Growing Up

I moved o a small town In 2004, and I was like most Americans as far as being Ignorant to the different religions that were worshipped. I was different In the fact that I was curious to meet new people and what they do. This is true even with my own step mother who is Catholic. When she joined the family she told me that she was not allowed in the church. I grew up in the Baptist church so I did not understand why this was. I sat down with her until I understood the situation. She said her goal was to become a member of the church again, and she did.

So as I was moving some of my things n one day, a few houses from me was a tall man with a turban on his head, long white hair and beard, and some sort of robe for his clothes. My daughter was frightened and asked If we were living near Osama Bin Laden. I must admit that he held a striking resemblance, but quickly assured her that It was not him and that everybody has different beliefs. With all of the stories of the terrorists It was really hard to shake my own doubts about what this gentleman true reasons for being here were. Shortly after this encounter, I met the man’s son.

He was a local entrepreneur that had been in the area for more than 30 years. He owned the small store that was within shouting distance from my house, so I found myself becoming friends with him. He was from India and studied the Hindu religion. He had four children with American wives, none of which he was still with. The more I learned about his culture, the more I wanted to learn. He was so proud of where he came from and so was his father. They both had amazing work ethics. His father is 86 years old and still works every day.

He actually rides his bicycle to work at a local industrial plant. I had so many questions for how he raised his children. His hillier are raised by their American mothers and went to public schools. One of the daughters went to college here but quickly excelled, so he sent her to India to finish. They speak English, and also speak his native Punjabi language, but It Is broken. He was quick to tell me that he had to have a son and that is why he had Tour centers. I nerve Ana to De a son to Inherit ten Tamil Yes Delousing since en was the oldest because the daughters could not.

This did not sit well with me, but he Just laughed. He said that is the way that it is in his culture. If he did not have a son, the items would go to his brothers. They are free to worship how they want. I then met my soon to be best friend and her family. She introduces me to her husband, and high school sweet heart. He is a short, with dark skin and dark hair and a southern accent. I whispered to her, “k, I give, where is he from? ” She informs me that he is from Trinidad, but that his family is originally from India. So, I asked if he was related to the local store owner.

She quickly stated that they were not and that their families do not always see eye to eye. I was shocked that this small town had this many Indians in it. I came from a slightly larger town, and I had never personally met know anyone from India and now I know two whole families. I felt privileged at this point to be able to be this diverse. Well most of us always want to know how people met, and I fell into that trap. She explained that they met in High School. She was quick to explain that her parents did not approve and she was at times forbidden to see him.

At one point her father even made her write a report on Trinidad and India Just to see how serious she was about dating him. She completed the task and her father was impressed with the report so much that he allowed the courtship. They eventually got married and have three children. He also has a sister and brother that have local families. His parents live within a few miles of all of them and so do several aunts, uncles and many cousins. The parents still speak with strong accents and practice their religious beliefs daily. The children were raised to be allowed to practice whatever religion that they choose with their families.

None of the children ever spoke the native language or practice the religion regularly. All three of them married Americans with Christian beliefs and that is what the study with their children. One day I was approached by the father and was invited to attend a Pupas at their home. Of course I had many questions about this. My friend begged me to go with her to this yearly ceremony. She said that it is a beautiful ceremony and you have to see it at least once in your life. She brought me a traditional Indian outfit to wear, that was absolutely beautiful.

Needless to say my curiosity got the best of me, and I went. I first did a little research to see what I was attending, Just in case I had any questions. I learned that Hinduism is characterized by a belief in reincarnation by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures. That it is the world’s oldest organized religion, existing for 4500 years. Based on the ancient Vivid Literature and is populated by and almost infinite number of Gods. Reincarnation and being held accountable for one’s deeds (Karma) are fundamental components of Hinduism.

It is the third largest category of religions. (“Hinduism for Schools”) The interesting thing about the religion is that they believe that there is a cycle to the lives we live. Since they believe in reincarnation, they believe that they only thing that follows us when we pass is our character. This cycle will continue over and over until we meet God. You start out at the lowest form and move up to human. So hen you hear people say they wish they could come back as a fly on the wall, which would be the opposite direction for the Hindu religion.

Hindus believe that if you meditate really hard you will find God in your innermost self. They consider this Atman, and I have watched them Join hands and bow to each toner when teen greet Ana say, Names. So, I sake want Tanat meant. My Eternal’ father told me that it meant that “There is God in you”. He explained to me that this is why they believe in Karma and that you should respect everyone and everything. Hindus believe that God lives in all of us and that if you hurt anyone, or yourself, that oh hurt God. (“Hinduism for Schools”) So as we attended this Pupas and I entered the makeshift temple.

There was a priest standing by the shrine where the offerings were being made, even money. I was quickly instructed to take my shoes off. The worshipers were saying mantras, and at times the priest would chant. There were picture and statues of many different deities. The other family members were praying to these deities. I noticed that a lot of them were women. I recently learned from my text that there are more than 330 million deities in India. They said that they can choose any shape they would like to view God in. Some can choose to view God as a mother in heaven, or as a shape such as fire.

The meal was blessed and there was no meat served that day. My friend’s mother ended the evening with a Hindi song that she produced on CD. (Fisher, 2008, p. 72) After this exciting day that I got to experience how the Hindus worship, dress and eat, I really wanted to know how it was to do this on a daily basis. I asked my friend why he did not speak like his parents and even if he could speak their language or worship their religion. He told me that he could not. His parents chose not to teach their children the Hindu faith or the language.

My name is Asher Lev is a novel written by Chaim Potok, an American rabbi who narrates Asher’s early life, the challenges he faces when attempting to pursue his passion and career-drawing and painting. His father disapproves of his art of drawing. Because of his concentration on the art, he becomes averse to education, which makes his community members to feel ashamed of him.

Potok remained an active artist/writer until his death in 2002.The Hasidism religion does not consider the second commandment against graphic arts because art “belongs to the other side.” As Asher grows older, he learns to control his emotions in relation to his paintings and concentrate more on his art that he becomes successful.

The book ends when Asher is twenty-two years old. The plot against America is a political novel written by Philip Roth. The book explains how America has become fascist post-1935 era and Hitler’s allies are in control of the white house. There is total chaos in America because of national politics and hatred. Gangs go around harassing people.

The lower-middle-class Jews of Weequahic, in Newark, try to learn how to use a gun to defend themselves in an apartment. America and the rest of Europe are taken over by fascist movements and imitators of Adolf Hitler and Mussolini.Both Asher and Phillip face challenges that are mainly unrelated to their lives.

Their geographical location and the surrounding community determines the challenges each one of them faces. Asher and Philip face challenges that are to a certain extent unrelated. For instance, Asher is born in a conservative religious community-all the members surrounding him expects him to adhere to the Jewish religion and customs.

His father is opposed to his art terming it anti-religious while Philip grows up in a quite liberal community that does not put much emphasis on religion and culture. His major challenges stem from outside his community. In My Name is Asher Levi, “During Asher’s childhood, his artistic inclination brings him into conflict with the members of his Jewish community, considers art unrelated to religious expression to be at best a waste of time and possibly a sacrilege.

It brings him into particularly strong conflict with his father, a man who has devoted his life to serving their leader, the Rebbe, by traveling around the world bringing the teachings and practice of their sect to other Jews, and who is by nature incapable of understanding or appreciating art” (Knopf, 2003).

While in The Plot against America, “Hitler’s allies rule the White House. Anti-Semitic mobs roam the streets. The lower-middle-class Jews of Weequahic, in Newark, N.J., cower in a second-floor apartment, trying to figure out how to use a gun to defend themselves. (“You pulla the trig,” a kindly neighbor explains)” (Berman Web).

In My Name Is Asher, Asher has to deal with a religion that is imposed on him. His graphic art is not in line with his community’s expectations. He faces the challenge of proving to his community that his art is not detrimental to his religion. As he grows older the conflict between him and his community increases.

As he matures, he learns control his emotions. Though he sometimes identified himself as religious, he took on a more secular path. He had to make a choice between his art and the Jewish religion. He chose the art over his Jewish religion. As Asher grew older, he resolved to portray his challenges through paintings. He portrays his mother’s suffering through Christian art. Asher shows in his book that a balance can be struck between religion and art.

Religion help emphasize art. Religious figures can be depicted through art. For Philip political challenges affect him unlike Lev’s that are religious; Philip has to deal with the issue of fascists taking control of his country. It encourages people to worship.Philip Roth finds his father powerless in dealing with the dominion of his country by fascists. His community members are disgruntled about his career, but he has no way of helping them.

Philip has to deal with anti-Semitism that was propagated by the fascists,” America has gone fascist and ordinary life has been flattened under a steamroller of national politics and mass hatreds. Hitler’s allies rule the White House. Anti-Semitic mobs roam the streets” (Davenport Web).Religious affiliation does not hinder one from achieving their goal.

They must focus on achieving and perfecting what they aspire. Levi does not allow his Jewish religion and culture to hinder him from pursuing his career of art. Lev learns to do things that he loves most. He pursues a career in painting at the expense of education and religion. As he grows older, he succeeds in art. Success comes after much struggle and endurance. Lev became successful after practicing for a long time. He also was patient and enduring of his community’s opposition towards his career in painting.

Lev also learnt that it is a mistake to separate religion from freethinking, humanism, and development. Development has always been practiced alongside religion. In other words, religion does encourage development of the community. In “The Plot against America,” Philip learns that the need for glory makes fascists to invade other countries.

They use the army, police, and gangs to achieve their goals.Fascist leaders control all aspects of the people under their control. They control economic life, religious life, social life, and economic life of the citizens. Fascists use intimidation, threats, arrests, and killings to control and subdue the people they lead.

They do not allow any dissenting views from the people under their control.In Asher Lev’s book “My Name Is Asher Lev,” he speaks on discrimination based on religion, culture, and secularism. His community discriminates him because of his passion on graphical art. The community tells him that art is against the Jewish religion and culture.

However, on holding on onto his talent and career of painting, he succeeds. He did not allow the disagreement of his community deter him from doing what he wanted most-art.Philip Roth, on the other hand, faces the challenge of a fascist leader imposing his political beliefs on to his country- America. He too is discriminated against based on his skin color and religion.

His Jewish community in America begins to train themselves how to use a gun so they can defend themselves. The fascist leader unleashes the gang to terrorize them the Jews in America. Hitler’s men introduce fascism in the white house and the whole country-America.

Works Cited

• Berman, Paul. “‘The Plot Against America’.” The New York Times, 3 Oct. 2004.
• Davenport, Guy.”Collision with the outside world.” The New York Times, 16 April 1972. Potok, Chaim. My Name Is Asher Lev. Knopf; 2003.

William Wordsworth grew up in the Lake District in Cumbria, England during the very end of the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century. Here he lived with his aunt and sister. Being surrounded by nature was a huge impact on Wordsworth’s life. Nature was everything from his teacher to almost his lover. He gradually grew to believe that nature was God. This idea that was everything for him is demonstrated very well in his poetry.

Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Ireland in Derry. He was born before the height of the troubles but did live through a hard life living on a farm in rural Ireland. Living on the farm helped him to grow up and realise what real life was like. He learned things like dealing with death.

There are similarities in both poets’ writing. For example both people grew up with nature and it was nature that taught them what real life was truly like. There are also differences for Heaney nature was only like a teacher while for Wordsworth nature was even things like his conscience. Heaney grew from fear to confidence. Wordsworth’s writing was very philosophical and always contained a much deeper meaning than Heaney’s writing did.

This is just a few poems from Heaney’s anthology Death of a Naturalist. In the poem “Death of a Naturalist” the change Seamus experiences is one which we all experience yet at the time do not know that it has taken place and probably for some years will not know. The poem begins with a light description of the childhood ritual, collecting frogspawn. Every year he collects “jampotfuls” to put on shelves both at home and school. Now as Heaney is quite young he would not be aware of how the frogspawn got there. And no one is prepared to truthfully tell him. But his class teacher describes how “The daddy frog called a bullfrog,

And how he croaked, and how the mammy frog

Laid hundreds of little eggs.” But of course this is not how it happened and of course eventually one day we all find out about sexuality. Heaney’s day came when one year while collecting the frogspawn “the angry frogs

Invaded the flax-dam,” he heard a

“coarse croaking that I had not heard before.” He believes the frogs are beginning to gang up on him to take revenge for all the eggs he has taken but of course nothing of the sort is happening, it is just that all the frogs are having sex. “On sods; their loose necks pulsed liked sails. Some hopped:

The slap and plop were obscene threats….

…their blunt heads farting.

I sickened, turned and ran.” This image is a grotesque image in which subconsciously young Seamus discovers his sexuality. For a minute he is aware but afraid to admit it to himself in case he may lose that childhood innocence so he turns away sickened, longing for the moment that he was unaware of this disgusting act.

“Dawn Shoot” is again a different type of poem. In this poem Seamus has no fear to conquer and no bridge to cross whether real or imaginary. This poem is really about how far he has come. Rather than cry over the death of animals in “Early Purges”, he is enjoying the killing of animals. He is totally carefree and not worried about shooting an animal or how badly wounded it should become or even if it dies. He is even stealthy so not to scare the animals to ensure he gets a kill. “Rubber-booted, belted, tense as two parachutists,

We climbed the iron gate.” When an animal is finally killed they don’t even care to retrieve it as “the prices were too small.”

I have chosen two extracts from Wordsworth poem “The Prelude.” In the poem “The Prelude (I)” Wordsworth follows a similar theme of growing up. In this poem young Wordsworth takes a boat which is not his and he is feeling very adventurous. “It was an act of stealth

And troubled pleasure.” He felt very good when he took the boat and was having a very good time, until Wordsworth realises what he has done wrong but this is not realised until he reaches his destination in the lake. “The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge,

As if with voluntary power instinct

Upreared its head.” This is the climax of the poem and helps show the sudden change in mood. Wordsworth is happily rowing the boat when suddenly this huge big thing shows itself. To Wordsworth this is some sort of hideous creature. But in fact as you go through the poem you learn that this is the first few signs of his developing conscience. “For many days my brain

Worked with a dim and undetermined sense

Of unknown modes of being; o’er my thoughts

There hung a huge darkness….

…moved slowly through the mind

By day, and were a trouble to my brain.” These show the signs of a guilty conscience, guilty from knowing he took the boat: a moral Wordsworth is being taught about from nature and it again points to his emerging belief of Pantheism, that nature is God.

The main focus in this poem “The Prelude (II)” is that of moving on. The poem has a picturesque setting of the “twilight gloom” This type of light however would tell Wordsworth to go inside, as if nature was telling him as a parent calls their children. But “I heeded not their summons.” So he carried on “All shod with steel,

We hissed along on the polished ice in games:” a nice use of alliteration to convey the movement of ice skating. But Wordsworth being a Pantheist he cannot stay so he wonders off; “not seldom from the uproar I retired.” Wordsworth here shows his poetic ability and understanding of nature because he realises that the hills are “melancholic.” His subconscious understanding of nature forces him to go off and explore. What he realises is that everything around him is moving. “With visible motion her diurnal round!

Behind me did they stretch in solemn train,

Feebler and feebler, and I stood and watched

Till all was tranquil as dreamless sleep.”

The movement of the earth that he experiences here shows him that he is part of a moving, living universe. It is as if he has travelled with the spirit in God of nature.

I think everyone could relate to Wordsworth’s and Heaney’s poems in someway: I know that I can relate to his feeling of a spirit in the woods. When I was lost I in the woods I felt as if someone was there showing where to go. The one thing we must all realise is that, we will all grow up: it is unstoppable and inevitable. I savour the thought.

Adulthood comes in various stages. Early and middle adulthood brings changes to the body and mind, as well as personality and social timing. Relationships and roles change throughout the growth of a person, and habits continue to grow. Early adulthood, otherwise known as emerging adulthood, can be considered another developmental stage (Berger K. S. (2010). Because there are more changes happening during this time, and a person is continuing to figure out himself and who he is becoming, could be the reason behind this term.

The personality changes that occur during early adulthood can be drastic in nature. Often times the newly found adult ventures off into the world anxious and excited for a change, and as a result his personality reflects this new attitude towards life. Social and intimate relationships during early adulthood and adulthood vary distinctly. The young adult will seek sexual gratitude or intimacy but not necessarily make a commitment. The older adult craves the commitment and emotional satisfaction of another person to share his life with (Berger K. S. (2010).

As a person ages the social aspect differs greatly from a younger adult. It is common for a younger adult to enjoy the nightlife and have plenty of friends. An older adult generally does not have as much in common with the younger adult since he may have small children and seeks friendships that have the same family situations. A midlife crisis can also occur during middle adulthood. This generally is between the ages of 40 and 50 for men and women and is a result of a freer lifestyle without children and a reevaluation of one’s life (Feldman).

During the middle of an adult’s life, a person becomes more introspective and has changed to become more accepting of himself, and begins to see the positive side of difficult situations rather than focusing on the negative. During a person’s middle adulthood his parents may begin to require more attention and help. The roles reverse as the parent begins to age and the child often times needs to care for his parents due to various ailments. This is not uncommon for the middle adult, and is called the sandwich generation since he is caring for his parents as well as his own children.

The financial struggles and emotional distress can cause a mild depression because of this new responsibility (Troll, 1976). The parent needing care may also feel as they are becoming a burden on their family because they can see the added stress and responsibility it is creating to care for them. The early adult also experiences role changes. He is beginning to see the world in a new way and starting to take responsibility for himself. It is almost as though the young adult is thrown into the new world without much thought or knowledge of where to go from here.

Beginning college and trying to decide what career path to begin is a challenge many face during this time. Usually by the time he graduates college and is in his mid-twenties, he will have a grasp on being an adult and will begin to welcome new challenges. Health is a constant battle for both the early and middle adult. Although the younger adult does not realize the habits he is creating or the choices he makes will greatly affect his health at a later age. Generally a young adult is healthy and will begin a family when the time is right.

There are always cases of bad habits that will begin in early adulthood and cause issues for an older adult. Not taking care of one’s body properly by eating fatty foods or being careless will take its toll as a person ages (Berger K. S. (2010). The choices a young adult makes at a certain point in life and is thought to be fun and exciting will eventually catch up to him in later adulthood. The repercussions could possibly be frowned upon by himself because of some pain or suffering he is caused because of earlier actions.

Early and middle adulthood brings various changes and similarities to a person. From finding what career path a person wants to follow and marrying and starting a family, to the roles being reversed and caring for an aging parent, the adult will face many challenges throughout life. Social status and relationships grow and change as a person does also. This time could be thought to be the most challenging and rewarding time of a person’s life because of the fluctuations it creates.

Paola Lagunas Spindler English 101 Essay 3 November 2 0, 2012 The Peter Pan Generation is Growing Up There are no longer any adventures in library wonderlands in literature today, kids are forced to experience hard reality at a much younger age. Maria Tartar author of “No More Adventures In Wonderland” asserts the evolution of children’s and young adult villains in stories. Peter Pan, the lost boy, who never grew up, is one of her examples, giving Captain Cook a childish effect, J. M.

Barrie (author of Peter Pan), gives the child the security that the good guys win the battle between the silly and playful adventure stories. Alice in Wonderland, a book about a girl losing herself down a rabbit hole and then battling the red queen,and her card soldiers, also give this story a secure and childish effect. Tartar believes authors have helped villains evolve from whimsically devilish to brutal and dark. The children books, intended before for a fun time are now becoming suspenseful sit down novels. According to Tartar, authors “have crossed.

Creating a perverse twist on such stories as Clifford the big red dog, The Graveyard book, a picture book about a serial killer hand who holds a knife and kills his four family member is a perfect example of authors new twist on entertainment. Harry Potter, a national best seller, is about a child’s parents dying at the start of the story, the protagonist fighting death, and loosing family and friends until the end where a well planned murder with the entire character base give a grand final to this seven book series. However, Tartar gives the prize of absolute horrific monsters to Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games.

Collins has turned the child reading the book into the villain. Katniss Everdeen (protagonist) fights against 12-18 year old children, in a brutal battle for living. Opening her reader’s eyes into seeing children’s exposure to books about death, and stories about despair and devastation, Tartar declares that books are evolving to fast for the chilren of today, with this, tartar proves how the Peter Pan generation is growing up. The villains in children’s books are changing; they are evolving, becoming more complex, growing, but, the children too are getting older. Once bedtime characters, villains are now becoming nightmare enhancers.

Children that at the age of 4 were reading Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Cinderella are now the 16 year old’s reading Hunger Games. The stories now being published differentiate from the previous stories but the readers do too. Providing that four year old’s are still reading classics such as Peter Pan; young adults expanded their interest to good but devastating stories. The main reason why these stories are reaching such exposure is due to advertisement. Althought Tartar assures the stories for children are growing up, the reader has also matured, and the aurhots have started to developed a more consuming story.

Using logos, Tartar points to the dilemma of the ‘expanding children story’ and it serves as slate for her reader’s minds. This will help her prove the evolution of the story. If any one person compares Alice in Wonderland to The Hunger Games, the evolution of the ‘narratives about loss, suffering, and redemption’ the reader will be persuaded into Tartar’s point of view. Once Tartar sets up the juxtaposition for these two movies, she is able to effectively point out the difference between the stories, however, she takes a different approach and traces the origins of the books to issues with the authors.

In past times, Tartar explains, there was such a thing as “Author’s Sunday afternoons”, authors enjoyed a nice picnic, took their Saint Bernard for a walk and breathed in pure air and ideas. Authors are a now more complex. J. K Rowling, author of best seller Harry Potter, writing her first book under candle, and coffee shop light because she had no way to pay for electricity in her apartment, she experianced poverty. Suzanne Collins, as a child had anxieties about the possibility of her father’s death as a Vietnam veteran, was able to use this to her advantage in books about death.

Authors have clearly evolved with their stories, and expanded their relationship to many more readers. This new diversity of authors is allowing them to write deeper stories with darker backgrounds and meanings for matured readers. Even though Tartar points out the complexity of the authors and stories, she fails to point out that these both lead to the maturing of the children. Capturing a balance of danger and enchantment, the stories of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland provide the audience with an idea for the possibilities of adventure quest in childhood.

The traditional villains frighten the readers, but their “juvenile antics strip them from any real authority. ” Books such as these are written for children under the age of twelve because of the foolish way the characters portray evil. Books such as the hunger games are written for teenagers, knowing this helps the author write appropriate topics of more complex aspects. However, Tartar has a fault in her argument by comparing a bedtime story to a story such as The Hunger Games. When an author compares two stories, one being The Hunger Games and one being Alice in wonderland, the author has one point; there is a difference.

There is of course a difference, an evil wich who only dresses in red and black and hearts is no comparison to a child aspiring to manage the kiling of 23 children in order to obtain glory. Almost as different as the villains are, so are the protagonist, a young girl falling into a rabit hole to apear in a world in which she deals with silly magic tricks, is definetly not the same as a young girl coming from poverty going into an arena to try to survive natural disasters, and run away from 23 people who are out to kill her.

This is where the fault in Tartars argument it, she manages to point the difference, but fails to admit that 4 year olds are not reading The Hunger Games, just like 16 year olds are not reading Alice in Wonderland. Part of why the authors are crossing over into more evolved stories is because the children’s and young adult category dominate the Best sellers charts. These devastating stories about depresion, war and death are being asked for not just by children, but adults too are picking up the copies. Helping a story achieve better success in the charts, the books attract a broader audience.

The reason why Suzanne Collins and J. K Rowling talk so freely about death compared to J. M. Barrie is because these books are directed towards different audiences. Audiences that clearly ask for this type of story, if these stories weren’t being successful with all ages, they would not have been so successfully sold after being published. These books are helping a the young adult genre, they are a perfect conection of safe and suspense, they connect the topics for childre and adults. It is important to realize that they are different books, by different authors, that are intended for different audiences.

Today’s authors did not think about targeting the same audience that Peter Pan was written for because it is absurd to believe that these books are intended for the same age, but they are intended however, the same reader. The reader of Peter pan, is now the reader of The Hunger games because the 10 years difference between the publishing of the two is also a 10 year difference in the reader. This time period of difference allows the authors to publish books about death, depression and horrible traumas because it is becoming more socially acceptable by matured readers.