Here is my final portfolio for class. Enjoy! Thanks for making English class so much fun!
Photo Analyses:
1.) Olde Time Store
2.) Picture This
Creative Pieces:
1.) There's a Light at the End of the Tunnel
2.) How?
3.) I Don't Remember
Letters:
1.) Letter to America
2.) The Desert Sucks
Group Effort:
1.) The Past Meets the Future
Different Types of Medium:
1.) War and Love
2.) Get Us Out of Iraq
My Own Design:
1.) Can You Have Peace Without War
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Can You Have Peace Without War?
I completely designed this post. The task is to find a song that is somewhat war related, then type that title into google images and then find a picture that you think best represents that song and explain.Youtube link to the song "Happiness is a Warm Gun" from the movie Across the Universe.
The song, "Happiness is a Warm Gun," in the film Across the Universe, which was originally composed and sung by The Beatles, could be interpreted as a soldier's perspective on war.
The song constantly talks about a person (a soldier) holding a gun and feeling safe. They know no one can harm them when they're holding the gun. The phrase "happiness is a warm gun" could mean that peace and happiness can only be achieved through war and fighting.
The picture I chose that I feel best reflects the song is the above picture of a gun in a museum. What really stands out is the gun as well as the flags of many different countries in the background. What the picture symbolizes is that war, fighting, and guns have made it possible for peace and happiness. The gun is the center of the picture as well as the center of the different countries flags'. This shows how wars play a key part in most nations and it is something they all have in common. One could argue that many issues have been solved by war such as Nazism and Terrorism have been solved or are being solved by war, and therefore plays a key part in establishing peace and happiness. As portrayed in the song and picture, "happiness is a warm gun" simply means that war establishes peace and happiness.
War and Love
This post analyzes a different type of medium from photography and literary works that can't be normally done in a formal setting. It analyzes a comic strip about war.In this comic strip, a person (maybe a boy) is writing to the troops to thank them for defending the country, especially during the holidays when they would rather be home.
What the comic emphasizes is how brave the soldiers fighting for the country are and how thankful everyone is for their sacrifice. It also emphasizes the view that soldiers are considered sexy to girls. The girl in the comic makes her friend ask if there are any available guys that she could possibly date. It shows a common view that girls find men who are strong, fearless, and in uniform to be attractive and desirable.
Overall, the comic shows a very compassionate, thankful attitude towards the soldiers fighting.
Get Us Out of Iraq
Using the web blogs allowed me to use different mediums to analyze. In this post, I analyzed a facebook group about the current Iraq War.
Link to facebook group here
The purpose of the group "1,000,000 Students Against the Iraq War," is to demonstrate to the government as well as the rest of the country/world that there are many students in this country who are against the war in Iraq. The group is peacefully protesting the war in a new way. Whereas in the past people would hold demonstrations and attend anti-war rallies, many people are now using the internet to demonstrate against the war. This group is trying to show that there are a million students who oppose the war, who are showing their opposition to it by joining the group. Their goal is that the government will realize that many people are against the war, and then hopefully the government will then cave in to public demand and pull out of Iraq.
Although it is a very good idea to try and get a million students to join this facebook group, it will probably not succeed which will dilute the force and meaning behind the group. The reason for this is because there are countless other facebook groups that are trying to accomplish the same feat. Had there only been one facebook group trying to accomplish this, I believe that they could succeed and actually hold some power behind their message.
Link to facebook group here
The purpose of the group "1,000,000 Students Against the Iraq War," is to demonstrate to the government as well as the rest of the country/world that there are many students in this country who are against the war in Iraq. The group is peacefully protesting the war in a new way. Whereas in the past people would hold demonstrations and attend anti-war rallies, many people are now using the internet to demonstrate against the war. This group is trying to show that there are a million students who oppose the war, who are showing their opposition to it by joining the group. Their goal is that the government will realize that many people are against the war, and then hopefully the government will then cave in to public demand and pull out of Iraq.
Although it is a very good idea to try and get a million students to join this facebook group, it will probably not succeed which will dilute the force and meaning behind the group. The reason for this is because there are countless other facebook groups that are trying to accomplish the same feat. Had there only been one facebook group trying to accomplish this, I believe that they could succeed and actually hold some power behind their message.
There's a Light at the End of the Tunnel
I used the topic of war to create three limericks.
Goodbye Stomach
I declared a huge war on my fat
It was everywhere, even where I sat
So I started to run
And it was actually fun
Until I tripped and went splat
Thank You
In the desert many soldiers are fighting
Some of them find it very exciting
They defend our nation
Under high frustration
That I can't even describe in my writing
Welcome Back
The war may be ending soon
It can come as early as June
And I'll be right there
With a wide-eye stare
To welcome back that brave platoon
Goodbye Stomach
I declared a huge war on my fat
It was everywhere, even where I sat
So I started to run
And it was actually fun
Until I tripped and went splat
Thank You
In the desert many soldiers are fighting
Some of them find it very exciting
They defend our nation
Under high frustration
That I can't even describe in my writing
Welcome Back
The war may be ending soon
It can come as early as June
And I'll be right there
With a wide-eye stare
To welcome back that brave platoon
The Desert Sucks
Dear Mom,
It's been about three months since I've arrived here in Iraq. I'm still having trouble adjusting to this kind of life. Maybe I will never adjust. The heat here is brutal. Sometimes I feel like I am going to evaporate and disappear. And then there are these huge sandstorms that turn day into night. The darkness frightens me.
At night is when I'm most scared. That's when they like to attack us. They come out of nowhere and just start shooting at our camp. I lay in my bed every night thinking "Is it going to be me tonight?" I never know what's going to happen. That's the scariest thing here. No one knows what is going to happen. A normal drive could turn into a battle. Hell, even the bathroom can turn into your coffin. That's what happened to my friend Joe last week. He went to the bathroom to take a piss and the next thing you know, a grenade just explodes him to pieces. It's really scary.
But don't worry mom, it's not always like that here. Me and the guys try to have fun when we can. Just the other day we were playing some football and I scored a couple touchdowns for my team. We made the losing team get us water for a whole week. It was great. And when I leave to complete my missions I get this adrenaline rush that just makes me feel so alive. I feel good that I'm protecting the Iraqi's from these militias.
Well that's about all I have to say for now. I shouldn't be here much longer. They told us that a lot of troops are getting sent back to the U.S. so hopefully that includes me. See you soon! I love you!
Love,
Soldier William M. Lindelof
It's been about three months since I've arrived here in Iraq. I'm still having trouble adjusting to this kind of life. Maybe I will never adjust. The heat here is brutal. Sometimes I feel like I am going to evaporate and disappear. And then there are these huge sandstorms that turn day into night. The darkness frightens me.
At night is when I'm most scared. That's when they like to attack us. They come out of nowhere and just start shooting at our camp. I lay in my bed every night thinking "Is it going to be me tonight?" I never know what's going to happen. That's the scariest thing here. No one knows what is going to happen. A normal drive could turn into a battle. Hell, even the bathroom can turn into your coffin. That's what happened to my friend Joe last week. He went to the bathroom to take a piss and the next thing you know, a grenade just explodes him to pieces. It's really scary.
But don't worry mom, it's not always like that here. Me and the guys try to have fun when we can. Just the other day we were playing some football and I scored a couple touchdowns for my team. We made the losing team get us water for a whole week. It was great. And when I leave to complete my missions I get this adrenaline rush that just makes me feel so alive. I feel good that I'm protecting the Iraqi's from these militias.
Well that's about all I have to say for now. I shouldn't be here much longer. They told us that a lot of troops are getting sent back to the U.S. so hopefully that includes me. See you soon! I love you!
Love,
Soldier William M. Lindelof
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Simple Days
"Swing Life Away" by Rise Against
Link to video here
Link to video here
“We live on front porches,
and swing life away.”
Life was simple, everything was planned out.
There were no surprises; I just let time go by.
The biggest decisions we had to make were whose house we’d have a bonfire at.
Me and my friends would just sit around and laugh.
My pay wasn’t great…actually it was minimum wage.
But that didn’t matter, I loved my job.
Every day was fun and had exciting surprises.
And now I’m going to spend the rest of my life working in a theme park.
some that I hardly know.
We've had some times,
I wouldn't trade for the world.”
We had amazing times together and always found something to laugh at.
We’ve endured crazy teachers and laughed at them,
We’ve had crazy pool parties that always ended up getting busted,
And most of all we stuck together through everything to have fun.
the summers over to soon.
So let's pack our bags
and settle down where palm trees grow.”
Away from the harsh Chicago winters and crazy snowstorms.
A place where I can wear shorts year round.
Such a blissful time, so happy that I’d be going somewhere warm.
I had my life set, and things were perfect.
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