First off, a couple of reminders for your in-class essay:
1) Don't forget to read through the back of your Writing Effective Counterarguments and Rebuttals handout from last week; it has a short excerpt from a sample in-class essay. The things I wanted to highlight about the excerpt are the clear statement of a specific problem, clear thesis, topic sentence that explains how that paragraph will support the thesis, the overall flow of information from general to specific within the body paragraph, the set-up of the quote, the commentary after the quote, and the counterargument+rebuttal pair in the bottom paragraph.
2) Once again, bring your database articles, Rereading America (if you're going to use it), a pen, and plenty of blank paper. You will not be using anything else.
HW Change:
As announced in class, you do not have to read "Horatio Alger" or "The Black Avenger" (although I highly recommend reading them if you have time--they will help you think through some of the issues in this unit). Instead, read pp. 7-11 in Researching and Writing and jot down several potential research questions for Paper #3.
Rewrite Opportunity for Paper #1:
http://www.sartuno.com/classdocs/Paper1RewriteOpportunity.doc
[but please note that the actual due date for this rewrite is Monday, 3/8]
Finally, here is your blog topic:
After reading Ch. 19-26 of LOP, search for a specific passagethat intrigues you from that section (anything from a short phrase to several sentences). Then, analyze the passage. What exactly is it saying and how did you arrive at your interpretation? Why do you think that passage is important? We'll be unpacking some important passages together next week.
Due: before our next class meeting
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I like the first paragraph of chapter 25. Pi is talking about people in his life finding out that he practices many religions, and giving him a hard time. He says, "There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless." He makes a very interesting observation. Even today, people debate over which religion is the best and most true. They somehow feel the need to defend their religion and their god as if that's the important part. If a god is so powerful and miraculous, he shouldn't need anyone to stand up for him. Everyone is going to believe what they want to believe. If one person doesn't convert, it isn't hurting anything; there are millions of other people already believing and practicing and devoting their time to that god and that religion. This passage is important because of how interested in religion Pi has become. He is doing something most people in his society would never do: he practices three different religions and stands by all three of them when faced with confrontation and accusatory questions.
ReplyDeleteThe qoute that really caught my eye during the reading was in chapter 23. This chapter is all about Pi's parents finding out that he practices three religions. When being confronted about them all Pi's response was a quote by Gandhi. Pi says "Babu Gandhi said, 'All religions are true.' I just want to love God." When reading this part I was thinking that there is no way Muslim, Hinduism, and Christian religions could be tied together. They all Practice different things but at the end of chapter twenty six Pi mentions to his mom that "Muslims say the God of the Hebrews and Christians is the same as the Gods of the Muslims. So it really had me thinking that Pi had made a good point so in the end I figured why not practice more than one religion. Afterall we have the right in America to freedom of Religion.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 26 towards the end, Pi is speaking to his mother who disapproves of his practice of 3 religions. Pi says,If there's only one nation in the sky, shouldn't all passports be valid for it? He is arguing to his mother that if there is one big ball of faith we all can turn to, can't we use any of the religions to get there or even all at once? I think Pi wants to believe in 3 religions because he just believes in a higher power. It doesn't have to be any specific kind to him or any specific God but rather anything that makes him feel at peace with the world. I think this passage is important because he isn't doing what his parents want him to do. Most of us have the religion that our parents have but Pi does the opposite which shows a lot of courage.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote when Pi's talking to his mom and she's telling him he must choose one religion because there's only one nation in the sky, and he replies "If there's only one nation in the sky, shouldn't all passports be valid for it?" (pg. 74). It opens the curtain to a serene perspective of opening the so-called nation to "immigrants"(also known as people of various religions) of different sorts. This 'nation' represents heaven and since all souls are heading up that way, why wouldn't everyone no matter what religion they are be accepted into it? That's exactly the point Pi is trying to get across to his mom and I think it's important because it exhilarates the idea that even though different religions practice contrasting rituals, they all lead to the same destination which is what should matter the most. Enlightenment is a journey and a destination, everyone will make it in their own way.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that intrigued me most is when Pi says, "Because I Love God." (91) Pi says this to his mother who is questioning why he wants her to get him a prayer rug and to be baptized. He responded "...I Love God". (91) Pi's parents and spiritual advisers don't understand why Pi would want to be all three religions and what the reliogions have in common either. I think the importance of this quote is to show how determined Pi is and serious about his faiths, he does not give up and is different from his peers. I like this quote because it truely shows that all you need to be a religious person is to have faith in your heart, to love what you believe and that is exactly what Pi does and shares with all who asks' why?
ReplyDeleteI found chapter 23 to be very interesting to me because it reminded me of the problems religions face today. People believe that their own religion is one true religion, therefore i really like how Pi mentions, "All religions are true." Instead of seeing the similarities of each religion the 3 wise men fight over differences and build walls and criticize one another. I see a lot of this in the world today. Even atheists have some sort of beliefs when they criticize.
ReplyDeleteI found chapter 23 to be vey interesting. It amazed me how each of the men of different religions fought over what Pi was. They argued and argued defending ones religion. They all tried proving to one another how their religion is correct. I loved it when the father said"I suppose thats what we're all trying to do-- love God" (88). Also another quote "You can't reprimand a boy for wanting to love God"(88). I found these quotes to be eye catching because no one can really judge someone one based on their opinions.How can you argue and fight about ones belief? Everyone today stresses over which religion is correct. These such things cause enemies and hate between people. People refuse to realize that No matter what religion you are, everyone is praying to a God just with different beliefs. We are all humans with a heart to love. Everyone has their own beliefs and it should be respected.
ReplyDeleteI found chapter 23 to be the most intriguing chapter. Pi has brought up an interesting discussion when all three religions try to reserve him. This made Pi realize that he can't chose to have faith solely in one religion. He is only able to have faith in all of the three religions: Hindu, Christian, and Muslim.
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ReplyDeleteThe first passage from chapter 22 of Life Of Pi jumped out at me. It said, “I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: ‘White, white! L-L-Love My God!’ – and the deathbed leap of faith.” I think Pi includes this passage in the book to show the importance of loving God. Only by loving God can we have meaning in life and assurance in death. By reading on in the book through chapter 23 Pi explains that even though he practiced three different religions, all he just wanted to do was love God. His father, who wasn’t religious in any way, also said that that’s what everyone else was trying to do too.
ReplyDeleteChapter 23 was one of the chapters that interested me the most because he talks about all his religions and how each and all three of them are right for him and how each one always seems to say how deserving that one is for him but he cannot commit to one that why he chooses has three Muslim,Christian and Hindu. His beliefs are all a mixture of all this religions and that works for him.
ReplyDeleteChapter 23 was interesting since it had the three religious people talking to Pi about what religion he should cjoose while insulting the other religions.
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