Brendan Walsh

Ms. Parham
Honors World Literature III

12/15/13

Social Expectations and Responsibilities

            Everyday most humans go through their lives in a robot like routine. Humans generally trend to do what other around them do and rarely differ from the path. For each role in society comes a social responsibility. For example the social responsibility you have to your siblings is to love them and help them always. This is unrealistic because not everyone has the same past and lives the same present.  It is unrealistic to expect people to conform to social expectations and social responsibilities due to everyone living in a different situation.

The Bluest Eye contains many good example of how social expectations are unrealistic. Pecola really proves that social expectations and responsibilities are farfetched. Social responsibility to your community means helping out your neighbors. Social responsibility to your school means taking care of your education and helping student’s around you. How could Pecola be expected to conform to these standards? She lives in a community that pities her and attends a school that ridicules her. Social expectations to your race could include defending it or speaking good words about it. Pecola and her neighbors did the opposite. They tried to embrace a whole new culture. Pecola wanted to be white and her community unknowingly despised being black. Responsibilities and expectations to society are absurd because of the wide range of people in the world.

In the Nazi propaganda speech he told the German people that they were united. He spoke for everyone and said they want full-fledged war and that they won’t stop till they reach victory. This put many Germans in bad situations. By making this speech it laid a heavy expectation on the German people by their government. The expectation that was created was that everyone must support the war effort. If a citizen were to deny funds towards the war or to refuse government proposals they would likely be charged with treason or another crime. The responsibility set on German citizens is unrealistic because not everyone supports the war effort to the same degree as the Nazi Brass running the war.

Everybody makes different decisions based on the situation they are in. When one thing is expected from everybody it is impossible. How could somebody be expected to be a good citizen when they have been mistreated and had their money used by a corrupt government. Somebody who has not faced corruption would likely question the person but they would never understand because they are in a very different situation. This example only represents responsibility to government but this same lesson can be applied to any social expectation. If we know that expectations like these are impossible to follow why do we continue to enforce the ideas of them?

Social Expectations in The Bluest Eye

                 Do certain professions have an obligation to be more socially responsible than others? Do some professions require people to be more selfish and focused on their individual desires? Every job has a different obligation to society. In the novel “The Bluest Eye” we saw people play different roles in society. For example Pecola tried to live up to the social standards of models and famous role models. Cholly embodied family and parenthood. Soap head embodied church and religion. Typically these embodiments would mean something else but in this novel they don’t love up to the standards they are supposed to make. Some jobs require people to be responsible while others promote selfishness and individuality. People in the military, FBI, CIA and other agencies/departments like these are held to a higher responsibility level. For example if a member of one of these agencies were to do drugs, underage drink, commit a crime or any other felony, they are likely to be fired. If they committed a felony they are also unlikely to get the job in the first place. Organizations like these also carry a high level of pride so they try to appear and act as socially responsibly as possible. An example of this is how military members wear their uniforms with precision and pride. A worker at McDonalds is less likely to be fired for being caught under age drinking. Also McDonald’s employees generally tend not to care about their uniforms especially in comparison to those in the armed services.

               Some occupations allow people to be very selfish and often irresponsible. An example of this type of job would be an NFL or NBA player. Major league athletes can choose to be selfish and even irresponsible without facing repercussions. Other people that would fall into this category would be musicians, actors, actresses and jobs similar to these. A recent example of this would be Miley Cyrus’s dance routines and comments to the media. It’s safe to say that her actions are provocative and questionably socially irresponsible.

Social Expectations

Brendan Walsh

Ms. Parham

Honors World Literature III

12/4/13

                                                Social Expectations and Responsibilities

Do certain professions have an obligation to be more socially responsible than others? Do some professions require people to be more selfish and focused on their individual desires? Every job has a different obligation to society. Some jobs require people to be responsible while others promote selfishness and individuality. People in the military, FBI, CIA and other agencies/departments like these are held to a higher responsibility level. For example if a member of one of these agencies were to do drugs, underage drink, commit a crime or any other felony, they are likely to be fired. If they committed a felony they are also unlikely to get the job in the first place. Organizations like these also carry a high level of pride so they try to appear and act as socially responsibly as possible. An example of this is how military members wear their uniforms with precision and pride. A worker at McDonalds is less likely to be fired for being caught under age drinking. Also McDonald’s employees generally tend not to care about their uniforms especially in comparison to those in the armed services.

Some occupations allow people to be very selfish and often irresponsible. An example of this type of job would be an NFL or NBA player. Major league athletes can choose to be selfish and even irresponsible without facing repercussions. Other people that would fall into this category would be musicians, actors, actresses and jobs similar to these. A recent example of this would be Miley Cyrus’s dance routines and comments to the media. It’s safe to say that her actions are provocative and questionably socially irresponsible.

                                                                                                                                                Walsh 1

Brendan Walsh

11/7/13

WL3 Blog

Protecting yourself and family is the most important thing you could do. I believe that a government’s job is to take care of its citizens at all cost.  So does the US have the right to invade other countries if those countries have not attacked us directly? This question can be applied to many nations and not explicitly the US

There are different reasons to attack countries that have not directly attacked you. The US entered WWII following a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The US was never at war with Japan however Japan attacked the US. Japan realized eventually the US would enter into war on the ally’s side so they decided to make the first attack. This made a huge dent on the US Navy.

Following the modern Pearl Harbor, 9/11, the US invaded Iraq and later on Afghanistan. The US’s actions were justified because they were actions aimed at protecting the American people. If the Iraqi and Afghani governments cannot control terrorist cells and Islamic extremists in their own country the US must intervene. If the US had sat idly and allowed the terrorist cells to grow in these countries the US would be at great risk.

The US has recently carried out CIBER attacks on Iran’s nuclear program. We have set them back in the nuclear weapons process greatly. While the US did not attack Iran directly, Iran has the right to invade the US. The US is causing harm to Iran and preventing them from furthering their military technology so if Iran were to attempt to raid the US it would be justified.

North Korea has increased rhetoric towards the US and South Korea. North Korea has threatened to use nuclear weapons against the US and North Korea. If the US were to launch a pre-emptive strike on North Korea it would be justified considering they are threatening the US with nuclear war. If North Korea were to invade the South Korea we would also be justified to intervene considering South Korea is our ally.

Dear Ryan, or should I say orange,

I come to you with a proposal. Ever since I was a little child I have loved action heroes. I went through many stages. First I loved Captain America, then Spiderman and finally batman. Batman is still my favorite hero to this day. I love his movies, games and books. I remember one day in class when you were doing batman impressions and they were amazing! Since then I have asked you to do your impersonations but the answer is always a big NO. I’m asking you to say it just one more time out of the kindness of your heart. After all I have devoted a whole blog to this cause so it’s safe to say it means a lot to me.

Enough of my nice side. Let me say this Mr. Schneider if I don’t hear your impression sometime soon there will be consequences. I haven’t yet figured out what those are yet, but I am not faltering, there will be consequences. I may make you lose your sanity by making you expect a prank that will never happen.

If I haven’t convinced you yet I have another proposal. I’m willing to make a deal. For every time you do the impression I am willing to pay you one million pretzels. That’s right, one million. It can be sourdough, honey, utz, roldgold, you name it! Or would you rather receive payment in the form of oranges. After all you were named Orange man. Would this be a more suitable payment!

Doing your impression would be doing the world a favor. Many of my trusted colleagues share the same feelings as me. We are willing to pay you generously for your impression. However Mr. Orange, if you are not willing let’s just say we will squeeze the citrus out of you. At the bottom you will notice that I have inserted a picture of your reward if you choose to except. I have also inserted a picture of what you will become if you refuse my request. (See next page)

Sincerely,

Brendan Walsh

 

Choice 1- (You could bathe in pretzels! Or sell them for a profit)

Choice 2- (Don’t worry your juicing will be humane.)

Brendan Walsh
10/18/13

         Should full body scanners be implemented in airports? This is a very controversial subject and there are many different views. Some people feel that they are a must while others feel it is unconstitutional. In the constitution there is an amendment that states there will be no unnecessary searches or seizures of the American people. But is this unnecessary?

          I believe full body scanners should be implemented to keep the American people safe. I am willing to sacrifice some of my privacy if it means potentially saving my life. Imagine if a terrorist was able to somehow conceal a weapon and board a plane and cause harm to innocent people. If only people had been willing to sacrifice a little privacy others may have lived.  The machines will not show peoples bodies naked only an outline and an x-ray.

         People against full body scanners would argue that this is unconstitutional. They believe that the constitutions states the government cannot search them without reason. I also believe that the government should have a reason to search you but isn't our safety the greatest reason of all?

Appositives Galore

Brendan Walsh

The Price of Life

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” I firmly believe that what you put into life is what you will get out. If I were to work at my job for five hours, the amount of money I receive would be equal to the time I put in. Similar to this what you put in is what you get out. This applies to everyone and to every aspect of life whether it is school, fitness, work or anything else.

When I think of the price of something that is paid in time I think of sports. I am a runner and run because I seek to improve my physical fitness. The price I pay to become a better run is the amount of life I put into it. In mathematical terms the amount of effort I put in is 1.5 hours or 5400 seconds a day. Another way of looking at this is I use approximately 359 Joules of energy for running.  To an athlete, runner like myself this is a high price to pay. Taking an hour and a half from my already busy schedule certainly makes things harder. The use of a mathematical equation to represent this quote is probably not best. The price I pay to be a good runner is the amount of time and effort I put in. Perhaps examining this quote through a historical lens would best defend it. During the 1940’s WWII, one of the deadliest wars raged and many lives were lost. The price that the US and the allies paid to stop the monster, Hitler can be measured in life. The price America paid was in American lives. Many American soldiers died and that was the price paid to stop the axis advance.  I traveled a long distance by bus to see Stonehenge, an arrangement of huge rocks that dates back to prehistoric times. I paid a piece of my life to see Stonehenge. This price was not in money but in time. The long bus ride made seeing the Stonehenge that much better. I have always been interested in animals especially birds. At the top of a magnificent pine, was the most magnificent animal I had ever seen--a Bald Eagle--was sitting proudly on the branch. To an ordinary person this might be cool but to me it was amazing. I had spent hours looking for birds like this so finally seeing a magnificent creature like this meant a lot to me.

The pope, Pope Francis has paid a lot of life to be where he is. To devote years of your life to anything is a high price. Imagine being a service member in your country’s military. Think about signing a contract for an amount up to and including your life. In terms of measuring the price of something by the amount of life you put in, you could say being in the military is paying a very high price. 

Brendan Walsh

                                                                     Defend! Challenge! Qualify!

I will defend the statement “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” I firmly believe that what you but into life you will get out. If I were to work at my job for five hours, the amount of money I receive would be equal to the time I put in. Similar to this analogy what you put in is what you get out. This applies to every aspect of life whether it be school, fitness, work or anything else.

When I think of the price of something I have to pay in my time I think of sports. I am a runner and run because I seek to improve my physical fitness. The price I pay to become a better run is the amount of life I put into it. In mathematical terms the amount of effort I put in is 1.5 hours or 5400 seconds a day. I also use approximately 359 Joules of energy for running.  To a high school student like myself this is a high price to pay. Taking an hour and a half from my already busy schedule certainly makes things harder. A mathematical equation to represent this quote is probably not best. Perhaps examining this quote through a historical lens would best defend it. During the 1940’s WWII raged and many lives were lost. The price that the US paid to stop Hitler and to stop the axis can be measured in life. The price America paid was in American lives. Many American soldiers died and that was the price paid to stop the axis advance.

Think about the pope and the price he has paid in life to be where he is. To devote years of your life to anything is a high price. Imagine being a service member in your country’s military. Think about signing a contract for an amount up to and including your life. In terms of measuring the price of something by the amount of life you put in, you could say being in the military is paying a very high price.  

Motivation

                                                                                                     Walsh 1                                                                                                             

Brendan Walsh

Ms. Parham

Honors World Literature Three

9/26/13

Motivation

To me the key to life is motivation. The word motivation according to Google is “The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.” What motivation means to me is having the will to do something when it may not be easy. Motivation comes from many places. My motivation comes from within. I believe that the most successful people are driven by themselves. The people who know what they want in life tend to be driven from within. People who are not motivated from within may be motivated by others around them, fear, fear of shame or anything else.

Trying to define motivation is impossible. If I were to write for ten pages on the topic I wouldn’t even scratch the surface. Life is a game of inches where every inch matters. Having the motivation to seize every inch is a powerful thing. If you are motivated enough to fight for every inch, they will add up. I believe that if you are motivated enough you can do anything, be anyone or get anything. Having motivation can get you out of any situation. If you are poor or depressed you can pull yourself out of the dumps with motivation. People can give you money and help you out, but to truly be successful, I believe you need to be driven from within.

Getting motivated to do something is hard, but staying motivated is even harder. There are many ways to motivate yourself and others. You can unite a group of people with a common goal, make goals and commit publicly to them. Also think about your goal daily, start small and squash negative thoughts. If someone tells you that you can’t do something you shouldn’t give up. You should use their doubt in you as motivation to prove them wrong.

To stay motivated you have to plan for setbacks. If you expect to breeze to your goal you won’t be successful. You have to be willing to except your flaws and work on them to get to your goal. When things get tough you can’t give up and say at least I tried. Push forward and do your best to meet your goal no matter how strong the resistance.

 

 

Orange

Orange- By Brendan Walsh

Orange- The word orange has many connotations. Orange means many things to many people. To some an orange is a fruit and to others a color. But to others it means something special. I will tell you what orange means to me and why it means what it does. Let me explain to you what orange means to me. It all started fifteen days ago on a sunny day. The sun was shining as I walked into my Arabic classroom. Everyone was in a happy mood and I was having a good time. All of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I saw a bright orange light. I turned and saw the brightest orange concoction of clothing. My friend was wearing orange nearly head to toe. This was no ordinary orange it was a spectacle that wowed all the students in the class as well as the teacher. This shade of orange was so special it is not even found on the rainbow. There orange stood shining proudly like the sun. From then on my friend would be known as orange. Without even discussing amongst ourselves everyone in the classroom knew that orange must be his name. Orange then looked confidently down at himself and then back at us and said arrogantly “yeah you can call me orange”. My other friends and I have tried to outdo orange in the art of being orange. No one can compare to the master orange. Orange has gotten a little fed up with the name to say the least. So this is probably the last time I say orange in fear of orange getting agitated.

 
Pigskin- The word pigskin is quite an odd word. If you were to think about the literal meaning a pig would 

most likely pop into your head. What pops into mine is a football. Throwing around the pigskin is like calling 

my friend orange. It is widely accepted as another name for football. Often times a friend will ask do you 

want to throw pigskin.