Memories For a Life time
Philosophical Concept: Individual in society
Text comparison: Protagoras by Plato
Text comparison: Protagoras by Plato
Introduction
My story starts out when I was very little and growing up with my two older brothers and a single mom. Throughout my childhood I have no memory of my father living in the same house as me or being a substantial figure in my life until I was in high school. Because I had no memory of him being there or leaving my mom, it wasn’t nearly as hard for me compared to my older brothers due to their closer relationship with my dad. The lack of my father ultimately led to my oldest brother mike, being my biggest and best role model, I have could have asked for. Now I give him lots of credit for the person I have become, and I am in a sense following in his footsteps today.
The Movie
This is where I reference the film, Saving Private Ryan. In the film, these four brothers where drafted into the United States Army during World War II and had to go fight in the invasion of Normandy. The only one who survives is the one brother James Ryan. At first, he was distraught and could not believe it, but he began to realized the bigger picture and larger task at hand. When I first saw this movie when I was little, not only did it make me want to be in the army, but more importantly I felt the sadness of Private James Ryan. Looking back at my life, everyone has to grow up and your siblings and parents will grow up and especially old no matter what. The reason I have always found myself relating back to this movie is because of how important my two brothers are to me. They are my best friends and will always be there for me. Today I look back and have the fondest memories of my brothers and I, no matter the memory or the time. I still have my brother, unlike James, and they are only a call away, but the unmistakable feeling of that movie gave me a lasting impression and appreciation for not only the veterans in this country, and my brothers.
Why A Song?
To me, and most people, music can hold a memory attached to it more commonly and easier than any form of literature. There are songs that you can just hear and the memory that is attached to it immediately comes back to you. It could be the first time you heard it or just a song that comes on a lot when you are doing a certain task.
Song no.1
The second piece of literature that I have fallen in love with is a song that was introduced to me by my oldest brother Mike. “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed is a rock song from 1999 that ever since I heard it, it has reminded me of my oldest brother. The song talks about the lead singer welcoming either his son or someone younger than him into the world. He is filled with joy but wishes that he is not like him and that the child takes his own life by the hand with arms wide open. To me, this song is more than just a song my brother, who I always look/looked up to, showed me. He was always there showing me how to do things the right way and guiding me through decisions when he could speak from experience.
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song no.2
Another song I am going to use I “Open Your Eyes” by Alter Bridge. The background behind this group is that they is actually the same group as Creed, the writers of the previous song, but they replaced the lead singer with someone else. The focuses on better days to come and the reassurance that things are going to get better. This song means less to me about the lyrics and more because mike and I would air guitar to this song when my brothers and I and mikes two best friends would all hang out together. However, looking back at it now, I can see that it is a the reassurance that my relationship with my brother is okay and is getting better.
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Plato's Protagoras: what can i know now?
Based on what I’ve said so far and what I do know from my experiences and reading the texts in class, I can broaden my knowledge of life and exceptions based on what has happened to me. I already have a different life than most people who got to this school, my parents are divorced, and my oldest brother was my purest role model. Relating this back to the Protagoras by Plato, my brother taught me many things as we were growing up, things that he may not even realize today. In a way, one of the biggest things he did teach me was a form of virtue. He made sure that I knew what was right and wrong or the what was the best option at the time. Looking back and appreciating and realizing what my brother did for me helps connect my experience to a text we have read in class.
What happened?
After my brother moved out and left home for college our relationship has suffered. Now he lives over an hour from home, and I go to school 3-1/2 hours in the opposite direction. He is married now and has two kids. I don’t get to see him as much anymore and we don’t get to talk on the phone as much I as I would like to. I get occasional updates from Facebook of new improvements he’s done around the house, or a new pet/ toy that he decided to go out and buy. I don’t think of Mike any less because he decided to grow up so fast and live his own life. Sometimes all you want is for someone who you’ve looked up to, or that means that much to you to just want to enjoy it and cherish it with you. Looking back at how my relationship with my brother turned out, I wouldn't ask to live it any other way or change anything. I appreciate what he did and the people we have both become.
Peer reflection
After getting some feedback and thinking about why I decided to write what I did, I realized how much my brothers both mean to me. I also re-thought the meanings of the songs and found a new way of thinking about the meanings of them. In addition to the songs, I decided to take a bigger step back on my approach for the writing on the movie and decided that there was more meaning than just appreciating my brothers. All in all, the peer reviews that I received were very helpful.