In what ways does your writing demonstrate appropriate ideas and content? Provide examples.
I feel that my work now demonstrates the appropriate ideas and content, because I now spend the time to look over my work, and to make sure it follows the rubric. I also try not to assume that the reader knows about the subject I'm writing on. I make sure to make my explanations are detailed and thorough so that the reader understands where I am coming from. My transitions to quotes in my alchemist was choppy, and didn't exacly show where I was coming from. But in my JC essay, I made sure the transition was smooth and that my ideas flowed and explained my thinking clearly.
In what ways could you improve your writing to better express your ideas and enhance content? Be specific.
I could still improve my writing, and make my message clearer by writing in a format that readers can understand. I still use run on sentences, and misuse some conventions which tends to confuse the reader. If I did improve, I believe my message would be more understood. In my Julius Ceasar essay, my writing was confusing at times, because of my lack of breathing space and run on ideas, such as: "He believes that Ceasar is unfit to hold the crown of Rome, and believes that he himself would be a better suitor, but instead of saying it, he enables Brutus by telling him he could wear the crown more confidently than Ceasar." I started with a good idea, but carried it too far in one sentence, confusing the reader.
In what ways does your writing demonstrate appropriate organization? Provide examples.
My organisation has much improved since my alchemist essay. I now create an obvious and easy to follow path of my ideas in my writing. I use to just write what I thought, and I would be forced to revisit ideas later in my writing, confusing the readers. Now I plan before I write so I don't have to backtrack to revisit important. My Julius Ceasar essay followed a progression of ideas that lead to one another.
In what ways can you improve your writing to demonstrate superior organization? Be specific. I could improve my organisation by using conventions to my advantage, creating a more even flow of ideas, instead of drowning the reader with one sentence that contains too much information, and running out of things to say later. An example of this is in my JC essay
Do you note any improvement between your Alchemist essay and your Julius Caesar essay? Why or why not?
I've noticed vast changes in my writing, for the better. I received a much better result on my second essay than my fist. I felt confident in my work, especially my flow of ideas, that maintained the reader's attention.
I thought Creatively doing my essay, by creating not only an essay, but an enjoyable piece of writing that flows from point to point seamlessly. the only downfall of the piece was my conventions, which made my ideas run on, and sometimes lose the reader.
“O, you and I have heard our fathers say, there was a Brutus once that would have brook’d th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king.” In the play Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare, Caius Cassius is the ringleader of the conspiracy to assassinate Ceasar. He, shown through the quote above, is very skilled in being able to alter a person’s views, and their emotions to his bidding. He is extremely good at enabling somebody by flattering them, or over stating the situation, to make his view look right. Caius Cassius’ actions were driven by his envy and hatred of Ceasar.
Cassius was extremely envious of the power that Ceasar had gained, and wondered how a man of his disposition, and health, had managed to achieve this. Cassius speaks of Ceasar like a weak man, who doesn’t have the ability to control anything, let alone an empire, he is frustrated with the fact that Rome is falling into this façade of strength and leadership that Ceasar had been putting on, when really in private he was weak as dirt. 1.2: 126-130 “ Alas it cried ‘Give me some drink, Titinius,’ As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world, and bear the palm alone.” This quotation shows Cassius as being jealous of Ceasar’s power, because he speaks of how Ceasar is a weak girl, and touches on the fact that any of them are stronger than the weak and feeble Ceasar. He believes that Ceasar is unfit to hold the crown of Rome, and believes that he himself would be a better suitor, but instead of saying it, he enables Brutus by telling him he could wear the crown more confidently than Ceasar. Cassius is also shown as envious when he speaks to Casca when the storm is raging in Rome. Casca is scared past explanation by the storm and the weird occurrences, but Cassius instead sees them as signs and omens that he should kill Ceasar. He believes that the gods are basically giving him the green light, by showing him that under Ceasar’s rule, Rome is falling apart. He speaks to Casca, and attempts to bring him in on the conspiracy against Ceasar, by hinting a man weaker than both of them has become a god like character who can be compared to the storm. 1.3: 80-84 “Let it be who it is: for Romans now have thews and limbs like to their ancestors; but, woe the while! Our fathers’ minds are dead, and we are govern’d with our mothers’ spirits; our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.” Cassius never actually says his name, and does not directly answer him when he guesses that he speaks of Ceasar. Instead Cassius says that in the worship of this person, Romans have lost their masculinity, and that by tolerating his rule, they have become women at heart. This shows Cassius using his wit and logic to get somebody interested in the way that he thinks of Ceasar, again he states that in worshiping a weak man, we are weak, and through this suggests that Rome needs a new leader, and in gaining friends, he believes that he might just become that ruler. Cassius is jealous of Ceasars power and cannot for the life of him understand why people worship him like a god.
Through his encounters with Ceasar, Cassius believes that he is arrogant and egotistical, and Cassius hates him for those traits. Cassius, in his position in the senate must obey Ceasar as his ruler, but on a more personal basis he has spent time with him, and after doing many things for him, Ceasar gives nothing in return, and treats Cassius like an animal. During his first talk with Brutus, Cassius tells a story of how Ceasar challenged him to swim across the Tiber, and Cassius being the brave and honorable man had to save him from drowning. And even after saving his life, Ceasar treats him as if he was a slave. 1.2: 114-117 “ And this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature, and must bend his body if Ceasar carelessly but nod on him.” This shows Cassius’ hatred of Ceasar, that he has bottled up for so long. He is furious that after saving this man’s life, he is still treated as if he was worthless. He believes that after doing this man such a favor, he should at least be treated better or even get a ‘thank you’, but no, life continues on as normal, without even a second glance at his valiant action. Cassius’ hatred is also shown when he at one point basically says how the heck did he get this power! And that his rule is a disgrace to all Romans and the age that they live in. 1.2: 146-149 “Upon what meat doth this our Ceasar feed, that he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham’d! Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!” This is the most straightforward thing Cassius says about Ceasar in the play. He actually flat out declares his anger and confusion about how this man came to power. This obviously shows his hatred because he blames all of Rome and shames the age of Ceasar as the age of idiots basically, for letting this man become this god. Cassius hates the way that Ceasar conducts himself, and the image that he has shown to the public of this strong and powerful leader, when instead he is extremely weak and does not have the means to back his words.
Cassius is driven to kill Ceasar because of his intense hatred and envy of the man’s power. Through his skills in speech, and persuasion he is able to draw others into following his cause, and eventually succeeds in his short term goal of killing Ceasar, but from there everything went down hill. Cassius’ hatred and envy drove him to not think things through incredibly well, he was blinded by rage, and overlooked many things that would have been easily caught by somebody who thought things through. Cassius succeeded in his short-term goal of killing Ceasar, but having not thought things through, forgot to consider the outcome of the murder too deeply. After the death of Ceasar, Rome was convinced that the killing of Ceasar was dishonorable, and from there lead a rebellion against the conspirators, from which spawned a war, that was lead by Ceasar’s most loyal follower Marc Antony. During the war, Cassius felt as if he was defeated, and that everything and everyone he loved was being destroyed. Having felt that he had lost, he eventually took his own life. I believe that Cassius’ cause was not worthy, because he desired to kill Ceasar for personal reasons, not for the good of Rome. The murder of Ceasar could be justified if the motives were driven by a love for Rome, but for the motives that drove Cassius, I believe that his act was not noble o
I thought creatively in my work, by interpreting the Sudanese conflict in my own way, by using photos that spoke to me about the issue and showed my views on the civil war.
Reason Critically
I reasoned critically by thinking about the pictures I chose, whether or not my viewer would understand the message I was trying to get across with the images.
Communicate Effectively
I communicated effectively by using the images to get a message across to the reader. The combinations of the images effectively communicate my message to the viewers.
Living ethically
The collage evoked emotion from the viewer by using images that were strait forward and sometimes, very sad. The images are meant to evoke empathy from the viewer by making a visual representation of their hardship that they can relate to their lives.
Sudan has been if conflict because of the civil war between the north (Islamic population) and South (Christian population). This conflict has forced the civilian population of Sudan to escape to neighboring countries for safety. Ethiopia sheltered these refugees until it suffered internal conflict itself, then it kicked the refugees out, which trapped them between Sudan and Ethiopia. Those who escaped alive sought out asylum in Kenya. Some the refugees have moved on, but many still remain.
Lost Boys
Santino and Peter had many problems integrating into American society. They weren't used to the many complicated aspects, and luxuries of American culture. Santino stuck by his ethnicity, and spent most of his time with the other refugees in Houston, preventing him from integrating into society well. Peter on the other hand embraced the changes in the states by spending more time bonding with other ethnic groups, and learning more about their cultures. By doing that Peter learnt more about living in America more quickly than Santino. Santino may have felt more comfortable with his peer group than Peter, but the awkwardness that Peter faced payed off in the end.
CassiusThen, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;
By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
BrutusNo, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself
But by reflection, by some other things.
Cassius‘Tis just;
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age’s yoke,
Have wish’d that noble Brutus had his eyes.
BrutusInto what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?
CassiusTherefore, good Brutus, be prepar’d to hear;
And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflections, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.
And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men and hug them hard,
And after scandal them or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
[Flourish and shout]
BrutusWhat means this shouting? I do fear the people
Choose Caesar for their king.
CassiusAy, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.
Brutus I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.
But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i’ th’ other,
And I will look on both indifferently;
For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.
CassiusI know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but for my single self,
I had as life not to be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Caesar; so were you;
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter’s cold as wel1 as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me, ‘Dar’st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood
And swim to yonder point?’ Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roar’d, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos’d,
Caesar cried, ‘Help me, Cassius, or I sink.’
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body
If Caesar carelessly but not on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake; ‘tis true, this god did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his lustre; I did hear him groan;
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark hi and write his speeches in their books,
Alas, it cried, ‘Give me some drink, Titinius,’
As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me
A man of such feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world,
And bear the palm along.
[Flourish and shout]
BrutusAnother general shout?
I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap’d on Caesar.
CassiusWhy, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that ‘Caesar’?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth becomes the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with ‘em,
‘Brutus’ will start a spirit as soon as ‘Caesar’.
Now in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Casesar feed,
That he is grown so great?Age, thou art sham’d!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fam’d with more than with one man?
When could they say, til now, that talk’d of Rome,
That her wide walks encompass’d but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have hear our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brook’d
Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.
BrutusThat you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter. For this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further mov’d.What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.
CassiusI am glad.
That my weak words have struck but thus much show
Of fire from Brutus.
Cassius is attempting to convince Brutus that Ceasar is a threat, and that he is not fit for leadership by appealing to Brutus' honor, and telling him stories of Ceasar's weakness. Brutus listens to Cassius' flattery, and stories, but is unsure of what to think of them. He tells Cassius he will think of what he said, but promises nothing.
This scene is when the characters of Brutus and Cassius are introduced into the story. Through their conversation, it characterizes the characters beautifully, Cassius as a enabling conspirator who plays on peoples weaknesses, and Brutus as a man who is easily swayed and who's tradgic flaw is his need for honor.
Cassius: Liam
Brutus: Martin
All text will be preformed, no other characters present.
1.) Too Perfect, because the society throughout the story seemed so generic, and perfect, that the serene environment obviously couldn't last for ever. 2.) I was truly dumbfounded as to what was going to happen to end the story. It was obviously going to be something bad, it had built up to be almost 'too' perfect to last, so something had to go wrong. 3.) Frustrated, I wanted to know the end of the story very badly, I began to speculate the end for myself, but I desperately wanted to open the envelope. 4.) Obviously the paper had the end of the story inside, so I desperately wanted to open it. But I managed to hold on and actually forgot about it till saturday... oops! 5.) As one of the non-black spot recievers, I think that it was a wonderful idea. The drawing from the black box made the entire group so tense that you could feel the stress, but when we pulled our paper, there was an instant sense of relief (if you didn't get the black dot!) 6.) I felt relieved when I read the end, it put my mind at ease when I discovered what happened, even if it wasn't a happy ending. The stress of not knowing the ending disappeared when I read the end because I finally knew what happened. 7.) I knew that something bad was going to happen at the end, but it was imposible (or highly improbable) that you could guess the exact ending, I think I did well in my prediction. 8.) I feel my prediction was very good, and the only way I would have known the ending was to read it. 9.) To draw the readers attention, and to make them more interested in the plot. 10.) a. 'Why didn't they put a title?' Without the title people have no clue as to what the story is going to be about. It's like when you receive an e-mail with not subject, you just have to open it, whereas if it had a subject, you have an inkling of what it is about, and you can ignore it if you choose to, no stress. b. Makes you ask questions about the end of the story, or even makes you create your own ending to the story. c. Keeps you hooked to see if your assumptions based on the foreshadowing were right. d. Puts you into the story, makes you feel more involved. e. Makes you more and more interested in what the end is going to be, and an instant relief when you finally got to read the ending. f. I was very frustrated with the mystery piece of paper, not because I didn't know what was on it, but because I knew it was in my pocket for hours, just begging to get opened.
The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to develope the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a (SILENCE) highly sucessful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.
I think that inserting the silence in that location would cause tension because it comes right before the answer to the question of what our true goal it. There is also an added stress because the silence is placed right before we tell you what your child would become, parents could be thinking 'What will they turn my children into? A criminal drug-lord?!' When it has something to do with their children, the parents pay much more attention, and therefor they will ask more questions, building the tension.
Part 2
A composer could create tension in their music by creating a clash of melody, where two groups play things that are in a different key signature than each other. That tension is created by half steps between two notes played together. When that sound is produced, people begin to ask why we had done that, and other such questions, drawing the audiences attention.
How Can Art Be a Mirror of Society? Raphael's The School of Athens Models Renaissance society, because it shows growth and curiosity by humans, and a unquenchable thirst for knowledge. The painting depicts a Philosophical academy in ancient Greece, with the focal point being two of the most influential philosophical minds ever to grace this planet; Plato and Aristotle. Around them are many other great philosophers and scientists of ancient Greece. Putting all of these great thinkers under one roof was portraying the ancient Greek times as a continuous flow of knowledge that everybody could and did access. I believe Raphael painted this as a goal for Renaissance Europe, to be able to construct this society in which change was accepted, and knowledge was shared. Raphael depicts Renaissance society as growing to become this center of learning and growth, it mirrors what Renaissance society aspired to be.
Who Would I Be in The School of Athens?
If I were to be in Raphael's The School of Athens I would be Alcibiades, on Plato's side of the philosophic debate, the non-tangible side. Alcibiades was a strategic advisor, military commander and politician. However Alcibiades did not use force to win his battles, rather, he used logic, and quick thinking to conquer his foes. He won wars by making and breaking political alliances depending on the balance of power in Europe. He was infamous for his ability to conquer a city without ever having to penetrate its walls. Alcibiades played mind games with his enemies, destroying them psychologically rather than physically. I, like Alcibiades use my logic and common sense to get me out of otherwise inescapable situations, I prefer to work on a psychological level when I disagree with somebody instead of taking a more physical approach, and by making the right allies, I assure that I will succeed in my mission, whatever it may be. I believe that in The School of Athens I would be Alcibiades because of our many similarities, especially our belief that the mind is the best battlefield.
Leonardo Da Vinci was a truly amazing man. During the course of his life he revolutionized not only the way we viewed art, but also improved our knowledge of the anatomy of the human body, and also changed the technology that was available in war. Born in poverty, young Leonardo made a name for himself after moving to the bustling city of Florence. A young art aprentice, Leonardo took risks in his work by using different materials to draw atention to his brilliance, and discoverd new techniques in art that had not been presented before. Leonardo was a true Renaissance man because of his inovation, and his determination to change people's perspective of the world through his art and his inventions. His thirst for knowlege was his greatest gift, with said knowlege Leonardo created an avenue to advance the understandings of the world around us.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Perseverance
In The Alchemist, Santiago persevered through the rough times, when he had to fight the urge to give up and go back to his old comfortable life. Santiago believed in himself and listened to his heart when it told him that what he was doing was right, and that he could accomplish anything if he believed in himself. In 1989 a series of non-violent protests were held in Beijing to speak up against China's oppressive government rule, and to spread the word of Democracy to the people of China who had otherwise been shielded from it. The Chinese government didn't tolerate these protests for long. On June 3rd the Chinese government deployed armed soldiers and tanks in Tiananmen square to discourage any further protests. However, the next day the protesters continued to speak for the cause that they believed in. The military forces were given the order to stop the protests at any cause. The Chinese forces proceeded to slaughter the innocent protesters who were shielded by nothing but their beliefs. Hundreds of people died during the Tiananmen square massacre, but they persevered until their final moments, and many ended up sacrificing themselves for what they believed in.
1989: Massacre in Tiananmen Square
Several hundred civilians have been shot dead by the Chinese army during a bloody military operation to crush a democratic protest in Peking's (Beijing) Tiananmen Square.
Tanks rumbled through the capital's streets late on 3 June as the army moved into the square from several directions, randomly firing on unarmed protesters.
The injured were rushed to hospital on bicycle rickshaws by frantic residents shocked by the army's sudden and extreme response to the peaceful mass protest.
Demonstrators, mainly students, had occupied the square for seven weeks, refusing to move until their demands for democratic reform were met.
The protests began with a march by students in memory of former party leader Hu Yaobang, who had died a week before.
But as the days passed, millions of people from all walks of life joined in, angered by widespread corruption and calling for democracy.
Tonight's military offensive came after several failed attempts to persuade the protesters to leave.
Throughout the day the government warned it would do whatever it saw necessary to clamp down on what it described as "social chaos".
But even though violence was expected, the ferocity of the attack took many by surprise, bringing condemnation from around the world.
US President George Bush said he deeply deplored the use of force, and UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said she was "shocked and appalled by the shootings".
Amid the panic and confusion students could be heard shouting "fascists stop killing," and "down with the government".
At a nearby children's hospital operating theatres were filled with casualties with gunshot wounds, many of them local residents who were not taking part in the protests.
Early this morning at least 30 more were killed in two volleys of gunfire, which came without warning. Terrified crowds fled, leaving bodies in the road.
Meanwhile reports have emerged of troops searching the main Peking university campus for ringleaders, beating and killing those they suspect of co-ordinating the protests.
In the book The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho weaves the theme of love throughout the story. He shows us that love is the force that makes the world go round, and also the force that maintains a sense of equilibrium in the world., and the world around him. If only humanity learnt this lesson of love, the world would share its wonders with us; its loved ones.
Love Love stands afield Donning many bright sequins She hollers, “Where are you!” -Liam Callan
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tom Thompson The Jack Pine
1916
Independence
“I learned that the richness of life is found in adventure. . . . It develops self-reliance and independence. Life then teems with excitement. There is stagnation only in security.”-William Orville Douglas.
Along my adventure of life, I have become very independent and self reliant. Like Santiago in The Alchemist, I've learnt to not rely on other people but instead to accept the challenge, and do it myself. This characteristic helps me as a student to navigate my way through the stormy seas of middle school and to carry the burden of the responsibilities that come with my education. It is my independence that allows me to succeed as a student without questioning my ability to complete my own work without assistance. Though at times my independence can get in the way of other people's efforts to collaborate with me, I still believe that my independence is more a blessing than a curse.
18/9/09
Nothing is Impossible
“I am following my destiny. It’s not something you would understand.” (Coelho 40) In The Alchemist, Santiago, a young shepherd, abandoned his modest life when he was told of a great treasure waiting for him in a distant land. Santiago quickly found himself immersed in an adventure. He traveled to many new places, fell victim to pickpockets and thugs, and discovered new things that he would have never been exposed to in his home of Andalusia. With the help of the people he encountered, Santiago eagerly journeyed towards his destiny. Santiago successfully achieved his destiny by being impartial, introspective, and inquisitive.
Santiago remained impartial throughout his travels. Santiago traveled to many new places and saw many marvels that he would have never witnessed in his old secluded life in Andalusia. At each turn, he ‘went with the flow’ and adjusted to every situation that came his way. “They went on smoking the pipe for a while as the sun began to set. They were conversing in Arabic and the boy was proud of himself for being able to do so.” (55) It was at this point when Santiago finally felt settled in the new confusing land of North Africa. In the short time that he had been there, he had learned the Arabic culture and language and had begun to accept that it was not as scary as he had first thought it to be. When Santiago first arrived in Tangier, he believed that it was strange and different from his homeland, but he allowed himself to become accustomed to the strangeness of this new world. Santiago’s un-biased views allowed him to work towards his destiny. He had left the old Santiago behind and begun a new life in Africa. Santiago was unbiased in his views, however he could not have been without knowing himself first.
Santiago was introspective throughout his journey as he grew and developed his new personality. When he first left Andalusia he was unsure of himself, inside he was still an innocent boy. However, along his journey he became more and more certain about the decisions he made and that they were the right ones. His belief in himself grew when he met the alchemist. Through him, Santiago learnt that his heart spoke to him and that it was a resource to consult that could help you make the right decisions. “ ‘Why don’t people’s hearts tell them to continue to follow their dreams?’ the boy asked the alchemist. ‘Because that’s what makes a heart suffer most, and hearts don’t like to suffer.’ ” (126) When Santiago made the decisions to leave Fatima, his one and only love, he was reluctant. Yet he listened to his heart and continued on his path towards his destiny. Santiago listened to his heart and reflected on the decisions he made, but he could not have done it without being curious in the first place.
Santiago’s inquisitiveness also assisted him during the hunt for his destiny. Santiago drew from his curiosity throughout his journey as he stumbled across many things that he had not encountered before. He was clever enough to ask questions and tried to do the best he could to figure out how he would fit into his new world. “ ‘But my heart is agitated’ the boy said. ‘It has its dreams, it gets emotional, and it’s become passionate over a woman of the desert. It asks things of me, and it keeps me from sleeping many nights, when I’m thinking about her.’ ” (123) Santiago looked at the world curiously, through many different perspectives, and made his decisions based on what he thought was right. All along the way he discovered new things and accepted that there was always more to learn about the world. Santiago had to question every action he made along his journey, for he was not familiar with the lay of the land, or the culture in the new world he so abruptly dived into.
After traveling many miles and learning many new things about himself and the world, Santiago was able to achieve his destiny through his impartiality, his introspectiveness and his inquisitive nature. His impartiality helped him to look upon the new world without bias, and accept its confusing traditions and cultures. His introspective nature allowed him to reflect upon his journey as he continued onwards, drawing from his accumulative experiences for the strength to carry on. His inquisitiveness allowed him to grow and become enlightened as he sought answers and learnt new lessons along his journey. After achieving his destiny, Santiago was a new man, more confident and sure of himself. He not only found his treasure, but also love, and his new self. When you try hard enough, nothing is impossible.
