Scholar
Animal Farm Themed Work:
Socratic Seminar Questions- In our English, the finals for the class is a Socratic seminar. The theme of this specific Socratic seminar was Animal Farm by George Orwell. These were my questions that I deemed to be proud of.
Is Napoleon a tragic hero?
What do the pigs represent in human nature?
Why did Napoleon not go looking for Snowball if he hated him so much?
Would it be fair to choose our own life?
Why is selfishness a part of human nature?
Why do people blame others? Is there a reason as to why people do it?
What would happen if everyone would say the truth all the time?
Animal Farm Response Journals: While we read the book Animal Farm, we had to keep thinking outside of the plot by responding to these journals. My answer gives an idea of how I think.
The question is: If you were an animal living on Animal Farm, which would you prefer: living a hard life free from the rule of man, or living a comfortable life under the rule of man? Defend your opinion with examples. I believe that in human nature someone has to rule so that people can blame them. I think people always have to blame someone in order to feel like they are important. Nobody wants to be blamed, but others love to blame others. I would choose to live a comfortable life under the rule of man. Mollie had a very good life and was never mistreated even without a man ruling and under the rule of man I think that as long as the ruler is fair to his people and does not treat them like crap, then it would be fine to be ruled. Living a hard life is a way most are forced to live and choose to live. Most people would love to have an easy life, even if it means having to be ruled by someone.
Socratic Seminar Questions- In our English, the finals for the class is a Socratic seminar. The theme of this specific Socratic seminar was Animal Farm by George Orwell. These were my questions that I deemed to be proud of.
Is Napoleon a tragic hero?
What do the pigs represent in human nature?
Why did Napoleon not go looking for Snowball if he hated him so much?
Would it be fair to choose our own life?
Why is selfishness a part of human nature?
Why do people blame others? Is there a reason as to why people do it?
What would happen if everyone would say the truth all the time?
Animal Farm Response Journals: While we read the book Animal Farm, we had to keep thinking outside of the plot by responding to these journals. My answer gives an idea of how I think.
The question is: If you were an animal living on Animal Farm, which would you prefer: living a hard life free from the rule of man, or living a comfortable life under the rule of man? Defend your opinion with examples. I believe that in human nature someone has to rule so that people can blame them. I think people always have to blame someone in order to feel like they are important. Nobody wants to be blamed, but others love to blame others. I would choose to live a comfortable life under the rule of man. Mollie had a very good life and was never mistreated even without a man ruling and under the rule of man I think that as long as the ruler is fair to his people and does not treat them like crap, then it would be fine to be ruled. Living a hard life is a way most are forced to live and choose to live. Most people would love to have an easy life, even if it means having to be ruled by someone.
Annotations for AP Lit, Purgatorio
Canto I-III
Dante now finds himself in on an island and begins the adventure by comparing his intelligence to a ship sailing on calmer waters. Dante’s special status of being able to traverse the levels of judgement have important souls seeking counsel in him. Virgil is and always will be depicted as the guide that everyone knows and allows to continue. Dante’s affiliation is the only reason he is even able to continue. An angel appears to show both Virgil and Dante the way through Purgatory, but can not be seen by Dante because of the immense light the angel presents. Angels are also guides for the souls that want to rid themselves of sin. Dante seems to attract a lot of attention because he is a human. A soul named Casella distracted the other souls through the power of his voice, but Cato breaks up the gathering. Cato seems to break up the peace that was happening and was not very affected by the singing. Cato seems to want control and not have the spotlight on any body else. The longer Virgil and Dante are together, the more it seems that Virgil is the conscience of Dante. Every soul is shocked to see that Dante has a shadow, the meaning of shadow is being stretched so much in this book.
Canto IV-VI
Dante alludes to a saying that Plato says, talking about how humans have a multitude of souls. Without the help of the wandering souls he keeps finding, Dante would not be able to get through this place. The people/souls that Dante keep meeting are coincidently always people that either he knows or they know him. Virgil is getting tired of all the souls grouping around Dante because he is the only one that is alive. It is sad to see a living being amongst a region of dead people and their souls because it is mocking the fact that an alive person can also roam the areas that should only pertain to those that have passed away. It is a little strange how Dante can decipher the souls and who they were in the real world just by a few clues. So many souls ask Dante to give news to the cities in which they come from, making Dante the ultimate messenger man of different dimensions. Dante even states it himself that he is gaining so much attention and frankly loves all of it. Virgil talks about Christian prayers being the effective ones, but I thought Dante was Catholic. Though native of Italy, Dante believes that Italy is not the best country any more because there is no good leader ruling. There is hatred towards Italy, but he specifically ops out Florence from the insults.
Canto VII-IX
Virgil declares his origins to a random soul and appears to be mostly good, because he does not necessarily come from Hell but from Limbo. The fact that at night, no soul is allowed is to travel up the mountain makes it seems that they can not continue until they see light. The darkness is not a way one would want to rise and go up. The valley in which Dante and Virgil contain so many famous rulers and monarchs that it seems almost like a Valhalla,except a lot of these important officials are considered disgraces and unwanted. Two guardian angels come down in the valley and protect the souls from a serpent, maybe alluding to the Devil. The serpent is revealed to be Satan and the fact that Dante could not see how it vanished shows how humans will never be able to resolve every single mystery. Dante dreams of a golden eagle swooping down on him, maybe referring to God or an archangel taking him to Paradise.Virgil and Dante finally reach the Gates of Purgatory and of course Dante is usually knocked out or sleeping when the amazing stuff happens. Dante along with Virgil are allowed access to Purgatory under the condition that they can not look back.
Canto X-XII
In the midst of going further into the Gates of Purgatory, Dante faces the fear of turning back and eventually finds marble carvings of various biblical figures. Dante looks at Gabriel’s carving foreshadowing that maybe Dante might meet him sooner than any other prestigious angel. Dante is so fixated on the carvings of biblical events that he has never experienced before. This goes to show that there is starting to be a little extra enlightenment as they further the path of Purgatory. The first group of souls that Virgil and Dante are not so interested with the fact that Dante is alive, because they are too focused on repenting. The souls of these men can not directly look up meaning that their pridefulness of thinking highly of themselves made them think and see low of themselves as punishment. It is a little sad to see how Dante and Virgil exploit all the souls and just leave them behind. The lifted P that marked his head made him feel less heavy, but it also could mean that his soul is slowly starting to feel at ease or his shortened length to Heaven.
Canto XIII-XV
The envious souls are faced with the punishment of love because it it is the opposite of jealousy, but the fact that their punishment is to love everybody else does not seem so negative. With their eyes shut with wire, the punishment in a way intensifies because they can not see whom they are supposed to love. Dante is not used to being corrected, so the reason to call out the soul that made the remark made me think whether he spotlighted said person because they corrected him or because it was a female. Dante sneakily does not mention that his guide is Virgil because maybe the soul would want to hitch a ride with them. Dante has a conversation with two random souls, but they do most of the talking and the answering. The souls answer their own questions as if they are calculating and analyzing who Dante might be. Again, Dante does not want to reveal any info about himself and cunningly avoids saying his name. It is slightly hypocritical that Dante asks for the names of the two souls yet he never gives his.Whenever Virgil and Dante enter a new terrace, there is always an angel to keep guard and verify if those that try to pass are in fact worthy.
Canto XVI-XVIII
The mysterious smoke is depicted as worse than the darkness in Hell, yet it should not be because this is Purgatory now. The punishment for the wrathful to sing in harmony is a perfect fit because now they are not as angry since they are singing all the time. The souls are again intrigued by the aliveness Dante presents. Because Dante is alive, it seems that his status allows to make every soul he meets to confess about their life. The souls feel obligated to tell Dante the reason they are here and who they were before this. A lot of the times that Dante has spent in Purgatory the more complicated things are to comprehend, but it seems that Dante does not understand that. One of the souls (Marco) tells Dante that Rome is such a balanced state, yet earlier Dante was ranting about how Italy horrible italy was, meaning that their ideas will eventually clash. At the end of his small speech, Marco agrees with Dante in that Rome now can not set the difference between church and state. Natural love needs to go to God in order to not be seduced by evil, but mental love is trickier to handle because it can easily diverge to another fixation or interest other than God. Virgil can read the mind of Dante, but never really answers the questions or thoughts that Dante ponders about.
Canto XIX-XXI
Dante has had many dreams in Purgatory, which is strange because usually people get dreams in the real world. When Dante wakes up abruptly, Virgil does not seem to care. Virgil being able to read minds was not even curious to see what Dante had been thinking about. The correct path to follow this time is to the right, a pun that references the right way to go is the right path. Some sinners want to be left so that they truly can repent, but Dante keeps on disturbing them to get more information on them. Dante promising to say prayers towards these souls is like bribing them to give him information about themselves. There is an earthquake in the mountain, but does not seem to pose any threat to Dante because none of the other souls or Virgil seem to worry about it either. Though Dante questions things when he does not know the answer, he still sort of just shrugs it off even if his questions are not fully answered. Coincidently the man that has been following Dante and Virgil is the reason the mountain shook.
Canto XXII-XXIV
Statius is now the new member of the group following Dante and Virgil. Another angel appears to remove the P off of Dante’s head. The P can sort of symbolize Purgatory and the more P’s that are removed, the closer it is for Dante to leave this place. Not only is Virgil the guide of Dante but also to Statius, because he enlightened him to keep going. The punishment for the gluttonous is being denied food, but is odd because even Dante is being denied even though he is a human. A voice springs out of nowhere and Dante is immediately entrance by it, yet Virgil has no reaction towards it. For the souls that are denied food, their bodies are also seen as skinny. Dante does not recognize Statius when he speaks to Forese. Dante is a little elitist because out of all the souls in the group he only wants to meet another that he knows and is also a poet. Dante mentions that he will see them when he dies and that he will finally leave the wretched place called his home. Just because one has seen and uncovered mysteries that most humans do not know, it does not mean that one can just share all the new holy information with everyone else and in a way be superior.
Canto XXV-XXVII
The stars are definitely mentioned multiple times and symbolize time and measurement. It is very annoying how Virgil is waiting to get asked by Dante when Virgil himself can just answer the question right away. It is now the turn of Statius to answer a question that Dante has because it pertains to more of the experiences that Statius's has. For the first time ever, Dante disobeys something that Virgil told him to do, and was not particularly happy with the results he witnessed. A little racism is mentioned in a simile that a burning soul said; being as thirsty as an Indian or Ethiopian. As Dante keeps finding new souls to talk to, he encounters yet another poet that he deeply admires. It seems like all the people that are either in Purgatory or Hell are people that Dante closely knew. Dante is mainly praying for the souls in order to get information about them or to tell them the correct way to go, but this time he is going to pray for the poets he deems talented and admirable. Dante has been told several times that he can not die, yet he is afraid of jumping into the fire.
Canto XXVIII-XXX
Dante gets to finally enjoy peace time alone without any guidance, fortunately for Dante there is nothing to fear. The part when Dante meets the girl reminds me so much of Adam and Eve in Paradise. The water in the small stream seems like alcohol because it makes one forget but remember the good things that have happened in life. Dante makes a remark and blames Eve for not being able to live in Paradise. A golden candelabra appears and Virgil is finally just as surprised as Dante. A rainbow can be seen because of the many colors the souls that walk near the light emit. A rainbow means happiness and harmony, and that is what Dante was feeling when he saw the rainbow. In Purgatorio it seems that everyone is singing, I am guessing that it will not be as different in Heaven. Dante finally meets Beatrice, but Virgil seems to be gone. Virgil might not be worthy or does not want to see Beatrice yet. Dante begins to cry in the presence of Beatrice, and she seems to be very scornful and militaristic. In the long run, Beatrice is not happy at all with Dante.
Canto XXXI-XXXIII
Beatrice demands a response from Dante, but he is ill-stricken. If I were Dante, I would not know what to say either. The love of his life has just scolded him and Dante is in no means of defending himself. Whenever Dante tries to rebuttal against her questions, Beatrice replies with a series of other questions that bring Dante to shame. Beatrice is starting to slightly be arrogant because the reason she gives for Dante going into sin is because he did not love her beauty enough. The whole point of this trip was to see his true love, but because Dante’s love is not grateful to see him, he is not joyful anymore. Beatrice’s handmaidens tell her to unveil herself so that Dante can see her, but then tell Dante to not stare at Beatrice so intently. The pet that beatrice has is a Griffin, which symbolizes strength and intelligence. All the other people were able to ascend to Heaven with the Griffin besides Dante and Beatrice. Beatrice asks Dante to record and observe everything that is there so that he can make the world a better place, but what would happen if dante does not use that knowledge for anything positive? Dante again can not ask any questions to beatrice when the time is right. The first time he does not speak to her makes sense, but twice, that is too many. Man simply can not understand the ideas or ways of God. Dante is finally ready to enter Heaven.
Dante now finds himself in on an island and begins the adventure by comparing his intelligence to a ship sailing on calmer waters. Dante’s special status of being able to traverse the levels of judgement have important souls seeking counsel in him. Virgil is and always will be depicted as the guide that everyone knows and allows to continue. Dante’s affiliation is the only reason he is even able to continue. An angel appears to show both Virgil and Dante the way through Purgatory, but can not be seen by Dante because of the immense light the angel presents. Angels are also guides for the souls that want to rid themselves of sin. Dante seems to attract a lot of attention because he is a human. A soul named Casella distracted the other souls through the power of his voice, but Cato breaks up the gathering. Cato seems to break up the peace that was happening and was not very affected by the singing. Cato seems to want control and not have the spotlight on any body else. The longer Virgil and Dante are together, the more it seems that Virgil is the conscience of Dante. Every soul is shocked to see that Dante has a shadow, the meaning of shadow is being stretched so much in this book.
Canto IV-VI
Dante alludes to a saying that Plato says, talking about how humans have a multitude of souls. Without the help of the wandering souls he keeps finding, Dante would not be able to get through this place. The people/souls that Dante keep meeting are coincidently always people that either he knows or they know him. Virgil is getting tired of all the souls grouping around Dante because he is the only one that is alive. It is sad to see a living being amongst a region of dead people and their souls because it is mocking the fact that an alive person can also roam the areas that should only pertain to those that have passed away. It is a little strange how Dante can decipher the souls and who they were in the real world just by a few clues. So many souls ask Dante to give news to the cities in which they come from, making Dante the ultimate messenger man of different dimensions. Dante even states it himself that he is gaining so much attention and frankly loves all of it. Virgil talks about Christian prayers being the effective ones, but I thought Dante was Catholic. Though native of Italy, Dante believes that Italy is not the best country any more because there is no good leader ruling. There is hatred towards Italy, but he specifically ops out Florence from the insults.
Canto VII-IX
Virgil declares his origins to a random soul and appears to be mostly good, because he does not necessarily come from Hell but from Limbo. The fact that at night, no soul is allowed is to travel up the mountain makes it seems that they can not continue until they see light. The darkness is not a way one would want to rise and go up. The valley in which Dante and Virgil contain so many famous rulers and monarchs that it seems almost like a Valhalla,except a lot of these important officials are considered disgraces and unwanted. Two guardian angels come down in the valley and protect the souls from a serpent, maybe alluding to the Devil. The serpent is revealed to be Satan and the fact that Dante could not see how it vanished shows how humans will never be able to resolve every single mystery. Dante dreams of a golden eagle swooping down on him, maybe referring to God or an archangel taking him to Paradise.Virgil and Dante finally reach the Gates of Purgatory and of course Dante is usually knocked out or sleeping when the amazing stuff happens. Dante along with Virgil are allowed access to Purgatory under the condition that they can not look back.
Canto X-XII
In the midst of going further into the Gates of Purgatory, Dante faces the fear of turning back and eventually finds marble carvings of various biblical figures. Dante looks at Gabriel’s carving foreshadowing that maybe Dante might meet him sooner than any other prestigious angel. Dante is so fixated on the carvings of biblical events that he has never experienced before. This goes to show that there is starting to be a little extra enlightenment as they further the path of Purgatory. The first group of souls that Virgil and Dante are not so interested with the fact that Dante is alive, because they are too focused on repenting. The souls of these men can not directly look up meaning that their pridefulness of thinking highly of themselves made them think and see low of themselves as punishment. It is a little sad to see how Dante and Virgil exploit all the souls and just leave them behind. The lifted P that marked his head made him feel less heavy, but it also could mean that his soul is slowly starting to feel at ease or his shortened length to Heaven.
Canto XIII-XV
The envious souls are faced with the punishment of love because it it is the opposite of jealousy, but the fact that their punishment is to love everybody else does not seem so negative. With their eyes shut with wire, the punishment in a way intensifies because they can not see whom they are supposed to love. Dante is not used to being corrected, so the reason to call out the soul that made the remark made me think whether he spotlighted said person because they corrected him or because it was a female. Dante sneakily does not mention that his guide is Virgil because maybe the soul would want to hitch a ride with them. Dante has a conversation with two random souls, but they do most of the talking and the answering. The souls answer their own questions as if they are calculating and analyzing who Dante might be. Again, Dante does not want to reveal any info about himself and cunningly avoids saying his name. It is slightly hypocritical that Dante asks for the names of the two souls yet he never gives his.Whenever Virgil and Dante enter a new terrace, there is always an angel to keep guard and verify if those that try to pass are in fact worthy.
Canto XVI-XVIII
The mysterious smoke is depicted as worse than the darkness in Hell, yet it should not be because this is Purgatory now. The punishment for the wrathful to sing in harmony is a perfect fit because now they are not as angry since they are singing all the time. The souls are again intrigued by the aliveness Dante presents. Because Dante is alive, it seems that his status allows to make every soul he meets to confess about their life. The souls feel obligated to tell Dante the reason they are here and who they were before this. A lot of the times that Dante has spent in Purgatory the more complicated things are to comprehend, but it seems that Dante does not understand that. One of the souls (Marco) tells Dante that Rome is such a balanced state, yet earlier Dante was ranting about how Italy horrible italy was, meaning that their ideas will eventually clash. At the end of his small speech, Marco agrees with Dante in that Rome now can not set the difference between church and state. Natural love needs to go to God in order to not be seduced by evil, but mental love is trickier to handle because it can easily diverge to another fixation or interest other than God. Virgil can read the mind of Dante, but never really answers the questions or thoughts that Dante ponders about.
Canto XIX-XXI
Dante has had many dreams in Purgatory, which is strange because usually people get dreams in the real world. When Dante wakes up abruptly, Virgil does not seem to care. Virgil being able to read minds was not even curious to see what Dante had been thinking about. The correct path to follow this time is to the right, a pun that references the right way to go is the right path. Some sinners want to be left so that they truly can repent, but Dante keeps on disturbing them to get more information on them. Dante promising to say prayers towards these souls is like bribing them to give him information about themselves. There is an earthquake in the mountain, but does not seem to pose any threat to Dante because none of the other souls or Virgil seem to worry about it either. Though Dante questions things when he does not know the answer, he still sort of just shrugs it off even if his questions are not fully answered. Coincidently the man that has been following Dante and Virgil is the reason the mountain shook.
Canto XXII-XXIV
Statius is now the new member of the group following Dante and Virgil. Another angel appears to remove the P off of Dante’s head. The P can sort of symbolize Purgatory and the more P’s that are removed, the closer it is for Dante to leave this place. Not only is Virgil the guide of Dante but also to Statius, because he enlightened him to keep going. The punishment for the gluttonous is being denied food, but is odd because even Dante is being denied even though he is a human. A voice springs out of nowhere and Dante is immediately entrance by it, yet Virgil has no reaction towards it. For the souls that are denied food, their bodies are also seen as skinny. Dante does not recognize Statius when he speaks to Forese. Dante is a little elitist because out of all the souls in the group he only wants to meet another that he knows and is also a poet. Dante mentions that he will see them when he dies and that he will finally leave the wretched place called his home. Just because one has seen and uncovered mysteries that most humans do not know, it does not mean that one can just share all the new holy information with everyone else and in a way be superior.
Canto XXV-XXVII
The stars are definitely mentioned multiple times and symbolize time and measurement. It is very annoying how Virgil is waiting to get asked by Dante when Virgil himself can just answer the question right away. It is now the turn of Statius to answer a question that Dante has because it pertains to more of the experiences that Statius's has. For the first time ever, Dante disobeys something that Virgil told him to do, and was not particularly happy with the results he witnessed. A little racism is mentioned in a simile that a burning soul said; being as thirsty as an Indian or Ethiopian. As Dante keeps finding new souls to talk to, he encounters yet another poet that he deeply admires. It seems like all the people that are either in Purgatory or Hell are people that Dante closely knew. Dante is mainly praying for the souls in order to get information about them or to tell them the correct way to go, but this time he is going to pray for the poets he deems talented and admirable. Dante has been told several times that he can not die, yet he is afraid of jumping into the fire.
Canto XXVIII-XXX
Dante gets to finally enjoy peace time alone without any guidance, fortunately for Dante there is nothing to fear. The part when Dante meets the girl reminds me so much of Adam and Eve in Paradise. The water in the small stream seems like alcohol because it makes one forget but remember the good things that have happened in life. Dante makes a remark and blames Eve for not being able to live in Paradise. A golden candelabra appears and Virgil is finally just as surprised as Dante. A rainbow can be seen because of the many colors the souls that walk near the light emit. A rainbow means happiness and harmony, and that is what Dante was feeling when he saw the rainbow. In Purgatorio it seems that everyone is singing, I am guessing that it will not be as different in Heaven. Dante finally meets Beatrice, but Virgil seems to be gone. Virgil might not be worthy or does not want to see Beatrice yet. Dante begins to cry in the presence of Beatrice, and she seems to be very scornful and militaristic. In the long run, Beatrice is not happy at all with Dante.
Canto XXXI-XXXIII
Beatrice demands a response from Dante, but he is ill-stricken. If I were Dante, I would not know what to say either. The love of his life has just scolded him and Dante is in no means of defending himself. Whenever Dante tries to rebuttal against her questions, Beatrice replies with a series of other questions that bring Dante to shame. Beatrice is starting to slightly be arrogant because the reason she gives for Dante going into sin is because he did not love her beauty enough. The whole point of this trip was to see his true love, but because Dante’s love is not grateful to see him, he is not joyful anymore. Beatrice’s handmaidens tell her to unveil herself so that Dante can see her, but then tell Dante to not stare at Beatrice so intently. The pet that beatrice has is a Griffin, which symbolizes strength and intelligence. All the other people were able to ascend to Heaven with the Griffin besides Dante and Beatrice. Beatrice asks Dante to record and observe everything that is there so that he can make the world a better place, but what would happen if dante does not use that knowledge for anything positive? Dante again can not ask any questions to beatrice when the time is right. The first time he does not speak to her makes sense, but twice, that is too many. Man simply can not understand the ideas or ways of God. Dante is finally ready to enter Heaven.
Environmental Science Assignment, Fictional Letter to a Neighbor
Dear Wallace,
The other day I noticed that you were dumping an abundant amount of oil, inorganic chemicals such as mercury, and some radionuclides like uranium, into a storm drain. I just wanted to ask and or clarify if you knew that it led to the ocean? Those dangerous pollutants are being sent directly to the ocean and are exceedingly harmful to not only the water but to the inhabitants of the sea. Because you are a professor at the nearby college, I am a little appalled that you would even consider dumping all that toxic waste right into the ocean. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry(ATSDR), “There are many state and local programs for recycling or disposing items that contain mercury. Some states have laws that cover hazardous waste disposal.” Another thing you can do is find local collection programs, get in contact with your local environmental agency, or even contact your state health department. There were so many different alternatives that you could have done, instead of just dumping all those toxic substances down the drain. As a neighbor, I felt like it was my duty to tell you and guide you through the process of keeping the environment clean and making sure you do not make the same mistake again. Do you know what mercury does when it is released into the water, I am going to explain to you so that you would not have to trouble yourself in researching the answer? According to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, “Organic mercury (primarily methyl mercury) is produced by specific bacterial organisms in surface waters that convert inorganic mercury into organic mercury, which is the form of mercury that poses a significant threat to human health. Methyl mercury is ingested typically by fish and bioaccumulates both in the tissues of fish and the humans that eat these fish.” The portions of mercury that is absorbed or ingested by the fish eventually piles up and becomes highly hazardous to the thing that consumes the fish. The accumulated mercury that the fish gains will be the same large quantity that a human might ingest for eating the fish and is highly detrimental. By throwing the mercury into the ocean, I am sure that you are going to harm all these fish and the people that eat them afterwards. You could potentially be responsible for the death of several people, and I am a witness to the crimes against nature you have committed. I am positive that you would not want to go to jail when your wife is so close to delivering your first child. Do not even get me started on the harmful exposure you received from the uranium you dumped. You should honestly go to the doctor because uranium is radioactive meaning it can have long term effects on your future children, and I honestly do not know why you would have uranium in the first place, but that is not my business. If high levels of uranium exposure is already harmful to one’s health, how do you think it will affect the animals in the ocean? It will affect them in a very negative way just so you know. According to the New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, “Food and drinking water are the primary sources of uranium intake for the general public. Environmental exposure to uranium by people usually occurs via water, food and air, as part of our natural environment. For example, variable amounts of uranium occur naturally in drinking water sources and soil.” You are increasing the amount of uranium found naturally in the environment thus, causing a malevolent effect on not only those that consume the afflicted animals but the people around the area where the uranium is dumped. You need to know that it is not okay to get rid of toxic substances in that manner, there are many substitutes that you could have taken. I hope this letter will help in stopping you make that error again.
Your neighbor, Steven Garcia
Bibliography
"Don't Mess with Mercury." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 July 2015. Web. 6 May 2016.
"Drinking Water: Uranium." New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2014. Web. 8 May 2016.
"Mercury in the Environment and Water Supply." University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 3 Dec.
2003. Web. 6 May 2016.
The other day I noticed that you were dumping an abundant amount of oil, inorganic chemicals such as mercury, and some radionuclides like uranium, into a storm drain. I just wanted to ask and or clarify if you knew that it led to the ocean? Those dangerous pollutants are being sent directly to the ocean and are exceedingly harmful to not only the water but to the inhabitants of the sea. Because you are a professor at the nearby college, I am a little appalled that you would even consider dumping all that toxic waste right into the ocean. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry(ATSDR), “There are many state and local programs for recycling or disposing items that contain mercury. Some states have laws that cover hazardous waste disposal.” Another thing you can do is find local collection programs, get in contact with your local environmental agency, or even contact your state health department. There were so many different alternatives that you could have done, instead of just dumping all those toxic substances down the drain. As a neighbor, I felt like it was my duty to tell you and guide you through the process of keeping the environment clean and making sure you do not make the same mistake again. Do you know what mercury does when it is released into the water, I am going to explain to you so that you would not have to trouble yourself in researching the answer? According to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, “Organic mercury (primarily methyl mercury) is produced by specific bacterial organisms in surface waters that convert inorganic mercury into organic mercury, which is the form of mercury that poses a significant threat to human health. Methyl mercury is ingested typically by fish and bioaccumulates both in the tissues of fish and the humans that eat these fish.” The portions of mercury that is absorbed or ingested by the fish eventually piles up and becomes highly hazardous to the thing that consumes the fish. The accumulated mercury that the fish gains will be the same large quantity that a human might ingest for eating the fish and is highly detrimental. By throwing the mercury into the ocean, I am sure that you are going to harm all these fish and the people that eat them afterwards. You could potentially be responsible for the death of several people, and I am a witness to the crimes against nature you have committed. I am positive that you would not want to go to jail when your wife is so close to delivering your first child. Do not even get me started on the harmful exposure you received from the uranium you dumped. You should honestly go to the doctor because uranium is radioactive meaning it can have long term effects on your future children, and I honestly do not know why you would have uranium in the first place, but that is not my business. If high levels of uranium exposure is already harmful to one’s health, how do you think it will affect the animals in the ocean? It will affect them in a very negative way just so you know. According to the New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, “Food and drinking water are the primary sources of uranium intake for the general public. Environmental exposure to uranium by people usually occurs via water, food and air, as part of our natural environment. For example, variable amounts of uranium occur naturally in drinking water sources and soil.” You are increasing the amount of uranium found naturally in the environment thus, causing a malevolent effect on not only those that consume the afflicted animals but the people around the area where the uranium is dumped. You need to know that it is not okay to get rid of toxic substances in that manner, there are many substitutes that you could have taken. I hope this letter will help in stopping you make that error again.
Your neighbor, Steven Garcia
Bibliography
"Don't Mess with Mercury." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 July 2015. Web. 6 May 2016.
"Drinking Water: Uranium." New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2014. Web. 8 May 2016.
"Mercury in the Environment and Water Supply." University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 3 Dec.
2003. Web. 6 May 2016.
Allegorical Story for AP Lit
Lake in the Mountain
Long ago, there was a beautiful and surprisingly temperate lake even though it sat at the pinnacle of the mountain. This lake was definitely an attraction that everyone wanted to see, touch and care for. Though it was a high and secluded region, the lake’s location was fairly easy to get to so that the people can visit it everyday. The people of the nearby village would always go to the lake and give the lake food, and even dance in circles to invocate the rain spirits. The rain was considered another caregiver of the lake, for it increased its size. The rain and clouds would look down on the lake and care for it as well, just like the village people. The lake felt so protected and adored by all the entities that protected it. One day the lake fell ill because some villager accidentally dropped trash in it. Immediately the villagers began the chants and incantations to summon the clouds and rain. When the clouds and rain, they knew exactly what to do. They healed the lake, and the lake looked as youthful and ebullient as ever. The villagers were very ecstatic knowing that once again the lake was going to being healthy. The pureness fell and fell and the lake eventually got bigger and bigger thanks to nurture of the clouds and the rain. So many new villagers were able to witness the lake’s grandeur and marvel at the immense size it has gotten. The lake was still beautiful, but it did not have the innocence it used to have. The body of water seemed more used, yet still youthful. The rain and clouds came by to check on the lake but fewer times than normal. The lake was now starting to fill other nearby depressions and expand its territory. The villagers started to come by less because they imagined the lake did not need as much care. At the same time, the lake loved its privacy, no on coming to bother it actually put a smile on its face. Most of the villagers have even forgotten that there was a lake for they did not need this region of water to live, utilized mainly to distract the mind for a short while. The lake in the mountain started to overflow onto other parts of the mountain, spreading its droplets into new regions. Being in different spots at once gave the lake a different perspective of how life went on on this mountain. More flowers bloomed every year and now the lake was taking up the entire mountain peak. The villagers had rarely been seen going up to see the lake any longer. And the clouds nor the rain were spotted. The lake had managed to find another lake and mix into a giant body of water. Some of the water that spilled from both lakes made smaller ponds and rivers that now both the lakes care for. The two lakes loved seeing the new rivers flow and the new ponds host small animals inside of them. There was an immense fascination with these spontaneous new bodies of water that the villagers came back to visit. They all were so happy to see the lakes and the new rivers and ponds. Even the clouds and rain had been reported to be seen near the village. The villagers summonings had brought the clouds and rain to come and witness for themselves the new additions to the mountain. The mountain was very rich in water, that even the plants nearby began to sprout and sing to the lakes, rivers, and ponds. The falling of the leaves have passed many times and the lakes were looking rather small. The villagers came frequently to see what the problem, but even their incantations did not work this time. The lakes were definitely diminishing, and there was no way to rejuvenate them. For a short while the smaller rivers and ponds seemed to stop flowing, as if they were still, looking or caring about something. The lakes on the mountain did not have their original beauty, but they had intelligence, wisdom, and a sense of comfort. The villagers came to see its final moments until the giant lake on the mountain finally dried up for good. A few springs passed and the villagers came to see the new rivers and ponds, seeing them just as youthful and attracting as their predecessors.
Long ago, there was a beautiful and surprisingly temperate lake even though it sat at the pinnacle of the mountain. This lake was definitely an attraction that everyone wanted to see, touch and care for. Though it was a high and secluded region, the lake’s location was fairly easy to get to so that the people can visit it everyday. The people of the nearby village would always go to the lake and give the lake food, and even dance in circles to invocate the rain spirits. The rain was considered another caregiver of the lake, for it increased its size. The rain and clouds would look down on the lake and care for it as well, just like the village people. The lake felt so protected and adored by all the entities that protected it. One day the lake fell ill because some villager accidentally dropped trash in it. Immediately the villagers began the chants and incantations to summon the clouds and rain. When the clouds and rain, they knew exactly what to do. They healed the lake, and the lake looked as youthful and ebullient as ever. The villagers were very ecstatic knowing that once again the lake was going to being healthy. The pureness fell and fell and the lake eventually got bigger and bigger thanks to nurture of the clouds and the rain. So many new villagers were able to witness the lake’s grandeur and marvel at the immense size it has gotten. The lake was still beautiful, but it did not have the innocence it used to have. The body of water seemed more used, yet still youthful. The rain and clouds came by to check on the lake but fewer times than normal. The lake was now starting to fill other nearby depressions and expand its territory. The villagers started to come by less because they imagined the lake did not need as much care. At the same time, the lake loved its privacy, no on coming to bother it actually put a smile on its face. Most of the villagers have even forgotten that there was a lake for they did not need this region of water to live, utilized mainly to distract the mind for a short while. The lake in the mountain started to overflow onto other parts of the mountain, spreading its droplets into new regions. Being in different spots at once gave the lake a different perspective of how life went on on this mountain. More flowers bloomed every year and now the lake was taking up the entire mountain peak. The villagers had rarely been seen going up to see the lake any longer. And the clouds nor the rain were spotted. The lake had managed to find another lake and mix into a giant body of water. Some of the water that spilled from both lakes made smaller ponds and rivers that now both the lakes care for. The two lakes loved seeing the new rivers flow and the new ponds host small animals inside of them. There was an immense fascination with these spontaneous new bodies of water that the villagers came back to visit. They all were so happy to see the lakes and the new rivers and ponds. Even the clouds and rain had been reported to be seen near the village. The villagers summonings had brought the clouds and rain to come and witness for themselves the new additions to the mountain. The mountain was very rich in water, that even the plants nearby began to sprout and sing to the lakes, rivers, and ponds. The falling of the leaves have passed many times and the lakes were looking rather small. The villagers came frequently to see what the problem, but even their incantations did not work this time. The lakes were definitely diminishing, and there was no way to rejuvenate them. For a short while the smaller rivers and ponds seemed to stop flowing, as if they were still, looking or caring about something. The lakes on the mountain did not have their original beauty, but they had intelligence, wisdom, and a sense of comfort. The villagers came to see its final moments until the giant lake on the mountain finally dried up for good. A few springs passed and the villagers came to see the new rivers and ponds, seeing them just as youthful and attracting as their predecessors.