The Twelve

Click here to view

South Africa's Land

            In the novel Cry the Beloved Country, Paton explain the South African land in a wonderful symbolic way. South Africa was a place that was filled with many memories and history. In South Africa there was plenty of segregation going on. Many whites of Africa were afraid of the natives of Africa due to all of the crime that was taking place in the country. Paton's point of using the land in a symbolism way was used to show how things can affect they place were you live. He used the land to describe the way the culture and the citizens of South Africa was slowly going down and getting worst. First, the land was used to describe the way everyone was leaving South Africa and the culture was going away. Also it was used to explain the segregation that was occurring in the country. Last, it was also used to show how when you lose faith things could possibly go wrong. Paton's use of symbolism in land was to get people to understand the things that can occur when you loose the faith for your community.

            Well Paton used the land at first to describe how basically the land was dying off. Paton expressed how the land is now suffering as more and more people continue to leave it. "The men are away, the young men and girls are away. The soil cannot keep them any more (pg.34)." The people were struggling so much here that most of them began to go find a place where there is help and jobs. As more and more people left it affected the culture because the culture was starting to go away as the people left. Also the land of South Africa used to be very rich and useful, but as more of the natives move off the land turned dark and began to die because there were no one left to kept it up and care for it. In this story the land was also describing the segregation that was taking place in South Africa.

            In South Africa lived very many natives but soon as the jobs decreased many of the natives began to move away the country. In Johannesburg, many natives were less fortunate than others which cause them to do many things that were dangerous and cruel. Some of those things include stealing, robbing, and even murdering. This people were looking for something that they didn't have. Many of the whites were afraid of the natives because of the things they were doing but also the natives were afraid of the whites because they weren't used to them. Whites had been separated from the natives for so long that when they were actually around one another they feared each other. The land in Johannesburg was vey separated. In some parts they would have only blacks and there they had no jobs so they would have to go to were the whites lived to find work. Not only did the land cause segregation but it also caused people to loose their faith.

            Paton also used the land in a symbolic way to show how keeping your faith is so important. Well the character Gertrude, was an important portrayal of this. As Gertrude got older and moved away she began to leave away from the rightful way of living a Christian life. When she lived with her family, her life was going very well and successful but once she moved away everything began to change about the way she lived. The lands were Gertrude once lived was very fruitful and healthy for her. When you leave a good community were most people are doing well and go to a place that you know you more than likely don't belong you will tend to experience hard times. When people tend to lose their faith they seem to lose everything. It is important to stand still and have faith everything is going to be ok, although there might not be any jobs you have to have faith or else you might end up in a situation as Gertrude did.

                 Paton's use of the land was to show the importance of land and how just one little shift can affect the entire country. At first Paton was trying to get peoples attention by the way people were slowly starting to leave South Africa. When people leave a country behind, they are leaving their culture and their land. Also Paton describe how the way the land was containing segregation. In South Africa the natives had lost their jobs, so they were starting to do anything to get what they needed in order to survive. The whites and natives had been separated for so long that many of the people were afraid of a change in their society. Last but not least, Paton used the land to explain the faith the people had. Many people who stayed on the land and believed they would have a job one day actually experienced good lives, but other people who moved away and left there land were the ones who had lost their faith and were struggling. The way Paton used symbolism to show connections to the land and reality was very outstanding. Paton purpose was to get people to realize how important it is to care for your community and have faith in it.

                

 

           

 

 

 

 

This I Believe

Small Things Matter

                As I have begun to grow up, I realize how the small things that people do to show an act of kindness matters. Well, growing up as a child I was always told to treat people like you will want to be treated because you never know what people are going through. Many people of through different situations that they may fight to get through every day. These are the people who hide their pain inside and you will never know. This is the way the small acts of kindness are useful because they are helpful, although it is small to you it could make a difference in someone else’s life.

            Some of the smallest things that seem like no one can see are the acts of kindness that are appreciated the most. Those include smiling, encouraging others, listening to what others have to say, giving hugs, and many more. These acts are so simple and don’t require any money. It doesn’t take much to show that you care and are concerned. The least you could do is be a positive figure in someone’s life and give them good things to remember about you.

            There are many days I have made someone’s day by doing something kind and nice. One time for Thanksgiving, my family made a box for an elderly lady. This lady was so happy to have the wonderful food box we gave her. You never know how a person was feeling before you brightened up their day. It also made me excited and smile because I was helping someone and being a blessing. Age is nothing but a number, so no matter how old you may be you still are capable of making a difference.

Being kind is something everyone should want to be seen as. There are times you have to forget about yourself and try to help people out who are in need. It doesn’t take much to show that you are there for someone because there is going to be a day that you need someone to lean on, and we all will want a kind and generous person to be there for us. Also you should make people feel like they are important and their voice is heard. Many people feel like no one is going to listen to their ideas and decisions, but if you encourage them they will feel better.

Small things absolutely matter to me and I hope others too. You as a human need to learn that you don’t always have to go over and above to make people smile and be happy. Doing small and simple things like smiling and sitting with someone are great things to do to be kind also. No one knows how other people are feeling inside or what they are going through so we have to learn how to just do nice things out of our heart. I believe that small acts of kindness matter.

Peanut Butter Chewies

Ingredients:

·         2 jars of peanut butter

·         A box frosted flakes

·         1 bottle of corn syrup

·         2 cookie sheets

Preparation:                                                         

In a huge pot, start off melting the peanut butter. Once the peanut butter is melted, began adding the corn syrup. Keep stirring until the peanut butter and corn syrup is evenly mixed then began to add the frosted flakes. Remember only add about ¾ of the box or however much is needed to cover all of the peanut butter.

“Good morning Dad Happy Thanksgiving Eve”, I said.

“ Good morning Mya would you like to help me make peanut butter chewies for Thanksgiving?”

“Sure, of course I would love too,”I responded.

Immediately, my dad and I go to Wal-Mart to gather all of the ingredients and supplies needed to make peanut butter chewies. Once in the store , my dad and I always will split up the list so it will take a shorter time to gather all of the items we will need. When in Wal-Mart my family look like cats and dogs fighting because Wal-Mart checkout lines are always backed up, so we are always trying to get in and out.

Once we have made it back to the house, my mother and sister are sitting in the living room watching TV or upstairs talking because neither of them really like going to the store unless they have to. After my dad and I have gotten in some comfy clothes, we began to cook. First, we get out this huge brown and gold pot. Then we turn the stove on med high (300-350) and start to add the peanut butter. While the peanut butter is melting, my dad and I are laughing about memories in the past when my family would gather together for Thanksgiving. We laugh so hard that tears would run down our cheeks like water running out of a sink.

As the peanut butter melt, the smell of the aroma of the peanut butter fill the house causing everyone’s mouth to water. Once the peanut butter is melted, we began to add in corn syrup. After the peanut butter and corn syrup is mixed, we began pouring the frosted flakes into the mixture stirring continually.

While finishing up, I start to take out cookie sheets to put the peanut butter chewies on. When putting these on the cookie sheet, make sure you shape them into a circle shape. Eventually, when the pot is empty, place them into the freezer. By this time I am singing some type of hip hop song and dancing to it in the kitchen. My dad would be in the TV searching for some football to watch. When football is on, my dad is in heaven. Soon after they have been in the freezer for a good 30-45 minutes, my dad would call my name for me to check on the peanut butter chewies.

“Mya, may you check on the peanut butter chewies?” asked my dad.

“Yes sir,” I would respond.

Excited that the peanut butter chewies are finished my dad, mom, and sister all began to come grab a peanut butter chewy. Peanut Butter Chewies are always wonderful to make for my family because it brings us together. It’s always great to spend time with your family because life is so short. In life you have to live every moment like it’s your last, and making peanut butter chewies will forever be a moment I will keep locked in my heart.

 

 

 

The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World

Mya Moody

“The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World”

Have you a story ever made you feel so inspired and thankful? Well, this story is one to remember. “The Handsomest Man Drowned in the World” was a story based on a man who was found floating ashore. This short story allows readers to learn a lesson, appreciative life, and inspire them. Throughout my assertion, I will discuss why this story was important, what made me think, and what inspired me. In life we should be so thankful for the situations that we have not had to face.

The importance of “The Handsomest Drowned Man” was made to teach a lesson. What I interpreted from this short story is to treat others like you’ll like to be treated. We can mistreat people and not notice it. We have to be careful about what we say or do. Throughout life you should always treat others equal because you never know who you may need in the long run.

When the children’s noticed that it was a man floating ashore, it made me ponder. I began to think about how many people bodies are in the ocean and nobody know where they are at. In our world today, people go missing every day. A couple years after they’ve been missing we hear about their remains being found. However, I wonder does anyone think about bodies being in the ocean.

I also was inspired to be thankful to know this type of situation has never occurred in my family. Esteban was an innocent man who so happened to end up drowning in the ocean without anyone knowing. It is so important to love your family and tell them it a lot because you never know when your love one’s life will come to an end. There are many things in life that we take for granted. We should begin to reconsider life as a whole and be more grateful for the simplest things in life.

Overall, being grateful is the key. This was a very powerful short story. The three pointers I have given are why this story was important to me, what made me think, and what inspired me in this story. “The Handsomest Drowned Man” has made an impact on my life to treat people right more and more.  The reason this story made me think was because I thought about how many people are missing and where could they be. Lastly, this story inspired me to be thankful that this never happened to any of my family. I love this story much and if you haven’t read it you definitely should.

 

Think

                                                                                                                                 Mya Moody

The Heart of a Nurse

Have you ever been in a situation where the smallest thing you did for someone meant the most? Well, I read this story named “Heart to Heart with my Patient." Basically, this is a short story about a nurse who shows love and courage to her patient by simply just talking with him. In this essay I will give you two points. First, is how does my thesis support my story, and the next pointer is my opinion about my thesis.  Throughout life you will realize that the small things that you put your effort in can mean and make the biggest difference.

The thesis that I have given supports my story much. In this story the nurse always talked to her patients and encouraged them to fight for the better.  We as humans have to fight for many things in life that does not always contain an illness. Also, my granny is a heart patient and I always bring her food or flowers when she is feeling down to cheer her up. Bringing my granny food or flowers is not much but it gives her strength and courage to fight on. Life is a race that we fight to win each and every day.

My thesis is a statement that everyone should use in their daily life. This particular nurse never knew just talking to her patient would encourage him to fight for his life. There are several possibilities we as people can do for one another that doesn’t consist money and will help someone feel better. One year for Christmas I decided to buy other children’s Christmas gifts.  This was the best thing I have ever done because the family was happy and so was I. When you do something for someone it doesn’t only makes them feel good but you will also feel wonderful.

As we all know it doesn’t take much to make someone feel good and allow them to see a difference in their life. The name of the short story I have read is “Heart to Heart with my Patient.” My first pointer explained how my thesis supports my story.  This thesis supported my story because in this story it showed how just talking to someone can make a difference and cause a person to look at life better.  The next pointer was my opinion about my thesis.  Summarizing this up I feel my thesis is something all age groups should use in life because what you do from your heart no matter if it is big or little will pay off in the end.  The story “Heart to Heart with my Patient” is a very short story but has a wonderful meaning behind it.

                                                                                                                     

                                                                            

 

About me in pictures!!!