Final Project

Cooper Feltes

English 9

Mr. Salsich

May 18, 2011

Final Project:

Strength of Spirit in the World Today

In this essay, I plan to discuss the important aspects of “strength of spirit”, a topic mentioned by Shakespeare in his play, Julius Caesar. At one point, he mentions, “nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, can be retentive to the strength of spirit". I dissect this phrase to mean that nothing can hold back the human “spirit”, an idea I shall discuss in this essay. I hope that this topic will be powerful enough to expose my most pristine writing. This topic, the “strength of spirit” will be presented in a multi-genre form. This means that, this time, there will not only be plain writing, but there will be other forms of presenting ideas. These could range from an advertisement to a recipe, and everywhere in between. I would also like the reader to seriously consider this topic before jumping right into the depths of this project. It is necessary to have a stable foundation or belief relating to this topic, before allowing my ideas to flow into your mind. Otherwise, I think, without this foundation, it would be hard to understand my beliefs about the complexity of the human spirit. Please enjoy this multi-genre project that I, from English class, bring to you.

Letter to Society:

Dear Society,

When you see a man walking down the street with plastic bags in his hand, maybe wearing old clothes, you can't help but wonder how he could be so unfortunate. For those of us who live with everything and still want more, we miss out on life, avoiding the challenges that mother nature specifically  set aside just for the human race to discover and solve. The people who aren't so privileged are the people who get to face these challenges. Those wealthy and unaware of life's purpose, which some may say is to solve nature's and society's puzzles, miss out on learning what truly makes life purposeful and meaningful: true strength of spirit--the wild animal that stops at nothing to break through barriers and to fight for what it truly believes in. Give up all that you own, if only for a day, and walk about the streets, "submit... yourself unto the perilous night," and you may find what is truly waiting for you beyond your belongings. The people that you, society, force onto the streets, always live on their reserves of hope, not the fuel of money or possessions the rest of the world chooses to live by. How they do this, live on pure strength of spirit, reaches beyond the grasp of regular citizens. The homeless wish that their way of life could be experienced by all, to grow appreciation for what the fortunate already have, and what they could lose. The realization that you are lucky would then be understood, brought out by those who have nothing.

Your citizen,

Cooper Feltes

Monologue:

I give you a body,

I give you a mind to think,

I give you every resource in the world to use, and how do you use it?

You waste the majority.

Your mind, if you only knew, has powers you have never seen. You can persuade, you can argue, you can collaborate, but the pleasure of using the gift I have given you outweighs the practicality, outweighs the potential of your spirit not only to find what it means to be a human, but what it means to be a human among other humans. You all know you can do anything you can think of. It may take time to formulate ideas, but you, you of all species, can do it. It pains me that the best thing I can offer is the attribute most never find within themselves, true strength of spirit. Your body is not only for having fun; it's about achieving a purpose-- a purpose I gave you a mind to find.

Character Bio:

Julius Caeser: Julius Caesar is considered to be one of the greatest leaders in the history of mankind. Though he may have been ruthless, his citizens respected him, and he controlled Rome with a spirit only a few can display. His strength of spirit was a key aspect to ruling Rome. In Shakespeare's play depicting the tragedy of Caeser's death, Caesar was killed from within his close circle of friends, showing that no man could defeat Caesar's powerful mind, except the people who he trusted most, namely his friend Brutus.

Brutus: Brutus, convinced by a revolutionary group that Caesar is evil, shows almost no strength of spirit, obviously overcome by the beliefs of others, while seemingly disregarding his own beliefs. Brutus, as the play and historical tales go, kills Caesar, and feels that he has done a justice to Rome. But that does not justify his lack of strength of spirit, giving into the beliefs of others so easily.

Postcard (Tale of Two Cities)

Dear Lucie,

In jail, I can see how so many people lose hope. This place is so desolate and bleak, and I have no idea how your father stayed in one piece, though he suffered most obvious trauma. The strength of spirit he had must have been tremendous. The isolation and despair I have gone through over my time in jail has shown me how to rely on hope-- that inkling of inspiration that could propel me through my last days here in prison. Your father, I have realized, was such a brave man. Extend my warmest regards towards him and our lovely daughter.

Your Love,

Charles Darnay

Motivational:

I have been a workout enthusiast for at least five years, and since that first step I took towards having a stronger body, I have felt a whole lot better about myself. I find not only strength in my body, but also more emotional strength to tell the world how I feel. I have found so much self-confidence in the positive energy I receive while exercising, that It affects my performance at work, at home, and while interacting with other people. This self-confidence is definitely the biggest benefit of my new body. Not only is exercise important, but getting plenty of sleep is also a big factor in my energy level. I suggest at least eight hours of sleep with no exception. Also, never underestimate the strength of a power-nap to recharge your batteries in the middle of the day, increasing your performance and focus wherever your attention is needed. Nutrition is another big factor in staying fit and being a healthier individual, both physically and emotionally. You can never go wrong with organic fruits and vegetables, and lean or low-fat meats are your best friend. Be sure to monitor your calorie intake everyday to make sure you are keeping track of every spec of food you consume. All these changes in my life have allowed my strength of spirit to increase ten-fold compared to when I was just out of college, about thirteen years ago. I feel I can emotionally stand up for what I believe in, not to mention physically. The benefit of diligent exercise goes far beyond health benefits, it directly affects your strength of spirit, and forms you into, on the whole, a stronger, happier, and healthier person all together.