The School of Athens - Raphael

In 'The School of Athens', painted by Raphael, he mirrors society by including important elements of the Renaissance era. The Renaissance was all about the 'rebirth' of lost knowledge. Instead of just listening to the Church's ideas, people started to question, observe, and experiment for themselves. Through their humanist ideas, many discoveries were made which helped progress human kind. In this painting two important elements are shown, which helps mirror what the Renaissance was like at that time. The first one is the Interest in writing and Literature. On the left side of the painting people such as Pythagoras of Samos and Heraclitus are writing and reading. This shows that through this time people started to want to write down their ideas, so that others could learn from it. Ideas could be spread all over Europe due to writing in books, and when the printing press was invented, ideas could spread even faster. On the right hand side of the painting you can see two people holding up celestial globes. Beneath them, you can also see a man with a compass, marking something out. These two things mirror

society at the time because people were starting to get interested in science. The globe shows that people were observing the sky and space, and wanted to find out what was up there. Inventions like the telescope greatly helped these scientists in their finds, which helped create a better understanding of what the universes looks like. The compass also shows peoples knowledge in maths and science, and how they want to find out how things work, or why they are like that. Raphael wanted to mirror society while painting 'The School of Athens', so that people then and now, can fully appreciate what the Renaissance was all about.

If I was apart of the painting 'The School of Athens' I would be the statue Apollo. Apollo was known as the sun god and was have meant to be talented in many things such as music, poetry, the fine arts and healing. He was the son of Zeus and was the twin of Artemis. In the painting, he is on Plato's side ; the side which believes in the spiritual world. I feel that I am like Apollo because I also believe that there is something else, other then this world. Even though Apollo was meant to have been cruel and arrogant, he was also was meant to have loved to entertain with his lyre, and he enjoyed teaching mortals how to play it. I love to entertain also and I find joy in doing it. I also enjoy teaching my friends how to do something. One of his motto's was "Know yourself". I strongly believe in this statement because I feel that no matter what other people say to you, you still have to be true to yourself and know what you are able to do within yourself. Apollo was meant to also be an overachiever at times, because at 4 days old, he killed that snake which bothered his mother during giving birth. He was also a favorite god on Mount Olympus. Not that I always like this, but I am also an overachiever. I have to do well, and I always have so much on. Apollo had the ability to heal, and when someone is sad or hurt, I also feel that I can cheer them up, and help them keep going. On the con tray, he also had the ability to bring ill-health. Even though I can't do this, when I am angry, I can get extremely angry, and sometimes I will say/do things I wish I hadn't.

Da Vinci : A true Renaissance man

The Renaissance was all about 'rebirth' and rediscovery. People at that time were finding lost knowledge from the Ancient Roman and Greek empires. They were inspired by them and started to question what they had learnt previously. Instead of reading from ancient books, people started to experiment themselves and Leonardo Da Vinci was no exception. Da Vinci wanted to go beyond what other people had, and he based all his findings on his experiments and observations. He always carried a notebook with him to jot down his ideas and drawings, which were exceptionally precise, detailed, and to scale. Leonardo was curious of everything and was always either painting, sculpting, studying science, singing and playing instruments, or inventing. One of his favorite hobbies was studying the flight of birds. He loved and researched aerodynamics and even drew some amazing machines which would allow a human to fly. Leonardo thought ahead more than anyone else in his time and because of this he was the first person to ever think of a tank, hot air balloon, helicopter, and many other inventions that weren't made until much later on. This undeniably shows that Leonardo Da Vinci was a true Renaissance man.

I Have A Dream

Freedom:

the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream

that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

Segment of Martin Luther Kings Freedom Speech http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Artist and Name unknown:

Martin Luther King was a distinguished leader in the African American Civil rights movement, who fought for freedom for all, no matter what race and culture. In his time, discrimination was evident everywhere. African Americans had to sit at the back of the bus, sit in different areas of the cinema, swim in different pools, drink from different fountains, and attend separate schools from the Caucasians. The powerful white people thought they were above anyone with darker skin then their own, so they convinced others to not mix with them. Martin Luther King used all his power to challenge and put a stop to this disturbing time through encouraging African Americans to stand up for their rights such as boycotting buses, became an advocate for direct action nonviolent protests and made stirring speeches. Through this, times began to change. Some of the Caucasians couldn't accept change and assassinated him in fear of his growing influence. Even with him gone, his message lives on. It transcends time and culture because other minorities can look up to him and are inspired to fight for their own freedom. If he, one man,could make a difference then they can too. Freedom to the right of speech transcends all cultures and times, as demonstrated by Martin Luther King.

She Whispers To Your Heart

Destiny whispers to your heart
Cloaked in nothing but your own fear
She taunts you "Come and touch me"

Listen to your heart - Jackie Ludtke

In The Alchemist, the message Coelho wants to develop is that pursuing your destiny is an important factor in life.

Every person acquires a destiny but not everyone pursues it, either because they are afraid to, or they decide to neglect listening to their hearts and observing omens. Coelhos message relates to any time or culture because no matter who or where you are, a force is calling you, taunting you, pulling you down it's path, wanting you to pursue it. Listening to your heart assists you on this journey. Your heart shows you what you really want out of life. Santiago embraced and listened to his heart, and through this he discovered his treasure. If we do the same, we are sure to unearth our own treasure and destiny. Dest

iny is not only a major theme in the Alchemist, but it should be a major part of our lives, because all we have to do is listen to our hearts.

Into the Unknown: Courage

Take a Chance

“People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them” (Coelho 124). In Coelho’s novel The Alchemist, Santiago is a shepherd boy, who works in the fields of Andalusia, Spain. He has a recurring dream about finding treasure in Egypt. In search of his destiny, Santiago leaves all he has ever known and travels to Egypt to pursue his personal legend. Santiago is not afraid of achieving his destiny and when he’s courageous he is able to listen to his heart and learn about the world’s ‘Soul’ and language. Throughout his journey, he encounters many people who contribute towards his learning about omens, his heart, and the Soul of the World. Santiago possesses qualities such as being observant and courageous as well as having an open mind, all of which successfully help him achieve his destiny.

Throughout Santiago’s journey, he has to be observant in a variety of ways in order to achieve his destiny. When Santiago finds himself with no money or food in Africa, he feels deserted and alone. He then offers to clean glasses for a crystal merchant for little pay. The crystal merchant doesn’t get much business because his shop is on top of a large hill. Santiago observes that when people walk up the hill, they tend to be thirsty, but there is nowhere for them to get a drink. Santiago tells the crystal merchant this, and suggests that they offer tea in their crystal glasses. At first, the crystal merchant is hesitant, but then he agrees. Santiago’s observations result in the crystal merchant receiving a lot of business; he is thankful to Santiago because Santiago helped him. Working for the crystal merchant helps Santiago earn enough money to continue to be a participant in his destiny. Since he also spent a long time there, he has immersed himself and understands a culture different from his own. This helps him achieve destiny because he understands that there are other people in the world who have different values from his own, whom he should still respect. Another example that illustrates Santiago’s observance is when he is traveling in the caravan to Al-Fayoum. He meets an Englishman on the way, who teaches Santiago about alchemy, and lets him read his books about the topic. Santiago tells the Englishman that the desert can also teach them about the Soul of the World, just like the book. “He found it much more interesting to observe the caravan…’I have watched the caravan as it crosses the desert…the caravan and the desert speak the same language, and it’s for that reason that the desert allows the crossing” (p.72). Observing the desert helps Santiago learn about the Soul of the World because everything in it is connected. He learns that the desert challenges the caravan and tests it to see if it can survive the journey. His understanding of the Soul of the World is one of the many parts that make up Santiago’s destiny. Finally, Santiago observes the flight of the hawks. One night, at the Oasis, Santiago wanders out into the desert, looks up and sees two hawks. While observing them, Santiago has a vision. “A fleeting image came to the boy: an army, with it’s swords at the ready, riding into the oasis” (p.95). Santiago was shocked at what the omen had told him, so he spoke to the chieftains to warn them about what was going to happen. The chieftains were surprised and wondered why the omens were showing themselves to a simple boy who was just observing the desert, but they decided to believe him, but for a price. They would kill Santiago if no enemies came. Santiago risked his life to save the oasis, and his prognostications were correct. Through this experience, Santiago truly understands that if he dies, at least it was in pursuit of his destiny. He would have followed his destiny: something that many others wouldn’t dare to do. When Santiago is observant, it helps him along his journey; however, he still needs to have courage in order to overcome the challenges he encounters.

Another trait that Santiago possesses is courage. First, Santiago has the courage to become a shepherd. When he was younger, his family wanted him to become a priest, so they made him study Latin, Spanish and theology. They also put money aside for him, which was difficult for them, as they were only a peasant family. However, all his life Santiago knew he wanted to travel the world, and if he had to be a shepherd to do that, he would become a shepherd. This choice made early in life shows that Santiago possessed courage from the beginning. Becoming a shepherd was only the start of his destiny, and if he hadn’t had the courage to do that, he would never have been able to find his treasure. Another example of Santiago’s courage is when he decides to leave the Andalusian countryside and travel to Egypt. When Santiago meets the old king, Melchizedek, he is forced to choose between all he has ever known, or pursue his destiny. “He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have” (p.19). This quote describes how Santiago wants to find his treasure, but isn’t sure if he should. Santiago comes to the decision that he shall pursue his destiny, which shows courage. It also makes Santiago content with his life because he knows he is one of the few people who want to achieve their personal legend. A fine example is when Santiago meets Fatima, a woman of the desert. He instantly falls in love with her. When the alchemist tells Santiago he must leave her in order to continue pursuing his destiny, Santiago is hesitant. He states, “I also have Fatima. She is a treasure greater than anything else I have won” (p.110). The alchemist tells him that if he does stay with Fatima then it isn’t true love. Fatima also encourages him to leave her because she has always longed to look outat the desert and wait for her man to return. She knows that once he finds his treasure, he will return for her and they will get married. Santiago has to make a difficult decision but he knows that if he does stay, he will become unhappy because he didn’t pursue his destiny. His courage helps him to achieve his destiny because he can leave Fatima, and continue in pursuing his treasure. Santiago’s courage is critical if he wants to achieve his destiny, but he still needs an open mind in order to truly understand his purpose.

A final characteristic that Santiago needs in order to achieve his personal legend is an open mind. When Santiago began his journey on the caravan to Al- Fayoum, he meets an Englishman who is in search of a true alchemist, as he wants to be an alchemist himself. He teaches Santiago about the Soul of the World and lets him borrow his books on alchemy. Santiago is convinced that he can learn the same from the desert rather than through books. Santiago tells the Englishman this but he just thinks Santiago’s soul is too primitive to understand such complexities. Santiago’s soul, however, perfectly understands what the Englishman wanted him to learn from the books, but Santiago just learnt it from another resource. Santiago thought, “Everyone has his or her own way of learning things…His way isn’t the same as mine, but nor mine is his. But we’re both in search of our destiny’s, and I respect him for that” (p.80). Even though Santiago has a different opinion than the Englishman, he accepts what he thinks with an open mind. Another example that illustrates Santiago’s open mind is when he learns from the alchemist to listen to his heart. Once Santiago leaves the oasis with the alchemist to the Pyramids, the alchemist suggests he listen to his heart. He teaches Santiago that his heart is from the Soul of the World and even though it may be afraid at times, it’s only because it doesn’t want Santiago to lose everything he has won. By not rejecting but embracing his heart, Santiago learns from it and begins to understand it. “The boy continued to listen to his heart…He came to understand its dodges and tricks, and to accept it as it was” (p.124). Unlike many other people, with Santiago’s open mind, he learns from his heart, and his heart helps him, by showing him where his treasure is. A final example illustrating Santiago’s open-mindedness is when he turns himself into the wind. The alchemist tells some tribesmen that Santiago can turn himself into the wind. If he can’t turn himself into the wind, they will both offer their lives to the tribesmen. At first Santiago is afraid. He does not know how he will do it and he is afraid to die, however, the alchemist tells him that if a person is living his destiny, he knows everything he needs to know. Santiago finally talks to the wind, the sun and eventually finds himself in contact with God. “The boy reached through to the Soul of the world, and saw that it was a part of the Soul of God. And that he, a boy, could perform miracles” (p.145). When Santiago has an open mind, he can accept things for what they are, and can attain a higher state of consciousness. Turning himself into the wind helps Santiago successfully achieve his destiny because if he hadn’t, he would not have understood his true destiny, which was to become an alchemist. Not an alchemist that turns metal into gold, but an alchemist that can help others achieve their own destiny. Open-mindedness helps Santiago understand his purpose in life, to pursue his personal legend.

After traveling from Spain to Egypt in search of his treasure, Santiago discovers that his treasure is underneath a sycamore tree, back in Andalusia where he began his journey. Santiago was able to achieve his destiny through observing the desert and everything around him, having courage to pursue his destiny and by having an open mind while learning about the Soul of the World. Because of these qualities he changes and becomes a better person. Santiago’s journey teaches us to listen to our heart so we can achieve our own destiny. Knowing your destiny is important because it gives our life purpose and meaning and it brings us closer to God. Once we have pursued our own personal legend we can inspire others to achieve theirs. Anyone can achieve their destiny if they just take a chance.

Into the Unknown 2 - Chris Pointer

"The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure" - Sven Goran Eriksson

In life there are many obstacles to overcome, some people give up easily, in fear of failure, but I have courage to overcome the hurdles of life, and through my courage I can pursue my destiny. In the novel The Alchemist, Santiago needs courage in order to follow his heart, which leads him to fulfilling his personal legend. I feel that I have courage to pursue my destiny because I am not afraid of what awaits me. I am willing to accept new challenges, and will continue to do so in the future. One example that demonstrates I can overcome obstacles in life is that not only do I have to complete my 8th Grade work well, I also have to juggle the school play everyday till 6pm, soccer, dance and piano lessons. I want to do well in all these subjects and even though I have a hard time managing all of them, I have accepted the challenge, and taken a chance, which shows courage. Through this I have improved on managing my time and organization, and I have expanded my horizons, so in the future, I have many options which can help me fulfill my destiny. I may not know what is my destiny, but I am willing to look out into the unknown and accept what awaits me, knowing I have courage to overcome it.