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Reflective essay on volunteering
Reflective essay on volunteering
Reflective essay on volunteering
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ID: 494218001 Each and every one of us learns throughout our daily lives. We learn from others and through our experiences. As we grow older and become more mature, we develop a deeper understanding of ourselves as we slowly move away from following others to constructing our own perspectives on the world around us. Self-discovery is what gives us a self-realization of what we value, care and love, and thus allowing us to affirm our values in society. In the short story “The Metaphor”, author Budge Wilson depicted a story about a girl named Charlotte discovering her own life through her teenage years. Throughout the duration of the story, Charlotte had moved from a shadow of her mother to becoming the unique and distinct herself today. It was evident that Charlotte was aware of her own thoughts and values for the first time when she wrote a metaphor describing Miss Hancock; an individual which no one around her loved. …show more content…
The lunch bell rung at full volume as the main doors flung open. I predicted that a herd of people will rush in like the water from a spill gate. But instead every person was a line; in fact it was a neat single filed line. Another thing I was astonished to see was to the fact that every single person I served to was superbly well mannered. It was the magical word of thank-you which left great remarks in my life and made my volunteering experience an enjoyable one. After the shift, I have come to realize that everything my family and friends have said about impoverished people was nothing but just a stereotype. In addition, I have self-discovered that volunteering is what I want to do on my spare time. The joy from making new friends, appreciated and making a difference in society was too meaningful to put in words. From then on, volunteering had become one of my most highly valued priorities. Whenever I have time to spare, I will go
Learning is important for countless reasons, the most important reason being that it molds a person into who he or she is. What people choose to learn, and also what they choose not to, create the core of their opinions as individuals. Though people do not admit it or openly declare it, it is fair to say almost everyone is self centered. Because of this, and the fact that learning dramatically affects a person, learning is not only thrilling, but also expressive. Furthermore, since learning is expressive, its meaning varies from person to person, therefore making each person’s experiences with learning unique and life changing.
In the Gift by Li-Young Lee metaphor expresses the theme that with the right amount of comfort and support the scary, deadly manifestations do not seem so bad anymore. An example of this is “And I recall his hands two measures of tenderness he laid against my face, the flames of discipline he raised over my head” (11.9-13). This compares the father’s hands to the epitome of tenderness and the fierceness of discipline. The father’s hands compare two different ideas based on what he chooses to use them for. This shoes how the father’s hands make the painful manifestations seem okay because of the care that they give. More examples of metaphors are “I can’t remember the tale but hear his voice still, a well of dark water a prayer” (11.6-8).
Although metaphors seem to be simple and easily understood, they possess the ability to give extra details about a writers beliefs and opinions. By dissecting language, the simplicity of a metaphor can lead to further intellect in an author and show something at a deeper, more precise level. Analyzing connotations, structure, and relationship leads to the discovery of ideologies and understanding. Spiritual truth is often communicated through the use of common, familiar objects. By the use of a simple rhetorical device, Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor effectively communicate their writing style through metaphors, which illustrates their Puritan ideology.
Metaphors, according to Professor George Lakoff, are a way to think and reason about life. They are not a unique way to speak about it, but a common way to talk about life experiences since they are a reflection of our thought processes (1986). This became immediately apparent to me when I began looking for metaphors commonly used. It took some time to find any because they were pervasive of my thought system that I did not even notice many phrases around me were metaphors. Those phrases were not “poetic or rhetorical” way of talking, but a normal usage for those around me to express their thoughts (Lakeoff, 1986, p.216). The metaphor that came up several times on my search was history as roots. This metaphor allows us to think about life in a certain way and it holds particular implications for our interpersonal communication.
Edward O. Wilson, the writer of this satire, writes about the opinions of two disagreeing sides to demonstrate the unproductive nature of these litigations. To do this, the author writes in a horatian manner and uses instances of exaggeration, parody, incongruity, and irony to help him convey his message that these arguments are pointless. The well distributed use of these strategies allows the writer to efficiently illustrate and mock the unproductive disagreement of these two groups of people.
Jimmy S.Baca use of metaphors, similes, imagery, diction, tone and mood are used in a very effective way in his essay Coming into Language. His use of metaphors and similes really give the reader a visual, helping develop imagery. Baca’s use of imagery paints pictures in the reader’s head but also develops a type of emotion by the use of diction. The word choice used provides the reader with an understanding of where the author is coming from leading us into tone and mood. The author’s tone starts off very low but by the end of the essay you will feel very satisfied.
In the book Metaphors We Live By, authors George Lakoff and Mark Johnson address the traditional philosophic view denouncing metaphor's influence on our world and our selves (ix). Using linguistic and sociological evidence, Lakoff and Johnson claim that figurative language performs essential functions beyond those found in poetry, cliché, and elaborate turns of phrase. Metaphor permeates our daily experiences - not only through systems of language, but also in terms of the way we think and act. The key to understanding a metaphor's effect on behavior, relationships, and how we make sense of our environment, can be found in the way humans use metaphorical language. To appreciate the affects of figurative language over even the most mundane details of our daily activity, it is necessary to define the term, "metaphor" and explain its role in defining the thoughts and actions that structure our conceptual system.
Miss Hancock takes on an important role in the short story The Metaphor, written by Budge Wilson. She is a beloved literacy teacher with an exuberant personality. First, the author fabricates an image of Miss Hancock by giving a physical description of her. Wilson writes “If one tired of inspecting miss Hancock's clothes which were nearly always as flamboyant as her nature, one could still contemplate her face with considerable satisfaction.” (65). This quotes makes it clear that her personality shines through in the way of which she presents herself. Her appearance is a reflection of her exuberant personality. Another technique that Wilson uses to express Miss Hancock's personality is through
The idea of self-discovery surrounds each and every one of us. It can be the understanding of our own abilities and feelings, or simply the acquisition of knowledge that can be applied for greater use. Self-discovery is crucial in determining the path we take in our lives and the choices we make that help us reach the end goal. As a society that is constantly changing and innovating, self-discovery aids in the process of learning and growing to better those around us and our own interests. Self-discovery enables us to pursue the new found interests and impacts the decisions we make in our lives.
One would choose the quote, “It [is] terrifying to be so alone” (p 75), in relation to “The Metaphor”, by Budge Wilson, because it explains the story well in respect to the protagonist’s emotions, is relatable, and represents the true fear of growing up. Being alone explains the story well because it shows how the protagonist, Charlotte, feels on top of her current position in “The grade 7 class [of] 1965…[and] Junior high school [with this passing]....innocence and acne.”
We, Aimee Johnson and Jessie Virnig, along with Amy Wilson and Shawn Klimek, decided to try to give the homeless a little hope. The week before Christmas we went door to door and collected food for the local homeless shelter. We decided to focus on collecting food because around the Christmas season, a lot of emphasis is put on toy drives and people sometimes overlook the fact that the homeless still need to eat. In order to broaden our research, we decided to collect food from more than one group of people. We went to an average middle class neighborhood and to a college dormitory. Before we went out into the neighborhood and dorms, we prepared a thank you letter to give to everyone explaining to them who we were, to tell them that we were collecting food for the homeles...
My first shift started on February 21, 2014, there was not a training session or orientation. The majority of the work at the site was something one would do around their own home. As soon as I stepped in and introduced myself to the site supervisor, I was put to work. I started with making juice and filling the container with water. Then I worked with another volunteer putting warning label on boxes to warn people of hot plate. Then it was time to open up and start serving food, I was on desert duty. It was easy, which allowed me to make observations and make mental notes. I noticed the majority of the people vising this particular soup kitchen in Livermore were Caucasian, and varied in ages. There are some that appears to be in their 60s, and a couple groups that appears to be in the low 20s and homeless. Although majority of the customers are homeless, some have a house of their own. Ev...
Volunteering enables an individual to make a positive impact on his or her community, while empowering the individual to better his or her life. This summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at many diverse locations. From the hospital to the local library, I truly value my experience and treasure everything it has thought me. Volunteering lets us experience and learn things that we otherwise would not have learned; volunteering opens doors for us that we may not have been able to open before. Volunteering provides us with guidance and tolerance which we may use in the future to aid us in our decisions. At first glance, volunteering may seem to only benefit those who are helped, but on a deeper level, one can realize that volunteering benefits the volunteer as much as, if not more than, those who are helped. Not only does volunteering make a difference in one’s community, but it also helps the volunteer become a smarter, happier, friendlier and more caring individual.
As I have reflected on the examined life, intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, over the span of this semester and applied it to our own life, I have noticed a theme that links each of these dimensions together. Life is a journey of self discovery where individuals are constantly trying to come to terms with who they are as a person. Through this journey, individuals can find their calling or vocation in life, discover their potential, know one’s self, and even just make sense of life. Furthermore, I will examine this theme of self discovery in the context of each dimension and apply it to what I have learned over the course of this semester.
The need to continually improve ourselves is basic to all human beings. Self-development allows us to reach our true and fullest potential. Through self-development we become better able to understand ourselves, others, the world around us and to make positive changes in that world.