Peer Pressure from the Priest

I really enjoyed the discussion about "Sinners in the Hands of Angry God" because the preacher basically forced his thoughts into the heads of his audience. Churches are thought of as serene temples of worship, but this seminar obviously gives the opposite effect. I just can't imagine seeing this speech being given in mine... The speech uses multiple examples of negative dialogue to strike fear into the hearts of all those who listen and to try to convince them that his path was the only path to salvation in God. This use of fear is a powerful persuasive tool. The "way out" presented at the end of the speech also helps to persuade the audience because it is as if the only option is that option to escape eternal suffering in hell. The piece uses persuasion and intense imagery to convey the author's point of view of religion and to get those who listen to follow in his ways.

The Story Behind Stereotypes

When groups of people are stereotyped, the statement is generally true to a certain extent. Striving to break that stereotype is one of the many factors that defines character. Sherman Alexie did just that. The common stereotype that Native Americans are poor, substance abusing people was broken by him. He showed that it is in fact possible to escape the view of the world on you. Through his academic achievements, Alexie gave hope to those who felt trapped. He grew up on the reservation amidst alcoholics and washouts and ended up valedictorian at a white school and with a job. Stereotypes can be broken. They do not define who you are as a person and if you wish to be something different than what you are expected to be, there is nothing wrong and you should not be held back. Hard work and a desire to succeed are all it takes to become something of yourself no matter who you are or where you came from.

Farm Boy or City Slicker?

When I hear "heritage", I always think of my grandparents and the farm life they provided for their kids. Growing up, I loved spending time out on the farm. It has impacted my life greatly, but I'm not exactly a farm boy. So does heritage determine who we are as people? Well, to a certain extent it always does, but I do not think that it defines our lives completely. Although my mom grew up on a farm, I am much more integrated into city life here in Troy. Yes, I do hunt, fish, and enjoy "redneck" activities, but my mainstream life is much different from that of my heritage. This relates to Jeannette Walls's life in The Glass Castle. Jeannette grew up as a vagabond, travelling the western deserts and only settling for short periods at a time. She lived off of next to nothing at times, but she ended up an esteemed writer who married and lives in a magnificent house closer to big cities than the wilderness. Part of her still has that feeling, but she is different from what her heritage was. So as far as heritage determining who we are, I feel it is only a small factor. It has its influences, but for the majority of today's people, it does not completely make our lives. However, there are still those who are a shadow image of their heritage. It really depends on the person because there is always an exception.