Cheerleading and Children: Blog #6

Believe it or not, there is a debate over cheerleading routines and stunts. Some people think that cheerleaders dance too provacatively and perform too dangerous of stunts. These people would like the government to crackdown on these issues by forming regulations. I do not agree with this. As a cheerleader, I know that there are already enough safety regulations to follow and adding even more would be annoying. IHSA (Illinois High Schools Association) provides a very intricate system of rules that cannot be broken. In the state of Illinois, stunting in high schools is safe. As for the provacative dancing regulations, thats why we have coaches. If something is too risque, our coach will intervene. Also, dancing is a way to express yourself. If you regulate that, you're telling people to regulate their expression. This would be infringing on the first amendment. 

Choosing the sex of your unborn child is wrong. New technology proposes the option for parents to genetically modify the sex of their child in order to ensure they have either one sex or the other. This is wrong because it is not God's plan, it can lead to a gender imbalance, and may open the door to even more genetic modifications. God has a plan for everyone, believers or non-believers and that plan involves the miracle that is a baby. Choosing which sex your child is is disrupting His plan, which is considered wrong in the church. Another problem with this new technology is gender imbalance. China is a prime example of a gender imbalance. Most families want a male child and will do anything to get it. This causes a primarily male society which provides a great imbalance. Genetic modifications don't just stop at choosing the sex of your child. This could lead to families choosing specific traits and features. You're basically going to "Build-A-Baby Workshop" and creating your child. We need to accept that not all aspects of our life can be planned and perfect. Parents should love their children just how God made them, because they are miracles.

An Overview of the Republican Party

What makes the Republican party different? Why are they represented by an elephant? What's their stance on controversial topics? These are some of the questions I will set straight in my informative essay about the Republican party. Over the past few years,  I have learned quite a bit about this topic; I feel that with adequate research I can write a great informative essay on it.

I would like to research the history of the republican party, some of it's most influential people, and previous beliefs. Researching the actual history of the party could uncover some interesting facts like the elephant and color red. Who started the party, and why? These are the questions I soon hope I can answer. The history of the Republican party will provide great background information for the essay.

Next, I'd like to talk about their stance on certain, current controversial topics such as gun control, gay marriage, abortion, and Syria. Many have a cruel perception of what the party believes and don't give it the time of day. I hope to talk about the party's views enough to help people understand why they agree or disagree with them.

Lastly, I'd like to break all stereotypes that are made about the Republican party. They're not all gay-hating, old, upper class white men sitting in their office. The myth that all republicans are white is very false; plenty of other ethnic groups are involved with the party, and not all possess a lot of money. I would like to explain that your race, gender, and ethnicity do not determine your political beliefs.

I feel that I can find plenty of research, in newspapers and periodicals especially, that will assist me in explaining the party that millions affiliate with. The significance of conveying this information would be to educate people on a party that partly dominates our country today. After reading my paper, I hope that people will have better knowledge of what makes up the Republican party.

A Nordstrom Quesadilla

Quesadillas are a popular Mexican food that provide delicious flavor and satisfaction. One does not need to be from Latina descent to enjoy this meal. In fact, making this entree can result in a huge success for anyone's taste buds. Some people like to add veggies and meats to add to the flavor and benefits, but I usually like to keep it simple with just cheese. All you need is a stove, a pan, a spatula, some cheese, and tortillas.

Start by heating the stovetop to a little above the medium setting. Place the pan on top of it and wait a few minutes. If you'd like to be absolutely sure, pour some water on the pan to test the heat. If the water sizzles and evaporates quickly, it's ready. Next, place one tortilla on the hot pan and sprinkle the cheese of your choice evenly over it. Once you're pleased with your cheese amount, lay the second tortilla on top of it. From here on it's all a waiting game. Keep a close eye on your quesadilla to make sure it doesn't burn. Check on it every minute or so by using a spatula to lift a corner of the tortilla up. When it is a golden brown, use your spatula to flip it over to the other side.

Congratulations! You've successfully cooked one side of the quesadilla. Repeat the checking process with this side, and when ready flip it over to the other side again. Continuously flip for a minute and then turn off the stove. You've completed your quesadilla cooking. Grab a plate and place your entree on it. Find a napkin and maybe some salsa to compliment the great Mexican food. Enjoy your Americanized quesadilla and have a good day.

Digging Deep

Personal Narrative Essays are supposed to be about something significant in your life, but I haven't done much yet to qualify for that. There have been a lot of moments worth telling, don't get me wrong. What has me in a bind is that it has to be a whole essay and have a meaning! So after really thinking about what I've done in life, I've decided that my trip to Africa in 2009 and breaking my arm in 2010 are prime candidates. 

During the summer before my eighth grade year, my grandparents took the entire family to Africa for an adventure safari. All 16 of us hopped on a plane in Chicago, and 36 hours later we landed near Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This was going to be our home for the next 14 days. We spent a day or two in the city of Arusha to get to know the culture; the next day we drove into the wild safari. We saw so many kinds of wildlife, foliage, land formations, and people. In the middle of the Serengeti we stayed in tents exposed to any animal that would dare come near. This especially frightened me and put me out of my comfort zone. What if a lion, elephant, rhino, or any other animal decided that my tent was a threat and attacked? Those four nights, I barely slept at all! After leaving the Serengeti, we visited other places such as the Ngorongoro Crater, Tangire National Park Reserve, and Masai Villages. But at the very end of the trip we visited a small mountain village called Thloma. There, we had the opportunity to rebuild a kindergarten classroom and interact with the children there. This event was eye-opening. We brought with us old clothing, school supplies, things to decorate the classroom with, and lunch. For lunch, we introduced the young children to an American peanut butter & jelly sandwich. They were amazed with how different it was; it was weird to think how different their childhoods are. After lunch we got to play games; the boys went and played "football" and us girls learned a few things about each other. They taught us Swahili schoolyard chants, dances, and games. I gave my old Hannah Montana concert t-shirt to a little girl and she immediately put it on a lit up with a smile. Interacting with these children is something I'll never forget. At the end of the day, I realized that they taught me more than just schoolyard traditions; they taught me a new perspective. 

My whole life I've been very active and athletic. When I was around 4 years old, I decided that I wanted to be a competitive gymnast. My mom signed me up for gymnastics lessons and got my passion going. By the age of 9 I was on the competitive team at a level 4 and constantly at the gym practicing. I kept up with this same thing until I was twelve and at a level 7. Going into 7^th grade I wanted to be in cheer, volleyball, and track; so, I had to quit gymnastics. But, I didn’t totally stop. I continued to go to once-a-week tumbling lessons for the rest of that year. By 8^th grade, I wasn’t even going to classes anymore. During cheer season Amber convinced me to get back into tumbling, but at her gym. We went to a few lessons and I loved tumbling again. But this feeling was going to be short lived. At the fourth week of lessons, I was just casually going to do a pass across the floor when tragedy struck.

I ran out and in mid-flip I somehow decided to stop then and there. My arm snapped in two spots and I went black for a moment. The next thing I remember is holding up my left arm and looking at it; my arm was in the shape of an “S.” Moments after that, I began screaming and to be honest, I don’t remember much else. I was in a neck brace, in an ambulance. I couldn’t feel my left side and I was so scared. We arrived at the hospital and the doctors drugged me up, fixed me up, and sent me home. Since that day I haven’t stepped one foot on a tumbling floor or flipped since. This experience taught me that things that I feel are big parts of my life are things that I can learn to live without.

Tremendous Travels 2013

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” I couldn’t agree more with that quote by Saint Augustine. To me, travel is an important aspect of life; it puts you outside of your comfort zone. I have been lucky enough to get to experience what it’s like to be out of your comfort zone. Being in over ten countries before I even turn eighteen has broadened my view on life. This summer in particular I went to Europe with the school trip. We visited London, Paris, Florence, and Rome. In each city, we made memories that will last a lifetime.

On June 13, we touched down in London, England. We reached the ground and the fun began. We were all jet-lagged, unshowered, and a little crabby when we took on the town. That first day we got to experience the London Eye and a relaxing tube ride to our dinner. The next day we were fast and furious. We saw as much as we could in the smallest time possible. Buckingham Palace was definitely one of my favorites. The flag that signaled the Queen's presence was up so that was pretty cool! We got to see the changing of the guards, which was very exciting. I got to experience the love the British people have for their leaders. Later that day we got free time; most of us girls went shopping. Have you ever heard of Jack the Ripper? Well, I hadn't either, but after dinner that night I learned that he was an infamous serial killer. We went on a walking tour to see all of the places that he murdered and got to investigate the scandal. I believe he was working for the royal family, but we will never know!

After London, we were on to Paris. Two years ago, I visited Paris for eight days; so, coming back was what I was looking forward to the most. Paris has always been my favorite city! The people, the food, the atmosphere...it's all just so perfect! Everything and everyone is so chic, confident, and romantic. We visited the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc di Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Les Invalides, Montparnasse Tower, Champs Elysees, and Spanish Quarter. My favorite will always be the Eiffel Tower; seeing something so iconic in person is unreal. I'm taken back at the fact I've been there twice; I am so blessed. There's also something about Parisienne nights that makes me never want to leave. People are dancing on the river banks, kissing in the streets, and putting their love locks on the lock bridge. To me, Paris is all about feeling and culture rather than sightseeing and touristy things.  If I could come back to Paris every two years for the rest of my life, I would be in heaven.

Have you ever ridden on a night train? I don't recommend it. From Paris to Florence we were sqeezed into a cramped, six person-cabin with three layers of bunks on each side. We were on this for twelve hours and had to visit Florence (unshowered again!) the whole next day. But, to say it was worth it is an understatement. Florence was one of my favorite days of the trip. We toured the very quaint downtown and then had seven hours to do whatever we wanted. Five of the girls, including myself, chose to take on the climb to Piazza de Michelangelo. Florence is hot to start with, and when we were there it was record heat. Needless to say, we were sweaty messes by the end of it. But the sweat was so worth it. The view from the top of that hill was breathtakingly beatiful; I'll never forget it. You know what you see on those Olive Garden commercials? I saw it in real life. Looking over Florence, you could see the beautiful midieval city on one side, majestic mountains on another, and a lush valley on the other side. It was a highlight of the whole trip. En route from Florence to Rome the next day, we stopped on a small hillside village called Assisi. This was my absolute favorite day of the trip. This small town is where I ate the best meal of my entire life. The pasta was impeccable! It's here that I fell in love with Italy...and gelato. On the last day, we got a whirlwind tour of Rome. First stop: the Vatican. Being Catholic, this was very special to me. Seeing where my religion first thrived was fascinating. Michelangelo's work on the Sistine Chapel is the best piece of artwork that I've ever seen, and the fact that it's on a ceiling is just mind blowing! The mind-blowing didn't stop there; our next stop was St. Peter's Basillica. St. Peter's Basillica is a maginificent structure that stands nearly five hundred feet high. Just above it is where the new pope first debuted himself. It was so amazing to get to see that. Later that day we went exploring through "underground Rome" (aka where all of the ruins lie). We learn about the ancient structures in Rome in school, but you don't learn how big they or how sturdy they still are. To see them in person is just a whole new kind of learning. We ventured through the Roman forum and the Colosseum under the scorching Italian sun. Last stop was the Pantheon and the Trevie Fountain. Did you know that there is a huge hole in the ceiling of the Pantheon, but when it rains the inside never gets wet? Crazy! I loved the Trevie Fountain a lot; it was just so delicate and pretty. I hope that I'll be back to Italy again some day.

Back to Blog #1

Aaaaaaaaaand we're back for another year of schoology, blogger, writing, and freaking out! Being in Honors English III last year really prepared me for College English. Last year really tested my writing skills and challenged me; I hope this year will do the same. When I reflect on my academic writing from previous years, I can see a progression my abilities. I can see myself getting really stressed out with this class, but it all being worth it in the end. From last year I can see that my strengths are in opening statements, valid arguments, and creative wording. Madi Schulenberg commented, '"When you write you sound very sophisticated." I would agree with that as well. I am pretty confident in my writing ability. But there are always weaknesses, and I have plenty! There is the on-going love/hate relationship with conclusions and organization issues that I can definitely work on this year. Oh, and we can't forget about the random awkward wording problems, too. Let's just say I 've got a lot to improve on. I really enjoy the writing process that I developed last year; it worked fairly well for me. If this year is anything like last year, I think I'll be just fine.

Since this course is brand new at our school, of course I have questions...but I haven't thought of them yet. As the semester progresses I think that I'll run into a few questions. I'm actually very curious as to how this class is going to go. I just thought of a question: Will you be grading similarly to how you did in Honors English III? That's the only question I can think of currently. I'm very excited to get to write in different styles because my whole academic life we've been doing the same old things; it's getting boring! I'm assuming that this class should spice things up. Of course, it'll be hard and that will be my only apprehension. Kind of like fear of the unknown; we're the new class so I can't ask older students for advice! But that fear is what keeps me interested! Should be a great senior year!

The Great Gatsby: Hollywood vs. Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a phenomenal book, so it's not surprising that Hollywood would take advantage of it. On May 10, Baz Luhrmann debuted his masterpiece. The star-struck actors's names flashed over the large screen and the movie began. I couldn't contain my excitement.

Daisy Buchanan's characterization was dead-on. She was introduced as the careless, floozy, lazy wife of Tom Buchanan. She showed no true sincerity in the way she spoke to Tom, but very genuinely while with Gatsby. The scene where Daisy and Gatsby reunite is a great show of this. First, when Nick escorts Daisy into his house, she talks about her driver, Ferdie. "Come back in an hour, Ferdie. His name is Ferdie," she says with just enough ditziness. When she sees Gatsby, Daisy says, "I certaianly am awfully glad to see you again," while Fitzgerald explains that, "a pause; it endured horribly." In the movie, Luhrmann sets up this scene exactly how I pictured it in the book. It's embarassing, emotional, and frightening all at the same time. Lastly, Daisy's characterization in the last intense scene is spectacular. From the time that she lights a cigarette before they leave until the moment they get home that night, the portrayal of Daisy Buchanan is perfect. When Daisy suggests that they all go in town to avoid the heat and then suddenly changes her mind once Tom decides he wants to as well is a good example. Fitzgerald describes: ""But it's so hot," insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, "and everything's so confused. Let's all go to town!"" This particular scene is one of the best portrayals of Daisy. For the other actors, I felt that they all fit well with their characters, with an exception of Nick Carraway. Nick seemed very dazed and was hardly as involved as I thought he would have been.

The plot of The Great Gatsby is very iconic and timeless. Scandals follow every era, which makes the story easy to follow and interesting. Gatsby is presented in such a way that makes him seem regal and sophisticated, but later changes to obsessive and crazy. Luhrmann captures this change very well. It is clearly stated what the plot is. If you haven't read the book, you could see the movie and know what is going on. The only complaint I have is that Nick seemed distant rather than involved in the story. Throughout the book, I thought that Nick had a fairly large role in the plot, but it did not seem that way in the movie.

Baz Luhrmann did a spectacular job in developing the roaring 20s and the subtle corruption. He starts off showing people not even relevant to the story to set the scene of the era. Then, at one of Gatsby's infamous parties, the scene is outrageous and over the top in just the right way. I think that Luhrmann did a maginificent job of setting the mood of the careless twenties. Fitzgerald describes, "The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music...laughter is easier minute by minute...the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light." That's just how it is, as well. Also, props to the music! Although at a couple points the songs didn't match, they brought the movie into the 21st century and made it more relatable. Luhrmann did Fitzgerald's smooth, beautiful words justice in this movie.

Overall, I would give this movie and A- because of the perfect characterizations, mood, and plot. But, since something was off with Nick, I give it the minus. Still, Luhrmann's interpretation of The Great Gatsby was nearly perfect, including small mundane details of the book that you wouldn't think would make the movie. I was impressed and would like to see it again.

Goal: Give Illinois residents the right to conceal and carry

·        As gun ownership in America declines, Illinois’s gun ownership levels seem to be rising. At a grand total of 1.5 million firearms owner’s identification card holders, Illinois appears to be showing progressive change. 

o   THESIS: Illinois citizens should be given the right to conceal and carry their guns because it is proven that it helps keep civilians protected, criminals will find guns no matter what, handgun crimes are not very common, and the second amendment should not be altered.

·        According to the Ohio Free Press 2009, it is proven that areas that allow its citizens to conceal and carry tend to develop less crime than those that do not.

o   “States that allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns enjoy a 60 percent decrease in multiple-victim shootings and a 78 percent decrease in victims per attack.” – John Lott, Jr. and Bill Landes, “more guns, less crime.” (SOURCE: Concealed Carry Licenses, Ohio Free Press, 2009)

o   “With just one single exception, the attack on congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson (2011), every public shooting since at least 1950 in the U.S. in which more than three people have been killed has taken place where citizens are NOT allowed to carry guns.” – John Lott, Jr. co-author with Bill Landes of “More Guns, Less Crime.”

·        Criminals don’t follow laws; that’s just common knowledge.

o   Criminals are named criminals for one reason; they don’t abide by the laws.

o   So, there will ALWAYS be and “underground market” with guns.

§  Therefore, our law-abiding citizens will be left unarmed and completely helpless.

§  About 70% of law-abiding citizens buy guns for either home or personal protection from these types of people.

§  The Average number of people killed in a mass shooting when only police are armed is 18; when civilians are armed the number is only 2.

·        Not all violent crimes involve handguns.

o   Homicide: 67% of cases committed with handguns; 94% of cases committed with other weapons

o   Robbery: 41% of cases committed with handguns; 58% of cases committed with other weapons

o   Aggravated Assault: 20% of cases committed with handguns; 73% of cases committed with other weapons

§  (SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Report, Crime in the United States, 2010 [Department of Justice, 2011])

o   Timothy Mcveigh, serial killer, operated without any sort of gun, but he…

§  Killed 168 innocent people

§  Killed 19 children under the age of 6

§  Injured over 680 innocent people

o   Murderers will kill with or without a gun, it’s inevitable.

o   Death by drowning is 8 times more likely than death by gun; death by automobile is 36+ times more likely than death by gun.

·        2^nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights

o   “Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensible … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.” – George Washington

o   “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” – 2^nd Amendment

§  A militia is defined as “a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government.” (Dictionary.com)

§  Notice that it refers to a “body of citizens”, “paramilitary group”, and “defenders of individual rights.” Each of these refers to a regular American citizen that would like to own a gun.

§  We shouldn’t infringe on the rights that were given at the birth of our country.

The Awakening Symbols: The Sea/Water

The Awakening begins with a scene at the sea. Mr. Leonce Pontellier finds the birds next to him extremely annoying as he reads his newpaper and waits for his wife to return from her swimming lesson. Some may not find this symbolic, but I find that it is. Edna begins the tale in the sea, yet restricted and scared for what is to come, while her husband sits back and finds something to ramble on complaining about. This, to me, symbolizes the relationship between to two and will later on show us how it evolves. I believe that Chopin has crafted this novel around the freedom of the sea.

An example of this  is in chapter five when Edna swims out as far as she can, against the will of her peers. Chopin narrates, "as she swam she seemed to be reaching out for the unlimited in which to lose herself." Edna is completely at peace and feeling freer than ever, but then she looks back at shore and worries. This brief feeling of freedom is a foreshadowing to the dramatic ending of the book. She wishes to be free, and is very close to grasping it, yet she cannot. This sense of freedom is also accompanied by rebellion; Robert makes her feel free as well. I think that the sea and Robert are linked together with the idea of an escape, self control, and freedom to Edna. The sea represents Robert. When Edna is at sea, she is calm; when she is with Robert, she is calm as well. The sea is ultimately her subconscious goal.

Back in New Orleans, where she is not near her beloved sea, Edna seems increasingly unhappy with her life. Leonce says, speaking to the Doctor, "she doesn't act well. She's odd, she's not like herself." Reading between the lines, I found that her strangeness can be directly attributed to the absense of Robert and the sea. She doesn't seem in the right frame mind in New Orleans; her emotions ride a rollercoaster of craziness. We see her constantly obsessing over Robert and the hatred towards her husband. Since the sea acts as a freedom to Edna, and she is not able to reach it, I believe this is largely why she goes mad. Once again, the sea becomes her subconscious goal.

The Awakening ends with a scene at the sea. Leonce and the children are away and Edna has been home alone for weeks. After some wacky twists in her life, she finds herself on the shore at the Grand Isle. She puts on her bathing suit and walks to the edge of the water. She removes her clothing (also a symbol for freedom!). "The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace," Chopin narrarates Edna's feelings towards the sea. This, I believe, is the final awakening. The sea gives her what she has always wanted, which is freedom. The symbolism associated with her death is the ocean leads me to think that she has achieved her goal. She has been set free into the land of souls and couldn't be happier.

Chopin develops this symbol throughout the entire book. It progresses and changes as Edna becomes closer to her destiny in the water. The sea will always contain Edna's free and lasting soul.

Author Comparisons

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born on February 27, 1807 in Portland, Oregon. Ever since he was a young child he was bustin' rhymes. To remember the order of his seven other siblings' ages, he made up a rhyme. How clever is that? When the war of 1812 broke out, Henry was found in the middle of a devastated  town. This inspired him to publish his first poem at age 13 that was published in the "Portland Gazette" that he simply signed "HENRY". After passing his entrance exams, Henry applied to the Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. There, his father tried to persuade him to go into law. Instead he took, not one, but three years abroad starting in 1826. This trip inspired many works and ventures back to Europe in the future. He developed a love for languages and began to teach French, Spanish, and Italian at his alma mater in 1829. After his marriage to Mary Potter he then became a true writer. Mary later died of a complicated miscarriage. His second wife was Fanny Appleton and they wed in 1843 where they inherited the Craigie House in Cambridge. They later had six children together. Henry's poetic success climbed higher and higher. Henry taught modern languages Harvard and quit when his works were able to support him and his family. The tragic death of his beloved Fanny in 1861 embarked a new stage of Longfellow poems. Surprisingly, only one poem from this stage expresses his grief. On his seventieth birthday in 1877, he was nationally celebrated. Sadly, three years later he perished.

Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in a farmhouse in New York. He came from a large family of eleven and resided in Brooklyn most of his childhood. At age twelve, Whitman developed a passion for the written word. He mostly taught himself with the grand works of Homer,Dante, Shakespeare, and the Bible. At age seventeen in 1836, he began his career of teaching in Long Island. He continued to do so until 1841. Whitman started a weekly newspaper titled the Long Islander and went on to become very well acquainted with such works.During the Civil War, he traveled down to Washington, D.C. to take care of his wounded brother. While there, he decided to stay and work for the hospitals. After that, he settled in Camden, NJ where he stayed with his dying mother. When Leaves of Grass was finally published, he gained enough money to buy a house there. He spent most of his time there working on additions and revisions to Leaves of Grass. His final work was titled Good-Bye, My Fancy (1891). He later died on March 26, 1892.

Longfellow was a long-time teacher who wrote marvelous poems on the side. His most famous works are "The Song of Hiawatha", Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, and "Paul Revere's Ride". He brought poetry writing to another level. His poems were used everywhere!  He inspired schools to teach it and learn from it and also heard his poems be recited in large concert halls and ceremonies. He contributed to American poetry immensely! Whitman was a man who was just trying to get by while writing poems and working various jobs. Whitman worked as a teacher, in a hospital, as a clerk, and finally as a poet. His most famous works are Leaves of Grass, Drum Taps, Passage to India, and Good-Bye, My Fancy. Whitman is honored through his poetry everyday in classrooms all across America.

Comparing both authors, I notice that both were teachers at one point and grew up with open minded views on the world. While Longfellow was a teacher at very high levels for long periods of time, Whitman was not a teacher for that long. In fact, he worked as a clerk the longest. They seem to write about different things. I notice that Longfellow prefers to write about history and events throughout history, while Whitman seems to write about the things around him. All in all, both authors are very talented and influential on the poetic society.