A metaphor is defined as a direct comparision between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects that typically uses "is a" to join the first subjects. A metaphor is commonly confused with a simile which compares two subjects using "like" or "as".
the world is a mental activity, a dream of souls..." -Break of Day
"He was as sly as a rabbit"
Monday, February 12, 2007
The Break of Day
I enjoyed this piece because it gives a very interesting and true outlook on life. Each day is a new one with countless opportunities and chances. With this outlook, you should never let things sit on your shoulders for too long because there is always a new experience awaiting you the next day and you will be able to right any of the wrongs that you have made.
The meaning of life has always been unknown and something that people spend a lot of time trying to figure out, many have dedicated their lives to this search. In each of the four readings that we have examined so far there is a connection in the general themes of the stories, this connection is a need to escape the everyday world and find a place of peace where they can examine the meaning of life in close detail. In each story the author is attempting to find this meaning by telling their story, where can a soul flight or escape from reality be found in each of the stories?
Each one of the readings have some very big similarities between one another, the author or character in each story is attempting to find themselves by escaping their everyday routine and searching for meaning in there lives. This seems to be very apparent in “Into the Wild” when Chris McCandless leaves his comfort zone and ventures out alone into the Alaskan wilderness with very few supplies. This adventure is a soul flight that was very needed in his life because he had always been sheltered growing up. Even though he lost his life on this adventure he needed to experience what it was like to live with nature and has made quite possibly the most famous soul flight story in history.
In Wallace Stevens “The poem that took the place of a mountain” he leaves the business world where everything is relatively straight forward and escapes into his writing by going to the top of a mountain. He decides to go to the top of the mountain because it is so far away from everything else and he is able to be by himself and ponder the meaning of life. At the top of the mountain nothing else matters, he can escape all his other problems and simply be alone with his thoughts. This is indeed his soul fight because he is able to leave everything else behind, if only for a short time, and figure out what really matters to him.
In Jorge Luis Borges “The Circular Ruins” and “Break of Day” he is trying to explain what it means to him to escape reality, or really what reality actually is. It seems apparent in these two writings that reality is nothing more then dreaming, we cover up reality with our dreams in an attempt to escape what reality truly is. We carry on with our lives in almost a daze not truly knowing what life actually is and have no idea how to escape it. This idea of life is an interesting but somewhat depressing way of looking at life. If we don’t know reality from dreams then there is no way of escaping reality and will therefore be stuck until death.
Everyone attempts to find out the true meaning of life and what it is they are actually meant to do while still here on earth, this search is carried out differently by everyone but has the same general goal in mind. Some escape from reality completely and go venturing off by themselves, some write about where they would like to be and others simply daze off, trying to forget about the everyday hassles of life. It is important to find out which soul flight works best for you and how you can clear your mind, even if only for a short time.
Each one of the readings have some very big similarities between one another, the author or character in each story is attempting to find themselves by escaping their everyday routine and searching for meaning in there lives. This seems to be very apparent in “Into the Wild” when Chris McCandless leaves his comfort zone and ventures out alone into the Alaskan wilderness with very few supplies. This adventure is a soul flight that was very needed in his life because he had always been sheltered growing up. Even though he lost his life on this adventure he needed to experience what it was like to live with nature and has made quite possibly the most famous soul flight story in history.
In Wallace Stevens “The poem that took the place of a mountain” he leaves the business world where everything is relatively straight forward and escapes into his writing by going to the top of a mountain. He decides to go to the top of the mountain because it is so far away from everything else and he is able to be by himself and ponder the meaning of life. At the top of the mountain nothing else matters, he can escape all his other problems and simply be alone with his thoughts. This is indeed his soul fight because he is able to leave everything else behind, if only for a short time, and figure out what really matters to him.
In Jorge Luis Borges “The Circular Ruins” and “Break of Day” he is trying to explain what it means to him to escape reality, or really what reality actually is. It seems apparent in these two writings that reality is nothing more then dreaming, we cover up reality with our dreams in an attempt to escape what reality truly is. We carry on with our lives in almost a daze not truly knowing what life actually is and have no idea how to escape it. This idea of life is an interesting but somewhat depressing way of looking at life. If we don’t know reality from dreams then there is no way of escaping reality and will therefore be stuck until death.
Everyone attempts to find out the true meaning of life and what it is they are actually meant to do while still here on earth, this search is carried out differently by everyone but has the same general goal in mind. Some escape from reality completely and go venturing off by themselves, some write about where they would like to be and others simply daze off, trying to forget about the everyday hassles of life. It is important to find out which soul flight works best for you and how you can clear your mind, even if only for a short time.
Into the Wild
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must leave their comfort zone and venture out not only to explore the world, but test themselves to see who they really are. This “soul flight” or journey to find your inner intelligence and wisdom is experienced by everyone, but is it possible that people with what is considered to be the “good life’ growing up must test these boundaries more then those who have supported themselves during adolescence?
There are a lot of people in this world, myself included, that have been raised in a relatively normal, loving home in a safe part of town. They have been given many tools to succeed in the world whether it is money, schooling or positive role models. In these situations it can be asked if these people are in more need to venture out on their own and truly find out for themselves who they are and what the world has to offer.
This theory seems to be considerably apparent in Chris McCandless when he ventures out into the Alaskan wilderness by himself almost immediately after graduation. He hitchhiked his way through Canada and into Alaska completely by himself carrying very little supplies. This expedition is looked at by many as a suicide mission, but Chris must have had a different view, he must have wanted to push himself to the extreme in an environment he had never encountered.
McCandless graduated with honors from Emory University after growing up in an upscale D.C. suburb with a loving family. It seems that he was a relatively normal person with very little outdoor experience, so what would make him choose to venture out by himself into the Alaskan wilderness with very little supplies directly after graduation? Was he just curious and stupid or did he have something to prove to himself? It is very possible that he was in desperate need of a soul flight, an adventure where he could see what he was truly capable of outside or suburbia and the classroom. Traveling and living in an old bus by himself gave him plenty of time of reflect upon himself and truly find who he was even though he would never have the chance to use this new found knowledge. This adventure is very common in almost everyone, even if it is not done to quite the extreme as McCandless’s.
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must leave their comfort zone and venture out not only to explore the world, but test themselves to see who they really are. This “soul flight” or journey to find your inner intelligence and wisdom is experienced by everyone, but is it possible that people with what is considered to be the “good life’ growing up must test these boundaries more then those who have supported themselves during adolescence?
There are a lot of people in this world, myself included, that have been raised in a relatively normal, loving home in a safe part of town. They have been given many tools to succeed in the world whether it is money, schooling or positive role models. In these situations it can be asked if these people are in more need to venture out on their own and truly find out for themselves who they are and what the world has to offer.
This theory seems to be considerably apparent in Chris McCandless when he ventures out into the Alaskan wilderness by himself almost immediately after graduation. He hitchhiked his way through Canada and into Alaska completely by himself carrying very little supplies. This expedition is looked at by many as a suicide mission, but Chris must have had a different view, he must have wanted to push himself to the extreme in an environment he had never encountered.
McCandless graduated with honors from Emory University after growing up in an upscale D.C. suburb with a loving family. It seems that he was a relatively normal person with very little outdoor experience, so what would make him choose to venture out by himself into the Alaskan wilderness with very little supplies directly after graduation? Was he just curious and stupid or did he have something to prove to himself? It is very possible that he was in desperate need of a soul flight, an adventure where he could see what he was truly capable of outside or suburbia and the classroom. Traveling and living in an old bus by himself gave him plenty of time of reflect upon himself and truly find who he was even though he would never have the chance to use this new found knowledge. This adventure is very common in almost everyone, even if it is not done to quite the extreme as McCandless’s.
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