Step 1...

After today's in class project, I became much more aware of the importance of thorough, detailed instructions. I found trying creating these step by step instructions from a universal perspective was far more difficult than actually constructing our animal or trying to build an animal using another's directions. It's always funny seeing other people's interpretations of another's directions and how people read into things differently. Overall, it was a fun way to demonstrate the importance of creating good, detailed but simple directions.

"Mother Tongue"

Tan was attempting to provide outsiders (specifically English speaking people) with an insider’s perspective on non-English speaking people. Throughout her story, she takes a close look at how those who may speak broken English or no English are constantly falling into inaccurate stereotypes. From an insider’s perspective, the reader is able to see the effects of these labels first hand, such as the way Tan was treated in school by her teachers and peers. The title Mother Tongue is very fitting for this story. Mother Tongue refers to two things that play an important role in Tan’s life. The first being the importance of her mother and how her mother could not speak English fluently. The second meaning could be in reference to her first language (her natural “tongue”) and how her ethnicity places a role in her life. The story looks more at the culture Tan was raised in and how it has affected her current day life.

There are no limits to an imaginative mind

One of my fondest memories was when my sister and I were young, we would play for hours in the woods in my backyard. We would come up with the most elaborate stories and characters. The possibilities for who we could become or where we could be were limitless. The backyard was our own personal world and we were the storytellers in this universe.

How digital storytelling will ‘revolutionize’ the narrative experience.

Digital story telling has the potential to change the way we tell stories. It effortlessly combines what is heard, seen, and felt to really create a fuller narrative. The story becomes more like a movie through utilizing the senses. Within this digital age, it is a great way to combine the traditional ways of story telling with a modern twist. Stories are meant to be told, and digital story telling provides the author with limitless options when deciding how to tell the story. It really allows the viewer to get a true glimpse of the narrator and it allows the author to spread their message in a new, dynamic way. As their reading pointed out, it provides the narrator with a way to creatively tell "their story" and their personal insight in a very direct, simple way. It still encompasses the traditional methods of story telling but it is not done in such a way that it is more accessible. The narrative experience will now become revolutionized and modernized so that the story telling process becomes an even grander journey.

America's Youth and the Future

        I agree with the points Todd Buchholz made in his article “The Go-Nowhere Generation”. The American youth have become lazy in their efforts to try and improve not only their lives but their future as well. Perhaps the problem lies in their desire to have success handed to them, rather than seeking it out. Maybe the problem is that home life has become too perfectly comfortable. Everything they need is right there; they don’t have to work for it. They were raised in a time when futures went from limitless to very limited. As a college student, I do worry about not finding a good job in this economy. Before attending college almost guaranteed you a stable job but now students go in debt in the hopes that they might earn a good job. Nothing can be expected anymore and it is this uncertainty that scares many from venturing away from the comfort of their homes. There is no war to threaten us, there is not a fear of persecution to motivate us, there is no instability within our own lives which would act as reason enough to make any drastic change. It seems as if Americans just want to coast in the same direct through life without trying to change the path they are on. In order for the future to change, as a nation we need to want to excel and improve. We cannot accept the status quo. We define the future and currently it seems like we just don’t want to take responsibility for it.

A Creative Approach to Looking at Writing: Metaphors

This article took a unique way of looking at different writing styles, no matter the skill level of the writers.  Everyone has a personal and creative way to express their thoughts, and in order to elaborate on that creative perspective, the author used metaphors to criticize and explain each style.  The way the author organized the essay was through the different types of metaphors, each new section has a heading which is a precursor to metaphor used to personify the student. There is a thesis for this article and it analyzes the use of the metaphor to the student’s writing and the way the students perceives themselves as a writer. Through the use of actual student papers and an in-depth analysis of each, the author was able to create a very interesting perspective paper, with the purpose to neither argue or pursued the reader but to merely expose. Throughout the paper, the author looked at the way “skilled” writer view themselves and how it correlates to their level of work and the same was done with the “less-skilled” writers. Overall, it was concluded that the “skilled” students are more confident and precise writers than the “less-skilled”. By looking at the students’ skill level in comparison to their “writing metaphor”, the author was able to better explain why their writing style or skill developed in the way it did. This article took a creative approach to analyzing students writing and it perhaps found a solution to why there is the division between the “skilled” and “less-skilled” writers.

Food for Thought: Wikipedia. Reliable or Unreliable?

I believe Middlebury’s college policy on Wikipedia is fair and very understandable. Although Wikipedia is a source which contains information on practically every topic and the validity of this information is consistently checked, the concept of a source which is open to the public to freely alter can be a little skeptical at times. This is probably the reason behind the discouragement and forbidding of students from using Wikipedia as a reliable source.

                 Personally, I see no reason to complete disregard Wikipedia as a solid source for information. Wikipedia is a brilliant site which makes finding the information you need quickly and efficiently. There is no “fluff” which you would normally need to sift through on many other sites. The site is completely open to the public, meaning you do not need any form of member ship to peruse the vast collection of knowledge. The information is presented in a very organized and direct fashion.

                 As for using it as your only source of information for academic purposes, I agree more with the views of Middlebury’s policy. If you use Wikipedia, you do run the slight risk of getting false information but that does not make the site useless. I believe that if you check your information with a source that is considered to be “reliable” and it matches, then Wikipedia is also reliable enough. I use Wikipedia to quickly look up small facts, like the date of an even in history for instance. I do not however use it as a source to be sited for school reports. Wikipedia is like any other source in the internet. It is a handy way to get information quickly. Although it has certain aspects which put it under question, it is still an extensive source of knowledge. Wikipedia should not be considered a reliable source, unless the information can be validated by a noted reliable source. However it is still a useful tool which should not be so easily cast aside.

Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" versus Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild"

Both the film and the novel do a beautiful job at telling Chris McCandless's story and capturing his true spirit. I can honestly say I enjoyed both renditions of the story; however what the film was able to do that the novel could not was to literally show Chris's experiences almost through his eyes. The viewer was able to actually see what Chris saw, from the mountains to the rivers. You were able to see and encounter what Chris did, whereas the novel allows for the imagination to "fill in the blanks".

I really felt a sense of Chris's raw self through the film. The look in Emile Hirsch’s eyes and his complete dedication to embody and be Chris McCandless really help to create that emotional bond between his and our world. What the film includes is the little "in between" shots of Chris doing such mundane things like brushing his teeth or reading London and Tolstoy. The film solely focuses on Chris's journey and the novel, although primarily following Chris, deviated quite often and told the stories of others. 

The film and the novel do an amazing job at retelling and recreating Chris’s journey of self-discovery. Although they go about telling it in slightly different ways, in the end the viewer or reader is able to come away with a true sense and better understanding of Chris.

Happy Trails.

Now that I've Traveled "Into The Wild"...

After completing “Into The Wild” I can honestly admit that my initial perceptions of Chris have stayed the consistent throughout the novel. When I first began the story of Alexander Supertramp, I saw him as a young, idealistic, romantic, transcendentalist adventurer who’s only desire to seek the pure truth out of life. Even after seeing Chris through his worst, I still admire him. There are certain characteristics of Chris’s which are not very appealing or respectable. The way he treated his loved ones was not something which I commend Chris for. Despite the way he felt about his parents, he should not have neglected them and shunned them from his life. Even those who he met on the road, such as Ron, he kept loosely in contact with but once he felt them getting too close, he would pull away. At the end of the novel, although I admire Chris, I pity him in many other ways. It is sad to think that after all the people he has pushed away in his life; he finally came to the realization that “Happiness only real when shared.”

Chris’s story is a blissful tragedy. It is sad to think that he lost his life in his search for life itself, but he died doing what he loved and he found the clarity he was originally searching for in the end. I still think highly of Chris and believe there are multiple lessons to be learned from his journey. Life is short and fragile. You should not merely accept the reality society presents you with, question it and find the truth in it as you deem it fitting.

Happy Trails.

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

In chapters 8-10 John Krakauer diverged from Alexander Supertramp’s quest and did something very interesting. He found several individuals who chose the same reckless, transcendental, traveler’s life style. These McCandless-esque wonderers hoped to reach the same destination, to leave behind their past in order to reach a higher place spiritually and recreate themselves.  Their stories mirror Chris’s, starting full of potential and endless possibilities only to end with a painful clarity and loss. These other travelers are proof that Chris was not the first to have this stirring feeling within him. Many others have paved the way before him, searching for the same unreachable dream. All were fueled by the limitless, romantic possibilities that awaited them in the wild. They all wished to seek life out, capture it, and find its inner meaning.

Like Chris as well, many shed their birth names and reinvented themselves, finding a name that better suits the person they are now. A name essentially is who you are. It is a quick way to identify someone, it is your label. Over the course of your life, you will become your name and your name will become you. It only makes sense that these quest seekers, who want to forget their past and recreate who they are, would naturally rename themselves as a way to reclaim their identity.

Also like Chris, these explorers were thrill seekers only wanting to uncover the truths behind life. Although they may have made reckless decisions which eventually cost them their lives, they should be admired. Their courage to walk away from what was comfortable and into the unknown with that small chance to find what they are “looking for” is admirable. I am not saying that everyone should shed their identity and venture out into the wilderness to find their purpose and meaning. However, I do believe there is a lesson that can be taken from these characters. One should not be afraid of the unknown. Face it as you choose, but it is something which should be embraced and challenged.

Happy Trails

The Awakening a Restless Soul.

I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love. I felt in myself a superabundance of energy which found no outlet in our quiet life.

― Leo Tolstoy

It should not be denied... that being footloose has always exhilarated us. It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations, with absolute freedom, and the road has always led west.

― Wallace Stegner

There is a restless nature within all of man. Everyone experiences that moment when the answer to all your problems is to run, to do something to challenge your very existence. Perhaps it is a way to prove your worthiness or to push yourself to a place where you really feel what it is to live. Sacrifice, pain, love, excitement, and danger are the extremes; they are the emotions that are seldom present in everyday, normal life. They are the emotions that only present themselves in rare moments. In those moments where you are pushed to question yourself, where you have more to lose than to gain, is when life becomes worthwhile and meaningful. The desire to “run” and allow whatever momentum you discover to overtake you, is a dream that courses through all.

Just by reading these excerpts, I feel inspired to go, to try, and to just take a chance. The secret wish to allow oneself to let go and lose control in the hopes to stumble across something unexpected is what leads many seeking the further meaning behind their average life. Letting go of all that ties us and permitting ourselves to no longer allow responsibilities to define and shape our lives, was part of Alex’s motivation to leave behind Chris McCandless. He wanted to feel real life, and not as our monotone society presents it. To feel life, one must first be alive and Chris did not feel truly awake yet. This concept of setting off to reinvent, to find truth amidst a world full of lies, to sacrifice all that is said to hold meaning in order to find a greater purpose was the fuel for Alex’s transcendental journey.

Happy Trails

Reinvention or Self-Improvement. What would you choose?

Many people fantasy of reinventing themselves. The hope of becoming a better person than the one you see yourself as now is an easy desire to fall into. However there is a difference between reinvention and self-improvement. Your past actions are part of what define you as a person. Although many may not be proud of their yesterday, they should embrace that it has made them the person they are today. Everyone has the ability to take what they are and expand it. I am proud of the person I have become, but there are parts of me which I sometimes want to fix. People should focus on those areas of improvement and act on it rather than dwelling on the “what if’s”. The idea of completely recreating yourself is intriguing but I would not want to complete erase the person I have become. I would not want to forget the person I have been working to become. Life is a journey and the person I am today is because of the choices I made yesterday.

Like many others, I don’t yet know who I am. If I were to erase the person I am today, how will I know what I could be tomorrow. I know the type of person I would like to become so I take little steps to push myself there. One goal of mine is to study abroad my junior year. I don’t know where or even what I will be studying at that point but it is still a goal I am working toward.

This idea of self improvement and how the choices you make impact your life made me think of the poem “The Dash” by Linda Ellis.

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Happy Trails :)

"An aesthetic voyager whose home is the road."

Alexander Supertramp was his own man. He did not allow the confines of society and the judgmental opinions of people define who he saw himself to be. He was a revolutionary thinker and an idealist. He was a transcendentalist and somebody who saw beyond the narrow and biased. He, above all else, wanted to feel free in a place where spiritual and self-freedom is limited and rare. His goal for living such an isolated life was to find this self-liberation and, keeping this in mind, he did ultimately achieve just what he set out to discover. Although Chris made a fatal mistake, foolish would not be the word to describe his endeavors. His goal from the start of his journey was for self-discovery. I admire Chris’s courage to walk away from the comfort of home and into a place of unknowns. In the time he spent on his travels, he gathered more wisdom than many will uncover in their lifetime. Alexander Supertramp is a true visionary and inspiration. All he desired from life was life itself and the truth behind it. It is unfortunate that he would lose his life along this journey but he lived with a purpose. Sometimes the greatest, clearest minds can be difficult to understand. Chris had a very hubristic attitude but looking beyond his occasional lofty, pompous nature, he was a true explorer.

This was "the climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual pilgrimage. No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild."

Happy Trails

I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau

Outside the confines of society, nature exists. Here there are no restrictions or limitations. It is a place, a state of being, where you are free to exist simply and openly. It is a part of everyone and is something which guides all living creatures. It is the common thread which connects everyone, and should therefore be respected.

Nature has always played a constant role in my life. My earliest memories from my childhood involve me playing in my big backyard which seemed to be full of endless possibilities. I have countless memories of hiking or backpacking with my family. Just sitting and silently being a part of nature brings me comfort and clarity. One of my fondest memories was when I found myself standing on top of Mount Washington after a three day backpacking trip. I can remember looking out over the hills and valleys, seeing where I can from to where I then stood. The view was endless and breathtaking. The silence I heard standing atop this great mountain was profound. Nature’s complex simplicity is its most beautiful, yet mysterious quality.

The need and desire, even if it is very small, to be a part of nature exists in everyone. People, some more frequently than others, always have a tendency to be drawn to the natural. Even if you are not an “outdoorsy” person, humans can easily find the beauty in nature. The perfect and most common example would the act of giving flowers to show your compassion and send your love. In today’s world, people have removed themselves further from the natural and, by doing so, have further removed ourselves from what makes us human. Nature provides us with an outlet, a simple explanation to life’s greater questions. It’s careful, elegant beauty holds the secrets to the human soul and without taking the chance to become a part of nature, you will never achieve spiritual wholeness. We all are a part of nature; it is the reason for our existence. Without it, we would have nothing and be nothing. It is a part of everything that makes life pure and complete.

Happy Trails.

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir

Six feet is all we need?

In Leo Tolstoy’s short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need” man’s greedy nature is put under speculation. As I read, I was reminded of Eddie Vedder’s song “Society”. The three verses of the song complete summarize and embody all that Tolstoy is expressing:

Oh it's a mystery to me.
We have a greed, with which we have agreed...
and you think you have to want more than you need...
until you have it all, you won't be free.
---------
When you want more than you have, you think you need...
and when you think more then you want, your thoughts begin to bleed.
I think I need to find a bigger place...
cause when you have more than you think, you need more space.
---------
There's those thinkin' more or less, less is more,
but if less is more, how you keepin' score?
It means for every point you make, your level drops.
Kinda like you're startin' from the top...
and you can't do that.

In order to understand what Tolstoy is saying, first one must distinguish the difference between a need and a want. There are very few material items which we need to survive. However we tend to confuse our needs with the desire to acquire material items for the believed purpose of self-fulfillment. “I need to have at least 20 different pairs of shoes.” Or “I need to own the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.” when in reality, owning these items will not bring the true, internal happiness many seek. Temporary pleasure yes, however the “need” and greed to always get more is never ending. Because the capacity of the human mind is limitless, our desires therefore are also limitless. In essence, we will be in a perpetual state of wanting more in the hopes of achieving personal satisfaction. As Tolstoy pointed out, the more you allow greed to consume you, the harder it will be to find happiness. 

“You often earn more than you need, you are very likely to lose all you have.” - Leo Tolstoy

However, I should point out that there is nothing wrong with wanting to be successful and own nice things. Our society is based around the concept of achieving and acquiring. It is all about finding a balance between these superficial objects and yourself. You should not allow these material things to define your life and its meaning.

Think about it, how much of what you own now do you really need?

Happy Trails.

Before I travel "into the wild"...

Well hello there! It seems as if you have stumbled upon my blog. My name is Shayna and I am a student at Juniata College, a quaint little liberal arts school in central Pennsylvania. After successfully finishing my first semester here, I feel as if everything is beginning to fall into place. At the moment, my plan is to major in psychology with the hopes of eventually earning a PhD. I have only been at Juniata for one semester, but it has already become my home.

I enjoy the little things life has to offer; those spontaneous, small things that make me smile. A walk through the woods, being outside during the winter's first snow, spending the day in an art museum, like the MOMA or the MET, surrounding myself with VanGogh, Monet, Turner, Klimt, Kandinsky and Degas. I have a passion for nature and the arts, so I was very happy when I discovered I would be reading the travels of “Alexander Supertramp” for my English class. Over the next couple of weeks I will be recording my thoughts and feelings about John Krakauer’s inspirational novel. I am not quite sure where this project will take me, but I am up for the journey.

Happy Travels.