The more I tried to compare and contrast them the more I realized they had in common. They both scam people out of their money and status, and they both do this through appealing to others guilt. The wife of bath tells her first few husbands how badly they treated her when they were "drunk". While the pardoner gives sermons on how the root of all evil is desire, and since desire is an emotion everyone feels, everyone feels guilty of his accusations.
However I can't help feeling more inclined toward the wife of bath. This is mostly due to the Pardoner's taking of money from very poor individuals. I pretty much wanted to hit the man when he was talking about taking money away from starving widows families. So the wife won on the count that at least she was not taking survival money from less fortunate families.
The pardoner never really tried to justify his actions either. He did give a short little thing in which, if I remember correctly, he basically said that other people were scamming other people so why not him but that was it. The wife of bath on the other hand gave a huge speech on why what she did was acceptable. So the wife of bath must have felt a little guilt because she felt like she had to defend her actions. That's what I think anyway, maybe I'm crazy and she doesn't feel a thing. However since I think she did feel a little guilt she wins here.
Then the wife of bath wins on the fact that deep down she seems to be searching for something real. The pardoner may want something like that as well but I hold to much of a grudge againtt him to see it if he does.
Then, finally, the wife of bath changes somewhat with her last husband. I don't know, but it felt like there was more tenderness when she spoke about her last husband. This, to me made her seem more like a human. The pardoner showed he was a human being only in a negative way. The wife of bath wins and takes the gold!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Haunted Houses
Friday I experienced my first haunted house. I discovered that I hate haunted houses.
My aunt convinced me to go by telling me that I didn't have to come. That she would take my 10 and 11 year old siblings by herself and I could just wait outside if it was too scary for me. So all four of us walked into the haunted house called "Deception, what you see is not what you get." It was the only house with no line, which I thought meant that it was not scary. I was also hoping that this haunted house did not have any people to jump out at me because I never know what to do with myself when they're around (Do I do what my instincts say and quickly walk past? Or do what my 14 year old sister does and tell them their mask is probably an improvement on their face?) However neither hope was to become a reality as the man who took our tickets said not to touch the characters and they would not touch us.
I will not go through every minute detail of what happened once we were inside, one, because it would take to long, and two, because I am not particullary eager to relive every jump and scream. Its enough to say that my aunts sweater was stretched to double its width and that my poor little brother was pushed first through the entire affair.
When we came out the other end I felt so...dumb. No brain power is needed for such an activety, in fact I'm pretty sure I turned off a part of my brain in the process.
Why do human beings willingly put themselves in such situations? It goes against every instinct ever known to PAY to go to a place where you KNOW you will be scared and chased.
Although part of not liking it is probably due to the fact that I am a whimp. I don't watch horror movies (I am not very good with gore) and, like I said, this was my first haunted house. Unless, that is, you count the haunted mansion in Disneyland which I actually enjoy because I am safely in my little cart thing where nothing living and breathing is going to jump at me.
So, while I cannot promise I will never go inside another house. (My brother and sister had a blast after all) I can promise that I will do everything in my power to avoid it.
My aunt convinced me to go by telling me that I didn't have to come. That she would take my 10 and 11 year old siblings by herself and I could just wait outside if it was too scary for me. So all four of us walked into the haunted house called "Deception, what you see is not what you get." It was the only house with no line, which I thought meant that it was not scary. I was also hoping that this haunted house did not have any people to jump out at me because I never know what to do with myself when they're around (Do I do what my instincts say and quickly walk past? Or do what my 14 year old sister does and tell them their mask is probably an improvement on their face?) However neither hope was to become a reality as the man who took our tickets said not to touch the characters and they would not touch us.
I will not go through every minute detail of what happened once we were inside, one, because it would take to long, and two, because I am not particullary eager to relive every jump and scream. Its enough to say that my aunts sweater was stretched to double its width and that my poor little brother was pushed first through the entire affair.
When we came out the other end I felt so...dumb. No brain power is needed for such an activety, in fact I'm pretty sure I turned off a part of my brain in the process.
Why do human beings willingly put themselves in such situations? It goes against every instinct ever known to PAY to go to a place where you KNOW you will be scared and chased.
Although part of not liking it is probably due to the fact that I am a whimp. I don't watch horror movies (I am not very good with gore) and, like I said, this was my first haunted house. Unless, that is, you count the haunted mansion in Disneyland which I actually enjoy because I am safely in my little cart thing where nothing living and breathing is going to jump at me.
So, while I cannot promise I will never go inside another house. (My brother and sister had a blast after all) I can promise that I will do everything in my power to avoid it.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
One thumb up one thumb down
This essay really hit home for me. My little sister Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia when she was two. I also remember not being able to grasp that my little sister might die. To me leukemia was not so different from the flu. I was sure she would get better.
The big difference was that Mom and Dad were always gone and in exchange my aunt and uncle, who I didn't know very well at the time, took their place as parents and teachers. This was very difficult because our family had never been apart for very long. Now we had various people coming in and out of our house to visit and give comfort. We almost never had both parents home. Dad would come home on most nights and Mom on some. We took turns going with mom to the hospital as well.
Hannah herself never really acted sick when I was there. I remember Mom yelling at us as we charged down the hall, Hannah's IV stand being pulled along between us. We played bingo in the play room and, since it was Hannah's favorite movie, watched Sound of Music over and over again.
I also don't think I grasped what our ward did for us either. My Dad's company went bankrupt in the middle of Hannah's treatment. Leaving us, not only without any income, but without any insurance. I, however, don't recall suffering from this. In fact I think only Aaron, my older brother, felt the emotional effects from this. I just have a few memories of kindness. Like when I went to achievement days and we learned to make lasagnas through...making one. Then afterward I was informed that it was to be me who would take it home. Or the ten families who decided to do us for their "12 day of Christmas"gift giving. (for those of you who don't know. Twelve days of Christmas starts twelve days before Christmas, beginning with a twelve item gift, and then day by day getting smaller till on Christmas eve you give one really good gift.) I remember nights of staying up to try and catch them. They were always to good. The closest we ever got was to see a small figure whip around the corner and climb into an unfamiliar car.
However I differ in the fact that Hannah did not die. Which, for me, only made the essay more powerful. I cannot imagine losing Hannah now.
The big difference was that Mom and Dad were always gone and in exchange my aunt and uncle, who I didn't know very well at the time, took their place as parents and teachers. This was very difficult because our family had never been apart for very long. Now we had various people coming in and out of our house to visit and give comfort. We almost never had both parents home. Dad would come home on most nights and Mom on some. We took turns going with mom to the hospital as well.
Hannah herself never really acted sick when I was there. I remember Mom yelling at us as we charged down the hall, Hannah's IV stand being pulled along between us. We played bingo in the play room and, since it was Hannah's favorite movie, watched Sound of Music over and over again.
I also don't think I grasped what our ward did for us either. My Dad's company went bankrupt in the middle of Hannah's treatment. Leaving us, not only without any income, but without any insurance. I, however, don't recall suffering from this. In fact I think only Aaron, my older brother, felt the emotional effects from this. I just have a few memories of kindness. Like when I went to achievement days and we learned to make lasagnas through...making one. Then afterward I was informed that it was to be me who would take it home. Or the ten families who decided to do us for their "12 day of Christmas"gift giving. (for those of you who don't know. Twelve days of Christmas starts twelve days before Christmas, beginning with a twelve item gift, and then day by day getting smaller till on Christmas eve you give one really good gift.) I remember nights of staying up to try and catch them. They were always to good. The closest we ever got was to see a small figure whip around the corner and climb into an unfamiliar car.
However I differ in the fact that Hannah did not die. Which, for me, only made the essay more powerful. I cannot imagine losing Hannah now.
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