What makes a novel "a classic"? Discuss.

A novel becomes "a classic", when it is read over and over again generation after generation.  A classic novel must be unique and have the ability to leave a great impact on the mind of the readers.  By leaving a deep and significant impression on the mind of a reader, a book is able to plant its seeds for future generations.  The older generation, when asked by the newer generation for books to read, will no doubt recommend the "classic" if it held a significant impact on the mind of the individual.  In order for a novel to become "a classic", it must also be a good read.  This is a must because if the novel wasn't good, people wouldn't read it to begin with.  An example of "a classic" is To Kill a Mockingbird.  It's idea is unique, and it is also a valuable read.

Wuthering Heights ---- Comments to Others

Dear Margy,



I find it ridiculous how people could even think that just because a child is adopted or fostered, he is not accepted as a true member of a family. I agree that a family shouldn't and wouldn't adopt or foster a child if they did not have the intentions of loving and caring for them as a "real" member of the family. You blogged that you had two friends that were adopted and I thought I'd share with you that I also have a close friend who was adopted. I have been friends with him for a while now and I have never once had the impression that he was not a true member of his family. My friend is also of a different ethnicity than his parents and I agree that the difference in race plays absolutely no role when it comes to family. I mean technically...we're all one big family because we all came from Africa aren't we?

 

Dear Jenny the Penny,



What a cowinkadink! I also blogged about women and how they prefer rich men over poor men when it comes to marriage. Different women have different tastes in men and certain characteristics or aspect of men attract some women but not others. However, one aspect that attracts all women is the amount of wealth a man possesses. Some women may try and strike down my opinion, but I have proof that women are attracted by money. I mean, just look at all the marriages of millionaires and billionaires. In most cases, the rich man is married to an individual that is younger and attractive. Now you can't possibly persuade me to believe that all the women married them for their looks and charms.



O and by the way, that comment Mikedcts made....spot on.

 

Dear Isabel,


I agree one hundred percent with you when you say that women prefer to marry rich men over poor men. I also blogged on the topic of rich vs. poor men so you should check it out! I know people say that money isn't everything, but to be quite honest, I think that's a bunch of garbage. I'm positive that wealth plays SOME factor when women are considering marriage.



On a completely different note, I got chills when I read your ghost story. Until I read your blog, ghosts had never really been on my mind because I did not believe in their existence. However, now I'm not so sure. I looked up some videos on youtube of ghosts and I found some pretty freaky videos that you might want to check out. One things for sure...I'm going to be having nightmares for a while.

The Responsibility of Children

As children get older and older, the amount of responsibility that they carry grows bigger and bigger.  Though there are many responsibilities that children are expected to uphold, one thing that children are definitely not responsible for are the mistakes made by their parents.  I fail to comprehend how children could possibly be held responsible for their parents.  One of the jobs, or responsibilities, of the parents is to lead the children down the right path.  It is understandable if the parents are responsible for the children's mistakes because the children do not know any better.  If the children make mistakes, it means that the parents, who have more experience in life than children, failed to convey the moral values of life properly to the children.  The children should not be held responsible for the mistakes of adults and parents because the parents should know better.  Adults are the leaders of society for a reason.  

"Poor Guys Always Finish Last"

Though I hate to admit it, I can't help but feel that women prefer rich men over poor men when it comes to marriage.  I know you ladies out there are probably thinking, "Wow, Yuma you're a jerk for thinking we're so shallow," but all of you know, deep down, that I'm speaking on behalf of the majority of the women in society.  If a woman had the choice of marrying a caring man that was rich and a caring man that was poor, she would no doubt choose the man with more money.  In some cases, the rich man might even be a snob and the woman would still apt to chose him over the poor man.  I believe women prefer rich men over poor men when it comes to marriage because marriage is a lifelong commitment.  The wrong marriage could alter the life of an individual drastically and so when considering marriage, the future becomes one of the top priorities.  The majority of women wish to raise children and this, I believe, influences their choice of whether to marry a rich or poor man.  In order to raise children, a married couple must be financially stable.  I believe women prefer rich men over poor men because when the future is put into consideration, financial stability is a must.  It's a shame that no matter how sweet or dear a man is, wealth ultimately decides the issue of marriage in most cases. 

Below is a site that provides some other reasons why women may prefer rich men over poor men when it comes to marriage.  Unlike the reason that I provided above, all of the reasons here have to do with stature and materialistic impulses.

http://www.sunandsin.com/articles/175/1/10-Reasons-Why-Rich-Men-are-Better-than-Poor-Ones/Page1.html

My Comments to Others

Yo JENNNNNYYYY,



 

I agree that Malcolm X's drug use has turned him insane. Only an insane person would be willing to put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. This part of the autobiography made me realize how unstable Malcolm had become due to the drugs. I enjoyed comparing how Malcolm acted to the symptoms you provided in the blogs because I was able to see all of the symptoms from the actions he took. I find it ironic how later in his life, Malcolm X attempts to save the "brainwashed blacks" from the white society when he himself was one of the "brainwashed blacks" in his teenage years.

I'd also like to add that I am right there with you when it comes to hiding how I truly feel when I am around friends. I may appear as a cheerful, friendly, great, special, amazing person on the outside but it's all an appearance Jen...it's all an appearance.

 

My main man Joshy K,



 

I agree that Malcolm's jail sentence brought Malcolm to his senses and set him on the moral path. I was disappointed with Malcolm X's teenage years because there was no point to his actions. He lived to hustle and rob other people of their wealth, which is not a job that I consider to be worthwhile. Therefore, I look forward to the actions he will take later on when he is out of prison because he has found a new aspiration in life to strive towards. 

I have to thank you for putting the article of the drug addict up on your blog because that story truly inspired me. I realized that the obstacles I face are nothing compared to what the man had to face in order to lead a better life. This realization gave me more confidence that I could overcome any obstacle that is set forth before me if I never give up.                 

 

Dear Maja,



 

I felt the same way when I finished reading chapters 7-10. I was left in awe at how irresponsible and unstable Malcolm had become due to the drugs. I was disappointed at his decision to become involved with drugs and hustling in the first place but I am amazed at how he was able to overcome the problems he had during his stay in prison. Only an exceptionally strong human could overcome such extreme addictions so easily. When I viewed the two links for the testimonies for both Christianity and Islam, I had a semi-epiphany. I realized that no matter what religion, inspiration connects the followers to the God.

Oh and by the way, I love how you incorporated the quotes into your blog!

 

Dear Margolama,



 

I couldn't agree more that Malcolm's teenage years were controversial and tough. I was also surprised when I learned of the many illegal practices that he devoted his health to. I just couldn't believe that such a immoral and corrupt individual could become the great Malcolm X. I believe that had Malcolm not been sentenced to prison and straightened out, he would have ended up dead on the streets of Harlem or Roxbury. So far, I also enjoy the book and its ability to express history in the format of a story. 

Oh and by the way, you forgot to make your personal connection homey.

                           

Universal Languages 5

When I finished Malcolm X and I reflected on all of the information I gathered from the reading, the piece of information that left the deepest impression on me was when, in Chapter 18, Malcolm X referred to snoring as a language that all people spoke.  This left such a deep impact on me because I had never thought of snoring from that particular angle, and after I had finished reading, I pondered about other "universal languages" that exist in society.  

One of the "universal languages" that I came up with was laughter.  No matter what ethnicity or religion a person is, the individual is connected to the entire human race through laughter.  One of the mottos that I try to follow as much as I can in life is to always laugh, even when faced with a tough situation.  I follow this motto because I find that through laughter, I am able to loosen up and tackle any situation in as relaxed a manner as I possibly could.  I also find that laughter possesses the unique power of solving conflicts at times.  Allow me to share with you an experience I had that proves this point.

When I was around thirteen years old and I was going through the "rough time" of my adolescence career, I got into a enormous fight with my mom over something stupid.  As I recall, my mom and I got into a fight because I hadn't cleaned my room as I was instructed to the day before.  The fight escalated to the point where my mom and I were both on our feet yelling at each other at the top of our lungs.  The reason why the fight ended was due to laughter.  As I was yelling at my mom, I slipped on a piece of clothing that I had left lying on the ground and I had fallen flat on my you-know-what.  A moment of awkward silence passed while I sat there absorbing the incident that had just occurred.  All of the sudden, both my mom and I began to laugh.  It was amazing how laughter allowed my mom and I to settle our conflicting views in a matter of seconds.  I encourage all readers to try and laugh whenever they are faced with tension or stress and I guarantee you that it will lighten up the circumstances.  This link, http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/laughter.htm, provides a scientifical explanation to why laughter eases stress and tension, and so for those who doubt what I am saying about the power of laughter is true, I encourage you to visit the site.

Snoring was an example of a "universal language" that was proposed by Malcolm X.  I gave another example of a "universal language" through this blog.  Therefore I ask you readers...What is another example of a "universal language" that exists in society?

Religion in Terror 4

I'm going to be completely honest with you.  When I read Chapter 17 and Malcolm X explained of how people of all different cultures, ethnicities, and languages united and came together under Islam, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  In the chapter, Malcolm X was presented with incredible sympathy by people who he would consider "white" in America, and he was able to see how being the color "white" did not necessarily mean that people were racist.  He was able to overcome his prejudice against whites through religion.  This epiphany that Malcolm X had got me wondering what the world would be like if people all over the world could experience the sensation that Malcolm X went through.  If you think about it, when one takes the time to reflect on all of the major crimes and atrocities committed over the past few years, the majority have their roots in religion.  Whether it be the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Madrid bombings, or the more recent bombing of the Gaza strip by the Israelis, the ideas of causing harm to innocent civilians have stemmed from the radical interpretation of religion.  I always fail to understand how extremists could use religion as an excuse for violence because as far as I am concerned, nothing in the New Testament, Old Testament, or Quran speak of violence as a good.  It amazes me how people cannot understand the simple concept that violence can never be justified.  To me, religion is not a very close aspect of life.  Though I celebrate Christmas, I am not a churchgoer, and though I believe in heaven, I do not believe that a particular god rules it.  In my opinion, I feel as if this is the best way to approach religion.  Since I am not a strong advocate of any religion, I am able to accept the fact that people of different areas have different beliefs continuing from thousands of years of ago.  I believe that problems stemming from religion occur in society when advocators of a certain religion begin to feel that the beliefs of the others are wrong.  What is the point of religion if it only causes harm?  I am going to wrap up this rant by providing you with a site from which one can obtain more information regarding the influence of religion in terrorism and crime: http://blog.oup.com/2008/06/terrorism-2/

Harlem Trip 3

Hey I know it's a couple of days after the Harlem trip actually took place but I thought I'd express my feelings about the unique trip that I participated in.  The reason why the post is a couple of days late is because I was slightly sick and incredibly busy with lacrosse and schoolwork.  To be quite honest, I had mixed feelings about the trip when I got home from Harlem.  I greatly enjoyed the tour and the visit to the Apollo Theater but I was a little disappointed with the food at Sylvia's.  The only reason why I was disappointed with the food was not because the food was unpleasant, but because I was unable to eat more.  Due to the fact that there were so many people, everyone was only able to have one piece of fried chicken and that disheartened me.  The reason I enjoyed the tour was because it gave me an opportunity to see a face of Harlem that I never would have been able to see had I not gone on the trip.  For example, had it not been for this trip, I would never have been able to be inside the temple at which Malcolm X once preached in (Below is a picture of the temple from outside).

Though the tour was a once in a lifetime opportunity, I must confess that my favorite part of the trip, by far, was the visit to the Apollo Theater.  I had heard of the Apollo Theater previously, but this trip was the first time in which I actually saw it firsthand.  The trip provided an opportunity to see the Apollo Theater while the sets were being set up and without the usual hustle and bustle of the thronging crowd.  It felt strange to be walking and touring the same streets that Malcolm X used to preach in.

Oh and I can't forget my connection!  Wow what am I thinking!  One of the guides on our trip was Neil and he told us how a lot of Harlem was going through change right now.  Here's a link that explains about the economic changes taking place, http://www.urbandigs.com/2008/07/harlem_reality_check_still_hot.html.  I personally don't think it's right for rich folks to come in and take the homes of the people already living in Harlem.  I feel as if it's not fair for the people currently living in Harlem to be kicked out of their homes just because rich people are willing to pay more for the complexes.  The original civilians of Harlem have been living in Harlem through thick and thin and they deserve to continue to live there.

Solution to Racism 2

Often I have fantasized of a world without racism or stereotypes.  However, I have never been able to come up with a solution.  Every time that I would come up with a possible solution, it would be shot down.  For example, one of the solutions that I came up with was to produce more interracial babies.  This idea came into my mind while the class was discussing whether or not Malcolm X could be considered a racist against the white society in class.  Though the idea may sound realistic at first, it is not likely to cure racism because firstly, people cannot be forced to produce interracial babies, and secondly, it would only create more races for people to discriminate against.  Though unfortunate, I feel that racism will exist as long as ignorant and unethical humans continue to influence the younger generations with the toxin.  It is only logical for racism to exist as long as the younger generations are taught to believe that it is moral.  When a young mind grows up in an environment crawling with racism, they learn to accept it as part of their life and it becomes engraved into their minds.  Once a person grows up believing that racism is right, it is practically impossible to remove that idea from their mind. 

Fortunately, I have never faced racism from anybody during the sixteen years that I have lived so far.  I believe that this is partly due to the fact that I have always grown up in environments surrounded by children whose parents have taught them how immoral racism is.  I am positive that if I had grown up in an uneducated neighborhood where the parents hadn't taught their children how unethical racism is, I would have been subject to it.  I believe that racism is a radical form of bullying and I feel that racism is more common in the uneducated and usually poorer areas of society because it acts as a source from which the people can increase their self-esteem.  By bullying people based on their ethnicity or color, the racists are able to feel better about the position they are in.  

This link, http://tech.mit.edu/V121/N25/col25nesmi.25c.html, provides an article from The Tech, which is the newspaper of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, regarding racism.  The article speaks of how racism still exists beneath the surface of society today, and the final sentence supports the case that the true solution to racism has not been found.  It angers me that the few immoral members of society keep racism alive and well in society because the majority want to end it.  

Different Image of Malcolm X 1

As I became acquainted with Malcolm X's teenage years, the impression I had of Malcolm X began to change.  In truth, I had little knowledge of Malcolm X until I came across The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  Until I read the autobiography, all that I had know of Malcolm X was that he was a hero to the African Americans.  Due to this lack of knowledge, I had always thought Malcolm X had been an honest, studious, and caring individual throughout his life.  However, through reading, I learned that this was a misconception and that Malcolm X had his share of trouble, especially during his teenage years.  My image of Malcolm X changed as I gained knowledge of his association with numerous drugs and his involvement in hustling.  Malcolm X was not only selling drugs to other people, but he was also an extreme addict.  Symptoms of an addict include "cycles of increased energy, restlessness, and inability to sleep"(Saisan, Segal, and Cutter) and Malcolm X experienced continuous cycles.  Though at the time, hustling and selling drugs was the only way for African Americans to build up their wealth, I was slightly disappointed when I learned of his association with such immoral and corrupt practices because I understood that he was not always the savior of African American's that he later became.  Though I condemn Malcolm X's choice to associate with immoral practices, I continue to think highly of Malcolm X's accomplishments in saving the African American society, purely based on the fact that I am a minority myself.  As a minority, or "non-white", I have faced many stereotypes both good and bad.  One of the stereotypes that have continuously appeared before me is the stereotype that all Asians get straight A's in school.  Though I consider this a good stereotype, I find it ridiculous how people can think this because no one can succeed without hard-work.  If an Asian person was told to take an exam without any previous preparation, then he would most likely fail.  This stereotype has influenced me because it has acted as a sort of source of pressure for me to do well in school.  Even though there is no specific reason, I feel as if I am obliged to do well in school to sort of fulfill this stereotype.

Here's a site from which you can see the extreme stereotypes of Asians!

http://www.texaschapbookpress.com/magellanslog17/asianstereotypes.htm

Ethnic Notions Reaction

As a minority, I was able to relate in a sense, to the African Americans that faced stereotypes during the Civil War antebellum period.  Being a minority, or more specifically Asian, I face many stereotypes both good and bad.  

One of the main stereotypes that people have towards Asians is associated with intelligence.  Many people have the false impression that all Asian people are born smart.  When I do well in school, many of my friends make a connection between my ethnicity and my intelligence.  They feel that since I am Asian, knowledge comes more naturally to me.  Though I find this stereotype to be a positive stereotype, I still find it to be ridiculous.  It always amazes me how people could think that my being Asian can have anything to do with knowledge.  I personally feel that I am able to succeed in school because I work at it.  I am positive, that if I did not do any of my homework or study at all, then my grades will drop severely.

Another stereotype that I am associated with is also related to intelligence.  The stereotype is the idea that I worry about my grades twice as much as a non-Asian individual would.  Many people feel that Asians scold themselves, or are scolded by parents when they receive below an A as a grade.  In my opinion, I find this to be one of the most thoughtless stereotypes out in society today.  The majority of the parents, including my parents, could care less if I got an A or B on my test.  What they care about is that I try my hardest at everything I do.  I could care less if I got a B as well.  If I tried my best and that was all I could do, I accept it.  I find this stereotype to be inaccurate because I find many non-Asian individuals who worry more than I do when it comes to grades.  This, in my mind, is a negative stereotype because it portrays all Asian people as nerds.

Malcolm X 2

I just finished reading the first two chapters of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  From the first two chapters, I am able to understand that Malcolm X had a hectic and chaos filled childhood.  I feel that the cruel experiences Malcolm X went through during his childhood made him the type of man he came to be.  One event that particularly leaves me awe struck is when Malcolm speaks with his English teacher regarding his future.  When Malcolm says that he is planning to become a lawyer, his teacher replies, "..A lawyer - that's no realistic goal for a nigger" (Haley 38).  This event leaves such a deep impression, because I am able to understand how bad racism has been engraved into the minds of the people.  Though Mr. Ostrowski is usually warm and cordial towards Malcolm, he is able to make such hurtful comments because he has been raised in an environment where it is considered natural.  It is remarkable how the mind of Americans have changed so much over a time period of less than a century.

Malcolm X

I have just began reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley, and I must say that I greatly enjoy it.  I enjoy the autobiography so much because it presents accurate historical facts in the format of a story.  From the first couple of pages, I am able to understand the bitterness and fear that the black community had to deal with during the early 1900s.  From the very first paragraph, when the narrator says, "The Klansmen shouted threats and warnings at her that we had better get out of town..." (Haley 1), I can tell that the environment at that time seemed to accept racism as a natural aspect of society.  The more I understand that racism was a common aspect of civil society at that time, the more I am angered by it.  I cannot understand how humans could treat others as if they were the luggage of society, just because their skin color is different.  Malcolm X is known for being a savior to the black and muslim community.  However, I feel that he is a savior to the white race as well, for making them understand how immoral racism is.