Reflecting On The Essay

When I look back at The Alchemist essay, I see an improvement in between the two essays. This was caused by many factors, some of them I don't know. The factor I know that has made me improve was my readiness and understanding of the text that we were reading. In the Julius Caesar essay I was prepared because I went through my time at home to look for the quotes that I would use for my essay and thought how to explain it. For The Alchemist essay I wasn't prepared at all. At the time I was pretty lazy so I didn't come in for help when I didn't understand and that is why my Alchemist essay got an 'NP'. In terms of ideas, I think that my ideas were straight forward in the Alchemist but the Julius Caesar essay about Brutus was detailed in describing all the quotes and personality that is shown in them.

I believe that the organization aspect for my Julius Caesar essay was at the peak of any other work I had. In the case for the Alchemist, I didn't do much thinking into it. If I could improve on the Alchemist, I would have came in for help but sadly I am very lazy. For a good grade on any essay, I would advise those that need help to go and ask for help and be prepared for an essay that you already know is coming up.

Reason Critically would be the best Schoolwide Learning Result for this current essay. This is because with alot of quotes I couldn't leave it hanging there. I had to describe and show that the quotes that I chose have a reason for why I chose it. Without the details in there then the quote would make the paragraph make no sense. Reasoning Critically was needed and used in the essay.

Motivation Is Good For Romans

“ If it be aught toward the general good, Set honour in one eye, and death i’ th’ other, And I will look on both indifferently; For let the gods so peed me as I love the name of honour more than I fear death.” (Brutus; Act 1:2; Lines 84 – 88) This quote is one of the most significant characterizations about Marcus Brutus. It is significant because it shows that Brutus is a noble and honorable man. By this means he would rather kill himself than to lose his honor. “Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let’s Carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.” (Brutus; Act 2:1; Lines 72 – 74) Brutus shows himself here as a determined person. He wants to kill Caesar so it appears that he didn’t kill him in hate but in love for the country. As an determined person, Brutus makes this sound easy but later on when they do kill Caesar he will find out that it wasn’t so nice because it looked like a cruel and bloody murder. Honor and determination motivates Brutus into killing Caesar for the good of Rome.

Brutus doesn’t want Caesar’s death to be so horrible but because Caesar is gaining power and is becoming dangerous, Brutus must kill the snake while in its shell. “[Aside] That every like is not the same, O Caesar! The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon.” (Brutus; Act 2:2; Lines 127 – 128) This quote was said when the conspirators came to fetch Caesar to the Senate. Caesar invites them in to have some wine and he says they’re “And we, like friends, will straightway go together.” (Caesar; Act 2:2; Line 126) This shows that Brutus doesn’t want to have Caesar kill but that must happen. Brutus’ honor and loyalty towards Caesar creates him to feel guilty to know that he is going to kill one of his best friends. The mood he gives in this quotes is the feeling of sadness because you can actually feel and see here that he is feeling guilty. In the meantime he knows that it is for the Romans. “Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood up to the elbows and besmear our swords: Then walk we forth, even to the market-place, And waving our red weapons o’er our heads, Let’s all cry, ‘Peace, Freedom, and Liberty’” (Brutus; Act 3:1; Lines 105 – 110) When Brutus says this it justifies that the act upon Caesar was an honorable one. That all Romans (mainly the conspirators, to tie them up together) will bathe their hands in the blood to show to everyone that what they did was for Rome and that Tyranny is dead. Honor makes certain people behave in certain ways. Brutus’ honor motivated him to kill Caesar so that he wouldn’t die a slave but an honorable and noble person.

Brutus’ downfall has chains of events that happened to it. These events were caused because of his determination to do what is right. ”By your pardon: I will myself into the pulpit first, And show the reason of our Caesar’s death. When Antony shall speak, I will protest he speaks by leave and permission: And that we are contented Caesar shall have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. It shall advantage more than do us wrong.” (Brutus; Act 3:1; Lines 235 – 242) Brutus thought that talking first would get the crowd to get on his side. But as it turns out people with better justification and evidence will win the war. Mark Antony does this by getting the crowd to go against Brutus by being ironic. The quote is ironic to the whole acts after Act 3 because it says “It shall advantage more than do us wrong.” (Brutus; Act 3:1; Lines 242) but it does do them wrong. The determination that Brutus had took over him and thus he was out smarted by Antony. “Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe: The enemy increaseth every day; We, at the height, are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when is serves, Or lose our ventures.” (Brutus; Act 4:3; Lines 213 – 223) Here it happens to be that Brutus’ determination was right. He cut off Cassius just to say this out. Brutus followed his plan and led to victory over Octavious’ army. Cassius probably didn’t and that might be why he lost against Mark Antony. Brutus’ determination caused a lot of damage because if it weren’t for that they probably would have not had a war but look like butchers instead.

Throughout the lead of honorable Marcus Brutus, the conspirators were successful for some time. As we have seen in the book most motivators like honor can be positive and some like determination can be negative. Brutus’ honor and determination led him and his team to success for Rome. In the end Brutus does achieve his goal but sadly enough Mark Antony took over the situation and turned it against Brutus. Brutus achieved his goal because he freed his country from any slavery and soon died honorably. I believe that the cause that Brutus set out for was worthy and noble because not that many people would kill a high politician for the good of their country. If Brutus hadn’t done this, the country would probably be more different than it is now. As and honorable and determined person Brutus achieved his goal and then committed suicide.

Collage of Chaos

I call this artwork "The Collage of Chaos". It shows the cause and effect of the war going on in Sudan. On the right is the 'Muslim side' and on the left the 'Christian side/view'. This is indicated by the boys with guns. The men in the top right hand corner is Omar Al - Bashir, the president of Sudan, and behind him is Adolf Hitler. This part signifies that Omar Al - Bashir is like Hitler, genociding other race and cultures, creating chaos throughout the land. On the left hand side there is a peace symbol because all the people want is balance and harmony. Due to the unbalance the Lost Boys had to flee their home and this by the map is signified. I believe that Al - Bashir has listened to the saying "For one civilization to rise, one must fall." What the message being sent is that the UN can't be responsible for everything but it is us humans that make the change.

Manage Your Time Well

Peter And His Brothers Take On The World

Sudan’s history contains many conflicts that have impacted the citizens harshly. In the borders of Sudan there have been two civil wars that have raged for 20 years. When the Northern area declared war on the South it was due to religious reasons. The Muslims wanted the country to be a Muslim Sudan but the Christians refused. That was when the ‘Holy Jihad’ was declared. People such as the Dinka tribe have fallen victim to gunfire and genocide. About 4,000 boys fled their villages without parents because their parents died. Seeking refuge in Ethiopian soil, the government changed their mind and chased out the boys. When crossing the Gilo River many perished because they can’t swim, were shot at, or the crocodiles ate them. Finally, these boys ended up in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Here they were given the name “Lost Boys of Sudan”.

A decade pasted since these boys arrived in Kenya and some of them have grown old and big enough to take care of themselves. About 1,300 boys and some girls were sent to the United States. Amongst these adults are Santino and Peter. Santino and Peter were moved to Houston, Texas where they had to assimilate with the surrounding area. It wasn’t too hard considering that the surrounding area was also some Sudanese refugees. At first it was tough for the boys to handle themselves but later on Peter moves to Kansas when he gets a car, leaving Santino behind with more weight on his shoulders. Santino had to pay most of the rent and Peter worked well in Kansas. Peter got a job at wall-mart. This meant that he could pay for himself. Also, he got an education unlike Santino and the others that was worth having. It seemed that Peter was more successful at laying out his future than Santino because of the age he was gave and how he managed his time well.

Julius Caesar - Duet (Ikmal and Iz)

Context

Caesar wakes up in the middle of the night because his wife, Calpurnia, has a nightmare. She dreams of Caesar's statue spouting blood and many lusty Romans bathing their hands in the pool of blood. Caesar is told this dream and seems a little bit intimidated by the thought so he asks his his servant to get the augorors to do a sacrifice to see if he shall go to the Capitol. The results come back with the lion having no heart which states that Caesar shall not go to the Capitol. Decius being smart reinterprets Calpurnia's dream into something that flatters Caesar and therefore Caesar has chosen to go to the Capitol.

Significance

 The significance of this passage is to show that Caesar isn't all out to be 'Constant as the North Star' because in this passage he is easily manipulated into going to the Capitol. Also, this characterizes Decius as a smart person because he knows Caesar's weakness and uses that to persuade him to leave is wife.

The City of Atlantis

In the painting by Raphael "School Of Athens" I feel that I am Plato, the man in the center. Plato loves conspiracies about the world. The man in the painting has written about the death of Atlantis and has described this "sunken city" in such detail. I feel that I am Plato because of the bond and similarities we share, looking at conspiracies at different angles. Some people may not know Plato that well because he isn't well known but the legacy of this man is enormous. This philosopher has studied with one of the most important man in mathimatical history, Pythagoras. Writings of Plato has been in many intrests to me but the one that gets my attention the most is the city of Atlantis.

Da Vinci is the meaning of Renaissance

Leonardo Da Vinci is just an average guy that does his everyday work. Or does he? The answer is no because Da Vinci is a unique man that dreams for succession in his everyday life. If this man was never born the world as we know it won't be. Da Vinci invented many things because he dared to dream. We have helicopters today because one of his ideas was adapted by some guy I don't know. Renaissance is 'rebirth' and Da Vinci defied that because he invented and adapted and improved inventions. Even warfare was reborn due to Da Vinci's knowledge of the techniques that may be used to destroy enemies. A unique man of the Renaissance and his name was Leonardo Da Vinci.

Treasure is Nothing

Treasure

The treasure waits patiently as the boy goes through the challenges.

Coated in gold and jewels.

Just shining with dirt in its casing.

~by Ikmal Khanafiah

In The Alchemist Coelho shows that the treasure isn't really all that important but what is important is the fact that the recepient can go through the road of trials in order to achieve his/her destiny. These days are too modern and it makes people say that you can't always achieve your dream and you can't always get what you want. But that is not true because what you dream will someday become reality but it's only just a matter of time and place and your decisions.

Good For Nothing

Avenged Sevenfold - Critical Acclaim

Shh be quiet, you might piss somebody off 
Like me m0t#3rf$K(, you've been at it for too long 
While you feed off others insecurities
You stand in front of me and bite the hand that feeds 

(Self-righteousness is wearing thin)
Lies inside your head your best friend 
(Heart bleeds but not for fellow man)
Broken glass, your fake reflection 

I've had enough its time for something real  
Don't respect the words you're speaking
Gone too far, acclaim!!

So how does it feel to know that someones kid in the heart of America
Has blood on their hands, fighting to defend your rights
So you can maintain the lifestyle that insults his family's existence
Well, where I'm from we have a special salute we aim high in the air
Towards all those pompous @$$holes who spend their days pointing fingers

F*©@ you

Shh be quiet, you might piss somebody off
Like the heartbeat of this country when antagonized too long
I'll be damned if you count me in as part of your generous hypocrisy
Collecting enemies

(Damn Lord gots queen, worthless man)
There's no need for us to bury you
(Selfish agenda, once again)
Right this way, you've dug your own grave

I've had enough its time for something real  
Don't respect the words you're speaking
Gone too far, !

All the way from the east to the west 
We've got this high society looking down on this very foundation
Constantly reminding us that our actions are the cause of all their problems
Pointing the fingers in every direction 
Blaming their own nation for who wins elections 
They've never contributed a fucking thing to the country they love to criticize

Excuse the obscene, ignore the untrue
Depictions we see, try and get through
Admitting mistakes can't hurt
I'm not the last but I sure ain't the first

Shh be quiet, you might piss somebody off

(Self-righteousness is wearing thin)
Lies inside your head your best friend 
(Heart bleeds but not for fellow man)
Broken glass, your fake reflection 

I've had enough its time for something real  
Don't respect these words you speaking
You've gone too far, acclaim

Freedom

The United States of America, the

land of the free is not exactly what it 

is now than what it was back then because 

back then, people were 

segregated from white to black. 

After all the protesting and wars 

between the north and the south, 

the Civil War, the segregation came to 

an end and the citizens 

became united as one. The change took a 

while to set in seeing as the people 

didn't like not having so that 

they're lives couldn't be easier.

The Civil War is one of the most mental war because when the north fought 

the south it was like they were fighting brother vs brother.

Critical Acclaim is a song where it is probably talking about the Civil War 

because back then slaves, no matter how old they were, fought in wars. 

Life Has Goals, And To Achieve You Must Hope

PIAZZETTA, Giovanni Battista

Through life we always have a goals, and throught that we always conquer the obstacles in our way. Going through the journeys and challanges we will all use determination in our daily lives. The determination we have to achieve our destiny helps us move on to reach the goals that we have planned ahead. Santiago had determination to cross the finish line of his destiny and I have learned to engage in that of which I use my determination to move on in my life. Being determined is just like lust. It is a weakness because you will be to determined that you may become blinded and forget that there will always be a road of trials. Determination helps me carry on and achieve my goal, getting all A's and to make me look forward to something in life. In the end, as Coelho relates in The Alchemist, determination is what bring forths you to achieve your destiny and this is how I am a participant in my destiny.

Chapter 17 - 19

Bud Not Buddy
Chapters 17-19


Focus questions:


1. What surprise did Eddie bring to the house for Bud?

• Eddie brought a recorder so Bud can travel with the band.




2. What did Bud suddenly realize about the guest bedroom he was staying in?

• He realized he was staying in his mom’s room

3. What did Bud discover in the glove compartment of Mr. Calloway’s Packard?

• He discovered the same rocks that he collects and puts where he found it and when.

4. Why didn’t Mr. Calloway ever visit his daughter Angela and grandson Bud?
• He never got any news on Bud or Angela so he couldn’t get in contact with them.



5. Why had Mr. Calloway’s daughter run away?

• She ran away because Mr. Calloway was strict and expected a lot from Angela.

6. Why do you think Mr. Calloway was so stubborn in accepting Bud? Do you think their relationship changed once he realized Bud was his grandson?

• I think it took a while because accepting a human a big responsibility but accepting an animal wasn’t that big. Their relationship did change because now Bud has more courage to talk to Mr. C.

Chapter 15 - 17

Bud Not Buddy
Chapters 15 and 16


Focus questions:


1. When Bud is in the room he is going to sleep in that night, what makes him think that the room used to be a girl’s room who is now dead?

• Ms. Thomas and Mr. C said that this room belongs to a girl that is gone.

2. Is Herman E. Calloway happy to have Bud at his home? Give evidence to support your answer.

• Herman E. Calloway isn’t happy. He shows this by him always discussing something with Ms. Thomas

3. On page 185 we read: “ I can’t believe you, you’ll take care of any stray dog wandering through this neighborhood, but when it comes to a child all of a sudden you have no sympathy.” Who says this and what does he or she mean?

• Ms. Thomas says this. This means that Herman will only take care of something that is less needed for responsibility.

4. On page 191 Eddie asks Bud: “….are you attached to the suitcase, or is it the things inside that are important?” Why does he ask this? What does he give to Bud?

• Eddie asks Bud this question because Bud always carried around his suitcase.
• Eddie gives Bud his old saxophone case.

5. The band members give Bud the name “Sleepy Labone”. Why?

• The band gave Bud this name because he slept till noon and he was skinny to his bones.

Apache Coming Of Age

The Apache Tribe is a Tribe located in the US. An interesting fact that I discovered is that the males do not have a coming of age ceremony but the females have two important ceremonies. As far as I know mostly its men that have coming of age ceremony. But women having two coming of age ceremonies that is very interesting. This is very interesting because usually people have only one coming of age ceremony. This is one thing I learned about the Apache Tribe.

Adolescence Now vs Then

During our Parent Grandparent Interview we learned a lot about the times of adolescence then. The adolescence then and now have changed dramatically. Many shocking events has changed the minds of parents to having curfews and not letting children and teens out. Safety changes the lives of many people.

Back then there were wars but depending on which area you live it can affect your whole entire life. Some people were isolated from any major events it won't affect you. Back then parents were strict but do to the area that is safe children can go back home at any time. If the area was unsafe there surely would be curfews. These days parents are really caring but the world is really unsafe so there is nothing that anyone can do so we have curfews.

Adolescence Then had opportunities to socialize with friends and hang out and they took advantage of that and they didn't stay at home but went out to be more active. Teenagers these days all stay at home inactive and socialize through phones and some are just anti-social and plays games all day long.

Safety is a number one priority and this is what changed the adolescence then and the adolescence now. The world changes in many ways and this is one way of how it changes.

Socializing at FRIM

Socializing at FRIM is like being in Malaysia Week. In Malaysia Week we will be sleeping with other people which makes it a great opportunity to learn more about that person when you and the person are not busy. At FRIM you learn about a persons weakness and strengths. This is a key point because when you learn their weaknesses you will be able to fight them. If you learn their strengths then you know who is better than you at what and you can partner up with someone that is really good to work with.

At FRIM I wasn't uncomfortable with people. I liked that I got to know people more better like about their strengths and weaknesses and their dreams. I didn't really hate anything socially and physically. FRIM is a very good place to be to build character and teamwork and friendship. There many people learned a lot about each other even the guys learned about the girls and the girls learned about the guys.

Quote of the day

To live is like to love--all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct for it.
Samuel Butler