Being independent-phobia

Growing up is difficult, we develop fears whether rational or irrational. Our fears may confine and harbor us from achieving our goals. Yet in an optimistic point of view, our fears can motivate us to accomplish our ambitions. For me, it has always been the fear of moving out and being financially independent. Ever so often this fear haunts and still continues to haunt me to this very day. Moving out is a great responsibility. It means finding a place to rent, paying the bills and medication, buying groceries and meeting our unnecessary desires. It means your mother will no longer spoon feed you. It means your mother will no longer clean up your mess. It means your mother will no longer be partially held responsible for your mischief in society.The thought of putting my wardrobe, the money in my savings account and my adult responsibilities into a suitcase puts me deeper in my misery.
My fear originated when I was in kindergarten. I was the biggest rebel in class. I was always getting into trouble and had to stay after school for my parents to discuss my issues with the teacher. Sure it must just be the process of growing up, after all, I was only a kid. However, it was a serious issue to my parents if it continued to persist.
During a long weekend, me and my family traveled down to Seattle for a short trip. We stopped in Chinatown for Chinese dinner. We parked our car in a dark alleyway. As we approached the meter to pay, I witnessed a group of homeless teens. Their skin was blistered and scarred. Their hair was greasy and long. Their clothes were filthy and grungy.
At the restaurant, my father strictly told me. I still remember this vividly to this day.
"Do you see those boys out there son?" my father said I gulped and held my breath.
"This is what happens when you don't do well in school. When you don't do well in school, you become homeless or  you end up working in fast food. Working in fast food means no money. No money means no fancy car or luxury mansions. No fancy car and luxury mansions means no good looking wife. No good looking wife means misery. You decide son, you are making the choice"
My father's words has made me very fearful of the day when I move out and I become responsible for myself. Even though this fear is so raw and bloodcurdling, it motivates me to become confident for the day I become independent. I contribute to my motivation by trying my best in my studies, building a rich resume and being active in my community.Yet my fear of moving out and being financially stable haunts me, it inspires me to become to become hardworking and ambitious.

Three Quotes and their Significance

In short summary of chapter two, Nan (Mack's wife) and kids return home. His wife discovers the wounds when he slipped and fell on ice. The author then compares a heavy quilt to Mack's depression over Missy's (Mack's daughter): "Shortly after the summer that Missy vanished, The Great Sadness had draped itself around Mack's shoulder like some invisible but almost tangibly heavy quilt (26-27)." This quote is important because Young uses it to create imagery in the reader's mind for emphasis. When we think of a heavy quilt, we often think of being lethargic, burdened, unmotivated, and simply depressed. Young uses this quote to draw out the emotions of Mack so the reader can possibly connect with the character.
The story then takes place on Labor Day weekend when Mack takes his children camping. Missy begs her father to tell the story of Legend of Multnomah Falls.  The tale Mack told to his children was about a native tribe where the chief loves his daughter, the princess. Unfortunately, a contagious disease spreads kills many of the tribesmen. The medicine man of the tribe tells that the sickness can only be stopped if the daughter of the chief jumps off a cliff. In short, the princess jumps to her death and the plague was lifted. When Mack finished telling the story, Missy compared the tale to Jesus' sacrifice by saying: "Well, the Great Spirit makes the princess jump off the cliff and makes Jesus die on a cross. That seems really mean to me (33)". In this quote, Missy is referring the Great Spirit to God and saying that he is cruel and mean to mortals. I find that this is ironic because by reading the prologue in this novel, we know that Missy will be abducted during the family's vacation. Yet, she talks about how God is unfair to mortals by taking their lives. This is a type of cosmic irony because Missy expresses God as mean, yet we know that she will eventually be abducted. This may hint that God punishes her for saying that he is "so mean (33)".
In chapter three, two of the children take a canoe trip to the lake. Sadly, Josh (Mack's son) is caught underwater of a tipped canoe. In the end, Josh is pulled to shore. In the last line of the chapter the author says: "A potential crisis has been averted. Or so Mack though (44)". I think the narrator of this line is speaking from God because he seems to be predictive. The author uses foreshadowing to hint the reader that something greater and more devastating will happen upon Mack. Either it may be Missy being abducted or maybe something more ominous.

What do you think? Do you agree with me? Do you have a different interpretation? Please share your comment in the comment section below!

3v0lushin~

                As we all know this week, we've been stressing a lot the trends and changes of the English language. In fact, we debated and shared our opinions whether it is a growth or decay. However, as you may be concerned, I strongly disagree on these trends of English. Due to our advanced technology such as MSN, twitter, facebook and SMS words have been abbreviated and simplified. We have adapted to using these textisms in academic assignments, business communications and even resumes. This practice has gone out of control and our society needs to realize that textisms should be kept inside our social lives only. Personally, I think that it is a great loss to our language. The reason why we study Shakespearean pieces is to embrace and observe the creative ways of literature in the ages. By abbreviating words in our language, it puts all the hard work of constructing English into waste. English class is designed to educate students of using literary devices, diverse vocabulary, correct grammar etc. Inserting textisms defeat the purpose of education; it degrades our education level.

                 In the French language, the French are very concerned about preserving their language. They in fact have people pick out English words from their vocabulary and introduce a new word in their language. I believe that the English language needs to follow that practice of excluding words that degrade our language.

                In conclusion, I strongly disagree with the idea of merging textisms in our formal situations because it degrades our language. Hard work has been put into developing vocabulary in our language and by simplifying it puts the hard work to waste. Textisms should be kept in our social lives and not in formal situations. Please comment on this post. I invite you to challenge my point of view.