At the end of "The Soloist", I am very happy that this book is a nonfiction. While I don't remember any of the fiction books we've read this year having what I'd call a "happy ending", it's very relieving that the one book we read that deals with real life ends in a tone of hope.
No, Nathaniel is not cured; No, there is no quick fix for paranoid schizophrenia; and no, he didn't somehow regain all of his musical prowess. Yet somehow, this book lets me breathe easy while knowing that none of this is happened and likely impossible. Steve Lopez was an amazing friend to a man he had no business ever meeting, and for that he has made lives all the better. He has gained fame and fortune, and in turn more time with his family, due to his generosity in Nathaniel's case. Nathaniel has shown progress with his illness, has some contact with his family, has regained some of his musical talents, and has many reasons to believe in the people around him. It seems to me that the only thing that can happen from here is improvement.
In conclusion, "The Soloist" was a great book to end the year with. Hopefully Nathaniel continues to regain some of his old self, and I am very happy to have learned his story thanks to Mr. Lopez.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
The Soloist
Through the third selection of "The Soloist" chapters, Steve Lopez's role in Nathaniel's life is turning out to be a lot more beneficial to both than I had previously foreseen.
Nathaniel has come into contact with several experts and others who have taken an interest in his case thanks to Mr. Lopez, and also has a growing base of supporters due to the articles that Mr. Lopez has published in his weekly column. Another huge benefit to Nathaniel is the reception of new instruments. The instruments are helping him regain some degree of control in his life, as he is letting the music take over and he is remembering parts of his old life before the breakdown. Hopefully the resurgence he is experiencing is just the beginning of his recovery, and he will be able to not only improve his music skills, but reach out to his family at some point.
Lopez himself has gotten some unexpected benefits from helping Nathaniel with his illness. Mr. Lopez is amassing a nice amount of money due to the popularity of his articles and his cause, allowing him to spend more time with his family. Also, it seems to me that Nataniel and Steve are becoming best friends in a way. This is a huge payoffs for both of them, and probably very instrumental in Nathaniel's recovery.
In conclusion, I am very happy to say that my second post was filled with an unneeded analysis of the book, and Mr. Lopez's actions have proved to be very beneficial to his new friend Nathaniel Ayers.
Nathaniel has come into contact with several experts and others who have taken an interest in his case thanks to Mr. Lopez, and also has a growing base of supporters due to the articles that Mr. Lopez has published in his weekly column. Another huge benefit to Nathaniel is the reception of new instruments. The instruments are helping him regain some degree of control in his life, as he is letting the music take over and he is remembering parts of his old life before the breakdown. Hopefully the resurgence he is experiencing is just the beginning of his recovery, and he will be able to not only improve his music skills, but reach out to his family at some point.
Lopez himself has gotten some unexpected benefits from helping Nathaniel with his illness. Mr. Lopez is amassing a nice amount of money due to the popularity of his articles and his cause, allowing him to spend more time with his family. Also, it seems to me that Nataniel and Steve are becoming best friends in a way. This is a huge payoffs for both of them, and probably very instrumental in Nathaniel's recovery.
In conclusion, I am very happy to say that my second post was filled with an unneeded analysis of the book, and Mr. Lopez's actions have proved to be very beneficial to his new friend Nathaniel Ayers.
The Soloist
Through the second selection of chapters of "The Soloist", I have come to question Mr. Lopez's actions concerning Nathaniel's health.
At this point in the book, Mr. Lopez has contacted many an expert, psychiatrist, doctor, and leader of mental illness causes. Despite this, he seems to be trying to do it all himself. While I understand that Nathaniel is hard to get close to, it is not impossible. Mr. Lopez himself is proof of this. I think that at this point, with his career and family both needing more attention than he has shown them, Mr. Lopez should have tried to integrate a doctor or some type of expert into Nathaniel's life. If he were to help ease someone who could help into the situation, Mr. Lopez could still be involved while also getting Nathaniel the help he needs, while giving Mr. Lopez more time for the things he has been overlooking. It seems to me that Mr. Lopez might be trying to do this himself, a very unwise decision considering his lack of knowledge and experience in the field of patients with mental illness.
I am hoping that as the book progresses, Mr. Lopez begins to try and bring a doctor into the situation at a careful pace, otherwise I'm not sure Nathaniel will receive any benefit from what is beginning to seem like an unwise experiment.
At this point in the book, Mr. Lopez has contacted many an expert, psychiatrist, doctor, and leader of mental illness causes. Despite this, he seems to be trying to do it all himself. While I understand that Nathaniel is hard to get close to, it is not impossible. Mr. Lopez himself is proof of this. I think that at this point, with his career and family both needing more attention than he has shown them, Mr. Lopez should have tried to integrate a doctor or some type of expert into Nathaniel's life. If he were to help ease someone who could help into the situation, Mr. Lopez could still be involved while also getting Nathaniel the help he needs, while giving Mr. Lopez more time for the things he has been overlooking. It seems to me that Mr. Lopez might be trying to do this himself, a very unwise decision considering his lack of knowledge and experience in the field of patients with mental illness.
I am hoping that as the book progresses, Mr. Lopez begins to try and bring a doctor into the situation at a careful pace, otherwise I'm not sure Nathaniel will receive any benefit from what is beginning to seem like an unwise experiment.
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Soloist
After the first selection of chapters from "The Soloist", I got to thinking about how music seems to help keep people sane. As with Nathaniel Ayers, many people use music as an outlet for whatever might be troubling them. In Nathaniel's case, he has paranoid schizophrenia, but when he performs music he seems to revert to a more peaceful state where he isn't bothered as much by what might be happening around him. In other words, music lets Nathaniel enter his own world.
Looking around the music industry today, there are many examples as to how music helps keep people sane. One of the most obvious examples is Eminem, who has some pretty serious issues with drug abuse and violence. In my opinion, his music helps him just put things into perspective and get things off of his chest, while also letting him to vent some of his craziness in the process. A good portion of his earlier songs discuss his views on life, his tough childhood and upbringing, and his problems with drugs.
Another, lesser known, example is a rapper named Charles Hamilton. He is a very unique and crazed young man, who has issues with self confidence which led to some very serious drug abuse. He has done more drugs than I've even heard of, but he seems to be turning his life around. His songs have been known to show him putting music on a pedestal, oftentimes as giving him a reason in life.
My last example of music keeping people sane is Amy Winehouse. She is a woman with a cavalcade of issues, many of which I can't even name. Her songs are very blunt when it comes to some of her issues, and I suspect thats part of the reason she makes music. Music can be whatever you want it to be, and for Winehouse its just a way for her to put her problems out there.
In conclusion, while Nathaniel Ayers might have paranoid schizophrenia, his reliance on music is not something that hasn't been seen before.
Looking around the music industry today, there are many examples as to how music helps keep people sane. One of the most obvious examples is Eminem, who has some pretty serious issues with drug abuse and violence. In my opinion, his music helps him just put things into perspective and get things off of his chest, while also letting him to vent some of his craziness in the process. A good portion of his earlier songs discuss his views on life, his tough childhood and upbringing, and his problems with drugs.
Another, lesser known, example is a rapper named Charles Hamilton. He is a very unique and crazed young man, who has issues with self confidence which led to some very serious drug abuse. He has done more drugs than I've even heard of, but he seems to be turning his life around. His songs have been known to show him putting music on a pedestal, oftentimes as giving him a reason in life.
My last example of music keeping people sane is Amy Winehouse. She is a woman with a cavalcade of issues, many of which I can't even name. Her songs are very blunt when it comes to some of her issues, and I suspect thats part of the reason she makes music. Music can be whatever you want it to be, and for Winehouse its just a way for her to put her problems out there.
In conclusion, while Nathaniel Ayers might have paranoid schizophrenia, his reliance on music is not something that hasn't been seen before.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Catcher in the Rye
My first impressions of Holden Caulfield are that he is somewhat like myself. This young man is unmotivated to the maximum extent, and is very lazy in all that he does. He doesn’t give any thought to the importance of school, seeing as how he has dropped out of four of them in a matter of years. The only thing he is really concerned about is his mother’s reaction to dropping out of Pencey, which is the only reason he hasn’t headed home yet.
The aspect of Caulfield that is most confusing is the fact he lets other people stand in his way of success. The only reason he doesn’t try to do good in school is because his classmates are all “fake”. Because of this view, he thinks whatever school he happens to be attending at that point in time isn’t worth the effort. This is a serious character flaw, and something he has to address in his life at some point.
Another problem with Caulfield is that he seems to be very rash or irrational at times. From the mood swings he displays to his harsh, quick judgement of anybody he meets, Caulfield always seems to be at odds with at least one other character. Both of these traits are evident in his fight with Stradlater. Caulfield had been having mood swings on the topic of Stradlater all day, and criticizing him on various topics, seemingly just to criticize something.
From my standpoint this early in the book, Caulfield really needs to get his act together. He doesn’t seem to have a friend, hasn’t gotten over the death of a sibling, is quick to point out a person’s flaws [but somehow never mentions a nice trait], and just cannot stay devoted to anything, no matter the reason. He seems to be somewhat immature, and very stubborn. He makes decisions based on little to no logic, and honestly just needs to grow up a little.
Hopefully, as the book progresses, Caulfield will take some responsibility for his actions and start to consider his future. Otherwise, he is in for a life that will not be very fulfilling.
The aspect of Caulfield that is most confusing is the fact he lets other people stand in his way of success. The only reason he doesn’t try to do good in school is because his classmates are all “fake”. Because of this view, he thinks whatever school he happens to be attending at that point in time isn’t worth the effort. This is a serious character flaw, and something he has to address in his life at some point.
Another problem with Caulfield is that he seems to be very rash or irrational at times. From the mood swings he displays to his harsh, quick judgement of anybody he meets, Caulfield always seems to be at odds with at least one other character. Both of these traits are evident in his fight with Stradlater. Caulfield had been having mood swings on the topic of Stradlater all day, and criticizing him on various topics, seemingly just to criticize something.
From my standpoint this early in the book, Caulfield really needs to get his act together. He doesn’t seem to have a friend, hasn’t gotten over the death of a sibling, is quick to point out a person’s flaws [but somehow never mentions a nice trait], and just cannot stay devoted to anything, no matter the reason. He seems to be somewhat immature, and very stubborn. He makes decisions based on little to no logic, and honestly just needs to grow up a little.
Hopefully, as the book progresses, Caulfield will take some responsibility for his actions and start to consider his future. Otherwise, he is in for a life that will not be very fulfilling.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Dying the death of a salesman
Until reading the assignment, I had never made a connection between The Great Gatsby and The Death of a Salesman. However, after reading the thoughts that were expressed in the post, I can see how the two works do have some similarities that can help us answer whatever questions we are left with.
How do we define our dreams of success?
This question is an interesting one, because not everybody has the same dream in life. Everybody wants to be successful, but there are different definitions of success and different ways to attain it. Some people want to be rich. For those people, Charlie is right, we are only worth what we can sell. But does the same hold true for people who want to teach? For these people, wouldn't it be more wise to judge their worth on what they say, and how many people hear? What does the idea of teaching have to do with sales? There are those who use their teaching for gain, but there are others who would be content to teach, and only teach. I don't think the definition of our dream of success are the same, and I don't believe Charlie is necessarily right when he says people are only worth what they can sell.
In this view, our hopes, dreams, and visions can only be limited by our imagination and motivation. I think that is where Willy went wrong. He pigeonholed himself into the notion that Dave Singleman was the essence of perfection, and the only way to reach success was to follow his footsteps. Willy never once asked himself what good Dave Singleman was doing for anybody but himself, and how many true friends Mr. Singleman truly had. Was Mr. Singleman actually happy with his life? I found the author's choice of a name for this character very interesting- single man. To me, this may be alluding to the fact that the man Willy saw as perfection was alone in the world, and Willy was already ahead of the game by having a family. Unfortunately, Willy threw that advantage away by cheating on his wife, a choice that helped his life to crash down around him. Its important to note that Willy cheated when he was at the top of his career. Did he think he earned the luxury of another woman because he was well known? I think its plausible to believe he thought he earned the right to do what he did, because he was on the road to being a successful man. If that was his belief, then it is ironic that such an idea led to his downfall, as his family fell apart and his son Biff, whom he had raised to be a famous ball-player who would one day sign that big contract, disowned him.
I think meeting Mr. Singleman, whom Willy revered as an idol, was the worst thing that ever happened to Willy. He began to think that he deserved the life Singleman enjoyed, regardless of the changing times. He treated himself to pleasure he shouldn't have, and gave himself a false sense of pride. I see this is the reason he couldn't accept the job offered to him on multiple occasions, and possibly the reason he took the easy way out. Maybe dying "the death of a salesman" means to die with as much pride intact as possible.
I would like responses to focus mainly on the last ideas presented in the 2 paragraphs.
How do we define our dreams of success?
This question is an interesting one, because not everybody has the same dream in life. Everybody wants to be successful, but there are different definitions of success and different ways to attain it. Some people want to be rich. For those people, Charlie is right, we are only worth what we can sell. But does the same hold true for people who want to teach? For these people, wouldn't it be more wise to judge their worth on what they say, and how many people hear? What does the idea of teaching have to do with sales? There are those who use their teaching for gain, but there are others who would be content to teach, and only teach. I don't think the definition of our dream of success are the same, and I don't believe Charlie is necessarily right when he says people are only worth what they can sell.
In this view, our hopes, dreams, and visions can only be limited by our imagination and motivation. I think that is where Willy went wrong. He pigeonholed himself into the notion that Dave Singleman was the essence of perfection, and the only way to reach success was to follow his footsteps. Willy never once asked himself what good Dave Singleman was doing for anybody but himself, and how many true friends Mr. Singleman truly had. Was Mr. Singleman actually happy with his life? I found the author's choice of a name for this character very interesting- single man. To me, this may be alluding to the fact that the man Willy saw as perfection was alone in the world, and Willy was already ahead of the game by having a family. Unfortunately, Willy threw that advantage away by cheating on his wife, a choice that helped his life to crash down around him. Its important to note that Willy cheated when he was at the top of his career. Did he think he earned the luxury of another woman because he was well known? I think its plausible to believe he thought he earned the right to do what he did, because he was on the road to being a successful man. If that was his belief, then it is ironic that such an idea led to his downfall, as his family fell apart and his son Biff, whom he had raised to be a famous ball-player who would one day sign that big contract, disowned him.
I think meeting Mr. Singleman, whom Willy revered as an idol, was the worst thing that ever happened to Willy. He began to think that he deserved the life Singleman enjoyed, regardless of the changing times. He treated himself to pleasure he shouldn't have, and gave himself a false sense of pride. I see this is the reason he couldn't accept the job offered to him on multiple occasions, and possibly the reason he took the easy way out. Maybe dying "the death of a salesman" means to die with as much pride intact as possible.
I would like responses to focus mainly on the last ideas presented in the 2 paragraphs.
The Blogging Experience
I have to admit, at first I was a bit skeptical of the whole blogging idea. However, after the first few assignments, this method of homework won me over.
For the most part, I already did my English homework on the computer anyway. Blogging as a class just made my life easier, as I can just submit the homework when I finish, not having to worry about losing it or making sure the paper doesn't get crumpled or wet in my book bag. I enjoy the fact that I can submit my work whenever i feel, giving me a chance to go back and edit my post if I find it necessary. If I'm not done my report, I can just save the draft and come back to it at a later time, and whatever websites I was on can just be bookmarked for later. I usually hand my work in at the deadline, giving myself as much time as I need to finish whats been assigned. Being able to post my work online just gives me a little more time, allowing me to hand in work thats been more thought over and attended to.
I look forward to continuing to do my homework in a blog-type setting. It is completely new to me, but it opens up new ways to do and finish my homework, and I've found it to be very useful. So far the experience has been great, and I honestly can't think of a way to make it better. The way the whole blogging experience has been going is great for us as students, and if it isn't broke, why fix it?
I feel its a good thing we can comment on the work of whoever we want, giving us the opportunity to discover or classmates talents if we want. I usually comment on someone I know usually does a good job, as well as look at another student's work that I haven't looked at before. I think this process works well, and I've discovered some of my classmates are better writers than I previously believed.
All in all, this whole blogging experience has been new and refreshing, and I look forward to continuing it.
For the most part, I already did my English homework on the computer anyway. Blogging as a class just made my life easier, as I can just submit the homework when I finish, not having to worry about losing it or making sure the paper doesn't get crumpled or wet in my book bag. I enjoy the fact that I can submit my work whenever i feel, giving me a chance to go back and edit my post if I find it necessary. If I'm not done my report, I can just save the draft and come back to it at a later time, and whatever websites I was on can just be bookmarked for later. I usually hand my work in at the deadline, giving myself as much time as I need to finish whats been assigned. Being able to post my work online just gives me a little more time, allowing me to hand in work thats been more thought over and attended to.
I look forward to continuing to do my homework in a blog-type setting. It is completely new to me, but it opens up new ways to do and finish my homework, and I've found it to be very useful. So far the experience has been great, and I honestly can't think of a way to make it better. The way the whole blogging experience has been going is great for us as students, and if it isn't broke, why fix it?
I feel its a good thing we can comment on the work of whoever we want, giving us the opportunity to discover or classmates talents if we want. I usually comment on someone I know usually does a good job, as well as look at another student's work that I haven't looked at before. I think this process works well, and I've discovered some of my classmates are better writers than I previously believed.
All in all, this whole blogging experience has been new and refreshing, and I look forward to continuing it.
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