Saturday, January 31, 2009

Ending of "Of Mice and Men" Essay

Amita Bose
Mr. Salsich
English 8
January 31, 2009

Decisions:
An Essay Discussing George’s Decision at the end of Of Mice and Men

Decisions can be made when your mind and soul are at peace or during times of great tribulation. Decisions can be of the most trivial sort, or they can change your life and yourself forever. No matter when or how significant decisions are, they are always tremendously difficult to make and will result in hours spent pondering whether or not you chose the correct option. In the novel by John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, the character George must make the ultimate decision: to either hand Lennie, his best friend, over to an irate mob or kill him before the other men can. In the moments after he made his decision and pulled the trigger of the gun pressed to Lennie’s head, George was haunted by the possibility that he hadn’t made the right decision, but in my opinion, George did the best, most humane, and loving thing possible.
TS George loved Lennie like a brother, and in shooting Lennie, he shot a part of himself, but George did what he did for Lennie, and no one else. SD Lennie’s last words to George were, “Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now,” as he spoke of the farmhouse he yearned to own with George. CM When Lennie asked George if they could, “get that place now”, he was not asking for a farmhouse with rabbits and alfalfa, but for a place where he could finally lay down the burdens of hate and prejudice he had carried for his entire life. CM In shooting him, George granted Lennie’s last wish, and delivered him to a quiet, accepting place where he could live equally among others and tend as many rabbits as he wished to forever. SD Also, George saved Lennie from the appalling death that would have befallen him at the hands of the livid ranch-workers. CM If the other men had found Lennie, they would have beaten him and drawn out his death for no more reason than to satisfy their cruel, perverse pleasure. CM George let Lennie peacefully slip into the pearly gates of Heaven with a smile on his face, soft rabbits running free in his head, and the thoughts of a better tomorrow sparkling in his eyes. SD Lastly, George had loved Lennie like a brother for his entire life and shooting him was a final act of love. CM When George held that gun to Lennie’s head and pulled the trigger, he wasn’t thinking of it as punishment for the bad things Lennie had done, but rather a show of how much he truly loved his friend. CM Only the truest of friends can overcome the disgust they feel for what the love they possess may drive them to do, and George proved his love for Lennie one last time, as he mercifully delivered his death and overcame his hatred for what he had to do in order to save Lennie. CS George’s decision was one of love, compassion, and caring, and it was undoubtedly the right choice, no matter how hard it was to make.
Sometimes decisions are the easiest things to settle: chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Sometimes decisions will haunt you every time you close your eyes: life of death? The hardest, most complex decisions must be made, and even though we may not like what we have to do, we must do it. We must make every decision based on our truest feelings and what our hearts whisper to us. We must honor these emotions and thoughts, for they are what will lead us through our darkest hours filled with turmoil, and into the clear light of a decision well and truly made.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Assessment Journal - Entry #6

Amita Bose
1/22/2009

Assessment Journal – Sixth Entry
Brothers laugh together, play together, and tease one another mercilessly. The two men I met today acted just like brothers as they were playing the Nintendo Wii. These two men, J.P. and Bernie, taunted each other as they demonstrated their Nintendo Wii Bowling skills. Bernie would make a sarcastic remark about J.P.’s “stellar” skills whenever he got a gutter ball. In return, J.P laughed heartily every time Bernie hit only one or two pins with the ball. It was intriguing and amusing to watch these two elderly men go back and forth, mocking each other, as if they were young boys again. Also, whenever something comical would happen on the game screen, or with another player, these two men would laugh their deep, jovial laughs. They would glance at each other, curve the corners of their mouths into the smallest of smiles, and burst out laughing at the same second. They would laugh and laugh until they were gasping for breath, their faces light up with delight. J.P. and Bernie are two people who share a unique, brotherly bond.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Assessment Journal - Entry #5

Assessment Journal – Fifth Entry
Picture this: an elderly woman sitting in a comfortable red chair with a Nintendo Wii remote in her hand. She is leaning forward, and her face is light by laughter and happiness. This is Edith. Edith is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met. As we were playing Wii bowling, she let out little yelps of encouragement and congratulations. She seemed so wrapped up in the excitement of the game and was eager to spread her enthusiasm. Also, when I first met Edith, I was immediately impressed by her selflessness. She came into the room after the later dinner, and when I offered her my seat, she quickly and persistently declined. She was determined to find her own seat and refused to put me out. Everyone could learn a lot from the way Edith chooses to live her life: to its fullest.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Assessment Journal - Entry #4

Amita Bose
1/17/2009

Assessment Journal – Fourth Entry
Today was a joyous day, filled with excitement, at Academy Point. Today was the day of the hoedown, and there was an aura of anticipation in the air. Everyone was looking forward to an afternoon filled with laughter, singing, and dancing. The residents began to arrive at the room where the hoedown was to take place before everything was set up, because they were so eager to commence their afternoon of enjoyment. At the hoedown I danced with a few of the residents, and it warmed my heart to see how much they were enjoying themselves. One woman I danced with couldn’t seem to keep the smile off of her face. We twirled and side-stepped our way around the dance floor, both of us breathless with laughter and full of joy. I had never seen this particular woman so full of life, and it was wonderful to realize that I may have added to her sense of delight by dancing with her. Today was a day that will always remain in my memories, as one of perpetual happiness and revived liveliness.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Of Mice and Men Essay

Amita Bose
Mr. Salsich
English 8
January 12, 2008

Brotherly Affection:
An Examination of the Friendship between Lennie and George in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Brothers are two males who have the same mother and father; Lennie and George do not have the same mother and father. Despite not being biologically related, Lennie and George have the relationship of two brothers. Brothers quarrel, tease one another, and threaten to leave the other, yet just like George and Lennie, they never actually do. In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, the characters George and Lennie share brotherly affection as they journey through their arduous lives.
TS In the time they have travelled together, George and Lennie have developed the bond that two brothers who have known each other since the day they were born have. SD George and Lennie argue often, just like brothers do as they go about their daily routines. CM Despite the frequent spats, Lennie and George don’t actually mean the callous remarks they make to one another; likewise, brothers will say things in the heat of the moment without any heart behind the words. CM After one of their arguments, George said to Lennie, “I was jus’ foolin . . . I want you to stay with me”, and this shows that George did not truly mean the hurtful words he had hurled at Lennie. SD Furthermore, George and Lennie will not leave each other in spite of their differences, just like brothers who cannot bear to sever the bond they share. CM The two friends keep on travelling together despite their frequent quarrels and radically different, colliding personalities. CM George cannot leave Lennie, even though he keeps him “in hot water all the time”, and this shows the brotherly affection that binds these two men together. SD Lastly, George looks after Lennie the way an older brother cares for his little brother. CM George constantly protects Lennie from the harshness of the world and shields him from people who try to hurt him with words and fists. CM Also, George tries to make Lennie’s life as easy as possible, so he won’t be burdened by the daunting, easily-avoidable parts of life. SD George and Lennie share a true bond that lies not on the surface, but deep inside, connecting them with an unbreakable connection.
Brothers come from the same flesh and blood, grow up under the same roof, and spend vast amounts of time with each other. It is in this closeness of mind and body that brothers develop their relationship. Lennie and George were born to two different sets of parents and never lived together during their childhoods; and yet, they developed the indestructible bond that brothers have. This bond is something magical, something that refuses to be vanquished by even the most harrowing of things. This bond is what Lennie and George share. This bond is brotherhood.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Facts about Elderly People in Nursing Homes

1)There are more than three times as many nursing homes as hospitals.
(http://www.carewatchers.org/nursinghomefactsheet.html)

2)Three out of four nursing home residents are women.
(http://www.nursinghomeabuseresourcecenter.com/facts/)

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Assessment Journal - Entry #3

Amita Bose
1/10/2009

Assessment Journal – Third Entry
Today I met a very interesting woman while I was visiting residents at Academy Point. This woman owned two birds and had a passion for animals. She doted upon her parakeets and lovingly stroked and fed them. I was touched by the care and time she put into her pets. Also, when I was talking with her, I asked her if she had ever owned other pets besides her two birds, and her eyes immediately light up. She eagerly described the previous pets she had owned and told me a little story about every one. This woman’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and reflected the happy memories she was remembering when she spoke of her old pets. She seemed so excited to be sharing her experiences with someone else, and I was more than happy to listen

Monday, January 5, 2009

Assessment Joutnal - Entry #2

Amita Bose
1/3/2008

Assessment Journal – Second Entry

Today I met many new and extraordinary people when I visited Academy Point. The first person I met was an elderly woman who was sitting in the craft room when I arrived. I entered the room shyly, trying not to interrupt her craft time and sat in a chair in the corner of the room as I waited. When the arts and crafts director had to leave the room to get a bandage for another woman, the woman sitting at the table turned around and beckoned to me. I crossed the room and sat down, and began to talk to the woman. Her voice was weak and cracked, but she seemed eager and pleased to talk to me, and her kind questions melted my previous shyness. Also, during an exercise activity, I had the pleasure of meeting another unique woman. She was so energetic and talkative, despite the tubes that snaked their way from her handbag to her nose. She asked me endless questions and shared details of her life, as if she wanted to learn and share everything that the both of us had experienced in our lives. These are two people that have found a place in my memory because of their kind words and eager eyes.



Facts about Elderly People in Nursing Homes

1) There are about 1.6 elderly people in nursing homes currently. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/nursingh.htm)


2) The average nursing home reports 100 to 200 falls a year.
( http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/nursing.htm)