Many children in today's society scream for independence. They spend their entire lives fighting their parents, just itching to be their own being. Is that such a good thing though? In some ways yes, but in others no. Shouldn't we celebrate where our ancestors came from? After all if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here today, right? So we must find a mix of the two options...a "third option" where celebration of your past and celebration of your own roots balance perfectly.
I am 50/50 mixed with Polish and Irish. But I am also from Houston, Texas. But born in Paris, France. These places couldn't be more spread out and different. I admit, I am mostly independent from my parents culture, but , to be fair, they never really pushed their childhood and roots onto my brother and I. I've never been to Poland, nor have I been to Ireland, yet my blonde hair screams Poland and my last name, Sullivan, practically means Irish men in Kilts. Living in our generation, things are so different from our parents it's nearly impossible to even try to understand the world they lived in.
Though there are many ways I show my roots, there are some in which I show my parents. In Ireland it is custom to wear a ring called a Clauddagh ring, so ever since I was little I have worn it. My dad got it for me when I was little, and I've had it ever since. We also toast all of our meals in Polish with a Polish proverb that means "Bless us for we are grateful".
Now that I'm thinking about it I don't celebrate my parent's culture enough. I really have never put that much thought into it, though I really should. From now on I will be prouder of my ancestors roots, and wear them loud.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Blog Post #3
What a difficult task, my employer has assigned me. I must write a haunted house story! Sounds easy right? WRONG! Writing about ghosts is easy but personifying an entire house to be the haunted thing itself is just plain hard. So what do I do to get through this tedious task? I read poems short stories from my favorite writer, Edgar Allan Poe, to attain inspiration. I look at my favorite, creepiest story, the Fall of the House of Usher and am immediately hit by an urge to write, so on I go.
Although our stories are different, I took a few ideas and writing techniques from Poe: the most important and blatantly obvious being personification. I mean it's practically impossible to write a haunted house story without giving the house human like tendencies. Secondly I used impeccable imagery just like Poe. By constantly describing settings and feelings the main character saw and felt in the house, the reader was able to pick up on the creepy vibe Poe was sending. It was also much easier to picture the creepy house once Poe described it as "dark", "large", and "lofty".
Another idea I used from Poe was his great choice in diction. The word choice makes the ready feel as if he/she is really in the time period of the story, and even sitting in the room with the main character. It also aids in imagery. But oh my, without Poe's cliffhanger ending the story wouldn't be the same at all. By leaving room for imagination, the reader is left with questions, aiding in the scary, creepy tone. I was left with many questions: was the Usher real? Did the house ever really exist? Did the main character make all this up in his head? I was not comforted not knowing the answers to the questions, after all the human mind fears the unknown and unexplained. Lastly, I used similies like Poe, for his so accurately conveyed a feeling of horror in the house: "...there was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters--and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the House of Usher.".
Enough Poe Praising. Let's get to the good part: the things I DIDN'T do. Well to start off I believe the story is a little bit too long and a little bit too descriptive. Yes, the diction and imagery are great, BUT I always seem to zone out while reading because I get bored. It is a short story after all.Secondly, I made the characters a little bit more psycho in my story, Yes, the Usher was crazy but in my opnion he was probably just as crazy as Amanda Bynes today, and she doesn't scare me! Well...maybe a little. Anyways the story will be up soon, hope you enjoyed my little spiel on the beginning to all haunted house stories!
Although our stories are different, I took a few ideas and writing techniques from Poe: the most important and blatantly obvious being personification. I mean it's practically impossible to write a haunted house story without giving the house human like tendencies. Secondly I used impeccable imagery just like Poe. By constantly describing settings and feelings the main character saw and felt in the house, the reader was able to pick up on the creepy vibe Poe was sending. It was also much easier to picture the creepy house once Poe described it as "dark", "large", and "lofty".
Another idea I used from Poe was his great choice in diction. The word choice makes the ready feel as if he/she is really in the time period of the story, and even sitting in the room with the main character. It also aids in imagery. But oh my, without Poe's cliffhanger ending the story wouldn't be the same at all. By leaving room for imagination, the reader is left with questions, aiding in the scary, creepy tone. I was left with many questions: was the Usher real? Did the house ever really exist? Did the main character make all this up in his head? I was not comforted not knowing the answers to the questions, after all the human mind fears the unknown and unexplained. Lastly, I used similies like Poe, for his so accurately conveyed a feeling of horror in the house: "...there was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters--and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the House of Usher.".
Enough Poe Praising. Let's get to the good part: the things I DIDN'T do. Well to start off I believe the story is a little bit too long and a little bit too descriptive. Yes, the diction and imagery are great, BUT I always seem to zone out while reading because I get bored. It is a short story after all.Secondly, I made the characters a little bit more psycho in my story, Yes, the Usher was crazy but in my opnion he was probably just as crazy as Amanda Bynes today, and she doesn't scare me! Well...maybe a little. Anyways the story will be up soon, hope you enjoyed my little spiel on the beginning to all haunted house stories!
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