From the perspective of the worst member of a sports team

Dear diary,
Today was another one of those days. Yes, those days where I attempted to convey to the world my prowess at soccer. As usual, something went wrong, though I'm unsure as to what exactly.
I got to the field in style, with one cleat and one sneaker on. My left cleat seemed to have vanished, but that's just whatever. Who needs it. I put on my chipped and splintering, homemade wooden shin guards, and I was ready to go. We were going to start our usual two warm-up laps, and we were instructed to get into two lines. Since I'm so cool, I made my own third line. I could hear everyone yell at me to get into one of the two lines, but I blatantly refused. Halfway through the second and final lap, everyone started to pick up the pace, yet I began to walk. That's so cool, everyone starts working harder for me... I could get used to this.
After that, we stretched. I came out of that feeling like a piece of bubble gum, only sore for some reason. I wonder if it's possible to over-stretch.
Following that, we scrimmaged the girl's team. We did that for the remainder of the practice. It was amazing. I got the ball twice, and what happened? I tripped over the ball the first time, and the second time, some four foot tall girl plowed right over me and got that ball. That was lame and everyone laughed at me. I wish they wouldn't do that. Though I only played for two minutes in that scrimmage, I went out with a bang. When I went out there and dug that cleat and sneaker into the dirt, they knew I had been there, making history as usual. You know, doing great things.
Well, I though I did alright. However, everyone was talking trash about my unbelievable skills and all, and said I was incapable of playing soccer and all. That hurt a bit, but hey. It's probably just jealousy.
Always a winner,
Too cool for a "real" name

From the perspective of "the new kid"

Dear diary,
Today was another troublesome day at school. When I got out of bed, I felt like reclining and getting some more shut-eye. I used to never feel this way about school, but that explains how these past few days have been faring. As for today, it wasn't much better than all the other days at my new school.
When I got to school, I went to my locker and got my books for class, with the careless one whose locker is above me dropping their books on me. In my first class, I had my first test at my new school. I studied the night before, and I feel as if I did well. In my second class, someone sitting next to me was annoying me the entire time. I told him to shut up and all, and then he got absolutely livid about it, and I got kicked out of class for some reason. Never had I seen such a thing. Things only got worse at lunch. When I was eating, I looked away from my food for a second at one time. When I looked back at my food, it seemed as if someone had spit in it. It was quite abhorrent. I can't believe the nerve of some people.
As you can see, my day was far from how it would have been like last year. Last year, I was at my old school with my old friends. Now, I feel like such an outcast on a daily basis. They say it's all about first impressions. I think I made a pretty modest first impression myself, so I wonder what more those jerks want from me. Of course, I haven't spoken with everyone. Chances are that there is a nice person out there. I just have to come out of the closet and begin socializing a bit more. Yet, it isn't always that easy. Wherever you go, you will almost always meet up with those mean types. It's all about how you deal with them that makes them a threat to a certain degree. Perhaps telling that guy to shut up was not the best choice I could have made. I know, I'll make it up to him. I just want friends and to be respected, and sometimes, that is how such things start.
Stressed out,
New guy

Blind Person Journal

Dear diary,
Today was just another awful day. It's too bad, but almost everyday that is what I am saying. I had school today, which you can imagine how much trouble that was for me. When I was walking to the front door, I tripped on my shoelace and went face-first through the door. A handful of bystanders laughed, while a teacher passing by helped me up. After bumping into countless people on my way to my locker, I realized that I had to open the locker. Yet, I was blind, I could not possibly know how to open it. I got some help from the person whose locker was underneath mine, and they seemed pretty unwilling to help, despite my situation.
Countless times during the day, I was in class minding my own business until sometimes, when I would randomly hear shrieks of laughter coming from all four corners of the rooms towards me. I sure hope it was not directed towards me. I cannot wait for school to be over and done with. I can not take it any longer. My blindness sure is holding me back. I always feel like an outcast. When I get tests back, I cannot even read my own grade. The person sitting next to me always has to tell me, chuckling in my consistent failure. I always fear that everyone is plotting something against me, but if they are, I can only help but wonder. Chances are that they are visually communicating their plans, so I will have no knowledge of them. When will this be over... I just want to feel normal, like everyone else. That is all for now, my most loyal friend. You are the only one who listens to me, ol' diary, and I hope it stays that way.
Distraught,
Your blind friend

Being Blind

-Can't see.
-Can hear, can talk.
-What do I look like?
-Someone said I'm ugly, what's that?
-Failed kindergarten, didn't know colors.
-Failing now, teachers don't know braille, books aren't in braille.
-Scared, people might be coming to kill me.
-Trip everywhere, unexpected stuff in the way.
-People tease me visually, I can't see it.

Journal Responding to Myself (#5)

Dear Master Andrew,
It is good to hear that all is well. I must congratulate you on your strong effort on your quiz. However, you must make an effort to study when you know you will be having tests or quizzes. I was talking to the notebooks on the same shelf I was perched on. They felt neglected when you hadn't opened them to study or add any information too. Yet, at the same time, they feel as if they are in good hands. As you report, your grades are on the rise, which is a good thing. Kudos to you for that goal too. If I only had legs, I would understand more of what all this "goal" business is all about. If only some text relating to this subject of "soccer" sat on my meager shelf...
As for me, I am faring quite well myself. I sat on my shelf and talked it up with Night, NASCAR for Dummies, and that old comic book, Garfield Eats Crow. I cannot believe how heartless your kind are. Night told me all about some "war" your people had back in the day. In it, weren't people killed because of their government? Thankfully, I cannot really "die," hence being non-living. It actually sounded quite horrible if you asked me. My good "friend" NASCAR for Dummies made me feel like a fool the other day. How was I supposed to know what a checkered flag or catch can was? Pure outrage, if you asked me. My other buddy Garfield Eats Crow made me laugh, on the other hand. I can't believe what a dweeb that human Jon is, golfing in a hail storm wearing a cooking pot on his head as a helmet. That fat cat Garfield is a real softy too. He's a cat. He is naturally inclined to catch mice, well, that's what the New Book of Knowledge told me back in my infancy in the book store. Yet, Garfield does nothing about those little pests. If I were Jon, I'd kick that lazy "pest" out of my house.
Speaking of pests... Come quick! A bookworm is heading my way! I have no legs to run, no means for self-defense! What unspeakable pain I shall suffer! I once heard that in a New York public library, a single bookworm ate a path through thirteen volumes of an encyclopedia... Come quick, my master, I shall not suffer at this creature's expense! I will do anything!
Your mentor,
The Diary

From Nature to Humanity (#4)

Dear all the creatures of the world, particularly the humans,

Begone. You are marring my very splendor. I was once a beautiful being, but your actions have twisted that reputation around for the worst. I was created solely to house you all, but now there is so many of you all, that I can not possibly keep up with your demands. There is only one of me, and so many of you. Please show me at least a little mercy. I am trying my best, but you keep on pressuring me. I can not take this kind of chronic stress, it is simply too much.

Cars. Destroy them. Destroy them all. The noxious fumes they emanate from the back make me cough and wheeze in a way that I never used to. These cruel creations have been giving me a temperature, and I hope that you all can see what I mean. The days are warmer, for those who stopped to actually pay a little attention to my whereabouts. This is the main reason why I am writing. Humans, purge the earth of those foul creations you call cars. They might make travel easier, but they are constantly placing you in dangerous situations as well. Whenever you drive, you run the risk of cruising into the back of another car, possibly injuring yourself beyond repair, as the cars have done to me. Also, in my sickness, I have realized that there is little purpose in your complaining of this climate change. I have had enough of you complaining of this, and then doing nothing about it. You know you will have to do something before you lose the one who loves you all, mother nature herself. I am terminally ill, and you are my doctors. Either you will help me out or make a joke out of it as you are.
...Please, show me some mercy. Rid ourselves of these abominable objects of evil. We could surely do without them, use bikes or something.

Your mother,

Nature

Entry into a Journal (#3)

Dear Diary,

Hello, how are you today? As for me, I am fine. I decided to write, to amuse you. I feel bad that you have to live your life atop a cramped bookshelf. I hope you and the other books and essays get along alright up there. If not, I'm sure you'll tell your master all about it...
These past few days have been particularly great. The other day, I had some quiz, and I forgot which class it was for. All I can say is that I was up all night doing homework, and had no time to study. When I took that quiz, for some reason, everything stayed with me and I somehow managed to pass.

Also, I had a soccer game yesterday. Though we lost, it was great. I even got my first goal in almost eight years. That was pretty cool. I kind of forgot how good it felt to score, actually. I knew I'd make it happen, sometime of another. Now, if I could keep playing in the remaining games as I had yesterday. I knew I was better than I appeared to be, hence having played on a division two team for Waltham.

Lastly, it seems as if lately all my grades have been rising. I was ecstatic when I saw one of my A-s become an A, and two of my As become A+s. I hope it continues like this for the remained of the quarter, or the year, for that matter.

That is about it. I will see you later then, my most loyal diary. Keep supplying me with the latest from the other books on the shelf. Maybe I ought to leave the ol' Screwtape Letters and see if you can decipher them for me...

Your master,

Andrew

God to Devil or Devil to God (#2)

Dear Enemy,

How are you this fine day? I hope you're suffering much at my expense. I hope you are seeing the humans turn away from your foolish ways. Goodness... Who would live for something boring like that? I wouldn't. Your little creations, the humans, are realizing the trivialness of such goodness. Soon, they will be mine! How do i plan to do this? It's quite simple actually.

First of all, I'll show them how to sin. As we all know, sin is a refusal to do your will. Most of those humans have already discovered sin on their own. Now, I plan to subtly act on each human through agents, who will slowly but surely increase the humans' aptitude towards sin. What's next? Well, you're humans will be sinning and saying all variations of abominations to your face. Only then may you see the "goodness" of evil prevail. The humans are always inclined towards it, and they will find its message more attractive than that of your "goodness" of abstinence and having a pure self. Why am I telling you my very plan for universal domination? That is simply because I see it as infallible, and that even if you were to find a way around it, I and my agents are always devising back-up plans. That means that perhaps this plan described here might not even be used...

That is all for now. This is war, and one I shall win. If you think otherwise, you are wrong. Your fickle beings, the humans, have much potential to turn against you, and accept my ways, and you must realize that when they hear me, all is lost for you. That said, have a fantastically average day.

Yours not truly,

The Devil

Letter to Yourself from Yourself 10 years in the future (#1)

Dear Andrew,
How are you today? Are you well? I can't believe I am writing to myself, but whatever. I'm bored, and have nothing else to do. How is that dream of getting that Lamborghini coming along? Hopefully you didn't give up on it. I'd hate you if you did. How is work? Is it making enough? Today, I got this new job. To be a cashier for a grocery store for a few hours on the weekend is not at all how I'd like to pass my time, but what I do like is the money at stake. With that money, maybe I'd save up for something cool, but I have no idea what.
How's school? Hopefully you're still in school. Hopefully you're learning cool stuff, like Chemistry to blow stuff up or computer stuff, because it's cool. Why? Because I said so. If it's law or doctor stuff, then don't even read this. Use this parchment as kindling for your fireplace. I hope you have forgotten of those days when you took AP English and AP US History. I am experiencing them these days, and please forget that ol' work load. I'm sure you remember that it wasn't very pretty.
That's all for now. Keep doing good stuff. Don't get associated with boring stuff like homework or anything like law(yuck). Just go out there and have fun. Experience something. Do not live in your past, as I am now. Back then, all you did was homework, and you can remember how much fun you had(sarcasm). That said, go out there and prove to the world just who you really are. You, like anyone else have the power to change the world. The catch is that you must find a way to convey that power...

Sincerely,

Your sixteen year old self

Apology

Dear Andrew,
Quit calling me a warthog. You have been doing that a lot lately, and it has been getting on my nerves. First of all, I do not like being called names, as anyone else would not like to be. Second of all, why a warthog? I would prefer to be called a tugboat, or propaganda, or a neophyte, if anything. As for being called a warthog, no.
Now, this is what I really don't get. why is everyone else calling me a warthog? It was only you in the beginning. As of now, my own family is calling me a warthog on a daily basis. When anything like that is happening, one would feel that something is up.
Along with that, I hate being called a warthog since I see it as offensive. I am a human being, not some wild swine in the savanna, wallowing at its leisure. I think as you think, feel as you feel, and am as you are. As such, I'd prefer to be known for that.
That is all for now. Really, I want you and your little friends to quit calling me a warthog. I really don't enjoy it. Only after you and your familiars break this habit may you be forgiven. As of now, this is war. If you don't make an effort to end it, there will be much trouble in your future. Think about it, then write me back.
From that warthog,
Dave Oreste

My Continuations

There was darkness as far as the eye could see.
I had just woken up. I groped around in the dark, but could not sense anything nearby. My senses seemed to be dormant, as I could not feel anything, see anything, or smell anything. All that I could feel was that I was in pain, and that I was not in bed somehow.

Defeat was in the midst, as I saw the prize diminish right before my eyes.
I had always been the best. I was always on top for everything. I had worked harder than everyone put together, at least, so it felt. I had gotten used to this; yet I was myself far from where I should be, which is in the number two slot, in a three-way tie. Whatever this was, it sure was different this time around.

A falling sensation overcame myself.
I sprinted down that hill like a cheetah at full force. Yet, there was that mossy stone, and then a thud. Suddenly, I was on the ground, shaken, seemingly unable to move. I had gotten up after a minute or so, but then couldn't hold up much longer. The pain in my ankle was sharp, and what was it? No one really knew.

The potential of those beady, blue eyes seemed infinite.
Yet, she doubted herself. She seemed to have a great knowledge of the world as a whole, and it came across as odd that she had no idea as to what "vicarious" meant. I had always been the helpful type, so I offered my best advice and consolation. Where this act of good will would take me was far from expected.

The silky gloss of fur was my best memory of the rabbits.
They were my favorite animals, and I had gotten two of them. I had two sisters, yet, these rabbits seemed to be like my brothers, of whom I had none before. It seemed that they understood me better than anyone else. When I spoke to them, they just looked at me, noses twitching, seeming to nod with approval. They would be determining my life for the next two years.

First Paragraphs

From West Roxbury to Wrenthem, and it was never the same.  It was in the middle of summer, and there was a massive drought all around.  As I trotted around in my backyard, the grass felt crispy under my feet.  During this time, water had never been more appreciated.  Everything all around appeared ravished.  The wind blew by with all dryness, purging the life out of one's skin cells.  I lived near the woods, and there had always been the threat of hot sawdust blowing in the trees.  One day, as I did my homework, all I could smell at one instant was smoke.

"Stop lying and things won't have to be like this." and the slam of a closing cell phone were the last meaningful actions for quite some time.  It was horrible.  The experienced shook everyone in the vicinity.  Never had a breakup had seemed so devastating.  As a spectator, to see my best friend so upset and almost screaming at her boyfriend, who was another friend of mine, was no easy feat.

Rule #1: Never ride a tricycle in the house.

I once had this tricycle, years ago.  It was among one of my most prized possessions.  I spent long hours each day riding it all over the place.  I enjoyed the experience thoroughly, feeling the air rip on by as I cruised around on all three wheels, with my surroundings being swallowed up by the horizon.I felt unstoppable and as if anything that got into my way was finished.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only suspicion, not proof to destroy it.  I had known them for my entire life, and considered this an outrage.  

More Cliffhangers

1. From West Roxbury to Wrenthem, and it was never the same.

2. "Stop lying and things won't have to be like this." and the slam of a closing cell phone were the last meaningful actions for quite some time.

3. Rule #1: Never ride a tricycle in the house.

4. I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only suspicion, not proof to destroy it.

5. And I'll never forget the bitter sweet sounds of the bagpipes playing in warm spring breeze.

Cliffhangers

1.) There was darkness as far as the eye could see.
2.) Defeat was in the midst, as I saw the prize diminish right before my eyes.
3.) A falling sensation overcame myself.
4.) The potential of those beady, blue eyes seemed infinite.
5.) The silky gloss of fur was my best memory of the rabbits.

When All Was Lost

I was fourteen, and it was my first week of freshman year. I was a nervous little freshman. I was taller than many of the seniors, making me stand out in a crowd, which was even more frightening in a way. In this strange place known as high school, I heard that anything could happen. From soccer practice, which began the week before our first day, I seemed to be alright. Yet, apprehension overcame me when stepping through those mile wide front doors, and I breathed for the first time as a high school freshman in a place that would become my secondary home, if you will. I had some of my good friends along with me, such as Daryl, Mike, and Seby, but I still felt uneasy. At soccer practice, everyone seemed at ease, yet it was after entering that building that new characters crafted out of sheer stress would unveil themselves. Petrified of leaving that building with a very dense bag, I felt relieved that we freshmen got a reprieve of a mere orientation.
The next day, some of my biggest fears began to show their faces. My first class at high school was the A period Algebra 1 class taught by Ms. Sinitski. I was horrified when I found myself pick up a pencil and open that agenda and write, “In a paragraph, tell how I used math this summer.” Down below in the basement was the stage set for my next class. After fiddling with my locker for the entirety of the four minutes granted to us in the halls between classes, I arrived to my first class, the only thing, I was locked out. I felt as if I had been letting down everyone I knew by arriving late, with the kindly Biology teacher, Ms. Osborne, taking time out of class to let my pitiful self in. I heard that those who got late to classes failed, and I was vehement with myself that I might be failing a class because of my inefficiency with my locker. Distraught, I decided never to get late to another class, and began to literally carry my locker all over the place. After that first day, I found myself with a light and intimidating load of homework, and with arms that felt like they had grown a few inches from carrying all those books.
Syllabus is a word that I found much absurdity in from the start. Never had I ever heard such an unusual word, and it is not surprising that I discovered it in high school, where everyone seemed to be geniuses. From my D period English Writing class, I had received a scant assignment of getting a parent/guardian to sign the syllabus. It seemed to be a joke when the sound waves hit my eardrums that a homework assignment would be to get a sheet of paper signed. Hoping that this was as far as high school homework went, I decided to take my time with it. My first week of high school had concluded, and it was quite an accomplishing feeling that I came out of it in one piece, without an F, without a detention, and without a fight. That weekend, it was high time that I took to the basement and squandered my time with the Nintendo 64, to put out that stress felt in those first few and harsh days. In my relaxation, I lost all sight of my one responsibility, that of the syllabus. When Monday came along and I approached my D period English Writing class, I went blank. Something was wrong, but what? I took to my seat and thrusted those books under my desk, with my arms feeling as if they were almost like elastics. Ms. Walter, my teacher for that class, kicked off the class by ordering that we pass up our signed syllabi. I felt an awkward emptiness, perhaps this was that sinking feeling I felt. I opened my folder, and took out the syllabus, with the line labeled “parent/guardian signature” blank. I reached a state of panic. My first grade in this class, and looked like I was going to blow it. Would I be trapped in the infinite vortex of that dreaded AMS session? Would I fail off the soccer team? Would my parents feed me at all if they saw this? It seemed as if all were lost.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

1. How did Sedaris take a potentially boring experience - auditing a beginner's language class - and turn it into a humorous essay? An interviewer once wrote that Sedaris's signature is "deadpan" humor. What is deadpan humor? Identify - and characterize the effectiveness of - examples of it in "Me Talk Pretty One Day."

Through skepticism, Sedaris made his essay humorous, even though it had a potentially boring topic. Sedaris leaves much room for doubt when making judgments, and then fills in those gaps with his own speculations, often times accompanied by outrageous remarks and blandly unobvious statements often times marked with sarcasm. This is tied into "deadpan" humor. "Deadpan" humor is really a bland sense of humor, of which is often times unpredictable and uncalled for. It is quite effectively used, because of the that way it comes across, it seems awkward, yet strangely it fits in. An example of this could be how Sedaris described his French teacher, as he said she had an accent. He sort of exaggerated it using random gibberish in place of her accentuated French, such as "fiuscrzsaticiwelmun"(276).

2. Describe how Sedaris reveals parts of himself throughout the story. By the end we know a fair amount about the speaker. How do we gain this knowledge?

Sedaris is revealing much of himself throughout this essay. He is rather discreet in a way, and disguises it using humor. Throughout the essay, he is expressing faults and blemishes of sorts. For example, his random use of gibberish when quoting his teacher may reflect on his misunderstandings of what his teacher was telling him, and that possibly he had a limited knowledge of French and that is what the language sounded like to him. Also, he says he appeared old when he makes the statement that his classmates were all "young, attractive, and well dressed..."(274). The reason as to why we are able to learn so much from this writing style is simple. Often times, what he is joking about is relevant to the matter at hand, and that the way he portrays it with each joke shows how he views such issues personally.

Carelessness

What do you think of when you heard the word, “unflattering?” Perhaps it is a certain object, perhaps a certain action, or even another person. In everyone’s lives, there are unflattering moments. It might be rare, or such moments may take place everyday. As an average person, I have had my share of unflattering moments. One such moment took place a couple of years ago.

In elementary and middle schools, all students are required to take standardized tests. Such tests are designed to test students to see how much they have been learning over the years. Often times, there are no grades given, just a chart showing the percentage of test takers who’s scores you exceeded. I and my studious self often times would be in the top 90-99%, yet in third grade, this was most especially not true of my math skills. I had scored reasonably well on all of the other sections of the test, falling within the 90-99% range. Yet, in math, I only scored higher than 27% of the test takers. Considering that the year past math was my highest subject, this was shocking. It was something that I, as well as everyone else, was most certainly not used to.

In the following days, everyone was sharing and comparing their scores on the differing sections, which was forbidden. Even still, everyone did it, mostly to see how they compare to the brighter individuals. When I was asked my scores on my standardized tests, I willingly shared them. Yet, in third grade, I tried to ignore it when anyone asked me how I scored in math. This led many people to think that I had done horribly, and were even more eager to find out the truth. As time went on, I got so plagued by the question of my math score, that I finally gave it away. Everyone was speechless. It was far from expected that I would only score better than 27% of all test takers in the nation, especially when I was one of the best mathematicians in my class. I have no idea how that happened. I felt like I had a strong performance overall, but something must have been wrong. I felt badly, since I was now being exploited by my fellow classmates, and when my parents found out, I felt that my presence was exploiting them. It was a terrible feeling, hopefully to never be experienced again.

In such events, there is always something to be learned. I felt badly at the time and saw everyone’s presence as condemning; yet, I came out of it realizing that I must work harder in order to avoid such spoofs. There is also a possible explanation as to why my score was so low as well. A few years later, another friend of mine who was known as one of the best English scholars, scored only better than 15% of all test takers in the spelling section. His spelling was of a high caliber, so it was quite confusing how that could have happened. The only explanation would be stray marks in the test booklet. Often times, there would be regions in the test booklets where it said no to make any marks. Perhaps accidental marks on one of those pages lead the system to get confused somehow, and made some serious grading errors. It is unfortunate that some brilliant students have fallen victim to the blunders of today’s technology, especially when such students did great work, but were put down by poor marks due to grading errors. It did not feel good to have scored so poorly, and that is why I consider it to be one of the most unflattering moments in my life.

Shooting an Elephant

1.) Revealed in the essay, Shooting an Elephant, are two differing themes. These two themes seem to be opposites as well, as one theme expresses interest and the other expresses disinterest in the military work of George Orwell. From the beginning, the reader can see that Orwell disliked his military service, when he makes such claims that, "I was hated by large numbers of people,"(Orwell 221) or "...imperialism was an evil thing"(Orwell 221). Shortly after making such claims, Orwell continues on by saying that "One day something happened which in a roundabout way was enlightening"(Orwell 222). From there, he goes on to say that when he was about to shoot the elephant, "I did not know that in shooting an elephant one would shoot to cut an imaginary bar running from ear-hole to ear-hole"(Orwell 225). In that, Orwell is stating that the Burmese people around him, of whom hated him, took a sudden interest in him, since he was possibly preparing their next meal.
Those themes are very different, but are intertwined quite effectively. Orwell is not much for military service, as one can see based on how he starts this essay. Yet, Orwell feels obliged to tell of his best memory from the war. Though it is portrayed in a positive light, the negative view lingers. He described the shooting of an elephant to be the one time that the people took interest in him, but following that, he described that the elephant was stripped to the bones of its meat after it was killed. While the people gave him a break that one time, it was only because Orwell was about to prepare their next meal. If elephants were poisonous, chances are that the people would have been indifferent to the spectacle. That is how the two themes of interest and disinterest are integrated in the essay, Shooting an Elephant.

2.) Orwell reveals a handful of unflattering aspects of himself. He does this uniformly, by first explaining how he felt about the situation, and secondly explaining what was legal or should have been done. At one time, Orwell says that, "But I did not want to shoot the elephant... Alive, the elephant is worth as least a hundred pounds; dead, he would only be worth the value of his tusks, five pounds, possibly"(Orwell 225). Later on, Orwell states that, "Besides, legally I had done the right thing, for a mad elephant has to be killed, like a mad dog, if its owner fails to control it"(Orwell 227). That is generally how Orwell revealed blunders in his character throughout this essay.

The Ten Steps Towards Popularity

1. Make yourself presentable. This includes the way one dresses, one's tone of voice, manners, and so on. Tuck in your shirt when needed, do not leave home with cowlicks in your hair, and keep it clean. You want others to see to it that you are a capable person, who has it all under control.
2. Be rational with others. Treat others with fairness and respect them for their choices. Do not force anyone to accept your views if they are unwilling.
3. Judge no one. Do not make false assumptions about anyone, especially if you do not know who they are. This is the easiest way to make oneself enemies.
4. Respect yourself. Take care of yourself and make good decisions. You want to be a role model, and to teach to others how to respect each other, you must be able to respect yourself first.
5. Do not impose yourself on others. Do not force others to accept you or use your fans to your advantage.
6. Be proactive. Take an active part of your surroundings. One who is popular does not leave an area without leaving some remnant of themselves there.
7. Settle rivalries without a spectacle. This is the ultimate test to see how much you have got it under control. Do not let others take you down, and do not make a show of it when you show any rivals who is in charge. Make your points to them, and leave without a scuffle if possible.
8. Do not ignore the fans. No one likes being ignored at all, so show them some love. Ignoring the fans is the best way to lose them, as they will see that you think you are too important for them.
9. Think twice. Make sapient choices for yourself. Do not let yourself get forced into any sort of traps, and know what is best for yourself and others before acting.
10. Fear nothing. No one likes a coward who can not fend for themselves and others.

When You Thought You Were Done

Homework- n. - schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom. Have you ever received such work? Did it seem of any value at all? Throughout the years, teachers have been assigning extra work to their students to be done at home. Such “homework” as it was called, has received much negative attention despite its intentions of being an educational supplement. Amongst the callous feelings towards homework, it has remained as a modern convention in contemporary education. The reason as to why homework has not become obsolete due to the harsh opinions towards it is simply rooted in the prospect that homework is actually useful to those who complete it. Homework can be beneficial when completed since it applies students to their work and may even boost their grades when completed.
Homework may be advantageous in how it requires students to put their knowledge to work. When a student does their homework, they often times see that it requires them to apply the knowledge they have acquired in the classroom. If a student can do their homework with proficiency, that directly reflects on how well they have been learning the material. Homework is also to be done at home, which is typically a contemplative, relatively low-stress environment. At home, a student may spend as much time as they wish on their work, so that they may get it right. Also, if help is needed, students may receive help from family, friends, the internet, and other sources to augment their learning. Building off of that, homework may even introduce students to new skills, of which may appear later on in their studies.
When completed, homework has the ability to boost the grades of students. Often times, homework is also graded based on effort rather than exactness, which makes homework an easy source of credit. Many accounts have also shown that students who do not perform well on tests and quizzes have the ability to receive passing grades in their classes through strong efforts on their homework. There is nothing better than passing a class easily simply by doing undemanding, low-stress work at home. On further note, homework may introduce students to new material, which may appear on tests and quizzes. Only if a student did their homework might they know what to do if such material came up on a test. Upon closer examination, there is much more to homework than meets the eye.
Although homework is intended to be positive in principle, there are many opposing opinions towards homework that one must be aware of. First of all, many students claim that homework takes away from free time which may be spent with family or be spent learning other life skills not taught in school. This may actually be true for some, typically those who take higher level courses. The best way to go about this is to do work as it is assigned, and to not save it for the last minute. It is not a good idea to put extra pressure on oneself. It is easier if a student does whatever work they can, and then constructively spends any extra time they have left. Homework is also said to be boring. It is understandable that students may not wish to be learning all the time; yet, there are some things in life that must be done whether or not it is appreciated, and homework is one of such things. It is important that students also maintain a positive attitude towards their studies so that they may achieve more. Those who fail to complete their homework because of a negative attitude will realize later on that their attitude should have been different when their mediocre grades get them mediocre jobs. The final of such fallacious claims states that homework as a whole is useless. That most certainly is not true. Homework allows students to recall the information that they have learned and apply it in situations outside of school, and as already mentioned, homework has the ability to make or break one’s grades. There is no use in wishing to do well, and not accepting easy points along the way, such as those obtained through homework.
Overall, homework is a positive entity. It demands that students apply what they have learned to a variety of situations and may also generously bolster one’s grades upon completion. In spite of negative opinions towards homework, there is much to gain in the process. As one can see, there was a good reason for homework to remain rather than become archaic due to popular opinion. Though people typically wish to involve themselves in lucrative endeavors outside of school, it is important to realize that even the simple act of doing one’s homework could make future endeavors far more significant providing that effort is put into it. Conclusively, that is what homework is, and how it is juxtaposed to prevalent opinion.

Self-Esteem

Have you ever heard of self-esteem? What do you think it entails? Is it positive or negative, overall? In the argumentative essay The Trouble with Self-Esteem, by Lauren Slater, a negative view on self-esteem is portrayed. Slater begins by asking a few questions and getting into the definition of self-esteem. The provided definition is that self-esteem is mostly just a love for oneself. As it seems, there is nothing wrong with that. If a person hates themselves, they would probably have a fairly miserable existence. Slater makes all sorts of other claims, probably the most important of which concern how high self-esteem may be a culprit of personal problems and how it is not proven that low self-esteem can be harmful to a person.
Slater claims that high self-esteem may be a culprit of personal and social problems. Today’s culture sees self-esteem as the core of one’s being. It is what makes each person different, and it can give one a sense of security. Slater brings such charges against it though, of which include an analysis of a murderer and a statement on how pride may be dangerous. At one point, Slater describes that in an interrogation with a murderer, it was found that they had really high self-esteem. They seemed very sure that their actions were true and just, and that it was for everyone else’s personal gain. Also, it is said that pride is something that all people of high self-esteem have in abundance, and poses a large threat to everyone around them. Egotistical people tend to have little tolerance for negative opinions about themselves even if honest, and will lash out at those who do such. While this may in essence seem true, Slater seems to have a tendency to over-exaggerate. In the example of the murderer, their views have been conveyed as overwhelmingly positive because they did not want others to see the truth that on the inside, they knew that they were wrong in their actions. Also, there was no real connection made between high self-esteem and the heinous act of murder, since there was no real love for the murderer’s self present. If they loved themselves, they would not have chosen to be in their situation. Also, pride may be negative only if carried too far. Everyone has a sense of pride in them, it just depends on if they choose to flaunt it more than others. With a little self-control, anyone could express pride without hurting anyone else, since they would be more cautious of those around them.
Slater also describes that low self-esteem is not proven to be dangerous. In a sense, that is true. Yet, it is not a good way for a person to mold their character. Slater claims that those of low self-esteem have no real disadvantages against those of high self-esteem. It is also stated that they may be more likely to succeed, since those of low self-regard will often times work harder to get past their misgivings. As logical as that may seem, there are faults in such a statement, however. Low self-esteem is concerned with little respect for oneself. Yet, would not a person with little self respect be more inclined to make poor decisions for them? People prefer to feel positively about themselves, and if all a person acknowledges about themselves are negative aspects, they would probably tend to second-guess themselves, and may make poor personal decisions. When they wish to feel well about themselves, such people may resort to drugs and alcohol to create a false glimmer of self-assurance for themselves.
Self-esteem is what gives a person a sense of self-worth. If a person feels well about themselves, they are less likely to abuse themselves or others, providing that they contain their feelings of pride and remain open to interpretation by others. Self-esteem is what molds character, if a person can associate well with themselves and others, they could be better off since others will be supportive of their own personal choices. Those with low self-esteem seem to fade away from the bigger picture of society, and in today’s society, a looming presence may be advantageous. If people can see you and all the good that you do, others will be more likely to remember your example, follow it, and even suggest your tactics to others. Slater made logical statements on the disadvantages of high self-esteem, but they were lacking in backup. She was usually stating mere theories, with no solid evidence provided. Conclusively, that is why a person may need to depend of high self-esteem to survive in today’s society.