The Importance of Struggle by Cynthia Sepulveda https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg en-us 2018-12-03 15:45:42 UTC 2025-12-13 01:01:21 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Dartstarget.png What is the purpose of literature? Why listen to the stories or opinions or emotions of others? Literature conveys ideas in a unique way that can be understood universally. In an interview, Barack Obama talks about "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison. According to Obama, the book places focus on people going through hardship. He makes a very insightful point about hardships and struggles that really resonates with me. He says, "It's not just pain, but there's a joy and glory and mystery." sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310496360 2018-12-03 16:24:32 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310496360 The Other Wes Moore is a book I enjoyed. It speaks to a life full of challenges from early childhood and it shows how taking the easy way out of life may have an effect on the outcome later down the road. In his book, Wes talks about the challenges he faced at a very young age and the difficulties his family faced to keep him out of trouble from the "hood." Not only does he tell his own life story, but he also talks about the lives of others around him. Wes points out that if he had followed a similar lifestyle as others and hadn't made the same hard choices he made to make in life, he would not have made a success of his troubled life. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310741546 2018-12-04 04:34:28 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310741546 "Eveline" by James Joyce is a short story of a young girl who grows up in a rough home and even at the age of 19 is still restricted to everything. Also, she is expected to bring home her earnings and care for the children and the home. Eveline meets Frank a foreign sailor and he proposes she leave with him to Buenos Aires so they can marry and live a life together. That is exactly what Eveline wants, she wants to live a happy life. She wishes to escape and be rescued from her cruel life. Eveline thinks that Frank can make her happy. She also fears what another world may be like and struggles with leaving the life she is already accustomed to. Eveline attempts to leave, but she changes her mind last minute and is unable to go through with that difficult decision of leaving her childhood home. Because of her final decision, Eveline will never know another life unless she is given another opportunity to better her life. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310745616 2018-12-04 05:15:10 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/310745616 A great poem written by Gwendolyn Brooks is " Speech to the Young, Speech to the Progress-Toward." It seeks to inspire a younger audience as to make them understand the ways of life. This piece of literature teaches the idea that life should be enjoyed at all times not just when we have victories or when it is finally all over. It says "Even if you are not ready for day it cannot always be night" and that is the amazing thing about poems, a lot can be said and understood by such little words. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314123004 2018-12-13 04:21:07 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314123004 In "Everyday Use", A family is faced with differences and forced to follow separate paths. Dee, the older sister decides she wants to better herself and gets an education and live a modern lifestyle. While, Maggie the younger sister and their mother are happy in their home in the pasture. Although they live very different lives, they each seem to be happy and satisfied by the way they live and they appreciate the hard work they have to put in. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314124563 2018-12-13 04:37:45 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314124563 I really loved The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Not just a specific story but the overall story of a young Mexican American girl who grew up in a poor neighborhood and was faced by obstacles and temptations, but she was able to see other people's lives and make them an example for her own. She is actively struggling to fulfill her dream of one day leaving the poor neighborhoods and having a house of her own. The book tells a realistic story of a girl who faces struggles to better her life and she is able to look back and appreciate where she came from. That speaks to me and reminds me to appreciate the struggle because they will become fond memories. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314126001 2018-12-13 04:52:34 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314126001 In the play "Fences" there is a very complicated plot, but one of the main points the story makes is that although life is rough we must not take for granted what we have been given. Troy is the provider of the home and he does his best to keep the family a float. Although he works hard, Troy takes for granted the life and family he has. He decides that for all his hard work the least he deserves is some time to mess around with another woman. This quickly complicates things in his home and his relationship with his wife and son. Troy had just gotten a promotion at work and his life was about to get better, but he threw that all away because he did not appreciate what he already had. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314129507 2018-12-13 05:28:32 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314129507 sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314133983 2018-12-13 06:15:33 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314133983 When I am cooking there is no time limit. I prefer to take a long time and make a great dish rather than making something quick that won't have the same quality. Cooking is a passion I have that represents a lot of the same emotions I feel literature gives me. I feel that I am able to understand many things in the same way through this symbolism. Life is the same in many ways. You need to enjoy the process. While you're cooking you need to savor the ingredients, taste as you go and enjoy the aromas. In life you must appreciate the journey because although at the moment it seems like a lot of work, later they will be golden memories. And, just like cooking, you'll be very pleased with the outcome and the great quality will give you even more pride. sepulvc3 https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314134127 2018-12-13 06:16:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sepulvc3/aohc0va0ncrg/wish/314134127