“A Modest Proposal”
Jonathan Swift
Swift utilizes satire and irony to get his points across. He proposes that we should eat babies in order to help the impoverished society of Ireland. This was a crude way of getting his point across, yet it gained my attention. I found myself fully engulfed while reading though this piece. This is an excellent example of how satire can be used to gain the attention of your readers and get your points across.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Langston Hughes
“Salvation”
Langston Hughes
Hughes talked about the “emotional atmosphere” that is often created in church. This is something that bothers me very deeply. When I go to church, I feel like I came to a show. The pastor has a message eloquently prepared. The music plays at the right moments. It is almost like going to a promotional banquet for some product that someone is trying to sell me. This over stimulated service is not the real world. I feel like Christians go to church on Sunday for their emotional high and then leave it at the church doorsteps. Instead, we should be serving our community and showing people Christ’s love. That is what Christianity is really about, and the emotions evoked from doing this are 100% genuine. I think our churches have completely lost where our focus should primarily be.
Langston Hughes
Hughes talked about the “emotional atmosphere” that is often created in church. This is something that bothers me very deeply. When I go to church, I feel like I came to a show. The pastor has a message eloquently prepared. The music plays at the right moments. It is almost like going to a promotional banquet for some product that someone is trying to sell me. This over stimulated service is not the real world. I feel like Christians go to church on Sunday for their emotional high and then leave it at the church doorsteps. Instead, we should be serving our community and showing people Christ’s love. That is what Christianity is really about, and the emotions evoked from doing this are 100% genuine. I think our churches have completely lost where our focus should primarily be.
C.S. Lewis
“The Rival Conceptions of God”
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis talks about how many world religions have common truths. Even though some religions are wrong, many of them have common ground with Christianity. It is important to know the differences between them. If we are going to show God’s love to the world, we need to be knowledgeable about other religions. Coming from the perspective that they are wrong is not a good way to go about it. Instead, we should start with common ground.
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis talks about how many world religions have common truths. Even though some religions are wrong, many of them have common ground with Christianity. It is important to know the differences between them. If we are going to show God’s love to the world, we need to be knowledgeable about other religions. Coming from the perspective that they are wrong is not a good way to go about it. Instead, we should start with common ground.
Bell Hooks
“Keeping Close to Home: Class & Education”
Bell Hooks
The message I felt that Bell Hooks was trying to get across is that we should not abandon our community ties. We should be proud of the background that we came from. At the same time, we need to nurture those relationships with people that are different. She spoke specifically about education and how her community looks at it. She talked about the idea that she has to straddle two different worlds. The culture that she came from does not value education, and the educated community that she now works in does not value the uneducated sections of society. She does not want to loose her identity in both. Instead of education being something that divides communities and cultures, it should bring them together.
Bell Hooks
The message I felt that Bell Hooks was trying to get across is that we should not abandon our community ties. We should be proud of the background that we came from. At the same time, we need to nurture those relationships with people that are different. She spoke specifically about education and how her community looks at it. She talked about the idea that she has to straddle two different worlds. The culture that she came from does not value education, and the educated community that she now works in does not value the uneducated sections of society. She does not want to loose her identity in both. Instead of education being something that divides communities and cultures, it should bring them together.
Shelby Steele
“The Recoloring of Campus Life”
Shelby Steele
Steele writes about the racial tension between minorities and the dominant white population on college campuses. He goes in depth with explanations on why this occurs. He blames both sides for the tension. He states that we need to settle our differences instead of letting them get in the way. I feel like this is a lot easier said than done. The issue that he talks about is a very complex one. The social boundaries that our society has created will not come down easily. We cannot tell people to simply set aside their differences and expect everything to be perfect. Race relations are something that has come a long way, but the only thing that will fix it is the love of Christ.
Shelby Steele
Steele writes about the racial tension between minorities and the dominant white population on college campuses. He goes in depth with explanations on why this occurs. He blames both sides for the tension. He states that we need to settle our differences instead of letting them get in the way. I feel like this is a lot easier said than done. The issue that he talks about is a very complex one. The social boundaries that our society has created will not come down easily. We cannot tell people to simply set aside their differences and expect everything to be perfect. Race relations are something that has come a long way, but the only thing that will fix it is the love of Christ.
Niccolo’ Machiavelli
“The Qualities of the Prince”
Niccolo’ Machiavelli
Machiavelli focuses on the way a prince should conduct himself. If found it hard to glean anything from this essay considering I’m not a prince. Despite this fact, I did find it interesting and entertaining to read.
Machiavelli’s thoughts were well plotted throughout his piece, and he did an excellent job at expressing his points. His clear and concise writing style made it easy for me to follow.
Niccolo’ Machiavelli
Machiavelli focuses on the way a prince should conduct himself. If found it hard to glean anything from this essay considering I’m not a prince. Despite this fact, I did find it interesting and entertaining to read.
Machiavelli’s thoughts were well plotted throughout his piece, and he did an excellent job at expressing his points. His clear and concise writing style made it easy for me to follow.
Mike Rose
“I Just Wanna Be Average”
Mike Rose
Reading this essay reminded me of all the kids out there that are not living up to their full potential. Many kids struggle in school, but they are not stupid. Their learning styles may differ from the format that their teachers utilize. Mike was not afraid of learning growing up. He was constantly learning and trying new things, yet he struggled in school and eventually ended up in vocational classes.
Mike appeared to be someone that did not care throughout his years as a student. When Mike was having trouble learning, he would tune out and ignore the curriculum in self-defeat. Mike was not stupid; he just needed help. This is what happens to a lot of kids today. They just need the proper adjustments made with their learning.
Mike Rose
Reading this essay reminded me of all the kids out there that are not living up to their full potential. Many kids struggle in school, but they are not stupid. Their learning styles may differ from the format that their teachers utilize. Mike was not afraid of learning growing up. He was constantly learning and trying new things, yet he struggled in school and eventually ended up in vocational classes.
Mike appeared to be someone that did not care throughout his years as a student. When Mike was having trouble learning, he would tune out and ignore the curriculum in self-defeat. Mike was not stupid; he just needed help. This is what happens to a lot of kids today. They just need the proper adjustments made with their learning.
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