Ceilie's Essay #9

Ceilie Moore
Mr. Salsich
English 9
December 15th, 2008

Living in Regret:

   An Essay On What I Wish I Could've Done

Regret is something that haunts us every single day. There is no way to change it and no way to get rid of its constant taunting in your ears, unless you could magically turn back time and undo what you now regret. If only before we acted, or didn’t act, we could realize that we all make our fair share of errors, but our errors are also what make us, us. (Chiasmus)

TS People often regret living too much into a moment and doing something spontaneous that they wish they hadn’t. SD For me, I feel exactly the opposite and wish I could do something without thinking it through once in a while. CM When the situation to do something fun and unplanned presents itself, I am often up for the risk, or at least the idea of it. CM Once the impulsive idea is put into motion, I fail to comply and simply stand by to watch all my friends have the times of their lives as they take this chance. SD To avoid feeling such regret in the future, I just have to teach myself that taking risks are a part of life. CM If no one ever dared to take a chance, we would be living our lives with no new revelations, no groundbreaking strides and no historic moments in our textbooks. CM Life barely ever follows the schedule we like to plan it in, and at one point the only thing we can do is take the chances we need to take to get life back on the course we want it to be on.

TS Another past regret I have is not being independent enough. SD Looking back on my previous actions, I realize I have been too dependent on the company of others and not enough on myself. CM I have always been a little hesitant to do things on my own and honestly, I cannot pin point an exact reason to be nervous about such a thing. CM Maybe it’s the possibility of something going wrong, and a lonely me, flying solo, wouldn’t be able to handle a situation like that by myself. (S-V Split) CM3 Or it could be just the natural idea that independence coincides with maturity and adulthood, something that makes most children uneasy. SD To avoid this behavior in the future, I again have to do one simple thing, be aware that being on my own is a good thing. CM Proving that I can do something without my hand being held the whole way through can only show how capable of a person I am. CM Whether I like it or not, I will eventually need to break free, so by putting it off, I am only letting the pain it will ultimately cause me grow more and more agonizing. CS As the band ZOX says in one of their songs, “You have to leave the ground to learn to fly”, meaning I have to slowly ease myself into a life of independence if I ever want to accomplish something that requires such self-reliance.

I regret many things that I have and haven’t done in the past, but those regrets are a part of life and will probably never go away. When in a state of pure remorse, I also have to remember that my past mistakes make me who I am. The fact that I didn’t take enough risks only proves that I am a responsible and cautious person, and my lack of independence only paves a new path for me to walk down in the future.

Self Assessment
What Do I Like Best About My Essay?
I especially like my introductory paragraph. I feel that in just three sentences it sums up exactly what my essay is about.

What Was The Hardest Part About The Assignment For Me?
I thought the writing tools that were required were definitely the hardest part. Both of these writing tools are brand new things that I just learned and having to take them right out of a textbook and apply it to my writing was difficult.

Graphic Organizer
Topic: Regretting not taking enough risks, not being independent

SD: I regret not taking enough chances
CM: Never lived in the moment
CM: Nervous I might regret what I did, but found myself regretting not doing it
SD: Just live life in the moment
CM: Life isn’t always planned out
CM: Risks can result in something good

SD: Regret not being independent enough
CM: Felt scared to do something on my own
CM: Wanted someone to always be there in case something went wrong
SD: Don’t be scared of being on your own
CM: At one point you have to break free
CM: Why not do it sooner than later

Lydia's essay 9

This is an essay for an application on the ingredients for a meaningful life

Lydia Schulz

Mr H. Salsich

9 English

December 15, 2008

The Ingredients for a Meaningful Life

an Essay by Lydia Schulz

So many features can contribute to a meaningful life, and there are so many definitions of a meaningful life. Some think it is being successful and rich, others think it has to do with being caring and good. However, whichever way you want to classify a meaningful life, it will always come down to your values and morals. This is why to me, some ingredients for a meaningful life are giving and honesty.

One thing that everyone should do in his or her life is to give. Many people think that the value of your existence is measured by your wealth and possessions, but I disagree. When you give to someone who needs it, you may not obtain anything physically, but you can gain so much character and insight. Without generosity, your life can be quite empty. For instance, last year my class did a project called the 8th Grade Assessment. For my project, I chose to volunteer at a local animal shelter that was short on volunteers. I thought my visits would be no fun at all, but it made me feel so good to be helping the people there and making the animals happy. With this understanding of giving, I know that, as Winston Churchill says, “We make a living by what we get, bit we make a life by what we give.”

Honesty is an excellent quality, and we should all strive for it. I do now and have always believed that it is better to be a good person than a successful one. If you are always honest, people will not question what you say, but instead trust that you are telling the truth. When you have established the reputation of truthfulness, you will be respected and valued as a person. I learned long ago that lies get you nowhere. The thing about a lie is that once you tell one, you can’t go back, and it will continue to grow until it owns you. Now that I am older, I know that little ramification will come from owning up to a lie right away, but when I was younger, I would lie about something seemingly insignificant, not realizing what it would mean when someone found out. I now try to be totally honest because I know that it can gain you lots of trust and respect, and when you tell a lie, it can tell a lot about you.

In my opinion, giving to those who need it and being honest are two fundamental parts of a meaningful life. Nevertheless, people’s greed, no matter how strong, can sometimes get in the way of these components. Knowing the benefits that can come from them, I strive for these things in my life everyday. We all must learn to put these things first instead of giving in to greed, for what do we have if not ourselves?

topic: ingredients of a meaningful life- giving, honesty
ts- giving
1st chunk- how you can benefit from giving
2nd chunk- assessment
cs- churchill quote

ts-honesty
1st chunk- better to be honest and good than successful
2nd chunk- lies get you nowhere
cs- you can gain respect and trust

Timmy's Essay 9

Timmy O’Brien
Mr. Salsich
English 9
12 September 2008

Past Regrets and Future Plans;

An Essay on my Past and Future

        1. As you live your life, you make decisions that lead to one another. 2. Eventually, all the decisions lead to one outcome. 3. This result could be jovial (FAST), but it could also be depressing, so you must figure out how to make future decisions better. 4. In my life, I have made decisions that I have come to regret, but then I made other decisions to help me better myself in the future.
        TS During my life, I have made many mistakes that I regret. SD My main regret is not being present for my grandfather’s death. CM At the time, I was in Canada watching lacrosse to my heart’s content while many other people were surrounding his deathbed waiting for his time to come. CM I feel as though I should have been there helping him along with the rest of my family into his next phase. SD Something else I regret is regretting itself. CM Even though I have made mistakes in my past, I don’t want to think about them for too long. CM If I do focus on the past a lot, I could miss the opportunity currently being presented to me and have more to regret later. CS Right now I regret events that have passed, but I must learn to pass my regrets (chiasmus).
        TS Oppositely, I have made some plans to prevent making as many regrettable mistakes. SD First of all, I plan on trying to keep in touch with the world more. CM I should still focus on my current task, but always keep my ears open too. CM In other words, whatever I’m working on matters most, but other things can still have weight in my life at that time. SD Along those lines, I want to focus in the moment. CM I want myself to understand that now is the time that matters. CM For example, when playing in a lacrosse game in the springtime, I want to focus on the moment of that game instead of after-game snacks, that night’s homework, or even the next day. CS With these ideas in mind I, planning in the moment, will be able to accomplish tasks with more vigor (FAST) and efficiency (S-V split participle).
        1. For now, all I have to realize is that things happen, and when they do I have to let them go. 2. The past doesn’t matter as much as the future, and the future doesn’t matter nearly as much as the present. 3. If for some reason I end up focusing on either of the two, I could miss an opportune moment and have more to regret later. 4. Now all I have to do is somehow keep myself in the present – away from the past and future, and it will truly be a gift.

                Self-Assessment

What do I like best about my essay?

    One thing I really like about my essay is that it seems to be under one big "umbrella". I think it stays on topic pretty well and focuses on the work to be done.

What was the hardest part of this assignment for me?

    The hardest part of this assignment was finding an example of chiasmus to use. Nothing really seemed to fit and I had to think a lot about the one I used.
     

  Graphic Organizer:

Main Point: Regrets and Plans

Opening:

-Regrets don't need to be in your life

-They are in mine and i have to power through them

1st body

-Not being present for my Grandfather's death

-I regret regretting, not necessary, the present matters

2nd Body

-Stay in touch with the world, keep my eyes and ears open to everything

-Focus on the moment, now matters more than before or after

Closing

-What is gone is gone, let it be

-Try not to regret

Sarahs Essay #9

Hamilton Salsich
English 09
Sarah Shourds
15 December 2008

No Regrets For Me:
An essay on my life regrets, and what I'd like to change in the future

Everything happens for a reason, whether its good or not. No one should live with any regrets, weighing down their "chain", because everything happens for a reason. In, "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Scrooge, a cold hearted man, is conveniently taken back to his past, and sees many things he wishes he could change [SV SPLIT]. If I had the equipment to pause my life,look at the past, I would not do so because I simply have no regrets.

TS Having a regret is like having a chain pulling at your ankle's everyday, and everyone has at least one. SD If I could get a hold of a life remote, and rewind to two years ago when my grandfather passed away, I would. CM I would've liked to get to know him better, get to have quality time with him and I would've liked to know the side of him that my mother knew. CM If I had accomplished these simple tasks before death ever so rudely took him, I think I would have had a better understanding of him and I would have appreciated life more. SD When my grandfather died, my family had a very hard time coping with his death. CM I regret not having the courage to withstand my aunts and uncles at the time. CM I think if I could have concurred my fears and helped my aunts and uncles through the rough time, I could have made it less harder on them. CM I would've talked with them about the good times they had with my Grampey Bell, and i would've been there so that they could vent off their steam. CS Regrets are a harsh thing to have, and can make a person do crazy things. CS2 All you need to learn to do is let go of them, and learn to move on, like I had to do when my grandfather died.

TS Gaining trust from your peers is a strength that most people toil [FAST] with. SD I try and try everyday to gain respect and trust from my friends, but being a truthful friend doesn't always have the same sensation as having a friend to laugh with. CM Learning the hard way, the truth can hurt. CM Not all people know and respect the truth, but in the long run, people will thank you. SD In my future, I hope to gain trust from every single person I know, and every person I know hopes to trust me at one point in their life [CHIASMUS]. CM I have had a history of not keeping secrets, and basically having a big mouth, but I want that all to change. CM I want people to come to me for advice, or come to me when they have dyer gossip they need to spill, or come to me first when they're feeling blue. CS I am trying to be a more truthful and trusting person, because in the end, it will all pay off.

Having a chain constantly tugging at your ankles, and knowing that a lot of people can't trust you, are two big mishaps in my life. I am trying to be more honest and trustworthy, and I am also trying to not regret anything in my life, but these are two huge steps that I must take one at a time. I believe that being truthful is a key aspect in any persons life, and although it may hurt others, it will help in the long run, starting with earning trust from your fellow peers.

Graphic Organizer
Main Idea: Regrets in My Life
- don't have any regrets
- if I could change anything, probably would be getting to know my grandfather more before he died
-we didn't get much time to bond
- wish I could have known more about him

Main Idea- change (or a few) you hope to make in the future
- "trust"
- I am working on keeping secrets better
- Try and not tell one person because then a chain reaction occurs, which is not good
-Trust is a key ingredient in a persons life

************************************************************************

SELF ASSESSMENT
What Do I Like Best About My Essay? I think that this essay in particular had a nice flow to it. I think I stayed on topic and under the "umbrella" for the most part, and I am very proud of it.
What Was The Hardest Part About The Assignment For Me? The hardest part of the assignment for me was tryingt o fit in chiasmus. I have some difficulties, not neccessarily writing the chiasmus, but placing it in its rightful place.
My Grade: B

In-class essay

Sarah Shourds
5 December 2008
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
Don’t Let Your Chain Get Too Heavy:
An Essay on a Quote in, “A Christmas Carol”

Everyone in the whole world wears a chain around their waste, with a variety of different things linked onto it. In, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, Marley’s ghost wore a chain made up of keys, ledgers, and other matters of that sort. The meaning of the chain can be viewed in many different ways, and why Marley’s ghost wears the chain with such things on it, can also be seen in many different ways.
SD When Marley was a human, he carried many burdens on his chain, such as not being able to pay such and such, or that he just worked too much. CM Consequences did occur when he died. CM Marley was forced to “walk abroad” and carry those heavy links with him. SD Being that many people carry anonymous burdens around with them, people like Marley should learn to let them go so that their “chain” does not get too heavy. CM When someone’s chain gets overwhelmed with such things as keys and ledgers, they start to get stressed out and become more and more like Scrooge; an unhappy, gloomy person. CM I have taken more off my chain then my chain has taken off of me. [CHIASMUS] CS The next time you are faced with a dilemma, don’t bottle it up because it will come to face you in the near future.
If you don’t consider your burdens a hefty thing, and just let them sink into you, then soon your chain will start getting heavier and heavier, and it will start to weigh you down. Soon you will turn into a Scrooge, and never see the warmth in a good Christmas Carol. [Purposeful Repetition] Marley carried burdens with him, and because he didn’t solve his dilemmas in his life, then he was forced “on his own will” to wear the chain. The chain represents his life, and his life represents the chain. [CHIASMUS]

Ceilie's Essay #8

Ceilie Moore
Mr. Salsich
English 9
December 4th, 2008

Making His Death Chain:

An Essay On A Passage From "A Christmas Carol"

“I wear the chain I forged in life”, says Marley’s ghost as he comes back to haunt Ebenezer Scrooge. His words are more than just a spirit’s scare tactic, but also a piece of wisdom from the afterlife. Those who have passed on can’t tell others what happens after death, leaving the living people in the dark. In Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol”, a ghost warns Scrooge that his wrongful actions he makes during life could follow him after death.

TS We often do things that we regret, but did you ever think we might have to suffer the consequences after death? SD That is what happens for Jacob Marley, a dead man forced to wear his heavy chains around his waist. CM These heavy chains he speaks of are symbolic for everything a man’s spirit is supposed to "go forth [with]" before passing on. CM Now that the spirit has died, he is “doomed to wander through the world” while literally being chained to his decisions from his past life. SD Out of all the people Marley could’ve chosen to give these words of wisdom to, he chose Scrooge for a specific reason. CM Marley saw that Scrooge was taking his life for granted, living coldly, cruelly and cowardly. (Purposeful Repetition) CM Marley knew that Scrooge’s faulty way of living would affect his life, even after he was buried under his grave. CS Overall, Marley’s spiritual pop-in was a way of forewarning Scrooge that if he isn’t careful, he’d make his mistakes as he lived, and his mistakes would make him once he died. (Chiasmus)


In the end, this is a lesson we hear all the time, just in a more morbid setting. The ghost of Jacob Marley is simply saying, “live life to the fullest”, but with adding and spooky ending to the phrase. If Scrooge goes on living this way, he’s going to regret his remorseful actions as he carries that heavy weight all through the afterlife.

Lydia's Essay 8

Lydia Schulz
Mr. H. Salsich
9 English
December 4, 2008

What Goes Around Comes Around
An Essay on a Passage From “A Christmas Carol”

Have you ever heard of the saying “what goes around comes around”? Many people will tell you that this phrase means nothing, that a person’s karma cannot affect the path their life takes. However, a lot can change during and after your life based on the decisions you make. This is exactly what the ghost of Jacob Marley was trying to warn Scrooge about in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

This passage refers to the cost of your actions and decisions and how they affect you after your death. Marley’s chain represents all the bad things he has done in his life and now he has to carry them through the after life, weighed down by all his bad decisions. At the time, these choices may have seemed like they were helping Marley, but he didn’t realize that these decisions would come back to bite him. He made unwise choices, he failed to do the right thing, and he now has to pay the penalty(purposeful repetition). However, this is not to say that Marley had bad intentions. It seems to me that “the chain [he] forged in life” is comprised of the choices he made that displayed his selfishness, the choices that were for his own benefit instead of the benefit of another(purposeful repetition). Marley is now trying to warn Scrooge to be less selfish so he will not be condemned to the same fate. Perhaps Dickens is telling us that to avoid a miserable life after death, we must be selfless and generous which can shorten our metaphorical chain.

This passage is telling us that our lives are defined by the choices we make and why we make them. With his decisions, Marley made his chain, but in the end, the chain made Marley(chiasmus). This just goes to show that all our actions have outcomes, whether we realize it or not. It is a good reminder that we should always be aware of what we do or say because it could always come back to bite us.

Timmy's Essay 8

Timmy O’Brien
Mr. Salsich
English 9
4 December 2008

An Attempted Revelation:
An Essay About a Passage

When someone is trying to prevent you from taking part in a behavior, what do they do? Sometimes a simple “No!” does the job, but other times a different approach must be taken. On occasion, people will resort to scare tactics. In this passage, Jacob Marley tries to scare Scrooge into doing the right thing.
TS In this section of the reading, Marley tries to scare Scrooge in two major ways. SD The first one was when Marley went into a lot of detail about his chain. CM He said he made it “link by link, and yard by yard; [he] girded it on of [his] own free will…is its pattern strange to you?” CM This was where Scrooge started to realize that he was forging a chain to wear, and he would soon wear the chain he forged [chiasmus]. SD The other way he scared Scrooge was by saying, “[I am] doomed to wander through the world […] and witness what [I] cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!” CM In other words, Marley told Scrooge that he only had a limited amount of time on this earth, and he had to enjoy what he had while he could. CM When Scrooge dies, all his chances of happiness will be destroyed. CS All he will be able to do is watch others be happy.
After hearing this speech, Scrooge is faced with a decision. Marley tells him that 3 spirits will be visiting him soon, and he can welcome them, abandon them, or ignore them completely [purposeful repetition]. Scrooge knows what is waiting for him in the after-life, and can no longer deny that he is living the wrong life. Now he must decide whether to change his ways, or be burdened with the fetters of his business – mankind.