Snowpiercer October 31st

Question 3:

I think Snowpiercer did a great job of reflecting the society we live in today. We never saw how the people at the front of the train got there, which made me assume they were either born into the situation or it was reserved for people who come from affluent backgrounds. That is the way society is today, life is usually easier for those born into money or status, while those who aren't are forced to live in bad conditions. We also tend to give all the power to the same privileged people, who end up looking out only for those like themselves, and that was also reflected in the film as well.

Snowpiercer October 28th

Question 3:

I believed the most significant scene at the time was the scene where Mason put the passenger's arm outside of the train as punishment. She uses him to demonstrate her power over them, by giving a speech that compares the tail passengers to shoes. She tells them that they resemble a shoe while she resembles a hat on top on the head alluding to her place at the front of the train. I believe this is significant because it gave the audience knowledge about how the train was being run, which helped us understand the rest of the movie.

Snowpiercer

The most important symbol in Snowpiercer is the aquarium car.  They talk about how they can only serve sushi two months a year in order to balance the ecosystem.  This symbolizes the structure of the entire train.  When they reach the engine, Wilford tells them that he was the one sending messages in the food blocks and that he had been organizing the revolt and past revolts in order to balance the ecosystem of the train.

Poor thing

Wednesday Sept 28th Comparing the Poor thing to my I Believe essay Pepe was a Metaphor for the problems the couple was handling and in my I Believe I had to over come a lot to pursue the passion I had for sports. I wanted to play in college but it took time too develop my game and build confidence to play. Pepe was the divorce a couple had been contemplating for some time. Once Pepe died so did the relationship. Unlike the couple I made it to college and enjoy it everyday they were destined to break apart.

Snowpericer

1. The Most important symbol in the movie is the Train. The train represents the world and its people represent its humanity. Very simply stated by the man who built the train. I agree that those 2 things attribute to the stories foundation. 2.Society is ruthless and cutthroat, everyday people die fighting for what they believe in. In that process people lose lives, money, mind, and soul. constantly pushing for something better but having to fight the people in charge for change. That is what the allegory comes the closest too. Even when presented with everything Curtis could have wanted, he still chose for change. 3. The way the kids were learning and being treated. Why didn't they have the kids ;earning how to start a new life outside the train when it got warmer.

Snowpiercer

10/28/16

1. Close up shot, extreme long shot, mid shot. There tends to be more close up and mid shots to express the emotion and significance in certain scenes.
2. I feel like the most significant scene in the movie was the explanation of the tail section being the boot of the train. I feel like its the most important because it begins to represent the separation of class in the train, status wise and location wise.
3. I believe the train is the most significant symbol in the train. It represents the last of humanity as well as being the safe haven for the passengers a place to call "home".

10/31/16

1. The most significant symbol in the movie is still the train. It represents the accumulation of the people as a whole but still expresses the separation between different train cars, status, and occupation.
2. From what I see the most significant statement about society that can be made is the inequality that comes along with power while trying to retain balance. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The same can be said for Wilford although he is the one who constructed the train it is unfair to give complete power to govern the train to him. As it clearly shows the people left are separated and some have lived more comfortable lives than others. Decisions in a situation like theirs is better left to the consensus of the people.

Snowpiercer

Kriscian Figueroa
Dr. Hill
31 October 2016


                In the movie Snow piercer, everything was completely crazy with gun shooting and killing was kind of aggressive but it was to be in the front and I understand the stories because they want to be treated like people and that they took their child away from each other which they doesn't suppose to do that to people that a treated like nobody. I feel that it means that we shouldn't let other people to get t use and try the harder to not let us down as society and be together no matter what situation we are going through.

Snowpiercer

Kriscian Figueroa
Dr. Hill
28 October 2016


               the most interest thing in this films is when they took a guy and put his hands outside of the thing to freeze his hands and then break it because is was sadness seeing people do that to a poor guy, it was completely bad and heartbreaking. The guy shouldn't do that to a guy like himself being a father and been took away his child witch is was evil completely.

Snowpiercer blog assignment

      Snowpiercer can translate to an allegory in some ways. It is a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning. I deeply feel for the unity the less fortunate show for each other to battle against the stronger opponent, those in front of the train with the guns. This can translate to an allegory because I feel it is indicating that even if an individual or group is on the unfortunate end to a bad situation, team work and unity can help you overcome that problem. It can translate to the people that work many hours and get paid less than those who work less. As a result, some try to stand up by becoming one group and uniting. For instance, when people protest. There a lots of allegory in the movie it is just how the individual view it from their own perspective.

Snowpiercer Assignment for 10/31/16

     2.)  If we look at Snowpiercer as an allegory for society, what do you feel is the most significant statement it is making about society?  What is the attitude it expresses?  Does it offer alternatives?

   If we look at Snowpiercer in that light, it's kind of like today's society. Where the poor are struggling and always get the bottom of the barrel so to speak. It's making the statement as the minister so eloquently put it the rich/ or the higher authority is the hat, while the poor is the shoe. The ice age that they are in could be symbolic for how are nation is at a stand still with any economical growth. The attitude it expresses is pretty glum and dark.

Snowpiercer Blog assignment for OCT.31

Jeremiah Gamble

October 31, 2016

ENG 200/Hill

Class time Monday question

Question choice 2:

                The most significant statement Snowpiercer is making about society is that inequality eventually promotes civil war. We see it in many examples of American History. All people generally have common sense and recognize when they are being treated differently compared to another group. In “Snowpiercer” people of the trail car recognized there was a difference in treatment between them and the first class attendants. After a while, trail car members demand justice. The only alternatives to create equality and no possibility of civil war are to initially treat everyone the same and eliminate wealth/class categories.

Question 1 Snowpiercer Jackie Loss

I believe the most significant scenes in this movie is when the shoe appears. The first time the shoe appears is when Minister Mason uses it to show where the tail end people are in the hierarchy of the train. This shoe is latter seen again when the tail end people use a shoe again and place it on top of Minister Mason's head.These scenes are important because it shows the placement of the hierarchy and then the take over of the train by the tail end people. I believe the overall statement of this movie is political and takes on Darwinian Economic Determination. Where there is so much economic inequality that their only way to move up is to fight your way up higher.

Snowpiercer

In the Snowpiercer, I thought the most significant scene was when they opened some kind of window of the train. Everyone on the train was surprised to see what the remaining of the city looks like after the ice age.

Snowpiercer assignment 2 question 3

Zachary Kurtz
The significant issue I have is with the warming of the outside. Yes it makes sense that over time it would get warmer, that is not the problem though. The problem is how can it be cold enough to freeze someone's arm off but then a couple days later do nothing too people. I'm talking about the shoot out they had from different train cars. When the glass was broken it didn't do anything to them, and they didn't even like care that it was broken. Where it should of had more of an effect on every near the cold. Other than that this is a great film so far and I cant wait to see hoe it ends.

Snowpiercer blog assignment for Octotober 31st by Andrew Johnson

Since I started watching this movie there has been many scenes and symbols I feel that are important but the one that stands out to me the most is the symbol of the bridge, The bridge plays such a huge role in this movie by every time they pass the bridge it means they have circled around the world again due to it being an ice age one of the characters Yona looks closer trying to find a plane that once crashed there seeing a way to leave the train itself. I feel the overall meaning of this movie is that it is trying to tell you that being stuck at the end of the train treated like prisoners for 18 years, circling around and around the world signals the end of the world and every man and woman has to make a stand to decide what is right for the better most part of the group. The scene helps support this because whenever they cross that bridge everyone knows what it means it means that one whole year has passed again and that they have been around the world. Knowing that it might never end is a scary thought.

SNOWPIERCER [2013] Scene: Steam-room Stand-Off. Too Violent?

I really think this is the most brutal of all the violent scenes in Snowpiercer.  Even after watching it a few times, it's still pretty brutal.  The question is: is it too brutal?



The camera work accentuates the brutality.  As Mark Lancaster said in an entry earlier, there are a lot of extreme close ups, and in this scene, they are extreme close ups of people in agony.  It makes it VERY difficult to look at.  Extreme close-ups create an intense sense of intimacy, and to have that attached to someone getting stabbed is pretty horrifying.



I can see how some would really take issue with this level of explicit violence.  But then I think: perhaps that is the point of it.  On one level, Snowpiercer is very much about how brutal human beings can get when faced with survival.  In a situation like this, where one is afraid of death from so many angles, the true animal nature of the homo sapien species would indeed come out.  We can sit back and judge, saying this is just irrational violence, but perhaps the issue is that we have the comfortable life that allows us to say that.  In a similar situation, would we do the same?  (Sounds like the end of a Joyce Carol Oates story, now that I write that.  I did not intend that to happen!)

10/31/16 Snowpiercer assignment

What I think the most significant statement Snowpiercer is making about society is that we let the government run the people. The most important scene would be when the kids were learning about Wilford and had hand gestures for the times he was mentioned.. like Hitler sort of...

10/28/16 Snowpiercer assignment

Snowpiercer uses many cinematic techniques to show the audience the most important items or main faces in the movie. The color palette seems to show the mood of the poor people and show's there status as humans.The most significant scene was when they were on the bridge, because that was "New Year's" for them. The most significant symbol was the item hanging in the beginning of the movie because it proved how cold it was outside.

SnowPiercer Question #2

So far, I feel the scene that displayed the guy bum rushing the guards have proved most significant at this point. It sent off a trigger that was desperately needed to bring out the courage in others to step up and revolt. This also might've been the scene that established him as the leader of the pack. Attacking the guards allowed them to bust through numerous walls in which they didn't have access to before. This also allowed them to discover new interventions amongst the train such  as the guy that had been in a deep sleep for what seemed like for awhile. He had knowledge of unlocking and wiring around the train that could prove extremely valuable later on.

Showpiercer

I think that the constant climate change we are seeing today is very similar to the challenges facing the global populous. Summers are getting warmer and winters are getting colder. In the movie Snowpiercer it shows a condemned world to an ice age and death. But a few people remain traveling on a train breaking up snow and ice for a clean water source. Something we can even do in all parts of the world today due to water contamination. Its sad and It makes you think a lot harder about the environment that we all seem to care less and less about. Watching everyone fight for survival could be symbolism to what our civilization has to do when the world freezes over.

SnowPiercer

If in any way I see this adding to the details of the Anthropocene Epoch would be how some of the victims described as "shoes" and "tails" fight for more freedom and make new discoveries as they advance in their journey on the train. This kind of relates as the Anthropocene Epoch was centralized around evolution and advancement of the world.

Nikole Courton


Mary Louise Hill


28 October 2016




In the movie "Snow Piercer"there were a lot of things happening. The cinematic techniques were medium and long shots so far. The montage of this movie was they were trying to get to the front the train. The color palette of "Snow Piercer" is dark and some light.  The mood that Bong Joon Ho is trying to express is respect and trying to get in the front the train. The most significant scene is when the babies were getting taking from the mother and the father. The most significant symbol of this movie is being respected and the shoe the man threw the shoe at the women taking his son.

Snow Piercer

Destiny Taylor
Mary Louise Hill
28 October 2016
I think snow piercer presents a real life tragedy from todays society with them having an ice age due to global warming and chemicals to see a movie bring this to life is amazing this movie presents a very real threat of todays society so the most important symbol right now is the ice age.

Snowpiercer

Jenna Van Remmen

In the film Snowpiercer several significant scenes have come to my attention. The setting of Snowpiercer is on a train. The most profound and significant scene that has stuck out to me is the symbolism of the shoe. Prior to this scene a mans son is taken from him. The distraught man retaliates by throwing a shoe at the women who took his son. Unfortunately, the authority on this train are extremist. The man has to be punished for disobeying authority. The man is forced to stick his arm out of a port on the train. It is severely snowing out and the temperature I'm sure is below freezing. The mans arm gets completely frozen solid. The vicious authority take a sludge hammer and smash the poor mans arm off. This was a gruesome scene.

A women of significant authority from the front of the train gives the tenants of the back of the train a lecture. The women proceeds to remind the tenants of their place. Reminding the passengers that they belong to the tail of the train. She goes into detail that any kind of rebellion or disobeying will not be tolerated. It will result in sever punishment. The women proceeds to tell the passengers that they should be a shoe. She says that a shoe belongs on your foot, and not on your head. That is implying the passengers place on the train. At the bottom. This scene is significant because it sets the tone of the movie and really displays the kinds of conditions the passengers are under.  The scene also shows the anticipation the passengers have to start the rebellion to the front of the train.

Snowpiercer Friday Questions

I believe that the most significant scene in the movie so far is when the door opens and both sides are staring each other in the face. I think that this signified what the plot has been so far which is both sides of the train trying either to gain the power or to keep the power. It was the most climaxtic moment in the movie when both sides were waiting for the other to make a move. It seems like after this moment there will be a clear upper hand in this battle for supremecy. This moment stuck out the most for me as the most important moment and scene in the movie so far.

Snowpiercer

Question 1

So far in the film there have been many close up shots and extreme long shots.  The extreme long shots have been of the train and the environment.  Close up shots are used at eye level during dialog in the movie.  The color palette uses bland, dark colors to set the mood.  The director is expressing that the people in the back of the train are oppressed by the people in the front.

Snowpiercer

I believe the most significant scene we have seen so far is one of the first scenes. When the prisoners are asked if there are any violin players and the man and his wife stand up. When it was stated they only needed the man and he turned away the invitation then they crushed his wife's hand and took him anyway. This shows how horribly the poor people on the back of this train have been treated and in the end of this scene you can see how they stay discussing their plan to revolt saying "now is the time" this is showing that this passengers are fed up with the way they've been treated for the last 17 years and are ready to take a stand.

Snowpiercer

So far I feel the most significant scene was when the children were being taken away. This scene slowly set the stage for the revolt  to take place. It was a major turning point, because once the children were taken way I feel as though the passengers were fed up. Although they were already planning to revolt the sight of those children being ripped away sent the passengers into a frenzy especially the parents. This led a man to have his arm frozen to ice and broken off with a hammer.

snowpiercer assinment 1 question 2

Zachary Kurtz
The most significant scene in the film is the one about unity. It is in the middle of the second fight scene where the rebels from the back of the train are fighting the people in the black hoods. During the fight there is the part where the main character is about to be killed but then out of no where his best friend saves his life. This is small symbolism for a very big picture, that alone the rebels are weak but together they are unstoppable. With this they will win the rebellion.

Snowpiercer Assignment

In the Snowpiercer, there are many symbols placed in the movie. One symbol that stands out from the rest. It may sound a little weird but the guns play a big role. The people on the train said "All of the bullets from their guns have been used from four years ago." The guns symbolize the power and authority. Whatever they want the prisoners to do or go, they use the guns to earn respect. Therefore, weapons gets the other people to do whatever they say in this movie.

Snowpiercer blog assingment by Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson




October 27th 2016




Question 2




English 200-02 Hill

Snow Piercer

                         I feel that the most significant scene in the movie of Snow piercer so far is when the one lady through her shoe at one of the guards on the train after they took her son away from here when she was trying to hide her son from them. And before that they had one of the guys who was trying to get his son back to after he was taken he was trying to fight his way through them but that action he took cost him his life after they froze his arm outside of the train and then smashed his arm with a hammer. These actions led to a rebellion with all the people who were basically treated like prisoners rebelled against the guards and started to battle against some of them with the help of an older gentleman who designed the train and the locks on it with the help of him they were able to go past doors and get their revenge on them shortly discovering what they have been eating everyday for the past 17 years is basically grounded up bugs.

Snowpiercer blog assignment

Jeremiah Gamble

October 27, 2016

Question 2.

ENG 200/Hill

Question 2:

                The most significant scene in the film at this point is the scene when one of the passangers threw a shoe at the teacher (lady in the yellow jacket). He was sick of the way the passangers are treated and wanted a revolt. The guards developed early authority in the movie. In the following scenes he was punished. The guards froze his arm and broke it off with a hammer. Fear was creating a suspenseful setting. Curtis the leader of the pact of passangers was planning a revolt but then needed to think smarter.

Snowpiercer -- excerpt and first option for blog entry due 10/28

If you are interested in addressing the first question I pose, you can simply respond in the comments section to this entry.  If you would like to begin your own entry, you may do that, too.  You may in fact upload a different film excerpt if you choose to.  If you open your own entry, title it in such a way that we can see what you are writing about.



Whether you write a "comment" or open a new entry, you should write at least one complete, coherent paragraph of at least five sentences in response to whichever question you are addressing.   If you are responding to an existing entry, make sure you read those responses ahead of yours and interact with them.



The question here is:

What are the primary cinematic techniques so far in Snowpiercer?  Describe the montage, color palette, camera techniques.  Based on what you observe, what appears to be the dominant mood and sensibility Bong Joon Ho is trying to express?

Zachary Kurtz This I believe

Rules for My Life

            My rules will never change, once I had them set, they became a part of me and no one can change that. I believe in family, hard work, and enjoy living my life.

            Family is not as simple as you may think. It is a bond that cannot break no matter what. Everyone is born into a family; love it and it will love you back like nothing else. As you help your family, they will help you for nothing in return. Hold on though because it’s not just the family that I was born into but also the one I created. The lifelong friends I have, the girlfriend that I love, and even a sports team I am on. They will always have my back because I will always have theirs, no matter how close or far apart we are.

            Hard work is a simple rule but still important. Nothing is free in this world, and you don’t just get handed stuff, so if I want it I have to earn it. At a job there is a promotion that is up for the grab, well then I work for it and show that I deserve it over anyone else. Don’t just sit around and brown nose the bosses, actually earn it. Unlike some people, who think earning it is to be two faced. Same for any type of team. First you have to show that you are good enough for the team but it doesn’t stop there. Once on the team you have to put the hard work in to show that you deserve to start every game; then keep working hard to improve and make the team better. I have tried out for two different college soccer teams and not made it yet, but I’m not stopping until I make it with hard work. I want to earn that spot next year, not have it handed to me. So earn it, don’t take something that you don’t deserve.

            The last rule is the easiest and the hardest at the same time; enjoy what you can. Enjoy life. Enjoy the little things. Enjoy everything you can for two reasons. First, you never know when it can be gone, life ends so fast. Like the life of a loved pet or even the life of my beloved grandma. Who passed away at a young age, without knowing that I would never see her again.  So enjoy the time you have with loved ones because you never know the last time you will ever see them. You want it to be happy and enjoyed. Secondly, if you don’t, you won’t enjoy life. Don’t stress out about the little things; let them go and have fun. The little things, I just let them hit me and fall down like a bead of rain on a rain coat. Now you ask how it’s so hard, well it’s because of this world we live in. Everything and everyone creates stress. People are pressures to reach perfection every day.  You don’t want to disappoint, but the fact is you can’t make everyone happy, so make who matters to you happy and then enjoy life.

            This is what I believe in and practice every day. No one and nothing will change that. The most important rule is to enjoy life. I think that if everyone in the world did that there would never be another suicide in the world.

Treat Others How They Treat You

Monique Davis

Professor Mary Louise Hill

ENG 200

September 25, 2016

Treat Others How They Treat You

My belief is very short but it has wide ranges of meaning to it. My belief is “Treat others how they treat you”. I know it’s copied from the Golden Rule, but I switched up a little. This belief is from past experiences with different people that came into my life. For example, friends will come and go. But I have never had a friend that treated me wrong, got a taste of their own medicine, and came back. My belief can be positive for the person who feels the same way, but negative for the person who doesn’t.

One day, my father and I went to Red Lobster. This is our “I had a great day and it’s payday, let’s go out” Or “We have a taste for seafood” spot. The waitress, who looks fairly new, walks up to us with her notepad ready to take our order, just by looking at her and the way she spoke I can tell she’s nervous and ready to go home. My father is a very impatient, critical man.  Before she said the regular greeting, she apologized and said “this is my first day, so please bear with me.” So, being with being the understanding person I am. I said “its fine, we’ll definitely work with you.” After she took our drinks and our food order, my father complained about how slow and shaky she was. My father said something under his breath and she heard him. She went into the bathroom crying. I looked at my father and told him “Hey, take it easy on her; she’s trying her best on her first day”. He, of course didn’t want to hear or understand that. I went into the bathroom and told her “You are way too beautiful to be crying, especially from ungrateful people” I reached in my wallet and gave her a $20 tip. She quickly refused, but I insisted. I know how the first day of work and how customers can be.

I treat others how they treat me is a belief I have that will stick with me forever. People have bad days that other people will not understand. That waitress treated us with nothing but respect. Therefore, my belief was that she deserved to be treated with respect as well. I’d rather have positive people associate with me so I can treat them with the same respect. 

Tionna Brown This I Believe Essay

Cherish the Moment

I believe it is extremely important to cherish the people who are placed in your life as well as the moments you are given with them in life. Every part of life that we experience has a purpose. From every person you encounter, the places you decide to go and the actions you choose to make, each creates a new opportunity to make new memories and unforgettable moments.

Meeting new people has to be one of my most favorable aspects of life. Something as simple as a two-second glance with just the right amount of eye contact could place a person in your life forever. I can honestly say I could not imagine how functioning on a daily basis would be without most of the people in my life now. By having the consistent outpouring of love, care and support from many members of my family and friends, I feel as though there isn’t anything that I can’t accomplish. Building strong relationships with people that are made of trust and loyalty ensures me that with the right people by my side, anything is possible. Every day I feel extremely grateful knowing that I have several people in my life that have genuine love for me and are always interested in the things that are best for me and my goals.

Maintaining positive relationships with positive people in your life is what matters the most to me. When someone is a part of your life and they have no concern or interest in the things that are best for you or them, it creates an opportunity for negativity. I feel that the people I surround myself with should always encourage me to make the best decisions for myself. They should motivate me to be the best person I can be and to always consider the good in all situations. Being an optimistic selfless person, I make it a priority to show the people I care about how important their success in life is to me. By showing a genuine interest and being supportive to someone else, the same support from other would be easily reciprocated.

As a child, I was always told by my mother “you are the company you keep.” Having a novice mind, back then I was unable to understand the role this statement would later play in my life. When you’re a child, you have very little concerns in the world. Your friends that you meet up to play with at the local park are your only concern. Friends were the easiest thing to come by and having so many people to laugh and play with made life worth it. As you get older and develop your sense of self, there are more things to consider when crafting your social life. This statement most importantly has had a significant impact on my personal life. I make an extreme effort to never surround myself with people that are doing wrong. Of course, it is safe to say that nobody is perfect, and we all live to make mistakes. However, the people you surround yourself by should have the same type of positive mindset as you. My friends and I share the same enthusiasm to accomplish our current goal. We are all working hard towards receive our bachelor’s degrees and are eager to help each other in any way that we can to achieve this goal. You are only as strong as the people you have to support you. I plan to treasure all of the people who support me and continue to work hard in order to make everyone proud.

Tionna Brown This I Believe Essay

Cherish the Moment

I believe it is extremely important to cherish the people who are placed in your life as well as the moments you are given with them in life. Every part of life that we experience has a purpose. From every person you encounter, the places you decide to go and the actions you choose to make, each creates a new opportunity to make new memories and unforgettable moments.

Meeting new people has to be one of my most favorable aspects of life. Something as simple as a two-second glance with just the right amount of eye contact could place a person in your life forever. I can honestly say I could not imagine how functioning on a daily basis would be without most of the people in my life now. By having the consistent outpouring of love, care and support from many members of my family and friends, I feel as though there isn’t anything that I can’t accomplish. Building strong relationships with people that are made of trust and loyalty ensures me that with the right people by my side, anything is possible. Every day I feel extremely grateful knowing that I have several people in my life that have genuine love for me and are always interested in the things that are best for me and my goals.

Maintaining positive relationships with positive people in your life is what matters the most to me. When someone is a part of your life and they have no concern or interest in the things that are best for you or them, it creates an opportunity for negativity. I feel that the people I surround myself with should always encourage me to make the best decisions for myself. They should motivate me to be the best person I can be and to always consider the good in all situations. Being an optimistic selfless person, I make it a priority to show the people I care about how important their success in life is to me. By showing a genuine interest and being supportive to someone else, the same support from other would be easily reciprocated.

As a child, I was always told by my mother “you are the company you keep.” Having a novice mind, back then I was unable to understand the role this statement would later play in my life. When you’re a child, you have very little concerns in the world. Your friends that you meet up to play with at the local park are your only concern. Friends were the easiest thing to come by and having so many people to laugh and play with made life worth it. As you get older and develop your sense of self, there are more things to consider when crafting your social life. This statement most importantly has had a significant impact on my personal life. I make an extreme effort to never surround myself with people that are doing wrong. Of course, it is safe to say that nobody is perfect, and we all live to make mistakes. However, the people you surround yourself by should have the same type of positive mindset as you. My friends and I share the same enthusiasm to accomplish our current goal. We are all working hard towards receive our bachelor’s degrees and are eager to help each other in any way that we can to achieve this goal. You are only as strong as the people you have to support you. I plan to treasure all of the people who support me and continue to work hard in order to make everyone proud.

 

 

I believe

Callum Christie 9/16/16 Prof M Eng I believe A saying I’ve had tattooed on my arm since I was 16, “Where there is love, there is life”. I believe that each defining moment in our life can be as simple as taking change out of your pocket and giving it to someone homeless, or taking the time to help your children with homework. Love is a powerful word and being able to share that surreal feeling with those around you is a beautiful gift. When I was young I was awkward and shy, I barely had any friends, and I was bullied almost every day by the same kids. I never really talked to anyone in elementary school, I mostly played videogames to stay distracted from real life. I felt this rewarding feeling when I moved on in the stages on the game. Not many people had the same idea of fun that I did. I wasn’t athletic and didn’t like being outside but as I got a little older I started going out and playing sports with my little brother, he is so good now. Getting me involved in soccer I started to fall in love with the sport and never wanted to go home once I got a ball at my feet. It was like a state of ecstasy once I got running, the feeling of the air on my face, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the sound of bugs coming out as the sun goes down. I never wanted to be taken away, I couldn’t tell if it was an addiction or not but I felt home. I felt like my second family was my team and I knew I always had a place of belonging. It never lasts forever; so I cherished every moment of it like it was my last. I loved hearing the sound of my parents cheering and screaming as I played. That alone made me so competitive; I always went on the field to make my parents proud. Before long I was playing in England with Chelsea and moving into the residential trails. Staying in England was beautiful and the guys I met ill know for the rest of my life. By the end of it all I was a better athlete and a person. Every day I kept the same mentality though and never lost sight of the purpose behind playing soccer. I had found a love in soccer I couldn’t find anywhere else. So I respected the game and the comrades that shared the same views as I did like they were my own blood. I came back to the states at 14 to begin my soccer career here and I had already told my mum I had wanted a tattoo then, she thought I was nuts. But even then she knew how I felt about the game and how It would influence my future. So when I was 16 she let me get it anyway by signing off, and since then I have lived my life with that creed in ink on my arm.

This I Believe

The Importance of Honesty

            I believe that being honest is an important part of life.  It is important for developing healthy relationships with your friends and family, and being truthful will also help you succeed in life.  Being honest will help you get and keep respectable jobs.  Being honest with your friends and family will lead to having great relationships with all of them.  In the end, even if you are embarrassed or not proud of something you have said or done, your family and friends will still be glad you were honest about it.  Owning up to your mistakes and issues is a major part of being honest.  Everyone makes mistakes and lying about mistakes you have made will only make them worse.  At the end of the day, everyone is human and makes mistakes, so you should just be honest and own up to them.

            I believe that everyone should be treated equally.  No matter who you are, you deserve to be treated nicely, and with respect and dignity, just like everyone else.  When all is said and done, no matter your race or gender, everyone is human and should be treated the same.  Whether or not you are friends or acquaintances with someone, they still should be treated with the same amount of respect and attention as your closest friends and family.  People always make mistakes and they should not be defined by the mistakes they make.  They deserve to be treated with the same conduct as everyone else.  People deserve second chances if they make mistakes and still deserve attention and respect after they make mistakes. Animals should also be treated with respect and kindness.  They are living creatures just like us and because of that, they deserve to be treated kindly and humanely.

            I also believe that you should be yourself.  This goes hand in hand with being honest.  You should be upfront with people about the type of person you are.  If you stay reserved and keep your emotions bottled up, you will be unable to form healthy relationships.  If you are not truthful about whom you are, you will not be able to keep virtuous relationships with your friends and family.  If someone does not like the type of person you are, having a relationship with them will not be healthy for either of you.  There is always someone out there that you will get along with and the only way to find those types of people is to be upfront with everyone about the type of person you are.  However, if you are naturally reserved, this can still apply to you.  Your actions can also define the type of person you are.  You should not be dishonest about the type of person you are.  This will cause you to make friendships with people you do not actually have a lot, if any, in common with.  This will lead to unhealthy relationships with these people.

            In conclusion, it is very important to be yourself and tell the truth.  These go hand in hand and are vital for making and maintaining healthy relationships.  Also, you should treat everyone equally.  People should not be defined by their mistakes and they all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Evolution

Michael McCarley

Mary Louis Hill

This I Believe Essay

October 14, 2016

Evolution

All through history people have followed their own as well as the collective beliefs of those around them. These sets of beliefs are what is currently know as creeds or credos. I believe everyone, everywhere, no matter which age, race, or gender has a strong  set of convictions or even something else that they allow to guide themselves. Personally speaking, I believe that people develop these creeds and credos to assist themselves in the process of finding the answers to the specific truths that they seek in their own lives. Some of the most commons depictions of creeds could be seen as peoples belief in Gods, or the Ten Commandments, or even the Declaration of Independence. These are all examples of an outside source assisting people to a means to an end or even the path to a new beginning. Without dreams, ideas, and strong beliefs there would be no means toward forward progression, toward evolution.

There are no special rules or regulations and deciding what to believe in, but it is alone mine as well as your choice as individuals to place you ideals into something. I also have my own set of convictions and beliefs. I believe in strong relationships with other people, as well as the pursuit towards personal development and success. Interacting with others allows me to experience different opinions and lifestyles which can help me reevaluate and recreate myself and the way I think through the personal experiences with other people and how they live their lives and view the world around them. It is very important to me to grow as an individual so I try not to be biased in regard to any person or anything that I involve myself with. This allows me to mature as an individual and open my eyes to the endless and infinite possibilities all around me. I believe it to be very valuable to be able to take in everything in the world around me and reflect on it personal to help further develop my views and beliefs through me own perception. It is important to see things through the eyes and beliefs of others so that you do not create a biased opinion of the world around yourself. 

During my time in high school I went on my very first retreat called Kairos. This retreat was a very influential and key experience for the person that I am today. The entire purpose of the retreat is to cut us students off from the many distractions of the world so that we can completely focus on the personal development of ourselves as well as understanding the significance of the interaction with others. During this retreat we students were constantly called to reevaluate our core values and dig deep enough to speak up on the ideas and motives lying dormant in our hearts. We needed to look upon past experiences and to analyze them and to adapt so that we could improve our current lives and to create a certain type of belief that we could follow religiously. By the time the retreat was over I had completely reconstructed myself as a whole from the way that I thought to the people I chose to interact with. I sought to further improve myself personally so that it would assist me to seeing the world in a new light so that I could improve my interpersonal skills to truly appreciate the significance of the other people in my life.

So in a way you can say what I truly believe in is evolution. The ability to constantly adapt and to improve ourselves as a people. I mustn't be swayed by the temptations to blindly follow and not adapt and reflect on all the things around me. As human beings we are very complex and at the same time so very simple. What we seek is purpose, personal growth, and self accomplishment. As long as I can follow what I believe and continue to reflect and act on my reflections on the world around me, it is possible to achieve my goals of existence. What people need is to be an INDIVIDUAL, molded and formed by past experiences, present reflections, and aspirations for the future. I must always move forward and continue to grow as a person, only then do I believe a person will have life a  truly satisfied life. 

I Shall Conquer

Marquis James

Professor Mary Louise Hill

“This I Believe” Essay

                                                                        I Shall Conquer

 

             I tend to try to live in the moment as much as possible, not to disregard the importance of the future, but to hold off unnecessary stress that may come with those thoughts. If I had to get a little more specific, I would say two of my creeds are determination and hard work. My reliance on these terms are what have helped some of my goals come to fruition. They both tend to correlate because if you’re determined to accomplish something, hard work is required.

            As stated above, Credos can be showcased and stem from different forms and fashions. In my opinion, tattoos tend to be the beliefs that are dearest to your soul because of the pain and permanency that comes with it. Someone that can be used as an example is NBA superstar Stephen Curry. Other than the supreme shooting prowess he displays to the world on the court, something that flies under the radar is how much of a religious man he is. Some would refer to him as a “Man of God.” He exemplified this expression by having his favorite bible scriptures tattooed on himself. I would think the right presumption would be that those are statements he lives by; day in and day out. Curry once said, to paraphrase, “Believing in God doesn’t make me a better basketball player, but does allow me the opportunity to show my work ethic and excel at whatever I do.” What I would take away from that statement would be that he believes that without God in his life, or even in general, he wouldn’t be where he is today and that his belief drives his persistence towards being the best at whatever he does. To further exemplify his beliefs, Curry turned down a Nike shoe deal because they refused to put his preferred bible scripture on the side of the shoe. If this doesn’t show how integral of a part your creed can play in your life, then I still may not know what a credo really is.

            Determination and persistence fall hand in hand. Each requires myself to shrug off all obstacles that may block your path to success or happiness and continue to strive for my ultimate goal. One example in my life that dug into the meaning of these words was when I was younger and loved to play basketball, but hadn’t quite honed in on the skills necessary to compete with others. This drove me to sign up for a basketball camp at Rush-Henrietta High School. At this camp, there were dozens of kids striving to get better. There were coaches there to go through tutorials for the fundamentals of basketball such as dribbling, passing and shooting form. To say the least, I came out of that camp with a tighter grasp on some of the logistics of basketball, but a fun experience with my peers that brightened up my summer. This summer would coincidently be one of the key reasons why I got to compete in high school on the basketball team. Knowing what I know now about the ins-and-outs of basketball all stemmed from my determination to learn the craft. The hard work part of it consisted of vigorous workouts and exclusive repetition on the different aspects of basketball such as passing and shooting.

             I stated earlier that I try to live in the moment, but a goal is something that obviously isn’t going to happen right way, thus causing you to be persistent and avoid being short-sited. These two beliefs are the main catalysts to how and why I’ve reached my current state and to where I’m headed.

Nikole Courton

Professor Mary Louise Hill

English 200-05

Family

Family is important, even though you may not see them or close with them they may live thousands of miles of way or a different country or state. Family is always going to be there for you whether you are sad, happy, or excited about something. Family is also there when something happens in the family could be a death or even for celebrations. I also believe in family because of my grandmother she always says “There is nothing without family or god”. My grandmother says this because this is what we believe as a whole family. Even though we are not perfect we can still come together.

Another reason I chose family is because we believe in god. God is also our family belief as a family because of my grandparents they are very religious they attend my grandfather’s church every Sunday. That is another credo we believe in. Some of my family members are very religious. Back in like 2006-07 we would all attend my grandfather’s church. My cousins and I would learn about the bible testaments and go to Sunday school. Our aunts and uncles were in the sanctuary.

My family are very close especially my dad and his siblings. If someone in the family is having a party we make sure that we all are there and have a good time.  For example my cousin just had a going away party because she’s off to college. We all came together and brought her things so she can have gifts at her dorm. It was really cool to see my family come together and have fun like that, because we really don’t see each other all the time.

Every Fourth of July we have a family picnic, it is really so cool to see all the family come together because, it’s like you only see them every other month. During our family picnic everybody grills, we talk, laugh and eat and have a good time, my younger cousins played on the playground and got wet with the water balloons. We also go on a “Nature walk” is what we call it we walk through the woods at the park that’s in Niagara Falls. My cousins and younger cousins go on this walk with our Auntie. It’s really cool to see the nature all of us be laughing at the weirdest stuff that we see. One time it was a little vacant shed. I dared my cousin to run in and out the shed while we were looking at it from the outside. My aunt yelled “What is wrong with you, are you crazy” to my cousin just as she was about to run in. I looked at my cousin and aunt and said “I dared her too”. I didn’t know she was going to be mad. Just as my aunt turned back around my cousin ran in full speed and back out. It was so funny to me because she ran so fast. Then they dared me too. As my aunt continued walking I ran in the shed and “ayyyyyyy look at me I’m in here”. They looked at me laughing so loud and pointing at me. Then I caught up to them laughing because it was so funny.

Even though my family may disagreements and issues it shows how we can come together and have a good time. I also like that when we are together we make each other laugh and smile, how we are there for one another no matter the situation.

Jeremiah Gamble

ENG 200 Sections 2&5

Credo Assignment Free Write           

                                                Core Values that determine motivating factors

            Telling people that you believe in something means that it is something you truly speak within your heart. What a man believes in tells a lot about him and the life he lives, his past present and future. For the most, part men and women have maybe two or three core values that they believe in, also known as creeds. A creed is defined to be “a set of beliefs or aims that guide someone's actions” closely worked with the religion of Christianity.  Three creeds I live by are very simple in my mind that creates success. These are: Always keep it real and be honest, be true to yourself, and never give up on something your passionate about.

            The first creed I believe in is to “Always keep it real and be honest” too many people go through the world just rambling around simply because they don’t keep it real and are not honest with yourself.  Living a lie will only have you going to sleep with questions of who they are and what they want to do. Personally knowing my strengths and weaknesses helps me to be honest. When I know I am weak at something I won’t try and think I am a know it all, I will be honest, acknowledge it and start to work harder to become better. Being honest is freedom. We are mentally free before we are physically free with you.

            The second creed I believe in is, “Be true to you”. This is an extension of the first creed which was being honest. If you don’t master this creed within then all of the others are irrelevant.  The main purpose of these core values is to become the best version of you. Life can twist you around yet, when you are true to yourself that you can fully find inner peace and be comfortable in your own skin and not want to fit in.   Your love for yourself and dedication to be happy and succeed in what you love is the only thing that matters.

            The third and last creed I believe in as one of my core values is, “Never give up on something you are passionate about it.” If you are passionate about something you will do anything and everything to be successful in your craft. Once you find passion, it is your natural God given right to follow it. Life knocks you down so quickly however, if you refuse to lose and focus on being great in your passion and winning than nothing can stop you. The coward thing to do would be to find passion and let life push you down and you never get back up. Unfortunate things happen to everyone, but the ones that succeed in this world are the people who have an average skill but phenomenal will.

            The first two creeds build the foundation for the third creed to flourish. Being honest and being you lead to finding passion. With the third creed being passiononate and to not quit it ties it all. What a man believes in tells a lot about him and the life he lives, his past present or future.

The Smiling Credo

Ling Li

Mary Louise Hill

Eng 200

26 Sep 2016

The Smiling Credo

What does “credo” mean? What is your credo? Dictionary says that “credo is the formula of belief, which shows the attitude of life”. Because of different experiences, people always have their own credos. I wish my life is filled with happiness, so my credo is to keep a smile to life. I also give my credo a nick name, which is the smiling credo. In my smiling credo, there are three main points that show my personal beliefs of life.

The first one is “Work harder, and then, you will be successful.” As an international student, of course, there are many challenges to my studying. For example, education psychology is just a psychology class for most of native English speakers. However, to me, it is an English class first; and then, it is a psychology class. As a result, I have to spend more time on studying than other students. Therefore, I will be pretty happy if I receive an A in my class, which means that I overcome the difficulties. In addition, the different culture and customs always cause many troubles in my daily life. However, I believe that I can overcome them and get successful in the future if I work harder.

The second point is “No matter how hard things may seem, there is always something good coming around.” Life is always tricky; you will never know what will appear in the future. Although I feel downcast sometimes, I believe that there will be a rainbow later in my life. This is my first semester in Medaille College. I was really upset to see that I am the only international student of my education major. My teachers always emphasize at me. Although I understand that they don’t want me to feel forgettable, it is wierd if teachers add my nationality especially when they are talking. It makes me feel like a stranger in this school. However, there is a student, whose name is Andrew, he helps me a lot. If I don’t understand what the teacher said, he is happy to explain to me. Also, he introduced many new friends into my life and invited me to join the Asian club together. Because of him, I feel like that I am a part of Medaille College. Auguste Rodin has said, “Beauty is found everywhere. Our eyes do not show a lack of sense of beauty, but a lack of observation.” Therefore, I believe that the beauty is always around me, whether I am in trouble or not.

The last and the most important credo in my life is “Family is the most important thing in the world”. Although my parents are in Shanghai China, I feel that they are always behind me and support me. Connecting with my parents makes my time more enjoyable at here. After the conversations, I feel like I am filled with love and energy. Also, whatever mistake I made, my parents will always help me and correct me. I know that they will never leave me alone even the distance is far.

As a conclusion, all the three points above show my attitudes of life. No matter how huge the problem is, I believe that I can solve it if I work harder. If I still can’t do that, my friends and my parents will be there and glad to give me a favor. This is me, a girl who believes the world is colorful and want to keeping smile in life.

Destiny Taylor

Professor MaryLouise Hill

ENG 200 05

September 16, 2016

Respect

In life I believe it’s important to be the best person you can be, live up to your potential. To always treat the people around you the way you would want to be treated; with respect. Be kind to whomever you encounter, because you never know if you may need them one day.

I’ve always believed “do onto others what you would want done to you”, but it was never made as clear as it today. I would like to share what strengthened this belief; at the age of nineteen I became pregnant with my now one-year-old son. Being only nineteen and pregnant, there weren’t many people I could lean on, or ask for assistance. Although I did have a wonderfully supportive family, my friends were even more supportive.

Throughout my pregnancy I had several complications, in and out of the hospital way more than a normal pregnancy. Being that I had a high risk pregnancy, I always had a constant fear of losing my baby. I was dealing with a lot of emotional ups and downs and stresses. I was overworking myself to make sure I had everything for my son when he came home. Walking almost two miles to work every morning, it doesn’t seem like much but when you’re pregnant it’s a lot on your body.

I couldn’t get through it by myself, my family and friends stepped in, they gave me rides when I needed them helped me around, back and forth to appointments. Before I became pregnant I did everything I could possible for my family. I was always there to babysit, letting them borrow things, as well as emotionally and have always been respectable.

I pride myself in this belief I know it’s a part of others beliefs as well, but it means more to me. When I actually did have my son, I had him early at twenty-eight weeks; he was just 2 lbs. and 8oz. The hardest part for me was leaving the hospital without my baby, I cried for days. I made sure I went and saw him every day he was there for two months straight. My family visited but my friends were there every day with me like he was their own. Now that he’s one years old nothing has changed I still have wonderful family and friends. They are there for us as much as possible, and there’s nothing I appreciate more.

I have had such a large impact on the people around me, that in my time of need I actually have people I can depend on, because they were able to do the same when they needed me.

Linda Thompson

Professor Mary Louise Hill

ENG 200

23 September 2016

Peace Within

            Since the age of twelve years old, I have never been a great sleeper. I can be the most exhausted I’ve ever been, but the moment my head hits the pillow my mind is racing and my legs are itchy and I’m tossing back and forth and oh my dog is scratching herself it rocks the bed and I wonder if my partner will wake up or maybe my fidgeting will wake him up and one of us will get upset like that argument we had a year ago when we couldn’t sleep and it was late and he slept on the couch and I didn’t sleep at all and I felt terrible for days because insomnia should only affect the person who has it and….

Oh, four in the morning already?

Just breathe.

I believe in breathing. Each breath we are granted is a blessing that should never be forgotten or ignored. My father, a tall man with large knuckly hands and a contagious smile, drew his last breath on October 22^nd, 2015. At this point he had consumed enough poison to deteriorate his brain to shambles, and I became unrecognizable to him because of it. The last time I saw my dad, I had prepared his favorite meal (coincidentally, the same as my own: homemade Shepard’s Pie) and joined him for dinner at the nursing home he resided within. I proceeded to walk out when my frail and dying father mistook me for his girlfriend.

Keep breathing.

Death is a certainty, and should never be taken lightly. How might one convince their body to keep going, when it is inevitably time to let go? It is impossible. How should one persuade their mind to continue trying, when the chance is too far gone? Not so unlikely, yet incredibly difficult and life-altering. By teaching myself how to breathe through the pain I have begun the process of grieving. It is not fair to allow a tragedy, even an expected one, to alter a life negatively or with disdain. To allow life to pass by simply existing in the world as an empty shell is an utter waste. By ascending out of the sadness and coming up for air, I continue to cherish the gift of life and all the lessons my father intended for me to learn.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I have never been an avid sports fan (aside from horseback riding, my true calling) and it never occurred to me to exercise through the pain. Yet one night as anxiety came crashing over my broken soul again, my partner sparked a glimmer of light within me: “just breathe.” Under his constant gaze and steady hand, I listened. Inhale, pause, exhale. Inhale, pause, exhale. Certainly not an immediately life-changing experience, but this moment helped me to fight through the panic and make it to the other side. Because of this, I began to lightly practice the art of yoga and meditation. Particularly when getting ready for bed; just a few minutes of mindfulness helps me to obtain a decent night’s sleep. Stretching the soreness out of my muscles, clearing my mind of any blinding thoughts, and relaxing into the sanctity of my bed has allowed me to catch up on ten years of restless nights. I believe in the power of love. I believe in the power of life and death and how easily they can be given and taken. But more than any mantra or famous quote, I believe in breathing.

Eugene

Professor Mary

ENG 200

16 September 2016

Overcoming the hardship in a shelter

     It was 3 years ago. When I was serving military service, every single day tortured me. The tank battalion I was serving was notorious for its strict, fierce atmosphere and surrounding as well as location just below North Korea. The rank I held in was private, which is the lowest rank in army. I would do all the hard jobs and go through drills without any hesitation or mistake. Superiors and officers expected that from us as well. However, it is common that freshmen make many mistakes and are not used to most of things happening in the army. Whenever something went wrong, I was both physically and verbally abused by seniors. I began to lose confidence in myself, hoping every single day passed without any problems. This continued more than a year until I began contemplating suicide. I changed into a different person who was timid, clumsy and devastated.

     One Saturday, when the bright sunshine poured down, I came across a church and went inside. Inside of the church, rays of sunlight sneaked through the curtain hung on the large hazel colored window. It was comforting, warm, and silent. No one was yelling and torturing me in that place. I just came over to the antique brown wood and sat. When I raised my head, there was a cross standing in the center of the wall. This place was healing me without saying any helpful words and advice. Then I thought that I could overcome all the adversity I faced with this shelter. From then on, every Saturday and any other moment I suffered, I would came by the shelter and sit on the bench letting all my fears go away. Sometimes when I look back at my life in the army I appreciate the shelter I found by accident.

     While people are living in this complicated world that keeps pressuring them, they become easily tired and exhausted. Sometimes they think of committing suicide, drinking too much or even taking drugs. Then, it is the time to look for shelters. Through the experience, I believe, I stayed away from the stuff that breaks me down. Whether it is a quiet church or a breezy beach or a sunny meadow, they will find their own shelter and let them just lie down and take a rest. Do not try to stand against the fierce hardship. It will devour you. Just step back a while and see it going away. There is an old saying which goes like, “This too shall pass.” There is no everlasting suffering, but when you are so torn down and broken that you cannot afford to manage, just keep yourself inside the refuge that will never let the hardships hurt you anymore. This is what I believe.