Catherine Dauw
As a teenager, I have been able to connect to the literature and realize that teens today are trying to find themselves through speaking their opinion, that teens have to discover several things in order to find themselves, and that teens are never really in love because they are just trying to figure things out. For instance, in Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone gives her brother a proper burial that she believes that he deserves despite what her uncle, Creon, has written in the law and despite her sister telling her not to. Antigone does not let the law and the influence of others get in the way of her speaking her opinion and following her beliefs. Antigone is an example of how teens must follow their beliefs and correct what they believe is wrong. As a teenager, I have personally learned to make an effort to always stand up for others and what I think is right. I am able to truly find myself as a teenager by not letting the influences of society and the laws influence my opinions. As a teenager in society today, I try to make an effort to speak my mind despite what others think, like Antigone. Furthermore, in Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha travels down several different paths and tries several different things in order to find himself in the end. I can relate to Siddhartha because throughout my life and as a teen I have always struggled with trying to find myself. I have joined several different clubs, sports teams, and tried new hobbies to try and find where I truly fit. As a teen, it is hard to find yourself with the influences of society around you and not knowing where to go. Siddhartha did not know where he was going, but he had an idea of where he wanted to end up. Several teens in society today, like myself, have to try several different things in order to figure out how to achieve their dreams and to find where they want to be. In conclusion, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare, Lysander displays teenage love by switching from being in love with Hermia to then being in love with Helena. Teenagers in society today are often confused on what love truly is and want to experiment with love. As a teen myself and knowing from experience, teens often go from person to person to find themselves and to see how love truly works. Teens are at a time in their lives when they are curious and in order to discover new things about love, teens have many different immature relationships. Teens are never truly in love because true love if fully accepting someone and teens go to another person when they find something they do not like. Teens are trying to find themselves and gain experience with love, so that they will be able to create a better future of meaningful love. Teens often experiment with love to find what type of people they truly want to be with in the future. Teenagers in society today are trying to find themselves by speaking their opinion, trying new things, and experimenting with love, while trying to ignore society’s influences.
Dasaan Jabari
Through the teenage manifesto project, I have learned through
the literature that I have a respect for law enforcement, but I do not think
people should be jailed for no reason. I have also learned through the
literature that I am finding my way as a teen. I am able to relate to Antigone by
Sophocles because I heavily believe that it is wrong for people to be jailed
for no reason. I believe that we need to stand up for our beliefs and start
changing the world. Teens are the next generation and the future of the world
and we need to start speaking our beliefs. We should be able to speak freely
and through Antigone I have
grown to realize that the law sometimes unfairly jails teenagers for speaking
their mind. Antigone was jailed and ended up killing herself for just speaking
her beliefs and that is truly wrong. As teens we need to change the world. I
have also found through Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse that I am on a journey to find myself. I am a teen
and like Siddhartha, I am working to find who I am. Teens are at a time in
their lives when they are learning about things for the first time. Teens
experiment with lots of things, like love, and try to gain experience. As teens
we are on a path to find our way to the future. The literature has shown me
that teens in society are sometimes killed for what they think is right and as
teens we are all on a path to find our way to the future.
Grace Goldthwait
Doing the project has helped me realize how the 21st century teenager is compared to teenagers in literature. We have seen that teens want to have a say and to state their opinion in certain situations, they need to be content with themselves in order to find their identity, rather than relying on what others think of us, and teen love is not real, but just a way of figuring things out. I can relate to the book Siddhartha because as a teen, I am going through the process of self-discovery, or finding my identity. By doing many different things in my life to be more involved in my school, family, and friends, have helped to start my journey of self-discovery. Just like Siddhartha, I do not know where my path is yet in life, yet I am willing to do whatever it takes to find my identity and purpose in life. I am exploring, like many other teens, to find out what my purpose in life is, and where I am headed for the future. Secondly, I can also relate to A Midsummer Night's Dream, by Shakespeare, how teenage love can change so dramatically. Most teenagers do not know what love really is, yet we all want to know what it feels like to be loved by each other. As teens, we are curious and want to explore and learn new things just like love and experiment my dating. Teens do not truly love each other because we do not know what love actually is. Sure we have seen movies of people in love, but we have never actually experienced it for ourselves, just our relationships that never end up working. As the 21st century teen, I can say we are all on the same journey to finding ourselves, speaking our minds, and learning about love while fighting against the stereotypes society has put on us.
Connor Prendergast
Being a teen, I have realized how much the 21st century teen is represented in literature, even literature that was written a long time ago. In Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone has trouble doing what the king tells her to do because what he asks of her is morally wrong. She would rather do the morally right thing than the lawfully right thing. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare, Shakespeare gives his view on love and how people in love act. In Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, Siddhartha goes on a journey to find himself. I can connect to all three of these topics. Like Antigone, I have trouble listening to people that are in charge. I do not enjoy following directions or being told to do something if it is something that I do not think is right. Also, like Siddhartha, I am in the process of finding myself. I do not yet know what I want to do with my life or how I want to live my life. Also, like the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I am starting to experience love and everything that comes with it.
Devin lynch
Through literature, I realize that the 21st century teen is represented everywhere. In the stories we have read, I can relate very well. In these stories it shows that teens just want to find a voice, an identity, and have something to fight for and take pride in. We just need to realize that no matter what, if we like the image we have, the opinion we bear, and that what we fight for is right, than it does not matter what anybody else thinks. We just need to tune the rest of the world out. The book that I related to the most was Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse. I relate to Siddhartha because I have gone through the many ups and downs of finding myself. I have seen some of the lowest lows and the highest highs. I still go through it. When Siddhartha sets out on his journey to find Nirvana; that is when I set out for high school: to start living a life. When Siddhartha experienced the highs he got from the pleasures he found in the city; it is like when I felt on top of the world in sports and in school and when everything was just going great. When Siddhartha was looking at his reflection in the water trying to find something left in him; it is like when I felt the lowest lows. And when Siddhartha eventually finds Nirvana; that is where I will end up. I still continue to grow. It is the path that we all must take to reach our dreams. And although it is not an easy one, we will eventually get to where we want to go.
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"Good Riddance" by Green day
The song "Good Riddance" by Green Day explains how in life we are faced with a road that has several unpredictable challenges and we have to make the best of it. Teens in society today are faced with several challenges, but they have to push through it and make the best of the life they have.
Works Cited:
Day, Green. "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) [Official Music Video]." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Oct. 2009. Web.
20 May 2014.
Day, Green. "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) [Official Music Video]." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Oct. 2009. Web.
20 May 2014.