FROM THE LAND OF GRAPES & RETAIL: 08

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Report That Held Up Graduation....IS FINISHED!

Joey did a terrific job on this. Finally it's done and getting turned in tomorrow! The teacher required one sentence onto the fifth page and he wound up with six pages. Here are my favorite paragraphs, the 2nd and last... The Lord of the Rings: Corruption, Triumph, and Redemption

Throughout history, there have been many corrupt leaders or dictators. Sauron in The Lord of the Rings is the perfect example of a corrupt leader. Sauron creates a ring whose power and influence is so great and so corrupting that it cannot be safely used (F2). Alexander Pope once said, “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, as to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, we first endure, then pity, then embrace.” Sauron’s ring proves this because regardless of the wearer’s initial intentions, whether good or evil, the ring’s power always turns the wearer evil. Examples include Sméagol becoming Gollum and the kings becoming Ring wraiths (B2). Following Pope’s quote, Frodo tells Gandalf, “I wish the ring had never come to me, I wish it had not happened in my time.” To which Gandalf replies, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide; all you need to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”(A7) Frodo struggles to perform the task, (destroying the ring) while slowly being devoured by the power of the ring until at the edge of the volcano’s crater. At the edge, he chooses to claim the ring for himself (F3). At first, Frodo did not want the ring, but then in the end, he did not want to give it up. Frodo followed what Pope said: first he hated it, then felt pity, and then embraced it. The same idea could be applied to how Frodo treats Gollum. First, Frodo does not like Gollum, and then he feels bad for him and allows Gollum to lead himself and Sam to Mordor. Then, after he allows Gollum to lead he usually takes Gollum’s side in an argument between Sam and Gollum, until he eventually tells Sam to go back home. The reason Gollum wants to help is half out of a pathetic desire for friendship and half out of an addiction to the ring (F4).

In the world today, men will do almost anything to gain wealth or power. In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is tempted all the way, until in the end, when the ring is finally destroyed. Frodo, unlike many, was able to withstand the temptations. Others fell in to the ring within a few days, hours, even minutes. The difference with each person who encountered the ring was the influence they received from either the good or the evil side. Tolkien provides a good sense of good versus evil in The Lord of the Rings. What we have here is an imaginative imbalance; good is supposed to overcome evil, but since it is less read to us, its victory does not convince (E6). But in the triumph of good over evil, physical and intellectual power must be shown as what we know them to be, morally neutral and effectively real; battles are won by the stronger side, be it good or evil (E5). Today many people believe that good always triumphs, but that is not always the case. Some examples in today’s world where evil triumphs could be: unsolved murders, drug lords-at-large, the mafia, and the list goes on. Through all these distractions that threaten to tempt and destroy, it is important that people keep their minds focused on their mission in life so they can complete it with pride and honor, ultimately choosing the good over the evil.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

All the hard work paid off...

Make a Smilebox postcard

Now THIS Was Mother's Day 2008!

Mother's Day with my Grammy (my mom's mom), my mom and dad, my sisters Marilyn (and her husband and four kids) and Barbie, and my brothers, Mike and Danny...and last but not least, my husband and four kids. We wound up eating at the Katella Deli down at Seal Beach (for lack of anywhere else to land a group that big.) We all went to Barbie's Seal Beach ward. The most smiley moment was went Mark didn't hesitate to walk up and join the men in singing. Then he walked Ressa and Melody up to sing Mother's Day songs with the kids. We wondered for a moment if Mark would stand and sing too ;D, but he ducked down in back until they were done. GOOD TIMES!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Talking with my grandma, who turns 87 next month. Lookin' good, Grammy!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Austin's Home Tour for Spanish I...

Austin prepared this first, then memorized it, but claims to have done lots of "ad libbing" IN SPANISH, along the way. We just found out he is going from Honors English back into regular English next year, but being bumped into Spanish II (Honors) next year.....go figure?