In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain embarks on a journey “the dunte that schulde hym deve, and nedez hit most be done (to stand a crushing blow in helpless sufferance),” because of the deal he made with the Green Knight (1285-86). This scenario brought upon by various choices made by Sir Gawain, fits perfectly with Campbell’s description of a hero as a “man of self-achieved submission” (16). Gawain accepts his unfavorable fate without question, knowing that he brought it upon himself, and continues to live his life chivalrously. When he stops at the castle on his quest to find the Green Knight a year later, Gawain is presented with an offer that he finds hard to refuse. The lord of the castles tells him that he can have anything he kills on his hunt if Gawain in return will give the lord whatever he receives from relaxing with his wife all day. Even though he is quite frequently tempted by the lord’s wife, Gawain chooses truth instead of the enticement, and always puts his word into action by giving the lord exactly what he receives. On the eve of his encounter with the Green Knight, however, Gawain’s gallant spirits falter and he chooses to keep the scarf that the lord’s wife gives him for protection in secrecy. The next day when he meets with the Green Knight, it is revealed that the lord and the Green Knight are actually the same person and that he is aware of Gawain’s betrayal. In this revelation, the Green Knight says, “and the wowing of my wyf: I woght it myselven. I sende hir to asay the, and sothly me thynkkez on the fautlest freke that ever on fote yede…bot here yow lakked a lyttel…and lewte yow wonted” (I arranged it myself. I sent her to test you, and to me truly you seem to be one of the most perfect men who ever walked the earth,” but “only here you fell short… and lacked fidelity) (2361-66). This story of Gawain and the Green Knight is similar to Adam and eve's temptation in the Garden of Eden.
Gawain’s moment of weakness in his loyalty to the Green Knight and his cause of chivalry should have been one of utter embarrassment and shame, but the Green Knight’s reply was, “ thou art confessed so clene, beknown of thy mysses, and hatz penaunce apert of the point of myn egge, I halde thepolysed of that plight, and pured as clene as thou hadez never forfeted sythen thou watz first borne” (you have so cleanly confessed yourself, admitted your fault, and done honest penance on the edge of my blade. I declare you absolved of that offence, and washed as clean as if you had never transgressed since the day you were born) (2391-94). In my opinion, the characters in this epic poem are representative of something greater than just their names. We have all been challenged in this lifetime and this story portrays how we as humans should deal with temptation and unfaithfulness. Gawain, symbolic of the human race, is good and pure and falters for a brief moment in his journey due to the overwhelming powers of the lord’s wife of temptation (Satan). Instead of holding his fault against him, the Green Knight (God/humanity) forgives Gawain through his penance and sets him free, selflessly giving him his sash as well. While we might not all see these characters as the same images, we can follow their example of upholding the values of chivalry and truth in our lives. We all make mistakes and by learning to sincerely accept them, we become all the more courageous. Thus, just as Gawain was honored for learning this lesson, we can say, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” (shame upon him who thinks evil of it) and transform our failures into daring successes.
((There's just something about a child's spirit that is so simple, pure and innocent and I think that it's something that adults lose touch in sometimes. If we could remember the simplicities of life then maybe our world would seem a little more friendly.))
Denis Diderot once said that, “Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to (accomplish) great things [1]”. Our passions set our hearts and souls ablaze with a desire and purpose to live and thrive for a specific cause. Through the exploration of our passions, we are forced to look deep into our souls and examine our heart’s deepest aspirations. New sensations and desires emerge in us that we have never experienced before while we are simultaneously converted into the people we are meant to become. We are transformed as much by our passions, as they are transformed by us, and we surrender to them as they take hold of our lives and guide us towards our destiny. ((My Sisters and me as children: Danielle, Adriana, Gabriella from top to bottom)) [1]
While I have had an incredibly hard time figuring out what my passion in life is in the past, I have now come to the realization that my passion is none other than life itself. Not only do I possess an incredible yearning to share the joy that I receive through living with the world, but also love to do so through showing compassion to others. Mother Teresa once said that, “Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love [2]”. It is with children, those who are as full of joy and life as I am, that I am most passionate about and find the most delight in bestowing love upon. ((My niece Lila showing her joy.))[2]
Children find satisfaction in the smallest things. They are appreciative of all around them, and love without notion or regret. Every movement and every thought of a child bursts with happiness and life. There is joy in their laughter, enchantment in their eyes, love in their smiles, devotion in their touch, and hope in their existence. They are truly a light and beacon of faith in the dark world of today. By realizing my passion for children, my heart and soul have been ignited with an enthusiastic fervor to shower them with love and provide them with hope towards a better life and future. ((My Family))[3]
Growing up in a large family, I have always been surrounded by children ranging from infants to toddlers to teenagers. While I always loved their company, I never really developed an appreciation for the spirit of a child until I was introduced to my nieces and nephews. Although she is only three, my oldest niece, Katherine, embodies everything that a child should be. ((My niece Katherine))[4]
She is lively, imaginative, and throws her heart into all that she does. One of the most sincerely affectionate children I know, Katherine cares about all the people in her life and radiates love everywhere she goes. When I look into her eager young eyes, my heart melts and I know in that instant, that I mean the world to someone. To me, Katherine represents all children in the world. [5] Though they are not all exactly the same, children always remain pure of heart and are grateful even in the most dire of circumstances. Because of her abundant glee and youthfulness, Katherine sparked a need within me to ensure this kind of happiness in all children, and inspired me to start working towards this goal of living a sacrificial life for the needs of others.
After receiving such an epiphany from observing Katherine, I started to try to imitate her actions and exude love with my presence as she did. ((A smile goes a long way))[6]
While I had always smiled everywhere I went, I began to make eye contact with people to ensure they knew it was intended for them. By simply saying hello to someone new at school or offering myself to someone who needed assistance, I began to fill satisfied and redeemed. Expanding on this life change, I commenced on a journey of volunteer work in my community that continued throughout my middle school and high school years. My seventh grade year, my family began participating in a program called Bicycles and Bibles in which we were given the opportunity to provide the children of numerous unfortunate families in our community with an extravagant Christmas celebration. [7]From the cotton candy and pizza, to Santa Clause and the clowns, to the Christmas decorations and bicycles, each particular element of the festivities was designated to ensure the happiness of the children who attended the event. I have never seen as many thrilled and thankful faces as I did that day, and those faces were a source of unexplainable bliss within me. [8]As my family and I continue to be involved in this event every year, the number of faces of absolute elation and the smiles of utter amusement only continue to grow. Such excitement brought upon by as little as a gift confirmed my previous notions of the innocent charm of children and only left me thirsting for more.
As the years went by, I brought my level of volunteering to the next level by actually taking on the role of caretaker. I began to work at the Shorkey Cerebral Palsy Center after school, and offer my assistance to their patients as well as becoming the chairperson of their annual fundraiser. ((A child at the Shorkey Center in Beaumont, Texas))[9]
While many of these kids had troubles with everyday things, they still found pleasure in everything they could do such as making Christmas cards and the ability they had left to function. The children’s intelligence shined through in their determination as they attempted the impossible. I remember being amazed by their perseverance and strength at such a young age and their ability to adjust to whatever new and challenging circumstance was put before them. Later, I became a counselor at Camp Waldemar for Girls where my love for children continued to grow. ((My sisters and me when I was a counseor at Waldemar))[10]
Taken away from their parents and thrown into a new active environment, these girls often struggled with homesickness and fear. Not once in this uncertainty, however, did they question my capabilities, but immediately accepted me for who I was and loved me for being me. It was quite rewarding to see their confidence grow as they attempted new things and formed new friendships. In both instances of the Shorkey Center and Camp Waldemar, the approval that I was instantly granted gave me further insight into the compassionate nature of a child, and made me want to mimic their actions even more. I received instant gratification from both experiences and knew that children would play a very important role in my life from then on out.
Though I helped with change in my community, I began to wonder if I could make a difference in children’s lives around the world. <((And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me-Matthew18:5))[11]
I never really found an opportunity to do so until I attended Big Stuf camps in Panama City, Florida. There, I was introduced to a program called Compassion International that helps gain sponsorships for children in third world countries around the globe. After much deliberation I decided to sponsor a little girl named Nyamvula Abdala Makami in Kenya. Despite the fact that I never have actually met her, I am blessed through our communication by our letters and am always filled with great contentment to hear what offerings my sponsorship has brought to her life. [12] Her letters and drawings that I receive burst with the same childlike joy that I have so gratefully experienced in my encounters with children here. Nyamvula attends school and plays with friends in the midst of a country plagued by terrible poverty and war. I am mystified by the fact that such exuberance still exists in a place where people struggle to live each day and such beauty and composure exists in a child of merely eight years of age. I hope to one day get to chance to meet her and plan to go on mission trip to continue my efforts in places outside of my own community.
[13]
[14]
My experiences with children have inspired me to try to connect to something greater than myself and offer my entire being to preserving the happiness and lives of others in my community and around the world. Children’s sincerity instills joy in my heart and encourages me to try to view others the way they would perceive them. Their undying devotion to those they love and their constant enthusiasm for any situation heartens my need to stay as optimistic as possible.((My neice and me))[15] While I often long to return to the bliss and innocence of my childhood, my past is not what lies ahead of me, and I know that I must do everything within my power to defend childhood simplicity for those who are still fortunate enough to have it. Children are the future of our world, the pride of our communities and families, the light in our present darkness, and the everlasting love embedded in our hearts. ((childhood bliss)) [16]
Luisa Sigea once said to “blaze with the fire that is never extinguished,[3]” and that is how I plan to continue living out my passion for children in my everyday life, taking the flame from their compassion for others and igniting it with my own.
[17]
Word Count Including Quotes: 1,505 Word Count Without Quotes: 1, 461
Text Citations: [1]- Diderot, Denis. 1796. The Quotations Page http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33491.html (accessed February 20, 2008).
[2] -Mother Teresa. ThinkExist.com. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/joy-is-a-net-of-love-by-which-you-can-catch- souls/535145.html (accessed February 20, 2008).
[3]- Sigea, Luisa. 2003. O Magazine. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33491.html (accessed February 20, 2008).
Photo Citations:
[1]- My Sisters and Me. (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh8T0FsedWQr8SmGHrwMz2vz5e1XZbAVboIQRCjl8hm5AP72EWw5L-VvofzcB6Vrr-h4SlUEO0FF5VU5MoBrYqbAkgt0aSw9IlKDFzZQl0SgVfoHjD-y8B9mqgiHm8FleyKfXORR7G34/ h/Three+Girls+-+baby+bed.jpg).
The Meyers-Briggs Personality Type Test really taught me a lot about myself. By completing this test, I realized that I am an ESFJ or a “Provider Guardian”. I am a slightly expressed extravert, a slightly expressed sensing personality, a moderately expressed feeling personality, and slightly expressed judging personality. The descriptions of all of these character traits seemed to describe me exactly, and point out things about myself that I already knew but never really considered. While, I have know that I am an extravert for quite sometime now, I was not always so. I grew up in an extremely extraverted family and always felt out of place being an introvert. In grade school and middle school, I enjoyed quiet activities and loved keeping to myself while everyone else in my family was constantly demanding to be the center of attention at all times. Though the Oxford personality has definitely emerged over the years, I feel like my time spent as an introvert gave me experience in understanding the mindset that introverted people live in. All parts of my personality combine like this puzzle to make me uniquely who I am.
Although I sometimes retreat to my extremely introverted self, I enjoy being my extraverted self on a daily basis. I think it is the combination of these two selves that make me who I am and allow my other characteristics to shine through. My extraverted trait seems to act without reason. Just like the description says, I tend to “think out loud” and have a very “short attention span” (396). As for learning, I tend to prefer by Plan II classes over my Natural Sciences classes. While I never understood why this was before, when I heard that extraverted people “prefer brainstorming” and “active exercises-just lecture can bore”, it all made sense (396). ). In regards to my writing, my writing style followed right along with the description of the process that an extravert follows. “Free writing is a good method of developing ideas, for extraverts will think better when writing quickly, impulsively, and uncritically. They usually pause when blocked, and the blocks are best overcome by activity” (398). When writing a paper, my writing tends to flow better if I do not think about it as much. Also, I gain inspiration through outside interactions and sources when I cannot thin of anything else to write about. Also, many of the characteristics of a Sensing individual seem to be present in my persona. The fact that Sensing people “want the practical… in concrete terms” seems to be very true in my studies (394). I do not enjoy math or logic, and do not enjoy solving a problem for an answer that I can already have. I “like to use skills (I have) already learned” and tend to be very “present oriented” in the application of all things I have learned (394). I pay very close attention to details and often find it very “hard to take notes because (I) feel like everything is important”(394). Being able to “cut, paste, (and) fingerpaint” was listed in the description of a Sensing person, and my creative attributes are actually something I take great pride in. I love doing anything and everything creative whenever I get the chance. While the previous characteristics were already things that I was aware of, the Feeling and Judging qualities of my self were actually pretty hard for me to absorb. The Feeling person was described as someone who “need(s) praise, approval, and support; some one who is “motivated by others… and takes criticism personally” (395). While I know that these characteristics exist in everyone, I was surprised to see that they were so prevalent in my personality. I have always prided myself on being independent and realizing that I am actually someone who depends on others a lot more than I thought was a very strange experience. Though it may seem like Feelings oriented people are weak and vulnerable, it was gratifying to me to see that they actually help make others stronger as well. Feelings people are “more supportive than critical” which I think is a very strong attribute to possess (395). While they do need encouragement, Feelings people encourage and support others who so graciously support them. On the Judging side, I had only a 1% strength of preference. Despite the fact that this is a very low percentage, I was able to identify with a few of the characteristics of this type. Judging people “prefer a plan” and their schedule(s) (are very) important” to them (393). I hate wasting time and try to maximize the amount of things I can do in the certain amount of time available each day. I am also the event coordinator amongst my group of friends and plan our outings because I get frustrated when we cannot make decisions as a group. I also “get pleasure from finishing” any task that I am working on and love crossing things off my list when I they are complete (395). These Judging features appear in only small amounts, but still exist all the same. Recognizing my various character traits has allowed me to further grasp the expanse of my personality. While the test says I am an ESFJ, I am not going to limit myself to or abide by these definitions or analyzes, but plan to take their consideration into further understanding who I am as a person. For now, I am who I am. I am Danielle Oxford. I am me.
Your Type is: ESFJ Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging Strength of the preferences % 11 12 50 1
Qualitative analysis of your type formula You are: Provider Guardians take it upon themselves to arrange for the health and welfare of those in their care, but they are also the most sociable of all the Guardians, and thus are the great nurturers of established institutions such as schools, businesses, churches, social clubs, and civic groups. Wherever they go, Providers take up the role of social contributor, happily giving their time and energy to make sure that the needs of others are met, that traditions are supported and developed, and that social functions are a success.
Providers are very likely more than ten percent of the population, and this is very fortunate for the rest of us, because friendly social service is a key to their nature. Highly cooperative themselves, Providers are skilled in maintaining teamwork among their helpers, and are also tireless in their attention to the details of furnishing goods and services. They make excellent chairpersons in charge of social events. They are without peer as masters of ceremonies, able to approach others with ease and confidence, and seemingly aware of what everyone's been doing. And they are outstanding hosts or hostesses, able to remember people's names, usually after one introduction, and always concerned about the needs of their guests, wanting to insure that all are involved and provided for.
Providers are extremely sensitive to the feelings of others, which makes them perhaps the most sympathetic of all the types, but which also leaves them rather self-conscious, that is, highly sensitive to what others think of them. Because of this Providers can be crushed by personal criticism, and will work most effectively when given ample appreciation both for themselves personally and for the service they give to others. This is not to say that Providers are afraid to express their own emotional reactions. They are quick to like and dislike-and don't mind saying so-tending to put on a pedestal whatever or whoever they admire, and to come down hard on those people and issues they don't care for. In their choice of careers, Providers may lean toward sales and service occupations. They have such pleasant, outgoing personalities that they are far and away the best sales reps, not only regularly winning sales contests, but earning seniority in any sales group within an organization. Observing Providers at work in a sales transaction reveals clearly how this type personalizes the sale. They are visibly-and honestly-concerned with their customer's welfare, and thus the customer is not simply buying the product, but is buying personally from the Provider. This same characteristic causes them to be good in many people-to-people jobs, as teachers, clergy, coaches, social workers, office receptionists, and so on. Providers seldom become a source of irritation in the workplace; on the contrary, they are unflagging in their devotion to their company, and show such personal loyalty to their immediate superiors that they make invaluable personal secretaries. William Howard Taft, Barbara Walters, J C Penney, Ray Kroc, Louis B. Mayer, Sam Walton, Dolley Madison, and Dave Thomas are examples of Provider Guardians.
"Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.” (E. M. Forster, Howards End (1910), ch. 22).[1] This quote, which has served as one of our main themes this year seems to fit perfectly into the history and mythology of St. Valentine’s Day. While there are several different stories to the origins of St. Valentine’s Day, all of the tales seem to coincide with connecting prose and passion and exalting human love. One of the most famous legends is that of the priest Valentine who was a member of the clergy during the third century in Rome. During a time of war, the Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage amongst young men and women because he believed that marriage would make his soldiers weaker. Valentine, feeling compassion for young lovers, continued to perform secret marriage ceremonies despite the Emperor’s decree. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, he was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. While in jail, it is said that he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. Other accounts say that he converted the jailer to Christianity by healing his daughter’s blindness, and later fell in love with her. Either way, their love was the inspiration for the first valentine. Before his execution, Valentine wrote the young girl a letter expressing his affection for her, and signed it ‘From Your Valentine’, an expression still used today. Although this story is a tragic one, Valentine was a martyr and a leader, who’s passion for uniting others in love lead to his death. Other stories suggest that Valentine was killed for helping Christians escape from Roman prisons during a time of Christian persecution. In both separate stories, Valentine’s heroism is due much to his ability to use the sympathetic imagination. Adam Smith once said that, “as we have no immediate knowledge of what other men must feel, we can form no idea of the manner in which they are affected, but by conceiving what we ourselves should feel in the like situation” (132). [2] Valentine’s ability to sympathize with others, and continue to preserve their love and virtues in a time of utter hopelessness makes him a leader and role model. While some believe that we celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th to honor St. Valentine’s death, others believe that Valentine’s Day was formed by the Christian Church to cover up its original origins of a pagan festival. This festival in ancient Rome, known as Lupercalia, was a fertility festival dedicated to various Roman gods. After sacrificing a number of animals to these Roman gods, the townspeople participated in a celebration of sprinkling the sacrificial animal’s blood on their crops and women so that they would both be fertile and fruitful in the upcoming year. Next, each woman would put her name in an urn, and each man would take his respective turn to draw a woman’s name out of the same urn. These matchings often resulted in love and marriage, hints the enduring theme of adoration on this day. In 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared February 14th St. Valentine’s Day. While he declared most of these customs not appropriate for the Christian faith, he still respected diversity by declaring this date a sacred holiday. It is also said that February 14th is typically the day on which birds begin to mate. The observance of this occurrence often enticed lovers to right letters of admiration to each other. The act of actually CONNECTING the passion felt between two lovers into prose in a valentine is a tradition that has continued on through out the generations. No matter the origins of this passionate day, St. Valentine’s Day remains one of the most celebrated feasts throughout the year. Lee Hays and Pete Seeger once wrote, “If I Had a Hammer.... I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land.” (words and music by Lee Hays and Pete Seeger).[3] This is what St. Valentine’s Day does, unites and connects the world for a small instant through love and passion, and allows us to express this love that we might not express otherwise.
[1] E603A Course Description (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/%7Ebump/E603A07/course.html) [2] Bump, Jerome. Composition and Reading in World Literature. 2008. [3] E 603 Course Description (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/%7Ebump/E603A07/course.html)
Referred to for Information: -(http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/) -(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)
In “The Enemy at Home” , D’Souza states that, “Contrary to the multicultural mantra, true understanding does not involve a suspension of judgment about other cultures, or a double standard that routinely condemns western culture and exalts non-western culture. Rather, it involves a willingness to critically and open-mindedly evaluate other cultures, as well as our own culture.” (73).[1] When I read this statement now I feel like D’Souza could not have said it any better, but on September 11, 2001 my opinion was completely different. Just as our parents remember the day when JFK was assassinated, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news about the attacks on the twin towers. I was sitting in my seventh grade science classroom when a voice came over the loud speaker and told us about the planes crashing into the World Trade Center. At first I found it rather ironic and annoying that I could not attend a field trip to a workshop on decreasing teen violence because of something that had happened in New York, but after I saw the images of what had happened, I was immediately overcome with a sense of terror and grief. I was so confused and wondered what the terrorist’s reasons were for attacking our perfect country. I was sure that we were one nation under God, and that anyone who would attack us was surely evil. While September 11 was truly a horrible day in America, I have come to realize over the years that the ignorance and the “the embarrassingly poor knowledge that many Americans (and other people around the world) have of other cultures”, probably played a great role in the terrorist acts of that day(68).[2] “The unbridgeable gulf between Western Civilization and Islamic Civilization” lies in the misunderstanding of each nation’s devotion and acceptance of the institution of religion. (175)[3]. In our culture today, many Americans claim to be Christian, but do not lead a Christian lifestyle, while for Muslims, Islam is their life. D’Souza discusses this conflicting relationship when he says, “Unlike many Christians who have multiple identities only one of which is they happen to be Christian, Muslims typically regard their religion as central to both private and public identity, and consider all other affiliations secondary or derivative.’ (87)[4]. By taking on the perspective of a Muslim, whose only duty in life is to glorify their God, then it is easier to understand where the September 11th attacks came from. Like in Christianity, Islam glorifies martyrs. Eyad Al-Sarraj stated that, “Martyrs (in the Muslim faith) are at the level of prophets. They are untouchable. I can denounce suicide bombings, which I have many times, but not the martyrs themselves, because they are like saints. The martyr sacrifices himself for his nation. If you want to be part of this culture, you have to understand this.” (89).[5] Al-Sarraj does not necessarily agree with the attacks that the martyrs preformed, but he says that they are martyrs all the same, and were willing to devotedly die for their faith and the God that they believed in. “While both Christianity and Islam share a concept of martyrdom, the martyr in Christianity is one who voluntarily endures suffering and death rather than relinquish the faith. In Islam, by contrast, a martyr is one who dies fighting for the faith”, and that is exactly what the suicide bombers did on September 11th , 2001 (89).[6] Though we as well as other Muslims might see these actions as extreme and radical, these extremists took their faith and devotion to the next level by selflessly dying for their beliefs. The first martyr for Christianity was Stephen. While he was being tried and stoned to death, he still did not renounce his faith. In Acts 7:59 the author says that , “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.” [7] Though this type of martyrdom is not exactly the same as the kind we have experienced with suicide bombers, the story of Stephen still portrays an individual so strong in his convictions that he willingly surrenders his life to God rather than live and renounce his faith. The concept of selflessness remains constant through both religions and provides a common link between the battling nations of Christainity and Islam. “Ultimately it is not possible to eradicate Islam from the hearts of Muslims”, as it is not possible to eliminate Christianity from the hearts of true Christians (177).[8] While we continue to battle over our differences, we should really begin to recognize our similarities. With knowledge and study of each other’s lives and customs, comes a further and deeper understanding into each other’s hearts and souls. Ultimately, we should reevaluate ourselves and “ should try to see ourselves as they see us” so that we may ultimately view each other in a new and more respectable light (72).[9]
[1] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [2] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [3] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [4] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [5] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [6] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [7] Acts 7:59, Bible, New International Version. [8] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007. [9] D'Souza, Dinesh. The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. 2007.
Our generation has been exposed to violence and sex since the day we started watching cartoons on Nickelodeon. While we were not aware of it at the time, we were targets of Walt Disney’s subliminal messages through movies such as The Lion King, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid. The stars in this scene in the Lion King spell "sexy".What appears to be a image of the male genitalia appears in the castle on the cover of The Little Mermaid.
Though our parents thought we were merely watching kid’s shows, we were actually being enticed into the same violence filled, sex obsessed culture that we live in today. Once upon a time, fighting used to be honorable and sex used to be special, but nowadays both are all too common and commercialized. Although I know it is not possible to return to the past or totally outlaw the very foundations of freedom that our country was founded on, I think it is time to reevaluate the excessive use of sex and violence in our modern culture. Thus, I am endorsing Candidate D, who proposes limited censorship of sex and violence in popular culture multimedia.
Violence appears so frequently in movies and on television that it does not even faze us anymore. While thousands die around the world each day as a result of genocide and war, we simply take violence as a form of entertainment value, an exciting way to be thrilled and shocked by the most grotesque things possible. I took me quite off guard the other day when my friends and I were watching Braveheart and started laughed when a man’s head was crushed in by a ball and chain. I know this reaction might seem strange, but I actually think it is quite common for people in our world today to not be upset by such violence. In Ishmael Beah’s “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier,” he talks of his experiences as a boy soldier in Sierra Leone. After many tragic experiences and overcoming the hate he feels for the world, Ishmael is able to escape the violence and move to New York to become a beacon of peace. The opening paragraph of the book reads:
“My high school friends in News York City have begun to suspect I haven’t told them the full story of my life. “Why did you leave Sierra Leone?” “Because there is a war.” “Did you ever witness some of the fighting?” “Everyone in the country did.” “You mean you saw people running around with guns shooting each other?” “Yes, all the time.” “Cool.” I smile a little. “You should tell us about it sometime. “Yes, sometime.” (Beah 1). [1]
While I do enjoy the occasional war film and battle scene, reading this book written by someone that has experienced violence firsthand really opened my eyes and evoked new emotions towards violence that I had never felt before. If the portrayal of violence is necessary to tell a story and to get a point across, then I believe it is worthwhile and much more respectable, but what about the way other people view violence? Ishmael’s friend’s fascination with the idea of seeing people being killed is quite disturbing and parallels the way we as Americans think of violence. It is almost as if it is natural and desired. Each day more and more incidents of students walking into schools and shooting others in revenge, a rise in crime and gang activity, brutal murders and terrorism plague our world because some people are not capable of separating fiction from reality. While movie ratings limit content to its appropriate ages, some things should just not be seen at all. It is these things such as ruthless killing, murdering, and terrorism that should be censored and stop polluting the minds of our youth and every individual that watches them. As for sex, the media has made one of the most intimate experiences a person can have a public phenomenon. From movies such as American Pie and Superbad that encourage sex in teens to TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives that glorify affairs and meaningless sexual relationships, the media’s message is definitely one of lust. While I do admit that I am addicted to Grey’s Anatomy and other such shows, I still feel like they are sending the wrong idea to the public. In 1 Corintheans 13:4-8 the author says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”[2] Although I realize we are not all Christians, I believe that this quote represents an ideal that we as a society should aim for. Humans have always been sexual beings, but have never portrayed sex in such vulgar and animalistic ways before. What was once a symbol of love and beauty has become just as ordinary as sliced bread. I realize the need to express the emotions and passions that people experience during a sexual encounter, but I think that such a powerful thing should be reserved for a more mature audience. Thus, I believe that sex should be censored in a restricted manner in order to preserve the mystery and joy that lies in its meaning. As you can see, Candidate D upholds the beliefs that I most believe in. I believe that if the limited censorship of sex and violence in popular culture multimedia were to be put into action, a whole new way of thinking and life would arise. I look forward to the day when we as the human race begin to respect ourselves and the value of our lives again, but until that day I remain open to whatever the world throws at me.
[1]Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier 2007. [2] 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Bible, New International Version.
The next day when he meets with the Green Knight, it is revealed that the lord and the Green Knight are actually the same person and that he is aware of Gawain’s betrayal. In this revelation, the Green Knight says, “and the wowing of my wyf: I woght it myselven. I sende hir to asay the, and sothly me thynkkez on the fautlest freke that ever on fote yede…bot here yow lakked a lyttel…and lewte yow wonted” (I arranged it myself. I sent her to test you, and to me truly you seem to be one of the most perfect men who ever walked the earth,” but “only here you fell short… and lacked fidelity) (2361-66). 
In my opinion, the characters in this epic poem are representative of something greater than just their names. We have all been challenged in this lifetime and this story portrays how we as humans should deal with temptation and unfaithfulness. 
Gawain, symbolic of the human race, is good and pure and falters for a brief moment in his journey due to the overwhelming powers of the lord’s wife of temptation (Satan). Instead of holding his fault against him, the Green Knight (God/humanity) forgives Gawain through his penance and sets him free, selflessly giving him his sash as well. While we might not all see these characters as the same images, we can follow their example of upholding the values of chivalry and truth in our lives. We all make mistakes and by learning to sincerely accept them, we become all the more courageous. Thus, just as Gawain was honored for learning this lesson, we can say, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” (shame upon him who thinks evil of it) and transform our failures into daring successes.
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