Freedom, the power to determine action without restraint; a simple word for a very deep and profound meaning. People over the ages have fought and died to achieve this quality, even now all over the world the fight for freedom continues. To achieve freedom, people take many roles to acquire it, some preach and sway people from afar with their influence to garner it, while others take the front lines to fight for it, and lastly some without power use social media to spread their message.

Power, influence and status are all tools that people use to sway others. For example, a world renowned rapper like Eminem released a song called Mosh, which held a message of freedom and the need to unite with others to achieve it. This man, the creator of the rap, is highly influential and his words affect and leave an impact on people; with his preaching of freedom he is helping spread the message and getting it to a mass of people. However, you don’t have to be world famous to spread your message; for example, my younger cousins respect me and the words I speak are powerful to them, which in turn leave a lasting impact. With this said, everyone has power or influence on some people, be it a huge populations or just someone in your family, either way you’re working towards spreading the message of freedom.

Secondly, some people choose the more direct approach for freedom, instead of being in the back they’re the soldiers, the men and women fighting so we can be free. Personally, I have had a few relatives in the Army and what they do for their country is amazing, these people choose to sacrifice their lives and well-being so that me and you can have a safe tomorrow, without fear. I also believe that fighting for your freedom is the most effective way to obtain it; since the creation of man, people have rebelled and fought for their families to have better lives and to be free of enslavement. Even now in this day and age, our well-being and rights are being protected by brave individuals sacrificing themselves on the front lines for our freedom.

Furthermore, times have changed and fighting isn’t the only way to change the perspective of people; social media has risen and even the common man can use it to leave a message. For example things like; Facebook, twitter, MySpace, and instagram are all used worldwide and have blown up over the past decade. These are outlets that anyone can use; the influences of these sites are spread very far and people can band together easily, creating a much bigger statement then one could alone.

All in all, freedom is a way of life that people have fought and died for since the beginning of man. In this day and age people can achieve freedom by, swaying groups of people with their power and influence, fighting for it on the front lines, and lastly by using social media which has blown up over the years to create a bold statement.

Potential, to have an untapped ability to achieve great things, every human is born with potential but only few reach far and delve deep into themselves to truly utilize this gift. For Eons, civilizations have rose, great feats and impossibilities have been done, all by men and women who have realized their capabilities and have strengthened themselves with it; resulting in the accomplishment of great things. In the cases of this unique ‘power’, some are born with it, others work very hard to tap into it, and lastly most just squander it.

In this world some people are born with potential to be great in something, there they find their niche in life and utilize their gift the best they can. An example of this idea is made evident if we look at a hockey legend like Wayne Gretzky. From an early age his hockey abilities and on ice prowess was clear; everyone knew he was going to be something great. Another thing to highlight this point could involve myself; over the course of the year, countless times, my English teacher has told me about all the potential I have in the course and that I’m born with a talent in writing that I should use. All over the world, be it in sports, the arts, or academics, there are people who are naturally more gifted in a particular thing and have a higher potential to succeed in it.

Furthermore, not everyone has a gift or is just born with a special talent; however they do have potential and must work much harder and persevere to tap into it. Nothing is impossible, with the right mindset, a hard working attitude, and the realization of what you are capable of, nothing can stop you. To illustrate this, an example could be used of NBA all-star Michael Jordan; he was not born a great player nor did very many people think he would be anything; the legendary baller even got cut from the basketball team in high school. However he believed in himself, he knew he had the potential to be great but to bring it out and show the world he needed to work and that’s exactly what he did, leading him to his fame and reputation as one of the best basketball players of all time. Not only is potential thrust upon someone, but for most, it is hidden deep inside and only with hard work and commitment can they let it out for all to see.

Lastly, everyone has potential but not everyone does anything about it and never reaches or obtains what they could have. This is a sad truth that effects most people to an extent; people are just very lazy. This statement whole heartedly applies to me, I know I have the potential to be great and that the sky is the limit with the endless possibilities of what I can do and achieve. However, instead of reaching for the stars and really pushing myself to go as far as I can, I just do a mediocre job to get by, not harnessing and utilizing the potential I have within. This is a practice used by many across the globe and is in fact hindering and not helping us in any way but rather squandering our potential.

All in all, potential is embedded in every single human on the planet and it is up to us to tap into this ‘power’ and be the best we can possibly be. Some of us may be born with great potential, others will have to work very hard to realize what they are capable of, and some will do nothing and never reach or achieve what they could have.

In Shakespeare’s piece, Romeo and Juliet; fate, a belief that everything in life is predetermined and destined to occur, is a prevalent idea throughout the classic. Where we go in life is determined by ourselves and the choices that we make as individuals, and is not dictated by any ‘magic’ force, but rather our own free will. The people we’re with plus the things we do, accompanied by our values and beliefs create the person we are and the life we live.

You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family, this famous idiom highlights the point of, how one mustn’t blame fate for who they’re with because even if you can’t change your family you always have the opportunity to change who you’re friends with. Many people get themselves in situations where they’re hanging out with the, ‘wrong’ people, who do not wish the best for them and then believe it’s just their fate or their luck, and they’re always going to be disrespected and be in that situation forever. For example, when I was younger I used to hang around some guys who would often disrespect me, at that time I believed this is just how my life is going to play out and I can’t do anything to change it; I believed in fate. However, with some guidance I learned that my friends are not predetermined and I could change my circle whenever I wanted to, and be around people who respected me and thought of me as a person of value.

Little things, big things, everything we do add up in one way or another, our actions taken determine where we will be and not a jurisdiction of fate. In relation to, Romeo and Juliet, both characters believe that everything that is happening to them has already been mapped out for them and everything will go accordingly to what the gods have prophesised. However, if many things were even a little different, a lot of the stuff that occurred wouldn’t have even happened. For example, if Romeo’s friends weren’t as persistent on taking Romeo to the Capulet ball, he probably would have never gone and would have never even seen Juliet. Another example would be, in Romeo and Tybalts fight, if Romeo didn’t stab Tybalt and thought with a clearer mind, he would still been in Verona and not be banished by the Prince. The principle of fate ruled in Shakespearian time and that is made quite obvious with all of the characters in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, being ruled over by the belief.

Our morale’s, our way of thinking, the person we see in the mirror, are all created by what we value and believe in. Fate is just a lousy excuse for many people on why they can or cannot do something. Nowhere is it written how your life will play out, nor is there a limit on your potential and all the things you can accomplish.  Millions of people around the globe believe that everything that happens to them is happening to for a reason, and there isn’t anything they can change. For example, a student might be getting bad grades in in English class and think to themselves that he/she is just destined to be bad at English and there isn’t anything they can do to change it. However, if they work hard and are determined to do better, and ask for the help they need, they for sure will become more successful and increase their maximum potential. This idea can also relate back to, Romeo and Juliet, where both teens believe they’re meant for each other and fate has brought them together. With this, it’s your actions and what you do that equate to how your life will be like.
In conclusion, our destinies and the path we walk are not chosen for us but rather the people we’re with, plus the things we do, and accompanied by our values and beliefs dictate how we will perceive the world and either believe in fate or free will.

Blackberry Picking, a poem written by Seamus Heaney, describes the lustful behaviour of man and the anguish that is felt when things you hope keep do not. This is a powerful literary piece that offers lessons about the futility of hoarding life’s delicacies and pleasures through shifts in the poem.

The poem made me think of my childhood, and that happy, warm feeling I would get whenever I saw something I loved; I would want it all for myself. This matches the feelings of Seamus Heaney through the initial shift of the poem where the narrator is in awe and is absolutely elated to see all those blackberries to pick. The joyous mood is matched with the word choices used by the author with some examples being, “…a glossy purple clot” (3) and, “…its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine.” (5) However, Seamus Heaney also depicts the lust and the greed of the individuals as they aim to take as many blackberries as possible. Just as I would do as a kid, when I didn’t know it was wrong and had no second thought of letting others enjoy a gift from nature, as when I picked all the apples off a tree because they were so good.

Starting in the second shift of the poem, a hint of realization is struck and a darker tone is used by the author. This darker tone is evident with the contrast between the second shift and the first by some of the author’s word choices; such as, “The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.” (21) and, “That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.” (23) The narrator describes how hoarding grants them no benefit and instead leaves them sour and praying maybe the same will not happen next time. For myself as well, there’s no way I could finish all those apples and instead of taking how much I needed, I got caught up with it all and ended up spoiling a lot of apples, which could’ve been enjoyed by someone other than myself.

Through the different shifts on display in this piece, the central message that I obtained with relation to my own experiences is how futile it is to hoard life’s pleasures and delicacy’s.

http://download.gamezone.com/uploads/image/data/1113704/risebatman.jpg

Dear Ivdeep,

Over the past month I’ve read and finished the captivating thriller of a book, The Dark Knight Rises, and while I was reading it, I thought of you and how much you would enjoy reading this movie made novel by Greg Cox. This is all coming from a guy who barely reads books for fun, but I guarantee that you will be engrossed in Batman’s newest adventure which is highlighted by its thick juicy plot line and the always tense scenes of action. I picked up this book after I had watched the movie because just like you, the movie had completely blown me away. The novel is completely worth a read; a novelization of the movie adds a lot more depth and description to Bruce Wayne’s epic quest to save Gotham City and her people.

Bruce Wayne, the protagonist of the novel, is someone with a burning passion to help others in need, and just like him I believe you and I share that same compassion and drive to help more than just ourselves out. Continuing with drive, one of the main motifs or messages illustrated in the book is the ability to rise and overcome obstacles thrown down your path; this is clearly shown when Bruce says, “Gotham was depending on him. I have to go back out there.” (pg121) From the context, Bruce Wayne is warned to go back out in the field since his eight year absence, and is told he will not be able to overcome this new adversary pillaging Gotham City, but he is determined to set out and put an end to the villain Bane even if it costs him his life. This defiant act of heroism is one of the main reasons why you’re going to love this book, because of the fact that you’ve always loved superheroes and have idolized the “good” guy in any given situation.  The theme of rising above and beyond yourself is a reoccurring theme that is always shown in the novel; this idea and message of persevering and raising your limits is something you could definitely benefit from.

From personally knowing you for so many years I can see the struggles and bad situations you’ve been in, where you have doubted yourself and your abilities. Even the Batman has a few moments of weakness and a loss of direction not knowing where exactly to go. You’re a guy that usually always has everything together; but just like Batman, a fearless superhero, you too sometimes have those days where you don’t know what to do, and doubt yourself and put limits on your infinite potential. This book will remind you on those dark days to never give up on yourself and to always believe you can do the impossible. Out of everything you read and acquire from this novel that has got to be the most important message I hope you discern from the readings.

All together this is just an amazing read that I know you’re going to love, and all I got left to say to you is, pick up, The Dark Knight Rises, and get reading!