...Zalvin Prof. Jennifer Crane QU101 9/13/10 Creating An Identity In Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama he talks about his life experiences and how it formed him as a human being. The story also shows his interpretation of what a solid community should consist of, as well as how individuals should interact with each other within the community. Through out his life he was discovering who he was by new meeting people and trying new things. An individual’s identity is formed through life experiences and cannot be sustained because it is ever changing. A community is a group of people that are brought together by friends, family, neighbors, and people with common interests. Communities are important because it gives people a sense of belonging and being wanted. And in Dreams From My Father, those were the needs and values that Barack was searching for. Communities are sustained through shared values, trust, loyalty, and a sense of safety. In a community people have moral responsibilities to other people and the community as a whole. Communities have moral responsibilities to their individual members because they need to keep their community together. Sometimes you get put into situations where you want to look out for yourself rather than the big picture with the community. You have to be able to put others in front of you sometimes so that you can avoid these types of conflicts. My favorite excerpt from the text came when his father was insulted by a man who...
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...Back to School A country thrives when its citizens contribute and make an effort to make the most of what they are offered in life. President Barack Obama is very aware of this and has made it an important subject and goal in his presidential career to inspire youngsters in the right direction, both for their own sake and their country’s. Barack Obamas’ speech “Back to School” at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia was held in September 8, 2009. The age of the present audience varied to children from kindergarten and all the way up to twelfth grade. In addition to that, the speech was also broadcasted to students all over the country. The audience is obviously extremely great, and the speech will therefore have a tremendous impact on several individuals. The first thing Obama seems to focus on in his speech on the first day of the children’s school day are in fact the children themselves. He speaks directly to them, and initiates the whole thing by telling everyone that being nervous is perfectly normal. He has obviously tried it himself when he was their age. Very easily he finds a way to make everyone relate to him by telling stories from his own life. Barack Obama did not grow up under the best circumstances. He was raised by a single mother whom was very passionate about doing what was best for her son. She even sought to homeschool Obama, when he wasn’t at school. She wanted to make sure he would have the best possible future. This particular section of the speech...
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...In the Name of Identity: Who are you? What makes you, you? How are you recognized as a human being? What makes you different than every other person in the world? These questions contribute to your identity regardless of what you look like or where you come from. Every single person in the world is different whether it is visible to others or not. Although we are all different, we connect and form relationships through common ideas, values, and goals. In the novel Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, by Barack Obama, he recalls many different issues involving his identity as a whole in addition to the communities he lived in and principle values he was raised to believe. Throughout the story Obama creates a theme of struggle involving his own identity. He relates these issues towards his own community and explains how certain occurrences shaped his character values and personality. The word individual can be defined in various ways. It is a word that can apply to many different aspects of life as well as raising questions about who exactly we are as individuals and how we became the who we are today. Some factors that contribute to shaping our identities are social, educational, economic and historical. While Obama was growing up, identity was something he struggled with deeply. He was constantly moving, which forced him to experience different communities and ultimately aided in forming his identity. Looking back on it now, it seems beneficial, but at...
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...really means to be free and what the real meaning is. Do we as a society understand how some laws were meant for all and some that were really placed in law for others? There are rules and laws that are set in place just for people of color or minority and some that are set in place for all if the all fit in the category set forth in that particular law. To this day the law is not equal. Crucial Social and Political incidents When my parents moved our family from Newark, NJ to Piscataway, NJ in the early 70’s, my father wanted to find a place better than where we were coming from. He found a home in an area that the builder was told not to sell to blacks. The builder did not care, he cared that my father had the down payment and he was approved, so the builder let my father buy the home. There was a reason why blacks were not allowed in that area. It all started with the bomb threats, sugar in our car gas tank, screen door torn from off the front door and racial slurs written on the garage doors. That is just the tip of the iceberg. My father told us never to cross to the other side of the road. We could never figure out why, until one day we decided to ride our bikes to the school on the other side of the road. We were at the school no more than five minutes before three police cars pulled and with sirens hailing. They told us to drop the bikes and lay on the ground. He asked us where we stole the bikes from. We told them our father bought them for us. One of...
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...Ariana Bovenkamp Dream Log 10/17/11 Thoughts: Today when I woke up I could not remember my dream. When I woke up, my thoughts were that I should’ve slept longer and that I should’ve done my homework earlier because it kept me up until the early hours of the morning. Thoughts: I could not remember my dream this morning when I woke up. When I woke up, I was thinking about all of the things I need to do during the day and that I have so much to do. I was also feeling very tired because I did not sleep long enough. Dream: During my dream, my friend Gabe and I were going to the supermarket to buy bagels but when we pulled into the parking lot we realized it was a super strange supermarket, it was all green. But we decided to go in and buy bagels. As we continued to walk down the isle where the bagels were, one green slime monster jumped out and started talking to me and he was distracting me while some others killed Gabe. Once I realized what happened, the others tried to attack me and as I was running away, I saw my friend Christopher so I ran up to him and tried to have him help me escape and as I started talking, he turned into a slime monster and shot a gun and right before the bullet hit me, I woke up. Dream: During my dream I was walking through a grocery store in South Africa and my dad dropped from the ceiling and I was scared because I didn’t know who it was. That’s the only part of my dream I could remember. Dream: My dream was very random last night...
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...have their own dreams since they were young. And they are sure that they want those dreams to be their future. However, some people find their dreams after they have grown up. Most of the teenagers are still having numerous dream jobs in their mind. Most of them not sure of what they want to be but they knew where they want to be. They want to live without worries , and live happily in the future. For me, as a 17-years-old student, my only aim for now is to pass my O'level with good grades so that i can get into the course that i want. Even though my mind has been wavering with a lot of thoughts and people's 'suggestion'. It is really hard for me to stick on one dream as i am easily influenced by other people. I wanted to be a business woman when i was young because i saw a movie about a successful business woman and i thought she was cool. After a while, i wanted to be an engineer like my father, a hotel owner after i visited to a grand hotel as i thought it would be awesome and a ballet dancer when i saw a Hong Kong movie about a beautiful ballet dancer. As i grew up i had more and more dreams. I wanted to be spy, detective, singer, and lastly architecture. And now i had realized, no matter how many dreams i had, there are some common factors about the dreams that i want. I wanted those career because i thought it would be cool, famous and mostly money. The fact that i like money does not change. My last dream was to be an architecture because i thought it is a respectable...
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...DREAM ANALYSIS This reflective essay illustrates Freud’s theory of dream analysis. It will begin with a brief overview of Freudian dream theory and will go on to describe the various components of personality structure and the unconscious from a psychodynamic perspective. This essay will analyse one of my personal dreams using Freud’s dream analysis theory and conclude with a critical reflection on the application of his theory as it relates to my dream. When Freud famously referred to dreams as being the ‘royal road to the unconscious’, he meant that dreams were a way in which to access the unconscious mind. Dream analysis in psychoanalysis is the process used to explore the role dreams play in the unconscious (Corey, 2005). The purpose of Freud’s theory of dream analysis is to gain better access to the unconscious in order to bring it into the conscious (Day, 2008). Freud believed that the mind represses painful events that the conscious does not want to remember due to the pain and anxiety they cause (Scharf, 2008). These repressed desires and motivations are freed through dreams which are a direct connection to the unconscious. Freud saw the unconscious as sexual and instinctual in nature and the dream as a disguised unfulfilled wish (Welsh, 1994). To better understand the dynamics between the conscious and the unconscious parts of the mind, Freud (1994) developed the structural model of the psyche which he called “the psychic apparatus”. Freud proposed that the part...
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...six week tour of the Volga region of Russia, which also consisted of a three week cruise of the Volga River. After the cruise, the ship docked in Moscow and then the students were to board a train to go to St. Petersburg. While on the cruise, my bunk mate was the professor. Because this was in June, White Nights was in effect and as a result, it was quite difficult to get to sleep. Every night, the professor would talk about his walk-man and how lucky he was to have one to go to sleep with at night. We had a great relationship, so I would tell him that he might wake up dead and his walk-man stolen because he made fun of me not having one! I also was his teaching assistant, so we would often joke with each other about death threats. So this threat was nothing to be alarmed with. Finally, after three weeks of dealing with the professor, I was looking forward to not having to bunk with him in St. Petersburg. When the ship docked in Moscow, the captain informed us that we needed to return by 8:00 pm so that we would not miss the train going to Petersburg. On a side note, I had lived in Moscow for two years, so I left the rest of the students and made my way around town to see some friends. I returned to the ship at 8:00, loaded my luggage onto a bus and waited for the rest of the students. At 8:30, the captain of the ship was furious because the professor and the rest of the group had not returned to the ship to go to the train station. Since I was the only one there,...
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...According to Merriam-Webster, a dream can be defined as a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. Form many people, sleep can be a disturbing time, but for others it can be a peaceful, longing time of the day. For me, I LOVE my sleep, as well as any dreams that may accompany my slumber. I would like to think I have a very vivid imagination, based on some of the dreams that I encounter. I do find that I can remember most of my dreams, at least for a few hours, however, by the end of the day, I honestly can say that last night’s dream has been long since forgotten. After having a late night talk with my brother a year or so ago, I discovered that he and I are even more similar than I thought. He revealed to me that he often times gets a sense of déjà vu, most frequently after “dreaming”. Ever since I was a teenager, many times I feel as though I encounter situations that I have dreamt about. For example, today while sitting in an office meeting, I was just sitting and minding my own business, when all of a sudden I turned my head and looked at someone giving a presentation, I felt as though I had just dreamt that very scenario a few weeks ago. It certainly can’t be explained, but I got such a weird feeling, that I interpret as déjà vu. I personally do not believe that my dreams solve my problems nor answer my problems. What I do believe however is that my dreams are often times prompted by situations going on in my life. For example, I started a...
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...The Interpretation of Dreams Sigmund Freud (1900) PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION Wheras there was a space of nine years between the first and second editions of this book, the need of a third edition was apparent when little more than a year had elapsed. I ought to be gratified by this change; but if I was unwilling previously to attribute the neglect of my work to its small value, I cannot take the interest which is now making its appearance as proof of its quality. The advance of scientific knowledge has not left The Interpretation of Dreams untouched. When I wrote this book in 1899 there was as yet no "sexual theory," and the analysis of the more complicated forms of the psychoneuroses was still in its infancy. The interpretation of dreams was intended as an expedient to facilitate the psychological analysis of the neuroses; but since then a profounder understanding of the neuroses has contributed towards the comprehension of the dream. The doctrine of dream-interpretation itself has evolved in a direction which was insufficiently emphasized in the first edition of this book. From my own experience, and the works of Stekel and other writers, [1] I have since learned to appreciate more accurately the significance of symbolism in dreams (or rather, in unconscious thought). In the course of years, a mass of data has accumulated which demands consideration. I have endeavored to deal with these innovations by interpolations in the text and footnotes. If these additions do...
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...Why We Dream and What Our Dreams Mean There are several theories to why people have the dreams they have. Yet there are no definitive answers to this age old question. One theory is the Evolutionary Theory which states that we dream to practice responses to threatening situations. Cognitive scientist has shown that our amygdala (the fight-or-flight piece of the brain) fires more than normal when we're in REM sleep the time in sleep when we dream. So even though your body is not moving it is practicing the fight or flight response. Another theory is to organize the brain. Everyday our minds are filled with new information both consciously and unconsciously. This theory suggests dreaming is a way to file away key information and discard meaningless data. It helps keep our brains organized and optimizes our learning. There is yet another theory that suggests dreams help to solve problems or cope with trauma. Based on the intensity of our emotions, we will generate dreams to cope with certain situations. Although, scientists generally seem to agree that dreaming is a form of thinking during sleep. I decided to keep track of my dreams over a three week time period so that I could analyze how many times I had a certain dream and to find out what the dreams meant. It is very interesting to see what is going on in my subconscious. I went to dreammoods.com to find out what the meanings were. In one dream I was pregnant with not a human child but puppies. At this site...
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...interview for my current job, I found myself having the typical pre-interview 'jitters'. I felt the anxiety build up not knowing the exact questions that my possible future employer would ask. However, I prepared throughout the day recalling the usual interview situations i've faced in the passed. I eventually fell fast asleep after exhausting and visualizing the following day's interview repeatedly in my mind. Since that was mostly the only (and last) thought I had before entering my REM cycle that night, the thought had continued into my unconscious state. My dream consisted of the next days events, mainly the interview. Vividly, I went through the routine of waking up to my alarm, getting showered and dressed, eating a balanced breakfast, and arriving to the office on time. Then, the dream had skipped forward to the moment the employer looking over my resume and asking me a set of questions. Afterwards, it had rewound the interview over and over again giving me different outcomes and questions each time showing the various possibilities. When I woke up I couldn't believe that it had been a dream it felt so real but thanks to the dream it prepared me for the real deal. I felt more confident and prepared to bite the bullet and get the job that I deserve. Re-enacting my dream, I woke up to my preset alarm almost to the exact routine I mentally prepared for: got showered and dressed (in the same outfit consisting of a dress shirt and pants I saw in my dream), ate a balanced...
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...Are dreams real or pure fiction? PROLOGUE THE PURPOSE of my writing this creative nonfictional composition is to deal with the issue of whether dreams are real or fantasy. Many people believe that they are real in that they reflect the character of the dreamer and have repercussions on him or that they are a foreboding of a realistic future event. This composition elucidates the idea that even though dreams have some relationships to what the dreamer has experienced, dreams by themselves are pure fantasy. What INFLUENCED my writing this piece was my very own dream. After experiencing such a nightmare, I was deeply motivated in finding insights about dreaming and researching their specific meanings. My classmate, Ryan, discussing about his own dream of being a serial killer, has also given me an inspiration into thinking about dreams. After all, my dream was in similar context with Ryan’s dream – we were both being serial killers. INTRODUCTION Brain is simply the most fascinating organ in the body. It is where dreaming occurs. When a person is well into his sleep his eyes start to move rapidly. This stage is known as “Rapid Eye Movement” or “REM sleep” and is where he begins to dream. In a person’s brain, there are systems known as “neural systems.” They function as an ongoing but unaware correlate to those structures that people are aware of during states of consciousness. However, during REM sleep, neural systems have the upper hand and they are not interfered by reality...
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...The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dream Psychology, by Sigmund Freud This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Dream Psychology EBOOK DREAM PSYCHOLOGY *** Produced by David Newman, Joel Schlosberg and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. DREAM PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOANALYSIS FOR BEGINNERS BY PROF. DR. SIGMUND FREUD AUTHORIZED ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY M. D. EDER WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDRÉ TRIDON Author of "Psychoanalysis, its History, Theory and Practice." "Psychoanalysis and Behavior" and "Psychoanalysis, Sleep and Dreams" NEW YORK THE JAMES A. McCANN COMPANY 1920 THE JAMES A. McCANN COMPANY PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. INTRODUCTION The medical profession is justly conservative. Human life should not be considered as the proper material for wild experiments. Conservatism, however, is too often a welcome excuse for lazy minds, loath to adapt themselves to fast changing conditions. Remember the scornful reception...
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...become a singer or do something that I love and something that made me happy. I remember my dad would always turn on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and I would dance around the room and even in public. I decided that I wanted to do what I love because Michael Jackson did what he loved, he made other people happy, and he inspired others. I’ve always hope that one day I would inspire and impact other people’s lives too. As time went on my parents asked my sister and I what we wanted to do when we were older. My sister told them she wanted to be a doctor, and she got much approval, and I told them I wanted to sing. My parents came from Asia and faced a rough childhood. They had to escape the Vietnam War...
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