Research Paper

Unfortunately I can not write about my feelings on the research paper as I have only gotten to the outline but I can give some feedback about what I have done thus far.  In my opinion limiting the paper to a book that we have read in high school greatly limits the our capacity to be creative.  It is reasonable to limit us to a book that we have read in the past so that we have a deeper understanding of the plot and characters and can focus on more complex aspects of the book but I don't think it should be limited to something we have read in school.  Most of the books we read come out of a relatively strict school approved literary canon.  I have read many books outside of school that have literary merit but may not be a book that a teacher would pick to read in class since they can only fit a limited amount of books into the school year.  Allowing the students to pick any book they have read, with approval from the teacher of course, would broaden the range of books that would be chosen and would have the double accomplishment of allowing the students to write a paper they might have enjoyed more than, say, Heart of Darkness, or One flew over The Cuckoos Nest.  Other than that it is fine and I cant really criticize the time lines since mine aren't the same as anyone else's.

Well that's all i can really say about the research paper so now Ill move on and talk a little about HOD.  In class today we talked about the part in part 1, paragraph 69, about work.  He says, "I don't like work- no man does- but i like what is in the work- the chance to find yourself." (Conrad 97). In class we talked about this quote and I find it very true.  Nobody enjoys working, or at least the working itself.  What you enjoy is the challenge or finding out that you have the ability to do something you didn't know you could do.  In my opinion work that is physically demanding is very satisfying.  Something that requires me to lift stuff or hit stuff like splitting wood or mowing the lawn is at least as enjoyable as work can be. It allows you to push your body to the limit and find yourself.  It is, like Marlow says, "for yourself", It isn't for anyone else, other people may see you working but only you know what it really means to you.