2nd Character Interaction

I walked into the lobby of the local Bankwood hotel, and was greeted by the sounds of a piano playing. I saw a woman playing at the piano, and after checking myself in to the hotel, I decided to go talk to her. She looked to be about my age, maybe a college graduated like myself, looking for a new life. I introduced myself, she told me her name was Valory. She noticed my t-shirt, and asked me if that was where I attended college, because she had majored in music, and graduated the year before. We talked for a while about professors we had, and college life. While in the midst of conversation she asked if I'd like to have lunch with her tomorrow. I felt weird, accepting a lunch offer from someone I had just met, so I made up an excuse of why I had to leave, and went up to my hotel room and went to sleep.

1st Character Interaction

I just arrived in Bankwood this morning. It is a nice place, nice people, and seems to be a lot to do. As I strolled down the streets, taking in the unfamiliar scenery, I heard a faint moaning sound in the distance. Intrigued, I followed the sound. As I got closer the moan turned into the sweet sounds of a saxophone. The sound was coming from an open window of what seemed to be the biggest house in town. A boy sat in the window, playing away at his saxophone, while a man, who looked like Jerry Rice, the future football hall of famer, was yelling at the boy about playing football and not saxophone.

Cultural Revolution

$- It was an upheaval of political upheaval in China, that was intended bring about the return to revolutionary Maoist beliefs.

$- Took place in 1966-1968

$- Lead by Mao Zedong

$- Zedong formed the red guard, an army made up of young men, which was responsible for getting rid of intellectuals, bourgeois (upper middle class), and those that stood out.

$- The Gang of Four, a group of four individuals that included Mao Zedong's wife, was at the forefront of the cultural revolution. Following Mao Zedong's death, they were arrested and put in jail.

$- Following Mao Zedong's death, the gang of four was arrested and put in jail.

Jethro

My characters name is Jethro, he is 23 and has recently graduated college, and moved to this town to find/ create a new life for himself. He lives in the big hotel in the town.

Antigone the Feminazi

What are the differences between men and women?

After reading Antigone, the question arose are there differences between men and women? The obvious answer is "yes" there is a difference between men and women, but besides the apparent physical differences, there is no real difference between men and women. Men are perceived as more aggressive, while women are more emotional, but fear of certain titles is what makes men and women alike. Men do not show their emotions in fear of being called feminine, while women on the other hand hide their aggression and act more passive in fear of being called masculine. Society as a whole has a general fear of being labeled something that they are not. This mutual fear is what makes men and women very similar, if you strip down the physical and emotional barriers you find two people that are one in the same

What's in the bag?

How much control do we really have in our lives? Do we as people make all the decisions that determine our destiny, or is there a divine power that has a predetermined plan for us. I believe that both fate and free will play an important role how in our lives turn out. When in the cafeteria at lunch there are many choices: french fries, pizza, chicken sandwich, salad, cookies, or the regular lunch that day. I choose a salad instead of the other stuff, I wasn't destined to choose a salad. When making everyday decisions free will is the force behind these decisions. But on the other hand what if you run into someone you haven't seen in a while. Is it fate that you met again and reformed old bonds? I think things like this are out of our control and it is "fate" that brings people together in akward situations. Fate and free will both have an equal role in helping to pave the way for how we live our lives, neither outweighing the other. Both are legitimate factors in deciding where our next destination may be on the road of life.

Free Fallin'

"He cannot ever show that Laios'death fulfilled the oracle: for Apollo said my child was doomed to kill him; and my child--poor baby!--it was my child that died first."
Iocaste p.982, lines 324-327

In the play "Oedipus Rex," by Sophocles, the relationship between fate and free will is one that can be debated upon. Did Oedipus conciously kill his father eventhough, he claims to have no recollection of his father death? Or was Oedipus destined to kill his father and marry his mother?
What are fate and free will? Fate is that which is inevitably predetermined; destiny. Free will on the other hand is a free and independent choice; voluntary decision. In the case of "Oedipus Rex," fate is the driving force behind Oedipus' actions. Oedipus was destined to kill his father as told by Apollo's oracle. The Oracle prophocized that a that the child of Laios and Iocaste, Oedipus, would kill his father Laios. Also the fact that Oedipus had no knowledge of killing his father or how his father really was shows the free will played no part in the events that occured after Oedipus' birth. Fate was the determining factor that drove Oedipus to unknowingly murder his father and subsequently taking Laios' throne and marrying Iocaste(Laios' wife and Oedipus' mother). The relatinship between fate and free will in "Oedipus Rex" is one where one, fate is the only force that drove Oepidus to act the way he did, and not free will.