6/30 Reading

Alex Hudson
Composition I

This article is about a man named Jerry Waxler, a man who has tried to understand how his mind works since he was a teenager. He believes that he has finally found a way to make sense of his mind, through memoirs and writing stories of his own life. Waxler is discovering how his hopes and dreams have lead him to where he is today. He believes in principles that say people can change the way they feel by changing their thoughts. As Waxler studies the relationship between writing and the mind, he determines that writing can be therapeutic. He believes that questions about healing and the mind may be answered through storytelling and reflecting on his own life. I found this article quite interesting. Personally, I’ve never really tried to understand how my mind works. I’ve just sort of accepted it. I am a little curious as to why Waxler is so obsessed with this concept. He says that he’s been interested in this idea since high school. Nevertheless, I view Waxler as a very intellectual man who has an interesting perspective on life. I even agreed with most of the principles and theories he discussed.

This talk was between Antoinette Franklin and her niece, Iriel Franklin, who discuss the effect that Hurricane Katrina had on them. Antoinette talks about multiple things that she misses about New Orleans with sadness in her voice, while her niece talks about the toughest part of the whole experience. Iriel says that the hardest day was not knowing where Antoinette and her Dad were. Iriel also said that this experience has made her grow up in a hurry. The hurricane was a test of maturity and character. What I found interesting was that they still sounded devastated. It appeared to be very hard for them to talk about. It was obvious that Katrina was still effecting them. The most memorable part of the whole conversation was when Antoinette said, “I’ve learned that love and family is more important than anything in the whole world...I used to say it...But now I know it.” This showed me that Hurricane Katrina brought them closer together.

1. Has Jerry Waxler written any novels?

2. Did Iriel lose her father in Katrina?

3. How can disasters, such as hurricanes destroy people’s lives as well as enhance them?