‘Everybody is happy now’

In Atwood’s article, she starts off by comparing two novels: Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World.  The first novel was written by George Orwell in 1949 which gave society a vision of a brutal mind-controlling totalitarian state; meanwhile, Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in 1932 which showed society a different and softer form of totalitarianism.  Atwood goes back and forth deciding on which novel shows society how totalitarianism can influence them.  She bases her whole article mainly discussing the novel Brave New World.  Atwood asks, “What sort of happiness is on offer, and what is the price we might pay to achieve it?”  Her question is one that is very debatable.  “Brave New World is either a perfect-world utopia or its nasty opposite, a dystopia depending on your point of view” (Atwood).  Sex is often a main topic in utopias and dystopias.  In my opinion, it is difficult to comprehend what Atwood means when she talks about sex and who can do what, with which set of genital organs and with whom.  One of the main questions Atwood tries to answer throughout the article is “How does Brave New World stand up 75 years after being published?”.  Huxley, the author of Brave New World, uses language and events that somehow make it able to stand up in today’s society.

#1: “The Swimmer”

The short story “The Swimmer” is a work of surrealism.  Surrealism is where there are realistic characteristics is a non-realistic environment.  Alcoholism is a real characteristic that this short story contains.  The author makes it seems as if Neddy, the main character, is swimming from house to house which is an example of surrealism.  One cannot swim from one house to another unless there were two houses both built on a lake.  Another realistic characteristic is that he is a non-wealthy alcoholic who is in the midst of losing everything.  Other examples of surrealism are: the fact that the season changes so quickly and as he swims from pool to pool, he ages.

In the story, Neddy has a drinking problem in which is the main conflict in the story.  Neddy’s drinking problem leads to the fact that he is too caught up in swimming from pool to pool and drinking the different drinks, that he does not realize that his wife is selling the house and leaving him.  The reason for selling the house is that they ran into financial trouble.

Right to conceal carry handguns

The article talks about the pros and cons of the right to conceal carry a handgun.  Out of the whole United States, the only places that do not allow conceal carry are Illinois and Washington DC.

I believe that conceal carry should not be legal.  I believe that the more people carrying a handgun will definitely increase  the chances of an argument turning into something more.  The article states that the chances of a handgun being used inappropriately increase when normally responsible adults are intoxicated, tired, afraid or untrained in conflict resolution.  Concealed carrying increases the chances of unintentional shootings.  The article states that approximately 50 people are unitentionally shot each day in America and a child under the age of 15 dies every other day from unintended gunfire.  Many adults who utilize a gun are often inadequately trained.  Some states do not require any hands-on training before you receive a concealed carry permit.  Another reason I disagree with concealed carry is because it can intimidate the citizens who do not have the permit to conceal carry.  The article states that police frequently receive calls from customers at stores who feel threatened and less safe when another customer is said to be armed.  The final reason I disagree is because in some scenarios, using a handgun would not be an effective form of self defense.  Many attackers try to blindside the attackee just in case they have a form of self defense.  Blindsiding the attackee also gives the attacker an advantage.  Being blindsided makes it difficult to use your gun.

Minimum Wage

In the article it talks about what minimum wage is and who receives it.  It also talks about minimum wage laws.

I believe that everyone who is working and has a job should receive, at least, minimum wage.  It is not fair to anyone who is working for less than minimum wage.  I think that as the prices in the industry go up, so should minimum wage.  There are many people in America that work a job and are receiving minimum wage and are barely making it because of the economy.  I do not agree with a free market where the business owners have the ability to set their own wage for the workers.  I feel that the workers would be cheated out of some of their pay.  I also do not agree with business owners hiring illegal immigrants just because they will work for a lower wage.

Is art really necessary?

The “Arts Education” article does have good points for why kids should be exposed to arts but it also has bad ones.  I do believe that to a certain extent arts help with kids social skills.  Many kids draw and share their drawings with other kids which does improve their social skills.  In the article is states, “The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more more than one answer.”  I do not entirely agree with this statement, but I can see where Elliot W. Eisner, the person who stated this, is coming from.  Another point in the article that I agree with is that children enjoy participating in art.  When something is fun and one has a passion for what is being taught, it makes it much easier to want to learn or keep taking in information about that subject.  That is also another point the article makes.  A statement that I do not agree with is, “Those with high arts involvement graduated from college and completed post-graduate degrees at higher rates than their peers.”  This does not make sense to me.  I do not see this as being accurate.

In summary, the article has many valid points but some are not a big deal.