American Icons Galore! (Blog 2)

Theodore Seuss Geisel

When I was first starting to read, I read his books, and loved reading them, too. As I got older, I saw that there were a lot of his books that held deeper meaning to them, and I think those messages were placed into my subconscious mind throughout the years.

Dr. Seuss was not just a good children’s book writer. He also drew and wrote political cartoons during World War Two, mostly about Hitler and other Dictators who were ruling at that time. These cartoons proved to be clever and had interesting portrayals of what was going on in the world. I love his use of sarcasm and satire to get his point through. It shows that there are many different ways a person can let their voices be heard. This truth, among others, has inspired me throughout my entire life.

I could go on and list every detail of why I find Dr. Seuss so inspirational, but I know that if I did that, this would probably become The Never Ending Blog. Basically, Dr. Seuss has this funny source of wisdom in his writing that definitely teaches you something, but he doesn’t force you to learn it. You can either understand what he’s trying to say, or not. It really depends on how deeply you’re willing to think about it, and I think that’s a very calm way of getting a message out as well as effective.

Martin Luther King Jr.
Who and what was important to this icon? Why?
How did this icon become important to you?
How did this icon become important to American culture?

Everyone was important to Martin Luther King Jr. That was the point. Every person, no matter what color, were equal through his eyes, but not all others. Racism was what he wanted to get rid of, and he definitely helped with how far we've come on that matter. He was tired of seeing people so mistreated just because of their skin tone. Judging a book by its color is ridiculous, and he knew it. He knew that people weren't what others always said they were based on their race. No one deserved to be treated so cruelly.
The idea of true racism is disgusting to me. I mean it literally makes my stomach churn. I know of many of the other activists who struggled against racism, but Martin Luther King Jr. has always been a big influence to me. When I was a kid in elementary school, we started to learn about how it was in the past, and what Martin Luther King Jr. did to change that. I found it inspirational that he did so much without hurting anyone. His belief system has really shaped my beliefs as well as how I handle things in life. I look at people all the same upon first meeting, and avoid violence and such to get a point through. I am usually a very calm person, and it takes a lot to really aggravate me. I respect others as best as I can even if I don't especially like that person. I'm not saying that I don't get mean sometimes, but for the most part, I'm respectful towards everyone. Remembering to treat people the way you want to be treated is the main lesson I've learned. I even learned about Gandhi after researching into Martin Luther King Jr., because he had mentioned Gandhi being his inspiration.

I feel, in a way, if Martin Luther King Jr. hadn't done the things he did, had written the speeches we all know today, I probably wouldn't be here. I'm biracial, so not judging others on their race has always been essential for me. And even if I were born in this day and age, but not much had changed, I could have been one of the kids who got sprayed with fire hoses, or I could be one of the people who got killed for no good reason. I wouldn't know the friends I know today, and I know I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. Not to mention Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches have touched my heart in many ways because they're so inspirational and ring true to me, and I know for a fact that they did the same for so much more people in the past. More so for them than me, actually. He gave people hope, and opened so many people's eyes to the truth. Truly, he has set so many guidelines I abide by in life.

Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
What does this icon represent to you?
How did this icon become important to you?
How has this icon changed you?

I first read Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll when I was in the 7th grade. I had never really been a fan of the Disney movie, but I loved the various individuals that I'd seen from it. I picked it up at the library one day, and within the first chapter was hooked. It made me think around and upside down things, if that makes any sense. Basically, it challenged me to think a little differently, and introduced me to a more crazy form of narration. Books had always been paragraphs and chapters, so when I saw the different poems added in (such as the rat tail poem), I realized that when someone writes out of creativity, you don't have to stick to a format. The goal is to get a reaction out of the reader and keep their interest. When I read this book, I was not as into writing as I am now, but it expanded my horizons of thinking. My ideas didn't always have to be logical, which in turn made my life more fun, and allowed my imagination to work without thinking of reality at all. Characters could be whatever I wanted, could say whatever I wanted, and do anything. In the pages of this book, the possibilities were endless and it was funny, and odd, and terrifying to me. It got so many reactions out of me that it got me thinking about how others would react in these scenarios as well. Not only that, but the characters were one of a kind, and could be changed into different versions of themselves in so many ways.

Alice in Wonderland represents imagination and adventure to me. It made me actually crave to take a risk and not be afraid to be myself. It turns out that myself is someone who loves to get reactions out of people and play around. I use my imagination constantly without even trying, and sometimes not even wanting to. This book made me want to explore the wonders of the world even more than I had expected. It made me want to meet all these different sorts of people, and break out of the ordinary. I think that this was the first book that truly pulled me out of the real world, and into its own. When I read this book, I was in Wonderland. I've been visiting my own Wonderland ever since. If it's taught me one thing, it's that you don't always have to be logical. Just let loose and let go. I remember thinking how uptight Alice seemed to me, and I knew I would handle things differently. Or I thought I would. This book taught me that I would need to be open to new experiences and meeting new people. The differences of these places and people are what make the world so interesting. Crazy is a mindset. You can be crazy without actually being crazy. You can do whatever you want in your mind; bringing it to life is just a matter of how real it is to you. Wonderland is my land of imagination and fantasy, and that is what fuels my life for the best.