Loving These Poems

Artificial Flowers by C.P. Cavafy invokes my spiritual side and allows me to comprehend the beautiful yet frightening aspects of life. Real flowers posses temporary appeal, but will eventually diminish, reminding me that everything you touch surely dies. When you are with someone and never want the love to end, artificial roses are comforting because they give you a sense of permanence. Real flowers will decease no matter how hard you attempt to take care of them, resembling that the effort put forth in a relationship could one day be insufficient and the love could therefore die. The one aspect of real flowers that I feel relates to relationships positively is that they are all so unique .... not one flower is the same as the others which shows that each relationship is one of a kind because the two people that it consists of are distinct as well. In Artificial Flowers, the poet explains that fake flowers are better than real because of their foundation. It is strong and prevailing, always the way you expect them to be. C.P. Cavafy explains that the craft of the hand presents more vivid colors that could not be produced by nature, which says to me that the effort put into a relationship will always overpower the notion that the couple is just meant to be together. Sure there is a reason for the occurrence but without dedication and work the relationship would fail. To me, "true Art" in this poem is a spiritual reference. The poet is presenting that glass and gold are more beautiful forms of art created by God than the simple colors and textures found in nature. I object this notion because I feel that nature produces more wonderful things than which could ever be improved or manufactured by man, but I also see the meaning behind Cavafys message. The permanent enhancements of the artificial flowers are important. You can find beautiful flowers just like you can find beautiful relationships. Starting from the foundation given, upgrading the flowers to fulfill an eternal life gives them a sense of worth and the chance for infinite admiration. The appreciation will always be there, because the beauty will not fade. The only thing that fades from real flowers is life, and partnerships take a certain dedication and constant valuing as well. The poet seems to suggest that we have to take advantage of opportunities to make the things we love about our lives last. 

Love After Love

Love After Love, by Derek Walcott, is a beautiful poem that reminds me of someone who has just gotten out of a long relationship. This stage of their life had temporarily changed them, and maybe not necessarily for the better. This person had lost his or herself along the way, and now that they are alone they must find who they were prior to the relationship. Feeling as if he or she has been broken in half, they must reconcile with who they once were in order to be whole once again.  Focusing every ounce of attention on the person they were with, they now are forced to face themselves and see themselves for who they truly are because it is all they have left. Sometimes complete dedication is a downfall. Cathexis needs to be contrasted in order for a healthy relationship and a healthy life, but when you are absolutely infatuated with someone, it can be hard to see that. Finally finding his or her self is a great feeling because they have finally realized that they have had this great being inside of them, it just was shaded because all of the light was being directed toward the other person. Love After Love describes the revelation of a person who has found the importance of themselves, and has realizes that they weren't even expecting this to happen. They had lost themselves so much along the way that they had no hope in recovering what they had before such an immense devotion. Now that it is over, they have to take down the remnants of what once was and focus on what their life has become. Rather than staring at the pictures and letters from the person who is now irrelevant to their lives, they have to sit down and attempt to love themselves. Life was not wasted loving this person, but now they must focus on what is left ... and what is left is themselves. This type of self awareness is absolutely necessary in the hopes of living life the way they want, the way they have always pictured it to be. Why sit around and bask in the sorrow of what is no longer there? They can now take life on and live it out according to their rules. If they find someone to enliven this newfound soul, that is wonderful. But if not, at least they love themselves and see the world for what it is, which is beautiful. 

"Does It Matter?"

Halfway through Steven King's Doctor Sleep. Having nightmares and such. I've noticed some emerging patterns but I'm not completely sure if they link quite yet. No obvious connection has been implied at the point I'm at in the novel right now, but the constant repetition of the phrase "Does it matter?" by various characters leads me to the assumption that this statement actually does matter. King consistently follows up this saying with the description as being a "cold tone". Along with the eerie tone behind this phrase, the only characters I've observed who say this are the ones involved in the phenomenon of "the shining". From my understanding, the shining is an extremely unusual ability that allows the possessor to look into the minds of others, recapture events from the past, and telepathically communicate with and manipulate others. Although some people have a slight touch of this gift, the main characters in this novel seem to have an overwhelming and at times troubling amount of this particular power. Rose the Hat is the primary leader of the life draining group called the "True Knot." She consistently uses this phrase to support her ideas if there is ever any questioning by her fellow tribe members. This group of people feasts on the souls of those who possess the shining, and have no mercy when it comes to the torture they implement while murdering these innocent people. The True eventually run into the extremely powerful Abra Stone, a little girl who possess enough power to telepathically communicate with others who have been born with the shining as well. The strength of Abra's "steam" draws the clan in, with desire in their eyes to feast on her and gain their much needed strength back. Dan Torrance is the man with whom she has communicated since before she could even read. This small world has lead Dan Torrance and Abra's parents to have close connections with the same people, allowing them all to assist Abra in her journey of defeating Rose the Hat. Now that I have completed the novel, I am able to say that there was no direct relevance to this saying and the overall plot of the book. It seems that the saying "does it matter?" was just a general thought of the characters and portrayed the bravery and confidence in themselves. Doctor Sleep was one of my favorite books so far, and the infinite plot twists and unexpected occurrences held my attention all the way through.   

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

In the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the fight scenes are specifically crafted to slow the high pace of the movie down while intensifying the sword fighting aspect of the movie. Producer Ang Lee strategically used ropes for the actors as opposed to the typical special effects for this film, because it sets it apart from all of the others and gives it an entirely new dynamic. The Chinese belief that if you have reached full spiritual awareness, walking on water and flying are plausible aspects of life is definitely portrayed through each fight scene. This control of elements is best displayed in the famous scene between Jen and Li Mui Bi in the forest of bamboo. While they are running through trees, flying through the branches and virtually defying the laws of physics, Jen and Li Mui Bi are actually illustrating a very important aspect of the film. This specific scene exemplifies the impact of the ropes controlling the actors, due to the fact that the Chinese belief is dramatically stressed and played out. Ang Lee's use of these visual effects allows the viewer to obtain a better understanding of what is actually occurring in the scene, and gives them time to comprehend the true meaning behind what is happening.

My Weekend with Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie was assigned by theology teacher Mr. Ingram to each of his Death and Dying classes at the beginning of the school year. Usually, i dread reading books i am forced to read for school, but Tuesdays with Morrie has always sounded like a decent read to me. In class, we had the opportunity to watch one of the Nightline episodes Morrie had been featured on. This gave us readers the chance to relate a face to the main character and see exactly who Morrie is. It was even more interesting while reading the novel, coming across part of the book that were also segments in the Nightline episode. Being completely honest, i waited until the last possible moment to read this book. I kept procrastinating and pushing it off because i thought it was just another assignment. To my surprise, when i started reading Tuesdays with Morrie, i really couldn't put it down. I am actually glad that i read the entire book at once, because i was really able to get a full glimpse into the life of Morrie. He was a witty, charismatic, and spiritual man. These characteristics did not diminish when he was diagnosed with ALS, they actually grew much stronger. I am truly able to say that the life lessons found throughout this novel have changed my life for the better. The different perspectives i now have due to Morrie's outlooks on both life and death are amazing. The crying, laughing, and smiling caused by this novel was addicting, i didn't want it to end. I wanted to hear a much greater number of Morrie's viewpoints, i didn't want him to lose his ability to talk. I felt i knew him on a personal level through the great discussions Morrie and his former (and favorite) student Mitch had while his disease ran its final course. These two men depended on each other, and i believe every person who has read this book was depending on them as well. I looked forward to each chapter, each Tuesday they met. A different topic of our overall lives was discussed each Tuesday, and this continued for fourteen consecutive weeks. This book has taught me the importance of overall forgiveness, and in contrast, the unimportance of many of the things we focus our lives on every day. Although he was terrified, Morrie did not allow this disease to control his life. Instead, he wanted this misfortune to better his life. Morrie did not put concentration into material things, the newspaper, or the current and horrifying events of the physical world. Instead, he decided to focus on his inner self. He opened his heart up to the love of others. In turn, he allowed himself to love those around him with his entire heart. All of these changes Morrie made for himself also helped me change, just by reading it. The time i spent reading this book was so worth it, and my weekend with Morrie has forever altered my view on so many aspects of life. 

Gus' Sorrowful Statement

While reading The Fault in Our Stars written by John Green, it is evident that the two main characters, Augustus and Hazel, have both experienced countless events of pain throughout their lives. Aside from plain physical pain, these two teenagers have gone through trials of hurting and being hurt by those around them, along with those who care for them, not to mention those who know them on a much deeper level than just the cancer that has seemed to consume them. One quote that really took me by the heart was when Augustus and Hazel Grace were discussing the pure issue of pain. “That's the thing about pain," Augustus said, and then glanced back at me. "It demands to be felt". This statement stuck with me because it is completely relevant to everyone, not just those who are dealing with sickness. This quote shows that pain is practically insidious and commands to not be ignored. No matter how hard these two adolescents attempt to push their pain away, it will return again and again until it is finally acknowledged. This is such a hard concept for these two to accept because they have already hurt others just by being burdened by their diseases. Aside from all of the treatments they must endure, Augustus and Hazel have to also think about how they will eventually hurt one another. No matter how long they push away the idea of dying and the concept of breaking each others hearts, these two optimistic teenagers know they have to deal with the pain they have previously experienced, the struggles they are going through, and the inevitable pain they will eventually encounter. Augustus seems to be the more realistic one throughout the novel, but he also happens to be the most optimistic character in the book. He rarely accepts Hazel's (at times) defeated attitude and never lets her give up hope. Hope for a better future, hope for better times, and hope for the long term continuation of their relationship. He speaks of their future as indefinite while also suggesting the possibility of their death at any moment. Gus' explanation that pain demands to be felt shows that there is no way for them to sidestep the literal pain and emotional grief they are forced to suffer with. This entire book is so captivating because of the way John Green describes the pain felt by the two characters in a way that we can relate to. Just as us healthy humans are unable to force out the thought of pain while it is tugging on our anatomical being, these two cancer stricken teenagers must deal with this battle on a daily basis.

The Perfection in Relation

So many of my classmates have read John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and had become obsessed with the literature. After hearing about its excellence & looking up the story line a couple of weeks ago just to get the gist of the book, I felt completely compelled to read it when i was on the computer in the library and the book was weirdly & literally right next to me (on Mrs. Hadjipanayis' new and exciting spinny book shelves). Only a few periods had passed by since i had gotten this book, and i was already close to being half way finished. First  of all, the age relevance of "Hazel Grace" to me automatically allowed a connection to develop between the main character and myself. Although i have no way of relating to her in the area of great sickness, let alone terminal cancer, i can connect with the feelings she has towards her parents, her friends, and her new love - "Gus". The way Hazel describes everything throughout the novel is humorous yet tragic. This piece of literature is delicious in the incredibly constructed adjectival phrases and it is in fact the language of this book is what helped me connect so deeply to the characters. Each of the characters sound practically like they're writing an essay with every conversation they have. Hazel's description of absolutely every event and the way she relays every situation to the reader is absolutely captivating, making me feel like i'll miss her when her impending demise arrives. The parents of Hazel are going through just about the roughest point in their lives, and just as Hazel points out, the only thing worse than biting it from cancer at sixteen is having your kid bite it from cancer at sixteen. The struggle they're going through is evident throughout the novel, but with every situation they are faced with, Hazel's parents give the reader little glimpses of how they are similar to many real life parents. Hazel's friend Kaitlyn also demonstrates true characteristics of a friend who has a friend suffering from cancer. The way Kaitlyn struggles to get comfortable with the entire ordeal is completely realistic and is basically the way i feel that i would handle such a case. Finally, the love shared between Hazel and Gus is magical and at points seems too good to be true. But i mean if you took any young relationship there are bound to be moments that seem completely perfect and impossible. The way these two people mesh together at such rough points in there lives is beautiful, and the way each of them drown their situations in humor makes things all that better. They help each other, as anyone in love would, but in this case the two people were obviously put in each others lives to help one another live an all around better life. Although i have never experienced such a horrible events in my own life, i am able to see how one may suffer from such situations, and i am also able to connect to this book through each and every character's realistic nature.