Saturday, October 25, 2008

Who are you?

As you read Their Eyese Were Watching God I hope that you are reflecting not only on the novel, but on your own sense of self. Janie is on an incredible journey - and so are you!
So, I ask, who are you? Do you have a sense of self? I do...

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your husband is hot! I'm allowed to say it if it's me, right? That was a great piece you've put together. I loved it.

Jared said...

I believe that I do have a sense of self. I know my limits, expectations, and how I react to certain situations. I completely understand who I am, and I try to be that person as much as I can. For a while, it is hard to know if you do have your sense of self. It is human nature to test different roles in society. Once you have found your role, go with it.

tati said...

You are a scorpio Mrs.Stoklosa jaja and at last a cyber met your husband,he met me as well, it's just he doesn't quite remember. I, Miss, am me. You could safely say taht everyone at some point in time try distinct characteristics to shape into the outfit they fit best into. I am who I am because that who I am comfortable being, I do understand I have some qualities that shouldn't be so and those I am willing to fix because of ME not anyone else.

Maria said...

sadly I'm nt not sure if I have a sense of self and I'm not affraid to admit it. I don't think I've quite found myself or who I'm supposed to be, or what I like or what I'm passionate for, but hopefully I'll get there some day

Anonymous said...

Who am I, I don't think I know yet, I know what I like, and why I act a certain way, but I don't think I can list a bunch of lies and tell you this is who I am, because I haven't experience, I haven't grown, am still in that journey that will tell me who I really am, but as soon as I find out I'll tell you.

Like I said before I feel one needs to experience, live, and fail to really know who they are, it is only when you’re in a crisis that you show your true colors.

I did love your video very cute and the song was perfect.

Nashmia said...

I am currently in a journey like Janie. I am discovering who I truly am at this point. I know a lot about myself, but there is still so much left for me to discover. I know a lot about my personality, but there are other parts of me I have to know. I am determined to find out more about myself and I will reach my goal.

Colin said...

I believe I have a sense of self. I know who I am and what I am capable of. I am my own person and pave my own paths and follow them. I don't conform to what everybody else does just to fit in. People should like me for who I am. This is why I always strive to be my own person and have my own voice on certain subjects.

Kiara said...

I am still at the age where I am still discovering myself. I feel I am to young distinguish who I am. I can tell you that I am unique, a great movie editor, and a painter. I have a love for art and fashion, and hopefully in life I am able to find a career that reflects the both.

I change myself for the better. Day by day I realize a new thing about me. By the way, I enjoyed your video :)

Saad said...

Nice video Mrs.Stoklosa,that song is amazing as well.I thought about who i am for a while before typing this comment.I am a son, brother,friend,active philanthropist and student.As i summed up my list i realized that those different people are who i am to others and not myself.I currently don't know myself.I don't feel that this is a bad thing,just something...that i have to work towards in order to figure myself out.Thank you for posting this video and post because it has gotten my to think.

tati said...

So, I cyberly met your sufur husband, just maybe he doesnt know it yet. Well Mrs. Stoklosa I believe I am who I am and who I want to be at my own expense. People do influence a lot of one does but it should be up to themselves to change a quality or characteristic. I consider that one knows their sense of self around 7, which is the end of the critical period, a term used in psychology describing the end of ones basic learning and knowlage. At that age you begin to reason and understand abstract thought. What a human is is a rolling snowball, a larger impression of the once small and guillible being. It is obvious to test distinct ways and manners, so called roles like jared stated, to try out your personality and your suit but all you do here is make sure it fits well and its comfortable. I have complete sense of self, I wish everyone else did too, I'ts a great feeling.

Valentina said...

While reading Their Eyes were watching God, I actually did think about my own sense of self. Unfortunately, I do not know yet who I am. Sometime's I think I like something, and then the next day I change my mind. I guess It is too soon to know what I want to do in life, but then there's only one year left to find out.

However, even if I don't know who I am, I KNOW that I am happy, and the thought of knowing who makes it possible satisfies me. Hopefully, while I walk down the road I will find new pieces that can complete my "sense of self puzzle"

Gaby said...

I think it is crazy for any one of my peers to claim to have a complete sense of self. Yes, you may know what you want to do after you graduate, what subjects you might be interested, or your favorite color, but there are just so many things left to discover about yourself. These things though only come through experience. It is quite impossible to know everything about yourself until you are old and wise. Until then, let life be a mystery and be open to learn new things about your personality, emotions, and sense of expression every day.

Kurt said...

I was listening to my itunes when i read this and The Boogie Man Song started playing by Mos Def:


Bismillah ir Rhman ir Raheem
{In The Name Of God, The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate}

What it is, what it is, what it is
What it is
What it is, what it is, what it is
What it is
See me, want me, get me, touch me
Feed me, love and trust me
This whole world is cold and ugly
What we are is low and lovely
I am the most beautiful boogie man
The most beautiful boogie man

I though it went along with the theme of this blog haha. I am a collection of contradictions and heart beats, existing only to learn and grow, spiritually and mentally. I abhor the thought of being controlled through religious, political, or material chauvinism, which I see as corrupt methods of limiting me. I am everything and everything is me, part of a larger organism, I have chosen to contribute all of myself to the growth of the world.


“You know I think I spent 30 years of my life and the first thirty trying to become something. I want to become good at things; I want to become good at tennis, I want to become good at school, and grades and everything I could view in that perspective. I’m not okay the way I am but if I got good at things… I realized that I had the game wrong, cause the game was to find out what I already was…

“Now in our culture we’ve been trained for individual differences to stand out, so you look at each person the immediate thought is brighter, dumber, younger, older, richer, poorer, and we make all these dimensional distinctions, put them in categories, and treat them that way and we get so that we only see others as separate from ourselves, and the ways which they are separate, and one of the dramatic characteristics of experience is being with another person and suddenly seeing the ways in which they are like you, not different from you. And experiencing the fact that that which is essence in you and which essence in me is indeed one, and realizing that there is no other, everything is in fact one.

And I wasn’t born Richard Albert, I was just born as a human being, and then I learned this whole business of who I am and whether I’m good or bad, or achieving or not, all that’s learned along the way.”

Juan Camilo said...

When I got to 9th grade, I was perplexed with myself and started to try new personalities to fit best with society. I was able to fit well, but those personalities didn't fit me. High school has been a journey for self seeking, and I must say that things are starting to clarify. I now feel comfortable being who I am, and I do fit in society, but not in the same area I was seeking to fit in 9th grade. I would have to say that a temporary isolation is necessary to accomplish that journey. Isolation can help you establish a set of mind where you now are able to discern the right from wrong based on
PERSONAL preferences no on an idea concluded based on other people's points of views. This isolation should be TEMPORARY, is just to help you find yourself, a like that, you would be able to interact with society more smoothly and without confusion.

Danielle said...

I think life isn't about finding oneself but creating. I'm in the process of developing who i really am, what i feel, and what i will become. I guess you could say i'm on a journey like Janie. I do however know or have an idea of who i am right now. People change as well as many characteristics of each individual. I'm just creating myself by letting my personality, my taste in things,and everything grow. I'm letting who i am right now, bloom and soon i will have created myself completely :). By the way i loved the video and the music with it!

Najwa said...

Well, first of all, I love that song. I recently saw blind melon live and they played no rain, it was magical. But I have to say that any one "knows who they are" if they allow themselves to. The way you described yourself makes it seem as though your extremely confident with the role you play in the world, with the place you're in. That's a good aspect to have, and I think that I have a little bit of it myself. I mean, as far as today goes... I am a student, an avid reader, someone who loves flowers, someone who obsesses over coffee, I'm a lazy sack of matter, I like the way you choose to describe yourself. In Their Eyes are Watching God I picked more up that she was realized the need to find herself rather than allow other people to tell her what she wants. I didn't really see that she found herself, but instead that she realized that this was something necessary for all people to do. She couldn't live in her Grandmothers dream, nor could she live in her husbands shadow.

RJ said...

I believe I have some understanding of self. I know who I am, yet I don't really know what I want to do with my life yet. I know that I stand up for what I think is right and I do not conform to others to fit in with the crowd. I am my own person with my own thoughts and feelings. Therefore, I feel that I have a sense of self by knowing who I am, but I need to do some thinking about what I really want to do with my life.