Week 6 Topic 2

I believe it would take some drastic changes to make our society like the one in Anthem. In our country we highly value the individual and all of the differences each person brings to this country. I do not believe it is likely for this type of society to develop in America. The type of society like that in V for Vendetta is much more likely to ever happen than that in Anthem. Either scenario would be detrimental to us as Americans. This is why I believe we should all kept a strong faith in God who will protect us from such events ever occurring.

Week 6 Topic 1

I do believe that our government could become like the one in V for Vendetta. Even though I hope it never becomes that evil, I do believe that it is possible. I believe that our country is loosing its faith in God and only evil can come from that. If the wrong person took control, I believe America could literally go down the drain. This is why we must all be cautious in who we elect to preside over us. If we work hard, we can prevent such terrible governmental control from taking place.

Jordan Manuel

Week 5 Topic Two

If modern society were destroyed, I would like to work to bring back the importance of God in our country. I feel like in the past several years, we have slowly lost many of the things our country was founded on. Prayer is not allowed in schools, advertisements can no longer state the word "God" or make any reference to him at all in order to be politically correct. I think this is wrong. We should not turn our backs on God. Just turn on CNN and listen to what is occurring overseas. I believe we need God now more than ever in our country.

--Jordan Manuel

Week 5 Topic One

I believe that individuality is very important. We were all created to be different, with each and every person being special in some way. I think that we should cherish our differences and strive for individuality because that is the only way we can be truly honest to ourselves. I do believe that one can be an individual and also work in harmony with society. If you are true to yourself, everyone else will respect you, and thus you will be able to work in harmony with society. To me, individuality is far more important than conformity. It is much better to be happy with yourself and who you really are than to try to be someone you're not just to conform to someone else. Like I stated above, being true to yourself will allow others to respect you for who you really are, and you will also earn people's respect for holding true to your true character and likes/dislikes.

Topic 2: Prejudice against other people

I believe that the problem of prejudice has substantially decreased in recent decades. One hundred years ago women could not vote, fifty years ago our public schools were still segregated; today however, women and African Americans have ran for President and Vice President of the U.S. I am not saying that it is still not an issue, I am saying that it is no longer as big of an issue as it used to be. I see this trend only continuing into the future, meaning better times are ahead. I hope that in the future, people will be educated and open-minded enough to not have prejudice against anyone. We are on our way to this.

Topic 1; Persecuting people who are different than we are

The movie, V for Vendetta, shows us that the government is not always right. Many times the government takes drastic chances, only because it is afraid of the possibility of appearing weak. In the movie, people are persecuted by the new government for no apparent reason. I find this extremely cruel and utterly wrong. Even though it was only a movie, the fact that people are persecuted because they different than we are is a well known fact. I believe we do it because we are afraid of "different" kinds of people. If they do not look like us, act like us, or believe like us, they are "wrong" and many times persecuted. I think it is wrong for us to do this. I am not saying that there are not terrorists out there, or people who want to hurt us, I am simply stating that we should strive to know and understand them and where they come from before we pass judgment or ultimately persecute them.

My Favorite Literary Character

My favorite literary character would probably have to be Heathcliff from "Wuthering Heights." I read the story my senior year of high school, and really enjoyed the book. I have grown up hearing how great a story it is, but had never had never read it to see for myself. In it, Heathcliff, an orphan, is adopted by Mr. Earnshaw and is taken to live at Wuthering Heights. He then grows to fall in love with Mr. Earnshaw's daughter, Catherine, even though they were raised as brother and sister. Catherine however desires a luxurious lifestyle and even though she loves Heathcliff, she marries Edgar Linton instead. Heathcliff basically lives his life loving Catherine even though she is with someone else. Heathcliff is my favorite literary character not only because he is a very popular character in a classic novel, but also because he works hard throughout his life to be with the one woman who means the world to him.

-Jordan Manuel