Translations

I just finished reading Translations by Brian Friel and I feel that it was a good way to close the semester. I really enjoyed the play and it called to mind the question of does the name of a place effect the identity of it's people? It is fascinating to see how people relate to the name of their location. In Translations it became obvious that by the British taking the Gaellic names and Anglicizing them, it made the Irish people feel as if they had lost a part of their identity.

I think that people identify themselves by where they are from and by the name of their town. People up here always ask where you are from and they identify you with what you say. It makes a person proud of where they came from and proud to be part of their community. It shows that people identify with places, also that place's customs, believes, and ideas.

To find out more about a person's identity check out this website:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity/

Power in Power

In class on Tuesday we talked about the power within Power. We talked about the power of the panther to the Tigia Tribe, the power of nature, of dreams, and the power of truth. One truth we talked about was very important to me and it was the power of confidence. We talked about how Omishto had power over the sheriff when she states, "You won't ever lay a hand on me again", "never. And I'm never going back" (208). After Omishto states this the sheriff steps back and begins to grow smaller in her eyes. She even states that he seems to have a weak back. It shows that even when someone is pushing or bullying you that having confidence in yourself can help. My Mother always tells me to have confidence in myself or else people will run over me. She says that if someone is bullying you or running over you, you are making yourself the victim and you are allowing them to do that to you. You are the only person that can truly fight for you. You have to have confidence in yourself or else people will hurt or use you. Self confidence is one of my highest priorities and I never want to lose it. You have to have confidence in yourself or else no one ever will have confidence in you.

Having self confidence is not easy and many factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, but there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence.
Here is a website with 10 quick strategies to achieve a higher self confidence:
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-instantly-build-self-confidence/

Here is a video I found on You Tube it is so awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Gs02ZmUmE&feature=related

Power

Today in class we talked about the courts in Power, the tribal and the U.S. courts. We talked about how they are different and how Omishto feels when she is in both places. When she is in the U.S. court you get the feeling that she feels out of place, but when she is in the tribal court she still feels out of place. At certain times she seems to shift towards the Taiga tribe, but in others she shifts away from the tribe.For example on pg. 161 when she states, "I am both home and a foreigner here in their presence" when she is talking about the tribal elders. I think that Omishto feels as if she is torn between two very different worlds like she says on pg. 161, "I know they'd like to wash civilization off them and wash it all onto her just the same as the lawyers and judge in the courthouse wanted to clean all the wildness off them, onto her". It shows that she is involved in two very different world and sometimes she shifts towards one or the other.

It is also interesting that she never really told the whole truth to either one of the courts. I think in the U.S. court if she would have stated that the panther was actually sick before Ama killed it then it would have affected the jury and their thoughts even though they eventually found her not guilty it still would have affected the jury and their empathy towards Ama. In the tribal court if she would have stated that the panther was sick I truly think that the tribe may not have been able to handle it. I think the truth would have just hurt the tribe, they might not have banished Ama, but who knows what would happen to the tribe if they knew the whole truth.

If you would like to know more about current Tribal courts and codes, here is a website:

http://www.tribal-institute.org/

Short Paper 2

I just finished writing Short Paper 2 and I must say I am shocked with how easy the assignment went. I am not very creative with my writing, so I figured that coming up with a whole new part to one of the texts I read was going to be really challenging. To my surprise once I sat down and brainstormed thru the assignment ideas just started following. I came up with about three different options and then chose one that I think is the best option. My paper turned out pretty good and I am excited to start working on Paper 2 where I actually get to go into details. I am highly enjoying this assignment.


How about you?

What's In a Name

Yesterday in class we talked about people's names and if the person makes the name or the name makes the person. I believe that a person shapes the name, I know about 20 different Lauren's and all of them are different. I believe there are stereotypes for certain names, but that does not mean that the person with that name must live up to that stereotype. Since my name is highly unusual I get stereotyped a lot just from my name. Many people think that I am from a foreign Country just because of my name. They also do not expect me to be white a lot of the time, which is not a bad thing. I like my name and I would not change it no matter what.

Find out with your name means: (not actually factual, but fun)
http://www.urbandictionary.com/

Two-in-One

In class we discussed if it is possible for people to be more than one thing, such as Indian and American or Irish and German. I think it is possible for a person to be more than one thing, but I feel like they are pulled more to one side or the other. I feel that certain situations and people will cause them to relate to either side. I do not think they necessarily have to choose between one or the other, but in certain situations they are going to relate more to one side than the other. I think that it is totally up to the individual if they want to relate more to one side or not. I know when I am with my friends that I made up here I act more northern and I lose my southern accent, but when I am with my friends at home I have a heavy southern accent and tend to be more laid back. I think which side of yourself you choose has a lot to do with the situation and the people you are around.

(Friends from here..can you find me??)

(Peaches in ND!!!)

Having a place!!

Last week I realized that feeling out of place can happen at any location or time, but also having the feeling of being connected can occur. Last week my grandfather got sick, so my family and I went to visit him in the hospital. While being in the waiting room my family and I were joined by more family members from my dad’s side of the family. Some of them I have met and some of them I had not. While my parents were talking and introducing my sister and me to the new relatives, I sat back in my chair and observed my crazy family. I noticed that with a few of the new members of the family I felt a strong connection to them as if they had always been there and with some I felt like we were complete strangers. Since my dad was the only one to move away from his home town my cousins have all grown up together and where very close. My sister and I did not seem to fit in with them at all, we both felt out of place and different. Since they were all raised in a small town in the middle of Kansas most of them are “hicks” as I like to call it and since my sister and I are “city girls” we didn’t exactly fit in with them. While being in the waiting room I realized that my immediate family and I are very close and that I am highly connected to my sister. There were times when I would just look at her and she would laugh because she knew exactly what I am thinking. It’s really strange how certain people and situations make us feel out of place or connected. I think it has a lot to do with being in one’s own comfort zone or environment.