vTablet I
In the city of Uruk, lived Gilgamesh,”two thirds a god, one third a man, the king.” The people complained to the gods asking- "is this the shepherd of the people? Is this the wise shepherd, protector of the people?" (p. 3) the gods heard the people’s complains and told the goddess Aruru to make a double for Gilgamesh, this way these two would fight and there would be peace in Uruk. She created Endiku, a hairy wild man. One day a hunter goes and complains to Gilgamesh because Endiku freed all the animals he hunted. Gilgamesh tells him to get a prostitute to conquer him and so he does. Some days later, Endiku leaves the prostitute and goes to find the creatures of the grasslands, but the all run away. The prostitute asks him- "Endiku, now you are beautiful as a god. Why do you seek the company of beasts?" (p.5) this is a reflection of us humans, who believe we are too beautiful, too powerful to pay attention to other creatures.
Tablets II and III
Shamat, the prostitute clothed Endiku, and they went to a shepherd’s camp where they were given food and beer. Endiku didn't understand this human behavior but after drinking and eating, he bathed and dressed, acting like a normal human. Endiku later heard Gilgamesh was to wed and he demanded to be taken to Uruk, to challenge Gilgamesh. Endiku and Gilgamesh fought and wrestled until Eniku said- “You are the strongest of all, the perfect, the terror" (p. 8) they "embraced, kissed and took each other by the hand. (p.8) Gilgamesh's mother adopts Endiku do to the fact that he has no parents. Gilgamesh decides to go on a journey, and kill a beast, enemy to the sun. His task is to kill Huwawa and cut a cedar down. These tablets end with the mother of Gilgamesh praying for his son's life to the gods and Endiku and Gilgamesh departing from the city in search for Huwawa.
Gilgamesh is very different to what we are accustomed to read. We can tell it was written in earlier times do to how it repeats passages and narrates the story. There isn’t much to reflect on. Until now, it seems like a myth, a bed time story but I think later on the message will be discovered.
domingo, 31 de agosto de 2008
jueves, 28 de agosto de 2008
I'm still a taker
To be honest, the end of the book disappointed me. I was very sad to see that Ishmael dies, I wasn’t expecting it, it all occurred all of a sudden. I feel there were things he still had to teach the narrator and the reader. His mood in the last chapters was very negative and grumpy, I would have liked to see him die in peace.
“I mean only that I’ve finished what I set out to do. As a teacher, I have nothing more to give you. Even so, I would be pleased to have you as a friend.” (Ishmael page. 254)
On the other hand, I think Ishmael felt his mission was done and that everything that wasn’t said is for us to find out. I do have to say that I learned a lot from the book. We are blinded by “mother culture” and believe everything the takers, our civilization tells us.
After finishing the book, I feel prepared to answer the questions that were asked in the firs class. For each questions there are two answers, one for takers and the other one for leavers.
According to takers:
How did we get here?
The world was made for man, not for jellyfish. The gods wanted us to rule and so we evolved and got to being Homo sapiens sapiens.
Where are we going?
We stopped evolving, so we’re going to keep on conquering and ruling.
Why are we here?
We are here to fulfill our destiny of ruling and being the dominant species.
I wish I could answer these questions as a leaver would but I can’t. I have been born in a “taker society” in which all the answers have been whispered in my ear. At first, I felt disappointed, as if I hadn’t learned anything from the book and felt frustrated because I hoped I would be able to answer these questions the way a leaver would. Then, I realized I shouldn’t be disappointed and frustrated because this book opened my eyes to the truth. I can’t expect to start thinking as a leaver this quickly, it’s a process that takes time.
I am relieved I read this book because I too, like the boy in the philosophy paper of the narrator, felt I was being lied to, and didn’t know what they were hiding. the taker society had been fooling around with my brain. manipulating me to believe their side of the story. I can't say I'm a leaver, I'm still a taker, but at least im aware of what I am, and willing to change the perspective of life mother culture has introduced me to.
“I mean only that I’ve finished what I set out to do. As a teacher, I have nothing more to give you. Even so, I would be pleased to have you as a friend.” (Ishmael page. 254)
On the other hand, I think Ishmael felt his mission was done and that everything that wasn’t said is for us to find out. I do have to say that I learned a lot from the book. We are blinded by “mother culture” and believe everything the takers, our civilization tells us.
After finishing the book, I feel prepared to answer the questions that were asked in the firs class. For each questions there are two answers, one for takers and the other one for leavers.
According to takers:
How did we get here?
The world was made for man, not for jellyfish. The gods wanted us to rule and so we evolved and got to being Homo sapiens sapiens.
Where are we going?
We stopped evolving, so we’re going to keep on conquering and ruling.
Why are we here?
We are here to fulfill our destiny of ruling and being the dominant species.
I wish I could answer these questions as a leaver would but I can’t. I have been born in a “taker society” in which all the answers have been whispered in my ear. At first, I felt disappointed, as if I hadn’t learned anything from the book and felt frustrated because I hoped I would be able to answer these questions the way a leaver would. Then, I realized I shouldn’t be disappointed and frustrated because this book opened my eyes to the truth. I can’t expect to start thinking as a leaver this quickly, it’s a process that takes time.
I am relieved I read this book because I too, like the boy in the philosophy paper of the narrator, felt I was being lied to, and didn’t know what they were hiding. the taker society had been fooling around with my brain. manipulating me to believe their side of the story. I can't say I'm a leaver, I'm still a taker, but at least im aware of what I am, and willing to change the perspective of life mother culture has introduced me to.
sentence fragments
Sentence Fragment Exercises—#1
The sentences below appeared in papers written by students. Act as their editor, marking a C if the sentences in the group are all complete and an F if any of the sentences in the group is a fragment. Could you tell these writers why the fragments are incomplete sentences?
__f__ 1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience. (depends on the sentence before)
___f_ 2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as the sun sending its brilliant rays to the earth and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and brown moving slowly in the wind. (depends on sentence before)
___c_ 3. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Like other teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.
___f_ 4. Within each group, a wide range of features to choose from. It was difficult to distinguish between them. (missing a verb)
__c__ 5. A few of the less serious fellows would go into a bar for a steak dinner and a few glasses of beer. After this meal, they were ready for anything.
___c_ 6. It can be really embarrassing to be so emotional. Especially when you are on your first date, you feel that you should be in control.
__f__ 7. The magazine has a reputation for a sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group of readers. Although that is a value judgment and in circumstances not a true premise. (depends on sentence before)
___f_ 8. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself and his parents that he is a man. (depends on sentence before)
___f_ 9. She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we would never enter that door in her home again. (depends on sentence before)
__c__10. As Christmas grows near, I find myself looking back into my childhood days at fun-filled times of snowball fights. To think about this makes me happy.
___f_11. Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife. Hoping she would accept his apology. (this sentence can’t be understood w/out the one after it.)
__f__12. They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a little too much to drink. (depends on sentence before)
__f__13. Although it only attained a speed of about twelve miles an hour. My old rowboat with its three-horsepower motor seemed like a high-speed job to me. (depends on the next sentence)
__c__14. With my brother standing by my side, I reached for the pot handle. Tilting the pot way too much caused the boiling water to spill.
__f__15. The small, one-story houses are all the same size and style. With no difference except the color. (doesn’t mean anything w/out sentence before)
__f__16. Being a friend of mine like he was when we first joined the soccer team. Together we learned a lot. (dependent on other sentence)
Sentence Fragments: Exercise 2
These paragraphs need proofreading for possible fragments. Use the space below each paragraph for revising.
1. How can a person find patriotism in a local night club? Well, it did not take me too long. About four weeks ago in a little night club in Louisville, Kentucky, a couple of my friends, Rick and Lon, the duo who were providing the entertainment that night for the club.
There is a dependent clause. I would rephrase it and say:
About four weeks ago in a little night club in Louisville, Kentucky, a couple of my friends, Rick and Lon, the duo who were providing the entertainment that night for the club sang the national anthem.
2. For the past twenty years, the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan has been measuring the level of Americans' trust and confidence in their politicians and quasi-political trust and confidence in their political institutions and their leaders. "Political" being all levels of government, and "quasi-political" churches, labor unions, large professional/business associations, educational institutions, and the like. The result is that a very sharp decline has taken place every year since 1964.
"Political" refers all levels of government, and "quasi-political" refers to churches, labor unions, large professional/business associations, educational institutions, and the like.
3. For 200 years Americans believed in better jobs, better homes, a better life for one's children. This confidence no longer exists. Polls now indicate that fewer Americans who feel they are better off today than they were five years ago. A public-opinion analysis group has found that large numbers of Americans, at some times and in some places, see themselves as lower on the ladder. Adding worse living conditions and anticipation of further decline over the next five years.
A public-opinion analysis group has found that large numbers of Americans, at some times and in some places, see themselves as lower on the ladder due to worse living conditions and anticipation of further decline over the next five years.
4. Well, in looking at the picture at the left you see an old lady. She has a very funny look on her face. As if she's lonely and just wants to be left alone. She also looks as if she has seen a lot and experienced lots of things.
She looks lonely as if she just wants to be left alone.
Sentence Fragments: Exercise 3
The following paragraph has no capital letters or periods to mark the beginnings and ends of sentences. Add capitals, periods, commas, and/or other punctuation that may be needed to make the word groups into complete sentences. Your goal is to be sure that there are no fragments.
My brother was always my best friend, especially when I was a child. Since we two were almost alone in the world we lived with our old grandmother in a little house, almost a shack, in the country. Whenever I think of him now I see a solemn, responsible boy, a boy too old for his years who looked out for me no matter what. Once there was a bully John Anson who looked enormous to me though he was probably an average twelve-year-old John had it in for me because he liked Littice Grant, who liked me. Due to this, he decided to beat me up right before her eyes. I was lucky my brother came by, he didn't interfere any he just stood there somehow though his presence gave me confidence. I licked the stuffing out of John Anson. If my brother hadn't been there, I don't think I could have done it.
miércoles, 27 de agosto de 2008
teaching, not ruling
As long as I can remember, everyone has been talking about global warming, recycling and pollution. All these things concern me, they concern all of us but we have heard it for a long time and are tired of blaming it all on ourselves. Its kind of frustrating to recycle and care for the world when you feel you’re the only one doing it. You feel that your actions are worthless and that you’re sacrificing something and can’t see a change. This is very disappointing and sadly, it will always happen.
I had always thought the way out of this disaster was to start caring. If everyone recycled or just put the garbage in the trash cans, we couldsave the world, but at the same time, I knew it was impossible for EVERYONE to do it. I know I'm not the only one that thinks this way. In fact, this is mother culture’s version of how to solve things and its something we all believe but never do.
There is a conversation between Ishmael and the narrator in which they discuss this topic. The narrator says need something positive to work for.
Ishamel then says- “people need more than to be scolded, more than to be made to feel stupid and guilty. They need more than a vision of doom. They need a vision of the world and of themselves that inspires them.” (pag. 243- 244)
the narrator finished out saying- “Stopping pollution is not inspiring. Sorting your trash is not inspiring. But this… thinking of ourselves in a new way, thinking of the world in a new way...” (pag. 244)
when you think about it, it is inspiring. If humans realized the reason we're here is to teach and not to rule, things would solve quicker. we would learn from our past mistakes and never make themagain and we would keep on evolving and creation would replace destruction.
I had always thought the way out of this disaster was to start caring. If everyone recycled or just put the garbage in the trash cans, we couldsave the world, but at the same time, I knew it was impossible for EVERYONE to do it. I know I'm not the only one that thinks this way. In fact, this is mother culture’s version of how to solve things and its something we all believe but never do.
There is a conversation between Ishmael and the narrator in which they discuss this topic. The narrator says need something positive to work for.
Ishamel then says- “people need more than to be scolded, more than to be made to feel stupid and guilty. They need more than a vision of doom. They need a vision of the world and of themselves that inspires them.” (pag. 243- 244)
the narrator finished out saying- “Stopping pollution is not inspiring. Sorting your trash is not inspiring. But this… thinking of ourselves in a new way, thinking of the world in a new way...” (pag. 244)
when you think about it, it is inspiring. If humans realized the reason we're here is to teach and not to rule, things would solve quicker. we would learn from our past mistakes and never make themagain and we would keep on evolving and creation would replace destruction.
does man belong to the world or does the world belong to man?
"Right from the beginning, everything that ever lived belonged to the world. That’s how things came to be this way."(pag. 239) this quote basically explains evolution. We have evolved because we have belonged to the world. In present times we never hear this because mother culture has hid it from us, the takers.
The takers believe the world belongs to us and due to this, we have stopped evolving. We are destroying instead of creating. On the other hand, leavers still think we belong to the world, if we follow their steps, we will keep evolving and creation won't stop.
Both takers and leavers have a story. They need something to tell the next generations, and need to believe they come from somewhere. The following is the taker's story:
"The gods made the world for man, but they botched the job, so we had to take matters into our own, more competent hands." (pag. 241)
The leaver's story is this:
the god made man for the world, the same way they made salmon and sparrows and rabbits for the world; this seems to have worked pretty well so far, so we can take it easy and leave the running of the world to the gods" (pag. 241)
we the takers, are always blaming and cursing the gods because we think this is suppose to be our world and they are constantly sending bad things to us. What kind of god would send hurricanes and blizzards to its creation? We decided gods weren't doing a great job and decided to take their place.
On the other hand, leavers understand the world has a process. Tarantula eats praying mantis, praying mantis eats worm, worm eats fruit. In order to be a balance between life and death, we have to go with the flow, be part of the world and not make the world only ours.
The takers believe the world belongs to us and due to this, we have stopped evolving. We are destroying instead of creating. On the other hand, leavers still think we belong to the world, if we follow their steps, we will keep evolving and creation won't stop.
Both takers and leavers have a story. They need something to tell the next generations, and need to believe they come from somewhere. The following is the taker's story:
"The gods made the world for man, but they botched the job, so we had to take matters into our own, more competent hands." (pag. 241)
The leaver's story is this:
the god made man for the world, the same way they made salmon and sparrows and rabbits for the world; this seems to have worked pretty well so far, so we can take it easy and leave the running of the world to the gods" (pag. 241)
we the takers, are always blaming and cursing the gods because we think this is suppose to be our world and they are constantly sending bad things to us. What kind of god would send hurricanes and blizzards to its creation? We decided gods weren't doing a great job and decided to take their place.
On the other hand, leavers understand the world has a process. Tarantula eats praying mantis, praying mantis eats worm, worm eats fruit. In order to be a balance between life and death, we have to go with the flow, be part of the world and not make the world only ours.
lunes, 25 de agosto de 2008
Adam ate the apple
(Before I get to analyzing Ishamel’s philosophy of life, I would like to point out a few differences in the characters. At the beginning of the novel, Ishamel asked the narrator why he wasn’t astonished by his findings and the narrator responded we has astonished, but knew how to hide in very well. By the end of chapter 10, we see a change. The narrator is more involved and lets his expressions show. We also see a part of Ishmael we didn’t know before. We is very hurt by the girl’s death and shows his proud side when he rejects the help the narrator is trying to give him.)
"The knowledge of who shall live and who shall die” (pg. 160), belongs, or should belong to the gods. I had heard this before I read the book and I am sure all of us had heard the story of Adam eating the apple. There are more than two sides to every story, and “mother culture” has always told this story the same way. Adam ate the apple because we humans aren’t perfect, and we have come to believe it was alright, because we all make mistakes.
Ishmael, on the other hand, tells the story from a different perspective. He sees it differently, maybe because he isn’t a human. For Ishmael, Adam eating the apple was a point in which human beings started to believe they had the same rights as gods. Even though Adam eating the apple is just a myth, a metaphore, it’s explains human behavior.
We believe we have the right to decide everything, after all, “the world was made for man, and man was made to conquer and rule, and under human rule it was meant to become paradise.” (pg.82) We, as a species in general, still think this is how things are meant to be, and this is the reason why we have become so destructive. We have always gone against nature, and nature has always made attempts against human actions. Since nature didn’t let us do what we wanted with her, we had no other choice than to conquer her.
We believe the world was made for us and take what we want and more than what we need. The past generations have discovered we are doing things wrong but “It’s a problem our children will have to solve, or their children. (pg. 80)
Now, we know we aren’t in paradise. Ishmael later states something different than what he had said before-“His conquest (referring to man) turned out to be more destructive than anticipated.” (pg. 82) We could save the world if we started to face problems now and didn’t leave them to future generations, but why would we do that? The world is ours and we aren’t going to stop conquering it. We’ll move to other planets if we have nothing else to conquer. If we end up destroying everything, there will be nothing to worry about. After all, there is a whole galaxy for man to explore, to conquer.
"The knowledge of who shall live and who shall die” (pg. 160), belongs, or should belong to the gods. I had heard this before I read the book and I am sure all of us had heard the story of Adam eating the apple. There are more than two sides to every story, and “mother culture” has always told this story the same way. Adam ate the apple because we humans aren’t perfect, and we have come to believe it was alright, because we all make mistakes.
Ishmael, on the other hand, tells the story from a different perspective. He sees it differently, maybe because he isn’t a human. For Ishmael, Adam eating the apple was a point in which human beings started to believe they had the same rights as gods. Even though Adam eating the apple is just a myth, a metaphore, it’s explains human behavior.
We believe we have the right to decide everything, after all, “the world was made for man, and man was made to conquer and rule, and under human rule it was meant to become paradise.” (pg.82) We, as a species in general, still think this is how things are meant to be, and this is the reason why we have become so destructive. We have always gone against nature, and nature has always made attempts against human actions. Since nature didn’t let us do what we wanted with her, we had no other choice than to conquer her.
We believe the world was made for us and take what we want and more than what we need. The past generations have discovered we are doing things wrong but “It’s a problem our children will have to solve, or their children. (pg. 80)
Now, we know we aren’t in paradise. Ishmael later states something different than what he had said before-“His conquest (referring to man) turned out to be more destructive than anticipated.” (pg. 82) We could save the world if we started to face problems now and didn’t leave them to future generations, but why would we do that? The world is ours and we aren’t going to stop conquering it. We’ll move to other planets if we have nothing else to conquer. If we end up destroying everything, there will be nothing to worry about. After all, there is a whole galaxy for man to explore, to conquer.
domingo, 24 de agosto de 2008
Are animals inferior?
“There are times when having too much to say can be as dumbfounding as having too little.” (pg.24) the narrator doesn’t know how to approach Ishmael’s story and I am found in the same situation as he is. Many thoughts are running through my mind and I don’t know how to put them in words. I guess I’ll have to start out talking about the author’s intentions before I talk about the characters and the story itself.
I think a book is like a map, or a journey. At the end of the book, you should get a message, this is your destiny. This message should be personal and not necessarily an easy interpretation. The harder it is to find the message, the deeper it is. Daniel Quinn tells a story about a gorilla and a human being but at the same time, shares his philosophy of how our actions as human beings affect the world.
What makes Ishmael so interesting is its uniqueness. The irony behind a gorilla teaching a human leaves a great message. I was stunned when I found out the teacher was a gorilla and I had to ask myself why the author had such a wild animal, an animal we would call Goliath, as such a wise one, with the name of Ishmael. At the beginning, I convinced myself it was a small detail, but as I read further on, I couldn’t stop asking myself- why a gorilla? The conclusion I got to is the following-
Our civilization sees gorillas as one step before us. We think we are the ones who teach animals but can’t accept learning from them. We see flora and fauna as inferior beings and erase the idea that they too have things to teach. The message Quinn is trying to bring is that we, humans are very proud and conceded. Many of us don’t even accept help from other human beings and are convinced we are right and everyone else is wrong. So, if we can’t accept help from other human, how are we going to listen to species we see as inferior?
I think a book is like a map, or a journey. At the end of the book, you should get a message, this is your destiny. This message should be personal and not necessarily an easy interpretation. The harder it is to find the message, the deeper it is. Daniel Quinn tells a story about a gorilla and a human being but at the same time, shares his philosophy of how our actions as human beings affect the world.
What makes Ishmael so interesting is its uniqueness. The irony behind a gorilla teaching a human leaves a great message. I was stunned when I found out the teacher was a gorilla and I had to ask myself why the author had such a wild animal, an animal we would call Goliath, as such a wise one, with the name of Ishmael. At the beginning, I convinced myself it was a small detail, but as I read further on, I couldn’t stop asking myself- why a gorilla? The conclusion I got to is the following-
Our civilization sees gorillas as one step before us. We think we are the ones who teach animals but can’t accept learning from them. We see flora and fauna as inferior beings and erase the idea that they too have things to teach. The message Quinn is trying to bring is that we, humans are very proud and conceded. Many of us don’t even accept help from other human beings and are convinced we are right and everyone else is wrong. So, if we can’t accept help from other human, how are we going to listen to species we see as inferior?
jueves, 21 de agosto de 2008
"B" is for blog
A. What is the difference between a blog and a book?
Blogs difference from books basically because they are all online. The word blog comes from web log and it is used as a journal in which other people can comment on. The author of the article on blogs refer to books as tight and slow while blogs are fast and reckless. Books are also very picky about the copyright while blogs invite you to reply to the entry. Blogs also have links, which act like foot notes, which make you visit many sites. Books, on the other side “ask you to stay between their covers”.
B. How have blogs changes recently?
Blogs are constantly changing, they change with recent events such as sports, natural disasters and wars. There are blogs for politics, science, gossip, videos, pictures among others which change with peoples opinion. recently, blogs are made up of writings people find on line, and are mostly made up of things other people have already said.
C. Why might you read a blog?
Mainly, I would read blogs for diversity. I would use it to get to know different ideas from mine. Blogs can also be used to get advice or answers you might not know.
D. Is there reason to doubt the objectivity of a blog? Why? Why not?
It actually depends on what you're looking for. Blogs aren't a reliable source when it comes to facts but may give you diversity when it comes to opinions.
E. If you kept your own blog, what would you title it?
I would title my blog laura duARTe because it represents me and is clear at the same time.
Blogs difference from books basically because they are all online. The word blog comes from web log and it is used as a journal in which other people can comment on. The author of the article on blogs refer to books as tight and slow while blogs are fast and reckless. Books are also very picky about the copyright while blogs invite you to reply to the entry. Blogs also have links, which act like foot notes, which make you visit many sites. Books, on the other side “ask you to stay between their covers”.
B. How have blogs changes recently?
Blogs are constantly changing, they change with recent events such as sports, natural disasters and wars. There are blogs for politics, science, gossip, videos, pictures among others which change with peoples opinion. recently, blogs are made up of writings people find on line, and are mostly made up of things other people have already said.
C. Why might you read a blog?
Mainly, I would read blogs for diversity. I would use it to get to know different ideas from mine. Blogs can also be used to get advice or answers you might not know.
D. Is there reason to doubt the objectivity of a blog? Why? Why not?
It actually depends on what you're looking for. Blogs aren't a reliable source when it comes to facts but may give you diversity when it comes to opinions.
E. If you kept your own blog, what would you title it?
I would title my blog laura duARTe because it represents me and is clear at the same time.
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