Memoirs part 3

Friendship is one of the most powerful relationships one can have. It is an unbreakable bond that will forever connect two people. In Lisa See's memoir, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, she describes her powerful bond with Snow Flower, the laotong she was paired with at the age of seven. "a laotong relationship is made by choice... when we first looked into each other's eyes in the palanquin I felt something special pass between us--like a spark to start a fire or a seed to grow rice. But a signal spark is not enough to warm a room nor is a single seed enough to grow a fruitful crop. Deep love--true-heart love-must grow" (See 77). A friendships takes an initial spark but also work and understanding. If two people puts in all the work a friendship will grow and be a connection forever. A friendship is the deepest connection that two people can have. A friendship can occur wife and husband but this is not the case for Lisa. "Snow Flower was my old same for life. I had a greater and deeper love for her than I could ever feel for a person who was my husband." (119) Friendships are the strongest connection people can have, they tie you together closer than a marriage or any other bond. A friendship teaches you the most important lessons in life. Lisa and Snow Flower learned a lot from the connection they had with each other. "I am still learning about love. I thought I understood it-not just mother love, but the love for one's parents, for one's husband, and for one's laotong. I've experiences the other types of love--pity love, respectful love and gratitude love. But looking at our secret fan with its messages written between Snow Flower and me over many years, I see that I didn't value the most important love--deep-heart love."(prologue) The bond between friends shines light on the most important lessons in life and the the real meaning of love. Friendship is the deepest connection and most valuable thing in life.

It takes a lot of guts and to be a Navy SEAL. Marcus Luttrell accounts his experiences as a seal in his memoir Lone Survivor. "Men of the special forces have had other options in their lives, other paths, easier paths they could have taken. But they took the hardest path, the narrow causeway that is not for the sunshine patriot. They took the one for the supreme patriot, the one that may require them to lay down their lives for the United States of America" (Luttell) There is differently easier jobs in the world but navy seals pick to put themselves in dangerous situations all in order to protect America. It takes a special kind of man to be a Navy SEAL. "In times of uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nations call; a common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside Americans finest special operations forces to serve his country and the American people, and to protect their way of life. I am that man" (Luttell) One must have that unique desire in order to withstand the hardships that come along with being a SEAL. These men are held to a higher standard then anyone else. "I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nations expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight" (prologue) SEALs must be stronger and barer than anyone they may have to fight. Not everybody has what it takes to be a Navy SEAL, it is a hard job that requires a lot, sometimes even the life, of the men that take on the responsibility.

Memoir presentations part 2

Many memoirs talk about the hard times people go though in their life and how those events have inspired them to be a better person. This is the case in the book It Calls You Back by Luis Rodriguez. He talks about his life growing up in a gang and his time in jail. Rodriguez's time in jail opened his eyes to the possibility of a better life. Rodriguez realized that he wanted to change his life and did just that. He struggled with drugs and violence while he was in the gang. In his book he describes how hard it was to leave his rage and addictions in his past. The events he suffered thought in his life inspired him to help kids so they don't go thought the same hardships that he did. He not only wanted to make a better life for himself but give kids in his same position a chance to have a better life as well. Rodriguez has changed his life and helped many others change theirs for the better.

Another person that suffered hardships in order to change his life for the better is David Myers, the author of The Pursuit of Happiness. Myers ran into financial trouble while tying to pursue his dreams of  being an entrepreneur. Even though his money troubles greatly impacted his life he did not let that stop him from chasing his dreams. Myers and his son become homeless for a while. He struggled to find motivating to keep going but he never gave in. Myers became a very successful stock broker due his persistence. He keeps his hopes up and never lets his kid think there is no hope. "If you want somethin', go get it. Period." Myers continues to inspire and motivate his son thought their hard times. He continues to believe that anything is possible. He never gives up and in the end he changes his life for the better.

memoir presentations

Running with Scissors a memoir written by August en Burroughs. He talks about growing up with his crazy family. At the age of 12, he moved in with Dr.Finch, a unconventional psychiatrist who seems to make his patients worse instead of helping them. He was adapted by Dr.Finch after he claimed Augusten's mom was too unstable. Augusten continuously worries and looks after his mother. Her mental state had a huge impact on Augustens way of life. He biological parents got divorced when he was 12. They had another son together named John Elder Robison, another author. John also wrote a memoir about growing up with his family (Look Me In The Eye). Even though they were together for most of each others childhood, John says they were raised by different families. John wasn't as involved and connected with Dr.Finch. These two books show how two people in the same institutions can have very different points of view of it. John briefly talks about his mos mental state but was not as effected by it as his brother was. The two boys were both involved in her situation but look two very different experiences and lesions away from it.

Memoirs are usually written to shine light on traumatic situations that need to be stopped or changed by society. For this reason, there are many memoirs about child soldiers. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, talks bout the inner conflict most kids go though during war. He says "even though I'm alive, i feel like each time ii accept a life, a part of me dies."
Kids are put in situations where they have no other choice them to kill or be killed, but no matter what happens that kids soul is being damaged In War Child by Emmanuel Jal, he describes how children carried riffles taller then they were kids are to young and innocent to be put in such horrible situations. Emmanuel also talks about how guns don't know old from young. Its not the weapons that are the problem, its the society that doesn't care who or what is being hurt by the guns. Both men now advocate for peace. Their memoirs were wrote to gain awareness to the child soldiers so change and peace can someday be obtained.