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individual vs. system. From what I have read, It doesn’t look like he is trying to change society’s system, but more to use it, beat it, and benefit from it. In one of the excerpts, the book says, “‘You don’t live in the real world, Z. From what you’ve told me, I don’t think you ever have. You’re like me. You live inside this illusion.’” This talks about Parzival and shows that he is almost obsessed with the system and may even use it to his benefit because he doesn’t like or feel accepted in the real world. He is trying to beat the system by learning as much as he can about it. So in a way, he is trying to beat the system, while also being controlled by it. The first excerpt also stated, “When it came to my research, I never took any shortcuts. Over the past five years, I’d worked my way down the recommended gunter reading list.” This shows that he is constantly researching the creator of the system and the system itself to try to beat it and get the reward. He even goes on to say that he researched all the famous shows, music, and movies. This furthermore proves that the individual, in this case, Parzival, is trying to beat OASIS, the system, but is almost controlled and nonfunctioning without the system because the system is how he lives, and is his life.

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In “The Machine Stops” by E.M. Forester, a topic that I kept coming across was The Individual vs. The System. In the first part of the story, Vashti, one of the main characters in the story, who was brainwashed by the machine and society’s new ways said, ‘Something “good enough’ had long since been accepted by our race.” This shows that society has changed a lot from how it used to be. First of all, they live underground, and second, they all live alone in their own solitary rooms and just live with the machine. The only way to connect with people is with calls where they cannot physically with people. The only person who seems to not like this system is Kuto. “The Machine Stops” states, “‘You are beginning to worship the Machine,” he said coldly. “You think it irreligious of me to have found out a way of my own. It was just what the Committee thought, when they threatened me with Homelessness.’” This shows that he wants to get out of the system and live more like how life used to be, but the system and society will not let him because they like and approve of the machine. Eventually, he did get the world back to what it should be, what it used to be, by having the machine stop and people be forced to go outside their rooms and live. This shows the Individual vs. The system because just Kuto destroyed the whole, miserable system of the Committee and the Machine just by himself, while society and everyone else were blinded and did not approve.

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During World War II, many governments used posters and videos to portray things how they wanted civilians to see them. The leader of the Nazi Party, Adolf Hitler wrote, “Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.” After this being said, the Nazis then proceeded to become masters at propaganda and used it to get people on board with their views and plans during world war 2. This helped the Nazis be more successful in WWII. Not only was propaganda used by Nazis, but the British, United States, Japanese, and other nations used it. Governments used and continue to use propaganda to convince citizens of things they want their country to believe, as well as portray many things differently for the benefit of the country, not necessarily for the benefit of the people.

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Animal testing has been generally accepted across our society for too long. Innocent animals are tortured and killed without their consent, which is then justified because animal testing supposedly helps test and discover treatments, medicine, and chemicals for human use. This must be stopped. Animal testing is not always accurate, and therefore can sometimes be useless. It is also very wrong and immoral to innocent animals, and there are even other ways, maybe even better ways, to test chemicals and other things. It is time to stop animal testing.

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Dear Mr. President,

Why have you done this to us? Sending countless innocent people into concentration camps with unwell conditions? And for what? Protecting the country from the Japanese? Many of us have never even lived in Japan, let alone want to spy on Americans for them. We are Americans! Not evil people trying to tear this country apart.

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From cell phones to atomic bombs, technology can be a gift and a curse. Used in a limited way, it's great. Used too much, and then things start to get out of hand. In both the stories we read, technology took control of humanity. Humans advanced it too far, to the point that instead of humans controlling technology, technology controlled humans. People and individuals tried to stop it and were sometimes successful, because they, unlike the brainwashed world, had seen the poor effects of technology. These people saw both gains and losses from technology, though in this case, more the loss. So what did these individuals do to combat the system of technology?

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I am from pizza and cheeseburgers
Which were always satisfying to me
I am from the beach, on hot and sunny Summer days
I’m from the mountains, fresh and green
Always full of peace and serenity

I am from  a small house in the suburbs
All surrounded by grass
I’m from the smoothly paved roads in my neighborhood
I am from icy snow cones on the curb
Mixing all the flavors together
I'm from skating and shooting hockey pucks at night
With a cool breeze and music sounding in my ears

I am from old torn up couches
And mismatched furniture
I am from the smell of freshly made cookies
And bread, pies, and cake
I’m from the crisp pages of books
Reading for hours and hours, lost in another world

I am from trees and the sound of crickets
Chirping in the early morning dawn
I am from the scent of freshly mowed grass
Early every Saturday morning
I am from the sound of my dog howling
Each morning at first light

I am from a house of music
Where almost everyone plays an instrument
I’m from the sound of a cello
Always resonating through the walls
I am from the sound of my french horn
Fingering away at new sheets of music

I am from my Grandpa, my favorite relative
Always with a smile, and always there for me
I am from the sound of rain against my window
Always going pitter, patter
Pitter, patter

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Mr. Kraler

I have prepared a place for some of my Jewish friends and colleagues to stay above my workplace. It must be so scary for them. Both of the families' children are not even that old. Anne is only thirteen! I sure hope they don’t get caught. I feel that the Nazis are crazy and out of their depth. Why should they condemn all Jews? These families did nothing wrong. I'm going to do as much as I can to help them. Today, I brought them supplies and news. I also warned them that they have to be super quiet from 8:00 am-5:00 pm due to the factory workers being just down below. Oh, I sure hope that they can get through this war unscathed and hidden.

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The sunlight shined down from the sky, reflecting blinding streaks across the water, as currents and waves painted a beautiful picture of blue-green and white. Strange birds flew overhead, casting quick shadows on the rocks, and chirped, flying in formation with each other. Tall cliffs cascaded down into the water with small trees and ferns growing on the only habitable places on their sheer walls in small crevices and caves. Bois Dentelle Trees and other strange plants hung over the ledge of the cliffs. This was a mysterious small island amid the vast Pacific Ocean.

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