A Special Birthday

It is a perfect summer night in Hawaii; there is a cool breeze – not too hot, not too cold. My eyelids are heavy, weighed down of jetlag from the time change from Japan. It is my birthday, but I am too tired to celebrate. As my mind starts drifting into the dream world, I hear a sudden outburst of a cheerful chorus of “Happy Birthday”. When finished, an explosion of applause erupts from my table, and a small cake is placed in front of me. All fatigue forgotten, I look around me, staring at the beaming faces of family and friends alike, all wearing beautiful, red flowers in their hair. I tug at the hem of my dress, nervous under the eye of so many, and blow out the ten candles neatly placed on the cake. A sudden gust of wind blows in my face, and I smell a mixture of burning candle wax and the salty ocean breeze. It is pleasant; I like it. Washing down the faint aftertaste of pineapples from dinner, I pick up the cold silverware, ready to taste my surprise birthday cake. My mother gives me the first piece, and I hastily bite into the rich chocolate cake, savoring every sweet bite.

--Marie

Imagine the World As One

          Every problem in the world has an infinite amount of possibilities of what could have been the cause behind it. Why did the car stop? It ran out of gas, or the battery died. Why was the milk spoiled? It was old, or the refrigerator was not cold enough. Then you get deeper, and it becomes more complicated. Why did the car’s battery die? The wires were old and rusted. Why did the refrigerator stop producing cold air? The wires were old and rusted. Just like these two situations, in the end, everything comes down to one main cause. This also applies to everyday human life. We judge people we do not know, we gossip, and we stereotype, whether it is intentional or not.

          In John Lennon’s song, “Imagine”, he stresses how much discrimination there is in the world. – “Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too.” However, he understands the concept of unity. He acknowledges the fact that there will always be people wanting to fight, but he still has hope that one day, those people will realize how pointless the hostility is, so that everyone can live together in peace. – “You may say that I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, And the world will be as one.”
          If everyone gave an effort to simply be kinder to one another, many problems would be solved, and we may have an actual chance of acquiring world peace.

--Marie

War: Physical or Mental?

Generally speaking, men are stronger than women. Before machines were invented to aid us with a simple push of a button at construction sites, factories, etc., men were given jobs involved with manual labor. There are times when gender is a large factor, but should gender and physical strength be the basis behind who should go to war?

There have been many debates over whether women should be permitted to fight in combat or not. Many say no, because they believe that “women are physically incapable.” Many say yes, because they believe that women should have the option of fighting for their country if that is what they want.

Although I must agree that a certain level of physical competence should be reached, I feel as if more than fitness is needed to be on the battlefield.  Along with physical strength, there should be mental strength as well, for many come back insane.

In Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, seventeen year old Katniss Everdeen was the symbol of the second civil war. After a year of war, she went crazy. Upon her return home, she was under watch and care of her mentor and Greasy Sae, whom she knew well. When left alone, she remained unmoving, not caring what became of her. – “I am unable to move from the chair. The rest of the house looms cold and empty and dark. I pull an old shawl over my body and watch the flames. I guess I sleep, because the next thing I know, it’s morning and Greasy Sae’s banging around at the stove." (pg. 380) She believed that she was the cause of every victim’s death, and had nightmares about them killing her for revenge. -- “Wonder if she’ll be joining the cast of my nightmares tonight." (pg. 384) Most are aware that war is appalling, but do not understand the true horrors of war, death, and pain until it is too late.

Of course, physical health is important; however, it is obviously much more essential for mental stability. It is better to go back to friends and family with wounds and a strong heart and mind to heal than a healthy body and detachment due to post-war trauma or disorientation.

--Marie

Thesis Statement

          In the poem, "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes, the tones of neglect and confidence reflect how he is pushed aside, as if he was not as good as others, and how he knows that one day it will all be better. Although he cannot do anything about his circumstances at the time, he knows that if he stays strong and perseveres, in the end, he will eventually be equal to others, and not discriminated against because of race (or religion, gender, etc.).

--Marie