A-n-d-eee

 Anguish-I think that the word anguish does describe chapters 3 and 4 in a  great way. It describes only the end of chapter 3, but I think that it describes chapter 4 perfectly. Anguish means mental suffering, distress, or pain. It means to be in pain or in sorrow. In chapter 4 Ponyboy and Johnny are in a state of anguish because they are thinking and worrying deeply about when Johnny killed the Soc. They keep on worrying about turning themselves in or staying fugitives in Windrixville. The word anguish also describes Pony and Johnny’s feelings, because the are sad and in sorrow. They are in pain from the death and are scared that they might even die. That is why I chose anguish as the word to describe chapters 3 and 4.  

I thought that the reports on skype went very smoothly except that sometimes we couldn’t really hear the people talking in Canada or they couldn’t hear us. There were many good answers to all four questions and I thought some weren’t right but others were answered alright and good. I could tell that each group took the time to answer the four questions about power.

Define Power:Some thought power was money, while other thought power was knowledge or a force or the ability to tell others what to do like being a leader. Others thought power was the ability to control things or people and the ability to manipulate them to do what you want them to do. Also they thought that power can be shown in positive or negative ways. Others thought power was material thing and I did too, but then I realized that power isn’t that, power is a something that is not visible. Power is knowledge or love or relationships. So, my perspective changed after the skype call. I thought that the idea that money was power was not correct to me, so many people like me disagreed. We have different perspectives on power. I agreed with the idea that power was a force and it was the ability to control things. I can relate to this because I have seen power as  controlling force before in my life.  

How does power affect personal relationships?: The groups thought that power can make a relationship good or bad. It can worsen the bond or make the two people become closer together. Others thought it would change the way a person viewed their relationship and make them crazy. Power can make you lose friends and make you become selfish and lose a personal relationship with someone because your relationship is not mutual or shared. I thought that it can affect relationships by making the relationship better or worse, and I still believe that. I also thought that power can make a relationship fall apart or make it better and it can affect a relationship in many ways. I wondered why people thought it could make people come closer, because I think power makes a relationship worse. I found out that it can make a relationship better but not much, I wish I could figure out why it could change a relationship, positively or negatively.

How can power affect a persons decision making process?:The groups thought that power makes you choose a good or a foolish decision and it can change the way a person normally does things and it can make you change the way you think. Also it lets you make decisions that affect others. It can also change how you act. Another group thought that  power can let you say things  in a decision that others can not say. I thought that power can affect the way you think and the way you would usually make a decision. Like if you would make a good decision power can make you choose a bad decision instead. I still think this except now I see that power can also affect the way you affect others with your decisions. I agreed a lot with all the groups on this question because it makes it more difficult to decide what to do because you want to choose the more powerful choice. I was reminded that many people do this, including me.(sometimes) 

Why is power important to people?:Some groups thought power was important because it can make you or others feel confident and it can let you fix things you have done wrong and lets you say stuff others cannot. Others thought that it is important because it makes you dominant over others and lets you make order or have control instead of being stressed all the time. Also another group said it makes people like you mare and it lets you over-power others instead of others telling you what to do. I personally thought that power was important because you can do things others can’t and you won’t be stepped all over with power. Now I still think that but I realized that power is also important because it can make you change things from the way they are and others can’t say anything about it. All the answers made me think of how I should use power more in my interactions with others. Power is important and I think many people should think about how to use power more effectively. Each answer was kind of relevant because they all said power is hard to live without.

So, power is important in all the things you do. Power is something everyone is born with and they can choose to use it in a good or bad way, it is your decisions not mine.

I t was fun actually getting to talk to our Canadian friends for the first time. It was hard tough, because the computers kept on malfunctioning, but we still answered all the question, pretty well. Here they are:

Question 1: Define Power

•  Power if Force
• Power is having control over someone or something
• Power is something you control

Qusetion 2: How does power affect personal relationships?

• Power and relationships are different by love and force
• Power can have control, by not having a mutual relationship with your partner
• Someone can have too much power in a relationship
• Relationship is love and love and force don’t go together

Question 3: What role does power play in a persons decision making process?

• It Can make someone think about something too much because someone is commanding them to do something else
• They can be pressured to do something and they end up making the wrong decision or choice

Qusetion 3: Why is having power important?

• Power is important because you can make others feel special
• You can also make them feel happy and excited or sad and angry(your choice to use your power in the way you want to)
• You can also giver them commands
• Lastly you can get bossed around and stepped all power if you have no power and let others over-power you

Family-I think that the word family really describes the whole story, The Outsiders. In the story the group the Greasers are all a family. Ever since Ponyboy’s parents did his brothers and the people in his group have been his family. They all have the qualities of a family though. They have love for each-other, power, and they stick together no matter what. They are all one big family, Ponyboy, Soda, Darry, Dally, Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny. They are all like brothers. They have always looked out for one another and theyare always willing to help each-other with anything.

 Identify situations in personal relationships that refelect power stuggles?

One situation that affects power struggles in a personal relationship is when two people in a relationship break apart because they do not share the power equally and this results in a struggle to stay together. Also another situation is when the people in the relationship would fight and slowly the relationship would fall apart and these two people would be less in common. In most situations mostly the men try to take control and have more of the power and have different egos than women. I think that most power struggles start from fights or relationships that are not mutual.

 Give examples of personal experiences of power stuggle situations and what was the outcome?

I have had many experiences with myself and socially with others. Sometimes I have not always been friendly with others and sometimes others just don’t want to be friendly with me. Sometimes I have thought that I couldn’t do things but in the end I find out that with the power I have I am actually capable of doing hard things if I set my mind and power to successfully achieving them. Most of the time when I go through power struggles I overcome them , but sometimes I just need more time to overcome some of them. Another example is when I struggle to accomplish dome of my goals and when I fail to accomplish my dreams. But once I fail I have learned to get back up and try again.  

 When and how do you use power in your interactions with others?

I use power in all of my interactions within my family and when I interact with my friends and people I meet. I use power when I decide to meet new people and I make the choice to nuse my power to make new friends and to become closer with others. I always use power when taling with other people by having the ability to actually go up to some one I don’t know and talk with them. I also use power a bit less when interacting with people I already know. When I talk with people I know I don not use power as much because I already know them and I have already got to know them.

 Where do you see or have seen power struggles occuring in your surrondings?

I have seen some power struggles around me whether it is my family, friends, or my community members. Mostly I see power struggles in my community nor in school and even juts in my family members. Sometimes my family gets angry and they will struggle for a time to get back together. Also at school I see kids having power struggles with their interactions or with what they are trying to do. And around my community I see struggles all the time in my neighbors when they disagree with one another.

What kind of relationships do you see in The Veldt?

In the Veldt I see that the relationships are between the whole family. I observed that the kids are in control instead of the parents. In this story the children tell the parents what to do, and the parents listen and comply to their commands.

In the Veldt the children do what they want to do, when they want to do it. They are spoiled and when their parents try to take control they wine and cry, and end up getting what they want.

Another relationship I see is between the kids and another is between the parents. The kids have a kind of relationship where they combine their power to take over how their parents act. The parents also have a similar relationship, but it really does not work because it is not mutual or equally shared. If you noticed, you see that when the father tries to take control, the mother gives into what the kids want and the kids have the power. So, in the Veldt the kids are really the ones in control.

How do you see power? How is it displayed?

I see the power in two different ways. I see power in the kids and in the nursery. In the story the kids tell the parents what to do and they do it. This story depicts an abnormal family because in most family’s the parents are in control, not the kids. You will only sometimes find a family where the kids are telling the parents what to do. This is displayed in a way that most parents will see impossible. Most parents never want this to happen. This kind of relationship is never healthy. It is unhealthy because as time passes by the kids will think they don’t need their parents anymore and they will try to get rid of them.

I also see power in the nursery because in the Veldt the kids get so attached to the nursery that they start to grow isolated from their parents. This room takes over the children’s thoughts and imagination. It even takes over how they spend their time and how they act. Even though this is just a room it plays a very huge part in the story because it displays a room that makes kids kill their parents. It displays a kind of evil person or a monster.

So this room is more than a room, it is, to the children, their parents. They evolve with this room and think that this nursery is their parents.

To me this kind of family relationship would be horrific to live with. I would dislike to be these kids parents.

Is having everything you desire a good thing?

When you acquire everything you have ever wanted you can become richer and more luxurious, but it isn’t always a good thing. If you get everything you desire you might become greedy and unfriendly with others. But you can also use everything you have in a good way. You can give to charity or help others out that are not hat important. Once you get everything you desire you don’t want to share at times. Then no one wants you be your fiend. When you get your desires you turn spoiled and then think that you are the best and you don’t need anyone to help you or be around you.  So, having all the things you desire can be wither good or bad, it all depends on how you act with the objects you have.

Desire and Need???

Desire is when you are eager for something you don’t need. Desiring something means that you want something that is not necessary for you to acquire. When you get what you desire it can take over you and when you don not get what you desire you can get moody or unusual. For example, when you ask your parents for a new game or bike you desire these things, you don’t need them, but you you want them.

Need is much different, in some ways. Need is when you actually require something. Need is different because when you need something you have to have it or something bad can happen. In desire you don’t need it. For example, when you need medicine to cure you or when you need clothes or new shoes. These are some examples of needs.

In conclusion, both desire and need still require you to get something, but to me they are much different.