Repeated Roses

One of the most recognized symbols of love is the rose. The romance that is associated with the rose became widely known during the Victorian era. In a society that frowned upon open openly expressing feelings, floral arrangements and bouquets were sent as coded messages. Different variations in color (for the same types of flower) carry different meanings . Yellow roses represent joy and friendship, peach is for modesty, pink is for grace,  and red  (of course) confers love and respect. The leaves on a rose show hope, and a rose without thrones convey love at first sight.

With Homecoming approaching many people use flowers, especially roses, to ask each other out. Even though few young people today know about/use the language of flowers, it  has remained in use throughout literature, art and music. Shakespeare used the hidden meanings of flowers throughout his plays (Ophelia, Hamlet, etc.). A more recent novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh was written with floriography as a major theme.  

In class we are reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and one item that has been repeatedly seen is a red rosebush. The roses are beautiful and contrast the gloomy setting of the book. They have already been related to Hester and Pearl, and I expect that I will be seeing them again during my reading.

Blog Post #2

The United States is a nation of immigrants. Immigrants came to the U.S. to escape from poverty, persecution, famine, and overpopulation in their countries of origin. The influx of people into the country has, and continues, to create a diverse population. People are always cautious about the unknown. When people with different customs and traditions come into contact with those already situated, problems may occur. Stereotypes are one of the most common. It makes things easier to label a group of people than to take the time to learn about each individual. The common traits that are first observed are applied to all people that fit in that group. What may been true for a few is blown out of proportion, causing people who do not share the traits to feel pressured by the stereotypes.
It is not possible to change a stereotype in a short amount of time, but it is possible to change the mind of an individual. By sharing our culture, languages, and customs people learn that many preconceived notions they hold are not accurate. If we take the time to appreciate our differences it is possible to understand each other, and to eventually do away with stereotypes.

http://www.simplypsychology.org/katz-braly.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/bias

Blog Post #1

This week in class we spent a lot of time discussing memorials. People as constantly fighting, and when the fighting escalates deaths occur. We make memorials to remember people that have died. They can be big or small. They can be for many people or for individuals, yet they all have the same purpose; to remind us of what we have lost and what we have to lose.

Memorials are only one way that we are reminded of death. We see other reminders constantly.  Makeup/lotion commercials focus the anti-ageing properties of the product that the company is trying to sell. Diet programs remind us that we have to exercise to live longer. Vacuum infomercials try to convince us that our homes are brimming with dust particles that will decrease our life expectancy. Advertisers know that by making ordinary things seem dangerous we may be frightened or convinced into buying their products. They prey on our constant awareness of our limited lifespan that they themselves have helped create.  

We see this awareness of death reflected in more innocent ways as well. Most people I know will say that they have a list of things  they want accomplish before they die, in other words, a bucket list. The term "bucket list" comes from the phrase "to kick the bucket" a slang or informal way to say "to die".  The proliferation of awareness about death has become normal in the modern world. Looking and feeling young are emphasized more in media and our everyday lives. While looking towards the future is important, more awareness should be placed on what is happening now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering