War and Peace: "The Things They Carried" Primary and Secondary Blogs (3 total)

2/6/2015

Prompt: Think about the items that you carry in your bag (backpack, purse, fanny-pack, man-bag, etc.). Choose two items and explain why you have chosen to "hump" these items wherever you go. What is the tangible and intangible element of each item and why? Then think and write about what these items say about you.

Primary Blog Post: 2 Full Paragraphs (200-250 words - use at least one MLA cited quote from the short story to compare with your own experience).
Secondary Blog Post: 1 Full Paragraph (100-150 words) X 2 (one each for two classmates).

*please note: you must use your assigned "pen name" for this assignment (both primary blog entry and secondary blog entries). If you forget, you may use a word of your own choosing (appropriate!), but you MUST contact me to let me know who you are so that I may give you credit. Anonymity is important to this process.

-Primary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of the day (Friday 2-6-2015 at 11:59 pm) will be scored.
-Secondary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of the weekend (Sunday 2-8-2015 at 11:59 pm) will be scored.

2/6/2015 05:54:27 am

One thing that I keep because I cherish so much is my book bag that I use for school and activities. I cherish this bag so much because it was one of the last things that were left behind from my sister before she was murdered. Every time I get asked why I wear a “girl bag “I just simply reply “ because I’m different “. Even though that’s not the real reason why I wear it, I just don’t feel comfortable telling people the reason why I do. A pink book bag with purple stripes doesn’t seem like the typical type of bag for a senior in high school.

2/7/2015 09:57:36 am

I understand you completely im not going to say I feel your pain. but no one will ever know how you feel. its hard to loose people or things you loved so much. the pain you feel of loosing your sister the person you always went to and was the family member you held on high left you kept what you felt would keep you close to you. if you could you would take it to the grave with you if it meant being close to your sister. it hurts and its painful but we all have that one thing or something to keep close to you that's so far away.

2/8/2015 07:45:57 am

I can’t say that I will ever totally understand the pain of losing a sibling. I can share the sympathy of losing a very close loved one. That’s why I will always carry the ashes of my grandmother with me until the day that I meet her again I will always have those with me for the rest of my life. It will always be hard for the both of us to not have that person in our lives anymore, but to have those things that they once touched or even them, but the comfort that that item brings no one will ever understand.

3/2/2015 02:13:26 pm

I can't say personally that I understand what everything must've been like because I have never been in that position where I lose a beloved one or so but I can definitely say that I do understand and completely agree with the reason why you carry this book bag with you. I would probably do the same exact thing if I was to be in your position because it's someone who I loved so much and carrying something that can at least make me remember that person or carry something of them throughout life is something I would definitely do. I completely respect the reason why you carry it and not everyone could be as strong as you to carry something of so much value and meaning with them and not tear up or get sentimental, much respect my man.

2/6/2015 05:57:15 am

I would “hump” my baby panda bear. I love my baby panda its white and black and can fit in both my hands. I sleep with it every night and carry it everywhere I can. I got it from my mom the day before Valentine’s Day. I was at Wal-Mart and I had the worst pain I have every felt so my mom said get a teddy bear because she always buys me V-day gifts. So I see the baby panda holding a box of candy and I wanted it. When I got home the pain got worse I went to the bathroom and that is the first time I have been scared. There was so much blood on my pants my hands and my clothes and I screamed from the top of my lungs. I went to the hospital and I went to the most pain I have ever been in. So many test was ran and all I could think about was that panda. I finally got home and I cried and the only thing that gave me comfort was my panda. I realized that im in denial and I had substituted my panda for what was lost. I would carry my phone because I can take pictures and post them on instagram. My phone has over 2,000 pictures of me I take so many pictures of myself. I love taking pictures of myself and I feel that I have to. When I was younger I use to get bullied in third grade to eighth grade. I got bullied for my skin color, how I dressed, my weight, how I had developed before everyone else, and the way I talked. I would cry myself to sleep and try to hide behind a smile the next day. When I first got a phone in the 4th grade I took a picture and I realized I was a beautiful young person. I thanked god that I had good edges, the color of my skin, the way I developed, and the way I talked. So I take as many pictures of myself as I can so I can have memories of myself.

2/6/2015 12:03:23 pm

Something that I carry is a paper that defines who I am and what I am and who I will become, it's a paper that will justify my actions and the path of life I have taken its where my life has started and my story has begun, it's a calling for a few and a life for many. It's what separates the ones willing to sacrafice everything for a greater purpose, for the person to your right and to your left. It's something where you will risk your life so that someone else may live or fight another day and so they can go home to their loved ones even if it means won't ever again. It's not for the faint of heart. It's for those who are willing to do what is nessasary.

2/6/2015 12:16:39 pm

i carry my purse because it has all my money my debit card incase i need money urgently and also other card discounts to buy things at the mall. i carry my phone around because it's really important it contains every information like my pictures accounts songs etc. the other thing is my books for school that would help me successed in future because without them i won't be able to reach my goals to graduate high school....

2/8/2015 07:57:22 am

I carry my wallet that is very important to me and I will always keep it with me because without it I can’t do much. It will get me through high school because it has my ID and my money in it and that will pay for accountabilities and lunch and my ID will get me lunch and I will be able to pay for my accountabilities. It will also allow me to go the nurses office if I need to seek medical attention, when I’m in pain or bleeding. That’s why I carry my wallet around in high school.

2/6/2015 12:26:24 pm

I “hump” two things on me at all times, a note from my uncle that is in prison as well as my grandmothers ashes in a necklace. Both of these things are very important to me. The letter that I carry from my uncle is because it reminds me of the better times in my life. The times when I was able to do things with freedom and was still under the control of an adult, without my parents with me. This letter means a lot to me because it is somewhat of a way that I can release all the feelings from when I held them inside. I read the letter every day to remember that he is still around, I’m just not able to see him.
I also “hump” my grandmothers’ ashes because it gives me a sense of comfort, and love. My grandmother was like another mother to me because she wasn’t there for me until I was six years old. My grandmother loved me for the years that we were together. She had always been there to support me through all the struggles that I went through in my life no matter what it was. My grandmother always had my back like she was my best friend and up until the last moments of her life I helped her do things whenever she needed it to be done and learned more about what her life was like when she lived in Florida.

2/7/2015 09:19:14 am

I understand why you carry what you carry. we all have something that mean something to them. like the captain in the story he held on to the love for this girl that kept him want and fighting for life just to see her. just like me with me and my panda and other things. we all hold things near and dear to us that we think will uplift us and carry us while we carry it on our journey and we know it means the world to us not to anyone else but to us so that is what means the world to us and no one will understand the value of what it mean to us but others can sympathize with us.

3/2/2015 06:24:44 am

I agree with this statement it gives the readers a clear understanding of what's going on in the war.

3/2/2015 02:22:47 pm

I think that for you to read and carry this letter every single day with you says a lot, it shows that you really truly care about your uncle and the times which you felt like life was just a better place compared to now. The only way to shoot an arrow is pulling it backwards so if you feel like life it just holding you back or things are just not the same as they used to be it doesn't necessarily mean that they will stay like that, it could mean that just like an arrow life is holding you back to shoot you into something better so keep aiming champ. I also think that carrying your grandmothers ashes in your necklace is very meaningful and the amount of love you felt for this woman is just really nice, I respect you very much for carrying these two things with you, they were definitely more meaningful than mine.

3/3/2015 02:59:55 pm

Why would you hump your grandmother's ashes?

2/8/2015 02:06:10 am

In that story the things they carry they carry things that mean something to them and some people carried weapons. And so I carry something that makes me happy every day to know that I am still a live and I honestly think that it's not that bad. The characters in the story all had goals which was to make it home alive to see the woman that was sending them things and most of them didn't make it back home one of them got shot in the head. Basically what I'm trying to say is they wanted to live another so they can see other things other than war

2/11/2015 01:51:33 am

Things that I would carry in my bag are thing that are valuable which would be my cell phone and my charger. I choose these two things because if I was lost I would need it and I can get my safe way back to my house. These items say a lot about me and myself and how these items are Important to me. I would do my best to get me back to the safest Place I can reach, when I have chosen these items. It should get me back safely.

3/1/2015 02:31:50 pm

Inside of my bag I have a lot of things. I have things that might mean a lot and things that might not really mean anything. Two things that might mean a lot would be my phone and my wallet. My phone personally means a lot to me because it's my way of communicating with the important people in my life like my good friends, my family and people that just matter the most, it's a way for me to catch important/meaningful moments by taking pictures. I could live without it obviously but it's just like a little cheat code in life, it's a facilitator and it maintains me communicated with the people I care about. My wallet means a lot to me also because it has my credit cards so if I ever need anything I could have it thanks to my wallet, it has my ID which I need for a lot of things and it has sexual protection because I don't want to have a baby yet hahaha. These things are things that really matter to me, that's why I carry them I think this relates a little to "The Things They Carried" because just like me, these guys carried stuff with them that they could obviously live without but they were things that just made them feel either safe, better, happy or anything that just helped in any way possible.

3/3/2015 02:00:09 pm

Something I carry that means the most to me would have to be the necklace my grandma gave me. You seem me and her haven't had the best relationship and it was her way of showing me that she cares. I didn't really think she liked me at one point but after she gave me the necklace I put more of an effort in to bettering our relatiobship

3/5/2015 09:38:08 am

Its good your making an effort to build a relationship with her because you don't know how much longer she'll be around so love on her while she's here.

3/5/2015 09:28:48 am

The thing that I would "hump" is ma little Teddy Bear. I cherish my bear so much because when I was a little girl I had a surgery I had went through I was extremely scared and nervous. My mom knew I loved bears so while I was in surgery she went to the gift shop and got me the cutest bear ever and when the surgery was done she gave it to me. And I've had her every since.

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