My Own Reality

To write or not to write, that is the question.

In today's modern society we are plagued with the disheartening and often unappealing works of "literature", i.e. Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, etc. Almost although we are given the impression that literature has diminished in quality and value.

Throughout the early colonial period, writers wrote for the purpose of spreading/influencing religion, historical affirmation, and self-expression. Writers such as Johnathan Edwards and William Bradford; proclaimed the ideals of God, Olaudah Equiano and John Smith; wrote accounts of their travels and life-experiences to show the public a perspective, and Edward Taylor and Anne Bradstreet; demonstrated the power of self-expression and individualism. All of these writers made the important marks of history that are still believed and read to this day. Each and every one of these authors influenced their audience and affected their time periods. 

So is it far to say that today's writers are slacking? Quite frankly, yes.

Compared to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, and Pushin---it is completely valid to say that Stephannie Meyer and L.J. Smith lack the maturity and intelligence of those authors before them. 

Despite the existence of great modern authors, the number of those are in few. 

But let yourself be the judge.

Do you believe today's literature has increased or decreased in value over the centuries? 

Your Own Perpsective

From the conformed social norms of the South, to the neglecting and judgmental assumptions toward the Native Americans; the evaluation society holds against an individual characterizes them.

Mark Twain uses Huck to demonstrate the bigoted and ignorant views of racism throughout the 20th century, while Sherman Alexie depicts the harsh reality of alcoholism and stereotypical attitudes of life on the reservation. Both authors outline the impact of society toward the individual, and in both cases, the protagonist comes to the epiphany that they are their own power.

This relates to our society because in our won realities, which can be argues as own our perspectives, we are the catalyst toward our happiness. Despite the struggles and external forces we may face, it is our reaction in the present which fuels our future. Humanity is designed to be flawed and corrupt. Now no one is born sinful or evil, we are born innocent. No one is selfish for crying when they desire food as an infant, becasue the intent of being selfish is not there. Selfishness implies harm to another person, yet there is no harm being intended upon nor inflicted when a child requires their mother. The struggles that face us in the future, may influence us deeply--even result into mistakes and evil attitudes. Yet, the fault of humanity does not determine the good of a person, it is the actions and motives of that person which determine that.

Society will always be flawed and filled with chaos. We thrive for a chaotic government--without flaw we would not require an authoritative figure. Yet, we overcome these struggles to become the person we are today. Alexie describes situations where society isolates the individual's right to innocence--though, by symbolizing his long hair and satirical sense of humor, he literally demonstrates that society does not conform the individual. That despite any factor of inconvenience we may face, we are able to overcome them.

Through we are not able to control what occurs in our lives, the fight against stereotypes, against "you can't" or "you're one of them", the assumptions of being known and by being judged, to overcome those obstacles shape our character--reveal who we are.

We determine our future. We are our future. We live in the present. Our past determines nothing, and nothing determines our future. We are the individuals, and our experiences shape us.

How much power does an individual wield?

Each individual is the guide to their own their path--basically, you are the one who lives your life. Throughout the existence of humanity, we have adapted to a system of control over a mass body of people. This is commonly known as government. From the Greeks to the Romans, New England Colonies to the United State of America, societies have formed together under a major power. Despite this overall control placed upon the average society (disregarding an anarchy), as individuals each person affects the community they inhabit. Yes, by collecting and bonding under the powers of a government each individual grants their own powers toward the government and in return the authority promises to protect the citizen. But regardless of the limitations that a governmental power places upon the individual, each individual has the power to carry out their thoughts and actions--despite any consequences. Although the consequences that an authorial government holds against individuals within society, each individual has something a higher power shall never be able to remove--their thoughts. No matter the punishment that is placed before them, the threat of disobeying, every single person has their own power to make their own chose. This theme is revealed throughout the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, when Twain emphasizes on the issue of slavery/racism. Throughout the book, Huck is surrounded by the ignorant "morals" of the South that whites are inferior to African Americans. Eventually, Huck realizes that Jim is also just another individual. And that both, are human--capable of emotion equally. Upon coming to this realization, Huck challenges the conformed views of the community when he declares, “All right then, I'll go to hell!” Furthermore, it is important to note that Jim is the catalyst that leads Huck into this epiphany. Jim acts as the good morals and heart of the story as he guides and helps Huck. It is because of the humanity of Jim, that Huck is able to relate individuals to the bigger idea of a society itself. This demonstrates the individual influence that a person has; thus leading into a larger mass of influence that is carried out later on. If everyone conformed to the social normalities or followed the path drawn by authority, our current community would not exist. Each and every person has their own perspective,and originality--the ability to take something and make it your own is truly personal. And the actions of those before us, influence us now. The lives of those lost in the Civil War remind us that freedom is something to defend and honor, and that we as people have the right to live freely. On a completely isolated view, the individual controls their actions, emotions, and responses. It is true, we are unable to manipulate what happens to us, but we are able to control how we respond to those situations. As individuals we hold the power to influence each other. As Doctor Who once said, "You know that in 900 years of time and space,  and I've never met anyone that wasn't important".