Personal Narrative- Curiosity and Me
How many people wonder about holes in the ceiling and cracks on the floor? When did they happen? What caused them? Or what about when you see a cigarette in the toilet and wonder who had the guts to smoke in the girl's bathroom that day and why they chose that brand of cigarette, or why they even smoke at all. And even if people do think about these things, why? For what purpose? I guess I do it out of boredom. But is boredom really an excuse? I mean, really, how bored can a person get? I don't guess it is boredom after all, probably curiosity, which can build to all sorts of lengths, and I believe it most certainly starts there. How else can you explain why I want to know what happened to a certain somebody when a certain somebody else, punches them in the eye? I am almost positive it stems from curiosity and, that is where and how I try to make sense of this story.
It begins on a nice hot July morning, with birds singing and flowers in full bloom; ok, not really. But how awesome would it be if it worked out that way. It really would put something beautiful into this mesh of words. Actually it really didn't have a starting place, but starting people. A band. All the people in this band and all the people that surrounded this band were a part of my life for almost eight months. I don't really understand why, but at first I really did enjoy hanging out with these people. I guess maybe because they were 'cool', but I mean we never really did anything cool. So basically we sat around pretending to be cool, because we were considered cool. Or maybe it was just the others that were considered cool. I really don't know, but pretending to be cool was just not all that cool to me. I don't understand how people can hang out with the same people day in and day out, just to belong. I did for so long, but I really can't tell you why, It reminds me of a song. One of those songs you know all the words to but don't know the name of it or who sings it, you know?
In 1944, Jorge Luis Borges published “The Secret Miracle”, a short story describing Jaromir Hladik, a Jew living in the Second World War. Jaromir Hladik is taken away by the Germans to a jail by the Germans to be executed shortly after. While in jail, he ponders on all the ways he could be killed and later realizes that he still has yet to finish his play “The Enemies”. He prays to God, begging for a year to be granted to him so that he can complete his last masterpiece. In a dream, he is granted that year. When the Germans pull the trigger, the world freezes for a full year so he can finish his play. At a first glance, “The Secret Miracle” appears to be merely a fictioness story. However, Borges included so much of his own life in the character of Jaromir Hladik that the story no longer seems to be so made up. “Borges writing was impelled and shaped by experience” (Williamson 296). Borges grew up loving books from the very start of his life. His father was always a reader, so he had a room set up like a library that housed hundreds of books. Borges also grew up in a family with colorful war history, which allowed him to be introduced to interesting stories early on. At the age of 56, he was completely blind, causing him to see literature in a different way. He no longer thought literature was a reality. For instance, he believed that although an apple is called an “apple”, it may not actually have that name. Yet he continues to write in this unreality for he feels that it is a writer’s duty to speak out against Juan Peron through literature. In spite of Borges’ belief that literature is not reality, there is evidence of Borges’ life embedded in it which clearly shape the issues and concerns of his work.
This report aims to investigate the different views held on the pros and cons of development in stem cell research. This report will provide background to the debate, its social significance, parties that are involved and analysis of the arguments related to the topic researched.
There are many things that have molded me into the person I am today such as being born into a family with four children. With three siblings, I have been forced to be able to work out problems from stealing each other’s toys to having to rush to the emergency room to get stiches because my brother chased me around the house and I tripped. My mother, father, brother, and two sisters were all born in Pennsylvania and I am the odd ball and I was born in Adrian, Michigan. From when I was a child I always loved being involved with sports because of my competitive nature. I grew up playing soccer and having success with that but then my love changed and I began playing lacrosse and football. I started playing lacrosse in middle school and played
Monroe, Kristen, et al., eds. Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical and Political Issues. Los Angeles/Berkley: University of California Press, 2008. Print
Within my fifteen and a half years of living, I have experienced many heart wrenching moments that have changed who I am, so many that I stopped trying to keep count long ago. Like most teenagers, the past couple of years have been some of the most confusing, hectic years of my life. I'm at that age I'm trying to figure out who I am, as well as who I want to become. As indecisive as I am, I will more than likely change my mind a time or two, but right now at this very moment, I've finally come to terms with who I really am, and what I would like to do for the rest of my life.
In my short 16 years there have been many experiences I have encountered in life that shape who I am. My identity today. As time has passed experiences have come one after another for me to learn. What has shaped me influenced me in this short time period are many things the topic around this lies around my social construct. I am a lot of things, I am someone who looks as a shy, quite, smart, nice etc. person. Those simple qualities that make who I am have been influenced upon me and in general just who I am. What has shaped me present day is my family structure and my education the most to shape my identity.
Motivation is by being dedicated. I motivate myself by doing the things I love. Dedication will advance to motivation.
The influence of Jorge Borges’ stories comes from his philosophical mind more than it comes from his previous experiences. He based his stories on his philosophical beliefs that he believed applied most to life’s circumstances. Identity and labyrinths are unfailing topics that can be found in most of Borges’ short stories. Used to represent the unknown, identity and labyrinths are ideal symbolism in mysterious works. Borges skillfully uses fact and fiction to make his story interesting and fantastical while still maintaining authenticity. The unyielding inquiring Borges’ characters endure keeps “Death and the Compass”, detective fiction
The times we spent at each class, discussing about what success meant to us has allowed me to take a closer look at who I really was, and has made a great impact on myself. Personally, I have never thought about who I really was, nor what I was good or weak at. I always thought it didn’t matter if I was good or bad, but that I can always get better. However, lately, I have been reminded, from the passionate classes Mr. M has spent, talking to us, of our strengths and weaknesses I had, in which made me think of who I was at school, and who I was at home. Was I different? When Mr. M discussed this in class, I knew instantly that I was a different person at home and at school. At home, I am much more lively and outgoing than I am at school. To
Wiehe, Roger E. "Jorge Luis Borges." Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Vol 3. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1981: 977-982.
How many people wonder about holes in the ceiling and cracks on the floor? When did they happen? What caused them? Or what about when you see a cigarette in someone’s hand and ask yourself how do they feel about smoking even though they know it’s dangerous. And even if people do think about these things, why? For what purpose? I guess I do it out of boredom. But is boredom really an excuse? I mean, really, how bored can a person get? I don't believe it is boredom after all, probably curiosity, which can build to all sorts of lengths, and I believe it most certainly starts there. How else can you explain why I want to know what happened to a certain somebody when a certain somebody else, punches them in the eye? I am almost positive it isn’t boredom, but curiosity and that is where and how I try to make sense of this story.
Reading and writing has always played a vital part in my life. From toddler to adult, pre-elementary to college, I’ve managed to sharpen both skills to my liking. However, even though it significantly helped, schooling was not what influenced me to continue developing those skills into talent. Many different things shaped and influenced my learning, and now reading and writing have become the safety net of my life. I know that even if I have nothing else in the future, I’ll still have my talent and knowledge. To ensure my success, I hope to further develop those skills so that I may fulfill my wishes.
...taphorical Beer-goggles. We believe what we want to believe. We accept what is comfortable as is, and anything else we disregard as false and or imaginary. Borges' stories are masterfully written to capture this particular aspect of the human character. whether it be a simple defense mechanism, a genius cerebral accomplishment passed down through evolution, or our greatest weakness, a self-induced, self-created mental heroin, or an odd combination of the three, it reflects our dreams, and gives us a sense of reality acceptable to us. And, thus, we can move in this world each day, we get out of bed, dress ourselves, carry on what is now a pathetic excuse for existence, because we have those dreams, that will come true, that will bring satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. What privilege we have, to, at any time, be able to substitute our Hell for our Heaven...
My life experiment was to learn and memorize 5 new signs a day. Along with learning new signs, once a week I did a worksheet from a workbook I got for Christmas. After getting sign language flashcards, workbooks, and a sign language dictionary, I was and still am feeling motivated to learn five new signs a day. This was my choice for my life experiment because in college I want to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders, to eventually become a Speech Pathologist. A Speech Pathologist helps either kids or adults who have a difficulty in their speech which, in some cases, means working with patients that are hard of hearing. Learning Sign Language is essential in becoming my dream career.
I am sentimental, out-going, indecisive, understanding, curious, naive, lazy, and young. I want to be ... , well a lot of things, and growing is discovering what they are. I feel people cannot see the potential within, although there is no one to blame but myself. I look to others for approval instead of to myself. I aim to please; it leads to approval. I don’t like to discuss my faults; I pity myself.