The Changing Meanings

Thanksgiving started out as a meal between the Native Americans and the pilgrims as a peace agreement; for Americans, it is a representation of being thankful .
Yesterday, at a Thanksgiving gathering, I was sitting on the couch after consuming a large meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and more pumpkin pie than can be imagined, when I saw some of the kids sitting in front of the fireplace. As I looked closer, I realized that they had clasped their hands together and were praying to God about what they were thankful for. I then took a look at the adults. While the kids were praying, their parents were laughing and eating. To my surprise, the children embraced the true meaning of Thanksgiving better than their parents. As time has passed, the meaning of Thanksgiving has changed.
Thanksgiving has turned into a time for people to eat and socialize instead of a time to be thankful. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, this goes to show how what something stands for can transform.

This phenomenon is also evident in a book I am reading called The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. What wealth meant to Jay Gatsby when he was poor changes when he finally becomes wealthy. To the once poor Gatsby, wealth was the one thing that he needed to have in order to be with the lovely and affluent Daisy. After gaining his long anticipated wealth, Gatsby still does not get the girl. In the end, nothing has changed and his dream is crushed. Therefore, wealth loses its meaning of hope and Gatsby is a miserable man despite his wonderful fortune.

The Illusion of Luxury

The human obsession with having luxuries isn't really that luxurious. When a new iPhone model is out on the market, crazed Apple fans of all ages scramble to the doors of Apple stores. Even though another model isn't very different from the newest and was released very recently, people flock to stores because having the next best thing is all that matters to the buyer. Such luxuries are not necessarily bought for their wonderful functions. They are more like trophies out for display.

People are constantly trying to one up each other and have been doing so for as long as the human species has existed.  In the 1920s, young people were taken over by their compulsion to flaunt wealth in any possible way. If the young man living next door had a nice car, it was time to go buy a nicer one; it would also be accessorized with some luxurious(?) car-curtains. Advertisement successfully convinces consumers that they need a product that is not necessarily useful or lasts a substantial period of time. While it is a genius business strategy to harness society's materialistic ways for profit, it keeps the cycle of blind desire turning. With Thanksgiving coming around, it is ironic that on Black Friday, the day immediately following the celebration of being thankful for what they have, people rush to stores to buy the next electronic toy. Although the demand for such luxuries promote innovation, they are not luxuries if people do not appreciate how lucky they are to have them.

Punctuation's Mark

By abiding by the laws of punctuation, a writer’s thoughts can be clearly translated to the readers through a form of common communication .While it is true that punctuation’s use has been changing since its initial creation, the punctuation rules from which the countless new changes branched out from are important to acknowledge. The ultimate rules of punctuation are “vital for clear, effective and consistent communication,” (Source A) in addition to “clarify[ing] meaning,” (Source A).

As exemplified with the overload of parentheses Lewis Thomas uses in Source D, it is clear that with the improper use of it, punctuation can turn into pointless symbols that do not build up the writer’s point; instead, it will hinder a reader’s ability to interpret the meaning of the piece. Some may argue that with the passing of time, the rules of punctuation have been outdated and that the rise of social media has revolutionized stylistic literature that serve as a “testing ground,” (Source F) for developing writers. However, after looking through a plethora of tweets, I can assume that social outlets such as Twitter were not meant for the greater good of writing. Sure, some tweets fashioned by poets and esteemed academics carry meaning. However, the majority of the Twitter population consists of people who could care less about rhetorical value and expression in what they are tweeting about.

  The rules of punctuation can prevent people from using punctuation inappropriately. Consequently, change isn’t always for the better if it entirely diverges from everything it was based off of. 

Screw Mascara

Just as Deborah Tannen reveals in There is No Unmarked Woman, men and women are not judged in the same way. When it comes to appearance, the looks of a man are much less cared about than the looks of a woman. Take Hollywood stars for example. Male actors step out onto the red carpet and they all wear suits that more or less look the same. Yet, they are still considered fashionable. On the other hand, the female actors try to be as fashionable as possible by drowning in an onslaught of sparkling jewelry and vibrant, flowing gowns that will be raved about in next issue of every fashion magazine in existence.
It's a bit unfair. A woman is so much more pressured to care about her appearance than a man is. Everyday, thousands of women struggle to look decent by curling their eyelashes, styling their hair, and swiping on some lipstick. It's a struggle that I surely do not want myself or my future daughter to go through. If a girl wants to wear sweats, cut off her hair, and not wear a single smidge of makeup, she should be able to without it becoming such a big deal. Comfort and peace is much more important than worrying about the next day's outfit. So I encourage all of the ladies out there to start wearing whatever makes you relaxed. If looking cute makes you feel relaxed then that's great! However, as for the girls like me who like warming up in a huge hoodie and fuzzy socks, join my fight against high heels and short skirts.

Guilt's Sting

While taking responsibility and looking over your mistakes is the right thing to do, punishing yourself is not a healthy way of dealing with problems. Sometimes, blaming oneself can only hurt a person by preventing them from learning from the hardships and moving on. Reverend Dimmesdale suffers greatly because of his guilt in the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Not only does his guilt disturb his moral conscience, but it also takes a toll on his body. One of Reverend Dimmesdale's biggest issues is that he has kept his secret of adultery hidden for such a long period. It also doesn't help that he is an admired minister of the town. This is why the guilt keeps growing bigger to the point that it engulfs his life in shame and pain.
My mother used to have this problem as well. She would blame herself for a long time and would not forgive herself. Even if someone forgave her she would not be able to do the same. Unlike her, I try to forget about the problem once it is solved. She envies that I can do this so easily. However, recently my mother has been changing her way of dealing with guilt. Just like me, she is starting to move on more easily and it has made her happier in general.
Letting something such as guilt take over your life will never help you. The better way to make up for your mistakes is to learn from them and try not to make history repeat itself.

Life's Helper

Nothing comes from nothing. This is a motto that I live or at least try to live by. It pushes me to work hard in everything I do or else nothing good will result. Of course, this motto is one of the many mottoes that I try to integrate into my daily life. Mottoes are inspiring and melt beautiful concepts into a simple, concise phrase. Thus, I think that more people need to set up a motto for themselves. Just as setting goals helps a person get closer to achieving them, establishing a set of mottoes to abide by can determine the kind of attitude that a person has towards life.
A motto can embody a huge idea into something much smaller. This is evident in an important motto to me: "Start now, worry later." When I was in elementary school, I was very shy and afraid to do anything out of the ordinary. I simply tried to do what "cool kids" were expected to do. I was too worried about what others would think of me if I started to be myself. However, in middle school, I reached a turning point. I had been constantly bullied by my best friend to the point that I would come home in tears until I had a eureka moment at the 7th grade dance. I just decided not to care about her antics anymore. That was it. All I had to do was not give a crap. The uneasiness and worry that was cooped up inside me were demolished. This single moment opened up a part of me that has made me into who I am right now. If I hadn't started to have this new perspective on life, I would be miserable. So for anyone who is afraid to take a leap into something new, just remember, to start now and worry later. You might end up doing yourself a great favor.

The Declaration of Independence*

*applies to wealthy white males only



George Washington owned slaves. You heard it right ladies and gentlemen! The father of our country, the patriot of all patriots, the leader of freedom owned people. While the Declaration of Independence serves as a symbol of the natural rights of man, it was not written for all people. If that were true, then black slaves would have been free from their iron chains and the women's rights movement would not have been a thing. I don't think that the Declaration of Independence has really lived up to its name. Over the years, even with the fast-paced progress of technology and information, the progress of civil rights has yet to catch up with the rest of the world. Take women's rights for example: women still earn less than men even though they have the same capabilities. It took hundreds of years until women could earn rights equivalent to men, yet, they still can't provide for their families in the way men do. Are we really equal when men are worth more than women? The same thing goes for gay rights. In no way should a person be discriminated against because of who they choose love. Gay people are people just like you and me. They should not be treated like second-class citizens just like how women were treated for hundreds of years. It's okay if people don't necessarily approve of who they are. However, trying to restrict and hurt them is foolish beyond compare. The golden rule is not something that only applies to a certain group of people. Treat people like you want to be treated. And people means everyone.