1. There are a couple topics that are in the additional notes that I didn’t have in my own notes. For example, in my notes I didn’t mention that Okonkwo associates masculinity with aggression and that he believes the only emotion men should show is anger, while only women show all their emotions. Also in the additional notes it talks about how Okonkwo was upset that when he was exiled he had to go to his motherland because it forced him to spend a lot of time in a “womanly” place, when he only wants to be associated with maculate things. Finally, the additional notes also talked about how Okonkwo used his daughters to try to gain back his status in Umuofia when he returned back from his exile, and in my notes I didn’t mention anything about that. However, there were a couple things that I mentioned in my notes that were not mentioned in the additional notes. For example in my notes I talked about how yams, the king of crops, were considered a man’s crop, while lesser crops like coco-yams, beams, and cassava were considered women’s crops. Also, in my notes I talked about how a man wasn’t truly a man unless he controlled his wives and children, but the additional notes never mentioned it. Finally, in my notes I mentioned how women were thought to be something that a man bought because men would pay a bride price for their bride, and barter with the bride’s family to determine how much the bride was worth.
2. The additional notes helped me understand why Okonkwo thinks so little of women. They showed me that since Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was seen as a weak “feminine” man, Okonkwo wanted to do anything he could so he wouldn’t be seen like his father was. So he beats and treats women poorly to look like he’s a big, tough man and he is nothing like the man his father was. The additional notes also showed me that even though Okonkwo never showed it, he did have an affectionate side to him. For example, when he followed Chielo into the mountains he didn’t just follow her so he looked like the strong, manly protector to Ekwefi, but he was actually very concerned about Ekwefi and Enzima so he wanted to make sure that they were safe. So the additional notes showed me why Okonkwo treats women so poorly and that he actually does have an affectionate side to him.
3. My notes and the additional notes were a lot alike because they were both about a lot of the different things through out the book that talked about the perception of gender in the Ibo villages. Both of the notes had specific details from the book that were about my theme, and they both talked a lot about Okonkwo and how he treated women. However, there were also differences between my notes and the additional because the additional notes went chapter by chapter explaining what happened in the chapter and then talked about things that were in the chapter that connected to perception of gender. On the other hand, my notes just talked about different things that related to my topic that happened through out the book, and they don’t have little summaries of what happened in each chapter.
4. To improve my notes that I took while reading Things Fall Apart I could have wrote more details about the things that I took notes on, and explained what they meant and how they might later affect events that might happen later in the book. Also, for each note that I took I could have wrote down what I thought of it, weather I liked what was going on or if I didn’t like it. Then I could have also written down things that reminded me of events that were going on the book, and how I could relate to each event that I took notes on.
5. I have written ten quote for the story of Things Fall Apart and my first quote is, “That was how Okonkwo first came to know that agbala was not only another name for a woman, it could also mean a man who had taken no title,” page 12 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from the begging of the story and in this quote Okonkwo finds out that when a man called his father an agbala, he was actually calling him a woman. So, the quote is referring to Okonkwo and his father, Unoka, and it means that when a man is called an agbala he’s actually being called a woman and it’s a huge insult for a man to be called a women. This quote connects to my theme because it shows that men were considered better than women because if calling a man, a woman was such a big insult it meant that if you were a woman you were automatically seen as less of a person compared to a man. My second quote is, “His mother and sister worked hard enough, but they grew women’s crops, like coco-yams, beans, and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop,” page 20 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from the begging of the story when Okonkwo is starting to plant his first yams, and in this quote coco-yams, beans, and cassava are being called women’s crops while yams are called a man’s crop. This quote is referring to Okonkwo’s mother and sister and it means that even though women worked hard at growing crops they could only grow women’s crops, while men grew the yams. So, this quote is connected to my theme because it shows that men and women were separated they couldn’t
even plant the same crops. Women were forced to grow lesser crops that didn’t make as much money, while men got to grow yams which made a lot more money, even though women put in just as much hard work to harvest their crops as the men did. My third quote is, “Okonkwo knew she was not speaking the truth. He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo’s return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily,” page 26 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from when Ojiugo went to a friends house and was not home to give Okonkwo his dinner, and in this quote Okonkwo gets mad that Ojiugo is not home to give him dinner so when she finally arrives home he beats her to teach her a lesson. Then, this quote is referring to Ojiugo and Okonkwo, and it means that a man was allowed to beat his wife for silly things like not make him dinner. So, this quote connects to my theme because it shows that women were treated very poorly, and men were allowed to beat their wives for really no reason at all. Men were allowed to beat their wives and the village wouldn’t care that it happened. The people of Umuofia just thought it was a normal part of life so it shows how low women were seen in their society. Then my fourth quote is, “And so he called to Ikemefuna to fetch his gun, the wife who had just been beaten murmured something about guns that never shot. Unfortunately for her, Okonkwo heard it and ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall, of the barn. He pressed the trigger and there was a loud report accompanied by the wail of his wives and children,” page 34 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from during the New Yam Festival when Okonkwo saw that his second wife cut off a few leaves from his banana tree, and he thought that she had killed the tree. In this quote, Okonkwo gets very upset when he thinks that Ekwefi killed his banana tree and he beats her very heavily and decides that he wants to go hunting so he goes to get his gun, but then he hears Ekwefi talking about guns that never shot. When Okonkwo hears this he gets even more upset and he runs to get his gun and aims it right his wife and he pulls the trigger, but he ends up missing her. This quote is referring to Okonkwo and his second wife, Ekwefi, and it means that if a man got mad enough at his wife he was allowed to aim and shot a gun at her. So, this quote connects to my theme because it shows that women were thought so little of men could try to shot a gun at them and the village people would just allow it to happen. People in Umuofia didn’t even really care when they heard that Okonkwo almost killed his wife, they just accepted it like it happened everyday and it shows that men could do anything to their wife if they thought they deserved it, even if they really didn’t. My fifth quote is, “No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man,” page 45 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from when Okonkwo starts to think that Nwoye is becoming a man. In this quote Okonkwo is thinking to himself that no matter how successful a man was he wasn’t a real man unless he controlled everyone in his family. The quote is referring to what Okonkwo thinks a real man should be like, and it means that if a man couldn’t control his family he couldn’t call himself a man. So, this quote connects to my theme because it’s saying that men think they should control their women and if you didn’t they weren’t truly a man. Men could control their wives and their wives just agreed to what ever they said, so it shows that women’s opinions didn’t matter in their society. My sixth quote is, “She sat down and stretched her legs in front of her. Okonkwo ate the food absentmindedly. “She should have been a boy,” he thought as he looked at his ten-year-old daughter,” page 54 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from after Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, and he couldn’t eat or sleep. In this quote, Ezinma is giving food to Okonkwo and his mind he is thinking that she should have been a boy instead of a girl. This quote is referring to Okonkwo and his daughter, Ezinma, and it means that men would rather have sons than daughters because a son was more valuable to them than a daughter was. So, this quote connects to my theme because it shows that men were more important in the family than women. Men wanted sons who could take over their land and act as their successor to represent their family, but if they had a daughter they couldn’t give her their land and she couldn’t keep the family name. So if a man had a daughter who was strong and hardworking he could only wish that she was born a son, so then she could take over his land and bring their family name great respect. My seventh quote is, “In this way Akueke’s bride-price was finally settled at twenty bags of cowries,” page 62 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from when Akueke’s family and suitor are deciding on her bride-price. In this quote, Akueke’s family and her suitor decided that to buy her as a bride she cost twenty bags of cowries, so the quote is referring Akueke, her family, and her suitor. So this quote means that men paid money to get their wives and the woman didn’t get to say whether or not she wanted to marry him or not, her family just made up her mind for her. This quote connects to my theme because it shows that women were thought as something to be bought. The man didn’t give the woman a chance to say what they felt about the marriage, and in the Ibo society men just saw women as a sign of their success. My eight quote is, “The world is large,” said Okonkwo. “I have even heard that in some tribes a man’s children belong to his wife and her family.” “That cannot be,” said Machi. “You might as well say that the woman lies on top of the man when they are making the children,” page 63 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from after Akueke’s bride price was settled and Okonkwo, Machi, and Obierika were talking about the customs of the different tribes. In this quote Okonkwo and Machi are talking about how it’s crazy that in some tribes a man’s children belong to his wife and not to him, and the quote is referring to Okonkwo, Machi, and different tribes in Ibo. This quote means that men in Umuofia believe that their children belong to them, and that they should never belong to their wife and her family. So, this quote connects to my theme because it shows that even though women put in just as much hard work into raising their children as their husband does, the man believes that the children are his, and their wife has not right to think that their children are hers too. It just shows that in a family pretty much everything is considered the man’s and their wives don’t really have anything to call their own. My ninth quote is, “It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony was for men. There were many women, but they looked on from the fringe like outsiders. The titled men and elders sat on their stools waiting for the trials to begin,” page 74 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from when the large crowds of people gathered on the village ilo to hear trials in the village. In this quote, women were forced to sit on the outside of the ilo, while the men got to sit in the center where the trials were being held. This quote is referring to the men and women of Umuofia and where they sat during communal ceremonies, and it means that it wasn’t as important for women to hear what was going on in the village, as it was for men to know what was going on in the village. So, this quote connects my theme because it shows that it was more important that the men knew what was going on the village because if there was a problem the men could take care of. Meanwhile, if something bad was to happen in the village the men thought that women would never be able to take care of it because they are a lot weaker than and not as capable as the men are when it comes to solving a problem. Then my final quote is, “You have all seen the great abomination of your brother. Now he is no longer my son or your brother. I will only have a son who is a man, who will hold head among my people. If any one of you prefers to be a woman, let him follow Nwoye now while I am alive so that I can curse you,” page 141 of Things Fall Apart. This quote is from after Okonkwo finds that Nwoye converted to Christianity and he is talking to all his other sons about what Nwoye did. In this quote, Okonkwo is telling his other sons that Nwoye has betrayed him by converting to Christianity making him a woman not a man, and he is asks if any of them would like to join Nwoye in his decision. So, this quote is referring to Okonkwo, Nwoye, and all of Okonkwo’s other sons. This quote means that if a son turned his back on his father and his tribe he was considered a woman not a man. So, this quote connects to my theme because it says that if you turn your back against your family and your tribe your being a woman, which is saying that women turn their backs against what they believe in, calling women untrustworthy.
5c. My theme connects to my life because even though today there isn’t a big perception of gender as there is Things Fall Apart, there is still perception of gender in our society today. Still to this day, men are seen as the strong one who provides for the family, while the woman stays home and takes care of the house and their children. This is just like how the men in Umuofia went out to work in the fields, while the woman stayed home and took care of the chores around the house and the children. Also today, men are seen as the ones who go out and play sports, while women would rather sit on the sidelines and watch. This is a lot like how the men Umuofia were the ones who would be in the wrestling matches where everyone came to the watch, and the women would always be the ones on the sidelines cheering on the wrestlers. I disagree with my theme because I think that it is unfair that women and men get treated differently. I think that if a man or woman puts their mind to do the same thing they can both achieve the same success, and it doesn’t matter what gender they are as long as they both hard work in to what they are doing. Both men and women should be equal because they are both humans and they are both capable of doing the same things, so why should a woman or a man automatically be seen as a better choice for doing a certain thing? It’s crazy to think, but still to this day women and men are not treated equally and I think they should be because they both capable of the same things and they can both do what they want to as long as they are willing to work for it.
6. A movie that I’ve seen that is similar to Things Fall Apart is Roots. Roots is similar in theme to Things Fall Apart because in both Roots and Things Fall Apart one kind of person is considered better than another. In Roots Englishmen were considered better than the Africans, so the English captured and took Africans as their slaves and they treated them very poorly and like second class citizen. The Africans were taken to America and were bought by American plantation owners, and then they were forced to work on the plantations with no say at all. This is a lot like how women were treated in Things Fall Apart. In Things Fall Apart women were
treated very poorly and like second class citizens too. Just like the Africans in Roots, the women in Things Fall Apart were bought to be a wife of a man in her village, and the woman didn’t have a say in whether or not she wanted to marry him just like the Africans didn’t have a say in being slaves. Also, both the Africans in Roots and the women in Things Fall Apart were looked down upon just by the way they looked. The Africans were only treated poorly because the color of their skin was black, and the women in Things Fall Apart were only treated poorly because they were women and not men. So, the themes in Roots and in Things Fall Apart were very similar to each other.
7. Summary: The quote means that Okonkwo is a common character and he is a person who represents a culture that is breaking up or declining. Okonkwo is someone who believes that if he is a great fighter he will become seen as a great person in his clan, but when the modern power and persuasion of the missionaries come into his village he can do anything to stop them. He will try to do anything in his power to keep his traditions alive even if nobody wants to fight with him.
Thinking: I think that Okonkwo is a character who is very true to his beliefs. Even though everyone else is turning their backs on their religion, Okonkwo is still willing to fight against the missionaries and I think that it makes Okonkwo a very honorable man. I wonder what makes Okonkwo so stuck on his beliefs because while everyone in his clan was converting to Christianity Okonkwo wanted nothing to do with it. He was willing to fight back against the missionaries so he could keep his religion alive in Umuofia, and I wonder what makes him so
Smiley 11loyal when everyone was willing to convert. This is similar to when the Spanish came to South America and converted all the South American tribes to Christianity. European missionaries came into South America to try to convert all the tribes to Christianity and in the end they were able covert them into Christians, just like how European missionaries were successful in converting Ibo tribes to Christianity. I think that I can relate to Okonkwo’s character because even though I don’t I don’t get very angry and beat up other people, I stand up for what I believe in and don’t just forget about what I believe because no one else is there to back me up. Just like Okonkwo, I wouldn’t want a group of people coming into my village to take away all my traditions and beliefs. I would want to stand up against them and try to fight them, just like Okonkwo tried to fight against the missionaries so his village could keep their old traditions and beliefs.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Necter in a Sieve
By examining the characters and actions in Nectar in a Sieve, it is clear that the caste system plays an important part in influencing the people’s lives and decisions that they make. First, the caste system effects who the characters end up marrying in the story. Since Rukmani’s sisters were very pretty and each of them had a pretty good dowry, they were able to marry high in to their caste of the Kshatriyas. However, Rukmani wasn’t very pretty and her parents didn’t have as much money any more, so she was forced to marry down in to the Vaishya caste with Nathan. This shows that the caste system decided who each character in the story would end up marrying which is a big part of their lives.
The caste system also decided where each character in the story worked. Since Rukmani’s father was in the Kshatriya caste, he had to be a ruler or warrior because only rulers and warriors make up the Kshatriya caste. The, Nathan and Rukmani worked as tenant farmers because they were in the Vaishya caste, the caste where you have to be a farmer, a merchant, atrades person, or an artisan. Therefore, the caste system told each character what jobs they had to have, and they didn’t get much of a choice to do something different. So, the caste system told them what they had to do for a living, which each character’s life is surrounded around and it’s what they depend on to get money and food.
Even though the caste system didn’t give the character much of a choice on how they lived their lives, it did bring people of the same caste together. When ever someone needed help throughout the story, other characters in the same caste were willing to help them. For example, when Kunthi needed food to eat, Rukmani and Nathan gave her some of their rice even though they really needed all the rice for themselves. This shows that they wanted to help her out because they knew that she was starving just like they were, and they decided to help her instead of letting her die of hunger. In addition, when Rukmani went to sell two old shirts, two saris, and two dhotis to Biswas, he told her “Very well, Rukmani. I will pay you what you ask, since I know it will help you.” This shows that he was willing to pay 75 rupees for Rukmani’s things even though he thought that they were only worth 30 rupees because he knew she was in the same caste as him, and he wanted to help her keep her house.
The caste system brought that characters together, but it also separated the characters. If one character wasn’t in the same caste as another, they wouldn’t trust each other. For example, Rukmani didn’t trust the tannery workers because she has never seen people who didn’t live in her village. She thought that they were loud and disgusting, and she didn’t want them in her village because she liked having everyone in the village like her. Also, Rukmani didn’t rust the people in the city, when she went to go visit Murugan because she never saw so many different types of people before. So, this shows that the characters hesitated to trust other people outside of their caste because they didn’t really know what they were like.
The caste system played a big role in Nectar in a Sieve. It decided how the characters lived their lives, and what they thought of other characters in the story. It made the decisions for the characters in the story and was one of the main themes through out the story.
The caste system also decided where each character in the story worked. Since Rukmani’s father was in the Kshatriya caste, he had to be a ruler or warrior because only rulers and warriors make up the Kshatriya caste. The, Nathan and Rukmani worked as tenant farmers because they were in the Vaishya caste, the caste where you have to be a farmer, a merchant, atrades person, or an artisan. Therefore, the caste system told each character what jobs they had to have, and they didn’t get much of a choice to do something different. So, the caste system told them what they had to do for a living, which each character’s life is surrounded around and it’s what they depend on to get money and food.
Even though the caste system didn’t give the character much of a choice on how they lived their lives, it did bring people of the same caste together. When ever someone needed help throughout the story, other characters in the same caste were willing to help them. For example, when Kunthi needed food to eat, Rukmani and Nathan gave her some of their rice even though they really needed all the rice for themselves. This shows that they wanted to help her out because they knew that she was starving just like they were, and they decided to help her instead of letting her die of hunger. In addition, when Rukmani went to sell two old shirts, two saris, and two dhotis to Biswas, he told her “Very well, Rukmani. I will pay you what you ask, since I know it will help you.” This shows that he was willing to pay 75 rupees for Rukmani’s things even though he thought that they were only worth 30 rupees because he knew she was in the same caste as him, and he wanted to help her keep her house.
The caste system brought that characters together, but it also separated the characters. If one character wasn’t in the same caste as another, they wouldn’t trust each other. For example, Rukmani didn’t trust the tannery workers because she has never seen people who didn’t live in her village. She thought that they were loud and disgusting, and she didn’t want them in her village because she liked having everyone in the village like her. Also, Rukmani didn’t rust the people in the city, when she went to go visit Murugan because she never saw so many different types of people before. So, this shows that the characters hesitated to trust other people outside of their caste because they didn’t really know what they were like.
The caste system played a big role in Nectar in a Sieve. It decided how the characters lived their lives, and what they thought of other characters in the story. It made the decisions for the characters in the story and was one of the main themes through out the story.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Articles on Chad, Africa & Thinking Responses
Chad: Filling the Judicial Gap in Eastern Region Article
Summary: The UN peacekeeping mission and the legal fraternity in Chad are joining together to make judiciary professionals in eastern Chad. They are giving a one-month training course that provides basic legal skills and a general introduction to the judicial system in Chad, to civil servants. Before, local level administrators, court clerks, and bailiffs had limited or no prior legal training in Chad, but it is expected that 148 local magistrates will be trained by June 2010.
Thinking: When I read this article I was confused when it said that Chad’s local level administrators, court clerks, and bailiffs barely had any legal training. Without any legal training, how could everyone in the legal system be on the same page? I wondered how the legal system worked, while being fair, if courts in one part of the country enforced the laws more, than other courts in the country. When I read this I was immediately grateful for how our judicial branch is set up and how everyone in judicial branch has been trained to work in our government system. I think that this program well be very good for Chad because it will help make their legal system more fair. Before, when their people in the legal system barley had any training, there was no way they were going to have a fair legal system, when nobody knew the laws. However, with this new program I think that Chad’s legal system will become more fair, and on the same page.
Darfur Crisis Draws Chad and Sudan toward Deeper Conflict Article
Summary: Chad is accusing Sudan of arming rebels on the on the Sudan-Chad border, and a war has broken out between the two countries. Sudan rebel groups are stung out along the border between the two countries, and Chad fears that a pro-Sudanese government could seize power in its capital, Ndjamena. Most of the battles have been fought in Darfur, and about 200,000 refugees have fled into the border line and at least 200,000 people have died. Chad says that it’s not interested in harming a single refugee in Darfur, but that they are only interested in changing the political system in their country.
Thinking: I think that this war is really affecting both of the countries a lot because so many people are dying or fleeing from their country. In Darfur, where arms are like sticks on the ground, it just shows you how violent this war really is and how many people are getting hurt in it. I wonder why Sudan would give arms to rebel groups and put them on the border when they knew that it was going to upset the people in Chad. The people in Chad had no choice, but to fight back because they couldn’t allow Sudan to just take over their country. This is similar to the war in Iraq, where hundreds of soldiers are fighting everyday. Many people have lost their lives or have fled from Iraq because of the war. This is a lot like the war between Chad and Sudan because so many people are fleeing or getting hurt just like in Iraq. This also reminds me of the war in Iraq because during the whole war Iraq is trying to change its government system just like how Chad is trying to change their government system.
Chad Says Rebel Attack Defeated Article
Summary: Sudan rebels were sent over the border into Chad to attack, despite a truce between the two countries. Chadian troops were able to defeat the attack in the volatile east. The estimated number of rebel vehicles ranged from 50 to 200, and there has been no word of any casualties on either side. All major towns were under control, and the rebels failed to gain any territory in Chad.
Thinking: This reminds me of the bombings in London because just like in Chad, people were coming into the country to attack you. The Sudan rebels reminded me a lot of the bombers in London because they were coming in the country to attack, just like the bombers were coming into London. I wonder how the Chadian troops were able to defeat the rebels with out causing too much panic to the country. The rebels had between 50 and 200 vehicles, and I think that it was pretty impressive for the Chadian troops to stop all of them with out causing too much damage to the people around them. I wonder what the people in Chad were thinking when they saw the Sudan rebels. I wonder if they were afraid that the rebels would take over their town, and gain territory in Chad. It confused me how a lot of people in Chad were pretty calm after the attack. If rebels came into my town to take control over our territory I would be very scared and in a panic. So, I confused when the article said that most the towns were calm and under control.
Summary: The UN peacekeeping mission and the legal fraternity in Chad are joining together to make judiciary professionals in eastern Chad. They are giving a one-month training course that provides basic legal skills and a general introduction to the judicial system in Chad, to civil servants. Before, local level administrators, court clerks, and bailiffs had limited or no prior legal training in Chad, but it is expected that 148 local magistrates will be trained by June 2010.
Thinking: When I read this article I was confused when it said that Chad’s local level administrators, court clerks, and bailiffs barely had any legal training. Without any legal training, how could everyone in the legal system be on the same page? I wondered how the legal system worked, while being fair, if courts in one part of the country enforced the laws more, than other courts in the country. When I read this I was immediately grateful for how our judicial branch is set up and how everyone in judicial branch has been trained to work in our government system. I think that this program well be very good for Chad because it will help make their legal system more fair. Before, when their people in the legal system barley had any training, there was no way they were going to have a fair legal system, when nobody knew the laws. However, with this new program I think that Chad’s legal system will become more fair, and on the same page.
Darfur Crisis Draws Chad and Sudan toward Deeper Conflict Article
Summary: Chad is accusing Sudan of arming rebels on the on the Sudan-Chad border, and a war has broken out between the two countries. Sudan rebel groups are stung out along the border between the two countries, and Chad fears that a pro-Sudanese government could seize power in its capital, Ndjamena. Most of the battles have been fought in Darfur, and about 200,000 refugees have fled into the border line and at least 200,000 people have died. Chad says that it’s not interested in harming a single refugee in Darfur, but that they are only interested in changing the political system in their country.
Thinking: I think that this war is really affecting both of the countries a lot because so many people are dying or fleeing from their country. In Darfur, where arms are like sticks on the ground, it just shows you how violent this war really is and how many people are getting hurt in it. I wonder why Sudan would give arms to rebel groups and put them on the border when they knew that it was going to upset the people in Chad. The people in Chad had no choice, but to fight back because they couldn’t allow Sudan to just take over their country. This is similar to the war in Iraq, where hundreds of soldiers are fighting everyday. Many people have lost their lives or have fled from Iraq because of the war. This is a lot like the war between Chad and Sudan because so many people are fleeing or getting hurt just like in Iraq. This also reminds me of the war in Iraq because during the whole war Iraq is trying to change its government system just like how Chad is trying to change their government system.
Chad Says Rebel Attack Defeated Article
Summary: Sudan rebels were sent over the border into Chad to attack, despite a truce between the two countries. Chadian troops were able to defeat the attack in the volatile east. The estimated number of rebel vehicles ranged from 50 to 200, and there has been no word of any casualties on either side. All major towns were under control, and the rebels failed to gain any territory in Chad.
Thinking: This reminds me of the bombings in London because just like in Chad, people were coming into the country to attack you. The Sudan rebels reminded me a lot of the bombers in London because they were coming in the country to attack, just like the bombers were coming into London. I wonder how the Chadian troops were able to defeat the rebels with out causing too much panic to the country. The rebels had between 50 and 200 vehicles, and I think that it was pretty impressive for the Chadian troops to stop all of them with out causing too much damage to the people around them. I wonder what the people in Chad were thinking when they saw the Sudan rebels. I wonder if they were afraid that the rebels would take over their town, and gain territory in Chad. It confused me how a lot of people in Chad were pretty calm after the attack. If rebels came into my town to take control over our territory I would be very scared and in a panic. So, I confused when the article said that most the towns were calm and under control.
The Character Ted York in the Book "Love Sick"
In “Love Story” the ex-alcoholic, college student Ted York is a very caring person. For example, he didn’t tell Michael that he saw Erica getting ready to binge in the lounge. This shows that Tim cared a lot about Erica, and didn’t want to tell her father about what she was doing because he knew that Michael would make her move back to New York City. Therefore, he didn’t tell Michael about the things that Erica was doing because he knew that Erica wanted to stay in college, so since he cared about her so much he didn’t end up telling Michael what he was suppose to tell him. In addition, Ted tells Michael “I quit. I’m ending this, okay? Enough. I can’t take this, and-I’ll find a way to pay you back for the semester, and that’s it, okay?” This shows that that he cared about Erica’s feelings because he didn’t want to spy on her, for her dad anymore. Obviously, he truly cared about her because he gave up all the money to pay for his college education just to make sure that Erica wouldn’t feel betrayed by him. Finally, Ted paid a hundred dollars to barrow Debbie’s car so that he could drive to New York City to talk to Erica, after she found out that he saw spying on her and telling her dad about everything that she was doing. This shows that he cared so much about Erica that he was willing go to such extremes just to tell Erica exactly what happened. So, you can tell that he is very caring to other because he is willing to do what ever it takes to make people he cares about happy. Ted York cares about everyone he’s close with, and he’s will to do anything that he can to do to make sure that they are always smiling.
My Dear Odysseus
My dear, dear Odysseus
has left me alone,
with our beloved son, Telemachus,
for 20 lingering years.
Each night is restless for me.
I dream of waking up to see his smiling face,
and hearing his oh, so soft voice utter my name
from his lips.
But, I always wake up to the reality,
of wondering where my marvelous husband,
could possibly be.
Suitors fill my house,
Odysseus’ home, in every room.
They’ve taken away everything he worked so hard for,
and destroyed it all.
They disgust me,
and not a single one of them
can be compared to my sweet Odysseus.
I’ve given them and place to live and food to eat,
yet they disrespect my house, my son, and me.
The day I dread is looming close and closer.
Soon Telemachus will have his facial hair,
forcing me to choose a new husband.
I’ve have done all I can to stall,
unweaving every night,
but I made a promise to Odysseus,
and intend to keep it
no matter how much it hurts me.
I hope and prey to the mighty god Zeus,
that my beloved Odysseus is still alive,
and that he will soon return home to me, in Ithaca.
Telemachus needs his father,
and I need my husband.
He is needed at his palace.
The suitors are getting worse by the day,
and I couldn’t bear to be married
to one of those awful men.
I know in my heart that my Odysseus,
is still alive to this very day,
trying to find his way back home
to the magnificent land of Ithaca.
I ache for his return,
but when he finally comes home
I will embrace him
and never let him leave home again.
For I miss my dear Odysseus to much,
to watch him leave again,
if he ever returned back home to me.
has left me alone,
with our beloved son, Telemachus,
for 20 lingering years.
Each night is restless for me.
I dream of waking up to see his smiling face,
and hearing his oh, so soft voice utter my name
from his lips.
But, I always wake up to the reality,
of wondering where my marvelous husband,
could possibly be.
Suitors fill my house,
Odysseus’ home, in every room.
They’ve taken away everything he worked so hard for,
and destroyed it all.
They disgust me,
and not a single one of them
can be compared to my sweet Odysseus.
I’ve given them and place to live and food to eat,
yet they disrespect my house, my son, and me.
The day I dread is looming close and closer.
Soon Telemachus will have his facial hair,
forcing me to choose a new husband.
I’ve have done all I can to stall,
unweaving every night,
but I made a promise to Odysseus,
and intend to keep it
no matter how much it hurts me.
I hope and prey to the mighty god Zeus,
that my beloved Odysseus is still alive,
and that he will soon return home to me, in Ithaca.
Telemachus needs his father,
and I need my husband.
He is needed at his palace.
The suitors are getting worse by the day,
and I couldn’t bear to be married
to one of those awful men.
I know in my heart that my Odysseus,
is still alive to this very day,
trying to find his way back home
to the magnificent land of Ithaca.
I ache for his return,
but when he finally comes home
I will embrace him
and never let him leave home again.
For I miss my dear Odysseus to much,
to watch him leave again,
if he ever returned back home to me.
Vengeance in the Odyssey
They say that vengeance is the sweetest thing in life, but is that really true? The theme of vengeance is carried throughout the epic of The Odyssey. Once one character gets his vengeance on another one, that character has to get his vengeance and the viscous cycle keeps going on throughout the entire epic. Vengeance is what drives most of the characters to do what they do in this epic and is one of the main themes in The Odyssey. The theme of vengeance is placed throughout the epic; the gods, the people that Odysseus meets thoughout his journey and Odysseus himself takes the most vengeance.
In the The Odyssey the gods Poseidon and Zeus get their vengeance more than once. For example, Poseidon sinks Odysseus’ ship after Odysseus gets off of Calypso’s Island. This shows that Poseidon was still angry at Odysseus for blinding his son the Cyclops, Polphemus, and he was swarmed by rage. Obviously, he wanted Odysseus to pay for blinding his son, so out of vengeance he wanted to make it harder for Odysseus to get back home to Ithaca so that he couldn’t see his son, Telemachus. In addition, Zeus creates a storm for Odysseus and his crew after they eat one of the son god’s cattle, which only Odysseus survives. This shows that Zeus was upset when the sun god told him that Odysseus and his crew ate one of his sacred cattle. So, in return for eating one of the sun god’s cattle Zeus created an enormous storm to punish Odysseus and his crew therefore getting his revenge against Odysseus. Finally, Poseidon turned the Phaeacians’ ship into stone after they helped Odysseus get back home to Ithaca. This shows that Poseidon was outraged when he found out that the Phaeacians were willing to help
Odysseus, who was someone that he hated. Obviously, he wanted the Phaeacians to know to that he didn’t approve of them helping out Odysseus, so he turned their ship to stone, sinking it into the harbor.
People that Odysseus meets throughout his journey also take vengeance more than once against Odysseus. For example, Aeolus won’t give Odysseus another bag of winds after his crew opened the first bag of winds Aeolus gave to them. This shows that Aeolus wanted Odysseus to be punished for not listening to the strict instructions that he gave to him, to not open the bag of winds until he got to Ithaca. Therefore, he wouldn’t give Odysseus another bag of winds when he came back to him, as vengeance for not listening to what he was told to do with the winds. In addition, Circe turned some of Odysseus’ men into pigs for coming on to her island. This shows that Circe doesn’t want people to come on to her island, so she made sure that Odysseus and his men would never want to return to her island. Plus, she was bitter that Odysseus and his crew would step on to her land, so out of vengeance she turned some of the men into pigs. Finally, the families of the suitors, who Odysseus killed, came to Laertes’ orchard to attack Odysseus. This shows that the families of suitors were overcome with vengeance when they found out that all their sons were killed by Odysseus. Obviously, the families wanted to do something to avenge their sons, so they went after Odysseus to show to him that they were angry and wanted him to pay for what he did.
Odysseus also took a lot of vengeance on people in The Odyssey. For example, he blinded the Cyclops, Polyphemus, after Polyphemus captured him and his crew, and after
Polyphemus ate two of his men. This shows that Odysseus was driven by vengeance to blind Polyphemus and if Polyphemus never captured Odysseus and his men, Odysseus would have never hurt Polyphemus. Also, if Polyphemus never ate two of Odysseus’ men, Odysseus wouldn’t have blinded Polyphemus, but since he did Odysseus was taken over by vengeance to attack Polyphemus. In addition, Odysseus killed all but two suitors that were in his house when he returned back home to Ithaca. This shows that Odysseus was infuriated when he found out about how all the suitors were destroying his home and trying to win his wife’s hand in marriage. Obviously, he was overcome with vengeance and wanted the suitors to pay for trying to take away everything he worked so hard for, so he killed them in return for everything that they tried to steal from him. Finally, Odysseus killed all of his maids that were disloyal to him while he was gone on his journey. This shows that Odysseus was furious that his maids would help and be with the suitors when they were supposed to be loyal and only serve him. So, Odysseus’ vengeance took over and he wanted to kill all his maids that were disloyal to him because he wanted them to pay for betraying his trust.
Vengeance was what leads most of the characters in The Odyssey to do what they did, but it also ended getting the characters into trouble. The gods, people that Odysseus meets on his journey, and Odysseus were all driven by vengeance many times through out the epic. They acted on their vengeance instead of thinking it through and it often got them into trouble, but it also got them rewarded too. The theme of vengeance is threaded into The Odyssey, and is what made the epic so interesting. Wondering if they would act on their vengeance, or think it
through is what helped develop the complex plot of The Odyssey. It made the relationships between the characters way more complex and fun to read, so the theme of vengeance is a big contributor to making The Odyssey such an amazing epic.
In the The Odyssey the gods Poseidon and Zeus get their vengeance more than once. For example, Poseidon sinks Odysseus’ ship after Odysseus gets off of Calypso’s Island. This shows that Poseidon was still angry at Odysseus for blinding his son the Cyclops, Polphemus, and he was swarmed by rage. Obviously, he wanted Odysseus to pay for blinding his son, so out of vengeance he wanted to make it harder for Odysseus to get back home to Ithaca so that he couldn’t see his son, Telemachus. In addition, Zeus creates a storm for Odysseus and his crew after they eat one of the son god’s cattle, which only Odysseus survives. This shows that Zeus was upset when the sun god told him that Odysseus and his crew ate one of his sacred cattle. So, in return for eating one of the sun god’s cattle Zeus created an enormous storm to punish Odysseus and his crew therefore getting his revenge against Odysseus. Finally, Poseidon turned the Phaeacians’ ship into stone after they helped Odysseus get back home to Ithaca. This shows that Poseidon was outraged when he found out that the Phaeacians were willing to help
Odysseus, who was someone that he hated. Obviously, he wanted the Phaeacians to know to that he didn’t approve of them helping out Odysseus, so he turned their ship to stone, sinking it into the harbor.
People that Odysseus meets throughout his journey also take vengeance more than once against Odysseus. For example, Aeolus won’t give Odysseus another bag of winds after his crew opened the first bag of winds Aeolus gave to them. This shows that Aeolus wanted Odysseus to be punished for not listening to the strict instructions that he gave to him, to not open the bag of winds until he got to Ithaca. Therefore, he wouldn’t give Odysseus another bag of winds when he came back to him, as vengeance for not listening to what he was told to do with the winds. In addition, Circe turned some of Odysseus’ men into pigs for coming on to her island. This shows that Circe doesn’t want people to come on to her island, so she made sure that Odysseus and his men would never want to return to her island. Plus, she was bitter that Odysseus and his crew would step on to her land, so out of vengeance she turned some of the men into pigs. Finally, the families of the suitors, who Odysseus killed, came to Laertes’ orchard to attack Odysseus. This shows that the families of suitors were overcome with vengeance when they found out that all their sons were killed by Odysseus. Obviously, the families wanted to do something to avenge their sons, so they went after Odysseus to show to him that they were angry and wanted him to pay for what he did.
Odysseus also took a lot of vengeance on people in The Odyssey. For example, he blinded the Cyclops, Polyphemus, after Polyphemus captured him and his crew, and after
Polyphemus ate two of his men. This shows that Odysseus was driven by vengeance to blind Polyphemus and if Polyphemus never captured Odysseus and his men, Odysseus would have never hurt Polyphemus. Also, if Polyphemus never ate two of Odysseus’ men, Odysseus wouldn’t have blinded Polyphemus, but since he did Odysseus was taken over by vengeance to attack Polyphemus. In addition, Odysseus killed all but two suitors that were in his house when he returned back home to Ithaca. This shows that Odysseus was infuriated when he found out about how all the suitors were destroying his home and trying to win his wife’s hand in marriage. Obviously, he was overcome with vengeance and wanted the suitors to pay for trying to take away everything he worked so hard for, so he killed them in return for everything that they tried to steal from him. Finally, Odysseus killed all of his maids that were disloyal to him while he was gone on his journey. This shows that Odysseus was furious that his maids would help and be with the suitors when they were supposed to be loyal and only serve him. So, Odysseus’ vengeance took over and he wanted to kill all his maids that were disloyal to him because he wanted them to pay for betraying his trust.
Vengeance was what leads most of the characters in The Odyssey to do what they did, but it also ended getting the characters into trouble. The gods, people that Odysseus meets on his journey, and Odysseus were all driven by vengeance many times through out the epic. They acted on their vengeance instead of thinking it through and it often got them into trouble, but it also got them rewarded too. The theme of vengeance is threaded into The Odyssey, and is what made the epic so interesting. Wondering if they would act on their vengeance, or think it
through is what helped develop the complex plot of The Odyssey. It made the relationships between the characters way more complex and fun to read, so the theme of vengeance is a big contributor to making The Odyssey such an amazing epic.
My Letter to an Author
Dear Catherine Gilbert Murdock,
Your book Dairy Queen really showed me another part of the world I never would have thought of. Your character D.J. Schwenk was very likeable and gave me a different perspective of looking at things. She proved that a girl is strong and can do anything that a guy can do, if not better. She was tough and a great role model to look up to.
I always thought that football was a guy’s sport, and that no girl could compete against a 250 pound guy chasing you around trying to shatter you to the ground, but D.J. defiantly proved me wrong. She showed me that if you want to do something bad enough, no matter what it is, you can do if you work hard enough for it. She proved to me that a girl can thrive in what’s considered to be a man’s sport if she really puts her mind to it. She showed me how to be strong and never give up.
Reading about all the time she spent training and working on her skills, I realized that I could do the exact same thing that she did. I figured out that I shouldn’t listen to people who tell me I can’t, but that I should only listen to myself saying that I can. D.J. faced many obstacles with trying out to be on the football team and she could have given up at any of them, but she didn’t and that’s what I inspire to be. Now, when I face grueling obstacles in my life I try to get through them, by thinking about how D.J. got through hers. I straight on attack them instead of trying move around them.
D.J. also gave me a new perspective on how people act. When she first related cows to people, I thought that she was ridiculous and that there’s absolutely no comparison there what so ever. However, after I thought about it, I realized how true this really is. People spend their whole lives taking order from their parent, bosses, teachers, siblings, and even strangers and it comes to the point where they always do what they are told. I never would have though of it, but cows are the exact same way. They follow every thing that they are told to do, without trying to run away or attack someone. I never would have though that humans and cows acted so much alike, but your book really showed me that they do.
After looking at my life I could see that what she was saying is true. I took orders from everyone around me, without even thinking about and it just became a part of my life without me even noticing it. I was just like a cow doing what I was told, but after I read your book that all changed. I decided that I didn’t want to be like a cow stuck on a farm, but like a bird free to go where ever I want. There are still certain orders that I have to follow, but with everything else I make my own decisions, and it’s because of your book that I do.
Reading your book has changed the way I look at my life, and the way I look at life in general. It has taught me that I can do anything that I set my mind to no matter what the odds are, and that I shouldn’t listen to the people who say that I can’t. It has also taught me that I’m the only person in control of my life, and that I shouldn’t take orders from everyone I meet. Your book impacted me in ways that I can’t explain, and I’m very grateful that you wrote Dairy Queen.
Your book Dairy Queen really showed me another part of the world I never would have thought of. Your character D.J. Schwenk was very likeable and gave me a different perspective of looking at things. She proved that a girl is strong and can do anything that a guy can do, if not better. She was tough and a great role model to look up to.
I always thought that football was a guy’s sport, and that no girl could compete against a 250 pound guy chasing you around trying to shatter you to the ground, but D.J. defiantly proved me wrong. She showed me that if you want to do something bad enough, no matter what it is, you can do if you work hard enough for it. She proved to me that a girl can thrive in what’s considered to be a man’s sport if she really puts her mind to it. She showed me how to be strong and never give up.
Reading about all the time she spent training and working on her skills, I realized that I could do the exact same thing that she did. I figured out that I shouldn’t listen to people who tell me I can’t, but that I should only listen to myself saying that I can. D.J. faced many obstacles with trying out to be on the football team and she could have given up at any of them, but she didn’t and that’s what I inspire to be. Now, when I face grueling obstacles in my life I try to get through them, by thinking about how D.J. got through hers. I straight on attack them instead of trying move around them.
D.J. also gave me a new perspective on how people act. When she first related cows to people, I thought that she was ridiculous and that there’s absolutely no comparison there what so ever. However, after I thought about it, I realized how true this really is. People spend their whole lives taking order from their parent, bosses, teachers, siblings, and even strangers and it comes to the point where they always do what they are told. I never would have though of it, but cows are the exact same way. They follow every thing that they are told to do, without trying to run away or attack someone. I never would have though that humans and cows acted so much alike, but your book really showed me that they do.
After looking at my life I could see that what she was saying is true. I took orders from everyone around me, without even thinking about and it just became a part of my life without me even noticing it. I was just like a cow doing what I was told, but after I read your book that all changed. I decided that I didn’t want to be like a cow stuck on a farm, but like a bird free to go where ever I want. There are still certain orders that I have to follow, but with everything else I make my own decisions, and it’s because of your book that I do.
Reading your book has changed the way I look at my life, and the way I look at life in general. It has taught me that I can do anything that I set my mind to no matter what the odds are, and that I shouldn’t listen to the people who say that I can’t. It has also taught me that I’m the only person in control of my life, and that I shouldn’t take orders from everyone I meet. Your book impacted me in ways that I can’t explain, and I’m very grateful that you wrote Dairy Queen.
Daoism and Confucianiam
You may think that Daoism and Confucianism are nothing alike, but is that really true? Sure Daoism and Confucianism seem like they’re from two different planets, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even though there are more differences between Daoism and Confucianism than similarities, I think that the two religions are still a lot alike. The two religions have sides that make them seem like brothers, while the other side makes then seem like total strangers. Daoism and Confucianism are a lot alike yet different by their types of religion, their beliefs on deities, their origins, their founders, their writings, what they follow, and what they believe in.
First, both Daoism and Confucianism are a type of religion that many different people practice every day. They are both major religions known all over the world by millions of people, and they’re both a non-theistic religion, meaning that neither one of them believe in any deities. Since both Daoism and Confucianism are such a major part in millions of people’s lives, it brings them closer together to each other, which gives them something that they have in common with each other. They are also similar to each other because they both have the same beliefs on deities. Both Daoism and Confucianism share the one thing that’s at the center of any religion with each other, and that’s their belief on deities. Deities, or gods, are what most religions base
their entire teachings around, but not Daoism or Confucianism. Since both the religions are non-theistic, they don’t believe in any form of deities. They believe that there are no gods that exist, which makes their religions very connected to each other. Having the center of both their religions the same, makes two religions very similar to each other.
In addition, both Daoism and Confucianism are similar because of their origins. Both of the religions started in ancient times, when the first civilizations were being built. They were also both started in China, during the Zhou Dynasty. Knowing that both the religions were started in the place, during the same time makes you think that there is something that’s the same in both of the religions. There are obviously several similarities between Daoism and Confucianism, but on the contrary there is a great deal of differences between the two religions too.
First, even though their origins are the same Daoism and Confucianism have two different founders. Daoism was founded by a man named Laozi or “Old Master,” while Confucianism was founded by a man named Kong Fuzi known as the Confucius. Little is known about Laozi, but he has been credited with coming up with the philosophy that turned in to Daoism. While, Confucius was born in 551 B.C.E.; he was a brilliant scholar and came up with a philosophy that turned in to Confucianism. Daoism and Confucianism are also different because of their writings.
People, who follow Daoism, follow the writings of the Dao De Jing or The Way of Virtue. The Dao De Jing was written by Laozi, and it’s a book that had enormous influence on Chinese
life, and the people of Daoism. On the other hand, people who follow Confucianism follow the Analects. The Analects are a collection of many of Confucius’ sayings by his students, since Confucius never wrote down anything that he said. Following two different writings is a significant difference between Daoism and Confucianism because it’s at the center of the teachings for any religion, which makes the two religions totally different.
However, Daoism and Confucianism are also different because they follow different meanings of life. People, who follow Daoism, follow the Dao or “the way” of the universe. The Dao was hard to understand fully or put in to words. Laozi explained, “Those who know of the Dao do not speak of it. Those who speak of it do not know of.” While on the other hand people, who follow Confucianism, follow the Five Key Relationships. The Five Key Relationships are subject to ruler, husband to wife, parent to child, elder brother to younger brother, and friend to friend. They believe that in each relationship one person is superior and the other one is inferior, except in friend to friend where they are both equal to each other. Since Daoism and Confucianism follow two totally different meanings of life, they defer from each other a lot making the two religions different from each other.
Meanwhile, even though both Daoism and Confucianism don’t believe in any deities, they believe in two entirely different things. People, who follow Daoism, believe in being one with nature. They believe that nature is an example of how they should live their lives, and that they should turn away from anything that is “unnatural” in their lives. They also believe that every one is equal to each other, and that no one person is superior to anyone else. They think
that everyone has the right to be an individual, and that you shouldn’t try to bring any extra attention to yourself.
On the other hand, people who follow Confucianism believe in li or proper behavior. The religion of Confucianism, centers around the idea of having the proper behavior for each of the Five Key Relationships. They also believe in filial piety, or respect for one’s parents. Confucius put the respect for one’s parents above all other duties, and it’s a main focus in the religion of Confucianism. People, who follow Confucianism, also believe in having the values of honesty, hard work, and concern for others. Confucius declared, “Do not do to others, what you do not wish yourself.” Believing in several different things shows another significant difference between the religions of Daoism and Confucianism.
There are two sides to Daoism and Confucianism that once you look at one side all you see are similarities, while when you look at them again all you see is nothing but differences. Knowing that they are both non-theistic religions, they both don’t believe in any deities, and they were both founded in China during the Zhou Dynasty makes you think that they have so much in common. Yet when you know that one was founded by Laozi while the other one was founded by Confucius, one follows the writings of the Dao De Jing while the other one follows the writings of the Analects, one follows the Dao while the other one follows the Five Key Relationships, and one believes in being one with nature while the other one believes in li, you think that they have nothing in common. Learning about Daoism and Confucianism has not only taught me about how each religion is practiced, but also that the two religions are can be very
different and yet so similar at the same time. I also learned that all the religions are connected to each other because no matter what religions you compare there is always going to be similarities that bring them together, and differences that separate them apart from each other.
their entire teachings around, but not Daoism or Confucianism. Since both the religions are non-theistic, they don’t believe in any form of deities. They believe that there are no gods that exist, which makes their religions very connected to each other. Having the center of both their religions the same, makes two religions very similar to each other.
In addition, both Daoism and Confucianism are similar because of their origins. Both of the religions started in ancient times, when the first civilizations were being built. They were also both started in China, during the Zhou Dynasty. Knowing that both the religions were started in the place, during the same time makes you think that there is something that’s the same in both of the religions. There are obviously several similarities between Daoism and Confucianism, but on the contrary there is a great deal of differences between the two religions too.
First, even though their origins are the same Daoism and Confucianism have two different founders. Daoism was founded by a man named Laozi or “Old Master,” while Confucianism was founded by a man named Kong Fuzi known as the Confucius. Little is known about Laozi, but he has been credited with coming up with the philosophy that turned in to Daoism. While, Confucius was born in 551 B.C.E.; he was a brilliant scholar and came up with a philosophy that turned in to Confucianism. Daoism and Confucianism are also different because of their writings.
People, who follow Daoism, follow the writings of the Dao De Jing or The Way of Virtue. The Dao De Jing was written by Laozi, and it’s a book that had enormous influence on Chinese
life, and the people of Daoism. On the other hand, people who follow Confucianism follow the Analects. The Analects are a collection of many of Confucius’ sayings by his students, since Confucius never wrote down anything that he said. Following two different writings is a significant difference between Daoism and Confucianism because it’s at the center of the teachings for any religion, which makes the two religions totally different.
However, Daoism and Confucianism are also different because they follow different meanings of life. People, who follow Daoism, follow the Dao or “the way” of the universe. The Dao was hard to understand fully or put in to words. Laozi explained, “Those who know of the Dao do not speak of it. Those who speak of it do not know of.” While on the other hand people, who follow Confucianism, follow the Five Key Relationships. The Five Key Relationships are subject to ruler, husband to wife, parent to child, elder brother to younger brother, and friend to friend. They believe that in each relationship one person is superior and the other one is inferior, except in friend to friend where they are both equal to each other. Since Daoism and Confucianism follow two totally different meanings of life, they defer from each other a lot making the two religions different from each other.
Meanwhile, even though both Daoism and Confucianism don’t believe in any deities, they believe in two entirely different things. People, who follow Daoism, believe in being one with nature. They believe that nature is an example of how they should live their lives, and that they should turn away from anything that is “unnatural” in their lives. They also believe that every one is equal to each other, and that no one person is superior to anyone else. They think
that everyone has the right to be an individual, and that you shouldn’t try to bring any extra attention to yourself.
On the other hand, people who follow Confucianism believe in li or proper behavior. The religion of Confucianism, centers around the idea of having the proper behavior for each of the Five Key Relationships. They also believe in filial piety, or respect for one’s parents. Confucius put the respect for one’s parents above all other duties, and it’s a main focus in the religion of Confucianism. People, who follow Confucianism, also believe in having the values of honesty, hard work, and concern for others. Confucius declared, “Do not do to others, what you do not wish yourself.” Believing in several different things shows another significant difference between the religions of Daoism and Confucianism.
There are two sides to Daoism and Confucianism that once you look at one side all you see are similarities, while when you look at them again all you see is nothing but differences. Knowing that they are both non-theistic religions, they both don’t believe in any deities, and they were both founded in China during the Zhou Dynasty makes you think that they have so much in common. Yet when you know that one was founded by Laozi while the other one was founded by Confucius, one follows the writings of the Dao De Jing while the other one follows the writings of the Analects, one follows the Dao while the other one follows the Five Key Relationships, and one believes in being one with nature while the other one believes in li, you think that they have nothing in common. Learning about Daoism and Confucianism has not only taught me about how each religion is practiced, but also that the two religions are can be very
different and yet so similar at the same time. I also learned that all the religions are connected to each other because no matter what religions you compare there is always going to be similarities that bring them together, and differences that separate them apart from each other.
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