My Writing Will Never Last A Lifetime...

I could never even imagine something I write lasting for over 2000 years, let along more than a year! It will never happen and I’m content with that. I think the reason the plays, novels, and poems listed have last for so long is because some of them are the “first of their kind.” The Greek plays written are all remembered well and taught because the Greeks were the start of western colonization, architecture, and many other things. It’s not even that some of the things remembered are even that amazing; they have just been put on a pedestal for various reasons.

Advice for a 10 Year Old

If I were to give a 10 year old advice, I would go about it in a different way than most would. As a kid you typically hear the “do what your heart tells you”, “don’t fall under peer pressure”, “be who you want to be”, etc. Instead I would make a point that you need to learn from your experiences more than focus on not doing things. Kids are always going to make bad decisions, but if or if not they learn from those choices is another thing. More and more kids are being introduced to bad choices at a young age and they face peer pressure at a young age; being able to help kids learn from their experiences will help them more than telling them not to do things for kids are the best at being defiant.

Reflection on My Play

Writing this play was both an emotional and an exciting experience. It was like a child’s first experience on a Merry-Go-Round. The toughest part was deciding what I would write about. Although we did do some brainstorming in our past blog entries, I guess they all just slipped my mind. Through my struggle to come up with a theme, I decided to recollect some past experiences. Although the plot to my story is completely made up, the characters are actually people I know or encountered in my dance experience. Once I finally decided to write about a dance competition, the words just flew out of my mind and onto my page.

Conflict in the Bubble

Basing the conflict off of the theme I decided on, there are many options. The easiest way, for me, is to recreate an incident that has already happened. Being I live in Edina, the idea of “living in a bubble” has been brought up to me many times. I try to ignore that idea because I don’t want to think of myself in that way or be thought of in that way.

During my film class last semester we watched Spike Lee’s controversial film Do the Right Thing. After the viewing we had a class discussion on some of the overriding themes of discrimination, racism, and segregation. A kid in my class proved many of those who believe us Edina children are living in a bubble, right. He stated that “crime doesn’t happen in Edina.” Though the majority of the class was in shock at the statement he just made, he continued to go on and said if a black man came into a store he owned and demanded to put a picture on a wall (as seen in Do the Right Thing), he would be too afraid they had a gun. This is one conflict that I think would be interesting to put in my play. Not only should most disagree with this kid, but it would raise awareness to those who live “inside the bubble”.

Keep an Open Mind

A theme I would consider writing about in my play could possibly be the idea of keeping an open mind. I wrote about this topic in my earlier blog and I feel strongly about the topic. Considering I have a broad range of friends, I feel most of the time I have to keep an open mind. Being a part of a group that is very socially, politically, and emotionally different does make one realize the different sides of life.

Not only do my own friends enlighten me on this idea, but he people I encounter everyday. When given a scenario or situation, it’s really easy to go about it in one way, but when forced to look at it in a new way, which classes like science, sociology, and history have helped me do, it can change a perspective entirely. Overall, this theme is really important to me because I still encounter people everyday that refuse to approach situations at a new angle.

Writing Themes

Some of the key aspects of writing that come to my mind are plot, theme, and character development. When I read a novel or piece of literature, when it is without one of these elements, it doesn’t seem complete to me. From simple children stories to great masterworks by authors like Hemmingway and Steinbeck, they have all three of these elements.

In novels without a theme, which I can’t necessarily think of any, I personally don’t think they are as intriguing as a novel with a theme. Considering I, along with some other classmates around me, can’t think of any novels without a theme, clearly they aren’t as successful as those novels with themes.

The Athletic Side of Writing

I believe writing is a crucial tool for writers. Whether they agree with what the writer they may be reading is saying or not, to be exposed to different ideas, from a variety of people is a necessary means for any writer. It also can be inspirational. For instance, if one is to believe something very strongly, if they are able to see the various views portrayed by other writers, I think it can make their point become more evident. I also don’t see why a writer wouldn’t want to see what other writers have to say. To apply this to athletics, I don’t think there is an athlete that only cares about themselves. Whether they are the faster runner, best player, etc, inside they want to know the stats and who could be their possible competition.

Take a Walk Outside

One issue that currently affects me is people’s closed-mindedness. Not even speaking necessarily on a political scale, but in general, it is a constant issue in everyone’s lives. I see it mostly in the narrow hallways of this high school, and everywhere in the media. Whether it be everyday gossip, bashing a political standing, or ignoring world affairs that need attention. If people could step aside from what they are used to, step into some “new shoes”, and take a different stand every once and while, I think this world could be a very different world.

La Persistencia de la Memoria

One piece of art that really inspires me is Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory. Salvador Dalí was an artist of many surrealist ideas. He painted during World War II and so much of his work reflected war time conflicts.

This specific piece of art inspires me because it is based off of Einstein’s theory of relativity which relates to gravity distorting time. This painting, being Dalí’s most famous artwork, has been viewed by many, as well as interpreted by many. To me it is an idea of time being present in the most inopportune moments. The golden cliffs in the background are seen as the past, for Dalí that was his homeland in Spain. The drapes that seem to be covering a body of some sort can be seen as the presents. It all melts together with time. For me, the poetry to this painting is extremely inspiring in the cliché idea of time is forever changing.