AETOS. Academic Journal - Freedom High School

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1 AETOS Academic Journal - Freedom High School

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3 AETOS 2016 VOL. 1 ACADEMIC JOURNAL of FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL RIDING CENTER DRIVE SOUTH RIDING, VA 20152

4 STAFF and COLOPHON Journal Designer: Dana Maier Journal Coordinator: Shelly O Foran Faculty Advisory Board: Freedom High School English Department Shelly O Foran, Department Chair Tyler Anderson Jenna Arndt Jessica Connors Sean Curry Josefa Garcia Katheryn Hans Brandon Kalbaugh Joyce Kim Evelyn Kirby Dana Maier Roddy McDaniel Susan Nigro Karen Richardson Katie Santarelli Veronica Short Kathryn Steele Laura Tornello Beverly Weatherly Darla Woods The English Department presents the premiere issue of Aetos, the Academic Journal of Freedom High School. The student writing published within was selected by teachers for displaying an exemplary level of skill, meeting or exceeding the English Department s high expectations for each grade level. Aetos refers to Aetos Dios, a golden eagle that served as Zeus messenger and companion. The names of other FHS Publications have similar Latin origins: Aquila, meaning eagle, honors the Yearbook, and Aerie, meaning nest, adorns the Literary and Art Magazine. Special thanks to our Freedom community of life-long learners and teachers without whose e forts in composing, reviewing, and formatting these essays this publication would not be possible. Thank you for helping us soar above and go beyond. AETOS Academic Journal published via Joomag.com May, 2016

5 TABLE of CONTENTS 9th GRADE Melissa Abel A Symbol That Lives On Madison Boyer Scout Searches Somebodies for Some Sound Scrupulous Behaviors Ethan Curtiss The Development of the Mockingbird Symbol in To Kill a Mockingbird Megan Lindsey Mockingbirds Gina Nored From Boy to Young Man Matt Rossman The Disease of Prejudice Sage Walker To Kill A Mockingbird Connor Wells The Lawyer s Flower Ashleigh Wood How Innocence is Lost 10th GRADE Meghan Adams Macbeth Persuasive Essay Cecilia Barber Accidents Happen - Explode A Moment Carley Belknap Business Letter to From the Farmer Sydney Campbell Stairs Are the Worst Caroline Chen Safe Spaces in Colleges: Activism vs. Antagonism Erina Lee Literary Analysis

6 10th GRADE (cont d) Kendall Malinchock Temptation s Trap Caroline Maloney Explode-a-Moment Matt Neal Explode-a-Moment Ally Perlberg The Reverence of the Ending of a Ballet Caitlin Phan The Ultimate Influence on Macbeth Owen Weismiller Business Letter to Rolling Stone 11th GRADE Christian Europa The Driving Force: What Motivates Human Behavior? Sri Jayakumar Morals vs. Survival: Can Morals Survive Catastrophe? Trevor LeMaster What Irritates me! Hunter McCluer Ruskin Timed Write Response Brynne Raba The Rhetoric of Ideas: Analyzing Rhetoric in The Myth of the Gay Agenda by LZ Granderson Brandon Smith The Psychology of Creepiness: Big Question Essay, What Makes Something Creepy? 12th GRADE Mallika Dammalapati Nanotechnological Applications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer Brigham Galbraith The Door to Hell: An Unexpected Wealth of Knowledge

7 12th GRADE (cont d) Mila Jasper Kill Your Heroes Mira Lee You Did the Crime, But Do You Really Have to Do the Time? Madeleine McCafferty Something Bleaker Than Crime or Punishment Shanker Narayan Does the Pharmaceutical Industry Exist To Serve the Greater Good and Eradicate Disease, or Has It Become an Increasingly Profit-Driven Entity That Falls Under the Umbrella of Corporate Capitalism? Hannah Ngo The Uses of Pharmacogenomics in the Development of Effective and Safe Drugs and the Impact on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Disease Vivek Ramakrishnan Isms and Change

8 9 th GRADE COURSES and TEACHERS HONORS ENGLISH Evelyn Kirby Karen Richardson Veronica Short Kathryn Steele ACADEMIC ENGLISH Evelyn Kirby Shelly O Foran Karen Richardson Katie Santarelli Veronica Short Beverly Weatherly

9 A Symbol That Lives On Melissa Abel Grade 9 Honors English January 15, 2016 We live in a world that is like a dark, foreboding forest filled with terrors. However, amongst the monsters hidden in the brush, there are sweet, harmless songbirds, spreading the joy of their presence with them wherever they go. In Harper Lee s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the symbol of the mockingbird represents the innocent people whose lives and livelihoods are thrown away needlessly, the ideas of which can be seen in modern day events such as the kidnapping of women in Africa by Boko Haram, prejudice against Muslims in America, and the murder of Freddie Gray. First, the symbolism of the mockingbird represents the kidnapping of over 200 girls in Nigeria by Boko Haram terrorists just a few years ago. In a reign of terror, the girls were taken from a school and those who did not [escape], it is feared, may have been raped, brutalized, enslaved, and forced to convert to Islam (Melvin). Many young women with beautiful lives ahead of them were tragically lost. Their futures were taken by a senseless act so that terrorists could show their power. This event show similarities to the description of Tom Robinson s death that Mr. Underwood, the newspaper editor, used in the paper. In his article, he likened Tom s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds (Lee 323). He says this because Tom s life was taken without a valid reason. Tom s imprisonment was an attempt of Bob Ewell to cover up for his own offenses, gain power, and make a place for himself in the community. Tom was disposable to Ewell. Sadly, these women are also viewed as disposable in the plans of terrorists. 9th Melissa Abel 1

10 The young women kidnapped by Boko Haram are like mockingbirds, innocent girls lost for no good reason. As a second illustration, Muslims in the United States today are being persecuted and threatened. In the novel, Ms. Maudie describes the symbolic mockingbirds as not doing one thing but [making] music for us to enjoy that s why it s a sin to kill a mockingbird (Lee 119). This description reflects that anyone who does not disturb the community should not be harmed. Nearly all Muslims in the United States are innocent people, not the plotting villains that many believe them to be. However, an influential presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has suggested publicly that the U.S. should enact a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States (Diamond). He has become a face of prejudice against an almost entire innocent population of people in America. His opinions have caused people to question the motives of Muslims both living in and immigrating to the United States. His desire to remove rights and freedoms from these people seems unfounded considering FBI statistics reveal that 94 percent of terrorist incidents in the United States between 1980 and 2005 were committed by people who were not Muslim (Saeed). Therefore, like mockingbirds in the book, Muslims should not be hurt, prejudiced against, or disrespected. They should not suffer the wrath of others, just as mockingbirds should not suffer. Finally, the loss of innocent life, as with Lee s mockingbirds, can be seen in the murder of Freddie Gray, a young man who was killed after being arrested and taken into police custody. He was arrested because of a prejudice against young black men. Police were led to believe he was guilty when he ran from them, though in reality they had no justification whatsoever for 9th Melissa Abel 2

11 taking him into custody (Robinson). After his arrest, he requested but was never given medical care. As a result, he died in the custody of the police. His life was lost because he became tangled in the work of law enforcement without reason. This is similar to the scene in the novel where Scout shares her opinions of involving Boo Radley in the case of Bob Ewell s death. Scout says, well it d be sort of like shootin a mockingbird, wouldn t it? (Lee 370). She realized that it would not make sense to tangle a quiet, innocent person like Boo in the affairs of the police. Unlike Freddie Gray, Boo was lucky enough to stay free and keep his livelihood intact. This quote is a reminder, however, that the death of Freddie Gray was like the shooting of a mockingbird; an innocent life lost without reason. In conclusion, the significance of the mockingbird in Harper Lee s novel is present in the kidnapping of women in Africa by terrorist groups, prejudice against Muslims in the United States, and the murder of Freddie Gray. These people were innocent songbirds, killed or harmed in the dark forests of life. Their lives, and the symbol of the mockingbird, have brought a new understanding of preserving the futures and the happiness of all people. This can be as simple as showing kindness to someone who is being bullied, or protesting acts of violence. It is a conflict encountered by people every day of their lives. The mockingbird represents an important idea that continues to live on in our world today. 9th Melissa Abel 3

12 Works Cited Aratani, Lori, Paul Duggan, and Dan Morse. "Six Officers Charged in Death of Freddie Gray." The Washington Post, 1 May Web. 5 Jan Diamond, Jeremy. "Donald Trump: Ban All Muslim Travel to U.S. CNNPolitics.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 8 Dec Web. 07 Jan Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: Grand Central, n.d. Print. Melvin, Don. "Boko Haram Kidnapping in Nigeria, One Year Later." CNN. Cable News Network, 14 Apr Web. 06 Jan Robinson, Eugene. "Freddie Gray Never Had a Chance." The Washington Post, 1 May Web. 5 Jan Saeed, Aliya. "A Muslim Parent's Guide to Talking to Children About Acts of Violent Extremism." Council on American Islamic Relations, 5 Jan Web. 5 Jan. 2 Vinograd, Cassandra, and Alexander Smith. "#BringBackOurGirls: Boko Haram Terror Unabated Year After Chibok Kidnappings." NBC News. N.p., 14 Apr Web. 06 Jan th Melissa Abel 4

13 Scout Searches Somebodies for Some Sound Scrupulous Behaviors Madison Boyer Grade 9 Honors English January 20, 2016 A man is like a novel: until the very last page you don't know how it will end. Otherwise it wouldn't be worth reading (Yevgeny Zamyatin). Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout learns about what this quotation is about. She starts out by putting people into groups based on stereotypes and rumors, but discovers that they are more than they seem. In the realistic fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Scout and the reader develop morally by learning what is making Mrs. Dubose seem so rude, by visiting Calpurnia s church, and by meeting Boo Radley for the first time. Scout learns to not judge people until she gets to know them by spending time with Mrs. Dubose. When Scout and Jem first go to Mrs. Dubose s house to read to her, she corrects Jem every time he makes a mistake while reading. As he continues to read, Scout realizes that Mrs. Dubose s corrections grew fewer and farther between, that Jem had even left a sentence dangling mid air. She was not listening (Lee 142). This is the first time that Scout sees what is really happening in Mrs. Dubose s life. She seemed surprised to find that after a while Mrs. Dubose was not listening and stopped being so cranky. Scout did not understand how much her sickness affected her life and how difficult it was for her. After Scout and Jem leave Mrs. Dubose s house, Jem tells Atticus she s so nasty. She has fits or something. She spits a lot, and Scout says, she scared [her] (Lee 143). Jem and Scout both judge Mrs. Dubose on her outside appearance. They do not entirely comprehend what is happening to her or what is truly going on in her life. They both use vague words to describe her and do not really talk in too much depth 9th Madison Boyer 1

14 about it. After Mrs. Dubose had passed away, and Atticus explained how difficult it was for her to live, he says that she was the bravest person [he] ever knew (Lee 149). He hopes that Scout and Jem will understand what bravery really is. Atticus opinion varies so much from Scout s because she does not understand, and he does. He uses Mrs. Dubose as an example to teach Scout that everyone has something in their life that might affect them negatively, and that she should not judge someone until she knows what that is. Readers can relate to this because it is very common to judge others or have them judge one s self too quickly. One should not immediately dismiss someone based on how they act before finding out what their life is like. Scout and the reader both realize that some people have it worse off than it seems and not to assume that someone does not before they get to know them, and therefore, Scout and the reader develop morally. Scout learns how people can be falsely stereotyped by visiting Calpurnia s church. Scout had been told her whole life that black people were not as good as white people. In her town, black people are not treated well and often segregated. Before the court case, for example, the white people sat all around, but in a far corner of the square, the [black people] sat quietly in the sun (Lee 214). They were treated as outcasts, only because the color of their skin was different. Even though they sat quietly and did not do any harm, the white people still believed that they were bad. Scout realizes that this is not necessarily the case though when she meets a majority of the black community at Calpurnia s church. Some even stand up for her when Lula tells Calpurnia that Scout and Jem should not be there, saying that [they re] mighty glad to have you all here. Don t pay no tention to Lula, she s contentious because Reverend Sykes threatened to church her. She s a troublemaker from way back, got fancy ideas an haughty ways we re 9th Madison Boyer 2

15 mighty glad to have you all (Lee 159). The black people at the church treated Scout with kindness and wanted her to know that she was welcome. Repeating the phrase mighty glad to have you here multiple times shows that they were glad and were friendly, contrary to popular belief. They gave excuses as to why Lula did not want them here, and wanted to show Scout that they were different from Lulu. After church was over, the people there donated money to Tom Robinson s wife. When Scout asked Reverend Sykes why they did that, he said Didn t you hear why Helen s got three little uns and she can t go out to work (Lee 163). The way the people acted at the church when asked to donate, and the casual way Reverend Sykes talks, shows that doing this is not very uncommon. Scout s church, on the other hand, does not seem to donate to people or worry about charity. This confuses Scout because she asks Reverend Sykes why he did. The reader can relate to this because people can be stereotyped incorrectly based on skin color and gender. Everyday people are treated differently based on these factors, and it is not right. The reader and Scout both develop morally by learning about how people are labeled versus how they really act. Scout learned an important lesson by meeting Boo Radley for the first time. Before she really meets him, Jem tells Dill and Scout that Boo dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that s why his hands were bloodstained if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off (Lee 16). Jem makes him seem inhuman. Although everything they know about him is just rumor, the children still treat it like fact. They truly believed that Boo was bad, even without getting to know him. When Miss. Maudie s house burned down and Scout went outside to look at the fire, she came back in with a blanket on her back. When Atticus noticed it, he said maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up. Thank who? [Scout] asked. Boo Radley. 9th Madison Boyer 3

16 You were so busy looking at the fire you didn t know it when he put the blanket around you (Lee 96). Before this, Scout had always assumed Boo was not a good person and he did not care about others. It shows that he obviously cares about Scout by helping her in a distressing time. Scout is very surprised by this, as shown when she does not have any idea who to thank. At the very end of the story when Scout and Boo were walking back to his house, Scout thinks about what Boo had done for her. She thinks about the fact that he had given Jem and her two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and [their] lives [They] had given him nothing, and it made [her] sad (Lee 373). Thinking back at all the gifts Boo gave Scout, she understands who he really is. She knows now that her initial impression of him and the rumors that were spread are wrong, and she feels bad about it. Scout realizes that Boo is actually a very good person. The reader can relate to this because rumor can spread like wildfire sometimes. The way other people talk about someone is usually biased, and one cannot truly get to know someone until they meet them. Meeting Boo Radley and comparing him to the untrue rumors that were spread illustrate how Scout and the reader develop morally. Scout and the reader discover a lot about others and who they really are throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. By learning how brave Mrs. Dubose really was, by meeting all the people at Calpurnia s church, and by getting to know Boo Radley for who he truly is, Scout and the reader develop morally. Scout learns this lesson majorly on the last page of book, which proves, literally, that people really are just like novels. 9th Madison Boyer 4

17 The Development of the Mockingbird Symbol in To Kill a Mockingbird Ethan Curtiss Grade 9 Honors English January 22, 2016 A fourteen year old black boy named Emmett Till was savagely beaten and murdered for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. Eight black teenagers were sentenced to death in Scottsboro, Alabama for allegedly raping two white women without any evidence. During the era of unethical Jim Crow laws, the southern states were rampant with segregation and prejudice toward anybody with colored skin. The judiciary system lacked loyalty to the law and colored people were seen as inferior to the white folk. Emmett Till and the Scottsboro boys are just two examples of bigotry expressed in this time. Like innocent mockingbirds hunted despite living solely to sing their hearts out for the enjoyment of others, these harmless boys were sought out on the lone basis of racism. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the symbol of a mockingbird is developed through the myths about Arthur Radley and the persecution of Tom Robinson that relate to the multi millennia oppression of the Jewish people. Arthur Radley is portrayed in the minds of Jem and Scout as a maniac. He is described as [dining] on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that s why his hands were blood stained (Lee 14). The evil image of Arthur is further indulged by Stephanie Crawford when she says she woke up in the middle of the night one time and saw him looking straight through the window at her (Lee 13). The gossip circulating around Maycomb, ignited by Miss Crawford, depicts him as a murderous ghost. However, when it becomes apparent that the objects left in the tree next to the Radley s house are from Arthur, he is seen as friendly and longing. Additionally, when Bob Ewell attempts to assassinate Jem and Scout on their dark walk home from the 9th Ethan Curtiss 1

18 Halloween production, Arthur heroically saves the two from Bob Ewell s thrashing blade. It is at that moment that Scout gains absolute compassion and respect for Arthur. Concerning the eating of squirrels and stabbing of his father, she realizes he hadn t done any of those things..he was real nice (Lee 323). Arthur s genuine kindness and care for the children revealed in his selfless bravery is squashed by nasty myths, akin to the quell of innocent mockingbirds. Tom Robinson is a hard working, credible man caught in the fray of bigotry expressed by the dysfunctional Ewell family. While subordinate to the white folk, Tom gladly performs manual labor for Mayella because Mr. Ewell didn t seem to help none, and neither did the chillun (Lee 218). Tom is sympathetic for a woman higher in social class, displaying his care and compassion for others. However, Mayella is quick to dismiss this in her testimony when she claims, He got me round the neck, cussin me an sayin dirt I fought n hollered, but he had me round the neck. He hit me agin an agin (Lee 205). Mayella tries to cover up the truth that her father Bob Ewell was the one who beat her for advancing on a black man. Atticus wrings this information out of Mayella when he asks, What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it? Why don t you tell the truth, child, didn t Bob Ewell beat you up? (Lee 213). Mayella does not deliver a denial to this statement, indicating that she is lying about having been beat by Tom. Despite her obvious lies, the jury still convicts Tom out of sheer tradition that a black person may not reign over a white person. Scout describes Tom as a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed (Lee 276). There was nothing Tom and Atticus could have said to convince the prejudiced jury to exonerate Tom. The false conviction of Tom Robinson ruined the life of an innocent man, comparable to the senseless slaughter of songbirds (Lee 275). 9th Ethan Curtiss 2

19 Since the founding of Judaism, the first monotheistic religion, Jewish people have been oppressed everywhere. In Egypt, Ramses enslaved the Jews for not believing he was a god. After the exodus from Egypt, the Jews were then enslaved in Babylon until they were freed by Cyrus the Great of Persia. In modern times, nearly six million, of the nine million, Jews in Europe were slaughtered under Nazi rule in Germany during the Holocaust from 1933 to Even now that the Jewish people have been granted their own homeland of Israel, they are still at constant war with neighboring countries. The Jewish people have been denied safety and independence their entire existence. During her current events lesson about Adolf Hitler, Scout s teacher tells her students that Over here we don t believe in persecuting anybody... There are no better people in the world than the Jews (Lee 281). However, Scout realizes the insincerity in this statement when she asks Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home (Lee 283). The people of Maycomb are blinded by their own ignorance to recognize their hypocrisy. Like the poaching of gracious mockingbirds and the unfair treatment of Arthur Radley and Tom Robinson, the Jews are persecuted in all their ventures. The disregard for ethics and law expressed in Maycomb evokes the symbol of a mockingbird to represent the mistreatment of virtuous people. Arthur Radley s morality and integrity suppressed by childish gossip likens him to innocent songbirds hunted by savages. Additionally, this symbol is developed through Tom Robinson s false incarceration by a prejudiced jury. These instances of discrimination are analogous to the worldwide anti Semitism against the Jewish people since before the common era. While heavily present in the small town of Maycomb, the disease of discrimination plagues the entire world. 9th Ethan Curtiss 3

20 Mockingbirds Megan Lindsey Grade 9 Honors English January 22, 2016 Many creatures in the world do no harm but receive harm in return for a variety of reasons; many of which are not justified at all. An example of this would be the mockingbird which does no damage to the world but is occasionally killed for sport. Humans can also be mockingbirds and be harmed for doing no damage. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the symbol of the mockingbird is demonstrated by Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Atticus Finch; these characters draw parallels to modern day figures and people from the past like the Scottsboro Boys, Harper Lee, and Martin Luther King Jr. Tom Robinson represents the innocence of a mockingbird by having done nothing wrong but dealing with harsh consequences purely because he was black. After the decision of the trial is announced, Jem does not understand how Tom Robinson is convicted and says How could they do it, how could they? (Lee 285). Jem heard all of the testimonies and Atticus s closing statement and knows that Tom Robinson did not do anything wrong, but the Maycomb jury still convicted him anyway. Jem is so surprised because he cannot believe people would do something against an innocent person who is a mockingbird. Even after Tom is dead he is still considered to be a bad person. In Maycomb, Tom s death is considered Typical of a [black man] to cut and run and reinforces the stereotypes in Maycomb (Lee 322). Tom Robinson is talked about like a criminal and horrible man all because he is black which makes him a mockingbird. On March 25, 1931 nine black boys called the Scottsboro boys were accused of raping two white girls. The boys were innocent but since the white girls had said that they had 9th Megan Lindsey 1

21 raped them, the boys went to trial with a white judge and all white jury. They lost the trial and many many appeals after, until some were eventually let free. However, the state of Alabama did not officially pardon all of the boys until Like Tom Robinson, these boys were mockingbirds who had done nothing wrong but were harmed anyway. The innocence of Tom Robinson does not save him from becoming a mockingbird and neither does the innocence of the Scottsboro boys because of their skin color. Boo Radley is considered a monster because he does not come out of his house even though he is not harming anyone. At the beginning of the book, Jem and Scout are really frightened by Boo Radley. Jem describes Boo Radley as six and a half feet tall, judging from his tracks; and claiming he dined on squirrels and any cats he could catch (Lee 16). Scout and Jem have never actually seen or spoken to Boo Radley but all of Maycomb considers him to be a monster so the children believe it too. In reality, Boo Radley just does not feel comfortable in the world outside of his house but Maycomb makes him into a mockingbird by saying all these horrible things about him. Later in the book, Jem and Scout start to understand Boo Radley better after the trial. Jem says I think I m beginning to understand why Boo Radley s stayed shut up in the house all this time...it s because he wants to stay inside (Lee 117). After the trial, Scout and Jem have been exposed to the discrimination of Maycomb and realize that Boo may actually be hiding from the cruelties outside of his house in the real world. The kids now start to think of Boo as a mockingbird of Maycomb because most people consider him a monster without knowing him or thinking about his feeling. The author herself of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee has become much more private with fame and prefers to be left alone in her house. Fame made Lee into a mockingbird because it made her feel the need to withdraw from society 9th Megan Lindsey 2

22 in order to feel less vulnerable and have privacy. Boo Radley and Harper Lee both need their privacy but are made into mockingbirds by the world s views of them. Atticus Finch is also a symbolic mockingbird in the novel. Atticus takes the Tom Robinson case because he knows Tom is innocent and deserves a good defense but is tortured by Maycomb because of it. Jem and Scout do not understand why Atticus feels the need to defend Tom Robinson because the other people in Maycomb see this defense as crazy. However, Atticus gives his reasons and says that, If I didn t I couldn t hold my head up in town, I couldn t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn t even tell you or Jem not do something again (Lee 100). Atticus feels that defending Tom is his duty and thinks that if he did not do it he would no longer be a respectable man. He even says that he would not be able to walk through town and feel good about himself. This is important because the people of Maycomb are going to be brutal to him if he does defend Tom, but he does it anyway because he thinks that it is the right thing to do. So, when the town is harsh, Atticus becomes a mockingbird. When the people of Maycomb are talking about the case, one man says that Atticus aims to defend him, that s what I don t like about it (Lee 218). Atticus is also treated so poorly because he is actually going to try and defend Tom Robinson instead of just accepting his fate, which is what someone would typically do. Atticus is not harming anyone he is simply trying to defend an innocent person but receives rude and horrible remarks about it. Like Atticus, Martin Luther King Jr. did not hurt anyone, instead leading peaceful protests for African American rights. However, he also received violence in return for doing no harm. Police were violent to the protesters, and Martin Luther King Jr. was later assassinated. Even though Atticus and Martin Luther King Jr. did no harm they both received violence in return, making them mockingbirds. 9th Megan Lindsey 3

23 Tom Robinson s and The Scottsboro Boys innocence was unimportant during their trials because of race. Boo Radley and Harper Lee both are considered different and scary because they value privacy above all else. Finally, Atticus and Martin Luther King Jr. receive violence in result for their peaceful ways of standing up for what they believe in. The mockingbird symbol is shown by Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Atticus in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and shown in real life by their parallels, The Scottsboro Boys, Harper Lee, and Martin Luther King Jr. More and more innocent things are harmed in everyday life which leads to the idea that all of society is responsible for contributing to the problem of the mockingbird. 9th Megan Lindsey 4

24 From Boy to Young Man Gina Nored Grade 9 Honors English February 16, 2016 Witnessing a murder trial can certainly make a young man grow up quickly. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes a closer look into racism through a murder trial in the South during the Great Depression. A well loved story by the world, this novel has profound revelations about love, courage, and friendship. The Finch family, consisting of two kids named Jem and Scout, and their father, Atticus, struggle through many troublesome times in a small Southern town with a great deal of prejudice. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a fictional bildungsroman by Harper Lee, readers connect with Jem as he develops into a young man by learning from his father, life experiences, and time. Many people learn much from their parents, and Jem is no exception. Jem learns a considerable amount from his father, Atticus, and grows as he learns. At one point in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem says, Atticus is a gentleman, just like me (Lee 113). Jem exclaims this after Atticus shoots the mad dog in Maycomb, protecting the people from harm. Atticus is indeed a gentleman, and is always courteous to others. Jem is able to pick up on his father s admirable character, and mimic his good qualities. He recognizes adults have certain outstanding characteristics, such as being considerate, and as Jem develops, he realizes he should act in this manner as well. Readers can relate to Jem s growth because many look up to their fathers and learn important lessons from them. Because Atticus is Jem s only living parent, Jem is highly influenced by the way his father acts and lives, and is therefore likely to act similar to Atticus. Readers are able to pick up on this through Scout s eyes when she states, Jem was becoming 9th Gina Nored 1

25 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School almost as good as Atticus at making you feel right when things went wrong (Lee 297). When Scout makes this statement, she has just missed her part in the Halloween pageant, and Jem manages to convince her that she did her part well. Atticus is not able to attend, and so Jem is the only one in Scout s family who is available to comfort her. The role of comforter is passed down from Atticus to Jem in this moment, and the fact that Jem is able to take on this job successfully shows his continued development into a young adult. He does not tell his sister that she should not have forgotten her stage cue, but instead attempts to lift her spirits. This proves Jem is becoming a kind and caring young man. These traits have not always been evident in Jem s character. Indeed, earlier in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem may not have acted as he does this night. Jem gains qualities that lead him into his teenager years throughout the story and learns these things from his father. Readers can connect to Jem s development because they may recall learning from their parent s teachings as well. Although maturing from a boy to a young adult is influenced by family, another big factor is learning through life experiences. As children of a lawyer in a small prejudiced town, Scout and Jem have to go through many challenging times. For one, Atticus defends an innocent colored man in a court case who is ultimately given the death penalty. After learning the verdict, Jem says, It ain t right, Atticus (Lee 244). A sign of maturity is being able to recognize the right and wrong in life circumstances. Jem is clearly able to recognize this difference, and even feels distraught about Tom Robinson, the innocent colored man who is convicted. He cries for this injustice in the world, which he is intelligent enough to fully understand. Jem learns how the world is unfair through his own experience at the trial and grows morally through his revelations. 9th Gina Nored 2

26 Another part of growing into a young man is questioning the way the world works and looking deeper into people. When at Miss Maudie s, Jem says, I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world (Lee 246). After the Tom Robinson trial, Jem, Scout, and Dill stop by Miss Maudie s house. Jem concludes that Maycomb folks are not always outstanding people after a conversation with Miss Maudie. His statement proves he is growing into a young man because he is able to see people at a deeper level. He now understands that people are not always what they seem and that there are cruel humans in the world. Learning about the world is a significant step in crossing the bridge between childhood and adulthood. Somewhere along this bridge, Jem leaves childhood behind him and enters into the teenage world. Everyone will at some point realize that there are unjust and cruel people in the world, and readers can relate when they see Jem conclude this as well. Growth can come from experiences and others, but sometimes learning occurs with the passing of time. As Jem ages, he naturally starts to become more mature. On October 31, Scout claims, Jem considered himself too old for Halloween anyway (Lee 289). Jem is becoming more aware of how to act in public situations because he recognizes some events are meant for smaller children. He does not want to participate in some of the games the Maycomb children are playing because he may not be challenged intellectually and is most likely not entertained by such simplistic concepts and games. Jem is shown to be growing up when he considers himself too old to participate in Halloween. Near the end of Scout and Jem s story, Jem tells Scout about his newest theory. When explaining, he says, That s what I thought, too, he said at last, when I was your age (Lee 259). The theory Jem speaks of talks about the varied kinds of people. Scout disagrees and thinks everyone is the same, while Jem says people are different. Jem is 9th Gina Nored 3

27 more mature than Scout in this instance because he comprehends that people act in diverse ways with varied motives and morals. He recognizes people are as complex as a thousand piece puzzle, while Scout believes everyone is the same puzzle piece. Jem comes to this realization simply by growing older and learning over time. Jem s most significant development in To Kill A Mockingbird is his growth from a child to a young man. Over the course of time, Jem grows from a child to a young adult in three aspects: socially, morally, and intellectually. Jem learns how to be a gentleman and compassionate from his father, making him act more like a young adult in his social skills. The world becomes clearer to Jem when he understands how unfair life can be and develops morally through his life experiences. Jem also begins to realize that people are puzzling, coming to many intellectual epiphanies through the course of time. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a fictional bildungsroman novel by Harper Lee, readers can relate to Jem when he grows into a young man as he learns from his father, experiences, and time. A novel loved worldwide, To Kill A Mockingbird is a profound tale of one family s growth and journey through life. 9th Gina Nored 4

28 The Disease of Prejudice Matt Rossman Grade 9 Honors English January 20, 2016 A disease, by definition, is a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms. If this is so, can intolerance to diversity be considered a disease? In Maycomb, people succumb to rumors, and discriminate against race, age, family background and gender. This disease still affects people today, in the 21st century, when there is still discrimination over things like race and religion. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the symbol of disease develops and impacts the 21st century United States by being something people are taught to oppose, a plague everyone must deal with in daily life, and something that one will become immune to when they learn right from wrong. Primarily, from a very young age children are taught to resent and oppose this disease in America today; this is no different in the fictional 1930s town of Maycomb, at least for the Finch family. Atticus Finch teaches his children Jem and Scout that you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it (Lee 39). As Atticus states, one is not able to avoid discriminatory acts until they can empathize with others. Similarly, school teachers and parents today teach youths not to discriminate over arbitrary things like skin color, Atticus lives by these ideals and teaches his children to follow suit. This teaching is further demonstrated when Jem is complaining about Mrs. Lafayette Dubose and is reminded by Atticus that he should just hold [his] head high and be a gentleman despite her racist and degrading remarks (Lee 133). Atticus teaches Jem that while he should not allow the disease to take hold of him, he must still show respect and patience 9th Matt Rossman 1

29 towards those affected by it. Even if an American today knows the wrongs of bigotry, they still must keep open minds towards those who do not and believe they may still change for the better. Analogous to when Atticus teaches Jem, Calpurnia teaches Scout that some folks don t eat like [her]... but [she] ain t called on to contradict em at the table when they don t (Lee 32). Calpurnia shows Scout that no matter what a person s manners or actions are, she must still treat them with the level of respect she treats Atticus with. Calpurnia, much like a present day parent or teacher, teaches Scout that she should give everyone a chance and cannot judge someone by her first impression. Just as Atticus teaches his children not to be prejudiced towards anyone, Americans today must be taught the same ideals or they too will catch the same disease as many before them. Furthermore, the disease of Maycomb, Alabama is a disease in which one will have to come into contact with and approach in everyday life. There will always be that one person waving a Confederate flag and spouting nonsense about white male supremacy, and in the case of To Kill a Mockingbird, that one person is Mrs. Dubose. Scout and Jem must endure Mrs. Dubose s racist and sexist remarks that can range anywhere from asking Scout what [she] is doing in...overalls [when she] should be in a dress and camisole to stating that their father s no better than the [black people] and trash he works for (Lee 135). Racist and sexist remarks like those of Mrs. Dubose were evidently not uncommon in the thirties where people of color and women had essentially no rights. Even today, one could not go on the internet for more than ten minutes without finding some diseased comment, video or image. On a greater scale, after the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus tells his children that in [their] courts when it s a white man s word against a black man s, the white man always wins (Lee 295). While court cases decided 9th Matt Rossman 2

30 over skin color are less common in America, there remain many who believe that some people are better than others just because of race or gender. Atticus knows that no matter what, these people s existence is a fact of life that he and his children must deal with every day. Before Tom Robinson s trial, Atticus talks to his brother about how he hopes he can get Jem and Scout through it without...catching Maycomb s usual disease (Lee 117). Atticus knows that Maycomb s disease is easily spread and there is no way of getting by without having to deal with it in one way or another. Whether the person has the disease or is surrounded by those who do, prejudice and tolerance are two sides of the same coin. The disease affects everyone, today and in the novel, as there is no tolerance when there is no injustice to oppose. Lastly, there is no vaccine for Maycomb's disease; the only way to develop immunity is to learn to do what is right and follow in the footsteps of Atticus Finch. When Jem is over at Miss Maudie s house eating cake after the trial, he realizes that until then he had been like a caterpillar wrapped in a cocoon...like somethin asleep wrapped up in a warm place (Lee 288). Jem had been shielded from the disease of Maycomb, and it was not until the trial that he realized the injustice of discrimination based on race. He went on to further contemplate this when he stated that juries should be done away with and that there should be unbiased people like Atticus making the rulings. Jem shows how much he has matured throughout the story and that through all the hardships he will not catch the same disease as so many others. Similarly, after Boo Radley saves her life, Scout finds that he is not the killer people made him out to be, and she finds Atticus was right [in that] you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them (Lee 374). Scout stood in Boo s shoes, on his porch and witnessed her world through his perspective. Scout found that she should not believe whatever 9th Matt Rossman 3

31 people said, and only then, did she become immune to the disease and know what it truly meant to love everybody. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated that he had a dream that one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers (King, I Have A Dream ). Martin Luther King hoped that one day everybody will love each other despite skin color, gender, or background. Harper Lee had that same dream, and hoped that when Scout and Jem fulfilled that dream, so would the reader. That dream still applies today and though the events of the novel and civil rights movement happened over fifty years ago, they continue to immunize people from Maycomb's disease. Only when Americans today are able to discern wrong from right will they truly be immune to the disease that plagues Maycomb. To Kill a Mockingbird is a well written novel that continues to affect readers today through its in depth reflections on racial segregation and stereotyping. Through the symbol of the disease, Harper Lee shows a problem that is at the root of human nature. People instinctively stray away from those whom they see as different and tend to stay with who they believe are like them. This novel provides great insight on the wrongdoings in 1930s Alabama while also showing that nothing will change if Americans continue to live with this diseased state of mind. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee develops the symbol of disease and affects America today by showing the disease as something that, at a young age, people must be taught to resent, something that people must come to terms with as it is present in everyday life, and a disease that one can only be immune to when they learn to love everybody equally. But the question still stands, can prejudice be considered a disease? Yes, the disease of prejudice is not a disease that affects someone on a physical level but it is indeed a disease of the mind. 9th Matt Rossman 4

32 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School To Kill A Mockingbird Sage Walker Grade 9 Honors English January 6, 2016 A bildungsroman is a coming of age novel that details the nature of education. Combining the German words for education and story, a vast majority of realistic fiction novels fall under this category. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is no exception. Lee explores the process of education for her readers and main characters in a multitude of ways ranging from moral, social, and intellectual. To Kill a Mockingbird is, in its entirety, a bildungsroman for the reader because it displays Jem Finch s social education through being exposed to Calpurnia s private lifestyle, witnessing the court case, and through his interactions with Boo Radley. To Kill a Mockingbird is a bildungsroman for the reader because it details Jem s social education through exposure to Calpurnia s private life. In First Purchase Church, Jem can tell that he and Scout are not exactly welcome when Lula tells Calpurnia, You ain t got no business bringin white chillun here they got their church, we got our n (Lee 136). Jem learns that the black citizens of Maycomb are just as frosty toward white citizens as the white citizens are to the black community. Through this interaction, he and the reader learn that the wariness black citizens hold for white citizens extends to white children, too. This speaks measures about the horrific racism present in this era. Jem s exposure is not limited to one conversation Scout mentions that Jem and I heard the same sermon Sunday after Sunday (Lee 138). Jem and the reader learn that the only difference between First Purchase and their own white church was location, color of the people s skin, and condition of the church house. The sermon was the same, no matter who was delivering it. This discourages Jem from becoming racist, and he is more 9th Sage Walker 1

33 more open and accepting of the black community than Atticus teachings alone could make him. Likewise, Jem learns the fine navigation of social tact when Calpurnia explains, Now what if I talked white folks talk at church? They d think I was puttin on airs to beat Mose. (Lee 143). Jem is exposed to social tact between the white and black citizens of Maycomb County, and there is a clear separation of speech between the two cultures. Calpurnia explains that if she spoke using white folks talk surrounded by her neighbors, they would assume she was mocking their manner of speaking. She goes on to tell Jem and Scout that if they used black folks talk with their family, then it would be outright inappropriate. Jem learns that despite his beliefs of equality, there are far too many negative stereotypes attributed on the black citizens of Maycomb: Racism is alive and thriving. Furthermore, Harper Lee has written a bildungsroman for the reader because she has described Jem s social education through witnessing the court case. While witnessing the case, Jem becomes increasingly agitated, so much so that Scout comments, Jem seemed to be having a quiet fit once he whispered, We ve got him (Lee 203). Atticus has just cornered Mr. Ewell and is subtly implying that Mr. Ewell abuses Mayella, and Tom Robinson is completely innocent. The reader is alerted to Jem s sureness and is prompted to decide whether or not they agree with Atticus. The reader is now aware of Atticus social cues and mannerisms in court, as well as how he thinks. This behavior, in turn, is evident in Jem who takes after his father. Next, when questioning Mayella Ewell, Atticus asks Mayella, Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father? (Lee 214). The reader, and the entire courtroom, now understand that Atticus had indeed been implying Mr. Ewell is abusive toward Mayella. Jem and the reader can now form their own theory on what has happened, or rather not happened, between Mayella and Tom 9th Sage Walker 2

34 Robinson. Jem learns how racism and guilt can twist a person to go as far as accusing an innocent man of a horrible crime. Later on, Atticus delivers a final speech to the jury and the courtroom. He speaks of the duty and responsibility of the jury and states, there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal... [In] a court (Lee 234). Atticus admits that people are not created equal, however, in the eyes of the law, all men should be equal. Jem understands how equality must be present in the court, no matter who be the defendant. This is obviously not the case, and the court is evidently as biased as the rest of the world. This can be applied even today, eighty one years later than the timeframe in the book. People bring their bias into a court and destroy the all men are equal before the law idealism. Lastly, To Kill a Mockingbird is a socially educational story for the reader and Jem Finch through Jem s interactions with Boo Radley. Early on in the novel, Boo Radley has always been a sort of enigma. In one encounter, Jem leaves his ripped pants behind in the Radley s yard, and when he recovers them, (The pants had) been sewed up. Not like a lady all crooked (Lee 66). Scout speculates that the situation was almost as if someone had expected Jem to return. The reader is enlightened to the possibility that Boo Radley sewed Jem s pants, and if he did, that he did it out of kindness. Jem is urged to make the connection that not all rumors are true, and that Boo Radley could simply be a polite, albeit isolated, man. Likewise, when Miss Maudie s house burns down and Boo places the blanket over Scout, Jem has a startling epiphany. He babbles to Atticus about Boo s positive impact on his and Scout s lives, saying, he ain t ever hurt us, he could ve cut my throat...but he tried to mend my pants instead (Lee 81). Jem realized how kind Boo has been to him and Scout. The reader discovers how influential Boo is, even in the confines of his home and under the stereotypes he carries. Once again, it is proven how stereotypes mean 9th Sage Walker 3

35 nothing and rumors cannot judge a person s character. Finally, at the end of the story, a fierce altercation between Bob Ewell and the children takes place. Jem and Scout could have easily been killed had Boo Radley not saved them. When Atticus wants to bring Boo s good deeds to light, the sheriff harshly shuts him down by stating, draggin him with his shy ways into the limelight to me, that s a sin (Lee 318). Boo Radley is a shy man. To force him into the open, especially against his wishes, would be a sin. As Scout puts it, it would be like hurting a mockingbird. Though unconscious during this quotation, when he awakens, Jem will learn about the bravery shown and love Boo has for him and Scout. From Calpurnia s lifestyle, to witnessing the court case, and interactions with Boo Radley, To Kill a Mockingbird is most definitely a bildungsroman for Jem Finch and the reader. Jem has learned to assess situations with his own knowledge, leave personal bias out of legal situations, and that rumors do not judge character. Each and every one of these happenings has shaped his personality. He has evolved as a character and a person, and the reader has been right there with him throughout the entire journey. Jem Finch has matured from a child to a respectable young man through these encounters. Harper Lee has constructed a beautiful novel that serves as an educational opportunity for her characters and her audience. 9th Sage Walker 4

36 The Lawyer s Flower Connor Wells Grade 9 Honors English January 20, 2016 Charles Lamb writes, Lawyers, I suppose, were children once, as an attempt to plant a seed in one s mind of how a child blossoms, of how the nurtured roots of childhood are slowly dug up and the wilted petals of innocence are lost, forgotten in the wind. The quotation above is used by the author Harper Lee as the epigraph to her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel is told as a flashback narrative of Scout Finch, an innocent struggling to understand Maycomb County with a mist over her eyes. Her brother, Jem Finch, is a teenage boy morphing into a gentleman similar to his father. In the Bildungsroman novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, Jem Finch s education develops significantly with his gradual understanding of the people of Maycomb County, comprehension of being a gentleman of real courage, and his sprouting empathy for others all of which coincide with the development of the reader. One of Jem s wilted petals of innocence is his gradual understanding of the people of Maycomb County, a tired old town in the South and home to the Finches. The beginning of the wilting occurs while chatting with his neighbor Miss. Maudie as Jem stares at a half eaten cake and states, It s like bein a caterpillar in a cocoon, that s what it is like somethin asleep wrapped up in a warm place always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that s what they seemed like (Lee 288). At this moment, Jem breaks through the false kindness and warmth of Maycomb. Through syntax and diction, Lee portrays Jem s thoughts as though he stumbled upon something so arduous, only a delicate simile could put it into words. The simile compares Jem s naïveté to a sheltering cocoon and, as a result of the trial, the cocoon 9th Connor Wells 1

37 abandons Jem to the reality of Maycomb. Jem now grasps the truth of the racism, discrimination, prejudice, and bias of Maycomb: all which were culturally accepted at the time. The wilting of Jem s petal is also aided by another innocent, Scout. While contemplating the social divisions of Maycomb County with Scout, Jem appears to be strained with a mental burden. Scout notes, Jem punched his pillow his face was cloudy that s what I thought, too when I was your age. If there s just one kind of folks, why can t they get along with each other? (Lee 304). Scout s narration allows the reader to witness Jem s mental turmoil as he hears her simple, innocent views. Lee is using the protagonists to contrast the perfect world views of an innocent to Jem s view of a sad reality. Because his education develops through an innocent, the reader now truly sees how precious innocence can be to the world. Kurt Chambers once said, The innocence of children is what makes them stand out as a shining example to the rest of Mankind, This quotation contrasts the presence of innocence in childhood to the absence of innocence in adulthood. The reader now has the ability to go in the community and question discrimination and prejudice, just as Jem does. To Kill a Mockingbird allows the reader to see and live life through the eyes of a child. Jem s numbed petal of innocence falls and is blown away by the breath of reality. Therefore, Jem and the reader develop alongside each other through the education of the people of Maycomb County. Atticus Finch makes a point to Jem to act as a gentleman, and most of all to be a man of real courage. As a result of Atticus defending Tom Robinson, Mrs. Dubose pesters and routinely insults Scout and Jem. One day, Jem surges into one chaotic act. Scout refers back to her present self, reflecting, In later years, I sometimes wondered exactly what made Jem do it break the bonds of You just be a gentleman son he simply went mad (Lee 136). Even decades later, 9th Connor Wells 2

38 Scout still ponders the spark which ignited Jem s explosion of rage. Jem is generally characterized as tranquil and gentleman like; however, one can only take so much adjustment and abuse. Jem s ultimate goal in life is to emulate his father, shown when he states, Atticus is a gentleman just like me (Lee 131). The bond between Jem, a boy, and Atticus, a gentleman, aids in the wilting of the second petal. After the death of Mrs. Dubose, Atticus states, I wanted you to see what real courage is it s when you know you re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what she was the bravest person I ever knew (Lee 149). In Jem s eyes, Atticus is setting himself on the same level of bravery as Mrs. Dubose. This is absolutely absurd through the eyes of an innocent: How can the bravest man he knows, be as brave as a grouchy, cruel, sick woman? As a result, the petal dries up, and the reality of real courage comes into Jem s focus. Jem develops through the teachings of Atticus, a gentleman, and becomes a spitting image of him. Timothy Dalton states words similar to Atticus s: Real courage is knowing what faces you, and knowing how to face it. The reader could feel an impact similar to the one felt by Jem. After comprehending real courage, the reader could go into the community undertaking more challenges. In short, with Jem s education of what being a gentleman and real courage look like, he develops. The moment Jem has the ability to understand and share the feelings of another is the moment he displays empathy. Atticus leads his children on a trail to empathy by using little breadcrumb lessons to lure them. Following the verdict from the case, Mr. Ewell chooses to threaten Atticus. And Jem, concerned for the well being of Atticus, states, We re scared for you, and we think you oughta do something about him Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell s shoes a minute (Lee 292). The quotation involves two cases of empathy. The first is 9th Connor Wells 3

39 Jem s concern for the well being of Atticus, and the second is Atticus prompt to the children to stand in Mr. Ewell s shoes. In the eyes of Jem, Atticus is asking him to feel for a cruel, rotten, and dead beat man. Atticus opens a whole new branch of empathy for Jem. Jem s comprehension of empathy is also illustrated when he states, crying, How could they do it, how could they I don t know but they did it tonight and they ll do it again and when they do itseems that only children weep. Good night (Lee 285). In this quotation, Jem stood in the tattered shoes of Tom Robinson, a black man, and indirectly displays his empathy. Jem stood in the shoes which bore witness to a cruelty no man should face; discrimination. When Atticus states, seems that only children weep, it prompts the reader to the idea Jem is an innocent and can see the breach of justice committed against Tom Robinson. The repetition of the phrase, how could they emphasizes Jem s disbelief of the situation to the reader. The reader develops through their application of empathy to their life, as Jem does to see the homeless and stand in their tattered shoes or bare feet. Alfred Adler defines empathy as seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. And so, empathy is the key element to shaping a better world and allows one to unlock a whole new perspective on life. In summary, Jem and the reader develop through the use of empathy and the last, crumbled petal slowly drifts to the earth and lays gently. To conclude, the education of Jem Finch throughout the novel is remarkable in the way it imparts on the reader. In To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, Jem Finch s education develops with his new knowledge of the people of Maycomb County, comprehension of being a gentleman of real courage, and his newfound empathy for others, all coinciding with the development of the reader. Jem s education leads to the death of a hued flower, with alluring 9th Connor Wells 4

40 petals supporting drops of morning dew. An American poet, Lucy Hooper, writes, Innocence is a flower which withers when touched, but blooms not again, though watered with tears. 9th Connor Wells 5

41 How Innocence is Lost Ashleigh Wood Grade 9 Honors English October 29, 2015 French essayist, Joseph Joubert, once wrote, Innocence is always unsuspicious (Joubert). Young children are the picture of innocence, wide eyed and chubby cheeked little bundles of innocence. They do not question whether someone is a good person or whether someone might cause them harm; they are unclouded by such thoughts. Children have to be taught that looks can be deceiving and strangers can be dangerous. As children grow older, and hopefully wiser, they also become less trusting and more aware of their surroundings. Once carefree, frolicking children, they become concerned individuals, often glancing over their shoulders or narrowing their eyes at others intentions. But why, what makes them so suspicious? What causes them to lose their innocence? In the short story The Flowers, Alice Walker presents the idea that innocence is lost through discovery, knowledge, and understanding. Children and young adults are generally very trusting towards their peers, friends, and especially, their parents. When a little girl happens upon her mother donating a beloved toy, she may be heartbroken and wonder how many other Barbies and stuffed animals got lost this way. She will likely be suspicious of her mother when other toys turn up missing. In The Flowers, the main character, Myop, is a content and unsuspecting girl who takes a stroll in the woods while collecting flowers. Her foot becomes wedged in something, and although she is unsure of what it is, she makes an attempt, unafraid, to free herself (Walker 18). This quote helps to illustrate that children are generally not afraid or suspicious until they witness something startling or unsettling. Myop reaches down and It was only when she saw his naked grin that 9th Ashleigh Wood 1

42 she gave a yelp of surprise (Walker 18). This further emphasizes the idea that Myop would remain unconcerned and carefree if she did not discover what she unexpectedly stumbled upon. Without this startling discovery, Myop would still be holding onto her innocence. When scientists or archaeologists make new discoveries, they are often left stumped. At first, they may be unknowledgeable about what they have found. They take time to observe and study to figure out what it is they do not know. Myop learns that the man she stumbled upon had been a tall man (Walker 19) and he d had white teeth, all of them cracked or broken (Walker 20). Through the author s descriptiveness, it is clear that Myop learns the man is dead, or at least, she knows he is not living. Without looking down and studying the body, she would not know the man was no longer living. She would otherwise remain unaware of life s greatest tragedy, the loss of it. Myop further observes that the man s clothes had rotted away, indicating he had been there for some time (Walker 21). This quote provides a glimpse into Myop s learning and her connection of the facts to one another. She gleans that he is no longer alive and has not been for quite some time. Without stopping to examine her findings, Myop would remain unaware of death and free of the negativity often associated with it; her innocence would not be lost. Children do not usually comprehend what occurs when people pass away. They simply do not understand that death is often a long and hard goodbye. When Myop laid down her flowers next to the man, she shows an understanding of the gravity of the situation (Walker 27). By putting the flowers down, she demonstrates her comprehension that death is permanent. As her understanding dawns, Myop grasps that the man is dead, and feels a sense of grief. She now comprehends that his life came to an abrupt end, as did her innocence. And the summer was 9th Ashleigh Wood 2

43 now over indicates the change from an innocent child to a more aware young adult (Walker 28). As Myop s life as a carefree child is over, the author implies that the harsh reality of winter sets in. As Myop understands the meaning of death, she loses her innocence, because she now understands that she will die one day as well. Myop s journey through the woods leads to her loss of innocence. Through discovery, knowledge, and understanding, she is forever changed. When a child discovers a new or unfamiliar object, naturally they will study and learn about it. The knowledge they gain opens the door for doubts about many childish beliefs, and leads to more adult like thinking. Finally, they develop an understanding of the realities of life. With this experience, also comes a loss of innocence. A parent can protect a child for only so long, as the loss of one s innocence is inevitable. 9th Ashleigh Wood 3

44 Works Cited Joubert, Joseph, and Paul Auster. The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert: A Selection. New York: New York Review, Walker, Alice. "The Flowers. Reading and Writing about Short Fiction. Ed. Edward Proffitt. NY: Harcourt, th Ashleigh Wood 4

45 10 th GRADE COURSES and TEACHERS HONORS ENGLISH Katheryn Hans Brandon Kalbaugh Dana Maier Susan Nigro ACADEMIC ENGLISH Jenna Arndt Brandon Kalbaugh Joyce Kim Darla Woods

46 Macbeth Persuasive Essay Meghan Adams Grade 10 Honors English November 17, 2015 Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1606 classified as a tragedy because of all of the death that occurs, some which Macbeth himself is responsible for. One of these deaths caused by Macbeth is the murder of Duncan, the king. Macbeth schemes with his wife, Lady Macbeth, for a way to maneuver around Duncan s guards, kill him, and place the blame on another. While some people may assume that Macbeth is not guilty of the murder of Duncan by reason of insanity due to abnormal behavioral patterns including visions of the supernatural, he is veritably guilty of first degree murder because of his intent and premeditated plan to kill. One could argue that Macbeth shows signs of insanity, possibly caused by traumatic incidents in battle from before act one. This would relieve him of any fault in the murder of Duncan. After the battle, Macbeth and Banquo see the Weird Sisters who prophesize that he will ascend to the throne. This could either be a true visit from the supernatural, or Macbeth s subconscious presenting in the form of hallucination; All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (1.3.53). If this was Macbeth s subconscious desires displayed as women who could predict the future, it further develops the theory that he had mental issues that were obstructing his judgment at the time he murdered Duncan. The word shalt is a less commonly used word; it can be translated into modern English as will. By saying shalt, the witches used simple language to plant the idea in Macbeth s head that he will be king, and there was no other alternative. This could be vital to Macbeth s insanity defense because it could be reasoned that 10th Meghan Adams 1

47 he was persuaded by external forces that were possibly hallucinations, telling him he would definitely become king. Additionally, Macbeth was observed by many witnesses as acting out of character, His Highness is not well Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus and hath been from his youth ( ). This quotation both references Macbeth s atypical actions as well as the presence of multiple eyewitnesses who could testify to the fact that Macbeth appeared temporarily insane. Lady Macbeth mentioned that his fits of insanity occurred often and have from his youth, which is known by the audience as an invention to spare Macbeth s dignity, but Lady Macbeth may have inadvertently told the truth. The fits possibly began in act one with the sighting of the Weird Sisters and progressed to be more vivid and frequent as the play continued; the evidence pointing toward Macbeth having a valid basis for an insanity defense is becoming more believable. Nevertheless, there is additional information that causes one to deduce that the murder of Duncan was planned and subsequently committed by a clear headed and cunning Macbeth, categorizing it as first degree murder. Although the plan to kill Duncan was constructed by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth was present during the fabrication of their plan, When Duncan is asleep (Whereto rather shall his day s hard journey Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassail to convince That memory, the warder of the brain Shall be fume and the receipt of reason A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep Their drenched natures lies as in a death, What cannot you and I perform upon Th unguarded Duncan? What not put upon His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our great quell? ( ). Lady Macbeth is the one who verbalizes the plan, but Macbeth had the intention to become king through means of 10th Meghan Adams 2

48 assassination from the time when he first received the prophecy. They planned during a moment that had no indication of any outside influences, internal or external, showing how this plan was the individual idea of Lady Macbeth, who only prearranged Duncan s death because of Macbeth. First degree murder differs from second degree murder by the alteration of being premeditated on, known as first degree, or feelings had for a certain period of time that are suddenly acted upon, known as second degree. Macbeth clearly thinks about killing Duncan for his position as king before he kills him, and Macbeth had a detailed plan with his wife before the murder. Lady Macbeth says, What cannot you and I perform upon Th unguarded Duncan, directing attention to the fact that Duncan will not have his guards, they will have previously been given wine by Lady Macbeth, and will have no recollection of the night; this leaves a carefully calculated opening in which Macbeth can murder Duncan as planned. As Macbeth was being called by Lady Macbeth s bell to murder Duncan, he contemplates what the murder will mean for his future, I go and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell ; Macbeth does not know whether the outcome of this murder will be what he desires or will end in what he fears ( ). It being done is the murder of Duncan, and the fact that Macbeth knows that when the bell chimes, he is to go get it done, supporting the claim that Macbeth meticulously preplanned Duncan s murder. The heaven that Macbeth is speaking of is the result he hopes for after he murders Duncan. Macbeth wishes for the absolute power of a king, but by scheming to get it, he may have damned himself to hell this is what will happen if someone other than Lady Macbeth discovers his involvement in the murder of the former king. Using direct quotations from Macbeth and others around him, one 10th Meghan Adams 3

49 can conclude that Macbeth is guilty of first degree murder as proved by his preplanning and strong desire to become king. Since Macbeth heard the prophecy that he would be king, he had the intent to kill Duncan to attain his position as king. Macbeth was frightened of his inner thoughts, My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man but he still acted upon them ( ). This quotation displays his fear of himself but also his intent to kill and how preplanned the murder was. The witches made no mention of murder in their prophecy; Macbeth came up with the thought on his own, further displaying his intent to kill. He did not merely want to dethrone Duncan, he wanted insurance that when he became king he would stay king, which is most likely why he chose something so drastic as regicide to become king. An additional quotation spoken by Lady Macbeth supports the claim that Macbeth is guilty of first degree murder, Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And tis not done. Th' attempt and not the deed Confounds us ( ). She is expressing her fears of what could happen if someone has awaked and Macbeth was discovered during his attempt to murder Duncan and had not yet performed the deed. This quotation contains substantial evidence showing how Macbeth is meant to be murdering Duncan, and also how the murder was planned beforehand. Using the information, it can be concluded that Macbeth is guilty of first degree murder due to his purposeful intent to murder Duncan. After analyzing the evidence for both sides, one can deduce that Macbeth is not insane and is guilty of the first degree murder of Duncan. He planned the murder ahead of time with his wife, had the intent to kill Duncan, and did so for what he believed was a just purpose. He is not 10th Meghan Adams 4

50 insane; he was clear headed before and during the murder of Duncan. He was responsible for his own actions and knew what he wanted. He did whatever he could to achieve his dreams of becoming king, even something as dramatic as murder. The murder was intentional and planned, which makes his actions meet all of the requirements for the crime to be classified as first degree murder. 10th Meghan Adams 5

51 Accidents Happen Explode A Moment Cecilia Barber Grade 10 Honors English September 16, 2015 On a warm, sunny Thursday morning, sometime between when the clock struck nine and ten, I sat at my mom's big brown desk, with her oversized white Mac turned on in front of me. It buzzed softly, but that didn't bother me. In an attempt to better my fading German skills that very summer, I'd made my parents buy me a German program, an online class for me to take. Despite my initial dedication, that day was the last I ever used it. I guess it was because of the negative memories associated with it. Just as any other morning that summer had gone, my father came down a few hours after I'd attached myself to the computer early that morning. We spoke very little, but I remember him asking me where the keys were. He'd skipped breakfast, as he did every morning, and as he shouldered the black backpack that he'd bought back home in Switzerland when I was seven, he glanced out the front window. "Your grandma's here to watch you for the day!" My father called to me from the other side of the house. I heard him searching around for his shoes, digging around under what seemed to be the thousand other pairs of shoes in the closet in the front hallway. He must've seen her car pulling in, on time as usual. After shouting back, unconcerned, I bid him good day and turned back to the conjugation of my verbs, frustration creasing my hair covered forehead. I heard the front door swing open, and then closed, and then open again. "Forget something?" I shouted across the house curiously, looking up from the greasy, fingerprint ridden screen of my mom's computer. The only response was his panicked cry. "Grab the phone! Call 911!" 10th Cecilia Barber 1

52 I'd never seen my father scared before. Every moment of the twelve and a half years I'd been alive, he'd been the strongest part of our family. He always seemed to know what to do. When I came home after a bad day at school, he'd hug me all the same and then, somehow, everything would be okay. Every computer issue, every math problem, every single struggle I'd ever come across, he knew how to fix. My father was undoubtedly the strongest man I knew. Right then, as I reached forward with a slightly shaking hand to grab the home phone off its receiver and pushed my mom's rolling chair back under the desk, I almost didn't recognize the man in my living room. He had a roll of paper towels in his hands, already halfway back out the front door, fear in his eyes, and none of the strength I was used to seeing. "What's going on?" I yelled after him, avoiding the curious chihuahuas at my feet and chasing him out the front door. "Just do it!" My fingers fumbled over the receiver, pressing the buttons I'd been told about so many times but never actually typed myself. The phone was ringing in my ear when I reached the front door, the view in my driveway stopping me in my tracks. Her blue Subaru was in the middle of the front lawn, crookedly parked and rolling slightly. There was a pair of keys lying on the black asphalt, reflecting the sunlight bright into my eyes. But what really concerned me was the woman lying on the same asphalt I'd been covering in chalk outlines of my body not days before, drenched in her own blood, screaming "Help me! Help me!" The phone finally picked up, and the next thing I heard was "911, what's your emergency?" It seemed ridiculous, actually. How could she be so calm when suddenly, everything 10th Cecilia Barber 2

53 seemed wrong and I found breathing becoming increasingly difficult. My world had started falling apart within a span of seconds, and this woman with the monotonous robot voice sounded unfazed. "I I... I need... an ambulance..." I managed to stutter. With some prodding, I rattled off my address, thankful that my teacher's first assignment last year had been to memorize it. I was surprised she understood it on the first try, because I barely even understood the sound of my own voice through the tears racing down my cheeks. The woman told me that an ambulance would be here soon, and asked me to stay on the phone. I'm not sure if she could understand my response, because at that point I was barely breathing and I could hardly see anything through the tears. This was my grandmother, bleeding ruby red onto the asphalt, her beautiful green dress stained a deep brownish red. My older brother pushed me gently out of the doorway to a seated position on the front steps, still dressed in the same white t shirt and camo pajama pants that he'd been wearing to bed for the last couple years. Despite the messy hair and the red pillow creases on his cheek, he seemed to have full awareness of the situation. He hurried to snatch up the glistening car keys, jumping into her car and moving to pull it out of the way. The rest of the morning was a blur, a whirlwind of events that never quite clicked into place in my memory. A man in a blue police uniform asked me a couple of questions, but all I could manage to choke out were a few strangled sobs as my blurry eyes watched the helicopter fly away with her mangled body somewhere inside. None of my neighbor's empty promises held any meaning to me. Whispers of "grave 10th Cecilia Barber 3

54 condition," "fatal injury," "ICU," and "unstable condition," were the monsters screaming in my ears over the whispers telling me that by some miracle, some grace by a God I had long since stopped believing in, that she'd make it out alive. No amount of secretly box baked "homemade, secret family recipe" cakes and burned casseroles would make my grandmother okay again. Every "I'm here for you" was followed by a strained smile and a silent 'but only out of courtesy.' Despite the loud hustle and bustle of my driveway, crowded with people who hid their anxiety under paper masks, I had never felt more alone in my life as I watched them blankly from the front steps of my house. I didn't even notice when the police cars were gone, the blood had been washed away, and my dad was at work until the clock had struck eleven. Numb, I went inside to find the computer screen had gone dark. I didn't turn it back on. 10th Cecilia Barber 4

55 Business Letter to From the Farmer Carley Belknap Grade 10 Honors English December 14, Riding Center Drive Chantilly, VA December 14, 2015 Maria Cortez Owner Landing Hill Lane Washington DC, Virginia To the owner of From the Farmer: Over the past several months, my family has become loyal customers of From the Farmer. Prior to using your service, my mother has been constantly looking for produce that is fresh, grown by local farmers, organic, and reasonably priced. While this seems like an impossible combination, especially in the DC area, I am pleased to say your service has provided this very same product on the front steps of my door. One of the biggest challenges From the Farmer helped my family with was the commute to the grocery store. The closest grocery stores near our house are Harris Teeter and Giant. Both of these stores have a wide range of packaged items, but they had a lackluster produce section. While we had options with fresher produce, such as Whole Foods, the commute to get there was ridiculous. The trips would often take a full two hours to get there and back. Needless to say, there was no winning situation. However we no longer had these problems after we started using From The Farmer. 10th Carley Belknap 1

56 Since you offer the convenience of delivering produce to our front door, my mother has been able to avoid the horrible traffic between our house and the grocery store. She has acted a lot less cranky while cooking dinner, since she has avoided sitting in the car for several hours. As a teenager, it is very relieving to have her in a good mood. I am also amazed about the quality of the food you provide. Most of the food typically available to me consisted of packaged food and lackluster produce, both at home and at school. This caused me to steer away from having carrot sticks or grapes for a snack instead of chips or crackers. I was shocked the first time I tried From the Framer, I had never actually realized what fresh produce tasted like. Soon after this revelation, I fell in love with your produce and began eating healthier. For the first time, I was choosing to eat sweet peas and juicy apples over packaged products. It was a whole lot easier to eat healthy, since your food had a strong and fresh flavor that was kept me coming back for more. Along with that, the customizable orders provided great variety, so I rarely got bored with what I was eating. While I do still eat processed and packaged foods, motivating myself to eat fruits and vegetables has been a lot more easy and enjoyable. As a satisfied customer, I want to say thank you for providing a service that seems almost too good to be true. If you continue to do what you have been doing, you can expect to see my family as customers for a long time. I will be looking forward to next Tuesday for our weekly delivery. Sincerely, Carley Belknap 10th Carley Belknap 2

57 Stairs Are the Worst Sydney Campbell Grade 10 Honors English September 22, 2015 Everything started just fine. By bare feet escaped my room and padded across the carpeting as I daydreamed about nothing but the task ahead: get some food. I went down the first set of stairs with a bum bum bum of my feet and a squeeeaaak as my hand slid down the shiny wood railing. My hand on a railing is my lifesaver when going down a flight of stairs. I always trust the railing, because I can't ever trust my coordination. I remember there being a blast of bright light piercing through the landing window and making my eyelids rush to protect my retinas. Awesome, I thought. I am the master of stair BUMBUMBUM. The room around me blurred as I slipped on the second step and fell down the stairs, successfully leaving my confidence to rot away by the window of light. Well, seems like my cause of death will be awful coordination and beige carpeting said the sliver of my mind that wasn't blasting a playlist of profanity. I ever so gracefully descended the stairs, a beautiful picture of flailing limbs and a shocked face. My sense of sight and sound faded away so the pain could be magnified. My right leg laid flat, leading the way as I crashed down every. single. step. My left leg twisted up towards my left arm, which was clawing madly at the air in a sad attempt to stop the fall. I felt my spine hit each step at a fast, hectic pace. My right arm stayed in place, captured by the railing I had stored all my faith in. My arm streeetched like a rubber band while my hand stayed firm on the railing, refusing believe that it was betrayed by that wooden traitor. Right as I felt my arm pulling out of its socket, my hand finally let go. I fell down the rest of the stairs at a pace that could match a rabbit's heartbeat. 10th Sydney Campbell 1

58 I crumpled on the floor in defeat. The stairs had won. My mom rushed to the scene, and I started laughing through the pain so she wouldn't worry. My eyes were watering at the sharp pain in every muscle and bone in my body. Don't make her worry: keep laughing. keep smiling. My laughter and pained sobs mingled and fought for attention. My mouth spasmed between a smile and a frown. I collected my thoughts and walked off, dragging my pained defeat with me. 10th Sydney Campbell 2

59 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Safe Spaces in Colleges: Activism vs. Antagonism Caroline Chen Grade 10 Honors English December 2015 Society is ever changing. It is a fluid thing, reacting to the people, the media, and the mixing of ideas and culture. Since the beginning of civilization, the defining characteristic of human society has been change: change in beliefs, change in government, change in styles of dress and art. Currently, America is entering one of these pivotal eras. Now, with incredible advancements in technology and the rapid information network of social media, the foundations for a revolution have been laid down. As today s young people millennials, teenagers, young adults mature, they re realizing that there is so much wrong with the world. Racism and sexism runs deep in American culture and in the world s society; religious tolerance is a still a foreign concept to some; strangers believe they can dictate who you can or cannot love. Where is the equality? Where is the kindness? Where is the humanity? In response to these transgressions, people are standing up, speaking out. A common example is the Black Lives Matter movement that surged up following the death of Michael Brown, a black teenage boy killed by a policeman for allegedly no good reason. In the wake of his death and the push for justice, protests of all sorts have surged, ranging from topics of police brutality to minimum wages to racism and sexism. In 2015 alone, more than thirty big protests and sit ins have occurred and that only counts the movements of huge, national media attention magnitude (2015: A year of protests in America). The fight for change is happening, right here and right now. 10th Caroline Chen 1

60 An important battlefield for this fight is America s college campuses. Young adults are the predominant force on college campuses. These are people who have grown to realize they are living in a changing era: young enough to realize that their futures stretch long and far, but old enough to know that they are the only ones who can take matters into their own hands. So they push, and push, and push. When do they push too far? The recent protests and the forced resignation of the president of the University of Missouri is a prime example of how a movement with good intentions can cascade into chaos. The University of Missouri does have a history of racism on campus in 2010, two while males scattered cotton balls across the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center on campus; in 2011, an allegedly drunk student scrawled racist graffiti on a campus structure and possibly many more undocumented incidents (Pearson). However, in the latter half of 2015, perhaps sparked by the increase in racial discussions and tensions caused by the death of Michael Brown, a progression of things began to happen. Early September, a Facebook post by Payton Head, the Student Government President of Mizzou, states his frustration with bigotry, anti homosexual and anti transgender attitudes at the school. CNN s documentation quotes Head s Facebook post, For those of you who wonder why I'm always talking about the importance of inclusion and respect, it's because I've experienced moments like this multiple times at THIS university, making me not feel included here (Pearson). Payton s words carry a lot of weight. As a student who is heavily involved with the student body of Mizzou and the organization of many events, he s outright stating something already subtly known, forcing people to confront the problem that has been plaguing not only 10th Caroline Chen 2

61 Mizzou, but also other colleges nationwide. He and the student protesters who have been demanding improvements and calling for the President of Mizzou, Tim Wolfe, to resign, all have good intentions in their hearts. They want progress. They want their college experience and the experiences of those after them to be the best it can possibly be. There s nothing wrong with that. However, when do good intentions spill over into a one track mindset that allows for no rebuttal? For Mizzou, the latter months of 2015 have been filled with turmoil. Student protests have jarred the university into actions. The demands for change have initiated progress President Tim Wolfe has resigned, and the university has announced a series of changes to improve campus climate. Their rise to action has spurred on college students across the country, including those from Yale, JMU, and Claremont Mckenna College (Svrluga, Larimer, and Anderson). As the hype continued and to grow, something called safe spaces in colleges were thrust into the spotlight. Theoretically, a safe space is somewhere where people are able to relax and fully express themselves, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable on account of race, religious affiliation, sexual or gender orientation, etc. (Advocates for Youth). This concept is used most commonly with marginalized groups the LGBTQ+ community, or ethnical minorities. Today, this concept is widespread in colleges. On the surface, safe spaces are beneficial for the people who seek them. Somehow, America seems to view the white, cishet man as the dominant figure, and any other variation a woman, a person of color, an LGBTQ+ individual, a disabled individual is deemed to be lesser and subject to oppression. In colleges, safe spaces are designed to allow students reprieve from stress and provide a community where 10th Caroline Chen 3

62 people can share experiences and help with others similar to them. When done right, safe spaces are effective and peaceful means to providing a safe social network among marginalized groups. However, the purpose and meaning of safe spaces have been twisted. In the face of the Mizzou protests, safe spaces were used as an excuse to block off and protect groups of students from reporter interaction. In a video gone viral, Mizzou student protesters are seen forcibly blocking off and pushing away a photographer, who was a fellow Mizzou student on a freelance assignment. They claimed protection from the media, chanting: No Comment! No media, safe space! (Friedersdorf). On the surface, this negative reaction toward the press is not surprising. Credible news sources like the Washington Post and CNN have written articles on police brutality and racism in a way that paints the aggressor as the victim or downplays their actions, while the actual victim who often ended up dead was portrayed as a criminal. Oftentimes, important evidence, usually against the aggressor, is exposed by committed journalists on social media instead of reported by in a news article. In the face of cases like Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Sandra Bland, there is no wonder that student protesters at Mizzou were worried about inaccurate and twisted reporting. However, to use safe spaces as a weapon instead of a shield defeats the entire purpose of it. Behind a cover of solidarity, the students who are demanding change have gained the confidence so that it seems as if they can bulldoze their way through any barrier, until action is taken. It is this mob mentality, this select way of thinking that is attracting criticism to the concept of safe spaces. Mizzou is not the only college that has weaponized safe spaces. A more striking example occurred at Claremont McKenna College, where an Asian woman was booed by a crowd claiming to be a safe space for sharing her experiences. Upon describing her experiences with 10th Caroline Chen 4

63 harassment by black males and making a clear point about how people of color can be racist too, she was pushed away and scorned at (Preza). This incident, only a droplet in an ocean of cases, further highlights how here a drive for righteousness has warped the once benign safe space into a tool for obstruction of freedoms and differing yet valid viewpoints. This brings benefits to no one individuals who rely on safe spaces find themselves under attack by critics who see only this exaggerated version of a safe space. To those who do not need or do not use safe spaces will scorn and jeer, as Richard Dawkins, a former professor at Oxford University, did. In a tweet, he stated, A university is not a safe space. If you need a safe space, leave, go home, hug your teddy & suck your thumb until ready for university (Wood). Mr. Dawkins is fundamentally wrong in his interpretation of a safe space, but the recent usage of it in the midst of student protests is to account for this misunderstanding. To disparage safe spaces is to be ignorant of problems that plague society. Not all college students are white, male, cisgender, heterosexual, and able bodied; safe spaces are designed to allow people to seek out those similar to themselves and create a reprieve from the harassments of everyday life. However, to change safe spaces, something meant to protect, into a hypocritical weapon in the name of reformation is destructive to everything safe spaces stand for. 10th Caroline Chen 5

64 Works Cited "2015: A Year of Protests in America." RT International. 30 Dec Web. 9 Jan "Advocates for Youth." Advocates for Youth. Web. 10 Jan Friedersdorf, Conor. "Campus Activists Weaponize Safe Space." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 10 Nov Web. 10 Jan Pearson, Michael. "A Timeline of the University of Missouri Protests CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 10 Nov Web. 9 Jan Preza, Elizabeth. "College Safe Space Boos an Asian Woman For Declaring Black People Can Be Racist." Mediaite. Web. 10 Jan Svrluga, Susan, Sarah Larimer, and Nick Anderson. "Mizzou s Impact Is Felt on Campuses Nationwide." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 13 Nov Web. 9 Jan Wood, Holly. "Why All Colleges Need Safe Spaces and Why Richard Dawkins Is a Monster Coated in Garbage Sauce." Medium. 24 Oct Web. 10 Jan th Caroline Chen 6

65 1984 Literary Analysis Erina Lee Grade 9 10 Honors English January 2016 Thesis Statement: Through the use of foreshadowing and irony, Orwell develops the theme of how helpless individuals actually are against a greater collective force in order to appropriately end the book and finalize the warning the book is meant to be. Body: Winston is portrayed as the protagonist throughout the book, but his insignificance is underscored by the constant reminders of how rebels of the Party are always caught by the Thought Police and are brainwashed in the Ministry of Love, foreshadowing his imminent doom. He is followed throughout the course of the book in his everyday life as a political rebel of the Party, breaking the laws of the government simply by mentally opposing them. Often, he scores what he thinks to be victories against the Party by doing what it disapproves of, such as when he first meets Julia alone in the woods and sleeps with her such that their embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory. [Their course of action] was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act (Orwell 126). Though a victory of this type seems small and insignificant, it is important to Winston in that it is in direct opposition of the Party s customs. As long as he disagrees with the ideals of the Party and is rebelling against them, he is winning the battle of will between them. At the same time, though, his emotions are tempered with a sense of fatalism in that he has come to terms with the fact that the Thought Police would catch and punish him sooner or later, since [he] might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later [the Thought Police] was bound to get [him] (Orwell 19). Despite his struggles against the Party, he perpetually reminds himself of how set in stone his fate is, foreshadowing later events 10th Erina Lee 1

66 where he is indeed captured by the Thought Police. However, he grimly believes that To die hating [the Party], that was freedom (Orwell 281), showing that going against the Party was such a personal liberty to him that if he died hating the Party, then that would be his testament to all he had stood for in life. This leads the readers to believe that this is the manner in which Winston will emerge as the victor in his battle against the Party, proving that he actually is an important individual, at least to himself. However, Winston is then captured by the Thought Police, which leads to him betraying Julia and being released shortly afterwards. In the end of the book, it is publicly announced that Oceania has won a great military victory over its supposed enemy, triggering a permanent change in Winston that serves as his breaking point and causes him to love the Party (Orwell), effectively dismissing the struggles and rebellions he had been undergoing throughout the course of the book. The last chapter is a sort of grand, ironic finale, a final dose of satire that almost seems to turn the entire book into an elaborate, bleak prank. In the beginning, he thinks of himself as an individual, From the age of uniformity, from the age of solitude, from the age of Big Brother, from the age of doublethink (Orwell 28), as he writes in his diary in a derisive manner. In the end, though, he undergoes the final, indispensable, healing change (Orwell 297) as he listens to the trumpets of victory blaring from the telescreens while tears stream down his cheeks. He realizes, after so long of hating the Party and its doctrines, that he was the one in the wrong the whole time, and the Party had helped him rather than harmed him. He had turned away from the comfort of Big Brother, but finally he embraces the secure, welcoming colossus that is him. This hopeless, ironic turn of events serves to solidify how the Party cannot be won 10th Erina Lee 2

67 against, warning the readers that the only way to prevail against such a government is to not let it exist in the first place. This ending, as a result, is appropriately written in that it finalizes the warning the book is meant to be. 10th Erina Lee 3

68 Temptation s Trap Kendall Malinchock Grade 10 Honors English December 10, 2015 Temptation is a powerful force that relies on blinding ambition to lure selfish and ignorant people into its trap. William Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as a loyal and active leader for his country, yet when he becomes vulnerable to his wife s greed for power, his eventual downfall quickly becomes inescapable. In the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth s decisions are molded by diverse external influences that strongly manipulate his choices, such as the witches and his own ambition; however, Lady Macbeth proves to acquire the greatest impact and psychological effect on her husband s ultimate actions and behavior through devious acts of manipulation and verbal abuse. Macbeth s hidden aspirations and desires lay the foundation for his ultimate behavior towards the killing of Duncan, yet the prediction of becoming heir to the throne is what plants the seed in his mind that will force him to paranoia. Throughout the duration of Act 1, the character of Macbeth is introduced to three powerful witches who reveal to Macbeth his destiny of one day taking his cousin s place and ruling as king. This prophecy corrupts Macbeth s morality and loyalty to Duncan, leaving him to develop the malevolent plan of murdering the King to fulfill his foreseen future of one day obtaining the throne. Macbeth s fate is first announced to him when the third witch declares, All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter (Mac ). The witches had been speaking in riddle to Macbeth and Banquo prior to that shocking proclamation. As a result, upon hearing his clear and anticipated destiny, Macbeth becomes conflicted between choosing to submit to his supposedly inevitable future, or staying 10th Kendall Malinchock 1

69 devoted and faithful to Duncan. He grows to be at war with his own ethics and what he believes is right, causing him to feel guilt ridden whenever he suggests the possibility of killing his own cousin and friend. Shakespeare subtly illustrates Macbeth s willingness to comply to other people governing his life and decisions, but his own conscience also plays a significant role in who he is as a person as seen in his many soliloquies. Continually, after the witches plant this idea in Macbeth s mind, he develops a sickening guilt, shown when he says, My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical / Shakes so my single state of man / That function Is smother'd in surmise, / And nothing is but what is not ( ). Although Macbeth considers committing Duncan s assassination, he adds that he feels shaken (143) at the horrendous thought. He then continues to brush off his impulse to murder, as he believes that his imagination and desire for becoming King has no authority over and will not influence his physical actions. He continues to label his thoughts as harmless, as seen when he adds, I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o erlaps itself / And falls on th other ( ). Macbeth is assuring himself and the audience that although he has a growing hunger for power as well as his vaulting ambition, he truly has no motivation or desire to kill Duncan. When he says, I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, Macbeth is clarifying that he believes he lacks a suitable reason to adhere to his alarming thoughts, thus highlighting that he has no incentive to commit the murder in the first place. When further analyzing this quotation, it is clear that a metaphor is used by Macbeth, directly relating his absence of a spur, (a tool used by horse tamers to violently force an animal to move), to the shortage of a motive to kill Duncan, which he believes is required to even consider such a horrendous thought. Macbeth s own blinding ambition for the crown as well as the witch s canny riddles and prophecy aid in 10th Kendall Malinchock 2

70 persuading his final verdict of whether or not to kill Duncan. Nonetheless, Macbeth s uncertainty about his possible success of completing the murder as well as his loyalty to Duncan causes Macbeth to question his fate as well as his own moral beliefs, leaving him feeling incapable of responsibly controlling his actions that can alter his future. Although the witches and Macbeth s own inner conflicts influence his decision to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth is able to coax and harass Macbeth into following through with the murder by disrespecting his manhood. After Macbeth informs his wife of the witch s prophecy and the difficulty he has with making the choice whether or not to commit to the killing, Lady Macbeth quickly develops a shrewd way of convincing Macbeth to throw all guilt aside and to complete the task that has been laid before him. She begins by attacking not only his courage, but also his masculinity; as seen when she retorts, When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man ( ). In the play, Macbeth is portrayed and illustrated as a heroic, gallant soldier who will stop at nothing to protect his country and the king. Therefore, when Lady Macbeth insults Macbeth s stature and tough reputation, it puts an immense amount of pressure on him to want to prove that his wife has falsely accused him of being a disgrace to not only his name, but also his supposed lack of manliness. The audience quickly learns of Macbeth s internal struggles and conflicts he possesses after being told of his forthcoming future, thus making him defenseless towards Lady Macbeth s shrewd and cruel methods of persuasion. She is creating false insecurities within Macbeth though deriding statements, forcing him to surrender to her manipulative greed and desire. She continues by telling Macbeth that if he carries out her evil plan for acquiring royalty, then he will become more of a man than he was before. Additionally, she advances to taunting 10th Kendall Malinchock 3

71 him, shown when she says, And live a coward in thine own esteem, / Letting I dare not wait upon I would ( ). Since Macbeth has just received his new title of the Thane of Cawdor he is even more respected than he previously was. However, Lady Macbeth utilizes this, and exploits Macbeth s fortitude by questioning his dignity and whether or not he is fit for his new role as the Thane of Cawdor. The recurring theme of not being masculine enough is found in almost every rhetorical question and statement that Lady Macbeth declares. This is seen when she says, in thine own esteem. Although Macbeth had just earned a greater status than before, Lady Macbeth takes advantage of this, making him feel insecure about receiving the title when he is too much of a coward to follow through with his destiny of killing Duncan. She is questioning Macbeth on why he continues to say I dare not (43) immediately following after saying he would (44). She is making him feel guilty for not taking the opportunity that was presented to him, shown through her demanding tone and harsh abusive words regarding his lack of masculinity. The witches and Macbeth s own conscience provide him with the evil idea of murdering the king, yet his greedy and clever wife, Lady Macbeth is who fully persuades him to assassinate his own cousin. Macbeth is influenced by external as well as internal forces, however the most prominent and obvious influential person in his life is Lady Macbeth. The witches knowingly cultivated Macbeth s blatant ambition, however Lady Macbeth sparked a reaction in him that neither the witches, nor his own train of thought could have created. This subsequently generated Macbeth s strong passion for power, forcing him to physically progress with the murder. In the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, temptation is found not within Macbeth s own mind, but within the abusive and manipulative words of Lady Macbeth, compelling him to do things that 10th Kendall Malinchock 4

72 he would have never thought possible, leading to his own eventual demise. So is every human being naturally born with desire and temptation in their body? Or does temptation take form in the words of the people one looks toward for guidance? 10th Kendall Malinchock 5

73 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Explode a Moment Caroline Maloney Grade 10 Honors English September 14, 2015 Click! All around me the snapping of pictures and a constant mumbling of nearby tourists bombarded the stillness. I was in Yosemite National Park, gazing out at the mountainous landscape before me. I was perched atop a rocky outcropping, already in the process of setting up my tripod. I was preparing to join the legions of tourists and photographers lined up next to me. It was almost sunset, golden hour, the ideal time for photography. The silhouette of Half Dome, a barren, granite crest, rose out of the ground. It was framed by sprawling mountains dotted by sparse patches of forest. Glazed in a soft, golden light from the setting sun, it was the perfect time for a snapshot. At the edge of the outcropping, I proceeded to set up my tripod. I turned the adjustment knobs and pulled out the slender, silver extensions for the legs of the tripod stand. After setting it up, I glimpsed down at its level to ensure that the camera was parallel with the ground. The bubble bobbed inside the level as it slowly floated to fit between its two black lines. Next, I fished for my camera, sitting amongst a chaotic mess of SD cards and lenses in my camera bag. I grasped the camera and swept its strap around my neck. I reached for my shortest lens, an 18mm 55mm, and carefully inserted it into the front of my camera. Then with care, I slowly turned the lens so that it lined up with the red dot on my camera. I heard a sharp snap, and the lens locked into place. I glanced down at the preview screen black. Momentarily mystified, I quickly realized that I had managed to forget to remove the lens cap. After hastily chuckling to myself, I removed 10th Caroline Maloney 1

74 the cover. Next, I began to set up for the shot. I turned the settings knob to M for Manual and proceeded to adjust for different aspects of the shot. First, I slowed the shutter speed, then adjusted for a wider aperture, and left the ISO as it was. I wanted the photo to really capture the light and the details of the landscape. Finally, I grasped the lens and turned it so that the sprawling landscape came into focus. I altered it so that the Half Dome came into clear focus while the rest of the landscape was lost in a slight blur. It was the object of my photo, and the blurred landscape helped to emphasize its importance. I checked the preview and then proceeded to make some final adjustments. I pressed the round button on top of the camera, eager to capture the moment click! 10th Caroline Maloney 2

75 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Explode a Moment Matt Neal Grade 10 Honors English September 13, 2015 It's 9PM in my basement, a tired summer night. The selectively dim light helps me ignore the various instruments, empty soda cans, record sleeves and lyric books strewn across the floor. I quickly scroll through beats that I don t want to finish, to find my eyes lazily scanning my tall shelf of vinyl that I don t want to sample. I reluctantly yank a record out, deciding that if I find something amazing, I might run with it. Otherwise, I ll go to bed and get some rest. I haphazardly slam the start button on the turntable and let the sound roll past me. I impatiently tap my foot to the beat of samples that seem to be increasingly not good enough. The tonearm bounces slowly up and down towards the center of the disc as grooves become irrelevant. Silence. Sigh. Flip. The tonearm touches down once more. I can t bare to waste my precious time with the first empty grooves, so I turn the record clockwise like a madman with one hand. A light, mellow guitar chord shoots off like a gun as my mad spinning stops, and I quickly change directions. Release. A piano and guitar riff floats past me. Half my mind listening with a passive curiosity to the slow beat, and the other half already chopping, pitching and arranging. The madman returns as I rewind to the very first minute and release once again. The music is no longer a stranger in my home; it s now a girl I ve invited over who I can t decide if I like or not. I ask her a question. I listen to her speak for about 10 seconds. I 10th Matt Neal 1

76 interrupt her only to ask her to repeat. The cool record feels warmer with every touch. My fingers mark up the clean plastic. The crisp smell of mid 70s kick drum and tape grime overpowering the sweet aroma of sour gummy worms, laid out on top of a Taylor Swift magazine for fuel. I find my way out of my head to find my hand on a mouse, mindlessly hitting record. I eagerly slam the start button. The tone arm takes its time to stumble upon an occupied groove, my mind still racing as I hear the riff for the last time. My sweaty hands touch keys and I start arranging. 10th Matt Neal 2

77 The Reverence of the Ending of a Ballet Ally Perlberg Grade 10 Honors English September 22, 2015 The music was almost at its end. With every muscle tensed, I took a literal leap of faith that marked the final move of my performance. I was mindful to keep every toe stuck together and both feet pointed as straight as an arrow, and with a small run, I took off from the ground. While in mid flight, my legs extended until a perfect line was formed from tip of toe to tip of toe. Almost synchronized perfectly, my arms lifted with my legs. My right arm shot up until it was parallel to my outreached leg as my left arm angled itself several degrees above my right. My hands naturally lengthened as my fingers stretched out, being sure to keep every digit tightly in line. As always, a sliver of fear entered my otherwise blank thoughts as my heart soared and my stomach dropped. In those perfect airborne seconds, I fought to catch my breath. With a smile plastered to my glistening face, I flashed the audience with a perfect pair of pearly white teeth framed with bright red lips, then I turned to face the side of the stage as I sharply exhaled. Not a moment later, my feet made impact on the ground, and I let out a silent hiss at the contact of wooden stage on stain covered feet. With a slight twist of my torso, I whirled myself up onto my tiptoes with a quick turn and ended, body in position to bow. I smiled internally as my costume fluttered around me, an explosion of blues and green enveloping me. It was almost as if I were I swimming in an ocean of tulle and velvet. Purposely making each movement deliberate, soft, and precise, I kicked one leg back into a lunge, set my knee on the floor, and bent my front leg into a slanted ninety degree angle. I lifted my arms like a swan raises her wings to glide through the skies. I made absolutely sure to keep my back as flat as a board as I bent 10th Ally Perlberg 1

78 over, bowing my head gracefully. I could feel every muscle tighten, clench, and spasm as a cramp gripped my calf as the curtain dropped behind me. Every muscle cried out in pain, and I knew my spine was visible through the exposed skin on my back, yet I remained still. Through the deafening applause, the four final notes sounded. Four soft, definitive notes, each more beautiful than the last. The final note rang out, signaling my performance as complete. Then the stage went dark, blanketing me in the darkness as a small smile crept upon my face. 10th Ally Perlberg 2

79 The Ultimate Influence on Macbeth Caitlin Phan Grade 10 Honors English January 19, 2016 Throughout Shakespeare s play Macbeth, the protagonist, Macbeth is a general who often contemplates his decision. One primary example is whether or not he should kill King Duncan in order to wear the crown himself. Furthermore, the people around him significantly affect him and his decisions with their words. Although the witches and Macbeth himself greatly influence Macbeth, Lady Macbeth exerts the greatest influence on him. The witches and their intriguing words play a role in influencing Macbeth. After the three witches approach Macbeth and Banquo, they tell a combination of truths and lies in order to deceive Macbeth. Macbeth brushes off Banquo s warning, with the mindset of If ill / Why [has] it given [him] earnest of success / Commencing in a truth? ( Mac ). Since the witches have surprised Macbeth with their superior knowledge of an unexpected event in his life, Macbeth believes that everything they say will come true. Their convincing words in combination with Macbeth s late notice about becoming Thane of Cawdor allowed Macbeth to become completely trusting toward the witches. Additionally, the witches indirectly opened up Macbeth s ambitious side. He has shown his excitement at the witches future prediction that the greatest is behind ( ). His thrill displays his complete trust in the witches words since he does not doubt their conjecture at all. Therefore, the witches have a tremendous amount of influence on Macbeth through their words of appeal and fascination. In addition, Macbeth s qualities of striving ambition and genuine empathy are leading factors in influencing his decisions. His zeal is displayed after King Duncan announces in his 10th Caitlin Phan 1

80 presence that Malcolm is Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth regards this announcement as a problem in which he must fall down, or else o erleap / For in [his] way it lies ( ). Even though it was just revealed that Malcolm will become prince, Macbeth is already having the conscious thought of killing Malcolm, a relative, in order to wear the ultimate crown himself. He does not want anybody to be in his way of reaching his goals and is willing to kill them, even if they are family. On the contrary, Macbeth also has a compassionate and loyal side. When he self contemplates whether or not to put the knife to Duncan s throat for the sake of his own interest, he realizes that [he has] no spur / To prick the sides of [his] intent, but only / Vaulting ambition ( ). Ambition is the only reason Macbeth has for killing Duncan. However, he knows on the inside that it is not right to commit such a crime, let alone to a close relative. Macbeth does not have the ability to murder King Duncan with his own hands since he is well aware of Duncan s kind deeds and his loyal nature. After his extended reflection, he decides not to kill Duncan due to his faithful and empathetic nature. Macbeth s self qualities have a large impact on his decisions. However, Lady Macbeth s influence on Macbeth ultimately drives him to make his final decision and take action. After Macbeth discloses to Lady Macbeth that he has decided not to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth becomes angry and criticizes him, When you durst do it, then you were a man / And to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man ( ). She is criticizing and mocking Macbeth since he appears weak to her now due to his sudden change of heart. Lady Macbeth believes that men should stick to their word, and if they do not, they are not men. Her purpose is to convince Macbeth to step up and be brave. Lady Macbeth is well aware of her influence on Macbeth, therefore she uses it to her own interest by poking fun at 10th Caitlin Phan 2

81 Macbeth in order to make him feel ashamed. Furthermore, Macbeth is convinced by his wife s argument, telling her to bring forth men children only / For [her] undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males ( ). Since men are generally the head of the household during this era, women are seen as weak. However, Macbeth believes Lady Macbeth s bold personality is capable enough to raise males. He acknowledges her strong headed and tenacious qualities, which shows that she is a prominent figure in the household. Her influence on Macbeth is so tremendous that in the end, Macbeth says, I am settled, and bend up...away and mock the time with fairest show / False face must hide what the false heart doth know ( ). He makes his final decision based off of his wife s convincing argument. He puts aside all of his own thoughts due to his wife s great influence on him. Macbeth decides to kill King Duncan with Lady Macbeth s plan. With her great machinations and reasonable words, Lady Macbeth successfully persuades her husband to commit the crime without backing out. Since Macbeth changed his mind due to his wife s words, Lady Macbeth has the greatest influence on him. Overall, the three evil witches play a role in influencing Macbeth through their plausible foreshadowing. Their words start Macbeth s ambitious thoughts. Likewise, his own qualities of compassion and aspiration drive him to consider all his decisions. Macbeth s zeal for power pushes him to kill while his empathetic nature pulls him back. Yet, Lady Macbeth has the greatest power and control in manipulating Macbeth. Her role as a wife of a general and a member of a household in Macbeth is very different compared to the typical families in this era. With her headstrong attitude and charismatic aura, her influence on Macbeth is greater than anyone in his life, including himself. 10th Caitlin Phan 3

82 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Business Letter to Rolling Stone Owen Weismiller Grade 10 Honors English December 5, Riding Center Drive Chantilly, VA December 5, 2015 Jann Wenner, Publisher Rolling Stone 1290 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY Dear Mr. Wenner: I am writing to address my grievances with your Best Albums of Although I agree with a few of the selections, such as Kendrick Lamar s To Pimp a Butterfly at the number one spot, I find most of the choices and their placements to be tasteless, ignorant, and somewhat offensive. Multiple choices show a blatant disregard for artistry and seem to be an attempt to please a specific type of person. My time is valuable, and I often spend it reading your articles; however, you have singlehandedly wasted over 30 minutes of my time. On the night of November 30, 2015, I decided to reference your 2015 list in order to relax and enjoy an appreciation of this year s best artists. I scrolled eagerly through the webpage, the shock of disbelief slowly creeping onto my face. I began hoping desperately to find some eventual reconciliation for the increasingly depraved choices and placements found on your list. I found none. 10th Owen Weismiller 1

83 Instead, I was forced to endure a vain 30 minutes of reading ridiculous reviews of possibly some of the worst albums of this year, perhaps generation. As a musician and a lover of music, I find it insulting that one of the most beautiful albums of this decade, Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell, was shamefully excluded from the list. As I said before, I often enjoy reading reviews and lists on your website; however, I will not be referencing anything from your website again unless significant changes are made. As a magazine and website that reviews and ranks music, I would hope that you start focusing on artistic value rather than trying to make the majority of readers content. Although Carrie and Lowell is not a very popular record, it was second only to To Pimp a Butterfly in artistic talent and honest beauty. I hope your magazine and website will not miss an album like this again. Sincerely, Owen Weismiller 10th Owen Weismiller 2

84 11 th GRADE COURSES and TEACHERS A.P. LANGUAGE and COMPOSITION Susan Nigro HONORS ENGLISH Joyce Kim Darla Woods ACADEMIC ENGLISH Tyler Anderson Sean Curry Josefa Garcia

85 The Driving Force: What Motivates Human Behavior? Christian Europa Grade 11 Honors English December 2015 Energy is the ability to work; everything has it. Whether it is energy being stored, or energy that is being used, every object has the potential to turn energy into an action. Now, this is a very simple concept to put into simple things, but what about people? What drives humanity as a whole, what forces every individual to work instead of letting energy fester? The first question never concerns the action (i.e. Why is the nail in the tree? ); what really matters is what tool actually drove it in. All things considered, it may seem that the individual is motivating itself toward a specific goal, however, that does not always provide the true intent. However unlikely it may seem, it is not always the choice of the individual itself that causes the action. In many cases, the action is taken in order to avoid an outcome, like a fear of a consequence. Fear is the most dominant force that motivates human behavior because we naturally want to avoid as many negative consequences as possible. Hysteria is the uncontrollable outburst of fear that often overrides rationality, and when it subdues an entire population, every household cannot help but throw out logic and fend for itself. In The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, it is evident that motivations that make the people of Salem afraid easily motivate them more than logical affairs. Throughout the play, the possibility of witchcraft in the community is a looming threat that is enough to frighten the community, allowing for some to take advantage of the situation by making normally absurd accusations. In fact, the only grounds for incrimination are the testimonies of a group of teenage girls who claim to be able to see the witches that hide in the population. One of the many 11th Christian Europa 1

86 plagued by false accusations is the Proctor family. When John Proctor s wife is arrested by the court, he exclaims, We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! (Miller ). Proctor understands that as a group of children, the girls are not necessarily the most trustworthy source when it comes to determining who lives and dies, as he views them as a very biased jury. This seems like common sense at first, but what is truly interesting is how the entire population of Salem does not question this. The hysteria, resulting from the witch scare, makes room for bigotry in the place of justice, which displays that in this particular situation, fear was able to break down the authority of Salem s entire judiciary system. Evidently, the dread of even the slightest chance of a witch infestation influences the town much more than logic. Likewise, when any population is afraid enough, it is much more difficult to get them to change their actions, even when supported by facts. The strength of fear also shows daily in reality, particularly in the clash between appeals of terror and the drastically different appeals of compassion. For example, one of the currently debated topics in Congress is the Syrian Refugee Crisis, or rather, whether or not the United States should allow the terrorized Syrian refugees immigrate to American soil. The simplest answer would be to allow them to enter, as an individual s compassion would encourage the help of others that are afraid, especially those who are affected by terrorist groups such as ISIS. However, it is noted in the Guardian article, Syrian refugees in America: separating fact from fiction in the debate, that more than half of the US s governors have said they will no longer provide placement for Syrian refugees, arguing that they pose too great a risk to national security. The American governors resist their compassion in favor of what they believe is in the 11th Christian Europa 2

87 best interest for their people, since they believe that opening up their cities to refugees also makes them vulnerable to potential terrorists. In this case, it seems that the described terrorists have lived up to their namesake, as they have terrorized the populace of various countries enough to cause a fear that overtakes other emotions. Certainly, terrorists are able to manipulate emotions in a way, as they appeal to the government s desire to avoid damage to its country, which plainly has more of an influence than its sympathy. Their utilization of panic as a weapon attacks from all fronts, causing fear in both the citizens of Syria and those of other countries where the Syrians seek refuge. Terrorists find victory in horror, as it is perfectly able to cause conflict between somewhat neutral groups. Unfortunately, the capability of fear to outweigh our morals is just what makes terrorist tactics so effective. Now, it is unmistakable that fear has massive motivational power, but it is important to recognize that its influence comes from a psychological root in human nature. Whether it is the threat of being corrupted by witches or being harmed by malevolent extremists, the use of this negative variety of motivation is very prevalent in culture. It is even used in simple advertisement likes anti smoking ads or dirt slinging campaign announcements. In all these examples, negative motivation is being used to dissuade audiences with fear, and it is so effective at changing opinions. In a study by the American Psychological Association on the effectiveness of negative encouragement, it is stated that fear appeals are particularly effective when the communication depicts relatively high amounts of fear and stresses severity and susceptibility. In turn, the participating psychologists theorized that presenting a fear appeal more than doubles the probability of change relative to not presenting anything or presenting a low fear appeal (Albaraccin et al). Humans naturally react more actively to negative 11th Christian Europa 3

88 motivations as opposed to the positive, and it seems to derive from a human s sense of self preservation. In a primitive sense, this can be demonstrated by the concept of eating to survive. Living beings need to eat, because if they do not, then they experience hunger or the threat of starvation, so they feel the need to feed. Inversely, if organisms solely ate to make themselves grow and with no threat of a negative feeling, then there would be much less encouragement. It is instinctive to respond more to fear when presented along with a positive emotion like logic or compassion, as fear indicates a bigger threat to an individual than not acting on positive emotion; this is because the survivalist mentality creates the desire to cut losses. In other words, humans uniformly act more to avoid consequences rather than to gain. The famous author H.P. Lovecraft once said, The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown, in order to justify the appeal of the horror genre of his time. However, what he did not realize is that he also provided the basis of one of the greatest motivations of human reaction. People are easily prompted to avoid consequences they find alarming or unpleasant, and unfortunately, this is often used against them. When making decisions, fear can be wielded to manipulate or change beliefs. Its power can even turn groups against each other or discourage the use of logic or empathy, but despite where the fear comes from or what it causes, humans can either let it destroy them, or learn from it. The first step to understanding the actions of a person is to understand their driving force. 11th Christian Europa 4

89 Works Cited Gambino, Lauren. Syrian Refugees in America: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Debate. The Guardian. Guardian News, 19 Nov Web. 15 Dec Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. The Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, Tannenbaum M, Wilson K, Abarracin D, et al. Appealing to Fear: A Meta Analysis of Fear Appeal Effectiveness and Theories. Psychological Bulletin. 15 Dec th Christian Europa 5

90 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Morals vs. Survival: Can Morals Survive Catastrophe? Sri Jayakumar Grade 11 Honors English April 12, 2016 Survival, it s selfish, and it s dark, and we ve always been a species willing to do anything to satisfy our needs (Caine). Morals are essential for humanity s growth. They bring people together and allow society to develop and prosper. It can motivate people to do what is best for people as a whole. Morals keep people in check and play a significant role in protecting and helping society. But, what happens when morals are challenged by catastrophe? Morals cannot survive catastrophe because the need for survival overpowers morals due to the simple nature of humans. Morals do not survive catastrophe because when one s family is threatened, one has to give up morals in order to protect them. For example, in the television series The Walking Dead, the main characters start off as a moral group that vows to never harm humans, only walkers, or zombies. The leader, Rick Grimes, a renowned sheriff, wakes up from a coma into a world of walkers. He finds a group of survivors and eventually takes leadership. The first act he establishes is that [they] don t kill the living (Darabont). Rick begins his life in this new world as the classic good guy. He is careful not to break any of his morals and tries to resolve human conflicts without violence. He begins his transformation from a hero to an anti hero when a woman from the group, Carol, loses her daughter, Sophia. Initially there is hope when Carol spots a Cherokee rose and Daryl says, The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land, on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much cause they were losing their little ones along the way. [ ] So the elders, they sent a 11th Sri Jayakumar 1

91 prayer, asked for a sign to uplift the mother s spirts [ ] The next day this rose started to grow right where the mother s tears fell. [ ] I believe, this one is bloomin for your little girl (Darabont). This quote highlights the hope the group felt, especially Rick, for finding Sophia. But this hope turns into anguish when they find zombie Sophia in a barn full of walkers. This breaks Rick and he knows that the only thing he can do here is shoot Sophia to end her misery. When he feels his transformation taking place he says, I m not the good guy anymore (Darabont). To protect the group he must change his rules and kill the living. This final catastrophe is what changes Rick s beliefs and leads him down an amoral path. Morals are overcome when oneself and one s family is in danger. Another reason morals cannot survive catastrophe is that they are a product of intelligence and when isolated from society, base emotions are expressed and they displace the formal order that humans establish in the community. For example, in The Lord of the Flies, a group of boys are stranded on an island after their plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean. At first, the boys act logically and elect a leader, Ralph, to keep order. But, as the novel progresses, the boys become terrified of an imaginary beast that lurks on the island. This beast symbolizes the primitive emotions within the boys themselves and it introduces the degradation of their morals. When the lead hunter Jack first heard about the beast the narrator says, The madness came into his eyes again. I thought I might kill (Golding 70). Considering the boys are around twelve years old, this psychotic thought that Jack felt was definitely the result of being stranded on the island. This catastrophe makes the boys fear for their survival causing them to undergo a transformation that makes them more violent and amoral. The boys finally lose all sense of their morals when, during a feast, the boys are performing a chant and another kid, Simon, stumbles 11th Sri Jayakumar 2

92 from the shadows into the middle of the chant. Suddenly, the boys start attacking him and there were no words, no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws (Golding 219). This violent, ritualistic murder of their own friend showcases the extent at which the boys have changed since they first arrived at the island. Similarly, in the article Post Disaster Looting: Loose Morals or Survival Instincts? the author explores how people in the aftermath of a catastrophe are desperate, and therefore decide to go against their morals and loot. For example, after a strong earthquake hit Chile in 2010 reports of looting were quick to follow, with officials needing to instigate curfews and dispatch thousands of troops to ease what Chile s President Michelle Bachelet called the pillage and criminality throughout the region (Rettner). This suggests that people abandon their moral sense after a catastrophe and loot any essentials that they need. This shows the selfish tendencies of people after a major catastrophe. Morals cannot survive catastrophe because primitive emotions overpower them. Another reason why morals deteriorate when catastrophe strikes is when authority is removed, society gets thrown into chaos because people feel betrayed. For example, in The Dark Knight Rises, Gotham is thrown into chaos when the city learns the truth behind Harvey Dent. They believed that he was a hero and he symbolized greatness, but it is revealed that that he was actually a criminal and that Batman took the blame for the crimes Dent committed. This caused chaos to spread across the city. The streets were roaming with military vehicles, society broke down, and the rich were targeted and persecuted. A pivotal scene that showcased the atrophy of morals was when the poor put the rich on trial the judge says, Your guilt has been determined. This is merely a sentence hearing. Now, what will it be? Death or exile? (Nolan). This quote reveals the harsh nature that currently exists in Gotham. Rich people do not get a chance to prove 11th Sri Jayakumar 3

93 their innocence and are condemned no matter what. Even worse is that they decide their own fate: death or exile. The twist is that if a person chooses exile they are forced to walk underneath the bridge, connecting Gotham to other places, on fragile frozen water. This savagery only exists because of the removal of an authority figure. Morals cannot survive when an authority figure is removed because they guide society into following important morals that keep people in check. In contrast, others believe that morals can survive catastrophe because people instinctively fight for what is right. For example in The Crucible, John Proctor is accused of being involved in witchcraft by Abigail Williams. In reality, John is innocent but the town is in such chaos that the judge is blinded by Abigail s lies and sentences John to death. Before he is hanged, he signs a paper admitting that he is a witch but when Danforth, the judge, asks for the paper back John refuses to give it back because he says, Because it is my name! [ ] Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! [ ] I have given you my soul, leave me my name! DANFORTH: If [this document] is a lie [ ] I cannot keep you from the rope. [ ] Proctor tears the paper and crumples it (Miller 60). This quotation supposedly shows the sacrifice John makes because he chooses death and tears up the paper that could save his life. But in reality, John only does this for selfish reasons. He says Because it is my name numerous times because he does not want his name to be tainted. This shows that underneath John s altruistic act he is actually acting on selfish feelings. Morals cannot survive when catastrophe strikes because the basic nature of humans overrules the power of morality, when humans feel the need to protect themselves and their family, when people are isolated, and their guidance is taken away. Without society, there can be 11th Sri Jayakumar 4

94 no morals. But, if mankind can overcome their primitive nature, maybe people can be altruistic even when disaster strikes. 11th Sri Jayakumar 5

95 Works Cited Gimple, Scott M. "Pretty Much Dead Already." The Walking Dead. Dir. Michelle MacLaren. AMC. 27 Nov Television. Golding, William. Lord of Flies. London: Faber and Faber, Print. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Viking, Print. Nolan, Christopher, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Jonathan Nolan, Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine. The Dark Knight Rises. Burbank, CA: Distributed by Warner Home Video, Rettner, Rachael. "Post Disaster Looting: Loose Morals or Survival Instincts?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, Web. 02 Apr th Sri Jayakumar 6

96 What Irritates me! Trevor LeMaster Grade 11 Academic English September 30, 2015 Have you ever judged a book by its cover? Have you ever done that to a person? Assuming they aren t good at something because of how they look? This happens to me on a regular basis. People look at me and think that everything will be challenging for me because of a disability. They believe that, because I have a prosthetic leg, I am not very good at physical activities and need assistance. I understand that some people are trying to be polite and helpful, but it really isn t. I am the only one that knows my limitations; they don t even exist in most cases. I am in very good shape, and when someone tells me I can t do something or underestimates me, it motivates me to push past my limitations to prove them wrong. This happens quite often in wrestling. When wrestlers see an athlete warming up with one leg they say to themselves, This is going to be an easy match. I have seen it happen dozens of times. The moment that first whistle blows and we start wrestling, however, I do whatever it takes to prove them wrong. If you underestimate me, I will work harder to prove you wrong. A wrestler named Sam, who goes to a school in our county, underestimated me, and he regretted it. We were at the Loudoun County Championships, the second tournament of the wrestling season. Of course, Sam and I were in the same conference so we were going to have to wrestle each other multiple times. Well, when he saw me he noticeably overlooked me. He walked over to me at the beginning of the tournament before the first round even started. He came over with his overconfident, swagger walk; the pride he was carrying was so heavy it was hurting his back. 11th Trevor LeMaster 1

97 He was a tallish, pale kid with goofy flipping whitish, blonde hair. He looked like he had just moved from California: he had a surfer look to him. When he reached me, he looked me over up and down. After he was done checking me out as if I was some sorta smokin hot girl, he asked with a big, arrogant smirk on his face, what weight are you? I answered back with a confident tone as though I had just been challenged, 106, how about you? He answered back, Same. I had to cut to get this weight, though, so...you know... In wrestling, that is probably one of the most arrogant ways to answer that question because you are insinuating that you are bigger and stronger than others at your weight. He continued to ask me questions about how I had done last season and how I am doing this season. I answered all of the questions truthfully, but with each answer, I had an uncaring, disinterested tone of voice. I never like to talk to my opponents at any time in a match; it just seems weird to me, especially if they think they are better than me. He finally walked away and wished me good luck, but I could tell it wasn t a genuine gesture. I decided right then and there that I was going to beat that little poser; not just beat him, I wanted to embarrass him. In the semi finals of the tournament we faced off for the first time, and it was a good match. I ended up beating him like I didn t embarrass him like I had hoped, but I controlled the match and kept it the way I wanted it. He was a good wrestler, the best I had faced to that point in the season. As the final whistle blew and we stood to shake hands I could see his eyes drop like when a quarterback hangs his head in shame after making a bad throw and the ball just drops to the ground. He was too ashamed and embarrassed to look me in the eye after the match, but I wasn t satisfied with letting him score that many points on me. I knew we were going to wrestle at least two more times after that, so I told myself that was going to be the closest match 11th Trevor LeMaster 2

98 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School we would wrestle. It was. Later that season I beat him in our dual meet 9 2. We faced off again in the Conference Finals and I beat him The most satisfying win of all, however, came at the regional tournament. We were both 3 1 going into the consolation semifinals. The winner would advance to the state tournament while the loser would go home with nothing. I was overconfident; I thought I would just walk all over him like I had done throughout the entire season; however, he was wrestling with purpose and with passion. At the end of the 1st period, it was only 2 1; I was barely in the lead. I started to get frustrated because I wasn t beating him by as much as I had thought I would be at that point. I made a stupid mistake at the very end of the 1st period that almost got me taken down; that would ve made the score 3 1 in his favor, but luckily time ran out before that could happen. At the start of the second period, I was disappointed in myself, but instead of getting mad and making stupid mistakes, I just worked harder. I had won the coin flip and deferred, and he wisely chose bottom. He was usually able to get away after 30 seconds or so. Not today, not this match, not the match that I was waiting for all season long. As soon as that whistle blew, I had a mindset that I was going to pin him this period and achieve my goal of making the state tournament. I broke him down, grabbed a wrist and faked my go to move, a tilt. I had hit it on him probably a dozen times by that point in the season, and he defended it as I had anticipated, leaving his right side open for a half nelson. I jumped sides swiftly like a cheetah changing positions to bring down its prey. Simultaneously, I threw my arm in hard below his arm and behind his head, thrusting all the force and pressure I could onto his head. He flopped over onto his back like a cow being tipped over. He was fighting hard, but there was no way I was going to let him roll back over to his stomach. I held him there for about 20 seconds, squeezing 11th Trevor LeMaster 3

99 as if he were an orange and I wanted orange juice. The whistle finally blew, and the referee s hand slapped the mat. I jumped up like a kangaroo, throwing my fist up in the air. Overjoyed with pride and relief, I knelt back down and thanked God. He slowly made his way off the mat to stand back up. His eyes sank back down to the mat like a sinking ship. We shook hands and the ref raised my arm. I had done it; not only had I beaten him in the most important match of both of our young careers, but I had also clinched a spot in the State Tournament. No one has the right to judge me and tell me that I cannot do something because of my disability. If someone tells me I might have trouble hiking up a mountain with them, I am going to do everything I can to prove them wrong. It s who I am; it s who I was raised to be. I was raised as if I didn t have a disability, so in my mind I do not. People do not have the right to tell me about my limitations; they don t know them. I can do whatever most people can do and, in many cases, I can do more. I have no respect for anyone who is arrogant and judges someone based off of their physical appearance. You never know what someone s heart holds, which is the most important characteristic of all. 11th Trevor LeMaster 4

100 Ruskin Timed Write Response Hunter McCluer Grade 11 AP Language and Composition April 15, 2016 Prompt: Passage from critic John Ruskin, circa 1860, arguing that it is right to give precedence to the soldier rather than to the merchant or manufacturer. The student must evaluate Ruskin s argument. In this piece John Ruskin argues that soldiers are held in higher esteem by society not because they are willing to kill, but because they are willing to die. And this is right. Ruskin s main point of contention is that merchants and manufacturers are not willing to give up their own lives. As human beings we are naturally afraid of death, so those willing to face their own mortality, to die daily, are vaunted as courageous and heroic. And rightly so. The opposition to soldiering state that it is impeaceable and irrational. Soldiers feed war, as David Rivas Rios put it. However, they are often portrayed as young lives sent to their deaths by an unfeeling government. If anything feeds war, it is politics. Soldiers are simply riding the spoon. The Vietnam Conflict is an excellent example of this. Thousands upon thousands of young men were snuffed from existence in the jungles of Vietnam in a war that experts knew to be unwinnable. It was driven by shame and ideology: we can t back down now. It s cowardly. The young men sent to kill and die were hated violently by the society that shipped them to their deaths. But the soldiers were only the messengers of destruction, tools of war. Just 11th Hunter McCluer 1

101 bodies, sometimes living and sometimes not. What the people of America didn t yet understand was that to lay in a rice field in an alien country and come face to face with the fragility of a person, to remove someone from existence or be removed yourself, is one hell of a thing. United States veterans have a higher suicide rate than any other group. That fact should be appalling to every American, soldier or otherwise. And this is where the distinction between soldier and merchant solidifies. Merchants and manufacturers may devote their entire lives to a craft or passion, but soldiers give theirs up. The freedoms we enjoy are paid for in human lives. That is not something to be taken lightly. This is why those who have died for a cause are so highly vaunted, not only soldiers. Your own life is the most you can give. 11th Hunter McCluer 2

102 The Rhetoric of Ideas: Analyzing Rhetoric in The Myth of the Gay Agenda by LZ Granderson Brynne Raba Grade 11 Honors English October 2015 LZ Granderson is many things. He is a father. He is a husband. He is a journalist. And he is gay. One word can automatically change many people s opinions on a person; they would no longer see him as that man who lives across the street or that man who was on TV, but as that gay man. Today, Granderson could very likely be evicted from his home or fired from his job simply because he is a part of the LGBT+ community. As quoted from his TED talk, there was a time in which people who were black couldn't have [equal] rights; this contributes to the idea that social issues have the tendency of repeating themselves within different groups of people. Granderson touches on these topics and much more in his TED talk. An analysis of his speech shows that he uses ethos, pathos, and logos to communicate that discrimination and negativity towards the LGBT+ community needs to end, and that the LGBT+ community wants nothing more than to exist with the same rights as everyone else. Granderson s use of ethos helps to eliminate any potential tension in the audience. For example, the sole fact that he is gay builds credibility with the audience; if Granderson was a straight man talking about LGBT+ rights he would not seem very trustworthy on the subject. When talking about his fifteen year old son, Granderson says, I would like to think, as his father and he lives with me primarily that he's a good boy, a respectful young man. I would like to think that I've proven to be a capable father. Many people truly believe that LGBT+ individuals such as Granderson are incapable of properly caring for and/or loving their own 11th Brynne Raba 1

103 children; this disproves that notion. Many people also believe that children of LGBT+ parents are different from children raised by straight parents, but Granderson eliminates that idea as well when he shows pictures of his son s messy room (a typical aspect of the modern teenager s life), tells the audience that his son has a 4.0, and that he is starting a new club at school...he's a budding track star...he volunteers...[and] he prays before he eats. By saying this, Granderson disproves the argument that children of LGBT+ parents grow up and behave differently than those raised by straight parents. He also uses this strategy when he talks about his partner, Steve. He tells a pleasant story about how Steve proposed to him, and this shows that their relationship isn t any different than a heterosexual one. This is included because he wants the audience to wonder why his relationship should be seen as unacceptable when it is no different than that of a heterosexual couple. Towards the end of Granderson s TED talk, he practically admits that he has to establish a false sense of trust with the audience. He says, I figured if I made it funny, you wouldn't be as threatened. I figured if I was a bit irreverent, you wouldn't find it serious. Granderson is basically telling the audience that he had to use pathos in order for them to listen open mindedly; his use of humor and irreverence help to make those who may be opposed to his argument more comfortable and willing to listen. Granderson s speech relies mostly on pathos, as evidenced by his extensive use of sarcasm and humor. For example, he tells the audience that he is going to share with them the evil things that the LGBT+ community does, and proceeds to say things like, I drink coffee. Not only do I drink coffee, but I know other gay people who drink coffee and I get stuck in traffic. Evil, evil traffic. Granderson relies heavily on sarcastic humor, but he also uses coldly truthful statements. As stated in the previous paragraph, if he had not incorporated pathos into 11th Brynne Raba 2

104 his TED talk, the audience would be much less likely to pay attention and much more likely to be offended. Some of his more ethos oriented statements also use pathos, such as the story about him and Steve. If the story had been told by a straight person about their straight partner, it would be seen as cute or sweet. Granderson s inclusion of this story makes the audience wonder why his relationship is seen as unacceptable if it is no different than a heterosexual one. The discriminatory attitudes that many people have towards the LGBT+ community are also emphasized when Granderson says, Anybody in love out there? You might be gay. Because I, too, am in love and apparently that s part of the gay lifestyle that I warned you about. His sarcasm and humor help lighten the mood so that the audience will be more open minded. This particular statement, however, uses logos as well. Granderson implies that the audience s logical thoughts would be that if someone is in love, and being in love is part of the gay lifestyle, then that person must be gay. This has an almost unsettling effect on the audience because people tend to want to disassociate themselves from anything that could be seen as gay. For example, the phrase no homo is often heard in everyday conversation, because people feel that being LGBT+ is a bad thing and they feel the need to consistently establish their heterosexuality. Granderson s speech makes the audience wonder why people do that, and it helps them realize that it should not happen. Logos is also seen in Granderson s use of statistics and maps. He shows a map of the United States, in which some of the states are shaded in, and explains that in all the states where there is no shading people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered can be kicked out of their apartments for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered...that's the only reason that a landlord needs to have them removed because there's no protection from discrimination of LGBT 11th Brynne Raba 3

105 people. He includes this because, although it is shocking, it is true, and he wants to invoke a sense of empathy and a desire for change within the audience. Similar to Mary Fisher s speech on the epidemic of AIDS, Granderson compares the discrimination of LGBT+ community members to historical events. He says, There was a time in which people who were black couldn't have [equal] rights. He makes this comparison because racism is also a long standing problem in society, and because the LGBT+ community is facing some of the same injustices that people of color are. Both communities have faced injustices and negativity for centuries, and although it has gotten better, the discrimination is nowhere near gone. Granderson also quotes the fourteenth amendment to the US Constitution when he explains that the LGBT+ community simply wants to be treated like full citizens, and he talks about modern, real world events such as President Obama openly saying that he supports marriage equality. Granderson s use of ethos, pathos, and logos help to avoid a potentially hostile audience and to emphasize his views in general. His main source of credibility is the sole fact that he himself is gay; if a heterosexual person gave a speech on LGBT+ rights it would seem fake, or even obnoxious. He extensively uses sarcasm and humor to make the audience more comfortable (although, if Granderson s goals were achieved, that wouldn t be necessary), and he uses maps and quotes to further emphasize his point. The underlying meaning in Granderson s TED talk is that, in a perfect world, his speech wouldn t even be necessary because people would see each other as human beings and nothing more or less. In a perfect world, people would be able to stay in their homes and jobs regardless of sexuality or gender identity. In a perfect world, people would be allowed to change themselves according to what gender (or lack thereof) suits them best. In a perfect world, trans men, trans women, and non binary individuals would not be 11th Brynne Raba 4

106 harassed for using whichever restroom they identify best with. A perfect world does not and cannot exist; perfection is based on opinion and, therefore, is nothing more than a concept. Despite this, Granderson is calling for humanity to do something about its injustices. It is not enough for people to come and listen to a TED talk; they will leave in support of LGBT+ rights, yet they won t do anything about it. Granderson is calling for us to continue to fight and ultimately change the world, one imperfection, one injustice, one community at a time. 11th Brynne Raba 5

107 Works Cited Granderson, LZ. (2012, May). The Myth of the gay agenda [Video file]. Retrieved from URL 11th Brynne Raba 6

108 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School The Psychology of Creepiness: Big Question Essay, What Makes Something Creepy? Brandon Smith Grade 11 Honors English April 2016 Imagine being alone in a house on a rainy night, and suddenly hearing tapping noises coming from a nearby window. We experience a wide array of emotions: sadness, happiness, and anger just to name a few basic emotions. One of the most intriguing emotions people experience, however, is the feeling of creepiness. Creepiness is a unique feeling that, unlike happiness or sadness, has no similar emotion. What exactly defines creepiness, and why do we feel this emotion? Why is it that the sudden tapping from a nearby window causes an uneasy feeling? The tapping could be anything, from a tree branch to someone watching you in the dark. The reason is ambiguity. Ambiguity is the biggest factor that makes something creepy because of the uneasy feeling people get from the uncertainty of a threat or nature of a situation. To understand why people feel creeped out, we must first understand what creepiness actually is and where the word originated from. Although the feeling of the creeps has been around since the beginning of mankind, the first use of the term is credited to Charles Dickens. Dickens, in his 1849 novel David Copperfield, described creepiness to mean an unpleasant, tingly chill up the spine. In the years after the book, creepy was used to describe something that causes unease (McRobbie). A Google Ngram search shows the instance of the word increasing dramatically since about 1860 (Google Ngram Viewer). Since this first use of the creeps, the definition of creepiness has been blurred over the past century. 11th Brandon Smith 1

109 AETOS Academic Journal of Freedom High School Creepiness is not caused by the same things that make something scary ; it is caused by a completely different reason: ambiguity. Ambiguity means uncertainty or vagueness. According to an article by Dr. Frank McAndrew, creepiness is anxiety aroused by the ambiguity of whether there is something to fear, and/or by the ambiguity of the precise nature of the threat sexual, physical violence, or contamination, for example that might be present. One of the most common examples of something that is creepy is a mask. Masks conceal the facial expression of whoever is wearing it. This causes our brains to feel ambiguous about the person s intentions, making us feel disturbed. A good example of this phenomenon can be seen in a picture of two people wearing masks that unintendedly cause an uneasy feeling due to the ambiguous nature of the photograph (Solka). Masks cause uneasiness by concealing the user s face to hide emotion, but why do people get creeped out by clowns, who generally do not wear masks? Clowns are creepy to many people, yet they do not have their face concealed, so why are so many people afraid of clowns? Krystal D Costa says in her article about the fear of clowns: Clowns aren't masked figures, but their painted faces come close. With face and neck covered in white or pink or tan makeup and exaggerated features drawn in red and black, these characters are instantly recognizable as troublesome. The fluidity of their dress may actually contribute to why they make so many people uneasy. The article also includes a quote by Claude Levi Strauss about facial disguise. Strauss says "The facial disguise temporarily eliminated from social intercourse that part of the body through which, people have long believed, the individual's personal feelings and attitudes are revealed or can be deliberately communicated to others. The face is the organ by which self and society carry on the largest portion of the communication in which they engage, not only 11th Brandon Smith 2

110 linguistic communication but paralinguistic as well." This means that any facial disguise can create the same disturbing effect masks do. Creepiness through the nature and atmosphere of a situation is also a common cause of the creeps. In Solka s photograph, not only are the facial expressions of the people concealed to create ambiguity, but the picture itself is dark and gloomy, giving off an unsettling atmosphere. In fact, darkness itself makes things more creepy because not only does darkness create a gloomy atmosphere, but it also creates ambiguity. We do not know what is at the end of a dark tunnel or a deep underwater abyss, which is why these structures are seen as creepy. The atmosphere is also why people can get creeped out just by the music in a scary movie due to the nature of the situation. An interesting point is that not only can the music in a situation induce creepiness, but the lack of music can also induce creepiness. For example, during a happy scene in a movie with children playing and uplifting music, the music suddenly dies off. This change suggests that something is about to happen, and causes ambiguity just by this change of atmosphere. A common misconception is that creepy and scary are synonyms, but they are very different. Creepiness is a unique feeling that should not be used interchangeably with emotions such as scary. A good example of the difference between creepy and scary can be seen in Stephen King s fiction novel, The Shining, which has also been adapted into a movie directed by Stanley Kubrick. In this novel, a family is taking care of a hotel over the winter, and they get trapped in the hotel because of a snowstorm. The main character, Jack, goes crazy from cabin fever and attempts to murder his family. The process of Jack diving into insanity is creepy in this novel because of the ambiguity of his actions. The family is unsure if Jack is a threat or not. 11th Brandon Smith 3

111 Once Jack attacks his family, the atmosphere is no longer viewed as creepy because he is a certain threat, but it is rather viewed as a scary. Another aspect of The Shining that is creepy is in the child, Danny. Danny is revealed to have psychic powers. Throughout the novel and movie, Danny writes REDRUM and says the word multiple times. It is revealed that redrum is murder spelled backward, which makes the audience creeped out because of the abnormality in a child saying murder, and it provides foreshadowing for Jack s intentions. This difference between scary and creepy can also be seen in how people view scary animals. Animals such as snakes and bats are seen more as scary creatures than creepy because these animals have been known to attack people (Schardt). Because people know of and believe in a clear and present danger (even if the danger is a misconception), they will feel scared, but will not be creeped out. This links to the uncertainty principle that defines creepiness. Although scary animals are not creepy, there are creepy animals. Creepy animals consist of animals that may or may not be dangerous just from their appearance. Many insects can seem creepy, including the botfly, the Japanese giant hornet, and the assassin bug (Alford). These insects are called creepy crawlies because of the ambiguity they create. Most people are unsure whether the insect is a threat or not because of its appearance. Although murders are scary, they are usually not creepy. Murder mysteries, however, are creepy. Perhaps the most creepy murder mystery is the case of Elisa Lam, explained in Jean s article on Wereblog. Elisa Lam was a 21 year old student who was found dead in a water tank at the top of the Cecil Hotel. Her body was found 2 weeks after her death only because the hotel started getting complaints about the taste and color of the water. Lam was last seen in a disturbing surveillance video of her acting very strange in an elevator, moving in and out of it 11th Brandon Smith 4

112 and waving her hands as if communicating with someone, although no one was seen with her. What is more of a mystery is how she got into the water tank. The roof of the hotel could only be accessed by a fire escape or a locked door that all would sound alarms, and after getting to the roof, the water tank lid would have been too heavy for her to lift. Even with all of this information, the mystery was still deemed as a suicide, although it is popular belief that her death was no suicide. The creepiness, in this case, is in, yet again, the ambiguity of what caused her death. The two week blank between when she was last seen alive to when she was found dead creates a very creepy mystery (Jean). Scary movies use all aspects of ambiguity and atmosphere to provide their creepy atmosphere. Many creepy movies use masks, such as in Halloween and Friday the 13th in which Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees are masked murderers that show little emotion. Many movies use dolls as creep factors in their movies, such as in Annabelle. Dolls are seen as creepy due to both ambiguity and atmosphere. Dolls are seen as a child s toy, but when dolls are animated into serial killers, the ambiguity of the doll s unchanging face and the atmosphere of what should be childish makes dolls creepy. Perhaps the most popular recurring theme in creepy movies is the use of creepy children, which can also be seen in the film version of The Shining. Children are creepy because they are seen as innocent in the real world. When children do not act the way we know them to act, it can be unsettling, especially if combined with an unsettling atmosphere. Creepiness is a unique feeling caused by ambiguity. The word has meant the same thing since its first use in the 1800s and is one of the most intriguing emotions to understand. Being able to understand creepiness as its own emotion tells us a lot about our human psychology and 11th Brandon Smith 5

113 how we get disturbed from uncertainty. Although creepiness has always been part of human emotion, we have only recently discovered its true cause. The next time a mask, a tap on a window in the middle of the night, or even a creeper watching you from afar seems creepy, know that ambiguity is behind the creeps. 11th Brandon Smith 6

114 Works Cited Alford, Justine. The Most Horrifying (And Awesome) Creepy Crawlies In The World. IFLScience. IFL Science, 14 July Web. 20 Apr Annabelle. Dir. John R. Leonetti. Warner Bros. Pictures, Film. D'Costa, Krystal. "Why Are We Afraid of Clowns." Scientific American. Scientific American Inc., 31 Oct Web. 21 Apr Friday the 13th. Dir. Sean S. Cunningham. Paramount Pictures, Film. Google Ngram Viewer Halloween. Dir. John Carpenter. Compass International Pictures, Film. Jean. "The Creepy True Story Of Elisa Lam: Paranormal, Suicide, Or Murder?" Wereblog. Wereblog, 20 June Web. 21 Apr King, Stephen. The Shining. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Print. McAndrew, Frank T., Ph.D. "How We Decide Who's Creepy." Psychology Today. Psychology Today, 19 May Web. 18 Apr McRobbie, Linda R. "On the Science of Creepiness." Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution, 29 Oct Web. 18 Apr SCHARDT, HANNAH. Scary ANIMALS. (Cover Story). Ranger Rick 48.9 (2014): 6. MAS Ultra School Edition. Web. 18 APr The Shining. Dir. Stanley Kubrick. Warner Bros. Pictures, Film. Solka, Rob. "The Masks Would Then Not Only Scare Away Evil Spirits..." Pinterest. Pinterest, Web. 18 Apr Vsauce. "Why Are Things Creepy?" YouTube. YouTube, 02 July Web. 18 Apr th Brandon Smith 7

115 12 th GRADE COURSES and TEACHERS A.P. LITERATURE and COMPOSITION Katheryn Hans DUAL ENROLLMENT Laura Tornello ACADEMIC ENGLISH Tyler Anderson Jessica Connors Roddy McDaniel

116 Nanotechnological Applications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer Mallika Dammalapati Grade 12 Dual Enrollment April 2016 Abstract Nanoparticles have unique physical, optical, and electrical properties that allow them to be utilized for early cancer detection. Gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes can be used to increase the efficiency of cancer biomarker detection. Nanotechnology has the potential to increase the selectivity and potency of induced cancer cell death, while minimizing collateral toxicity to nonmalignant cells. Nanoparticles, through active, passive, and magnetic targeting are able to provide localized cytotoxicity to cancerous cells. Nanoparticles can also be paired with thermal therapy and photodynamic therapy to provide versatile approaches to cancer cell death. With concentrated research and increased funding for nanotechnological education, nanoparticles have the capability to revolutionize cancer medicine. Index Terms nanomedicine; nanoparticle; cancer biomarkers; gold nanoparticles; quantum dots; carbon nanotubes; active targeting; passive targeting; magnetic targeting I. INTRODUCTION It silently creeps, unknown to the human eye, and gathers its forces. At first, it invades nearby, but then as it grows larger and more powerful, it takes over the whole body, establishing its troops in lives and homes across the world. Its tactics and strategies are well known, yet it wins too often. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leader in cause of death in the United States. The National Vital Statistics Reports shows that cancer is responsible for 25.5% of total deaths in both 2013 and 2014, with 591,699 total US deaths in Apart from its sheer magnitude, cancer is particularly difficult to treat because it 12th Mallika Dammalapati 1

117 is difficult to detect. Researchers working at the National Core Research Center for Systems Bio Dynamics in Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea stress that developing technologies for sensitive and specific cancer detection is of utmost importance when considering that the survival of a cancer patient depends heavily on early detection [1]. Yet another aspect of cancer to consider is its recurrence rates even after extensive treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, even after cancer treatment, there is always still a chance that some cancer cells survived in the body, and current technology is not advanced enough to detect these lingering cells. This being said, cancer nanomedicine opens up vast opportunity for effective early cancer detection and selective and potent approaches for eliciting targeted cancer cell death [2]. Cancer nanomedicine involves nanoparticles (NPs), which are particles with at least one dimension falling within nm [3]. With a plethora of applications and uses, nanotechnology harbors immense promise for the fight against cancer. II. CANCER DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS With any fight, the logical step is to stop it before it even progresses. Different nanoparticles have unique properties that can be utilized from cancer imaging. To understand how nanoparticles play a part in cancer detection, biomarkers must be defined. A biomarker can be a protein, a fragment of a protein, DNA, or RNA based and it is an indicator of a biological state of disease [1]. Thus, cancer biomarkers can be used to detect and verify the existence of a specific type of cancer in a person. Nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, and nanowires, are being studied as effective methods of sensing cancer biomarkers [4]. A. Gold Nanoparticles 12th Mallika Dammalapati 2

118 Gold Nanoparticles (GNPs), in particular, are being studied intensively because of their unique optical properties. According to Dr. Gang Bao and Dr. Sheng Tong, members of Rice University s department of bioengineering, and Dr. Samir Mitragotri, a member of the department of chemical engineering at the University of California, these optical properties of gold nanoparticles arise from what is know as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) [3]. LSPR is what allows GNPs to absorb and scatter light so well, which is what forms the basis for gold nanoparticle based optical imaging [3]. According to their size and shape, GNPs can absorb and scatter light from the visible to near infrared (NIR) region [1]. Gold nanoparticles that scatter NIR light can provide good contrast for optical coherence tomography, which can be thought of as an optical ultrasound (figure 1)[3]. GNPs have also been found to increase the efficiency of Raman scattering. Raman spectroscopy is an optical technique based on inelastic scattering of light, but one of the main downfalls of current Raman spectroscopy is that inelastic light scattering is not very efficient, which decreases the speed of the technique [5]. In one application, when encoded with Raman reporters and paired with the ScFv antibody that is able to recognize epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a popular biomarker used in cancer targeting, GNPs are able to act as tags for cancerous cells (figure 2). Essentially, GNPs are acting to make Raman spectroscopy a viable in vivo or in vitro cancer detection method. These GNPs with the ScFv antibody allowed for detection of small tumors (0.03 cm 3 ) at penetration depth of 1 2 cm, showing the immense efficiency they harbor [1]. GNPs fall seamlessly into the world of cancer imaging and detection through their unique light absorption and scattering abilities. 12th Mallika Dammalapati 3

119 Figure 1. Dr. Raghuraman Kannan, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Missouri and his team use gold nanorods attached to a biomolecule that recognizes epidermal growth factors (EGF) receptors to scatter light when viewed under a lighted microscope [1]. Figure 2. Antibody conjugated GNPs used for cancer cell detection B. Quantum Dots 12th Mallika Dammalapati 4

120 Similar to GNPs, quantum dots (QDs) also have unique optical properties that allow them to aid in cancer detection. Unlike GNPs however, QDs get their optical properties as the result of quantum confinement of valence electrons at nanometer scales [1]. QDs are essentially semiconducting, light emitting nanocrystals [3]. QDs can be used as signal amplifying agents in ultrasensitive cancer biomarker detection. In one study, SiO2 particles coated with QDs increased the sensitivity for the detection of alpha fetoproteins (AFPs), biomarkers associated with germ cell ovarian cancer [1]. QDs are what are known as fluorophores, meaning they absorb photons of light and then re emit longer wavelength photons. But compared to organic fluorophores, QDs have a narrow emission peak and a wide absorption spectra ranging from UV to visible wavelengths [3]. A QDs wavelength emission is related to its size, meaning an array of QDs can be made that are excited by a certain wavelength of light, such as UV light, but emit a specific wavelength. This allows for multicolor fluorescence imaging; in one application, QDs have been integrated into nano bio chips (NBCs) for detecting multiple cancer biomarkers at once [1]. C. Carbon Nanotubes Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have a variety of advantages that allow them to be implemented in similar, as well as different ways as GNPs and QDs. CNTs can be used to sense biomarkers electrochemically; this is because the conductance of the semiconducting CNT changes when biomolecules are adsorbed on the walls. This causes changes in the local electrostatic environment [1]. Another advantage to CNTs is that they can be used for label free detection of cancer biomarkers. Label free detection means that CNTs can recognize different biomarkers without additional label molecules being added. CNTs can be incorporated into electrochemical 12th Mallika Dammalapati 5

121 biosensors, which can detect cancerous cells. Furthermore, chemical modification of CNTs has proven to be an effective way to create very selective biosensors [6]. In one application of label free detection, CNTs form the conducting channel in a CNT field effect transistor (FET) based biosensor and interact with introduced analytes [1]. This interaction with analytes, which in this case was a PSA ACT prostate cancer biomarker complex, can be monitored, creating a biosensor. It is also important to note that CNTs can be used in label detection as well, just as GNPs and QDs are, illustrating their wide variety in cancer detection. III. CANCER TREATMENT Although advances in cancer detection will revolutionize cancer medicine, these are only the first steps in the arduous battle against cancer. After detection and diagnosis of cancer comes the treatment. Current cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgery to remove tumors, can be very taxing on a patient, especially considering that cancer cannot ever be completely cured with these methods. Depending on how far along the cancer is, treatment levels can vary in intensity and longevity. Nanotechnology has the potential to increase the effectiveness of cancer cell death, allowing for faster treatment and remission. NPs are generally not inherently cytotoxic, or toxic to living cells. Therefore, according to Dr. William H. Gmeiner and Dr. Supratim Ghosh at the Department of Cancer Biology at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, NPs must alter the chemical or physical environment specifically in the region close to the cancer cell in order to initiate cell death [2]. This can been done through both passive, active, and magnetic targeting. A. Passive Targeting 12th Mallika Dammalapati 6

122 Passive targeting takes advantage of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to increase the concentration of nanoparticles (NPs) in a tumor (figure 3) [2]. Tumor vasculature, or the arrangement of blood vessels, is leaky because malignant cells are not responsive to cell signaling required for orderly vasculogenesis [2]. According to Dr. Rong Tong, a postdoctoral associate at MIT and Dr. Daniel S. Kohane, a professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School, nanomaterial sizes below 100 nm match the length of the openings in leaky tumor vasculature. This allows for what is knows as enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) of nanoparticles (NPs) into tumors [7]. NPs, including multiwalled carbon nanotubes and single walled carbon nanotubes, have been able to localize in tumor tissue via ERP. In one application, gold nanorods were delivered to tumor tissue via the EPR and used to heat the tumor through laser irradiation. After, the anticancer agent ADHGM was delivered to the cancer cells. The ADHGM recognized GRP78, which was upregulated due to the increase in temperature [2]. B. Active Targeting Active targeting allows NPs to localize to malignant cells based on molecular recognition of antigens, frequently proteins, that are expressed on the surfaces of cancer cells (figure 3). Growth factor receptors, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), transferrin, death receptor (DR) complexes, and folate ligand, as well as tumor specific antigens have all been utilized to localize NPs to malignant cells via active targeting [2]. Monoclonal antibodies, small chemical and biological molecules, and nucleic acid aptamers have been used to guide NPs to malignant cells. 12th Mallika Dammalapati 7

123 Figure 3. NP targeting of malignant cells through both active and passive targeting. NPs (green stars) accumulate in tumor tissue via the EPR representing passive targeting. NPs interact with cell surface receptors as indicated by Y star interactions that represent active targeting Once NPs are targeted to malignant cells specifically via passive targeting and/or active targeting, NPs evoke a cytotoxic response in cancer cells through drug release, hyperthermia or thermal ablation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated killing, or other methods [2]. These methods can be used by themselves or in conjunction with each other. The overall benefit to all of these methods is that since NPs evoke cytotoxic responses after very specific active or passive targeting, cancerous cell death can be maximized, while neighboring healthy cells can remain. This is very promising, especially considering cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme, a brain and spine tumor, in which malignant cells are hard to differentiate from nonmalignant cells. 12th Mallika Dammalapati 8