Well Hello Everyone!! It is either Friday morning, and we are all together in class, or some of you have decided to check this blog out because you've heard of it from friends in other English classes.Either way, welcome!! You will note there are quite extensive instructions and advice on the right hand side of the page. Please read through if you are unsure of how to proceed.I find the idea of this blog quite exciting, and perhaps more than just a little related to the idea that 'No man is an island'...now why do you suppose I think that??
The poem, entitled, ‘No man is an island’, written by John Donne, thoroughly explores, highlights and emphasizes the reality, that no man, be it from any culture, religion or location, can be entirely self dependant. It is evident in Donne’s piece that he considers for any man, to live a sufficient life and accomplish as higher degree of tasks in life, that is in fact feasible, that they acquire accomplices to aid them in this. It is to a large extent that I concur with Donne, in that I also believe one man, cannot and should not, act as in island, excluding themselves from those around them, for it could possibly have immensly negative circumstances on their life. It is also to a large extent that I agree with the line “Each man’s death diminishes me”, for I believe the circumstances of death, create an uneeded struggle for those acquinted with the person who has passed, and prevents them from achieving to the best of their ability.
But I guess, when it comes right down to it, this is only my opinion, and this poem could be interpreted in numerous ways, what do you believe?
That is a quality piece you write there Andrew but when you quote the line "Each man's death diminishes me", it poses a few questions in my mind. Does this question suggest that EVERY single death that happens diminishes him or just the deaths of the people he is involved with and cares about? It appears to me as though EVERY mans death diminishes him and to be honest, i think that's a little absurd really. People die. That's life. Criminals die. Drug addicts die. The worst of the worst criminal's die. Could one man really be 'diminished' by that?
:)
The poem, 'No man is an Island', written by John Donne, represents the theme of unity and togetherness felt by, what I believe, would be a large majority of society. It begins by highlighting the main idea that no man is an island but is in fact 'a piece of the continent'. It goes on to talk about one mans death diminishing the population and suggesting that one mans death would be a loss to all. I see this as a fair and honest statement. However, Donne continues this point further by stating that 'each mans death diminishes me'. I agree that a loss of a loved one or a friend is always a sad one but i disagree with the feeling that every single mans death could personally diminishes someone. There comes a point where one must face the reality of this world - people do die, but does every single death really diminish one sole person? Even the deaths of those that kill out own kind? Even the deaths that have been sentenced or god forbid, planned?
I agree with this poem in that no man is an Island and any death is a loss to at least one person in the world. It creates a sad feeling of loss and grief that we will all, most likely and most unfortunately, have to endure one day. But do we feel this sadness, loss and grief over every death?
Firstly, thank you for your kind words, and kudos for a well structured and thought out piece. Secondly, this is a comprehensively valid point which you state Jess, and one which I realize I failed to address and link to what I was thinking. I strongly agree with what you stated about only people who are close to you, whom of which have direct impact on your life, having the considerable burden on your life. It is one thing to be affected by death close to you, but from deaths of people you don't know, most of which you wouldn't be aware of is, as you said, quite absurd. Obviously we can't ask John Donne what his reasoning was on writing this sentence, due to the fact he died nearly 380 years ago, but it shall be interesting to observe the views of our peers on this issue.
Jess and Andrew, thank you for giving the world and myself some food for thought on a Saturday morning...ah, actually it is now afternoon. You raise some good points for discussion. I am particularly interested in what you say about not being 'diminished' by the deaths of those we don't know- 'criminals' and 'drug addicts'. There is a train of thought that as a society, we are only as strong as our strongest members, and we are all as weak as our weakest members. All members of society in some way influence us and elevate, or 'diminish' us. Do you think John Donne is referring to 'man' as an individual, or 'man' as in mankind?
Hello, and welcome to Sunday. Thanks to those who have taken the first step and posted their thoughts. I have enjoyed reading through them, and would like to continue posting my own responses, however, I feel it important to let you guys interact with each other. On that note, I'd like to encourage those of you who haven't yet posted to think about doing so. You don't have to respond to someone else' s post if it's not for you, it is ok to move in a different direction if you wish.
Throughout the poem "No man is an island" John Donne explores the idea that no human being can live by himself without any sort of contact or relationship with another human beings. Using phrases like "Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main." and "Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind." Donne highlights that every person is conected to each other, being of an inportant "part of the main" in which every thing that happens to one affect the others.
In my opinion John Donne is right in saying that, because it is a human nature to create groups and communities to stay together. It is a human necessity to have other people arround to share the life with.
In agreement with Jane I also believe that even being part of a community or group it is possible for people to still have their individuality and think by themselves, because to be in a group is not to have your opinion controlled but to have someone to share your ideas with.
The poem entitled no man is an island by John Donne, reflects on how people depend on one another and how death can effect everyone it completely diferent ways. “Each is a piece of a continent” shows how our actions effect all around us even if we are an island or not. The decisions we make will effect a large majority of people. If people were islands it means that we are totally solitary, self relient and dependent on their self. I do believe that being an island at times is beneificial but we also need to be part of a “continent” and collaborate with other people. The poem shows that not matter what race or culture we are from can be entirely independent from one another. But a single human being needs to have contact with other people to achieve there best. It also points out that death diminsishes us and we all react differently to it no matter wheather we are a patry of a “continent” or “island”.
In my opinin the poem is implying that mankind are individuals and through relationships and interaction we are sane, civil human beings. I agree with the poem to a certain extent because we need to have other people in ouer lifes, but i do not agree with the lime death diminshes me as there have been people in this life that have died that have not affected me.
The line"each is a piece of the contient" conveys to the reader that everybody draw connection through other, and we cannot be isolated. Everyone in someway is connected, even something as small as having some common interest with a person. When saying, 'Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind' I believe Donne is trying to express that we are all affected by others actions and what happens to them.
I believe the poem ‘No Man Is An Island’ by John Donne refers to the either isolated or connected nature of humans, taking the physical detachment of islands from the mainland literally. The phrase “Each is a piece of the continent” eludes to that people are a part of the ‘whole’ of society, and cannot survive alone. As a part of this ‘whole’, everyone assists everyone else, creating a distribution of the burden of living, and the further burden of loss. The impact of loss of life is demonstrated in the expression “Each man’s death diminishes me. For I am involved in mankind.”, further referring to mankind and civilization as a ‘whole’. The poem overall portrays the theme of ‘belonging’ and the human nature of needing others, and not merely existing in seclusion. This however I believe cannot be applied to everyone in society, as we are not ‘sheep’; everyone is different and naturally reacts differently to varying stimulus. Furthermore “survival” in this sense cannot be taken literally, as Hugh Grant in his role as Will in ‘About a Boy’ was clearly still surviving in the conventional sense, however as suggested early in the film by new parents he is not in a social sense.
In response to Mr. Stefan’s interpretation of John Donne’s poem “No man is an island” I agree to your points, and am intrigued by a few new ones. “The decisions we make will effect a large majority of people” and “..a single human being needs to have contact with other people to achieve there best” particularly do this, as it explains that not only are we influenced by others, but we influence others in the process. This would immediately seem self explanatory but is not always picked up on (I can’t say I touched on it myself), and I greatly commend you for your overall response, I found it well written and like your choice of words such as “solitary” and “collaborate” which add to the general tone of the piece. Good work Mr. Stefan :)
Also note to Mr. Rice; it was indeed Firefox that stopped me from posting, Internet Explorer appears to work fine :)
I believe that John Donne’s poem “no man is an island” is a man’s reflection that simply means that no man in modern society is capable of functioning by themselves. “Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.” I believe means that every man relies on one another to be strong or as the poem says to be a part of the main. Every man, no matter how rich or successful, will need someone else in the lives to function properly and walk beside them through lives journey. Donne further goes on to say that “every man’s death diminishes me “which I personally believe is harder to relate to. Although I agree that for every death there is to be at least one person who feels terrible be it the persons mother, father or life partner, though to go as far as to say that every single death diminishes a person is going over the top. There are many people in the world who you do not know who will die of very ordinary causes. How can you feel for these people? People die every minute of the day and if every single death “diminished” I then life wouldn’t be worth living as there would be no room for happiness in one’s life! To conclude, I believe that John Donne’s article “no man is an island “is easy to agree with at some points like how no man is an island and that people need others in their lives to function properly though disagree with Donne’s statement “every death diminishes me” as death occurs naturally and everyone will be faced with death at one point in their lives though people bounce back and take death in their strides and can learn and grow from their experiences.
The poem ‘No man is an island’, written by John Donne explores the concept that mankind lives in unison and one death be it small will impact and fluctuate the world as we know. Death is irreversible and each death be it the death of a criminal or a lawyer impacts mankind. Who’s to say that a prisoner on death row wouldn’t impact and change your life given the right circumstances? This change to you might start a larger chain reaction changing the people around you. I believe this is what John Donne means when he states that each man’s death diminishes me, we all have the power to do great things and the ABILITY of one man might change the BEHAVIOUR of hundreds of men.
Is it so wrong for people to be islands? I’m pretty sure when Adam and Eve came along they only had each other. So is it safe to assume that an island forms from the unity of two people? I’m sure Adam would have wanted to get away from Eves constant nagging to do the laundry or find fresh berries so they could enjoy a nice romantic dinner; TOGETHER. Whose to say that Adam for a while wouldn’t have wanted to explore on his own and let water surround his beach isolating himself from people (Eve). =P
We all know that TV substitutes for a lot of social activities nowadays. That social interaction happens over face book and MySpace; subconsciously have we all become victims and slaves to isolation?? Have we all become islands? Many of you will argue that you aren’t isolating yourselves, living in false pretence that the groups you’re in at school will remain constant and forever. That your various “bffl’s” are metaphorical boats that can take you and connect you to different islands. As far as I’m concerned everyone is an island; YET everyone’s island has a secret passage way to someone else’s island. These passages can be thought of as codes given to group members, these passages connect certain islands to others to create a mainland, yet everyone has the power to recede back to their own sanctuary. This connected mainland is a group justified through either interaction through internet or reality.
Yet this is just my own opinion and outtake on John Donne’s poem, your view might completely oppose mine and I’m willing to debate the point that I’m trying to make.
In John Donne's poem 'No man is an island' , he raises the idea that humanity is but a single unit, requiring the help and companionship of others in order to function. The lines 'Each is a piece of the continent, a part of the main' suggests that any man, be him relatively self sufficient or not, is just a part of a bigger picture, a subset of our large functioning society. This also suggests that, although a man can seemingly live on his own, as an island from society, he will always have to rely on others, not only for their abilities which physically help him function, but also for their companionship, to keep them sane and functioning properly.
The lines 'Each man's death diminishes me,For I am involved in mankind. ' seems to again emphasise the point that mankind is made up of the addition of all humans, and their contribution as well as lack of contribution (due to death for example), can greatly effect the system as a whole and therefore every man who is a part of it. As the loss of one man's life diminishes another's, it can be seem that they are all a part of this 'main' and involved in it, and therefore proves that no man is an island.
In response to Yavuz's post, great comment :)! I liked how you raised the possibility of social networking websites being the cause of isolation in humans. However, with your analogy regarding Adam and Eve needing their own separate isolations from each other, in my opinion this may have been the case, however in the overall scheme of the things they could not be an island because they needed each other in order to increase population, their primary purpose. Their humanity, although consisting of only 2 people, still exists, and it would be harder to become an "island" as your contribution to humanity is of greater importance than in the modern day as you make up literally half of it. If Adam became said "island", this would in turn make Eve an "island", and would also destroy any chances of future human civilisations.
Thanks for the comment Nick. Adam and Eve are more of metaphors and abstract figures representing human society and the sub-groups within. I didn't really mean for them to be so physical yet vaguer and more of a basic generalisation that may or may not categorise some types of people. I agree that the role and importance of a single human increases more when they affect others (civilisation), I also agree that civilisation wouldn’t exist without Adam and Eve being together unless Eve could asexually reproduce…which somewhat seems impossible.
Adam and Eve could be any two people or any group of people. I'm not directly referring to them when I stated that people sometimes need time alone.
Anyways thank for the comment, I'm off to bed, night =D
The second text prompt, "Powder" is a very different sort of video concerning the theme of 'no man is an island' but I like that about it. I watched it a couple of times in order to grasp a good understanding of it. The first time I watched it i felt the same way the girl did - confused at how he could really be convinced that we are all connected to each other. But after watching it a few more times, the feelings and beliefs that the boy discusses with the girl became stronger in my mind. He talks about how inside most people there is a feeling of being separate and separated from everything and I think this is a genuine feeling that we have all felt at one stage or another. He tells us that we're not though. That we are not separate but that we are a part of everyone and everything and to an extent, I believe him. No, as the girl said, we are not a part of the tree. Not literally. But each and every one of us is a part of this world and whether we realise it or we don't realise it, we are constantly contributing to this world that we live in. Each and every one of us is what makes this world what it is. This world is our everything. Is this what he means when he says we are a part of everything? His passion is passed on to this girl to convince her and maybe even some of the students of 11G that it is our minds and only our minds that stop us from having the faith we wish we had and causes us to feel separate when we really aren't.... or are we?
in response to trents Lohn Donne Poem, the points you raised about how a mans death only deminishes those with a close relationship and not evryone around.if every death did diminishe us, as you say, there would be no happyness and olnly sadness and we learn from all these experiences.
In my opinion, this text outlines the isolated and connected nature of humans. Jeremy is obviously isolated in the views of others, because he looks different to others and seems like an outsider. He however does not believe this, as demonstrated when he says “they’re part of absolutely everyone and everything”.
I believe this line holds true in almost all situations, even though often it cannot be directly observed, everyone influences each other, and the world would indeed be a different place even if say one person was missing. This demonstrates every existence is important and does have an influence on and is influenced by other existences.
Jeremy’s other key line “inside most people there is a feeling of being separate, separated from everything” in my personal view also holds true for most situations. People often believe they cannot connect with others, sometimes out of fear, sometimes because they simply don’t want to, but in either case the belief is there that the relationship cannot be made. This can be directly linked to the lack of belief of the first line, that people are a part of everyone and everything, as often people do not realise the influence they exert on others, and do not believe they fit in’.
I believe both lines to be true in our modern society; everyone has importance and is a part of a whole, though not all acknowledge this, nor believe it, hence creating the feel that people are separate.
In the poem "No man is an Island" by John Donne, the theme of humanity is explored. The point is made that we can only function properly with each other. To be an island is to be alone, "Each is a piece of the continent". This part of the poem makes me think about how much we need each other. We are held firm by each individual that we are surrounded by in order to somehow live a fulfilling life. I can't imagine life alone or even with only a couple of friends. It also spurs me to ponder upon the movie "I am Legend". The main character was forced to be an island because of crazy zombies and the aftermath of being alone is his own insanity. He eventually tries to even commit suicide. Although this point may seem off-topic, i believe it is relevant and supports the poem that no man can live alone.
Another interesting section of the poem is "Each man's death diminishes me". John Donne is an extremely sincere individual if this statement is true. We are surrounded constantly by death today through the News, or even if you venture into a hospital. It is a frequent, frightening and inescapable event. Therefore, John Donne must be extremely small by now!!! I can't agree with this section because to live a life so consumed by death would be a life of grief and sadness. We need to care for everyone and make sure no individual drifts off and becomes an island, but to be diminished by death is beyond what I can comprehend.
For us as humans to function properly, we need each other, because it is in our nature to feel the need to be part of the continent. A meaningful life is one not lived as an island.
Brandon, I don't think the 'I am Legend' reference is off topic. I remember watching the film and wondering how I would react in such a situation. I really like being alone, but I imagine I would find having absolutely nobody around to be really tough. It's good to have a choice.
i believe that this outlines how we are all connected in some way. it doesnt matter what we look like or how we act, in the end we are all part of each other. As the man is isolated from most people becuase of his different looks, but he does not feel that as we see when he says "they are part of everything and everyone" he also brings forward the idea that we feel seperated from others and fell we cant connect. but i believe that it is our unique identities that can connect people together.
this plays a siginificant role in society, because if we were all the same how could we connect with each other and no matter how yu think you belong or what someone thinks about you. we are all a part of everything and everyone.
in response to Jess's comments on POWDER i really like the point that you made about how we are not literally part of the trees and other people, but we are all contributing to the world and we amke it what it is. and no we arnt seperate we all have to contribute and do our part. it is a bit of a different way of shwing how no man is an island, as you stated in the begining, and i agree that at one point in time we all would have felt seperated from everyone. the points that you raised were great and also made me thik about the scene a bit more.
"No Man Is An Island". What John Donne means by this is that no man, in reality can isolate himself from his friends & family. We are all apart of something or someone and must, in my opinion, keep it this way in order to retain sanity and well... normallness.
As technology is stupid, please forgive me for not being able to to figure out how to use my name when posting.
In response to Brandon's post, WAWA WEEWA! You've really hit this topic on the head and I completely understand what you mean by & when you say "For us as humans to function properly, we need each other, because it is in our nature to feel the need to be part of the continent." In no way shape or form do I think i'd be able to survive without the support and love I have from my family & friends nor anyone for that matter.An example being: Where there was Adam, there was Eve, I don't think Adam would've gotten to far by himself. Bluntly, we need each other.
In response to Paul's post, I totally agree. Isolation is such a scary concept!!! People go insane in prison when they are put in isolation. They lose the "normalness" that you are talking about in a short period of time, demonstrating how much we rely on every individual around us.
Text #2 Powder: This short video clip relates to the theme of "No man is an Island". "Inside most people there's a feeling of being separate, separated from everything." When I heard this, I couldn't help but relate and agree. Everyone feels they are different and thinks the things that they are experiencing are weird from others point of view, but "They're a part of absolutely everyone and everything". We are all a part of this world. Maybe not literally when the girl asks if she is part of the tree, but we are all connected. She understands at the end of the clip even though at the start, she was making fun of the idea. The things we do and the paths we take all ripple into eternity.
In response to Brandon’s response to “Powder”; I agree with your points, and like the way you’ve written it, comparing it literally such as with the tree and connection to each other. I particularly like and agree with the phrase “The things we do and the paths we take all ripple into eternity”, I too believe this to be true as everything we do, or don’t do for that matter, effects everything and everyone around us. That would even work for trees as we COULD chop them down, or stop others from doing so, changing its fate as well as that of peoples.
Also to Mr. Rice; did you receive my essay via email?
“Powder” This short video starts off with a crowd off heaps of people who appear to be normal. Then enters Jeremy, a man that doesn’t seem to be normal like the people in the crowd. The people in the crowd and just stare at him as if they are judging him. Jeremy comes to talk to a friend of his and tries to explain the fact that each person is connected to everyone and everything in this world. Jeremy comes to talk to a friend of his and tries to explain the fact that each person is connected to everyone and everything in this world. This shows that all human beings are all equal, Jeremy obviously the most rejected person in that community can still see past the “spot” and see that we are connected even if it is to some of the most cruellest people. This links back to “no man is an island” and Jeremy is seen to be an island but as the clip goes on we see that although he may be different he chooses to believe that he is not an island. Thanks xx
Jess i completly agree with your point and i love how you have watched the video many of times just to really "grasp"! the concept. Your point on we are constantly contributing to this world that we live in is very interesting and i enjoyed it alot. I also enjoyed your use of rhetorical questions im sure they will bring up some good discussion in class.
Hi all. Thanks for your thoughts on the excerpt from 'Powder', I have really enjoyed reading them. It's funny how even the actual act of posting on, and reading this blog has perhaps reinforced the the ideas we have been discussing. I dislike Facebook, and am very wary of it and most technology like it, but I have enjoyed checking the blog to see if you have written something, and I believe this has given me the chance to better understand your thoughts on the context we are studying. I wonder what you guys think? Is it really possible to be totally isolated with the communication tools we now have? On the other hand, could the anonymity of the internet aid 'deceptions' and make it easier to remain isolated? What would Jeremy say?
The snippet of video clip, entitled "You're a part of absolutely everyone and everything" extracted from the movie "Powder", reiterates our broader topic that no man is an island. The snippet accentuates that a person is connected and is apart of absolutely everyone and everything.
The video clip contains a young man named Jeremy, otherwise known as “Powder”, due to his albino appearance, which after taking part in some background investigation on the movie I was able to discover, lived in the basement of his now, deceased grandparents’ home, experiencing the world only through books, possessing some unusual powers allowing him to explore the minds of others, along with an odd perception of the world around him.
In the clip the young lady which Jeremy approaches asks him what people are like on the inside, to which he replies “there’s a feeling of being separate, separated from everything”, “and they're not, they are apart of absolutely everyone and everything”. It is to a minor degree in which I agree with this quotation; I do believe that at one point or another each and every person has had a feeling of being separate, but the fact that he states we are apart of absolutely everyone and everything is something I struggle to understand. Yes, we do influence many things around us, many things which we couldn’t even comprehend, but everything? Well that seems a bit illogical. Possibly I just have this “spot”, which Jeremy describes, which makes me feel disconnected to some things.
Jeremy continues to talk to the girl and states that “there’s no need to hide or lie, and that it’s possible to talk to someone without any lies, with no sarcasms, no deceptions, no exaggerations, or anything of the things people use to confuse the truth” to which the young woman replies "I don't know a single person who does that". It is to a large degree which I disagree with the girls reply, for although she may not realize it people lie or deceive others very frequently. Studies have shown that the average person attempts to deceive or exaggerate up to 2 to 3 times per 10 minute conversation. Now of course this is open to a lot of skepticism but when you really ponder on it, it could well be true, for many people aren’t even aware that they tend to exaggerate things. I guess when you really think about it, it could be this accidental deception which causes isolation of one person from another, which gives the eventual feeling of being separated from everything.
In response to Dylan's response to "Powder", I can only agree with some of the statements he made. I agree with your point that Jeremy saw past the "spot" even though he was not accepted by the community. It is so easy to look at the negatives and not see the positives all around. Jeremy obviously had grasped that because he could of become an island extremely easily. Good work Dylan!!
Hey everyone, i hope your all having a great holiday! TEXT 1# In my opinion, the poem "No man is an island" John Donne is trying to explain to everyone that no matter who we are, we are connected to something in one way or another and that is connected to another thing all together which is connected to something else and so on. In the examples given in the poem, Donne explains that we all exist on a continent and the continent we live in is part of the main, the world. I think he is trying to explain that in a way death connects us all as it affects us humans in many different ways depending on our relationships with the person who has just passed away. Although someone may believe they have not affected anyone with their death,they have affected mankind because we are connected to everyone in the way that we are all human. Phil C
Wow Andrew, what an amazingly detailed and thoughtful response to the short film clip "Powder". Reading your piece made me understand what the film clip was about and your extra research into it helped me out alot too so thankyou. I absolutely agree with what you are saying, that people do lie or exaggerate often and without noticing it but, according to your research, what is your definition of an average person and who were the tests done on? Couldnt this be a teenager or a buisness man depending on who you are?
When Jeremy tells the girl that we are all connected to everything, i felt this hard to believe at first, like the girl he was talking to. But looking at it closely, Jeremy feels as though there is a spot inside us all which we feel as if we are seperated from everyone else. But jeremey himself, by appearance you can tell that he is different, is able to come to the realisation that we are connected to everything. and in this way, if someone who appears to be a feels different from most other people like himself, are able to come to the decision and feel that they are connected to everything in someway or another, then i believe what he is saying is true and we should all be able to find a connection to everything in someway or another. Phil C
The poem “No man is an Island” by John Donne provokes thought of that even when humans are in their darkest hour and no help is seemingly available, someone can provide the connection. No one can really willingly be cut from the rest of the world but being unable to connect with others is a different matter. No matter who you are or what is happening there is always some connection to the mainland or indeed mankind.
The poem also contains the lines “If a clod be washed away by sea, Europe is less. As well as if a promontory were.” I believe this ties in with “Each man’s death diminishes me. “ This explores the notion that no matter how large the fan base or how small the family each and every persons death affects those around them the same. This is what I think is meant by “Each man’s death diminishes me,” it represents the fact that we are all in one way or another connected to each other and just as an iceberg diminishes the size of the Arctic, each person’s death has an effect on people around them. This in turn affects the people around them and so on and so forth.
So apparently we were meant to reply to two posts. So in reply to Janes, i totally agree with everything you say in your post about John Donnes poem. Such a greatly detailed response i really enjoyed reading it :D
In the poem ‘no man is an island’ by John Donne, I think the lines ‘No man is an island, Entire of itself.’ ,are intended to mean that no man can be entirely alone or an ‘island’ and entirely self dependent on himself, that everyone has someone else on whom they are dependent on, that they will always have someone else there to depend and rely on.
The lines ‘Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.’ ,also ties in with the lines I mentioned above, and the way I perceive them is that every one is part of a bigger group, whether it be a family or a particular culture, a friends group, anything, meaning that no man can really truly be isolated, can’t be an ‘island, because they are a part of the ‘main’. This can also imply, that everyone can’t function alone, much like a continent can’t function alone and that every man has someone else to help them function. And it also appears to me like it implies that every mans existence is of importance as people will influence one another and that everyone is probably being relied on by other people too.
In response to Yavuz’s Post for ‘No man is an island’, you make some really good points about the general poem. But I think that even though Adam and Eve only had each other, and therefore needed to rely on each other to survive, but that means they were never truly isolated. The social websites commonly used today in a way, stops isolation because you can use them to stay close to friends, and interact with people who you may not be able to see in person for a long time, but you are correct that they could cause isolation too.
Text Response #2 ‘Powder’ (yet again, sorry for the lateness) I think this video clip also relates to the poem ‘no man is an island’. It also follows the concept that no man is really alone and isolated, but part of a bigger entity. Jeremy is different from every one else, and is stared at by people for being different, and he could be considered isolated from general society, he doesn’t see it that way, he thinks that every one is connected, that “they’re part of absolutely everyone and everything”. This makes me feel like he is saying that we are all a part of this world and that we all are contributing. That in a way, every one influences every one, that no one is entirely alone as a person. Meaning that everyone’s existence is relevant and will influence others.
Though he also says “Inside most people there's a feeling of being separate, separated from everything.” I think that a lot of people can relate to this feeling as some stage or another. It is our differences which separate us but also bring us together as some day your difference could be the one that someone will rely on.
In response to Andrew G’s ‘Powder’ post, I really like the fact that you actually researched deeper into the movie to get a more detailed understanding. When I read your post I also got a more detailed understanding and found the video clip’s concept easier to grasp. The bit where you say “Yes, we do influence many things around us, many things which we couldn’t even comprehend, but everything? Well that seems a bit illogical.”, makes me think about this too.
It’s also interesting to me that you used statistics to back up your argument of people lying. It made it all the more convincing.
This is my response for text 2 "Powder". I apologise for being so late, I know how annoying it is but I couldn't do it before. So, here it is:
In agreement with Roberta's response I also think the video is related to John Donne's poem "No man is an island" in the concept that no one can be completely isolated from other people. Every one consists an important part of the main group over all, or as you said Roberta: "part of a bigger entity" It means we are all part of the world we live in and each one of us have some sort of contribution to it, creating a reality in which, as said before, every single small piece have its function, purpose and influence on the entire.
That is what makes me interested about this concept, the idea that we are all connected and that each one of us is important to the group in a certain way.
Text Response #2 ‘Powder’ In the short clip from the movie 'Power', Jeremy brings up the interesting point that 'there’s a feeling of being separate, separated from everything', and that 'they are apart of absolutely everyone and everything'. Although this seems to be commonly disagreed with, I do agree with what Jeremy is saying in the sense that despite what we may think, we are all connected in a certain ways that we cannot see. The feeling of being separate that he described is most likely to have occurred in most people's lives and be quite obvious to them, but the effects that they have on others and the affect that others have on them is perhaps more hidden beneath the 'spot', and they cannot see past their restricted domain and therefore cannot see how others are connected to them.
In response to Roberta and Iago's comments, I agree with your comparison of the "Powder" post to the original poem "No man is an island". In "Powder", Jeremy talks about how everyone is "a part of absolutely everyone and everything", and how all people are connected and are a part of each other and everything around them. In "No man is an island", a similar argument is raised, where Donne claims that we are all part of a working society and every man's contribution counts.
I also agree with Andrew in that all humans will feel separated from others at some point in their life, and I also believe that although we may feel separated at some stages in our life, as we get older the amount we are separated is strictly decreasing. So perhaps as we get older we tend to belong more, but this may not be the case for everybody.
Well this might be a little late but oh well. In his poem ‘No Man is an Island’ John Donne suggests, as the title indicates that no man can live as an island. After consulting a dictionary it is clear that no man could live as an island, at least not in a literaly sense. Well not for very long anyway. His meaning of the phrase ‘island’ it would seem is more of a metaphrocal one, implying that rather than floating in a barren sea of water alone forever, you float through the barren sea of there lives alone. He claims that it is simply not possible for us as human beings to live a completely self-dependent existance and eventually at some point in our lives we will need those around us in one form or another. His line ‘each man's death diminishes me’ further emphasises this point as it claims that as a part of mankind we feel when another member suffers regardless of whether or not we knew them. At this point is where I find error. I agree with his idea that we need to have human interaction, but it is not practical or smart to spend time grieving everyones death. If you spend that much time caring about everyones death in the world, Ot could very well soon be everyone grieving for you.
As the video clip opens up we see a tall lanky man, fairly white and pasty walking through a crowd getting odd looks as he passes by people. As he stands next to the table where the woman whose name I didn’t catch but will from here on out refer to as Rachel, is sitting my initial thought is, Wow this guy looks a lot like bald Billy Corgan. After minimizing and listening to Bullet with Butterfly Wings for a while, I watch the whole clip several times and try to take in all of what is happening. Jeremy claims that ‘Inside most people there’s a feeling of being separate’. On a quick side note it could fairly easily be claimed this sense of distance and separation is something that we all share and could be used to bring us together. Jeremy claims in this excerpt that there is a spot of Rachel that tells her that she is disconnected. It tells her that she is distant from the things and people around her. It is with this spot he says that we hide behind to disconnect ourselves, almost like a protective barrier. It would seem that this is something that is present in everyday life as many of us will put up a shield to protect ourselves emotionally from those around us and will use things such as sarcasm and exaggerations as Jeremy mentions to further try and protect ourselves. As human beings it’s just what we do.
This piece fits into our topic of study quite well with Rachel suppling the role of the island and Jeremy explaining the importance of connecting with those around us in on way or another.
Now for a more personal tangent. As I watch this clip to me it reminds me for fairly unknown reasons of the 1999 film Fight Club. Not so much in the way that we are all connected emotionally, but more in a way that we are all the same regardless of background, to quote Tyler Durden ‘We all come from the same compost heap.’ It is through this and several other scenes that it is demonstrated that we as a human race are a living functioning organism. From here I seem to forget what my point was, but that’s my take on things.
Well Hello Everyone!! It is either Friday morning, and we are all together in class, or some of you have decided to check this blog out because you've heard of it from friends in other English classes.Either way, welcome!! You will note there are quite extensive instructions and advice on the right hand side of the page. Please read through if you are unsure of how to proceed.I find the idea of this blog quite exciting, and perhaps more than just a little related to the idea that 'No man is an island'...now why do you suppose I think that??
ReplyDeleteThe poem, entitled, ‘No man is an island’, written by John Donne, thoroughly explores, highlights and emphasizes the reality, that no man, be it from any culture, religion or location, can be entirely self dependant. It is evident in Donne’s piece that he considers for any man, to live a sufficient life and accomplish as higher degree of tasks in life, that is in fact feasible, that they acquire accomplices to aid them in this. It is to a large extent that I concur with Donne, in that I also believe one man, cannot and should not, act as in island, excluding themselves from those around them, for it could possibly have immensly negative circumstances on their life. It is also to a large extent that I agree with the line “Each man’s death diminishes me”, for I believe the circumstances of death, create an uneeded struggle for those acquinted with the person who has passed, and prevents them from achieving to the best of their ability.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess, when it comes right down to it, this is only my opinion, and this poem could be interpreted in numerous ways, what do you believe?
That is a quality piece you write there Andrew but when you quote the line "Each man's death diminishes me", it poses a few questions in my mind. Does this question suggest that EVERY single death that happens diminishes him or just the deaths of the people he is involved with and cares about? It appears to me as though EVERY mans death diminishes him and to be honest, i think that's a little absurd really. People die. That's life. Criminals die. Drug addicts die. The worst of the worst criminal's die. Could one man really be 'diminished' by that?
ReplyDelete:)
The poem, 'No man is an Island', written by John Donne, represents the theme of unity and togetherness felt by, what I believe, would be a large majority of society. It begins by highlighting the main idea that no man is an island but is in fact 'a piece of the continent'. It goes on to talk about one mans death diminishing the population and suggesting that one mans death would be a loss to all. I see this as a fair and honest statement. However, Donne continues this point further by stating that 'each mans death diminishes me'. I agree that a loss of a loved one or a friend is always a sad one but i disagree with the feeling that every single mans death could personally diminishes someone. There comes a point where one must face the reality of this world - people do die, but does every single death really diminish one sole person? Even the deaths of those that kill out own kind? Even the deaths that have been sentenced or god forbid, planned?
I agree with this poem in that no man is an Island and any death is a loss to at least one person in the world. It creates a sad feeling of loss and grief that we will all, most likely and most unfortunately, have to endure one day. But do we feel this sadness, loss and grief over every death?
Firstly, thank you for your kind words, and kudos for a well structured and thought out piece. Secondly, this is a comprehensively valid point which you state Jess, and one which I realize I failed to address and link to what I was thinking. I strongly agree with what you stated about only people who are close to you, whom of which have direct impact on your life, having the considerable burden on your life. It is one thing to be affected by death close to you, but from deaths of people you don't know, most of which you wouldn't be aware of is, as you said, quite absurd. Obviously we can't ask John Donne what his reasoning was on writing this sentence, due to the fact he died nearly 380 years ago, but it shall be interesting to observe the views of our peers on this issue.
ReplyDeleteJess and Andrew, thank you for giving the world and myself some food for thought on a Saturday morning...ah, actually it is now afternoon. You raise some good points for discussion. I am particularly interested in what you say about not being 'diminished' by the deaths of those we don't know- 'criminals' and 'drug addicts'. There is a train of thought that as a society, we are only as strong as our strongest members, and we are all as weak as our weakest members. All members of society in some way influence us and elevate, or 'diminish' us. Do you think John Donne is referring to 'man' as an individual, or 'man' as in mankind?
ReplyDeleteHello, and welcome to Sunday. Thanks to those who have taken the first step and posted their thoughts. I have enjoyed reading through them, and would like to continue posting my own responses, however, I feel it important to let you guys interact with each other. On that note, I'd like to encourage those of you who haven't yet posted to think about doing so. You don't have to respond to someone else' s post if it's not for you, it is ok to move in a different direction if you wish.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the poem "No man is an island" John Donne explores the idea that no human being can live by himself without any sort of contact or relationship with another human beings. Using phrases like "Each is a piece of the continent,
ReplyDeleteA part of the main." and "Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind." Donne highlights that every person is conected to each other, being of an inportant "part of the main" in which every thing that happens to one affect the others.
In my opinion John Donne is right in saying that, because it is a human nature to create groups and communities to stay together. It is a human necessity to have other people arround to share the life with.
In agreement with Jane I also believe that even being part of a community or group it is possible for people to still have their individuality and think by themselves, because to be in a group is not to have your opinion controlled but to have someone to share your ideas with.
The poem entitled no man is an island by John Donne, reflects on how people depend on one another and how death can effect everyone it completely diferent ways. “Each is a piece of a continent” shows how our actions effect all around us even if we are an island or not. The decisions we make will effect a large majority of people. If people were islands it means that we are totally solitary, self relient and dependent on their self. I do believe that being an island at times is beneificial but we also need to be part of a “continent” and collaborate with other people.
ReplyDeleteThe poem shows that not matter what race or culture we are from can be entirely independent from one another. But a single human being needs to have contact with other people to achieve there best. It also points out that death diminsishes us and we all react differently to it no matter wheather we are a patry of a “continent” or “island”.
In my opinin the poem is implying that mankind are individuals and through relationships and interaction we are sane, civil human beings. I agree with the poem to a certain extent because we need to have other people in ouer lifes, but i do not agree with the lime death diminshes me as there have been people in this life that have died that have not affected me.
ReplyDeleteThe line"each is a piece of the contient" conveys to the reader that everybody draw connection through other, and we cannot be isolated. Everyone in someway is connected, even something as small as having some common interest with a person. When saying, 'Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind' I believe Donne is trying to express that we are all affected by others actions and what happens to them.
Thanks guys xoxox
I believe the poem ‘No Man Is An Island’ by John Donne refers to the either isolated or connected nature of humans, taking the physical detachment of islands from the mainland literally. The phrase “Each is a piece of the continent” eludes to that people are a part of the ‘whole’ of society, and cannot survive alone. As a part of this ‘whole’, everyone assists everyone else, creating a distribution of the burden of living, and the further burden of loss. The impact of loss of life is demonstrated in the expression “Each man’s death diminishes me. For I am involved in mankind.”, further referring to mankind and civilization as a ‘whole’. The poem overall portrays the theme of ‘belonging’ and the human nature of needing others, and not merely existing in seclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis however I believe cannot be applied to everyone in society, as we are not ‘sheep’; everyone is different and naturally reacts differently to varying stimulus. Furthermore “survival” in this sense cannot be taken literally, as Hugh Grant in his role as Will in ‘About a Boy’ was clearly still surviving in the conventional sense, however as suggested early in the film by new parents he is not in a social sense.
In response to Mr. Stefan’s interpretation of John Donne’s poem “No man is an island” I agree to your points, and am intrigued by a few new ones. “The decisions we make will effect a large majority of people” and “..a single human being needs to have contact with other people to achieve there best” particularly do this, as it explains that not only are we influenced by others, but we influence others in the process. This would immediately seem self explanatory but is not always picked up on (I can’t say I touched on it myself), and I greatly commend you for your overall response, I found it well written and like your choice of words such as “solitary” and “collaborate” which add to the general tone of the piece. Good work Mr. Stefan :)
ReplyDeleteAlso note to Mr. Rice; it was indeed Firefox that stopped me from posting, Internet Explorer appears to work fine :)
I believe that John Donne’s poem “no man is an island” is a man’s reflection that simply means that no man in modern society is capable of functioning by themselves. “Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.” I believe means that every man relies on one another to be strong or as the poem says to be a part of the main. Every man, no matter how rich or successful, will need someone else in the lives to function properly and walk beside them through lives journey. Donne further goes on to say that “every man’s death diminishes me “which I personally believe is harder to relate to. Although I agree that for every death there is to be at least one person who feels terrible be it the persons mother, father or life partner, though to go as far as to say that every single death diminishes a person is going over the top. There are many people in the world who you do not know who will die of very ordinary causes. How can you feel for these people? People die every minute of the day and if every single death “diminished” I then life wouldn’t be worth living as there would be no room for happiness in one’s life!
ReplyDeleteTo conclude, I believe that John Donne’s article “no man is an island “is easy to agree with at some points like how no man is an island and that people need others in their lives to function properly though disagree with Donne’s statement “every death diminishes me” as death occurs naturally and everyone will be faced with death at one point in their lives though people bounce back and take death in their strides and can learn and grow from their experiences.
The poem ‘No man is an island’, written by John Donne explores the concept that mankind lives in unison and one death be it small will impact and fluctuate the world as we know. Death is irreversible and each death be it the death of a criminal or a lawyer impacts mankind. Who’s to say that a prisoner on death row wouldn’t impact and change your life given the right circumstances? This change to you might start a larger chain reaction changing the people around you. I believe this is what John Donne means when he states that each man’s death diminishes me, we all have the power to do great things and the ABILITY of one man might change the BEHAVIOUR of hundreds of men.
ReplyDeleteIs it so wrong for people to be islands? I’m pretty sure when Adam and Eve came along they only had each other. So is it safe to assume that an island forms from the unity of two people? I’m sure Adam would have wanted to get away from Eves constant nagging to do the laundry or find fresh berries so they could enjoy a nice romantic dinner; TOGETHER. Whose to say that Adam for a while wouldn’t have wanted to explore on his own and let water surround his beach isolating himself from people (Eve). =P
We all know that TV substitutes for a lot of social activities nowadays. That social interaction happens over face book and MySpace; subconsciously have we all become victims and slaves to isolation?? Have we all become islands? Many of you will argue that you aren’t isolating yourselves, living in false pretence that the groups you’re in at school will remain constant and forever. That your various “bffl’s” are metaphorical boats that can take you and connect you to different islands. As far as I’m concerned everyone is an island; YET everyone’s island has a secret passage way to someone else’s island. These passages can be thought of as codes given to group members, these passages connect certain islands to others to create a mainland, yet everyone has the power to recede back to their own sanctuary. This connected mainland is a group justified through either interaction through internet or reality.
Yet this is just my own opinion and outtake on John Donne’s poem, your view might completely oppose mine and I’m willing to debate the point that I’m trying to make.
In John Donne's poem 'No man is an island' , he raises the idea that humanity is but a single unit, requiring the help and companionship of others in order to function. The lines 'Each is a piece of the continent, a part of the main' suggests that any man, be him relatively self sufficient or not, is just a part of a bigger picture, a subset of our large functioning society. This also suggests that, although a man can seemingly live on his own, as an island from society, he will always have to rely on others, not only for their abilities which physically help him function, but also for their companionship, to keep them sane and functioning properly.
ReplyDeleteThe lines 'Each man's death diminishes me,For I am involved in mankind. ' seems to again emphasise the point that mankind is made up of the addition of all humans, and their contribution as well as lack of contribution (due to death for example), can greatly effect the system as a whole and therefore every man who is a part of it. As the loss of one man's life diminishes another's, it can be seem that they are all a part of this 'main' and involved in it, and therefore proves that no man is an island.
In response to Yavuz's post, great comment :)! I liked how you raised the possibility of social networking websites being the cause of isolation in humans. However, with your analogy regarding Adam and Eve needing their own separate isolations from each other, in my opinion this may have been the case, however in the overall scheme of the things they could not be an island because they needed each other in order to increase population, their primary purpose. Their humanity, although consisting of only 2 people, still exists, and it would be harder to become an "island" as your contribution to humanity is of greater importance than in the modern day as you make up literally half of it. If Adam became said "island", this would in turn make Eve an "island", and would also destroy any chances of future human civilisations.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Nick. Adam and Eve are more of metaphors and abstract figures representing human society and the sub-groups within. I didn't really mean for them to be so physical yet vaguer and more of a basic generalisation that may or may not categorise some types of people. I agree that the role and importance of a single human increases more when they affect others (civilisation), I also agree that civilisation wouldn’t exist without Adam and Eve being together unless Eve could asexually reproduce…which somewhat seems impossible.
ReplyDeleteAdam and Eve could be any two people or any group of people. I'm not directly referring to them when I stated that people sometimes need time alone.
Anyways thank for the comment, I'm off to bed, night =D
The second text prompt, "Powder" is a very different sort of video concerning the theme of 'no man is an island' but I like that about it. I watched it a couple of times in order to grasp a good understanding of it. The first time I watched it i felt the same way the girl did - confused at how he could really be convinced that we are all connected to each other. But after watching it a few more times, the feelings and beliefs that the boy discusses with the girl became stronger in my mind. He talks about how inside most people there is a feeling of being separate and separated from everything and I think this is a genuine feeling that we have all felt at one stage or another. He tells us that we're not though. That we are not separate but that we are a part of everyone and everything and to an extent, I believe him.
ReplyDeleteNo, as the girl said, we are not a part of the tree. Not literally. But each and every one of us is a part of this world and whether we realise it or we don't realise it, we are constantly contributing to this world that we live in. Each and every one of us is what makes this world what it is. This world is our everything. Is this what he means when he says we are a part of everything?
His passion is passed on to this girl to convince her and maybe even some of the students of 11G that it is our minds and only our minds that stop us from having the faith we wish we had and causes us to feel separate when we really aren't.... or are we?
in response to trents Lohn Donne Poem,
ReplyDeletethe points you raised about how a mans death only deminishes those with a close relationship and not evryone around.if every death did diminishe us, as you say, there would be no happyness and olnly sadness and we learn from all these experiences.
Text #2 “Powder”
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this text outlines the isolated and connected nature of humans. Jeremy is obviously isolated in the views of others, because he looks different to others and seems like an outsider. He however does not believe this, as demonstrated when he says “they’re part of absolutely everyone and everything”.
I believe this line holds true in almost all situations, even though often it cannot be directly observed, everyone influences each other, and the world would indeed be a different place even if say one person was missing. This demonstrates every existence is important and does have an influence on and is influenced by other existences.
Jeremy’s other key line “inside most people there is a feeling of being separate, separated from everything” in my personal view also holds true for most situations. People often believe they cannot connect with others, sometimes out of fear, sometimes because they simply don’t want to, but in either case the belief is there that the relationship cannot be made. This can be directly linked to the lack of belief of the first line, that people are a part of everyone and everything, as often people do not realise the influence they exert on others, and do not believe they fit in’.
I believe both lines to be true in our modern society; everyone has importance and is a part of a whole, though not all acknowledge this, nor believe it, hence creating the feel that people are separate.
In the poem "No man is an Island" by John Donne, the theme of humanity is explored. The point is made that we can only function properly with each other. To be an island is to be alone, "Each is a piece of the continent". This part of the poem makes me think about how much we need each other. We are held firm by each individual that we are surrounded by in order to somehow live a fulfilling life. I can't imagine life alone or even with only a couple of friends. It also spurs me to ponder upon the movie "I am Legend". The main character was forced to be an island because of crazy zombies and the aftermath of being alone is his own insanity. He eventually tries to even commit suicide. Although this point may seem off-topic, i believe it is relevant and supports the poem that no man can live alone.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting section of the poem is "Each man's death diminishes me". John Donne is an extremely sincere individual if this statement is true. We are surrounded constantly by death today through the News, or even if you venture into a hospital. It is a frequent, frightening and inescapable event. Therefore, John Donne must be extremely small by now!!! I can't agree with this section because to live a life so consumed by death would be a life of grief and sadness. We need to care for everyone and make sure no individual drifts off and becomes an island, but to be diminished by death is beyond what I can comprehend.
For us as humans to function properly, we need each other, because it is in our nature to feel the need to be part of the continent. A meaningful life is one not lived as an island.
Brandon, I don't think the 'I am Legend' reference is off topic. I remember watching the film and wondering how I would react in such a situation. I really like being alone, but I imagine I would find having absolutely nobody around to be really tough. It's good to have a choice.
ReplyDeletetext #2 Powder
ReplyDeletei believe that this outlines how we are all connected in some way. it doesnt matter what we look like or how we act, in the end we are all part of each other. As the man is isolated from most people becuase of his different looks, but he does not feel that as we see when he says "they are part of everything and everyone"
he also brings forward the idea that we feel seperated from others and fell we cant connect. but i believe that it is our unique identities that can connect people together.
this plays a siginificant role in society, because if we were all the same how could we connect with each other and no matter how yu think you belong or what someone thinks about you. we are all a part of everything and everyone.
in response to Jess's comments on POWDER
ReplyDeletei really like the point that you made about how we are not literally part of the trees and other people, but we are all contributing to the world and we amke it what it is. and no we arnt seperate we all have to contribute and do our part. it is a bit of a different way of shwing how no man is an island, as you stated in the begining, and i agree that at one point in time we all would have felt seperated from everyone. the points that you raised were great and also made me thik about the scene a bit more.
"No Man Is An Island". What John Donne means by this is that no man, in reality can isolate himself from his friends & family. We are all apart of something or someone and must, in my opinion, keep it this way in order to retain sanity and well... normallness.
ReplyDeleteAs technology is stupid, please forgive me for not being able to to figure out how to use my name when posting.
-Paul
In response to Brandon's post, WAWA WEEWA! You've really hit this topic on the head and I completely understand what you mean by & when you say "For us as humans to function properly, we need each other, because it is in our nature to feel the need to be part of the continent." In no way shape or form do I think i'd be able to survive without the support and love I have from my family & friends nor anyone for that matter.An example being: Where there was Adam, there was Eve, I don't think Adam would've gotten to far by himself. Bluntly, we need each other.
ReplyDelete-Paul
In response to Paul's post, I totally agree. Isolation is such a scary concept!!! People go insane in prison when they are put in isolation. They lose the "normalness" that you are talking about in a short period of time, demonstrating how much we rely on every individual around us.
ReplyDeleteText #2 Powder:
ReplyDeleteThis short video clip relates to the theme of "No man is an Island". "Inside most people there's a feeling of being separate, separated from everything." When I heard this, I couldn't help but relate and agree. Everyone feels they are different and thinks the things that they are experiencing are weird from others point of view, but "They're a part of absolutely everyone and everything". We are all a part of this world. Maybe not literally when the girl asks if she is part of the tree, but we are all connected. She understands at the end of the clip even though at the start, she was making fun of the idea. The things we do and the paths we take all ripple into eternity.
In response to Brandon’s response to “Powder”; I agree with your points, and like the way you’ve written it, comparing it literally such as with the tree and connection to each other. I particularly like and agree with the phrase “The things we do and the paths we take all ripple into eternity”, I too believe this to be true as everything we do, or don’t do for that matter, effects everything and everyone around us. That would even work for trees as we COULD chop them down, or stop others from doing so, changing its fate as well as that of peoples.
ReplyDeleteAlso to Mr. Rice; did you receive my essay via email?
“Powder”
ReplyDeleteThis short video starts off with a crowd off heaps of people who appear to be normal. Then enters Jeremy, a man that doesn’t seem to be normal like the people in the crowd. The people in the crowd and just stare at him as if they are judging him. Jeremy comes to talk to a friend of his and tries to explain the fact that each person is connected to everyone and everything in this world. Jeremy comes to talk to a friend of his and tries to explain the fact that each person is connected to everyone and everything in this world. This shows that all human beings are all equal, Jeremy obviously the most rejected person in that community can still see past the “spot” and see that we are connected even if it is to some of the most cruellest people. This links back to “no man is an island” and Jeremy is seen to be an island but as the clip goes on we see that although he may be different he chooses to believe that he is not an island.
Thanks xx
Jess i completly agree with your point and i love how you have watched the video many of times just to really "grasp"! the concept. Your point on we are constantly contributing to this world that we live in is very interesting and i enjoyed it alot. I also enjoyed your use of rhetorical questions im sure they will bring up some good discussion in class.
ReplyDeletebut any way hope your havin a good holiday :)
Hi all. Thanks for your thoughts on the excerpt from 'Powder', I have really enjoyed reading them. It's funny how even the actual act of posting on, and reading this blog has perhaps reinforced the the ideas we have been discussing. I dislike Facebook, and am very wary of it and most technology like it, but I have enjoyed checking the blog to see if you have written something, and I believe this has given me the chance to better understand your thoughts on the context we are studying. I wonder what you guys think? Is it really possible to be totally isolated with the communication tools we now have? On the other hand, could the anonymity of the internet aid 'deceptions' and make it easier to remain isolated? What would Jeremy say?
ReplyDeleteThe snippet of video clip, entitled "You're a part of absolutely everyone and everything" extracted from the movie "Powder", reiterates our broader topic that no man is an island. The snippet accentuates that a person is connected and is apart of absolutely everyone and everything.
ReplyDeleteThe video clip contains a young man named Jeremy, otherwise known as “Powder”, due to his albino appearance, which after taking part in some background investigation on the movie I was able to discover, lived in the basement of his now, deceased grandparents’ home, experiencing the world only through books, possessing some unusual powers allowing him to explore the minds of others, along with an odd perception of the world around him.
In the clip the young lady which Jeremy approaches asks him what people are like on the inside, to which he replies “there’s a feeling of being separate, separated from everything”, “and they're not, they are apart of absolutely everyone and everything”. It is to a minor degree in which I agree with this quotation; I do believe that at one point or another each and every person has had a feeling of being separate, but the fact that he states we are apart of absolutely everyone and everything is something I struggle to understand. Yes, we do influence many things around us, many things which we couldn’t even comprehend, but everything? Well that seems a bit illogical. Possibly I just have this “spot”, which Jeremy describes, which makes me feel disconnected to some things.
Jeremy continues to talk to the girl and states that “there’s no need to hide or lie, and that it’s possible to talk to someone without any lies, with no sarcasms, no deceptions, no exaggerations, or anything of the things people use to confuse the truth” to which the young woman replies "I don't know a single person who does that". It is to a large degree which I disagree with the girls reply, for although she may not realize it people lie or deceive others very frequently. Studies have shown that the average person attempts to deceive or exaggerate up to 2 to 3 times per 10 minute conversation. Now of course this is open to a lot of skepticism but when you really ponder on it, it could well be true, for many people aren’t even aware that they tend to exaggerate things. I guess when you really think about it, it could be this accidental deception which causes isolation of one person from another, which gives the eventual feeling of being separated from everything.
In response to Dylan's response to "Powder", I can only agree with some of the statements he made. I agree with your point that Jeremy saw past the "spot" even though he was not accepted by the community. It is so easy to look at the negatives and not see the positives all around. Jeremy obviously had grasped that because he could of become an island extremely easily. Good work Dylan!!
ReplyDeleteHey everyone, i hope your all having a great holiday!
ReplyDeleteTEXT 1#
In my opinion, the poem "No man is an island" John Donne is trying to explain to everyone that no matter who we are, we are connected to something in one way or another and that is connected to another thing all together which is connected to something else and so on. In the examples given in the poem, Donne explains that we all exist on a continent and the continent we live in is part of the main, the world. I think he is trying to explain that in a way death connects us all as it affects us humans in many different ways depending on our relationships with the person who has just passed away. Although someone may believe they have not affected anyone with their death,they have affected mankind because we are connected to everyone in the way that we are all human.
Phil C
Wow Andrew, what an amazingly detailed and thoughtful response to the short film clip "Powder". Reading your piece made me understand what the film clip was about and your extra research into it helped me out alot too so thankyou. I absolutely agree with what you are saying, that people do lie or exaggerate often and without noticing it but, according to your research, what is your definition of an average person and who were the tests done on? Couldnt this be a teenager or a buisness man depending on who you are?
ReplyDeleteWhen Jeremy tells the girl that we are all connected to everything, i felt this hard to believe at first, like the girl he was talking to. But looking at it closely, Jeremy feels as though there is a spot inside us all which we feel as if we are seperated from everyone else. But jeremey himself, by appearance you can tell that he is different, is able to come to the realisation that we are connected to everything. and in this way, if someone who appears to be a feels different from most other people like himself, are able to come to the decision and feel that they are connected to everything in someway or another, then i believe what he is saying is true and we should all be able to find a connection to everything in someway or another.
Phil C
The poem “No man is an Island” by John Donne provokes thought of that even when humans are in their darkest hour and no help is seemingly available, someone can provide the connection. No one can really willingly be cut from the rest of the world but being unable to connect with others is a different matter. No matter who you are or what is happening there is always some connection to the mainland or indeed mankind.
ReplyDeleteThe poem also contains the lines “If a clod be washed away by sea, Europe is less. As well as if a promontory were.” I believe this ties in with “Each man’s death diminishes me. “ This explores the notion that no matter how large the fan base or how small the family each and every persons death affects those around them the same. This is what I think is meant by “Each man’s death diminishes me,” it represents the fact that we are all in one way or another connected to each other and just as an iceberg diminishes the size of the Arctic, each person’s death has an effect on people around them. This in turn affects the people around them and so on and so forth.
By Nathan M
So apparently we were meant to reply to two posts.
ReplyDeleteSo in reply to Janes, i totally agree with everything you say in your post about John Donnes poem. Such a greatly detailed response i really enjoyed reading it :D
Thanks Brandon :) If just more people can look past the spot like jeremy did then the world would be a better place. xxxx
ReplyDeleteText response #1 (sorry for it being so late)
ReplyDeleteIn the poem ‘no man is an island’ by John Donne, I think the lines ‘No man is an island,
Entire of itself.’ ,are intended to mean that no man can be entirely alone or an ‘island’ and entirely self dependent on himself, that everyone has someone else on whom they are dependent on, that they will always have someone else there to depend and rely on.
The lines ‘Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.’ ,also ties in with the lines I mentioned above, and the way I perceive them is that every one is part of a bigger group, whether it be a family or a particular culture, a friends group, anything, meaning that no man can really truly be isolated, can’t be an ‘island, because they are a part of the ‘main’. This can also imply, that everyone can’t function alone, much like a continent can’t function alone and that every man has someone else to help them function. And it also appears to me like it implies that every mans existence is of importance as people will influence one another and that everyone is probably being relied on by other people too.
In response to Yavuz’s Post for ‘No man is an island’, you make some really good points about the general poem.
ReplyDeleteBut I think that even though Adam and Eve only had each other, and therefore needed to rely on each other to survive, but that means they were never truly isolated.
The social websites commonly used today in a way, stops isolation because you can use them to stay close to friends, and interact with people who you may not be able to see in person for a long time, but you are correct that they could cause isolation too.
Text Response #2 ‘Powder’ (yet again, sorry for the lateness)
ReplyDeleteI think this video clip also relates to the poem ‘no man is an island’. It also follows the concept that no man is really alone and isolated, but part of a bigger entity.
Jeremy is different from every one else, and is stared at by people for being different, and he could be considered isolated from general society, he doesn’t see it that way, he thinks that every one is connected, that “they’re part of absolutely everyone and everything”.
This makes me feel like he is saying that we are all a part of this world and that we all are contributing. That in a way, every one influences every one, that no one is entirely alone as a person. Meaning that everyone’s existence is relevant and will influence others.
Though he also says “Inside most people there's a feeling of being separate, separated from everything.” I think that a lot of people can relate to this feeling as some stage or another. It is our differences which separate us but also bring us together as some day your difference could be the one that someone will rely on.
In response to Andrew G’s ‘Powder’ post, I really like the fact that you actually researched deeper into the movie to get a more detailed understanding. When I read your post I also got a more detailed understanding and found the video clip’s concept easier to grasp.
ReplyDeleteThe bit where you say “Yes, we do influence many things around us, many things which we couldn’t even comprehend, but everything? Well that seems a bit illogical.”, makes me think about this too.
It’s also interesting to me that you used statistics to back up your argument of people lying. It made it all the more convincing.
This is my response for text 2 "Powder".
ReplyDeleteI apologise for being so late, I know how annoying it is but I couldn't do it before.
So, here it is:
In agreement with Roberta's response I also think the video is related to John Donne's poem "No man is an island" in the concept that no one can be completely isolated from other people. Every one consists an important part of the main group over all, or as you said Roberta: "part of a bigger entity"
It means we are all part of the world we live in and each one of us have some sort of contribution to it, creating a reality in which, as said before, every single small piece have its function, purpose and influence on the entire.
That is what makes me interested about this concept, the idea that we are all connected and that each one of us is important to the group in a certain way.
Text Response #2 ‘Powder’
ReplyDeleteIn the short clip from the movie 'Power', Jeremy brings up the interesting point that 'there’s a feeling of being separate, separated from everything', and that 'they are apart of absolutely everyone and everything'. Although this seems to be commonly disagreed with, I do agree with what Jeremy is saying in the sense that despite what we may think, we are all connected in a certain ways that we cannot see. The feeling of being separate that he described is most likely to have occurred in most people's lives and be quite obvious to them, but the effects that they have on others and the affect that others have on them is perhaps more hidden beneath the 'spot', and they cannot see past their restricted domain and therefore cannot see how others are connected to them.
In response to Roberta and Iago's comments, I agree with your comparison of the "Powder" post to the original poem "No man is an island". In "Powder", Jeremy talks about how everyone is "a part of absolutely everyone and everything", and how all people are connected and are a part of each other and everything around them. In "No man is an island", a similar argument is raised, where Donne claims that we are all part of a working society and every man's contribution counts.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Andrew in that all humans will feel separated from others at some point in their life, and I also believe that although we may feel separated at some stages in our life, as we get older the amount we are separated is strictly decreasing. So perhaps as we get older we tend to belong more, but this may not be the case for everybody.
Well this might be a little late but oh well.
ReplyDeleteIn his poem ‘No Man is an Island’ John Donne suggests, as the title indicates that no man can live as an island. After consulting a dictionary it is clear that no man could live as an island, at least not in a literaly sense. Well not for very long anyway. His meaning of the phrase ‘island’ it would seem is more of a metaphrocal one, implying that rather than floating in a barren sea of water alone forever, you float through the barren sea of there lives alone. He claims that it is simply not possible for us as human beings to live a completely self-dependent existance and eventually at some point in our lives we will need those around us in one form or another. His line ‘each man's death diminishes me’ further emphasises this point as it claims that as a part of mankind we feel when another member suffers regardless of whether or not we knew them. At this point is where I find error. I agree with his idea that we need to have human interaction, but it is not practical or smart to spend time grieving everyones death. If you spend that much time caring about everyones death in the world, Ot could very well soon be everyone grieving for you.
Another late one but here I go
ReplyDeleteAs the video clip opens up we see a tall lanky man, fairly white and pasty walking through a crowd getting odd looks as he passes by people. As he stands next to the table where the woman whose name I didn’t catch but will from here on out refer to as Rachel, is sitting my initial thought is, Wow this guy looks a lot like bald Billy Corgan. After minimizing and listening to Bullet with Butterfly Wings for a while, I watch the whole clip several times and try to take in all of what is happening. Jeremy claims that ‘Inside most people there’s a feeling of being separate’. On a quick side note it could fairly easily be claimed this sense of distance and separation is something that we all share and could be used to bring us together. Jeremy claims in this excerpt that there is a spot of Rachel that tells her that she is disconnected. It tells her that she is distant from the things and people around her. It is with this spot he says that we hide behind to disconnect ourselves, almost like a protective barrier. It would seem that this is something that is present in everyday life as many of us will put up a shield to protect ourselves emotionally from those around us and will use things such as sarcasm and exaggerations as Jeremy mentions to further try and protect ourselves. As human beings it’s just what we do.
This piece fits into our topic of study quite well with Rachel suppling the role of the island and Jeremy explaining the importance of connecting with those around us in on way or another.
Now for a more personal tangent. As I watch this clip to me it reminds me for fairly unknown reasons of the 1999 film Fight Club. Not so much in the way that we are all connected emotionally, but more in a way that we are all the same regardless of background, to quote Tyler Durden ‘We all come from the same compost heap.’ It is through this and several other scenes that it is demonstrated that we as a human race are a living functioning organism. From here I seem to forget what my point was, but that’s my take on things.