in the belly of the fish

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Let's All Judge [Literature]

About a month ago, in my English class, our teacher assigned us into groups and gave us specific chapters of a the book we were reading for an in-class project. My group consisted of nine (9) people and and only three (3) of us had actually read up to the point required. I became aware of the tragic state of our group after we sat in a circle and everyone silently looked at each other.

Me: So nobody read the book?
Person: It's not a good book.
Me: That's not a good excuse.
Person: *silence*

The three of us who read talked to each other and then wrote an insipid outline for our presentation. I returned home after a disappointing English class and taught about the Person.

By his reasoning I could avoid eye contact with someone and then say "Your face is ugly and makes me uncomfortable so I don't want to look at it." It might be true, zes face might make me uncomfortable, but by social convention, and ethical guidelines, it's polite to look people in the eye when you speak to them. So, as stupid and impudent as giving the above excuse would be, not reading the literature assigned in an English class is just the same.

If the reading is an assignment, then you read it.If you don't, you disrespect everyone else reading the book, the teacher who puts her trust in you to read the book, and your classmates for your lack of insight on the book. Nine (9) people means nine brains that all function differently. Our presentation could have been incredible, with nine people, we could have made nine-times the connections we made, but instead we had to settle for three brains.

When you don't read the literature, you are giving an indirect message to everyone who read it. When you don't read the literature, you are internally shouting "This is not worth my time, this author is base, this book is low-quality, and if you can't see that and you read this book, then you are an idiot and because you read it, you can do the assignments and answer the questions, and I will just feed off of your points, and I really don't give a single damn about this book."

The teacher tells you to read it, you read it. Is anyone going to force you? NO. Is anyone going to come to your house and wait on your heels until you finish all the pages you needed to read? NO. Is anyone going to enforce the requirement? NO. You will read it if you want to, and you should want to because all your classmates depend on you and your viewpoints to expand their knowledge. But, you may not read because you simply think you are qualified to judge a classic book. You may not read because you have other activities to engage in such as wasting your time, or watching FOX News. You may read it, or you may not. You are granted that freedom.

But I would like to point out, the world is crumbling because of people who sabotage their freedoms. Just because you can say something does NOT mean you should say it. Just because I have the ability to punch you doesn't mean I should punch you. So, just because you have the freedom to not read doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Off of a tangent, don't talk if you don't need to. Don't hurt people, and don't judge people, especially don't judge something/someone that makes a person happy. Live your life by yourself. You have your life and everyone else has zes. Don't act like you have traveled the entire world and have the wisdom of ages. You can be significant if you strive to be, but you are insignificant until you work towards that significance.

So, stop. Calm down, and stop. Stop hurting people's feelings. Stop critiquing others' actions. Take a deep breath, and know that everyone goes through different things than you, and everyone has lives different than yours.

Lots of rabbits,
~Belle