In the story “Follow the Water” by Jennifer L. Holm a girl named Georgie is dragged out to mars with her parents who are there to search for water. To live on mars you need to know a lot of information which can be found in the article “What Would it Take to Live Here” by Mackenzie Carro.…
1. In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western Montana, and our father was a Presbyterian minister and a fly fisherman who tied his own flies and taught others. He told us about Christ's disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman.…
The book that I am reading is called True Colours, by Lucy Lemay Cellucci who is a great author. So far along the book the book I find that the plot of the book is developing well and that the all the details are going being stated clearly and entertainingly. I find that this book is an easy read since there are not many words that I do not understand and that I understand the main theme of the book in the first half. The main theme of the book is animal curtly or animal abusement in general and the book also touches on how animals are being abused in third world countries like India, China, Pakistan, and many others as well. This book tells the reader how in Canada many children care about animals and are willing to help find a way to keep…
In his speech This is Water David Foster Wallace during a commencement ceremony begins discussing the purpose of education, not only to become intellectually educated but to learn how to think. He introduces a metaphor of two fishes that after being asked how the water was, they wondered what water is, being water all the actual and commonly dismissed reality that surrounds us. Thus, it has led us to create a natural default setting that has caused individuals to become centralized in their individual/personal needs only, and that our needs are sometimes put over more relevant matters to fulfill our necessities first. He states that knowing how to think is to be capable to decide what things we pay attention to and what we learn from experience.…
In his book this is water David Foster Wallace argues that life happens in he mundane. He claims that in college students are taught the ability to discipline their thoughts Wallace goes on to say people must decide how they will choose to think or the small things that occur every day will make the choice for them he uses religion or the lack thereof to support his point that you become what you give your thoughts to for example a person who is obsessed with being fin will never be satisfied with their weight I agree with Wallace is .2 people can experience the exact same circumstances yet their perceptions of the events can be in stark contrast what a person allows in his or her thoughts will affect a persons attitude which will ultimately…
In James McBride’s The Color of Water, both James and Ruth were affected with Hunter Jordan’s death in different ways.…
In this excerpt from the memoir “The Color of Water” written by James McBride, after questioning his mother’s often emotional response to the mass, Mcbride finds out the reason is because one can find refuge in God because he is without judgment or hate. As most children do Mcbride first questions why his mother gets passionate during mass, as he rarely sees his mother on this kind of emotional level, and she is blunt yet effective in her response to him. Consequently, God’s quality of looking past race and social circumstances is the reason for Mcbride’s mother’s high regard for God.…
In “This Is water” David Foster Wallace teaches us to be more compassionate rather than be self-center. Firstly, he mentions how education can help us to change our natural response by giving us the awareness about how to think and not what to think. Secondly, the choice of what to think about this idea consider that most of us are close-minded, unaware of how imprisoned we are to our own perception that continually shaping us which make us the center of our own universal. Furthermore, choosing on how to see and reason things can be the truth about the world around us rather than thinking the world revolves around us only. Finally, choosing on what to believe can either free or cage us when we set our mind towards it.…
The next chapter that I chose from The Color of Water involving conflict is chapter 11. Ruth McBride Jordan, known in her youth as Rachel Shilsky, grew up in the town of Suffolk and during her time living there racism and discrimination were in full force. All the kids at her school didn't bother with her because even though she was white, she was still a Jew and she just wanted to be an American teenager like the rest of them doing the same things. They never accepted her and that's why when she finally had a friend who didn't judge her he was black. Ruth says "My black friends never asked me how much money I made, or what school my children went to, or anything like that. They just said, 'Come as you are.' Blacks have always been peaceful…
Wallace, David Foster. "This is Water." Kenyon college commencement speech. May 21, 2005. Wallace's speech gives a look at reality. The way an American adult's life is. The way how everything is routine, how if not "well adjusted," you will be self centered and in default setting. He describes the daily routine of an American adult, and how he goes to a supermarket, packed with more people. He gets frustrated and annoyed by all of these people; how they are just wasting his time. He then starts thinking how all of these people are going through the same thing he is going through; they have rough days just as he does. If someone was to think outside the box and actually focus on the beauty of this world, they will not be bored, annoyed, frustrated,…
Have you ever been in the position where you had to choose if you wanted to do the right or wrong thing? Would you describe yourself as a virtuous person? Well, the short story called “The Man In The Water” involves a character with moral features, as the author Roger Rosenblatt uses the literary elements of character and conflict to express morality. Morality means principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good or bad behavior. This story shows that you have to act with courage no matter what. “The Man in the Water” had the compassion to place others before him. This story also reminds us that humans don’t have the real power to overthrow a force as big as a nature.…
The story The Color of Water takes place in several different regions from Suffolk, Virginia to the city of Harlem, New York. James McBride is the author and it is an autobiography of his life, and his mother, Ruth. The story reveals James’ life with eleven other siblings, the hardship of being interracial, the struggles of poverty, and his mother’s strong character. Ruth’s strong determination led her twelve kids to become successful doctors, nurses, lawyers, musicians, poets, and most importantly parents. However, it was not easy being a single white mother of twelve interracial kids. She had an unwavering faith in God and strong moral convictions. To Ruth, issues of race and identity took secondary importance to moral beliefs. The story The Color of Water brings an interesting perspective and determination to the audience. The overall value of the story is important and relevant to know, that it does not matter where you come from nor the color of your skin, but what you do in this life that matters. James McBride had the inspiration to write this story as a tribute to his mother. He realized that his siblings nor him knew anything about his Ruth’s painful past. Therefore, she refused to discuss her painful reality at first, and then she caved. He began traveling and searching on a first-hand experience interviewing people from his mother’s past. The reason, why his mother did not agree with James’ idea is because she was not ready to confront her painful reality. However, James’ vision led to an amazing inspiring story about the life of his mother, and her twelve successful children.…
There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favorite book.” This is a famous quote said by Marcel Proust. Books over the centuries have had an influential impact on the lives of many. Arguably, there are none more influential than children’s books. Children’s books contain important life lessons and teach many children the basic values they will hold for the remainder of their lives. Examples of the best range from the well-known Dr. Seuss books, to the always-popular Winnie the Pooh books. Although those are historically popular, The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, is one that should be kept in mind. With it’s enticing illustrations, simple and descriptive context, and lesson it portrays, the children’s book The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister should be considered for a spot on the “Top 100 Children’s Books” list.…
He was always wondering why his mother’s skin color was different than the other mothers. When he asked his mother, “Am I black or white?” she responded, “You’re a human being. Educate yourself or you’ll be nobody.” Then one day he asked his mother, “What color is God’s spirit?” And she answered, “It doesn’t have a color. God is the color of water. Water doesn’t have a color.” I love this quote, because it is so spiritual and its meaning is so true. Ruth was saying that God is not black or white and thus he loves all races equally. Race doesn’t make people worthy of God's grace. Although James did not understand at that time, he does now. He understands why his mother put him and his siblings in white schools, not only because they are the best, but because white people shouldn’t be the only ones able to have a great education. Through his mother, he learned that color does not matter especially because everyone is equally God’s…
Abraham Maslow’s theory of “Hierarchy of Needs” consists of 5 things humans need. From top to bottom, top being the more complex needs and the bottom the more basic needs is; Self-Actualization, esteem, love/belonging, safety, and physiological. Self-actualization is the level of need that pertains to what a person’s full potential is and realizing that potential. It is broken up as morality, spontaneity, and lack of prejudice. Based on the two texts I read, The Color of Water by James McBride and The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley, I consider both James McBride and Malcolm X “self-actualized” men to a certain extent.…