Show us someone who inspires you.
Yeah yeah yeah, you may think it's silly to be inspired by a fictional character. But come on, Scarlett O'Hara survived the Civil War and pulled herself up from the bottom by working hard. (I'm not talking about marrying Frank for money or offering herself to Rhett, but when she was still at Tara and scrounging for food. THAT's determination.)
No matter what happened to her, Scarlett had an innate strength that kept her going. She's always been a model of strength and determination to me - when I was taking Algebra in eighth grade and was having difficulty with some of the work, I would tell myself "Scarlett survived the Civil War; you can survive Algebra" half-jokingly. (I'm not a math person at all!)
To some, Scarlett is probably the epitome of coquetteish Southern Belles, and think she's to be scorned instead of admired. If you read the actual book, you'll see that she's an intelligent woman who uses the conventions of her time to her advantage. She's aware that she's an eyelash-batting tease - and that men are generally dumb enough to fall for that. Normally I despise that sort of manipulating behavior, but you have to keep in mind the time period and expectations for men and women. I'm not excusing it - I'm just saying that's, unfortunately, the way things were during that time.
Besides, she doesn't just sweet-talk men all the time - I already mentioned the period at Tara during and after the Civil War, but she continues to be a level-headed businesswoman even when she can afford not to. And daggone, she goes through a bunch of emotional struggles and still comes out stronger than ever. When faced with Rhett's rejection at the conclusion of both the movie and the book, when all her dreams are shattered, what does she do? She doesn't crumble. She decides she will find a way to get him back. (You know the rest of the quote. ;) ) And you just know she WILL get him back, because that girl gets what she wants!
So that's my fictional inspiration.
My real-life inspiration is my brother. He has Tourette Syndrome and a mild OCD, and is thirteen. I don't know which is worse! ;) He has very obvious tics - head moving, facial movements, etc. Other kids, as you know, can be cruel. And yet - he has never had any hurtful words thrown at him. Questions, yes, but purely out of interest, not to mock. He has a bunch of friends, and gets along with everyone. He's just a happy little guy, who happens to have some extra issues.
It's his attitude that makes him such a special little guy. He just has a truly sweet disposition - he's positive, compassionate, and friendly. He's a big goofball and has a wicked sense of humor.
He doesn't define himself by his issues. Alex is just Alex. And that's how his friends and peers see him - not as a kid with quite noticeable tics, but as a kid who's kind and friendly. (He's not a wuss, though! ;) )
He's the best brother a girl could have. :)
Cheery bye, Scarlett
No matter what happened to her, Scarlett had an innate strength that kept her going. She's always been a model of strength and determination to me - when I was taking Algebra in eighth grade and was having difficulty with some of the work, I would tell myself "Scarlett survived the Civil War; you can survive Algebra" half-jokingly. (I'm not a math person at all!)
To some, Scarlett is probably the epitome of coquetteish Southern Belles, and think she's to be scorned instead of admired. If you read the actual book, you'll see that she's an intelligent woman who uses the conventions of her time to her advantage. She's aware that she's an eyelash-batting tease - and that men are generally dumb enough to fall for that. Normally I despise that sort of manipulating behavior, but you have to keep in mind the time period and expectations for men and women. I'm not excusing it - I'm just saying that's, unfortunately, the way things were during that time.
Besides, she doesn't just sweet-talk men all the time - I already mentioned the period at Tara during and after the Civil War, but she continues to be a level-headed businesswoman even when she can afford not to. And daggone, she goes through a bunch of emotional struggles and still comes out stronger than ever. When faced with Rhett's rejection at the conclusion of both the movie and the book, when all her dreams are shattered, what does she do? She doesn't crumble. She decides she will find a way to get him back. (You know the rest of the quote. ;) ) And you just know she WILL get him back, because that girl gets what she wants!
So that's my fictional inspiration.
My real-life inspiration is my brother. He has Tourette Syndrome and a mild OCD, and is thirteen. I don't know which is worse! ;) He has very obvious tics - head moving, facial movements, etc. Other kids, as you know, can be cruel. And yet - he has never had any hurtful words thrown at him. Questions, yes, but purely out of interest, not to mock. He has a bunch of friends, and gets along with everyone. He's just a happy little guy, who happens to have some extra issues.
It's his attitude that makes him such a special little guy. He just has a truly sweet disposition - he's positive, compassionate, and friendly. He's a big goofball and has a wicked sense of humor.
He doesn't define himself by his issues. Alex is just Alex. And that's how his friends and peers see him - not as a kid with quite noticeable tics, but as a kid who's kind and friendly. (He's not a wuss, though! ;) )
He's the best brother a girl could have. :)
Cheery bye, Scarlett