The Importance of Life

             It’s eleven o’clock on Sunday night. I know I should be placing my concentration on writing my blog post, but the Oscars are distracting me.

            While I do enjoy seeing the various awards, one sequence has always intrigued me more than others. The overhead lights begin to dim as an array of soft, golden sparkles blanket the stage. The somber, reflective music is cued, and the words “In Memoriam” appear on screen.  The “In Memoriam” montage is the only part of the Oscars that I actually watch with my full attention. Please, do not think I enjoy watching the obituary; I am merely fascinated by it. The entire careers of actors, actresses, and other important figures are condensed to a few seconds. It’s strange to think that the importance of your entire life is based on your contribution to the world. In order to be remembered, you have to accomplish something memorable.

            A lot of my Sunday involved the dead, death, or the act of dying. In Virginia Woolf’s “The Death of the Moth,” Woolf expresses how death cannot be avoided. Although the moth embodies life itself, even he cannot elude the arguably most important aspect of life. Death. Without an end to your life, you wouldn’t cherish the time you have on this earth. Death is a deadline, a confine, a boundary. It is the limitation of your existence and the termination of your consciousness.  I often hear the phrase, “Live life to the fullest,” which is a present use for “Carpe Diem.” You have the ability to do what you want with your life. In order to be eternal, you must make the choice to be remembered.           

Where Did You Come From?

In Jessica Cohen’s “Grade A: The Market for a Yale Woman’s Eggs,” Cohen explores the social changes that follow the advancement of modern fertility in a modern world. In the second paragraph, Cohen alludes to Where Did I Come From? A picture book first published in 1973 that explains the reasons and mechanics of sex to squeamish parents’ children. Author Peter Mayle addresses many of the awkward questions from curious kids in his sexual education books. His books seem to age with his readers starting with infancy in Where Did I Come From?, followed by What’s Happening to Me?, which deals with the effects of puberty. Later, Mayle addressed questions, such as Will I Go to Heaven?, Will I Like It?, and How to Be a Pregnant Father. These books contain clever illustrations that appeal to both parents and children, but serve as a way for parents to escape questioning. What is so hard about telling your kids about sex, creation, and life?

Before alternative fertility methods became available, everyone was created from sex. There shouldn’t have been a need for a book to explain this to children. I understand that they should be sheltered from graphic explanation, but vague examples leaves room for confusion. In the piece, David sends Cohen an email with a comic that illustrates an unfortunate outcome of genetics. Cohen understands the literal message, but does not understand David’s implied point. Cohen states, “The message was impossible to pin down.” Her reaction towards the comic is similar to many children reading Mayle’s books. The importance of sex cannot be overstated. It not only leaves a lasting impression on your life, but also on others. It is the parent’s responsibility to acknowledge his or her child’s questions and answer responsibly. Parents should not tip toe around a five-year-old’s simple question. If a child asks a question that a parent knows the answer to, then the parent should answer accordingly with a correct explanation. Do not feed children false information in order to preserve the tender, sensitive innocence of youth.  Of course, a picture book helps kids understand the complex aspects of life, but a knowledgeable

 answer from a wise parent is much more rewarding.

Angelou's Account of Louis v. Carnera

Angelou's account of the Louis v. Carnera boxing match was not factual. Her piece, titled "Champion of the World", expresses her record of the heavyweight bout, but few events occur accurately. The actual fight was not a heavyweight match. It was, however, a match that Louis won on the road to his title match, which occurred two years later.  

On June 25, 1935, Joe Louis defeated the ex- heavyweight champion Primo Carnera in the sixth round. Although “The Brown Bomber” had a serious weight disadvantage, sixty-five pounds under Carnera, Louis used a stalking approach in order to progressively beat down the gargantuan Italian. Through the sixth round, Louis dropped Carnera to the mat three times; however, these occurrences did not result in a knockout. Contrary to Angelou, the fight was ruled a technical knockout in the sixth round. Before Carnera’s body gave way, Louis effortlessly delivered a series of punches to his opponent’s bloody face. Following a left hook, Carnera slumped to a knee. The pride of Italy drove Carnera immediately to rise, but with an obvious absence of functionality. The blood pouring from his face coupled with Louis’ tenacity convinced the referee to call the fight. Announcers considered it an “act of humanitarianism.”

Ultimately, the non-championship fight ended with Louis on top, but not in the way Angelou describes. There could not have been a count, as described in the piece, if the opponent rose to back to his feet. The referee could not have referred to Louis as, “The winnah, and still heavyweight champeen of the world,” if Louis had not yet won a title.

Through class discussion, we concluded that Angelou’s main focus of the piece was not the match, but the high stakes she associated with it. Born in April of 1928, Angelou was only 7 at the time of the fight. Her young age may have led her to incorrectly interpret the situation. As a result, she introduced these events into her piece.