Oedipus & Antigone Test

Alex Kerkhoff
12/7/11
A- Block
Mr. BG

Oedipus & Antigone Test

1.     If fate was real and I believed in it, it would not be possible for me to alter my fate through free will. The higher power controls everything in your life and there is nothing that you can do to stop it. You may try to change what the god is doing but inevitably you will do what he wants you to do.    

Conversely if  you believe in free will, you believe that every action or thought that you make is because of you and only you. There is no high power in free will, it is all the up to the person and what decisions he or she makes. If you think about a child being born, that is just evolution and Darwinism. There are times when you may challenge your own idea of free will when some thing happens that you can’t explain. But if you look back on it, there is a logical answer on why that event happened. You just don't see it when your in the moment because your not focused on it.

Your usually focused on something else and then that event that you can’t explain happens. Sometimes you see the whole event happen and you swear that it was a act of fate but it could be your mind playing tricks on you. Your mind sees what it wants to see.

2.    Every day billions of people lie to one another and  it’s okay.  Lying is something that everyone has done even if they say they never have lied. So if everyone does it, its acceptable to lie. There are moments everyday when you don’t want to tell the truth for a couple of reasons.

    First is if you don't like the person and you don't want them to know something you know. Second is if you like the person and you don’t want to hurt there feeling because there your friend. Third sometimes its easier to tell a lie than the truth. To be the bearer of bad news isn't fun so you just lie.

    There are times when you intentionally lie to someone because you believe that it is in the persons best interest. When you and a group of your friends are going somewhere and someone else wants to go but you don’t want them to go because you aren't great friends with them. And that person who wants to go asks if your doing anything and you saying nothing. Your trying to be nice and not hurt there feelings by telling them that nothing is going. Then there are times when people lie to you and it would be better if they told you the truth. Like if your wearing some ridiculous and if you ask if this looks good and you say yes. Then when you go out in public people make fun of you.

    Telling the truth is usually seen as the right thing to do, and lying is always the wrong thing to do. But that is not always the case there are times when it is better to lie and not tell the truth. I think its impossible  to never to lie, its almost human nature. There is no possible way to know when to tell the truth or to lie, because we can’t see the future. Telling the truth and lying should be dealt on a case by case basis, because no two situations are the same.

3.    Sigmund Freud was a psychoanalysis in the 1800’s to 1900’s that came up with the Oedipus complex. The Oedipus complex is the childhood desire to sleep with the mother and kill the father. This is gets it’s orgin from the play Oedipus one of Sophocles plays. In the play Oedipus ends up killing his own father and sleeping with his own mother. The Oedipus complex explains that when a child is young that his love for his mothers breast is what he wants. And he notices that his father gets to have those whenever he wants. So subconsciously or consciously the child wants to kill his father.

I think that all of Freud’s evidence for the child wanting to kill his father and bed his mother is pish posh. A baby doesn’t know that he wants sex or anything sexual. When a baby sees breast its not a sexual desire it’s a hunger desire, it knows it going to get fed. Secondly why would a baby want to kill it’s father if it knows that the father takes care of it and cares for it.

If I had to agree with Freud’s theory  and come up with a argument to support him then I would have to agree with him that baby's go through phase’s like oral phase. If I had to disagree with him would say that a baby doesn't know all these sexual things at this young of stage of life so why would he kill his father.

4.    In the play Antigone, there are many deaths and killings, and this is the same fate for Antigone. Antigone is trying to bury her brother after Eteocles and Polyneices killed each other in battle. Antigone his sentenced to death for burying her brother and she takes matters into her own hands and hangs herself. I think that this was a fitting death because there is so much death and this is more dramatic. I think she does this because her love for her brothers is more than for following the orders of Creon. She is willing to risk her life to give her brother a proper burial.

There are many laws in society today and there are many people that break them. According to governments it is never okay to break the law, but people still break them everyday. Laws that for murder and extreme crimes are right and should be there. But there are a lot of laws that make no sense. If you have to decided to break the law or not to it comes down to how important it is to you. The opportunity cost of breaking the law has to be out weighed by reason for breaking the law.   

One law that is alright to bend is speeding, nobody always follows speed signs to a Tee. People go a little over or a little under, that isn’t hurting anyone. It is okay to break the law when driving on JOL. I think that having someone in your car can also help you because they can be a spotter of sorts. It is always good to follow the law when it comes to murder. Don’t murder anyone because killing people isn’t a good thing to do. To make fair and unfair laws it is necessary to find out what the general public wants, the majority of people. You need to satisfy the needs of the many rather than the needs of the few.

Siddhartha Comes to America

I pulled into the Notch State Park parking lot and that's when my day got a lot more interesting. As I pulled into my parking space there was this man standing there in this robe who looked Indian, he just stared at me in till I got out of my car. I stepped out and I asked him “ can I help you?” He said why yes you can, would you like to hike with me around these trails and show me the right way to go, I'm not from around here if you couldn't tell.” At first I was a little skeptical but how bad of a person be who is in robes, so I said sure and I got my stuff together and we were off. It was a beautiful fall day in New England, the temperature was not to hot and not to cold. The trees were full of amazing foliage, the mixing of yellow and orange and the occasional red leafs all around you was a sight to remember.

We began our trip at the lodge were all trails start, and I thought to myself I should introduce myself so he knows my name “ O this might be useful my name is Alex, what is yours?” He replied “ My name is Siddhartha, I'm a Buddhist monk from India.” Now that we knew each others names we could officially start our hike. The trails were rough and worn down from all the hikers through out the years. When we walked our feet rustled through the fallen leafs and kicked them to the side. We quickly left the flat area and started to ascend to the peak of the mountain. I looked over at Siddhartha and I could tell he was thinking or trying to absorb all the things going around him in nature.  As I was walking through the leafs you could see squirrels running after each other and birds sitting on trees just singing there  own song. This place is a place were man and nature can coexists as one. When we going up we could start to see more blue around us because it was getting higher and higher and the sky was coming closer. When we finally reached the top we it was the most amazing view of the valley. The wind was blowing in your face and you could see all around you for miles. Siddhartha said “this is a beautiful place to mediate and live your life, it reminds me of the place where I ferry people across a river.”(101) I just looked around and all you could see was nature and how this simple mountain can make you feel so small. We hanged around the top of the mountain for a little bit and then we started to descend. On the way down Siddhartha asked me “ is everyplace around here this peaceful?” I laughed for a little bit and responded “ I wish it was but I’ll take you to a place where you will never want to be.        

We got into my car and drove to holyoke, already I could see the disgust on Siddhartha's face as we crossed the bridge. We pulled into the mall and he just looked at all the cars and concrete. He asked me “ where is the tree’s and grass, all there is stone.” I told him “ this is the holyoke mall, one of the busiest and grimmest place around here.” We walked into the mall and we were bombarded with people trying to get whatever they want at any means possible. Siddhartha asked me “ so all these people do here is go around buying materialistic things and wasting there money, while being extremely rude to others instead of spending times with there families and loved ones.” I replied “ ya basically that's the mall in a nutshell.” we kept walking around and you could see the disgust on Siddhartha face. He told me it reminded him of when he was gambling and drinking like a rich merchant.(79) The sounds of babies crying and moms ignoring them and talking on there cell phones where every where. Music from the stores was blaring and the smell of over powerful perfume was toxic to him. Siddhartha asked me “ why do people live like this, they seem over stimulated and so focused on buying.” I explained to him that we live in a materialistic society where everyone buys, buys, and buys some more. And that they get satisfaction out of it. Siddhartha then looked at me puzzled and said “ why do people want this they can’t mediate and be in touch with there inner self here, there is to much temptations and stimulation.” Siddhartha seemed to be getting aggravated, so we decided to leave and hopefully never come back. Siddhartha said he had to get going now and continue on his journey. He was extremely thankful that I showed him around and he was one his way.

Looking back on my brief time with Siddhartha I think that the Notch was the best place for him. He loved being outside and being in touch with himself and nature.It was quite and he could also mediate. There wasn’t and distraction's or temptations there like the holyoke mall. So if Siddhartha had to pick a place I think ten out of ten times he would pick the Notch 

Not Just Another sports story

Alex Kerkhoff

2a. This essay is more appealing to me than my other two because I think it is a great topic and it really shows who i am.

2b. I think my essay can be related to anyone because its something that usually everybody goes through in some part of there life.

2c. My weakness in this paper is how good the sentences flow.

2d. One question I would have, is there any parts in the story where you are confused. 

 Not Just Another Sports Story

   

My whole life I’ve played sports, its what I enjoy, prepare for, live for. Sports are just apart of me as my leg is attached to my hip. There is only one thing wrong with all of this and that is I am just not that athletic, or I might say not as much as I want to be. This poses a problem when it comes to playing in games. I know high school sports aren’t the NFL or even college ball but its a part of who I am.

    Every season starts months before the first game in any sport you play. In my case the off season starts the day after football ends, with indoor track. Track was awful but each year I could see the benefits from it. It wasn’t just indoor track that I had to do, it was also outdoor track. Now I am a three sport Athlete preparing just to play football. The real test is when the coaches aren't around.  It all starts with lifting and conditioning. Since my freshmen year I have been lifting in the summer months before football almost everyday I can. Going to captains practice in the middle of the summer and conditioning with the team.

I’ve been doing all this for four years of my life, everyday to get better for football. When finally got to my Senior season I was ready to play and essential have my chance in the spot light. But life had a different plan for me. After the first few weeks of the season I had figured out that I was not going to start anywhere on the team because there was a more athletic kid, that was better suited for the job. At first I was angry, second I was disappointed, third I was ready to quit. I just thought that four years of work had all for none. Luckily for me I had a coach, or more of a mentor explain to me that quitting would only make things worse and I would regret that decision the rest of my life.   

After I talked to coach I learned a lot about myself, and what Ive done in my life. All those summers of lifting and dreaded track practices had made me who I am as a person. I realized the commitment to excellence I had to whatever I do and this was developed through football and everything that came through it. My work ethic and commitment for the sport of football simultaneously applies to my life. Now everything I do reflects that because it is just a part of me as sports are. Football isn't just a sport, it's a teacher that teaches the drive and will to accomplish whatever the task at hand is. And I will carry those attributes wherever I go  now. All good papers should end with a quote Ive heard. My head coach told our team one time before practice that “ the game of football can do more for you than you can do for it”. - Eric Scammons 

Kite running in West Texas

summer reading essay

Kite running in West Texas

(Friday Night Lights, Kite Runner)

It was about that time in West Texas, it happens every year, its football season. The time when summer ends and the number one event in town begins. Our community is all focused around Permian football. It’s the talk of town, when the team losses a game they let you know about it. But. When you win a game there is no feeling like it. Every store, business, and street corner has the panthers logo on it. All the starting players have big signs on the front of there lawns letting people know who they were. In the eyes of our town, football is the only sport.

My name is Mike Winchell, but you can call me Mike. This year is going to be a tough year for our team, we are a lot smaller than in years past. As always the same faces are here to tryout for the team, but in the crowd of black and white jerseys I see a unfamiliar face. It must be the new kid from Afghanistan, I cant believe he is trying out. As a captain I walk over and introduce myself to make him feel not totally alienated. I walk in front of him and there is this awkward feeling, but then he starts talking to me.

“Hello my name is Amir, I just moved here from Pakistan.” he said nervously

“Hey I’m Mike, welcome to the team, that's if you make it”. I said jokily

“ Football seems to be really big in Texas, I guess? In my country Soccer is the number one sport, but I figured I’m in America why not try out football.” Said Amir.

I was shocked he brought up soccer on a football field “Amir, you know your in West Texas now and the three biggest sports are NFL football, College Football, and High school football. No soccer is played around these parts”.

“ I know, I just like seeing you cowboys  get all hustled up when someone says soccer” said Amir.

“so Amir, what position are you going to try out for linebacker, running back, receiver?” I asked

Amir quickly said “ Receiver, I’m really fast. In my town we would fly kites and battle them. When your kite got cut down you would have to run after it and go get it. I was always faster than all the other kids.”

“Perfect, I’m the quarterback and I’ll just throw you the ball on the deep routes” I said to him with a smile.

    After that conversation, Amir and I became close friends over the length of the season. He became one of the star players on our team and led our division with touch downs as a receiver. Of course he would have never have done that without me throwing him the ball.  But the best thing about Amir, was that even when we lost a game he would still be there as a friend.