Ingrid Illustrated

We have all thought about running away (at least I have). Fight or flight is human nature. When we perceive a threat, our bodies naturally trigger a stress response. And often, flight is the more painless option. Although it is not always the best solution, find out more about why we psychologically feel the need to bolt from our problems here: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-do-when-you-feel-like-running-away-5207364 . But who is actually brave enough, or cowardly enough to do it? Is running away an act of courage or a sign of weakness? Or is it both? And which way are we running: away from a starting point or towards an end goal? Or, again, both?  In The Vanishing Half , Desiree and Stella both decide to flee Mallard, their oppressive, colorist hometown, in search of new opportunities. For Desiree, her journey begins with an objective rather than a catalyst. She imagines a bigger, more fulfilling life for herself, one she knows she cannot achieve by staying put. But her jour...

Desiree and Sam had a pretty complex relationship in The Vanishing Half . On one hand, he was this charismatic man who made her feel beautiful and was a great father to their daughter. On the other, he beat her until she had to cover up the bruises and even threatened her with a gun. Although she does eventually cut ties with her abusive husband, it takes her almost 14 years to finally leave him. She realizes that she cannot endure this any longer for the safety of her child and herself when he suggests having another child together. Now, there are many things that made Desiree stay. She wanted Jude to have a harmonious family with both parents, for one, but perhaps another reason could have been that the abuse she was experiencing was better than the shame of returning to Mallard empty handed. In other instances, many victims don’t have these kinds of ties to their abusers. So how do abusers manipulate their partners from leaving? What makes it so hard to leave?  I think one of th...

I do not believe in fate (and not just because I’m arguing against it in the debate). In fact, I hate it when people say “everything happens for a reason” because it simply does not. Well, obviously it does happen for a reason, that reason being that we made it happen. Every single thing that happens in our lives, from the people we meet to the accidents we may or may not avoid, comes from the choices we make.  One thing many people who believe in fate often talk about are “soulmates”. But what does this even mean? Happening to fall into the arms of a stranger on the bus and spending the rest of your life with them? If this were to happen, it would only be a result of our own actions. The first choice we would have to make would be taking the bus. We would have to make a decision to take the bus as a form of transportation rather than a car or a bike. No spirit draws us to make certain decisions. We make them because of our own judgment, because we believe they are the most advanta...

C O R E . The center of our lives. The way we lead our lives. Everyone's core is unique to themselves. I never really thought about the values I care most about that build the foundation of my life. So, I took the 5 steps and came up with the C O R E values I hold: C haracter: all the qualities that make a person distinct from others. One's character says a lot about them. Their moral qualities, how they act, what sets them apart from the crowd. I believe that character can be built by nature and nurture. As an AP Psychology student, we are learning about how different philosophers argue that our behavior and way of thinking are shaped by either nature or nurture. In my opinion, both our biological makeup and the environment we surround ourselves with partake in our character. We can't change the nature, but we can always better our character through nurturing. Holding ourselves to a high moral standard, acting with integrity, and learning from our experiences are all ways...

  One major theme I have noticed in The Picture of Dorian Gray is fetishization. This means a sexual fascination with things that aren’t inherently sexual like sexuality, body type, gender, or race. Fetishization almost reduces people and dehumanizes them to a point where no love can exist.  One obvious example of this is Dorian’s fascination with Sibyl. He describes her like a child. Her pale skin, and small body and head is very childlike and he is obsessed with it. Her innocence is fascinating to him. Furthermore, her career draws him in. He loves the idea of her, the many roles she takes on each night. He never truly loves her for Sibyl, only the fantasy of her performances.  Another prime example is Lord Henry’s obsession with Dorian. He is extremely interested in his beautiful looks, but if those looks one day faded or were nonexistent to begin with, all his interest would be gone. He could also fetishize his sexuality. It is clear that Dorian and Basil already had...

  First and foremost, I would like to thank my family. Thank you mom and dad for listening to me complain about English class (just kidding) and brag about my essay grades (not kidding). Also, thanks to my older brother Frank for staying awake with me on even the latest nights and the earliest mornings. Your ability to never sleep has kept my GPA alive!  Next, I would like to thank a few of my 2nd hour Valentino friends. Julia, Charlotte, and Hailey, you have all brightened my 2nd hour. No matter if it’s shooting looks at each other from across the room or making funny comments under our breaths, you have all made this class even more enjoyable!  I would also like to thank these blog posts. They have motivated me to actually do some thinking on weekends (even if it is usually Sunday morning). I truly believe I have become a better writer by just jotting down some of my thoughts each week. The consistency of my writing has improved tremendously as well as my style and orga...

  My first ever dance. The beloved daddy daughter dance. I vividly recall getting my hair and nails done for the first time ever and feeling like a real life princess. As my thin, short hair was whipped into elegant curls and my small, stubby nails were painted pink with purple polka-dots (per my request), the fantasy started to come to life. I remember picking out a certain dress for the special occasion, from the many in my closet, and of course, it had to be pink. My outfit was completed with a cute, cream cardigan my mom picked out, and a matching pink wand was the cherry on top. And just like that, a princess was ready for her first ball. This was such a special moment for me. It was the first time I had ever gotten all dolled up and believed I could be just as beautiful and brave as a princess from one of the many fairytales I loved. I also believe this single preschool dance was what first sparked my love of dance to date. A few years after this picture was taken, I requeste...