Dead Poets' Society

             "You must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all." A wise and inspirational quote by Mr. Keating in the the Dead Poet's Society directed by Peter Weir. This astonishing movie is about a very prestigious all boys school and the events that progress after they get a new English teacher. Mr. Keating, the new English teacher discusses important topics and encourages his students to think and act for themselves. Unfortunately, other teachers and parents disagree which leads to a student named Neil facing strict consequences from his Father after he joins an acting group. His Father disproves of this and causes his son Neil to commit suicide. He then blames Mr. Keating for his death because of him encouraging his students to be original. This brings up multiple themes in the movie that left whomever watched the film inspired and changed indifferently. The movie explained  the power of authority, non-conformity and literature. These are points everyone has dealt with in their lives. Therefore, one finds themselves connected to the film.

One thing we have all experienced is the power of authority. In Dead Poet's Society we see a group of boys that call themselves, "The Dead Poet's Society" being forced to sign a document that blames their teacher, Mr. Keating for the suicide of their friend Neil Perry. The head principle makes it clear they must sign the document and so the boys are left no choice but to comply. It is clear to whomever watches the film that Mr. Keating is innocent and had only tried to encourage Neil to follow his dream of acting. Neil's Father on the other hand condemned his son for his choices and enrolled him into a military school so he could become a doctor. After, being told his life had already been planned for him and that he had no choice but to listen to his authoritative Father, Neil shots himself while wearing his acting costume. This horrific death explains how deadly the power of authority can be.

Non-conformity is also an issue that is brought up during this film. At one of Mr. Keating's English classes he takes his class out for a walk. He tells three boys to walk around the courtyard and all of them end up following each other in a march. The boys illustrated conformity and how it is hard to maintain your pace, beliefs and opinions. Mr. Keating explains how others might tell you, "That's Bad" but how it is important to have your own unique views. After that he tells all of the boys to walk around the courtyard how they wish. This is an extremely important topic that teaches people how wanting to be accepted is fine but also do not conform to fit in.

Another important topic brought up in this film is literature. In Mr. Keating's English class all of the boys take out the English textbook and look at the first page which explains how to understand and rate poetry.  It states that you must rate the poem and use a graph to determine it's value. Mr. Keating explains you don't rate poetry, just because one person likes doesn't mean another won't. Each person thinks differently and therefore you cannot rate a poem. He tells the boys to rip out the entire introduction chapter in the textbook that speaks of this method. Mr. Keating truly shows the boys that poetry is more than something you just read in school but a way of communicating emotions and thoughts.

 “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” The words of wisdom from Mr. Keating in this movie are ones to definitely live by. We should all stand up for what we believe in and not conform to other people's ideas. As well as we need to understand the power of authority and be willing to rise against it. Similarly, we need to understand literature and see it as the important thing it is. This incredible film shows us how we are all truly unique and how our thoughts can change the world.

Spoken Word Poetry

Anxiety Group By Catalina Ferro 
Nobody wants to go to help groups. Especially, in an Anxiety Group where you sit with the, "sweaty palm" people and the insomniacs. Catalina Ferro captures the racing of anxiety in her fast, wild performance. She explains how with anxiety comes insomnia and how some people can go nine days without sleep. As well as she says the line, "Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, you know, and I do this to myself." This speaks to me so much, as I am person with anxiety. To some people this seems like an exaggeration on what we go through but this is really true. We go through Melatonin, Benadryl, and later the heavy sleep medications that end with "pam". It is a escalator of higher doses and stronger drugs. Catalina captures all these perfectly and then at the end says, "These people who fight through every day like gladiators... just because they want so badly to live. To hold on. To love. Because you can’t be this afraid of losing everything if you don’t love everything first." This is a line that hits me so hard because it captures the very part of why we carry on. This poem is absolutely brilliant and show us how yes, "nobody wants to be here" but how everyone will keep fighting to get out of here.


To This Day By Shane Koyczan

"They have to be wrong". A powerful quote spoken by Shane Koyczan in his poem, To This Day about bullying and it's damaging effects.  He brings up the issues of bullying and how we must love ourselves. That the rhyme of, "stick and stones" is wrong because names do not "hurt less than a broken bone". The strong and dark mood of this poem opens the eyes of whomever reads or hears it. I specifically love when he says, "if you can't see anything beautiful about yourself, get a better mirror". We must see our true beauty and learn to take care of our-self. I deeply enjoyed this poem and the expressive way Shane Koyczan presented it.

Louvre Catastrophe

Alyshia Holmes
221B Baker St.
London, England
V2A 7T7

April 2, 2014

Inspector Clouseau
Chief of Police
123 Rue Justice
Paris, France
1A2 R3T

Dear Inspector Clouseau:
I would like to start by sending my deepest and most sincere apologies to the family of Ada Artlover. When I had the brief honor of speaking with her I saw that she was a truly kindhearted women. The tragic loss of her life shall stay with me forever and I hope the family will one day forgive me. As for my decision to save the Mona Lisa instead of Ada I must say it was the most formidable circumstance one could ever be put in. The fire happened so quickly that I made a life altering decision in a second. A choice I never thought I would have to make and one I would never wish upon anyone to make in their lives. It seemed logical and almost instinctively to save the Mona Lisa. This painting is a monumental part of our history and should last for hundreds of more years for many generations to savor. I saved an item of historical importance that day and I believe that was the right judgement to make.

The Mona Lisa is also the painting that started an era of new skill and standards that we still use today. It is a revolutionary painting that introduced ideas such as the 'Three-Quarter Pose' and the 'Atmospheric Perspective'. Artists even in this day and age use DaVinci's creative approach. I believe that this most certainly makes the painting worth saving. Though, do not think for a second that I do not value Ada Artlover. She was a Wife, Mother and Grandmother. I think Ada, 92 as she was, would of understood my decision to save such a relic. Ada was near the end of her days anyway where as the Mona Lisa can forever live on.

In addition, the Mona Lisa is worth millions of dollars. Though, many people would say it is priceless and I for the matter agree. Such a wealthy item being lost would of been catastrophic. A logical choice would be to save the costly painting. Imagine the Louvre and art organizations loosing it. I knew I had to be the one to make the sacrificial decisions to save it for the world.

Sincerely,

Alyshia Holmes 

Anxiously Waiting

I am hypersensitive to every sound, touch and smell. The anxious feeling runs through my veins and causes my body to buzz in a constant state of panic. Itchy, dull, green waiting room chairs scratch at my legs through my faded jeans. I grip the cold, metal sides of the chair with my sweaty hands in a release of suppressed fearful emotions. The smell of strong disinfectants burns my nostrils and causes my eyes to moisten with salty tears. The thundering beeping of a heart monitor brings me back to the present. I look up from the spotless, bright, white floor and turn to see the nurses station. All of them are female and seem to be dramatically gossiping about a resent social event. I could care less about their drama. I just wish to see my mother. There are many noises from patients and monitors that I can hear yet all of them see to disappear. I am alone in the waiting room and the silence of being alone to me is deafening. My Father and brother had left a couple minutes ago to grab some coffee. I feel a great sorrow for my Father, as he has been at the hospital all day waiting for results that would never seem to come. I think of my mom and how my brother and I were not allowed to see her before she left. My mother knew she would be overcome with her fear of surgery if she had to say goodbye to us in such a way that it would feel like a finality; as though she would not return to us. It's alarming to me that she could have cancer. I struggle with that possible fact, even though the doctor's say there is a extremely high success rate from thyroid cancer. Still, I don't like the idea of my mother having to go through that ordeal. At the thought of my mom I turn on my phone and flip to a photo of me and her when I was younger. In the photo I am wearing one of my mom's necklaces. We are in my Aunt and Uncle's tiny house they used to own until they moved away. I am sitting on my mom's lap and we share the same long brown hair and large smile. I need the positive memories at this difficult time. Right now I feel as though I am on the edge of panic attack. Battling against potential grim, scenarios is something I am ashamed to admit. Strong and stable are things I should be, though it seems I am not. In my vision I now see a tall, lanky man in a white lab coat approach me. It takes me a minute to rouse of my daze and register him as a doctor. It is time to face the news on the results.

"Bluffing"

             "I meant the bear to come after me instead of you”. It is the most obvious of lies to Gabriella. Only three weeks ago Gabriella and her cowardly boyfriend Liam had gone for a hike in Jasper Park and had a deadly encounter with a grizzly bear.  Liam, the most horrible boyfriend ever, ran away as Gabriella intelligently played dead to save her life. Unfortunately for Liam he was chased and mauled by the bear while Gabrielle was left safely lying on the ground. This is the tale Gail Helgason tells in her short story, Bluffing. In this story it is clear to see that Liam is a self-centered man that only thinks of his own desires. He always wants to get away but leaves his girlfriend behind constantly. While Gabriella thinks of how to pay the rent for the house they live in; Liam is planning a “Three month [trip]…down south” with his friend Clive. Gabriella is always living with the consequences of having “relented one more time,” to Liam. Therefore, it would make sense why Liam, the narcissistic man he is, ran away from the grizzly bear to try and save his own skin. Liam is also the kind of man that doesn’t like “to learn from people who…know more than [him]”. During, the bear attack Gabriella told Liam to back, ‘off slowly” but Liam who thinks knows everything thought running away was a smarter action. He paid a painful price. Lastly, Liam is consistent liar. When Liam noticed that some men were going on a hike in the same area as he and Gabriella he quickly diverted them. He told them that it, "might not be such a good idea," as they had come across, "an elk carcass". He convinced them a grizzly was in the area so that he and Gabriella would be alone. All of the reasons clearly state that Liam ran away from the bear to save his own skin. 

Lady Light Up

"Can you stop smoking, please?"

I glared at the old, stern woman before me. It was late and I was exhausted so I did not have the patience I normally would on a Saturday evening to deal with this kind of situation. This senseless woman before me thought it would be alright to smoke in my diner. It was not the cleanest diner ever but obviously there were still some rules that people have to follow. For example, you cannot just light up a cigarette in a family diner. Not today, not in my diner.

The dark skinned women stiffly turned to me, as if I had insulted her. She peered at me with light blue eyes and I could tell by her glazed expression that she had seen a fight more than once or twice. It was like staring into a dead soldier's eyes. To be honest I was apprehensive to even say anything after that just because of the look she gave me. She sent a cold tremor down my spine.

It took me a moment to gain my wits again but just as I was about to speak this daring women took another deep, long drag of her cigarette. She then proceeded to blow the smoke directly in my face. I sputtered and coughed as I felt my lungs suffocate and burn from the cancer causing fumes. After, I could breathe, I shot her my most menacing stare.

"I'm sorry, but I am going to have ask you to leave". I demanded as fiercely as I could muster.

The woman continued to glare at me for what seemed a life time, then just as I thought she was going to ignore me entirely she gingerly grasped the rim of her beige, woven hat and tipped it forward in a small salute. Calmly, she raised from her seat and leisurely walked to the door.  When she has finally left I found myself staring after her. It was as though her presence was a frozen darkness.

Lived A Thousand Lives

     Alyshia is the girl who wants to run through time and space. She dreams of seeing the universe and endeavors to be everything and anything. She wants to solve crimes and hunt monsters, and so she does. Though, it may not be in the way you think. Alyshia lives in fairy tales and novels. She is the most important woman in the universe, the hero in her own story.

It would be easy to say that Alyshia reads her days away. She consumes adventures and the characters personalities within them. She has lived thousands of lives through different eyes and minds. She is ever-changing and enigmatic.

However, Alyshia in her everyday life is actually a typical teenager. She plays football every night with her loud, eccentric teammates. She finds football a bit tedious now though. It's mostly just kicking. Running. Yelling. Alyshia is more of the quiet type. She is also the kind of girl that gets her homework done everyday, but will never be the person to boast about getting exceptional marks. She is humble and considerate, the kind of person you could count on with your life. Alyshia is like John Watson and Sherlock Holmes combined; she is both the loyal friend and a deranged genius. However, she hides behind this shy teenager facade when truly she is a firecracker, waiting to explode at the mention of one of her passions. In fact, she has way too many passions. It may even be best to not talk to Alyshia about anything to do with Music, TV Shows, Books and History. You should never ask Alyshia about those things, you will get a 7 hour lecture about The French Revolution or about how a certain book changed the way she views life itself. Alyshia is quite a confusing person, you think you know her, the gracious, timid girl when suddenly she will surprise you when she erupts with a frenzy of energy. In fact, Alyshia is obscure even to herself.

In the end, Alyshia is inimitable and absolutely astounding. She is the dreamer of improbable dreams. She is the girl who has lived a thousand lives in just 17 years. Alyshia is the kind of person who loses herself in stories and adventures. Yet, she cannot wait to create her own. For now, she is like Bilbo Baggins, sitting in her hobbit hole reading and drinking tea. One day though, the world will hear of Alyshia's improbable dreams becoming a reality.