Raphael's The School of Athens

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.

Da Vinci a Renaissance Man

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.

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

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.