have little to no idea what it is or what it is capable of. The fact that it is new to us causes us to feel helpless because we are unfamiliar with whatever we are dealing with, and feel helpless against it. However, there are several types of things that can be unknown to us, such as animals, places, people and equipment. When dealing with a new species, we don't know weather or not the thing we fear means us no harm, or wants to brutally kill and prey on us. Dealing with new people is similar to this, we don't know what they are like and could be very nice or cruel and cold-blooded. When dealing with a new piece of equipment, we don't know how to properly use it and therefor we are scared we could mess up and injure ourselves or anyone around us.

What values would you defend?

There are many things I value in life, and would defend to the death to have. One of those things is the right to live freely. I believe everyone should have that right at birth and I refuse to give it up. Another thing I value is my home and family. Should they ever be threatened, I will do everything I can to make sure nothing happens.

How do you determine if a particular speech is effective?

There are several ways you can determine if a particular speech is a effective. First, you have to know what message the speaker is trying to get across. Once you know, then you can determine how well that message is displayed by use of the speakers tone, vocabulary, and length of the speech. If the speech is suppose to be serious and the speaker is speaking in a joking matter, than you know he isn't doing a good job.

Examples of rhetorical devices

Restatement- I hate pasta with a burning passion. I will not eat it, I will not consume it, I will not digest it. No part of it shall enter my body.

Repetition- Pasta is my least favorite food. I hate it more than anything, I repeat, I hate it!

Parallelism- Pasta is the worst kind of food, it is my least favorite.

Rhetorical- After reading this post, what do you think my least favorite food is?

What makes a good/effective speech?

In my opinion, there are several factors that make a good and effective speech. One of the most important factors is the tone of the person speaking, it helps to set the mood that the person is trying to set, and lets the audience knows what to feel. Another important factor is how well the speech is written, the person speaking needs something good to work with, otherwise what they say will make no sense and will not inform the audience of the message that is trying to be told. One final factor that  I feel is important is how long the speech is. Whether the speech is short or long, as long as the message gets across without any unnecessary details, there is no limit to how long or short the speech can be. 

Logos example

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cSYSulcvEAs

This segment is an example of logos. Armin is trying to convince the commander that Erens new Titan power can be used for the benefit of humanity.

Persuasive technique

I find bribery to be the most effective persuasive technique. When you offer someone something they really want, chances are that they will do it without hesitation. Whether it be money or a certain object, offering something to someone will greatly increase your chances of getting what you want from them. With other techniques, all you can do is use verbal techniques and hope they will listen. With bribery there is a much better chance of them listening to you.

The best speech

The best speech I have ever listened to was given to me by my mom. It was about the importance of growing up and what it will be like to become an adult. The reason for this being the best speech, is because of how inspiring and life-changing it was. It gave me a lot to think about what I'm going to do with my life once high school is over, as well as the kind of person I want to be known as.

http://www.plimoth.org/learn/just-kids/homework-help/who-are-wampanoag

In the article, who are the Wampong, the author describes the people of the Wampong using descriptive words and states what kind of people they are. The authors purpose is to inform us of the way they lived. His work is important because it really shows us their way of life and their importance in history.

Early American Spoken Forms Mini-Research Project

Revolutionary war songs

1) the purpose of the songs were to encourage the soldiers and celebrate their freedom
2) they sung on stages and in the streets or anywhere else they could
3) from those that were there to experience it and pass the stories down for generations
4) most likely English, because most people from America spoke English