West Vancouver has the lowest crime rate in all of Canada, which is a country with an all around very low crime rate. So what are we so scared of? Everyone is raised to fear something, we can't avoid it. We are so privileged to live in a safe areas, like West and North Vancouver, that we when travel to an area in Downtown, we are immediately on the lookout for possible threats. Although, the likelihood that we will be violated, is extremely slim. Similarly, many Americans feel the need to carry a gun with them at all times. However,research has shown that if you have a gun in the house, there is a greater possibility that you, or someone close to you, will be injured by the gun than an intruder.

Here is the link to my mural.ly essay. Enjoy!

Different speaking styles were showcased in the speeches we watched today. The first speech, "Everyone is Free to Wear Sunscreen," is unique in that the speaker seems to be unattached to his topic. However, I was interested the entire time because the speaker kept speaking and I wanted to know what he was going to say next. The second speech by Zach Wahls was very different and I was able to follow along more easily. Zach's voice and emotion seem to change during his speech. At times he speaks loudly and angrily. Other times he seems nostalgic and calm, but all the time his is very invested in his speech. The third speech was given by Obama and it was personally my favorite speech. Obama's speech is dynamic; at some points it is humorous, sometimes serious and other times personal. Obama pauses in appropriate places to give the audience time to absorb what he has said or time to understand the humour. I like speeches that are humorous but also serious because the topic is important but the humour interests me. I believe Obama would best deliver my speech because he uses humour in a way that is interesting and he vividly describes his personal examples. I also use personal examples from life in America that I think Obama would deliver well.

Additionally, there was a variety of different content in these speeches. Each speaker delivered their speech on a unique topic but they all had sufficient examples and details to back up their beliefs. The first speaker did not use research to back up his statements but he gave a relatable speech that made you think about little things in life. Strictly when thinking about content, the "Everyone is Free to Wear Sunscreen" was my favorite. The second speech about gay marriage was very personal. A speech like that which in which one talks specifically about their life and what something means to them usually keeps an audience interested because the speaker is putting themselves out in the open, which is not easy to do. Lastly, Obama gave the most traditional speech. He used a combination of personal examples, statistics, and his goals for the country in order to persuade people that he truly was the right person for president. He was successful as he has made it to his second term in the White House.

These three speeches were very different but they each had something to teach. I can see that you do not necessarily need to deliver the most energetic, passionate speech in order to deliver a great speech. 

Without Lennie, George would have a much easier life, but without George, Lennie would have no life. Lennie is always causing problems, everywhere he goes. It is up to George to sort out Lennie’s problems and keep Lennie out of trouble with the law.  In Weed, Lennie is caught in a bad situation when he grabs hold of a pretty young girl’s dress. George finds a safe place for Lennie and himself to hide while the police search for the alleged rapist, Lennie. If George did not help Lennie out of this grave situation, Lennie would be in jail with no hope of arguing his way out at a trial. George is also responsible for finding work for both of them. After leaving their jobs in Weed, George goes to Murray and Ready, gets them each a work pass, and leads the way to the new plantation. For Lennie, the task of finding work would be impossible and without George he would be jobless, homeless, broke and scraping to get by in the wild. George cares for Lennie as a parent does for a small child.  Except this small child will never learn to care for himself.

After reading through the excerpts from Chapter two, I have learned more about Carlson and his attitude towards life on the farm. He wants Candy to shoot his old dog because the dog does nothing to help on the farm. Carlson knows that life on the farm is not for the faint of heart, but even he is not entirely cold-hearted. Carlson offers Candy one of Slims' new pups because he understands that this dog has been a huge part of Candy's life. He does not understand, however, that Candy can not simply replace his best friend with a       new puppy. For Carlson, practicality is more important than love.

When reading the short story, “The Necklace”, I found that I was able to make predictions about the ending. At the start of the short story, “The Necklace”, I felt pity for Mathilde who was growing up with so little but felt she deserved more. I often feel that way. When I see those who have more than I have, I can’t help but wish I had more, too. However, after reading further into the story I realized that Mathilde was not as unfortunate as I had assumed. She had a servant, plenty of food, and a husband who cared for her enough to bring an invitation home to a desirable ball. It seemed unreal that Mathilde had the nerve to ask for 45o francs to buy herself a gown but even more unreal that she would want more. The quote from Mathilde that most disgusted me was, “You haven’t anything else?” because she was asking her “friend” for more jewelry when Madame Forester was already generous in loaning her smaller pieces. Obviously, Mathilde did not have a strong friendship with Madame Forester, otherwise she would have been happy that her friend offered anything.


Although I did not approve of Mathilde’s actions and attitude, when she was at the ball I understood why she had felt the need to go through so much grief. This ball was the magical moment that Mathilde had dreamed about since childhood. Some girls dream of a Prince, a Sweet Sixteen, being a star. This was Mathilde’s dreamed that she was willing to sacrifice everything for. I found that I was able to predict the outcome of the story while Mathilde was at the ball. Someone who is self absorbed and selfish will never end up with a happy ending. Despite this, I still felt Mathilde’s worst nightmares become reality when she realized she had lost the diamond necklace. I returned to feeling pity and shame for her while she worked her life away repaying debt.I predicted what Madame Forester would tell her years later. When Mathilde heard that the original diamond necklace had been fake all along I could only imagine how stupid, worthless and angry she must have felt.


Hero Analysis.

I would like to believe that everyone can walk with everyone else. To some extent this is true. Everyone can have goals and dreams and can work to achieve them. Some people are more fortunate and achieving their goals comes much easier, but there are many people who have proved that they can do more than what their life offered them. However, when children have grown up in extreme poverty or third world countries, they accept their painful lives as normal. They might not know that the world offers so much more, and their dreams are limited to what they know. With help from organizations like United Nations and charities, many people are given the chance at a better life and discovering their dreams. Sometimes though, there is nothing we can do to help. In North Korea, for example, citizens have limited rights, starve and suffer continuously while their government does nothing to help. Here in North America there are very few opportunities for us to help North Koreans. They are some of the people that do not have a chance to walk with everyone else.



For most of us walking with everyone else comes much easier, but many sacrifices are still made. Many young adults move away from their families homes for a better education and opportunities. Unimaginably huge loans are taken out, and young men and women spend years of their lives paying off these debts. Many also sacrifice work, education, their past and traditions for their love or spouse. People may also sacrifice love and children because they are “married” to their job. Everyday people make sacrifices because it is impossible to achieve all good things in life. Everyone makes different sacrifices based on their goals and what is in their heart. This is true in “The Necklace” for Mathilde makes many sacrifices in the beginning of the story. Her goal is social status and luxury, which many people would shake their heads at. However, these things meant the world for Mathilde, and she was willing to give up nearly everything to achieve them. Furthermore, in the end of the story, Mathilde is forced to give up all her worldly possessions, and more importantly, her pride, all for a “diamond” necklace.