Anthony Leone
Period 6
English 11
Things they carried Essay
In the book The Things They Carried the author, Tim O’Brien, talks about when he was drafted to Vietnam. He runs all the way up to the Canadian border but goes to Vietnam in the end. He says he is a coward and I believe that is true. I think that if you go against your beliefs just because you are scared of standing up for it then it makes you a coward and I believe that is what he is saying also.
In the chapter, On the Rainy River, Tim says “Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities…” and he goes on to say that he thought that you could build up courage for the day you need it. If the reader really looks in to the book then they can see that Tim’s view of courage changes to standing up for your beliefs. Tim gets drafted and says that he hated the war and that he did not see the propose of the blood being spilled. For this reason when he gets drafted he decides to run away to Canada.
Right away Tim has fear of what might happen if he runs away. “A giddy feeling, in a way, except there was the dreamy edge of impossibility to it… it couldn’t come to a happy conclusion and yet I was doing it….” He meets Elroy and near the end of the chapter they go out in to the border river to fish. Tim realizes that he has to choose between leaving and doing what he believes is the right or going to war and turning his back on his beliefs. While on the boat Tim thinks of all the things he has to fear. “ I did try. It just wasn’t possible… I could hear people screaming at me. Traitor! They yelled. Turncoat! Pussy!.... and right then I submitted.” He then says that he would go to war and kill even through he thought that it was meaningless and wrong but was to embarrassed to not go. This is the clear sign that Tim thought he was a coward for turn back on his beliefs.
The dictionary says that courage is the ability to face any difficulty, danger, and pain without fear. I have to say I agree with both Tim and the dictionary. I think that courage is the ability to face any one or thing that stands between you and your beliefs no matter what the consequences. So if a person is drafted in to a war that they think is wrong like Tim O’Brien was and just go then they are cowards. They should at least try to find a way to not kill like in the radio control. Tim says that even through he survived it wasn’t a happy ending because he gave in.
So the way a person can truly show their courage is to stand up for what they believe. Tim says that he thought the war in Vietnam was wrong and meaningless but he goes anyway do to the fear of being embarrassed and being a outcast. Tim shows that he believes that courage is standing up for their beliefs like I think.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
hypothetical questions
If you and your kids are drowning do you save the kids but die making them grive you or save yourself and have the kids die and grive them?
Suppose for next time's elections the Democrats were to nominate a candidate who is opposed to abortion and same-sex marriages and who is skeptical about evolution. And at the same time the Republicans were to nominate an atheist. But apart from their religious beliefs, these two candidates hold views typical of their party. Who do you vote for?
If you do what hitler did(bite a cyanide pill and shot yourself in the head) which kills you?
Would you accept $1,000,000 in U.S. dollars (or the equivelant in whatever currency) to leave your country and never set foot in it again?
You have the chance to meet someone with whom you can have the most satisfying love imaginable -- the stuff of dreams. However, you know that in six months the person will have sex with someone else, and then when you eventually find out they will leave you for them and want nothing more to do with you. Knowing the pain that would follow, would you still want to meet the person and fall in love and experience the 6 months of bliss?
Would you be willing to have your left ring finger surgically removed if it 'somehow' guaranteed you immunity from all diseases?
You are leading 100 people in a survivalist situation, when suddenly your lives are in danger and you must choose between two courses of action. One would cause 10 of the people to die and everyone else would live, the other would have a 70% chance of saving everyone but were it to fail then everyone would die. Which would you choose?
You are offered $1,000,000 USD (or the equivalent in whatever currency) for the following act: Before you are ten pistols -- only one of which is loaded. You must pick up one of the pistols, point it at your forehead, and pull the trigger. If you can do this and walk away you do so a millionaire. Would you accept the risk?
Which gender do you think has it easier in our culture?
Would you sell 1 day of your life(you die a day earlier) for $1000? If so, how many days of your life would you sell?
Would it be better to know the exact date of your death, or the precise means of your death?
For $35,000 USD, would you go for three months without washing, brushing your teeth, or using deodorant? Assume you could not explain your reasons to anyone until after the three months is up.
Suppose for next time's elections the Democrats were to nominate a candidate who is opposed to abortion and same-sex marriages and who is skeptical about evolution. And at the same time the Republicans were to nominate an atheist. But apart from their religious beliefs, these two candidates hold views typical of their party. Who do you vote for?
If you do what hitler did(bite a cyanide pill and shot yourself in the head) which kills you?
Would you accept $1,000,000 in U.S. dollars (or the equivelant in whatever currency) to leave your country and never set foot in it again?
You have the chance to meet someone with whom you can have the most satisfying love imaginable -- the stuff of dreams. However, you know that in six months the person will have sex with someone else, and then when you eventually find out they will leave you for them and want nothing more to do with you. Knowing the pain that would follow, would you still want to meet the person and fall in love and experience the 6 months of bliss?
Would you be willing to have your left ring finger surgically removed if it 'somehow' guaranteed you immunity from all diseases?
You are leading 100 people in a survivalist situation, when suddenly your lives are in danger and you must choose between two courses of action. One would cause 10 of the people to die and everyone else would live, the other would have a 70% chance of saving everyone but were it to fail then everyone would die. Which would you choose?
You are offered $1,000,000 USD (or the equivalent in whatever currency) for the following act: Before you are ten pistols -- only one of which is loaded. You must pick up one of the pistols, point it at your forehead, and pull the trigger. If you can do this and walk away you do so a millionaire. Would you accept the risk?
Which gender do you think has it easier in our culture?
Would you sell 1 day of your life(you die a day earlier) for $1000? If so, how many days of your life would you sell?
Would it be better to know the exact date of your death, or the precise means of your death?
For $35,000 USD, would you go for three months without washing, brushing your teeth, or using deodorant? Assume you could not explain your reasons to anyone until after the three months is up.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Teenage school life
I like the fact that us teenages hate school but when we get a good grade in a class we are all happy and shit. Now anyone that says that they like school are lying. People like the social life in school or the time that it takes up instead of being bored.Now people that say that they aren't happy after they get a good grade is also lying. You guy know that you feel good at least a little because you feel like you have accompliced something. So that is my thoughts on kids in school.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
old school
I just found my N64 and all my games. I remember when i first got it. It may be old but it is still fun as hell. The old school smash bros., perfect dark, zelda, and golden eye. THere is just one problem and that is that you need a extension pack to play the story mode in perfect dark and i don't know where it is. O well i need to see if i can find Banjo-kazooie and star fox. Then i will have the best of the best.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Life
I'm a junior and i really have to start worrying about college and the rest of my life. I know I want to go to college to study law. Then go to the police academy and sometime later in life become a detective. My dad says that i should worry about it I will figure it out. Fuck that this about the rest off my life man, if i want to worry i am going to worry. I am thinking of going in to the air force. Just one problem i am color blind so i can be a jet pilot which sucks because i have always wanted to do that. I can still fly a cargo plane but that just isn't as satisfying.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Funny Books
I have read some funny books before but there are only two that make me laugh no matter where i am. I hope they serve beer in hell is about a guy named Tucker Max. It is his real life storys and i can tell you he is a jerk. A funny jerk but a jerk. The other is a book i am reading now called Youth in Revolt it is a about a 14 year old kid and his struggle to be a teen. Also he has to go through the struggle of a teen afther puberty; if you know what i mean. IT is like I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell but with a kid. So if you can find these books. you will be laughing you ass off.
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