Faulkner-the+past

79-125 Faulkner says, "the past isn't dead, it isn't even past" In some ways i agree with him but in most ways i don't. I think the past never stops having an effect on the present and the future. Every part of the past has shaped the way the present is. If one person didn't do one thing at that point in time we may never know who jesus was or that the world was not flat or that freedom is something americans have vowed not to take away. These are some of the big things in history that have shape just the country that we live in. The past is constantly growing in size but also influences. Things that people tend to associate with the past are death, the lives of the dead, and the events that these people were invovled in. I dont think the past ever stops having and influence on people but i think the interpretation of the influence changes; what i mean is that, to use a well known example, some people see slavery in the uited states to be a chunk in history where people should be ashamed or themselves, a dark age in humanity, others may find that slavery has shaped and taught them morals like the power of hope and the strength in community. I think that ultimately i disagree with faulkner while agreeing. I think he is right that the past never dies, but i disagree with the fast that he says it isn't even the past. I believe that past has past because you cannot change it, it is set is stone, unlike the future, which someone can change when reflecting on the past. Dwelling on the past only increases stress, if we are refferring to a more recent sense of the word, what i am trying to teach myself is to use the past to make better choices. During the summer i kept putting off my term paper books. Then august came and i had three books to read. i successfully read one and a half during august, but then the school year started and i had to keep up my reading for english class and my reading for my term paper. Looking back i would have liked to have finished the books before the year started but i have to look forward to the next two weeks in order to finish my term paper rather than dwelling on the fact that i could have done this or that.

Pg 104 “Ford English School Melting Pot” This entire scene explains how not only immigrants are forced to assimilate but specifically men in the workforce. The immigrants are put on a assembly line, per say, they are all the same now. They enter a ‘melting pot’ in their country’s traditional garb and come out in either gray or blue suits. Ford motor company is seen as a place that excepts all immigrants when in reality they are telling people how they should dress and act. The English students are taught phrases about cleanliness and personal hygiene. It shows the assumption about immigrants that established Americans have about other countries. I found it interesting to read what Americans taught immigrants. It is also interesting to think about the fact that men able to assimilate to American culture because they are part of the work force.