Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx

The song “Right Here Waiting” has been composed by artist and composer Richard Marx for his wife. Since at that moment they were not married yet and she was in South Africa, the two were not able to see each other for what seemed to be quite a long time. Richard Marx mentioned that the song was written in about 20 minutes and it was simply intended to be a “love letter” for his future wife and not intended to become public. Being a “love letter” it is expected that the song will transmit his powerful feelings of affection towards her and this can be noticed even from the first verses of the song. The fact that Marx says “I slowly go insane” and “I hear your voice on the line, but it doesn’t stop the pain” shows that the idea of being away from the love of his life is unbearable for him and that the only thing that would end his suffering would be her coming closer to him. His love is also noticeable when he mentions that “Whatever it takes/ Or how my heart breaks/ I will be right here waiting for you” showing that even if he suffers, he will always wait for her.

 

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me going crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me going crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
Waiting for you

 

Can Stories Educate You…Emotionally?

Hi,

          A story can sometimes develop more than simply your general knowledge. It can change the way you think, the way you interact with others and even the way you understand them, which in our days can be a useful skill in a great variety of occupations that humans have. 

In his essay, David Foster Wallace promotes a different type of perceiving the world, available to those who have learned how to think. His thesis is developed mostly around examples of situations which are most likely known to the audience. Such examples include the routine which sometimes appears in an individual’s life, or the feeling that sometimes everyone is simply in your way, a barrier between you and your goals. To be more specific, Wallace uses the example of a tired person, trying to buy everything that is needed from a crowded shop, instead of being where he wishes to be, at home, relaxing after a long day at work. Yet, in the end this feeling of frustration is diminished when the person decides to use his ability of switching from the automatic self-centered thinking  to conscious thinking and to sympathize with others and realize that they might just have an equally, if not much more stressful life.

This idea of “conscious thinking” being something that can be learned leads to the next idea which is the way in which literature can develop this type of thinking. Within literature, characters generally undergo different situations which make us as readers empathize with them, understand their feelings during moments of struggle or why not even glory. Observing the way characters interact is an important aspect since it can highlight the difference between what they believe and think of each other, and what actually does happen internally with each individual character. In other words, we are being given the chance to observe and understand the two (or more) different views of a situation, which is harder to do (yet not impossible) in real life. This is also what Wallace tries to explain within his speech, that thinking this way is difficult, yet it can be trained if one really wishes to.

Wallace’s theory about empathy being something that can be learned from literature is also applicable in what regards Alice Munro’s short stories. One example of short story could be “Free Radicals”. After the man who enters the woman’s house mentioned that he had killed his family, the first immediate reaction is to classify him as an ordinary murderer. However, his side of the story is also told, revealing his suffering as a kid, as well as the struggles he had faced because of his family, which for a brief moment could potentially cause the audience to empathize with him. This is an example of how knowing or thinking of a second version of a situation could influence your perception of it as a whole. Alice Munro’s short stories consist of many instances where characters interact and face their inner conflicts as well as external conflicts. These conflicts are some of the elements that allow the readers to empathize with the characters by offering the possibility of viewing a problem/situation from different angles.

Summer Blog Post 2

The last blog post has been dedicated to some thoughts about summer which for me has been great so far. However, I did mention briefly one of my main activities during this break and that was attending a flight school. As a result I decided to talk a bit more about this subject and share some of my thoughts and experiences in this school.

A big square room surrounded by the voice of the instructor. Bright sunlight falling through the window right on top of a book wide open on my desk. I look left, I look right, and I can only see three more students carefully writing their last notes given by our instructor. This is how we spent the first two weeks of school, reading, listening, and taking precious notes which were going to help us once in the aircraft. There was no surprise when one day, we came to class to find a pile of papers on our desks. These were out first tests. We pass these, and we get to fly. We pass these tests and we are one step closer to living our dream of flying in the wide, clear sky, just like birds.

The next week, we have been assigned an instructor and we were sent off to the airplanes. When I got in the plane I was overwhelmed by the number of buttons and displays which were going to become my best friends in flight. Fortunately, right next to the seat of the pilot there was one little pocket containing a checklist which is to be followed by each beginner pilot and even by experienced pilots, since forgetting is known to be a normal human behavior applying even to the most experienced. After the first checks are done, we are ready to ask permission to start the engine. The key turns, and the aircraft awakens with the roar of the engine. Few more checks and we are ready to go. After approval from the tower has been received, we check all the indicators one more time and we start rolling on the runway. I can now hear the engine becoming wilder as our speed increases. 30 knots, 45 knots, 65 knots. With a gentle pull the aircraft springs into the air. Once with the gain in altitude I feel lighter, as I leave all the problems and worries behind. In a matter of minutes I am 1000 feet away from them. Now I have to concentrate on flying; nothing else matters. In front of me I can see the horizon widening; I can see birds flying in the distance, a lonely boat slowly fighting its way through the sea’s waves. As I observe all of these with amazement and joy I listen carefully and follow the instructions of my instructor, teaching me the basics of flight along with the names of villages in the area. But, as I learned, time flies when you fly, and it is time to come back for landing. Yet, I am not unhappy as I will be back tomorrow for another flying lesson, but for now, I have to go back to the classroom and continue my studying.

Summer Blog Post 1

                 Summer: an endless time of relaxation, which only lasts 2 months. But these have never stopped anyone from having fun and enjoying the long awaited moments of recreation. Yet, as the saying goes, all good things come to an end, and as the last days of the break approach, there is one word which resonates throughout the whole being of a student. The “H” word (and I am not talking about the word “heat” which seemed to be the main theme of this beautiful story, the omnipresent element on every beach, on every landscape and on every sidewalk).

 

                However, for me summer is more than an opportunity to relax. It is an opportunity to learn new things, an opportunity to try to do what I have been unable to do during the year, an opportunity to spread my wings and fly wherever my thoughts take me. And when I say “fly” I don’t think of it only as an expression, since this summer I have started my journey towards becoming a pilot. Now, there are two options, dream big or dream bigger (no going home I’m afraid), sky is the limit, so I aim beyond that.

Practice IOC

Hi ,

For today's post I have attached the link for my practice IOC. The passage has been chosen from the play Coriolanus by William Shakespeare (Act 2, Scene 1, lines 1180-1220).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7p_-PnuHcAJSkR6a0cwSmF6M3c

Personal History of an Author

The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influence in Things Fall Apart

 

Thesis Statement:

The personal history of Chinua Achebe is a factor that plays an important role in the meaning of his novel Things Fall Apart, as the personal background of an author influences his or her perception of the world and consequently the indirect portrayal of the world through the means of character selection and plot development.

 Topic Sentence I:

Being raised in a family of converts, Achebe grew up surrounded by both the Christian and Igbo religions, acquiring precious knowledge that allows him to view the world from two different perspectives.

1)      The Igbo characters’ appreciation of the gods and the punishments for offending them (Author portrays the world through the eyes of the Igbo people)

2)      Presence of characters such as

-          Chielo, the Priestess of the Oracle, who has a high degree of appreciation and respect for the Igbo gods versus Okonkwo who is aware of the existence of gods yet does not seem to respect them as other members of the Igbo culture (keeps offending the Earth goddess through his actions)

-          Mr. Brown, the Christian missionary who respects the values and beliefs of the Igbo people and tries to convince them to embrace Christianity through kindness versus Reverent James Smith who does not appreciate the Igbo culture and forces people to convert to Christianity

(Author acknowledges the values and attitudes of both cultures as well as the existence of extremists who make an exception from the rule)   

Topic Sentence II:

Another important aspect is the historic context, Achebe’s childhood in a culture undergoing the process of colonization potentially influencing his perception of the world.

1)      Plot development – life of the Igbo people before and after the apparition of the first Christian missionary. (This reflects the author’s perception of the impact that colonization has on a culture and its members)                                                                       

2)      Characters such as Reverend James Smith and Mr. Brown reflect the importance of Hegemony in the process of colonization.

-Mr. Brown is more effective than Reverend James Smith in the attempt of gaining the trust of the Igbo people and convincing them to convert to Christianity.                                                                                                                                                                                

Topic Sentence III:

The influences of the cultural context in which the author was raised are also visible in the novel Things Fall Apart as Achebe portrays the Igbo culture in a way that makes it easier to accept and understand by the Western Culture.

-          Achebe grew surrounded by the Western Culture’s influences, gaining knowledge about the differences between this culture and the Igbo culture. These differences are taken into account when he portrays the Igbo culture.

a.       Out of the three wives of Okonkwo, only one is constantly mentioned in the novel as in the Western Culture (the audience) polygamy is uncommon.

b.      Same rule applies to the gods. Even though the Igbo people are polytheists the earth goddess Ani is mentioned most of the times as in the Western Culture, people are monotheists.

Gender Influences in Things Fall Apart - Essay Outline

With reference to Things Fall Apart, discuss how an understanding of gender influences how the text may be understood.

 

Thesis Statement:

Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the concept of gender is explored through the eyes of the ancient Igbo culture, view which in the modern society can generate different responses from an unaccustomed Western audience.

 Topic sentence I:

As opposed to the modern Igbo culture, where the attitude towards women presented in the novel is not anymore applied yet it is accepted as a value of the past, members of a modern Western audience could consider the novel as being sexist and violent.

-          Members of the modern Igbo society accept the described attitude towards women and consider that if this would disappear from a novel such as Things Fall Apart, it would lack authenticity

-          Violent attitude of Okonkwo towards his wives

-          The use of the name Agbala or woman for a man with no titles reflects the lack of appreciation towards women as members of the Igbo culture with no titles. Only the first wife of a man was allowed to carry her husband’s titles.  

 Topic sentence II:

Western audiences might interpret Achebe’s novel not only as a representation of a misogynistic society, but also a society of anomalies where a man is allowed to “own” multiple wives who are considered solely means of boosting his social reputation.

-          Polygamy in the Igbo culture

-          Advantages and privileges of the first wife in front of the other wives

-           Representation of Okonkwo’s wives

 Topic sentence III:

Both the power and role of the women in the Igbo society portrayed by Achebe are greatly reduced and this is not only a deviation from the actual life of ancient Igbo women, but also a factor which could give birth to anger and frustration from the Western audience, accustomed to the gender equality mostly present in a modern society.

-          Igbo women and religion

-          Chielo, an exception from the rules

-          Role of women in the society as seen through the representation of Okonkwo’s wives’ activities.