Aphorism

"When you pray move your feet"-African Proverb

I really like this saying and try to follow it as much as possible. When I first heard it, I didn't understand it . The aphorism kept me wondering for a long time since I knew there was a deeper meaning. Then I finally understood what it was trying to say; you can't just wish for something to happen, but instead you have to work hard to get it. Sometimes, people pray to God or wish upon a star, but they don't realize that a fairy won't come out of the skies to grant them their wish. I think God or other supernatural creatures were not created to convert people into unproductive machines that just dream; they are a moral support for people to set a goal, start something, work hard for it, and reach it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you shouldn't dream. You should be full of dreams, but you should be willing to make them true. 

I follow this often. When I am in semester exams, I study hard and review the things I don't know, and I don't feel safe until I know everything. Unlike me, other people just pray or wish they will get a good grade. In my opinion you can't expect God to give you good grades without you working for them. Another example is when I play an important tournament. I practice a lot for it. This way I will be ready for the tournament, and I won't need luck to win. Instead, I will use all I have to try to win it. This is the way I think, and there may be people that disagree, but I do think just praying will get you anywhere.

This quote relates to Joseph Campbell’s “Heroes Adventure” in one main way. Joseph Campbell says that to be a hero, you have to be willing to sacrifice something. Every hero has to work really hard to be able to complete his/her heroic action. He says "the adventure thet the hero is ready for is the one that he gets" this means that you have to be prepared to achieve something and you have to work for it. No hero has ever just wished to be a hero and has become one. Heroes undergo transformations and many sacrifices that make him a hero. In fact, Jospeh Campbell says "heroes go through death and resurections". The aphorism says that if you want something, you have to fight for it, you have to work for it, and work requires sacrifice. Obviously this quote is not only for those who want to be heroes, it fits for every goal a person has, no matter how small it is.

Siddhartha Section 4 (pages 95 - 122)

Respond to the text personally

In this part of the book, Herman Hesse talks about the relationship Siddhartha and his son have. Young Siddhartha doesn´t like his father. The boy is used to living in a luxurious house, using expensive clothing, eating all the food he wants, and receiving the help of many servants. His life by the river is the total opposite; he has to work; there is little food; and there are absolutely no servants to follow his orders. I can't relate to their relationship, but I can relate to one thing; when I do something bad, I can relate to one thing; when I do something bad, I hate when my parents respond in a calm way because then I feel guilty, and I feel like I'm the only bad person in the family. Likewise, young Siddhartha hates that his father respond so calmly to his bad behavior.

On page 100 his feelings are explained. “This father who kept him in this wretched hut bored him, and when he answered his rudeness with a smile, every insult with friendliness, every naughtiness with kindness, that was the most hateful cunning of the old fox. The boy would have much preferred him to threaten him, to ill-treat him.” I can relate to the feelings of the boy. When I do something bad I prefer that my parents shout at me or punish me. I don´t like when they just say something like “you should´ve thought better” or “I expected better from you”. Their calmness at these moments irritates me. I´m not sure why this happens, but I think it’s because when they shout they make you feel like they are bad too, and that they are the bad people. When they punish you, you don´t feel so regretful because you feel they are culpable too by being mean. When your parents react calmly you see they are disappointed, so you feel sad, and regret what you did. You punish yourself and I think that punishing yourself and feeling guilty is harder and more important than when others try to fix your mistakes. I think that Young Siddhartha didn´t like his father reacting calmly because deep inside he would be sorry for his actions. Young Siddhartha didn´t want to regret his actions, instead he wanted to look like a tough guy who had no deep feeling. “There was nothing about this father that attracted him and nothing that he feared.” (Page 100). The boy wants to be tough and his father´s acts of kindness prevent this from happening.. 

Hyperlink 

Poll:

http://poll.pollcode.com/7wmje

Siddhartha Section 3 (pages 60 - 94)

Connect text to another book, a film, work of art, a comic or any other creation

In this part of the book, Siddhartha abandons his rich, luxurious life. After a long sleep by the river he notices it has many things to teach him. I related what he learned from the river to the teaching of Taoism. Siddhartha and Lao Tzu have very similar ways of observing the river.

"'Love this river, stay by it, learn from it.' Yes, he wanted to learn from it, he wanted to listen to it. It seemed to him that whoever understood this river and its secrets, would understand much more, many secrets, all secrets." (Page83). 

In this part of the book, Siddhartha observes, analyses, and concludes that the river has millions of things to teach him. The river becomes one of his most profound instructors. Similarly, Taoism uses the flow of the river to demonstrate the movement of life. Lao Tzu believed in wu wei or non-action, and he used the river as the best example to describe it. The ferryman´s way of navigating the river is similar to what Taoism says; you can´t fight a river; you have to let it take you. Taoism believes that the power of rivers is derived from non-action. The river just flows, but it has many properties and characteristics that only the river can have. Taoists say "Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river". On page 83 of Siddhartha Herman Hesse describes what Siddhartha was thinking: "He saw that the water continually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; it was always the same and yet every moment it was new." Siddhartha notices the properties of the river and starts helping the ferryman with his job, so he can listen and learn from the river. Vasudeva, the ferryman, tells Siddhartha that he won´t be the one to teach him, “the river knows everything” and it will teach him. (Page 86)

Siddhartha Section 2 (pages 30-59)

Ask questions to later answer

• Will Siddhartha ever leave Kamala like he left his father, Govinda, and the Samanas?
• What is more valuable, what he learned from the Samanas or what he learned from Kamaswami?
• What is his relationship with Kamala?
• Will he ever return to his humble, "Samana style" life?
• Which life does he prefer? (Rich merchant or poor and spiritual)
• Will he ever see his family and friends (Govinda) again?
• Will Siddhartha and Kamala get married or have a kid?
• Will Siddhartha work the rest of his life with Kamaswami?
• Would Siddhartha consider me a "falling leave controlled by the wind" or a "star which travels a defined path"? (page 58)
• How does his life with Kamala and Kamaswami help him reach Nirvana?
• What makes Siddartha go from being a Samana to a merchant?
• Why did he stop himself from desiring the woman at thr river (page 42) but not from wanting Kamala?
• Did Siddartha get off track with Kamala and Kamaswami or will it help him reach his goal?
• How can you desire to reach Nirvana if it means "free from desire"?

Siddhartha Section 1 (pages 1-29)

Connect text to another book, a film, work of art, a comic or any other creation

In this part of the book, Siddartha starts as part of a rich, powerful family. He wants to reach Nirvana, but he  notices he won't be able to reach it with his current life. He leaves his father and goes to live and learn from the Samanas. After a while he notices that he won´t be able to reach Nirvana with the Samanas either. He goes to the Buddha and notices that the only way he will be able to reach Nirvana is by himself. I can connect this book to a movie called Go Figure. In this movie, Katelin wants to be a professional ice skater. When she has the opportunity to train with a professional coach she takes it and trains really hard to go to the Olympics. 

 In the movie, Katlin wants to change her ice skating coach since she thinks it’s time to move on and improve. Siddhartha’s goal in life is to reach Nirvana, but he feels that he will never reach his goal with they Samanas or his father. None of the people he knows has reached Nirvana, so he feels that they won´t help him reach it either. "Siddhartha had begun to feel the seeds of discontent within him. He had begun to feel that the love of his father and mother, and also the love of Govinda, would not always make him happy, give him peace, satisfy and suffice him." (Page 3). Here he notices that he has to begin his journey to find a new teacher. In the movie, Katelin, the main character wants to go to the Olympics but she knows that with her current coaches she will never make it. When she gets the opportunity to work with Natasha, a professional Russian coach, she works really hard to get to the Olympics. Siddhartha and Katelin both have to sacrifice a lot of things to reach their goal, and they leave their teachers, families, and friends to begin a journey and a new life. The difference between them is that Siddhartha ends up continuing his journey alone. He doesn´t stay with the Buddha; Siddhartha believes he will do better alone. He finds his inner self and decides he will teach himself. “But he has given to me Siddhartha, myself." (page 29). In Go Figure, Katelin does stay with the Russian coach, but also discovers that figure skating and having the best coach is not the only thing that matters in her life. Both characters learn an important lesson that will help them in the rest of their journey.

The Tao in Rainbow Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6S4IPMs5ZY

"This is Just to Say" Parody

I have killed your dog that was on my porch. I plucked his eyes out and broke his four legs.

And which was so cute and friendly,

And who you probably loved

Forgive me for killing him. You´ll never see him again, but I enjoyed his death.

I have used up all the hot water in my bath.

And which you would have probably enjoyed

Forgive me but it was a delicious bath, now I´m cozy and clean.

I have deleted your 100 page essay

In which you probably spent allot of time doing.

Forgive me, but you´ll have to do it again. I enjoyed pressing that button that said "erase"

I have stolen your car that was on your garage.

And which was probably really expensive.

Forgive me but it was so pretty, and it runs so fast. It´s the best car I´ve ever had.

Oxymoron and Paradox

This frase is often found on books, documents, exams, and manuals so the reader knows its not a printing mistake, but the blank page is left there on purpose. This is a paradox because the text on the page keeps it away from being blank. Its contradicting since it say´s its blank when its actually not.

The symbol Yin -Yang represents the Chinese understanding of how the natural world works. The Yin - Yang represents light and darkness put together to mean everything. This is an oxymoron beacause light or white (yang) and darkness or black (yin) have two opposite meanings, and they are being put together to describe something (in this case "everything")

This image is an oxymoron. It's contradictory to say "act naturally". If you act its not natural, so it contradicts itself. The definition  of natural is: characterized by spontaneity and freedom from artificially, affection, or inhibitions, it means not altered, treated, or disguised. The definition of act is the opposite. When you act you are being "artificial, and your attidude is being "altered or disguised". They are two words that mean two opposite things and are put together for a certain purpose.

This image is also an oxymoron because a copy can´t be original. It is often found in books, scripts and other types of written paper. If it is original how can it be a copy? The definition of copy is: an imitation or reproduction of an original. When you say "original copy" it contradicts itself.

Definitions gotten from:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

Passage 4.14

The Master said, "Do not be concerned that you lack of official position, but rather concern yourself with the means by which you might becomes established. Do not be concerned that no one has heard of you, but rather become a person worthy of being known"

Confucius wrote many quotes called Analects. Many people guide themselves through life based on this Analects since they talk about righteousness, education, poverty, government, and being humble. I agree with many of these Analects, and I chose one to talk about.

I think that its trying to say that your position or rank is not important. What´s important in life is being good. You should be humble, not looking for fame but looking for kindness, happiness, and helping others and maybe that will take you to fame,  but you should do it from your heart not to gain fame. You shouldn´t be worried about your fame, rather you should be worried about your goodness and what you can do to change the world. It is not about being known. Its about doing something worth being known for.

I like what it is trying to say, and I try to follow this. I´ve never wanted popularity or fame I prefer people liking me for who I am and what I´ve done. When I began playing squash, no body had faith in me. I was a girl, I was small, and didn't seem to have any strength at all. I didn't care. I wanted to be the best at it (not to prove anyone wrong but for myself). On my first tournament I was willing to give my best. On the first match I was playing against a bigger girl than me and she seemed stronger too. My sister said:

"Good luck, she's going to beat you".

I didn't care. I started playing and was losing but then I got all my strength out and won. Then I had many other matches, and I won them all. I had won the first tournament, but I wasn't looking for the first place. I was trying to prove myself and work hard, and show that anyone can win.

Spellbound

1. I think it is important for Ted to win the Spelling Bee because he is really intelligent and he feels different in his school. Ted doesn´t have friends and is left out. When he goes to the spelling bee he will find that he is not the only one that likes school and likes to study. The spelling bee will be full of people that are just like him and he won´t feel as lonely in the world.
2. Its also important for Neil to win the spelling bee because he has allot of pressure from his parents and the people around him. He has put allot of effort into the spelling bee, studying 7,000 to 8,000 words a day. His dad is really strict and he has even payed people to prey for Neil so he can win. Neil wants to win so that all that effort he put into this pays off and he won´t disappoint anyone.
3. Words I learned how to spell:

• kookaburra
• heleoplankton
• ecclesiastical
• hellebore
• apocope
• encephalon

Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Pathos: when we think of a car accident we often think about  how damaged  the car is, but we don't think that people may be "damaged" too. When people drive they don't think of the consequences and drive fast and sometimes out of control. This advertisement makes you feel sad, and feel pitty, and many other powerful feelings towards the girl that was in a car accident. Her head is smashed like a car would be, and her eyes are filled with sadness and she is ready to cry. You feel and impact as soon as you see this picture your emotions are touched.

Ethos: David Beckham is a very famous soccer player. People trust him and if he does something others will probably do too.  If he is in the add it will aslo drag people's attention to read it, it drags the viewers attention. If he drinks milk and he is succesful then others will drink milk like him.

Logos: This add states that smoking kills and that it is bad for you. It tells you  many of the consequences of smoking, and they are all true and impacting. This shows the logical part of the add.  It makes you rethink on smoking because of the facts that are given.

My Op - Ed on Teen Ink

http://teenink.com/opinion/social_issues_civics/article/507135/The-Right-to-Education/

The Right to Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela. For me, education may be the most important factor of a country´s development. The kids of a country are the future, and depending on what they are taught they will build a good future, or destroy what is left. Everyone, no matter the gender, race, sex, social class or religion has the right to free primary education. This human right is often violated all over the world, it is a problem that involves the entire world, and it now became a global issue.

Did you know that according to CNN every day 7,000 highs school students drop out of school in the US? This doesn't only happen in the US, it happens all over the world! Some young teenagers and kids have to abandon their education for danger, because of economic issues, because of racism, or even because of lack of parent supports. You are tired of school and you sometimes hate it, but think of those who do a great effort to go to school. Reflect on what you have and notice that you are fortunate. The lack of education is a big problem.

In my opinion education is connected to almost any aspect of a country that we think of. Health, politics, justice, advancement, development, economy, industry, and even culture are all affected by the education kids are given. A child that was taught about diseases and how to prevent them has a higher probability of staying healthy and avoiding illness as much as he can. Kids who went to school can notice problems in government structures. They can even fight against it to make a better government; they are also more likely to vote. According to the Teacher College Columbia University, college graduates are three times more likely to vote than high school dropouts. They are also more likely to get involved in a political organization. Kids who were taught can invent new technology when they grow up and make the country develop. An economy of a country is mostly based on the companies and the kids are the ones that will someday own those companies, if they know what has to be done they will perform a much better job. Educated people are also less likely to commit crimes and to be violent since they know how to live without harming anyone. Victor Hugo once said “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.” According to the Teachers College Columbia University the US loses hundreds of billions of dollars every year because of high school dropouts. These costs are due to loss of productivity, tax revenues, and more burdens to health care, public assistance, and criminal justice systems. In general all aspects that we think of are related to education. I think this is why a country should provide accessible education for everyone without exceptions.

Tanzanian girls know that a good education is the only way out of poverty, and they risk themselves to be able to go to school. These girls are really brave, and they give us (or at least me) an example of how valuable education is. Tanzanian girls have to live in ghettos far away from their families so they can go to school. The schools are far away in rural areas, and there is only one school for each five villages. These ghettos don't provide safety for the girls; young girls are often harassed, abused and even raped. Could you live like this? The girls live in fear and since they cannot sleep at night for insecurity they often fall asleep during classes. Can you believe that according to the BBC news, 20% of the girls drop out of school because of pregnancy? It is believed that many of these pregnancies are because of rapes. These girls suffer every day but the only thing they want is education, and they know it is the path for a better future. Do you feel guilty for complaining about your school or your job now?

We (including me) often say we don't want to go to school, that school is boring and we count the days until the next break. I think we should appreciate that we have a great school and that we have easy access to education because this type of problem is not only happening in Tanzania, it happens all around the world, and every single day. We live in a bubble, but we need to meet and understand the outside world because many bad things are happening and we need to help. Many people are helping including Bill Clinton and Oprah who donated money to foundations that help kids get a good education. Don’t you feel the urge to help? I know your heart is telling you to do something, so start now!

Op-Ed Article "The Right to Education"

Based on this article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12640342

The Right to Education

Education may be the most important factor of a country´s development. The kids of a country are the future, and depending on what they are taught they will build a good future, or destroy what is left. Everyone, no matter the gender, race, sex, social class or religion has the right to free primary education. This human right is often violated all over the world, it is problem that involves the entire world, and it is a global issue.  

Every day 7,000 highs school students drop out of school in the US, but this doesn't only happen in the US, it happens all over the world. Some young teenagers and kids have to abandon their education for danger, because of economic issues, because of racism, or because of lack of parent supports. 

Education is connected to almost any aspect of a country that we think of. Health, politics, advancement, development, economy, industry, and even culture are all affected by the education kids are given. A child that was taught about diseases and how to prevent them has a higher probability of staying healthy and avoiding illness as much as he can. Kids, who went to school, can notice problems in government structures and can fight against it to make a better government. Kids who were taught invent new technology when they grow of and make the country develop. An economy of a country is mostly based on the companies and the kids are the ones that will someday own those companies, if they know what has to be done they will perform a much better job. In general all aspects that we think off are related to education. This is why a country should provide accessible education for everyone without exceptions.

Tanzanian girls know that a good education is the only way out of poverty and they risk themselves to be able to go to school. These girls are really brave and they give us an example of how valuable education is. Tanzanian girls have to live in ghetto's far away from their families so they can go to school since the schools are far away in rural areas and there is only one school for each five villages. These ghettos don't provide safety for the girls; young girls are often harassed, abused and even raped. The girls live in fear and since they cannot sleep at night for insecurity they often fall asleep during classes. 20% of the girls drop out of school because of pregnancy and it is believed that many of these pregnancies are because of rapes. These girls suffer every day but the only thing they want is education, they know it is the path for a better future. 

We often say we don't want to go to school, that school is boring and we count the days until the next vacation. We should appreciate that we have a great school and that we have easy access to education because these type of problem is not only happening in Tanzania, it happens all around the world every single day. We live in a bubble, but we need to meet and understand the outside world because many bad things are happening and we need to help. 

Malala Yousafzai Articles

Malala Yousafzai: Pakistan activist, 14, shot in Swat ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19882799 ):

I think Malala is a very brave girl, and I admire her allot. I think she is a great and a very brave person for publishing and saying what she thinks. Speaking out in a peaceful way is a great way for solving problems.    I´m really mad at the man that shot her. If a man is capable of shooting an innocent girl, I can't imagine what else is he capable of. Taking away the education of girls at this point in history is a really bad decision in my opinion, girls can have great ideas for the future country, they are as good as men, and sometimes they are even better, I agree with Malala and the other girls that may be fighting against this stupid rule. I think this girl does deserve the National Award for Bravery and the nomination to the International Children´s Peace Award. I admire her and I will remember her when I have a problem to tell my self that I can do something about it and that I can be heard. I think this story also shows the power of social websites  and social media today. This girl had a blog and she was heard all over the world, she did have bad consequences but she was fighting for a good reason and she didn't harm anyone. We need to be careful with social pages and web pages but we also need to understand their power  and what we can do with them so we can use technology tools in a good way so we can make the world a better place.

Malala Yousafzai: Portrait of the girl blogger ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19899540 ):

I admire Malala allot and she made me notice a very important thing; I should notice and be thankful for the things I have. Sometimes we say we don't want to go to school or say that our country is destroyed. Other people are suffering  and are fighting for the right to have education. After reading about Malala I will try to be thankful for the things I have and I will appreciate everything that I have. 

Persepolis Reading Blogs

The Veil

In this chapter, the main character, Marji is required to use a veil, but I think the title has a deeper meaning.

She wants to be a prophet, but she has to hide it from the world because it is not correct in her society. She has to hide behind a figurative veil that doesn't let her be her true self, and show who she really is. Society is oppressing her; she and other girls her age can't show their true self for fear of being mistreated. A veil doesn't let you be yourself, it keeps you hidden, and it makes everyone identical. It is true that everyone should be treated equally but everyone shouldn't be and act exactly the same. There is a Dr. Seuss quote that I really like “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” With a veil, you can't be yourself, your identity is stolen, and with this veil the society is preventing people from thinking differently which is fundamental in the progress of a country. The government is giving the idea that if you are different you are bad, and if you want to express yourself you need to do it revolting and being violent.

Class photo. You can see everyone looks exactly the same.
Everyone is unhappy too. They don't like the new change.

Persepolis

This chapter kind of reminds me of the book The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas. In this book there is a boy, Bruno, that is son of a Nazi general, and he goes to live near a concentration camp. He can see the concentration camp through his window, but he doesn't know what it is. He sees people all dressed the same way, but he doesn't understand what is going on or why they are there. He is blinded by the innocence of being a child. The same happens to Marji in this story. She doesn't know what the revolution is, and she doesn't understand her parent´s behaviors. She doesn't understand why they laugh and for what are they fighting. This is why she starts reading about the revolution, so she can understand what is really happening.

Bruno doesn't understand, for him its all a game. He thinks the
other side of the fence is better.

Gretel and Bruno are looking out the window. They see the concentration

camp but are unsure of what it is.

The Sheep
In this chapter, Marji goes through what her mother once felt when her father went to jail. Her uncle, who she loved, goes to jail, and she has the opportunity to go visit him. The same had happened to her mother when her father was in jail. The difference is that Marji is proud of him being in jail since that makes him a hero, so she tells everyone she can. When her grandfather was in jail they were ashamed and tried to hide their problems from their neighbors. Marji´s uncle, Anoosh, gives her another bread swan, and he says it's the uncle of the first one he gave her. I think this represents him, and the other one represents Marji. Birds often represent freedom so it may mean that he wants her to have freedom in her life, he wants her to be happy, and he wants her to remember him forever.

Marji visits her uncle, Anoosh, like her mom once
did with her father. In the bottom left square,
 Anoosh gives Marji the bread swan.

The Passport
In this chapter I had many questions:

• How did a window washer become a health director? Is it just because he grew a beard?
• Can war blind a government and a society so that important jobs like health directors are taken by barely educated people like window washers?
• Why doesn't Marji and her family move out of the country as soon as possible? Everyday there are more people dying, and there is more suffering, is it really worth it to stay in that country?
• Can religion blind a society so much to say things like "If god wills it, he´ll get better" when he has had 3 heart attacks? Until what point is religion good? When does it start taking over the people?
• If there are people being tortured just for thinking differently, what will they do to someone who is doing false passports?
• Who should you trust is situations like the one the country is living?
• What benefits does the country see by not having religious and cultural freedom?

Taher's wife is trying to convince the health director
to get a passport for her husband because he is really sick.

The Dowry
I can relate this story to the story of Narnia. In Narnia, the country is going through a terrible war so the parents of 4 kids send them away to were they can be safe. It is possible that they will never see each other again but the parents want to do what is best for their daughters and sons. The same thing happens in Persepolis. Marji's parents want to send her to Austria were she will have a better education and a better and safer life. Parents will always do sacrifices for their children and this is what Marji´s parents have to do. She knows that maybe she will never see them again like the biggest of the Narnia kids who knows he will have to take care of his siblings since he is the new "parent". In both stories the "goodbye" is a sad moment but they know it is for good and for the benefit of the kids.

Two of the Narnia kids are in the train
station ready to leave. There is
sadness all around them as many
kids leave their families behind.

Marji is told that she is going to leave to Austria. She is sad and
suspects she will never see her parents again.

Reading Blog Gilgamesh

I can relate what happened to Ushnapishtim to the Bible's story of Noah. In this story, Ushnapishtim is asked by a god to build a boat that will protect him from a flood that will kill everyone. He builds the boat and gets animals and his family in it. The same thing happens in the story of Noah's ark.


We could relate this story to Snow White because in this strory the witch wants to kill Snow White like Enlil wants to kill all humans and turn them into clay
"How is it that one man has has saved himself." (page 74)
When the witch finds out that she is still alive she gets really mad as Enlil does:
"He spoke in anger to the gathered gods" (page 74)
I can also relate Enlil's thoughts to the saying "an eye for an eye" because he said:
"The punishment should always fit the crime" (page 74)
In Snow White the witch also want to be the prettiest and youngest one forever just as Gilgamesh wants to live forever. He goes in search of a plant that will make him young: "How-the-old-man-once-again-becomes-a-young-man" (page 79).
I can also relate what's happening to a movie called "Knowing" were the world is going to end and only a girl and a boy are chosen to continue living and continue with man kind. In this case, Ushnapishtim is chosen to live.

In my opinion Ushnapishtm shouldn't be awarded eternal life. Wasn't he already granted being the only one(with his family) to have lived? I think surviving the flood were everyone died was a big reward already.

In this book the serpent is also a representation of the bad like in the Bible. In this book, a serpent steels the plant and leaves Gilgamesh with nothing. "In the reeds nearby a serpent of the place [...] and stole away with it among the reeds" (pages 80 and 81)

Answer to Gilgamesh's Question: Where do we go when we die?

Everyone has a different idea of were we go when we die. It depends on culture, religion, society, family and many other aspects that are involved on are everyday life.
I think that people go to heaven or hell depending on how they were when they were alive. I don't think heaven and hell are a physical place, it's just an idea, a place that is in our minds.

I

I also believe that we will always stay in people's mind and in people's heart. No one should ever be forgotten.

Gilgamesh Reading Blog

Tablets I to III - Connect
I can relate the style of this book to The Iliad, it uses classic and literary language, it is not ordinary or casual. It's kind of poetic and it is divided in a way we are not used to.
There is also allot of participation of gods like in the Iliad. (Auru, Ninruta and others)
Another thing I noticed is that there are some things that they repeat with the exact same wording, like when they are sending a message:
On pages 6 and 7
The hunter tells his father that he saw Enkidu
"I saw a hairy-bodied man today at the watering place, powerful as Ninurta the god of war; he visits the watering places with the beasts..."
Then when he tells Gilgamesh, he repeats the message; with the exact same wording. This happens allot in The Iliad.
Gilgamesh could also be considered "demigod" (the word for people that are half god half human in the Iliad). Gilgamesh is 2/3 god and 1/3 human
There is also allot desire for women. This is one of the main topics of the Iliad since the war is in part because of Helena and Achilles is mad at the king because he took her women away. In this book, Enkidu is seduced by Shamhat, he is kind of hypnotized and wants to go to the city Uruk with her. Gilgamesh is also doing a really bad thing with women; he rapes them before they get married.
The interpretation of Gilgamesh's dream can also be connected to The Iliad because we also see allot of dreams and interpretations in Greek mythology.
You can also find many similes and other literary devices in both books:
"...he looked as beautiful as a bridegroom" (page 13)
I liked Gilgamesh better because there are allot less characters that I have to remember and it is easier to understand.

Tablets IV and V - Vocabulary
I think this words are important to define even though I know what they mean. They are a really important part of these tablets.
Dream:  images, thoughts, or emotions that pass through the mind while sleeping.

Fortunate: receiving good form unexpected sources

Mortal: subject to death
                                       

Immortal: not liable to death

Words that I didn't know:

Quench: to satisfy

Oblivion: the state of being forgotten or unknown

                                                     

Tablets VI - VII - Questions

1. What is the goddess Ishtar goddess of? (the I figured out she was the goddess of love)
2. If a demigod has a child with a god will it be god or demigod?
3. Why does Gilgamesh say that Ishtar is bad (you are the house that falls down, you are the door through which the cold gets in)?
4. Why are bridegrooms so important? they always compare them to good things and mention that word allot.
5. Why is the story in divided into weird paragraphs like the stanzas on a poem?
6. Why did Gilgamesh insult Ishtar, everyone knows you can't disrespect a god or goddess?
7. What is the Bull of Heaven? 
8. Where did the idea of heaven and underworld come from? This is an idea that many religions share...where did it come from?
9. Does Uruk really exist?
10. Why doesn't she try another revenge that only involves Gilgamesh and not all the Earth?
11. Why do they give more importance to Gilgamesh than to Enkidu if Enkidu has helped him defeat the Bull, and Huwawa shouldn't they be equal?
12. Did Gilgamesh and Enkidu exist and the narrator put some magic into the story or is everything made up?
13. Like Enkidu's question, why are the gods meeting in council? (I found out it was because the killed the Bull and Huwawa, the gods are mad and they want to get to a decision.)
14. Which one are the gods going to kill? Are they going to succeed?
15. What is the importance of the rock lapis lazuli to them?

Photography Inferences

I loved this picture from the moment I saw it. I think it brings so much to my mind, and it gives me so much to think about. This is why I chose it for this project.

Inferences:

 1. No matter your economic position you can always be happy. Money doesn't bring you happiness. There is a saying that says "Some people are so poor, all they have is money", "Money can't buy happiness" and Bob Marley once said "Money can't buy life". All these quotes relate to this picture and to what the photographer wants to express. Another quotes I found: “Dont think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money." -Voltiere 

 2. Another inference I can make is that all people and kids no matter their race, culture, or religion, have a right to be happy. This girl is from a different culture and race, but still she is happy, she is radiant, everyone is equal and everyone can smile. We should celebrate diversity, difference is amazing and we should appreciate it. Quotes: "Difference is good. Don't hate. Celebrate." "Celebrate diversity" 

 3. A smile is the best thing you can wear. Anyone will look beautiful with a smile on. A smile can make your day a better one, it can help your mood, it will make you smile. There are many quotes that state this: "Use your smile to change the world but don't let the world change your smile" "You're never fully dressed without a smile" - Martin Charnin "Smile, it looks good on you" "You might be surprised how a simple smile can soothe the soul” 

Picture taken from:  heavensfamily.org