Letter from the Editor

For some of us, it all went by way too fast, while for others it didn’t go nearly fast enough. I will not be sharing which I was, but for all of us, senior year has to end. Whether this is a good or bad thing, we will all at least miss something about our high school days. For me, that thing would have to be yearbook class. It is so much fun and I recommend it to anyone who is a future graphic designer or photographer, like me, or anyone who just likes to be creative ad artistic. We all work together as a team and have the best yearbook advisor ever, Mrs. Greggs.

Even though she gets stressed out and misplaces things sometimes, we all love her anyway. If you had an entire yearbook to put together, newspapers to get out, English classes to teach, and essays to grade, you would be a little stressed too. But somehow, she manages to do all of this without going completely insane. So, thank you Mrs. Greggs for doing what you do best and helping all of us to Remember ’09. You have been a major influence in my life and career path. I will most definitely miss you. Who knows, maybe someday I will end up being a yearbook/newspaper advisor.

I would also like to thank the entire yearbook class for working so hard on making this yearbook. We got so many pages turned in ahead of schedule this year, I was very impressed. Out of the three years that I have been a part of the yearbook staff, this has been our most creative yearbook yet! Thank you to our Yearbook Advertising Crew, the commercials were hilarious and original. To Andrew and Thad, my co-editors, we made a great team and created a pretty awesome yearbook cover!

Class of 2009, I wish all of you the best of luck in everything you do. I am going to miss all of you. You all have bright futures ahead of you, so don’t give up on your dreams. And to everyone who possesses this yearbook, I hope you enjoy it and can reminisce about all the good times you had here at Sullivan High School. We made this for you, to store and preserve your memories and to help you not forget to Remember ’09.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2009!!!

Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451

Could you imagine a world where no one was allowed to read books and everyone always watched television? What about one where no one takes the time to think, talk, or take a walk outside? What would you do if you were always being told what to do or think and you couldn’t do anything about it? This kind of world doesn’t sound all that crazy does it? The truth is, though, that years ago this would have sounded insane. That is exactly what Ray Bradbury was trying to warn us about in his novel, Fahrenheit 451. Throughout the novel, Bradbury uses plenty of symbolism and imagery to convey his thoughts of what the future of our society will be like.

Fire is a major symbol all through Fahrenheit 451. It has a dual image by representing two completely opposite emotions. It has a negative energy which frightens people by destroying the houses and the people in them. It erases every cultural work of art, and eliminates knowledge and the ability to think clearly because no one can read the books. However, Montag sees fire as a symbol of good and his solution to all problems. When he couldn’t think of any better solution for escape from Captain Beatty and the Mechanical Hound, he just set them both on fire (Bradbury 119). Also, Montag saw a “strangely comfortable and rare and gently flattering light of a candle” in Clarisse’s eyes. This reminded him of a night from his childhood when there was a power failure and their only source of light was from their last candle (Bradbury 7). For the intellectuals, fire has a positive feel as well. They used it to provide them with warmth, a meeting point, and just a place to sit around and enjoy nature. In the end, though, fire destroys the entire city, but at the same time it gives them hope for the future. This hope will give them the confidence and power they need to rebuild and change society.

Two very important symbols at the beginning of the book are the hearth and the salamander. Both of these introduce the major symbol of fire. The hearth is a fireplace, which can heat a home. This gives fire a warm and comforting feeling. It stands for the good side of fire, while the salamander represents the destructive nature of fire. It was once believed that the salamander could live in fire. This is why salamanders are also the names given to fire trucks and are the official symbol of the firefighters.

The sieve and the sand are taken from Montag’s childhood memory of trying to fill up a sieve with sand on the beach to get a dime from his spiteful cousin (Bradbury 78). He compares this memory to his effort to read the whole Bible as quickly as possible on the subway. He hoped that, if he read it quick enough, bits and pieces would stay in his memory. The sand is a representation of the truth Montag is trying to find, and the sieve is like the human mind in search of a truth that remains unknown and impossible to grasp in any permanent way.

“There was a silly bird called a phoenix back before Christ, every few hundred years he built a pyre and burnt himself up” (Bradbury 163). After the bombing of the city, Granger compares mankind to a phoenix that burns itself up and then gets up out of its ashes over and over again. Man’s benefit is his ability to know when he has made a mistake, so that in the end he will learn not to make that mistake anymore. Granger and the rest of the intellectuals are trying to remember the mistakes of the past so that it won’t repeat itself. The symbol of the phoenix’s rebirth refers not only to the rebirth of humankind but also to Montag. He now sees the world in a new and strange way. He can think more clearly and make a difference in society.

The water is a symbol for a helpful power which saves Montag and is a contrast to the fire by dividing two completely different worlds. Montag crosses the river to flee out of the city and get into the forest. The river rescues Montag and takes him away from the city to lose the mechanical hound (cite). Also, Faber portrays himself as water and Montag as fire, claiming that the combination of the two will create wine. The wine could indicate a sense of knowledge and sophistication.

Overall, Bradbury’s use of symbolism is easy to understand because the symbols are easily connected with what they represent. In reality, fire warms us but we fear getting to close to it. Water refreshes us, wakes us up, and keeps us alive. The hearth, or home, is a cozy, comfortable place, while a salamander may seem creepy or make people feel uneasy. These are common things that everyone is familiar with, so they help us to better see the themes and warnings that Bradbury wished to get across.

Night People

Sara's bedroom was on the second story of the house. Tonight it was her father who took her to bed, and she scrambled up the stairs in front of him, wearing a SpongeBob nightshirt and a pair of white fuzzy slippers.

Once inside her door, she climbed into her bed and sat on top of the quilt with her legs folded under her. Her father dimmed the lamp on top of the bookshelf, then knelt to look through the books.

"Your mother finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, didn't she?" he asked. "So what'll it be this time? Shall we start Frederick's Fables?" He turned his head to smile at Sara, but she could tell that he was tired already.

Still Sara frowned. "You're not going to tell me one of yours?"

"I'm sorry... I did an awful lot of work around the house today. Papa needs to go to bed early tonight." Sara's father stood up, moved to the bed and sat down on it, leaving a noticeable depression in the small mattress with his weight. He scooted closer to put his arm around Sara's shoulders and asked, "Can you tell me a story instead?"

"Well..." Sara put her fist under her chin in thought. "I don't think I'm very good at it yet. But there is something." Suddenly she was sitting with her back straight, rocking back and forth eagerly. Her face was very serious and her eyes glimmered. "There's this place..."

Sara's father smiled and nodded attentively.

"... And you can only get there at night. The grass is dark, and it feels like damp velvet when you walk on it. There are flowers that grow in bunches and glow yellow, and little lizards with fins who come out to play in puddles after the rain. And there are things like shadows everywhere, but they're solid, and they move all on their own, gliding through the air. They change shape as they move, and they can become just about any animal you could think of. Sometimes there are big flocks of them all together."

Sara stopped rocking and gave her father a solemn nod. "The people who live there are called the Night People. They sleep during the day and wake up after the sun sets. They can see like cats, but they have different eyes, big dark ones, and pointed teeth. And they have colored patterns on their skin, like tattoos, which they put there to keep bad spirits away. They live in houses like ours, but they have things like lawnmowers made of something silvery that make no noise when they move.

"And one night a girl found her way in through her window, and she met a Night Person who was also a girl her age. And the Night Person was scared because she thought the girl was a bad spirit, and the girl was scared because she thought the Night Person would eat her, but when they found out that they were both scared they just started to laugh. And then..."

Sara had begun to speak faster, and her father became slightly alarmed. He patted her shoulder and said, "Maybe we should stop, just for tonight? We both need to settle down and get some sleep. You can tell me the rest later. Is that all right?"

Sara thought. She didn't know how much of her story had gotten through to her father, and a little part of her was wondering how much she should have told him. She had always liked knowing things, and she loved to share them just as much. But she had to keep some secrets. "Did you like the story?" she asked carefully.

Her father got to his feet and leaned forward to hug her. "Yes, I did. Very much."

Sara could be satisfied with that. She moved back and tunneled under the covers, lying back to watch as her father switched off the lamp, paused in the brightness spilling from the doorway to blow her a kiss, then closed the door behind him, leaving Sara in the dark with the sound of her father's footsteps fading away into the hall.

She was alone now. She sat up swiftly and looked out her window. Minutes stretched into years as she watched the sky outside over the rooftops on the other side of the street. The deep orange of sunset faded to purple, then to blue. Little white pinpricks of stars appeared.

And then the change happened. Sara wouldn't know how to describe it very well; it felt a bit like being on a merry-go-round, a feeling that made your head spin and your stomach turn over. The silhouettes of the houses and trees shifted, blurring for a moment before becoming solid again in new shapes.

As soon as the change had stopped, Sara leaped out of bed, then ran to the window and lifted it. Outside the air was cool and moist. Sara put her head through the window and breathed deeply. There it was - the strange, sharp scent of the patches of flowers that shone with a warm yellow light on the lawn below. Little clouds of insects buzzed around them, catching the light of the flowers in their wings and turning it into a glittering haze.

Sara ducked back inside and went to the bookshelf to fetch something from it, then slipped out the window completely and landed on the roof of the garage. She was glad that she had remembered to wear her slippers to bed; they had firm rubber soles, and gave her an excellent foothold as she crept across the garage and down the flower trellis that hung off the back of the house she had come out on.

The sidewalk was empty as Sara walked down it with her book held to her chest. A cloud of the shadow things were floating past, and Sara was surprised when one of the shadows swooped low and hovered over her. She imagined it must be curious, and put out one arm. It reached out, like a tendril of smoke, wrapped around her wrist, snaked down and tickled her skin briefly before rising to join the rest again.

At last Sara reached the house she was looking for, a one-story. She walked around to a window on the side and rapped on it. A sleepy-looking head loomed into view, then smiled, flashing pointed white teeth from an equally white face.

The window lifted and the girl inside put her arm out to pull Sara into her room. The markings on her skin were pink, orange and deep green, and in little curlicues. "Mum and Dad won't be up for at least an hour," she whispered. "Can you tell me more of the one about the mermaid?"

Sara smiled. Of the ones her father told, that was one of her favorites. "I've got another idea tonight." She held up the book - Frederick's Fables. "What if I read you this?"

Free To Speak Or Free To Hate?

Some of us quieter, shy, and peaceful types of people like to keep our opinions to ourselves. We hate confrontation or arguing with anybody. On the other hand, some of us depend on our rights as citizens of the United States to speak our minds whenever and wherever we wish, no matter what the consequences are. Some countries don’t have these rights, you know. A number of these biased individuals, however, take it way too far. They take too much of an advantage on our freedoms and twist the words around to make it say what they want it to say. Burning buildings, insulting signs, destroyed flags, offensive logos, death threats – where do we draw the line? There needs to be a clearer restriction on our freedom of speech to prevent a potentially harmful or severe situation from occurring.

So what exactly is freedom of speech? Amendment I of the Bill of Rights states, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" (Smolla). Freedom of speech is defined as the right to state our thoughts and opinions without fear of punishment or persecution from the government. Freedom of speech is the most crucial right given by the Bill of Rights. If not for the freedom of speech, the other rights that are provided by the Constitution would be less valuable because we could not express our opinions about them. How could we have “the right to a fair trial” if we couldn’t defend ourselves by arguing and confrontation? Free speech is also the most appreciated amendment of all of the others. If the Bill of Rights did not promise freedom of speech, our lives would be completely different. Imagine your mouth being glued shut or having to have permission to say anything that you wanted to, no matter how little. Everyone would live in panic of being penalized just for conveying his or her own opinion.

Self expression is a necessity. Everyone needs to be able to express how they feel, their personal desires and ideas. Otherwise, we would all be the same. We would not be unique or be able to show the world what we can do and how we can change it for the better. It is simple to say that everyone has the right to say and do what they want, but it is just as easy to agree on reasons for limiting that freedom. No one would approve of the idea that anything, anyone says should be silenced only because it was disliked. Then again, we should all agree that it is not moral to hold up a sign saying “Kill Barack Obama!” no matter how much he may be disliked by that individual. The principle of free speech in theory appears so simple. Most would not argue in favor of restricting our rights to share our views. However, when it hits close to home, free speech restrictions can seem like a rational reaction to vulgar behavior.

In January 1999, Truong Van Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant and the owner of the Hi-Tek Video Store, had hung a poster of Ho Chi Minh in his window, along with the North Vietnamese flag. These symbols were a vivid reminder of the cruelty and horror that was enforced on them by Ho’s rule during the Vietnam War. As a result of the protests that had taken place outside of his store, a restraining order was sent out making Truong take down the poster and the flag. However, Supreme Court Judge Tam Nomoto overturned the order allowing Truong to re-hang them. Then, he was later attacked by a heated gang of protesters (cite, 76). While violence was the entirely wrong reaction, it was his own fault that he got attacked. What did he expect to happen when he put the flag and poster back up with a bunch of angry protesters watching? We should be able to share how we feel about certain issues, but not to the extent of causing, or threatening, violence or another issue, which is what Truong did. He caused violence by insisting on displaying something that hurt others.

Today, free speech is not only the freedom to speak, but also the freedom of expression. It is not only your words, but your actions that are sometimes protected by the Amendment. It represents not just what you say, but how you say it. Some of you might think that that means you have the right to say what you want, wear what you want, write what you want, read what you want, watch what you want, judge who you want, and offend who you want, right? Not exactly. Our words and self-expression can sometimes have harmful consequences. According to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic. [...] The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent” (cite). Now, if there really was a fire, you are very much allowed to yell “fire!” However, as interpreted by Holmes, if there is not actually a fire and you yell “fire!” for the sole purpose of causing panic and confusion, then it is not protected by the First Amendment. Speaking your mind isn’t always fun and games. It can really cause some serious harm to someone or a crowd full of people.

Protesting, when done the right way, can really get the message out and accomplish wonderful things. It can persuade a nation to make the important changes that need to be made. For instance, Rosa Parks, known as “the woman who changed a nation”, stood up for the right to sit wherever she wanted on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was tired of the treatment she and other African Americans been given every day of their lives, what with the racism, segregation, and Jim Crow laws of the time. She, and many, many others, only wanted the same freedoms that everyone else had. She did not cause disaster and there was no violence on her part. She just simply refused to get up and inspired others to do the same. As a result, she became an important symbol in the Civil Rights movement and inspired millions to help end segregation forever (cite).

But protests are not always this rewarding. Some cause more hardships and disasters than were there in the first place. In 1995 on a lovely spring morning, a rented truck was parked on the street just outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. A little while later, a gigantic blast coming from a bomb hidden in the truck shattered many windows around the area and set off a tremor that was felt from as far as thirty miles away. The major impact caused the front of the Murrah Building to be torn completely off and the many-storied building to collapse. Overall, 169 innocent lives were ended and many others were mutilated. Why, you ask? Two years prier to that very date, April 19, 1995, a government raid took place on a building belonging to a religious cult near Waco, Texas. At some point in the raid, the structure had caught fire killing the 80 people inside, including children. The bomb that was placed in front of the Murrah Federal Building was a protest for that earlier tragedy. However, this kind of protest did not make anything better. It just killed more than twice as many people as the incident they were protesting (cite). It caused way more harm than good, quite the opposite of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Freedom of speech is not only about sharing your own opinions and beliefs, but hearing other people’s viewpoints without being hateful and rude. Epictetus, a Greek philosopher, once said , “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak,” according to ThinkExist.com. However, some people don’t agree. Just this month a group of atheists in Olympia, Washington, decided to put up a sign in the Capitol building partly in response to a nearby nativity scene. The placard said: “Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds" (cite). The atheists had exercised their right to free speech even though they didn't have a holiday to celebrate or display. Instead, they used their freedom of speech to insult and put down everyone who did have a holiday. They saw other people's expressions of their opinions and instead of being thoughtful, open-minded and willing to accept their faith, they responded hatefully and insultingly. What some people don’t understand is that when you listen to others, then they are much more likely to listen to you. Therefore, allowing you to exercise you freedom of speech more usefully. After all, if everyone spoke and no one listened, what good is having the freedom to speak?

Despite all of the protests against limiting freedom of speech, you might be surprised to learn that almost half of all Americans think the First Amendment “goes too far” in the rights it guarantees. In fact, 74 percent of people mildly or strongly disagree that public school students "should be allowed to wear a T-shirt with a message or picture that others might find offensive." As well as 28 percent of people mildly or strongly disagree that "any group that wants to should be allowed to hold a rally for a cause or issue even if it may be offensive to others in the community" (cite). Many Americans feel that the boundaries that define what the First Amendment is protecting are not clear enough and need to be limited. The government's restrictions should limit speech that is going to limit other's speech, such as speech that is assertive and insulting enough that it might intimidate or force others into silence.

From constantly offending everyone to unnecessary, violent protests, something has to change. Not necessarily only with laws limiting our rights of free speech, but with us limiting it. Believe it or not, we all have the ability to control what we say and how we say it. Go out, speak your mind, and stand up for what you believe in, but do it in a manner that will be respected instead of causing violence or hate. If we would just stop and pay attention to what people have to say instead of speaking over it and not hearing a word but our own, this world would be a much better place to live in for all of us. Sometimes it is not just governments, but individuals who have to decide for themselves.

Be More Than the Stereotype

Women are more emotional than men. Men never ask for directions. Young people don't want to work. Girls like pink and pretty things. People in wheelchairs are also mentally challenged. Plain Janes. Jocks. Cheerleaders/Preps. Goth/Emo. Goody Two Shoes. Geeks/Nerds. Rednecks/Hicks. Punks/Skaters.

Stereotypes are everywhere. People all over the world get reduced to “fitting in” with a specific group, whether we really fit in to it or not. Even if we try our best to individualize ourselves so that we don’t get placed under one of these categories, we are classified as “weird” or “loners.” There is no way to avoid or stop these common perceptions; however, there are steps we can take to overcome them and love ourselves for who we are.

First of all, you should identify or discover who you truly are. Are you quiet and shy, or loud and outgoing? What are your passions without letting parents or friends influence you into something else? What makes you unique and stand out of the crowd? Once you figure that out, embrace it. Try to develop a positive viewpoint of your natural qualities and personality. Don’t let anyone else’s opinions of you change your opinions of yourself. If you know who you really are, then you will realize how ridiculous the stereotype actually is and why you don’t fit in with it. A way to do this is to begin a list of the reasons why you do not fit in with the commonly perceived label that you are being placed under.

Secondly, educate yourself about your stereotype. Most of them originated in some part of history, no matter how ignorant they may seem. For instance, a majority of high class people had indoor jobs while middle and low class individuals had to work outside on farms or construction sites in the sun, hence the term “red-neck.” Ever wondered why blonds were the dumb ones? Some people say it’s due to the fact that men would be more attracted to blond women and notice only the “dumb” things that they did. Others think that it was brought on, or at least encouraged, by celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Suzanne Somers. The media has especially played an important role in supporting stereotypical behavior. In general, sitcom families normally consist of the smart, nerdy child with oversized glasses, the rebellious, teenager, and the good-looking, older son or daughter. Then, you have the working mother, who takes care of the house and kids, married to the messy father, who also works but doesn’t do anything at home except for sitting on the couch, watching TV, and drinking a cold beer. So, as you can see, if you know the source of the stereotype that you are being subjected to, you can further understand where it is coming from and overcome it more willingly.

Next, try to identify some positive role models in your specific stereotype or just in general. Every group has its determined individuals who have conquered their fears, came out of their shells, and broken away from the crowd. Identify these barrier breaking people whose accomplishments and exceptionally positive attitudes are proving or have already proven their negative stereotypes wrong. For example, the famous and very inspirational, Helen Keller suddenly lost both her hearing and vision at the age of 19 months due to an illness. Against all odds, however, she grew into a highly intelligent and sensitive woman who wrote, spoke, and worked hard to help other people who were suffering and confused, just like she was. She had shown the world what a severely disabled person could accomplish with an incredibly positive outlook on life and a lot of persistence. Now, you may be thinking, but I can’t be like her. Nothing I can do will ever be as courageous and inspiring as what she did. Well, how do you know that for sure? No one ever thinks that they will really break these “barriers” and be an inspiration to people everywhere. They merely try to live their lives as best as they can and not let anyone bring them down.

Do not define yourself by the negative image that you have become a target to. Be more than the stereotype. Use all of the pessimism and disapproval as inspiration to rise above the negative viewpoint. Don’t be someone that you’re not, just because that is what everyone expects you to be. You have to remember, however, that you shouldn’t defy a stereotype just for the sake of defying a stereotype. Do what’s natural for you. By discovering the true you, realizing just how ridiculous these stereotypes really are, and finding inspiration from other positive role models who have broken some barriers, you will soon figure out that you don’t really care what other people think about you.