Capturing Room: Film or Book?

I know that technically we weren’t supposed to watch the movie Room, but I was curious to see how they approached the escape scene in the film. I mean, I didn’t watch the entire movie so there’s that. Anyway, if you’re interested here’s the clip for the scene I will be referencing, but I’ll try my best to describe so you don’t have to watch it. Now, let’s get down to business.

We’ve all read the escape scene in Room and each have our own way of imagining it. It’s especially difficult to picture exactly what is happening since the only things we see are through the eyes of five year who has literally no knowledge of anything in the Outside. So, not only are we on the edge of our seats wondering whether Jack will escape, but we are also trying to dissect exactly what is going on. For instance, when Jack jumps out of the truck and is trying to run away, I imagined him jumping off, falling, then running like half a block away and spotting the pedestrian.

In the film, however, everything is similar but wrong in a way. Old Nick isn’t as old as I had imagined and Jack doesn’t have as long of hair as I thought he would. Another thing, I pictured the escape happening at night, but the scene is shot in the middle of the day. When it comes time for Jack to get out of the truck, everything slows down. When I was reading Room, it seemed like everything was happening too fast to really process it and to see everything slow down threw me off.

The filmmakers were probably trying to play up the drama and intensity of the scene by adding slow motion, but I think the quick pace used in the novel actually makes it more realistic. When you are in a confusing and chaotic environment, it’s unlikely that you’re going to remember the details, especially in the case of a five year old. Similarly, by adding the slow motion, it seemed like the filmmakers had to cram in the other details so that the slo mo didn’t make the scene last forever. For instance, what I had imagined as a half block run turned out to be a ten foot stumble.

To clarify, Jack jumps out of the truck, falls, get up, slightly runs 10 feet, is grabbed by Nick, and then suddenly a guy and his dog is right there. That’s another weird thing about the guy and his dog; instead of being bitten by the dog, it’s more the dog barking and jumping and the guy looking confused (understandably). Then, one of the lines that captured the interaction (guy saying, “I don’t like this” and then calling the police) was cut! Rather, the guy just asks some questions and Nick freaks out before leaving.

When comparing these two, it’s clear that the book version is much better. The movie did a great job trying to replicate it but it can’t quite capture exactly what’s going on in Jack’s head without exposing its adult undertones. That’s an aspect of the book that is implied and we as readers work to figure out. In the film, everything is more in your face and it ultimately takes away from the book was trying to accomplish.

Roommates

We’ve just started Room and already I can’t imagine being stuck in their situation for more than a couple of hours. Spending every single day crammed in a small room? I would go crazy. This is not the case for Jack, our main narrator and five year old kid. Due to unfortunate circumstances, he has been forced to exist solely within one room for his entire life, and worst of all, he doesn’t even realize it. Then again, thanks to his ignorance, he is capable of turning this entire room into a universe; one filled with “people” and games that makes every day new and interesting. These “people” I’m speaking of are the everyday objects laying around the room.

AAAAAEverything seems to have a personality and this can especially be seen when Jack is addressing an object. He capitalizes the object’s name and addresses it as a he or she. For example, “I can skateboard on Rocker without holding on to her”  (Donoghue, 8). I’ve underlined the portions of importance, but it is clear to see how Jack thinks of these objects as something more. They are not mere tools or material items; they are items he has grown up with and sees as friends in a sort. Either he addresses them as people with jobs (e.g. the Thermostat heats up the air) or as friends to play with: “[...] she pulls Clothes Horse out from beside Door and stands him open and I tell him to be strong. I would love to ride him like when I was a baby but I'm so huge now I might break his back” (16).

AAAAAABy seeing these objects as something besides material goods, Jack is able to cope with an otherwise isolationist environment. His brain comes with entertainment in order to maintain its strength and sanity. Additionally, since Jack has only ever seen this room, it’s much easier for him to seek out these countermeasures and have them be successful in distracting him. Adults in similar situations would be unable to accept their surroundings as easily without some sort of “aide” (i.e. malnutrition, drugs, etc.). The only example I can think of in which an adult uses objects as an escape is Tom Hanks character in Castaway, where the protagonist considers a volleyball to be his best friend.

AAAAAAWhile it’s still difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that Jack has only seen one room his entire life, I understand his techniques to survive in this situation. Having only one person to talk to would drive anyone insane, and since he doesn’t have much opportunity to meet new people, turning objects into friends isn’t that crazy. I’m curious to see how the mother has been able to adapt for so long without this blissful ignorance, but for now, Jack’s world is depressing enough.

God Leaves the Building

In the chapter “The Bicycle”, a cinema with 400 people inside burned down. Marji was at home and having a talk with God. She was thinking about her favorite revolutionaries when God began to question her dream of becoming a prophet. She refuses to talk about it and tells God to quiet down when she hears her parents talking about the cinema and the following demonstration. Marji decides she wants to be a part of the protest and imagines herself as some of her favorite revolutionaries. At the very moment she starts dressing up as Che Guevara, God leaves and she can’t find him. Undeterred, she marches into her parents room and begs to join the demonstration but is denied. She returns to her room and still cannot find God.
AAAAI think this chapter highlights a very important theme in the novel and that is the clear distinction between politics and religion. What I wanted to point out was the fact that God is with Marji up until the point she wants to demonstrate. The very moment she dresses up as a revolutionary, God leaves. This doesn’t she desires to leave the religion but rather the religion is not a part of the revolution. Yes, they are Islamic fundamentalists are fighting for their religion but the ideals of that religion are not being represented. The order of God is being disrupted by the chaos of man.
AAAABy showing God leaving this scene, it’s marking a transition within Marji from her desire to be a prophet days to a more politically forward and aggressive Marji. Once she makes that step it is hard to go back, as seen when she returns from her parent’s room and can not find God. She still clearly wants God in her life but can’t balance it with her idea of justice. This is especially clear when she starts identifying God with political figures (e.g. Marx). By beginning to associate God with politics, her view of religion might change. It’s still too early to see where this headed but I hypothesize that eventually Marji will be to caught up in social issues to have time to keep in touch with God.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

AAAAEver since the beginning of A Lesson Before Dying, we’ve been talking about how Grant isn’t an adult but really an overgrown adolescent. He’s snappy, lazy, and kind of self centered. The only thing that separates him from the kids he teaches is the fact that he holds the stick. However, as he talks to Jefferson more and more often, I’ve noticed a change in his behavior; he’s beginning to understand that change is possible in an unchanging world.

Up until this point, Grant has been a firm believer in the idea that everything is a cycle and nothing really matters. You can see this in the way he treats God. Yes, there is God but there isn’t a heaven. So, while God did create everything and is responsible for everyone’s lives, all that disappears after you die because there is no heaven and thus everything was for nothing. Using this reasoning, it would make sense for Grant to want to escape. If nothing good can be found here, then why not try somewhere else?

This is characteristic of the everyday teen; they just want to get away. Yet, it’s the fact that someone as young as Jefferson is able to adjust to a horrible situation in such mature way that finally opens Grant’s eyes. Yes, life isn’t great and things are still terrible for the African American community, but Jefferson is willing to stand tall and claim his humanity to prove that nothing can tear him down, not even the system. When Jefferson finally admits “Yes, I am youman”, Grant can clearly see the transformation in Jefferson.

In seeing this change, Grant’s goal to run away and escape seems so pathetic. Here is this boy, coming to terms with his death and embracing the role of a hero for his community. Grant, who previously thought this change would be impossible, is a firsthand witness to this transformation. I think by seeing this example, Grant can hopefully become the responsible and mature adult that his community and his students desperately need.

Anse is a Hypocrite

AAAAAAAI’ve had conflicted feelings about Anse ever since he was first introduced as a character. His wife has died and he wants to fulfill her last wish: to be buried in Jefferson. At first, it seemed like the honorable thing to do and I thought, “Oh, he seems like a decent guy.” But then, he says this "God's will be done . . . now I can get them teeth." Suddenly, this huge, emotional journey is transformed into an errand run. What makes this worse is that he criticizes his children (also with hidden agendas) for bringing the cake box and tool box and continues being “emotionally distraught”.

AAAAAAAAnother thing, Anse does nothing for the entirety of the novel. Often citing his injury as an excuse, Anse usually sits around and thinks about things rather than contributing in any way. When he does put in the effort, he bumbles through the task and turns out to be more of a hindrance than a help. For example, when he tries to help Cash and Tull assemble the coffin, he ends up getting in their way and just goes back to sitting on his porch. The only real thing he contributes to the journey is when he, without permission, steals money from Cash (whose unconscious), sells Jewel’s horse, and “borrows” from Dewey Dell. Even then, this isn’t him sacrificing anything. He is stealing from his children for his own selfish goal: getting his teeth.

AAAAAAAI can’t think of Anse as a hero in this story because he actually does nothing. Sure, he is the one who initiates the journey and wants to bury Addie, but everything has a double meaning. In this case, the real reason behind going to Jefferson is just not heroic in my eyes. If he really cared completely and unselfishly about Addie’s death, he would have at least treated her body with more respect. Throughout the journey, she has holes punched through her head, she is thrown into a river, and by the time they reach her final destination, her stench encompasses anything within 50 feet of her body.

AAAAAAAAnd, finally, during the funeral scene, Anse really doesn’t reach that final goodbye stage. He simply buries the body and moves on. It’s extremely underwhelming. The entire time he’s been saying how Addie needed to be buried in Jefferson because it was the right thing to do and basically getting emotional when he thinks about her. Then, just to have Anse bury Addie then quickly go get his teeth, everything seems off. Shouldn’t there be at least a few tears? I don’t know if Faulkner trying his hand at comedy when he created the hypocritical Anse, but I find it decidedly unfunny.

Penny - Yay or Nay?

Let’s talk about Penny. In O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ulysses Everett McGill escapes from a chain gang, runs from the authorities, becomes a radio star, survives being attacked and mugged, saves a man from being lynched, and ruins a political campaign just to return to his wife. And her response to his labors? Only accept him once he finds her ring, which is now at the bottom of a very deep lake and thus sending him on another quest.

Penny is the type of woman who has all the control in the relationship. I mean, she counted to three. She makes her own decisions and bases them on what’s right for her and her children. While she does come off as aggravating in the film, I can’t say I wouldn’t make the same decisions if I were her. Up until he becomes a radio star, Everett is a lost cause. She’s got seven mouths to feed and as a woman in the 1930s, money is hard to come by. So, it makes sense that when he returns, she sticks with the “bona fide” suitor instead of instantly switching teams.

However, her “supposed” loyalty doesn’t last long. As soon as she discovers Everett is a star, she ditches her boo in favor of him (OR she realizes her boo no longer has a job and decides to switch but same idea). Then, she goes the extra mile of demanding that Everett be the one to prove his love by finding her ring. Nevermind the fact that is literally impossible for Everett to get that ring unless he invests in scuba diving lessons. She remains completely stubborn about the idea that she will not get with Everett until that ring is returned.

I think my main problem with Penny is that she is so obviously self serving and refuses to see logic. Actually, sidenote, it’s kind of funny how Everett is supposed to be this man of logic and reasoning but he’s married to a woman who sticks to her guns even if evidence to the contrary is presented (i.e. the ring and the lake). Similarly, unlike her book counterpart, she has no loyalty to her husband. From what I understand, it’s been one year since Everett left, and she already has a new man. While Penelope waited years for her husband to return, Penny doesn’t seem to spare a second thought for Everett.

I just get this sense at the end of the film that Everett’s reunion (and general relationship) with Penny can never be truly happy or as emotional as the one Odysseus has with the Penelope. While there are cons to Penelope’s character, her reunion with Odysseus fit the hero’s journey arc much better than Penny and Everett’s in that it’s clearly a happy ending. With Penny, things seem to always be up in the air.

Violence in The Odyssey and Modern Media

AAAAIn class, we discussed the use of violence in The Odyssey and whether it’s necessary in the fight against the suitors. I am here to argue a simple point: yes. You can not have an epic poem without a climax nor can you deny the buildup that has been collecting since the very beginning. If the suitors are the “villains” in this case, then they gotta go and if that includes mindless slaughter, then so be it. Never mind the fact that “some” may be innocent or that the crime doesn’t justify the punishment, we are all here to see Odysseus kick some ass.

AAA It’s impossible to put logic into the slaughter scene. If the main character were to pause and actually think things through, it ruins the flow of the story and reduces the satisfaction of Odysseus’s return. No one wants to see Odysseus meet with each, individual suitor and question them on their loyalty and behavior. That would take forever and over complicate the plot. With revenge stories, it’s best to keep it simple: either they’re innocent or guilty. In most cases, guilty equals glorious battle.

AAA So, it’s not surprising that this theme is very common in modern film. In Oldboy, a man spends 15 years in isolation and after he escapes, he goes on a huge murder spree to get vengeance against his captor (and features one of the best fight scenes in cinematic history*). Similarly, Taken focuses solely on Liam Neeson killing everyone in his path to try and save his daughter. Both of these films depend largely on violence as means for the hero to be victorious. While watching these films, no one considers, “Geez, he just brutally killed that guy. I mean the poor dude probably just wanted a paycheck.” No, let’s be honest, we all get distracted by the punching and kicking and general coolness of the fight scenes.

AAAEven at a young age, the final battle has always been essential to the hero’s journey. For example, The Lion King. The climax of the film is when Simba returns from the forest to avenge his father. What follows is a dramatic scene of lion versus hyena and the confrontation between Scar and Simba. As an audience, we want to clearly see Simba’s victory and without a final battle, that would be hard to achieve. Additionally, we can draw comparisons to the almost unjustifiable ways each villain (or villains in The Odyssey) are killed. While Odysseus kills some suitors who may be loyal (?), Simba outright throws Scar off a cliff to be eaten by hyenas. What’s unjustifiable about that? I mean, Scar did do a lot of evil things in the film. Well, for one, it’s a kid movie! Such a violent death is not normal for these types of things. Also, Scar also has some merit. He tried to give the hyenas a better life, as in not let them starve to death. So, just like with the suitors, some of Scars actions are not entirely ill intended.

AAAAfter all is said and done, I think the massacre at the end of The Odyssey comes down to one thing: Homer wants a dramatic and exciting ending. If that includes killing a 100 people, then so be it. You kill those men, Odysseus. We’ve waited over 400 pages for this.

*Graphic content (violence)

Norma is Lame

“‘I...love...you...too,’ I said. And I said it again. And I did.” (McLarty, 358) Upon reading those final words, I’m glad it’s finally over. At the same time, I’m absurdly angry. Sure, Smithy achieves his journey and becomes a “hero”, but, honestly, I’m more concerned with Norma. What happened to her? She started out as this independent, albeit paralyzed, woman who was able to take perfectly good care of herself but slowly transformed into this snivelly woman who seemed to hang onto Smithy’s every word.

AAAAAYou could say, “Oh, but she’s been alone all these years. That’s surely to have an impact on her psyche.” Sure, it could have an effect and I’ll grant that she is justified in finding happiness with Smithy. What I hate about that relationship is that we start out with Norma as an individual and somehow end up with this measly side character that we could probably care less about. She basically becomes an extra, an afterthought, to the reader. She is there to supply the money or maybe give some directions to Smithy (both literally and metaphorically) but otherwise just calls him and cries in his ear.

AAAAAWe can even see this in the way the words “I love you” are used in this book. Norma says it twelve times (yes, I counted). Can you guess how many times Smithy says it? ONCE. Where is the justice in that? Here is a woman who spends her entire life pining for one man who doesn’t even bother to respond until he has gone on this long, time consuming journey across the country. When he does finally say it back, it’s kind of stilted and seems squeezed into the novel so that the hero “gets the girl” by the end.

AAAAA Speaking of pining, let’s review just how long Norma spent waiting for Smithy to love her back. The first time she says she loves Smithy is when she is a child, “ They’re not dolls, they’re puppets. He’s Rex. Rex saves Roxanne. I love you so much!” (22). Fast forward to her wreck and her subsequent injury, Norma continues to watch the Ide family and peers through the blinds to catch glimpses of Smithy. Later, when Smithy is in the hospital, Norma writes letters to him everyday and he responds to none of them. What a jerk. I’m not sure why this woman still likes this man, but it gets worse. Even after he returns, Smithy continues to ignore Norma and becomes an overweight, chain-smoking alcoholic and what does Norma want? To be held by this man!

Norma can do so much better, but she continues to waste her time and tears on this man that continually ignores her for most of his life. Additionally, any chance of seeing her as a fleshed out character in the novel is overshadowed by her clear need of acceptance from Smithy Ide. Every interaction between the two ends with her either crying or saying she loves him or both. As a result, Norma is lame. She can’t escape Smithy and she can’t escape my judgement.

McLarty, Ron. The Memory of Running. New York: Penguin Group, 2006. Print.

Got Milk? Campaign

*I may have forgotten a couple things about the intro but it's late so go ahead and ignore that for now*

Submitted to: Got Milk? Campaign

Submitted By: Uni High Swim Team

Executive Summary

The University Laboratory High School’s (UNI) girl's swim program is rigorous and challenging but also extremely rewarding. Our swimmers are talented individuals who all come from different backgrounds and leave everything they have in the water. It is common that after a practice, the girls will have some sort of snack or drink to get protein in their bodies. Chocolate milk is the most popular refueling method. Especially after morning sessions of dryland (weights and core exercise), chocolate milk is essential for recovery and starting the day right. While morning practices are never easy, our team is known for our hard working mentality and ability to endure through tough sets. If some members are struggling, the rest of the team will go out of their way to encourage them and make sure they make it to the end.

Additionally, our team prides itself on our academic excellence. When it comes down to supporting our swimmers, we always make sure that everyone is maintaining their schoolwork and can ask their teammates for help. As a result, we are one of the few teams in the state of Illinois to be named the Gold Scholar Team by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America (NISCA), an honor only given to teams with an average GPA of 3.75 or higher. Our swim team pours a lot of effort both swimming and in school and thus have developed a work ethic much greater than the average team.

Above all, our main goal is to make sure everyone feels a part of the team and has fun. With this in mind, one thing we always like to have is a team uniform that represents that attitude. Every year, we pick out new swimsuits for the team and find designs that are fun while maintaining our competitive edge. Unfortunately, due to having to replace them every year, the swim team budget takes quite the hit. For this reason, the Uni High girl’s swim team invites The Got Milk? Campaign to consider a grant of $500 to afford equipment and further our team’s fundamental ideals of community and teamwork.

Needs Assessment

Recently, the University Laboratory High School in 2015 announced that there would be no more fundraising on school property due to financial and tax reasons. This led to many clubs being shut down, budgets being cut, and teams having to survive on money raised by the PFO (Parent-Faculty Organization). Many teams are able to get by with the little money left since they have reusable uniforms, but the swim team does not have that option. Since we must replace our swimsuits and caps every year, we lose on average about $1000 each year on equipment alone. In order to preserve our bank account, the team has taken measures to try and fundraise outside of school but the number of opportunities to do so has dramatically decreased. Thus, the importance of fundraising has skyrocketed and has led us to consider outside help. With the Got Milk? Campaign’s aide, the equipment needs of the Uni High swim team can be met and will further our progress as one of the top swim teams in the area.

Superhero Movies: R-Rated

The recent success of Deadpool has evoked a phenomenon within Hollywood studios.

Batman News/ComicBook.com/Collider

Say goodbye to the typical PG-13, cliched superhero films and hello to the edgier and adult superheroes of today. No longer will there be the generic villain who strives to achieve “a better world” by mindlessly destroying cities or whatnot. Instead, this new R-Rated universe will allow studios to delve even deeper into the comic books and uncover villains that were just a little too villainy for their younger audiences to handle. Movies can move past pitting the protagonists against some inherently evil dude with no moral compass whatsoever. Now, these R-Rated films, while allowing us to see a more mature superhero, can invest in the bad guys and make them just as iconic as their counterparts.

This is already happening in television. For instance, Jessica Jones, a show about a former superhero with super strength and her struggle with PTSD, assault, and rape, features a villain known as Killgrave (played by David Tennant). Killgrave has the power to control people with his words and uses that power to abuse and manipulate people on his quest to control Jessica. Within the first episode, when Jessica Jones is tasked with finding a missing person, there are already elements of a R-rated nature that constantly overshadow the show (i.e., language, sex, violence), but it’s the ending that really takes that extra step that changes the series from being mindless action and cliched subplots to something truly dark and powerful. Nothing is what it seems and ultimately leaves the viewer questioning what is going to happen next.

No longer are the boundaries set on what can be allowed on the main screen. Instead, audiences are given the given the chance to be a part of the story and develop alongside the characters. With the R-Rating, that doesn’t necessarily mean that audiences will like them or be able to identify with them. Rather, they will be caught in a gray area where the distinction between good and evil is blurry and they must decide who is right and who is wrong. Either way, the ability for superhero movies and TV shows to take that next step into a more adult setting has the potential to break the superhero film industry.

Certainly, there are cons to making films R-Rated. For one, studios lose one of their biggest markets: children and teenagers. Although teenagers can kind of make their way around this one, most pre-teens or younger will not be able sneak into the movies quite as easily. The reason the PG-13 movies have been so successful is that they’re fun for everyone. Kids can root for the favorite hero and watch them smash things while older people can enjoy the comedy and (again) the action. The reason it is so hard to change the superhero formula is because it works. If movies start excluding that audience, superhero genre actually loses appeal. Superheroes are meant to be an escape from society: a fantasy that problems can be solved with one swing of some guy’s hammer.

At the same time, as people are fed the same plot over and over again, change is inevitable. It’s a matter of whether studios can find that balance between their older and younger audiences. As far as R-Rated superhero films go, while they have their faults, they provide more opportunities than the current system offers. Does that mean audiences will be overrun with R-Rated films? Maybe. Either way, superhero movies are here to stay, but they now have the chance to entertain audiences in completely new ways.

Casual Liar

Lying is not one of my specialties. I just can’t help telling the truth sometimes. You know that game two truths and a lie? Well, I would always mess up because I would forget to tell a lie and say three truths instead. That’s not to say I can’t let out a little white lie every now and then, “What do you think of my new haircut? Oh, it looks amazing!” No, that’s not a problem. I let those out on a daily basis. In that sense, I’m uber comfortable with lying. As long as the lie has no long term consequences, why not lie? Sometimes, the truth can be a little boring so that’s when it’s time to spice things up with a couple of big, fat lies.

Last spring break, my dad and I went canoeing and camping down Buffalo River, Arkansas and ended in Hot Springs, AR. This area was particularly well known for their famous bathhouses and was a huge spa town. After the harrowing journey that my dad and I had just underwent (maybe for another blog), we were ready to relax.

I decided to get a massage while my dad went to the bathhouse. After I arrived at the spa and got changed, they called me in and revealed that my masseuse was a man. Not one to let gender roles define a career, I was like “Okay” and got ready to enjoy an hour of peace and quiet. But, this did not happen. Apparently, I got the Chatty Cathy of masseuses and this guy would not stop talking. Since I’m not big on confrontations, the only way to survive was to make conversation. At one point, the guy asked me what year I was, “I’m a sophomore.”

“Really? Where do you go to school?”

“Oh, well, I go to Uni in Champaign, Illinois.”

“Ah, the U of I?”

“Yeah, it’s right there.”

“Wow, what major are you?”

At that point, I realize that this guy thinks I’m in college. I quickly review and see if I should tell him the truth but eh, what the hell? So, I lie and tell him about my time in college, the professors, my major, and even the parties I went to. Turns out, I’m having a great time at college.

One hour later, the massage was over so I thanked him and left. That was it. There was no consequence from telling such a completely false story and no one could tell the difference. Can I say that I’m a comfortable liar? Sure. It’s all about maintaining an element of truth but twisting the rest so that the lie seems believable. I also think that there is need for some level of improvisation skills. Without it, when the lie is questioned, it will fall apart. While I obviously know how to tell a lie, that doesn’t mean I always will. Lying is one of those things I see as something to do only if I need to spice a story up or to be polite. Like, what if I told you I made that entire story up? What if it’s true but the details are altered? In the end, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a story after all.

Conceal, Don't Feel (unless it's Max)

*I'm not sure my conclusion rounds this paper out as well as I would like. Also, please watch some of my transitions since that's something I'm trying to work on.

You know that pop sound you can make with your mouth? You purse your lips together and then...Pop! It was super fun to do as a kid but now you’ve kind of grown old of it. Well, that was not the case for Max. This little punk is a member of my swim team and loves to make noise, especially when the coach is talking. Pop, pop, pop! Max sits smugly in the corner of his lane, trying to irritate anyone who pays attention to him. The coaches ignore him but I am starting to become irritated. I twitch with every little “Pop!” and I can practically feel my heart rate increasing. Max switches tactics. Now, he’s verbally attacking the coaches head on. “This set sucks! Why do I have to do this? You’re not the head coach, why do I have to listen to you? I don’t care!” and so on and so on.

All throughout this test, I have been silent. I know that I can destroy him since he is a puny thirteen-year old, but I remain in control. That is the only way to remain ahead. If I give up my self-control, then I am no better than Max. So, I simply turn to Max and say the same thing I always say when I am annoyed beyond belief with someone, “Please, be quiet.” It works for maybe ten seconds then Max is back at it, delightfully ignorant of the beast he continues to displease. Nevertheless, I stay strong and focus on my task. I take a deep breath and release my anger. Max is not worth it.

My rage for Max may appear alarming to some but it’s merely a side of myself that I tend to keep under wraps. In fact, I can count the number of angry outbursts that I’ve had on one hand. Even then, they mostly consist of yelling and then me storming away. If there’s one thing I hate doing, that is being upset. That’s why I’ve built a strong defense: self-control. With a strong sense of self-control, I can focus on what is important and not get distracted by other people or things (looking at you, doughnuts). In some cases, having a strong sense of self-control actually helps others more than myself.

For example, I’ve made sharks and minnows safer for newbies. In case you didn’t know, I am a swimmer. A particularly aggressive swimmer. So, when we are allowed to play sharks and minnows, I’m only in to win. If someone dares to try and catch me, I do every possible escape maneuver that you can imagine: the crocodile roll, wall escape, head butting, kicking, or just straight up grabbing the attacker by the arms and throwing them off. It wasn’t until one game when I got a tad too aggressive (ripped out two earrings and elbowed someone in the mouth) that I decided to make a change in my life.

No longer was I going to be that one crazy chick that has no restraint when playing a kids game. Instead, I was going to reform the way I play. Nowadays, I only play sharks and minnows if I have some sort of constraint. For instance, I can’t use my legs, wear goggles, or go underwater. In this way, more inexperienced swimmers get a chance to have fun and not get hurt in the process. 

All in all, I feel I have pretty good self-control. I mean, I still struggle with food, but who can’t resist chocolate? Otherwise, I finish my homework on time and always try to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. Of course, there’s times where I want to lose to let loose and do whatever I want, but it’s the realization that what you want may not be necessarily what you need and that’s the challenge to overcome.

A Blog about a Blog

“Today, we served spaghetti with meatballs. Lauren may have choked a little bit when eating a meatball but she’s fine now. As for the dinner, it was actually really good. I’ll have to remember to use homegrown tomatoes for the sauce.” If my mother had a blog, that’s definitely something I could picture my mother blogging about. Me? Sure, why not? My whole family could blog about me if they wanted. There’s a running joke in my family that we deserve our own reality show since we are always busy and usually get caught up in some ridiculous situations.

For example, there was one evening where we challenged each other to recite the Star Spangled Banner and my sister and I kept messing up at one line. So, as a family, we sang the entire national anthem until we fixed the mistake. There was no particular reason we needed to do this, but we did it anyway and I feel like that would be an awesome story to blog about (especially if you’re feeling really patriotic).

Or, another story better told from my parent’s perspective, the time when my sister and I visited an alligator farm in St. Augustine, My sister and I had seen plenty of alligators before then (since we lived next to Okefenokee Swamp) so the trip wasn’t anything too special. What we didn’t know, however, was that my father was helping Dr. Kent Vliet (world renowned crocodilian) run some tests on the alligators. As my mother guided us to the alligator viewing area, we spotted my father and a bunch of other people standing in the murky waters below. Just as we walked up, one of guys launched on top of an alligator and began wrapping its mouth duct tape. At the same time, another man jumped on its tail and held it down. After someone gave the alligator a shot, my father stepped up and did something I’d rather not type.

“What’s he doing, mommy?” I turned to my mother whose mouth was wide open in shock. I looked back at the battle below, confused. “Um, well...your father is helping a very important doctor with some tests.”

“What type of tests?”

Well, er, right now they’re checking the gender of each alligator in the swamp.”

My brain finally made the connection.

“oh...OH!” I quickly looked away from the scene below.

“What does that mean?” My innocent sister asked.

“Um, no. Maybe another day.”

My mother quickly escorted us away from the alligators and never quite explained what had just happened until a couple years later.

All I’m trying to say is that having my family write a blog about my life and all the stories we’ve collected as a family wouldn’t be a bad thing. In fact, I would love to hear my mother’s perspective during the alligator farm incident. Heck, I’m sure my father’s side of the story was equally exciting. The key thing about this hypothetical blog is that we wouldn’t forget. These memories would be remembered and easy to access. Even the incidents that weren’t quite so happy, we could look back and learn from our mistakes or simply reminisce about past times. So, if my family started a blog about me, I would embrace it. Plus, they’d have at least one reader for life.

The One That Burned

Feedback: I'm at 654 words so I will take any suggestions for cutting it down. Also, please tell me if this essay includes enough vulnerability and needs help with the conclusion.

What objects tell the story of your life?

There is one thing, and one thing only, that has been a part of my life like nothing else. I’m speaking, of course, about my robe. Its sky blue cloth dotted with white circles to make a simple but elegant design. Its fuzziness which keeps me warm in the midst of winter. This robe has been with me for a long time, and contains many stories within its fabric.

It all began one Christmas morning seven years ago. My sister and I were in the midst of a fierce battle. Wrapping paper was flying through the air, our cats were attacking whatever landed on the floor, and the gifts lay scattered across the floor when I made a discovery. Tucked underneath the tree, was a rather large box that had escaped my gift opening frenzy. I was curious as to what it could be since it was bigger than the rest of my presents but it weighed very little. As I unwrapped the gift, my heart sank. Lying inside was every kid’s least favorite present, clothes. In this case, a ginormous robe that dragged across the floor and barely clung to my body.

Naturally, the robe was thrown into the back of my closet and forgotten. It wasn’t until seventh grade when I rediscovered the robe and found that I could actually wear it without it dragging everywhere. Unaccustomed to the Illinois winters, since I had moved from Georgia only one year before, the robe quickly became an important part of my daily life. Everyday, I would wake up, put my robe on, and get ready for school. Only when it was absolutely necessary, I would take off the robe and lose its warmth.

As I moved on from the awkward pre-teen years, the robe stayed with me. Since it was already too big, I didn’t have to worry about outgrowing it, but I was constantly lugging it around and dropping it. As a result of dragging my robe around everywhere, the tail end of the robe became very dirty. Not in the sense that it was covered in stains and smelled, but rather its color began to diminish. Not only was the vibrant blue beginning to disappear and turned a more robin egg color (imagine light blue except mixed with gray), but the sleeves were gradually fraying and falling apart. Five years after the robe had entered my life, it was preparing to leave. But, I refused to bow to time. I repaired the sleeves as best I could and cleaned it as much as possible (although it didn’t make too much of a difference) and it actually seemed to be returning to its former glory. The robe was going to make it! Then, tragedy struck.

During my sophomore year, I was in the kitchen cooking dinner (something that does not occur often) when I noticed something peculiar. There was smoke rising from somewhere but I couldn’t find the source. I checked the stove, the oven, even the sink but couldn’t find it. Suddenly, it disappeared. I shrugged and continued cooking. Then, my sister came in and said, “Oh my god! What happened to your robe?” Apparently, without even knowing it, I had caught myself on fire. The robe had suffered from some serious smoke stains on its back and its rope that tied it together was almost burnt in half. Luckily, nothing serious happened but I knew the robe wasn’t going to recover from this.

As of now, I still have the robe. Sure, it might be a little ragged but it holds up. Every day, my mother complains that I should just “get rid of the robe and buy a new one.” But, this robe represents so much more to me. Its fabric contains so many stories and helps me relax in times of stress. This robe may be on its last leg but it will forever remain in my heart.