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A mirror is an object, whether artistic or not, or even a thought or notion, that causes the viewer to experience a personal reflection. A window is anything that works as a gateway, through which the view perceives something brand new, an aspect of life previously unacknowledged.

White Oleander was the first time I was exposed to foster care and having unstable relationships with parents. It was the time during which I related to literature in ways with which I could relate to my own life and really feel as though I was learning through art. I experienced someone trying to find themselves in ways that I also was trying to find myself. She used art as a coping mechanism in an attempt to understand what she was going through, an inward look and simultaneous release.

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A tribute to this semester's influential work of literature 

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I have never read an internal dialogue like the one in Tommy Vollman's short story "Area Scouts." It was one of my favorites because I relate to conflicting trains of thought and use of internal tools in attempts to quiet the chatter in my mind. After reading his work I had to know more about Mr. Vollman. I learned that he not only writes, but he also uses his stories in his mixed media visual art.

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Growing up, we are given a certain perspective of America and its formation. The move to America is portrayed as a deliberate and carefully planned effort to gain independence from the tyrants of England. Yet, even our founding fathers were still finding themselves and their place  in life. While at the same time they're trying to create a new world for those that embarked on the journey to the new world. History has many perspectives. It should be common practice to introduce as much information as we can to students, without being a one sided story.

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I was not one of those kids that fit in with the crowd, growing up. To my peers, I appeared to be the weird kid with dark interests. I found refuge with my teachers and how they fed my pursuit of knowledge, along with art I created what was beyond the comprehension of my fellow students. When it comes to life there is no one formula that works for everyone. However, if you stay true to yourself you will find the guidance you need.

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While I know everyone has an internal dialogue, it is humbling to see a similar internal dialogue in literature. I have used similar tactics in attempts to not allow my own train of thought to get in my own way. While Tommy uses baseball players to calm his racing thoughts, I have used knowledge to try to keep my thoughts at bay. It is comforting to know that negative thoughts affect not only me. Furthermore, that introspection and uncertainty of where one stands is not an isolated concept.

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We have all heard that becoming a parent changes you. Yet, we tend to not think about what those changes are of the hard decisions that have to be made when raising a child. When you are a single parent, these decisions have a great impact, not only for yourself, but your children as well. Children are fragile beings, and sometimes the decisions we make to better a better life for them, unintentionally end up hurting them. Single mothers must work to provide for their family, yet children need their parents to develop properly.

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We all have struggles in life. Sometimes we are even born into these without any action of our own. It's sad knowing that even in current times and after the Civil Rights Movement, that there are still Americans that are disadvantaged due to the color of their skin. While it may no longer be acceptable to turn a family away from a neighborhood in modern times due to their skin color, racism is still very much alive today, and part of our daily lives.