Blog Post #3: What ideas and themes transcend time and culture?

For this post, you will need to search outside the novel, The Alchemist. Think of a person, text, song, poem, or event that represents an idea or theme/value. Once you have made your choice, follow the steps listed below:

1. Upload information regarding your choice. Depending on what your choice is, you might upload a biography, novel summary, song lyrics, poem, or news article.
2. Craft a well-developed paragraph that explains the theme/value evident in your choice and describe what it reveals about the values of that time/culture. This paragraph is getting at the essential question:
   
   
   “What ideas and themes transcend time and culture?”
   
   
   
3. Add an ARTISTIC image that illustrates the message of your paragraph.
   
4. Engage in final revisions and editing before publishing your post.
5. Add a creative title that represents the content of the post.

Use the following example to serve as a guide.

Resilience

I, Too
by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Langston Hughes' poem, "I, Too," depicts the resilience African Americans have had to parade in the face of oppression in order to survive. Prejudice at its worst: slavery, segregation, shame...this culture of people have had to withstand hatred, rise above it and fight for the rights many take for granted. The 'darker brother' that is denied admittance to the table, refuses to succumb to the humiliating ignorance of 'America' showing his resilience by enjoying life and growing stronger. This poem transcends time and speaks to all cultures about the importance of being proud of who you are... (Although incomplete, this provides you with an idea of how to write up your choice).

Blog Post #2: How does literature reveal the values of a given time or culture?

Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist, revealed many thoughts regarding themes such as: destiny, love, faith, patience, dreams, hope... For this post, you need to:

• Upload your personification poem regarding a theme in The Alchemist.
• Craft a well-developed paragraph that identifies the theme, describes the message regarding the theme, and explains how the theme reveals the values of Santiago's culture and/or time period. Be sure to begin with a topic sentence and end with a conclusion. This paragraph is getting at the essential question:

How does literature reveal the values of a given time or culture?

• Add an ARTISTIC image that illustrates the theme in your poem.
• Engage in final revisions and editing before publishing your post.
• Add a creative title that represents the theme.

Use the following example to serve as a guide.

Destiny Awaits

Gustav Klimt: Tree of Life

Destiny awaits you in the obscure regions of your heart.
Shrouded in blinding pessimism and doubt,
Revealing itself only to the observant and faithful.

In The Alchemist, Coelho reveals the value that to achieve one's destiny, you must listen to your heart and follow what it reveals no matter the doubt and fear it may produce. "No heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams" (Coelho 124). Many believe that there is no such thing as 'treasure;' that we don't deserve to realize our dreams. As a result, our hearts go quiet out of fear of disappointment. Coelho speaks to all cultures and across time periods through Santiago's heart, "Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him" (125). Like Santiago, we need to quiet ourselves and listen to what treasure our heart is trying to reveal to us. If we allow ourselves the luxury of listening, we will know its message and know how to cope with any discomfort we may experience in pursuing our dreams; "fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself." (124)

Blog Post #1: How are you a participant in your destiny?

As readers of The Alchemist, we have observed Santiago struggle throughout his journey and analyzed the traits that allowed him to successfully participate in his destiny. Now it is time for you to reflect on a trait you possess that allows you to participate successfully in your destiny.

For your first posting, please complete the following steps:

1. Upload your essay on Santiago's Characterization.
2. Consider and choose one trait that you possess that allows you to participate in your destiny.
3. Craft a well-developed paragraph that describes the trait and offers evidence as to how it helps you participate in your destiny. Be sure to begin with a topic sentence and end with a concluding sentence.
   
4. Find an ARTISTIC image that reflects the characteristic you possess and upload the image to be displayed with your paragraph.
5. Make final revisions and editing before publishing your post.
6. Add a creative title that represents your trait.
   

Use the following example to serve as a guide.

Reflection: My Journey

Picasso: Woman Before a Mirror
With life, comes experience, and although late in life, I have learned to develop my reflective nature to benefit from these experiences. Like Santiago, reflection is a process that I have learned to engage in and embrace in order to fully participate in my destiny as an educator. It is reflection that allows me to develop a lesson, assess student learning, and engage in necessary revisions. Reflection enables me to step back and look at an experience from a distance; I can see what went well, what did not go well and what needs to be done to improve my instructional pedagogy. Engaging in dialogue with students as well as colleagues and seeking information from texts and classes are benefits I have gained from reflection. However, possessing a reflective nature is not always rewarding, it can also produce frustration. At times, the reward of attaining optimal growth supersedes the frustration that an end is always out of reach. Nevertheless, as Coelho relates in The Alchemist, it isn't about the outcome, it is about the journey and reflection allows me to participate in this journey.