Reflective Essay #5

Tori Beaty

INTG 323

Reflective Essay #5

27 February 2012

Creativity

            I would never consider myself to be a creative person.  I’m not very gifted with art or music, but Chopra says that creativity expands beyond the arts.  Creativity is simply finding a new way to deal with a situation.  When I was a child, I think it was much easier to be creative than it is in my adult life because I had not yet been taught the typical ways to deal with things.  For example, when my friends and I were bored, we did not know the rules and strategies for specific sports such as baseball or basketball.  Instead, we created our own entertaining games in which anything could be turned into a base/safe zone and any problem with the game could be solved with new rule.

            Now that I’m older, it’s more difficult to think beyond the normal structure of the world.  Since I am older and have learned the rules for different sports, it’s difficult to think of something other than a game of 1 on 1 or horse to do with a basketball.  Thinking about Chopra’s argument, I think most of my current creativity is expressed through my teaching.  For example, when I teach my elementary students a new skill, the obvious solution is to have them practice the skill simply as we know it.  If I’m teaching them to throw, it makes the most sense to have them play catch with a partner.  However, there are many times that the students cannot do it well because they have not mastered certain parts of the skill.  Instead of giving them a ball and telling them to throw it, I have them step towards their partner and high five with their opposite hand to teach them to step/throw in opposition.  Finding different activities that can teach the same skill has proven to engage the students better and break down the skill much better.

            Superheroes use their creativity to solve nearly every problem they encounter.  They are always stuck in near impossible situations, but they always seem to find their way out.  Being one of the most recent heroes that we’ve talked about, Captain America instantly comes to mind.  He can find the perfect angle to bounce his shield off a wall to hit an enemy or find a creative way to lure his enemies into a deserted hallway so he can knock them out.  Superheroes are known for their powers, but their intelligence and way they use them tend to make a superhero truly great. (If only Captain America had been a little more creative at the end of the movie, he maybe he wouldn’t have had to crash land the perfectly intact, fully fueled aircraft).

Reflective Essay #1

Tori Beaty

INTG 323

Reflective Essay #4

19 February 2012

Flash Goes for a Run

The story starts off with myself running down a country road on a cold fall morning, when a flash of light and gust of wind fly by me.

Tori: What was that??...And now it’s coming back this way?

*All of a sudden there’s a man dressed in red spandex in front of me with a puzzled look on his face. I immediately recognize him as The Flash.

Flash: What are you running from? Can I help you with something?

Tori: I’m not running from anything…I’m just running.

Flash: Just running?? Where are you trying to go?

Tori: I’m going to head out on this road for a couple of miles and then loop back towards school.

Flash: So you’re going right back where you started?

Tori: Yeah, don’t you ever just go for a run?

Flash: No, never…I really only use my power when I need to.

Tori: Well you should try it some time, it can be really relaxing…Want to come with me?

Flash: Sure, I guess I could give it a try.

Tori: Weren’t you just on your way somewhere though?

Flash: Oh yeah, I was going to meet Superman in Florence for lunch, but he’s always late anyways…Always some kind of girl trouble he has to attend to.

*We start running and it’s obvious that it’s difficult for Flash to keep a slower pace.

Flash: It’s so different to actually be able to look around at the scenery while I’m doing this.

Tori: I bet…sometimes it’s really nice to just come out for a nice long run when I’ve had a rough day…You probably have a lot of those huh?

Flash: You could say that…

*We eventually make it back to the school and Flash seems much more at ease.

Flash: Wow, I do feel good after doing that, thanks for letting me come with you.

Tori: Any time. You’re powers aren’t only good to help everyone else you know? You should use them for your own benefit every once in a while.

Flash: You’re probably right…same time next week?

Tori: Absolutely

*Flash takes off as a burst of light and I smile to myself knowing I just found the best running partner a person could ask for.

Part II

            The second part of this reflective essay goes along with the first part, because the person that I chose to talk to actually is the best running partner I could ask for.  We’re both on the cross country and track team and since we both have similar abilities, we tend to run together.  On days that we’re not feeling like running or we have to do a 15 mile long run the morning after a difficult meet, she’s always there to encourage me as well as push me to do my best.  Over the past 3 years we’ve both become much better athletes, but also much better friends.  She always lends a listening ear and offers advice. We’ve talked about many different things during all the miles we’ve run together.

            This past weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to tell her how much I really appreciate her.  We both ran in the same race and did extremely well.  We both ran major PR’s (personal records) and ran faster than we ever imagined we would.  After the race I let her know how proud I was of our accomplishment and that I appreciate having her as a training partner.  I told her how nice it is to always have someone to count on, especially on the days that it’s difficult.  She was very agreeable to what I had told her.  She said that she knows us working together is definitely the reason we’ve done so well and that she’s equally happy to have someone to count on.

            Overall, talking to her wasn’t as awkward as I had expected because the opportunity presented itself in a completely natural way. I was somewhat surprised by her reaction because I had never taken the situation from her point of view before. It was really nice to find out that she counts on me just as much as I count on her.  I guess what I got out of the entire experience is that I should take advantage of those times when it seems natural to express your appreciation. Also, even if you don’t recognize it, there are people who count on you just as much as you count on them.

Reflective Essay #3

Tori Beaty

INTG 323

Reflective Essay #3

12 February 2012

Selfless Living

            The Arthur/Berger article, “Dissociation in a Hero” begins by talking about superheroes (specifically Superman) and their responsibilities.  Most superheroes work on their own and even though some have sidekicks, they tend to be highly independent.  Even though many heroes have a love interest, they never actually form real relationships.  However, even though they do not have relationships, they are surrounded by people who admire them and need their help. “Married or not, Superman’s a family man, loaded with other people’s demands, other people’s problems” (147).

            I think it is interesting to think about the fact that Superman has no real obligation to anyone, but he actually has an obligation to everyone.  I wonder what makes him different than regular humans that allows him to think so unselfishly.  In my opinion, most people feel a sense of responsibility towards their loved ones and would do absolutely anything to protect them.  However, the average person would not typically go to such great lengths to protect strangers.

            Superman, even though he is not human, was raised by humans who bestowed their own beliefs upon him.  Did Superman have outstandingly moralistic parents or does something about his different genetic make-up cause him to think differently than the average person?  Personally, I think that he might feel a void due to the fact that he was sent from a destroyed planet.  He might feel a higher sense of responsibility because he came from a planet in which he had no opportunity to protect his people from destruction.  Being taken in on planet Earth and given a home provided him the opportunity to give back by protecting Earth in a way he could not protect Krypton. 

            Looking at Superman’s dilemma can help average people learn a lesson in responsibility even though they do not have the option to save all of American society.  Sometimes in my own life I find myself acting incredibly selfishly rather than thinking about options that would benefit the most people.  The next time that I want to go out with friends instead of helping out around the house or am offered the opportunity to do volunteer work when I have other plans, I need make an honest effort to remember the ideals that Superheroes uphold.  If each person made on less selfish decision each day, the world would probably be a much better place.  

Reflective Essay #2

Tori Beaty

INTG 323

Reflection #3

5 February 2012

Duel Identities

            Every person must decide for themselves which identities are real and which are secret.  Sometimes it seems as though superheroes have their identities chosen for them.  It is typical for a superhero to create an identity as a normal human and is then forced to create his or her secret identity as a superhero after acquiring powers.  However, I believe superheroes eventually have the option to choose whichever identity they wish to have as their real/secret.  Some superheroes become so engrossed in their super abilities that being a superhero takes over their lives and have difficulty living like a typical human.  At this point, I believe their super side becomes their real identity while their previous human identity becomes their secret.

            I think that similar situations arise for typical people.  We all must change our actions when we are in different situations.  All people play different roles and are expected to behave appropriately.  I myself, play multiple roles.  I am a student, daughter, sister, athlete, girlfriend, employee, etc.  In every situation some part of my personality shines through, but is changed in order to fit the particular role.  I am more professional at practice and work and more relaxed in social situations.  However, even though I behave somewhat differently, I also think that each role that I play changes my overall personality.  Throughout my athletic career I have gradually become a very hardworking person.  This trait has helped me excel athletically, but it has also changed my study habits as well as my actions in a work environment.  I have found that spending more time with my boyfriend has helped me learn to be a little bit more easygoing in situations with friends or coaches that would have previously stressed me out.  I think that similar ideas could apply to superheroes.  Bruce Wayne’s emotional, revenge seeking personality seeps into Batman’s actions.  In the end, a person can have separate identities, but in the end they are still one person and each identity will eventually affect the others.