Talk of the Town

My personal experience with the events that occurred on 9/11 is extremely brief. The only thing I can actually remember from that day, is my sister announcing on the way home from school that an airplane accidentally hit a building. Although I didn't witness the event firsthand, I do still carry an opinion on the topic, which, conveniently enough, fits right in with the essays written by John Updike and Susan Sontag. Mr. Updike uses his eyewitness account of the event to create descriptive phrases and metaphors which help those of us who didn't see it happen picture the event in our minds. Miss Sontag, on the other hand, expresses her opinion of the reaction our media and government had to the events of 9/11.

John Updike's first reaction to the destruction of the twin towers was that of an actor playing out a horror movie. He compared the surreal experience to watching a television show, it couldn't possibly be real. He witnessed the event with his wife, and as they both stood there, they realized how much was changing in those quick moments of destruction: thousands of people lost their lives, no one in his or her right mind was going to board a plane, and planes full of innocent people were turned into a weapon that would terrorize an entire country. "This is a country worth fighting for." stated Updike, and when he got up the next morning, he saw New York rising from the ashes of the previous days events.

Susan Sontag took a much less optimistic view of what had occurred, possibly because of how obviously disappointed she was in how our government chose to handle the terrorist attack. She begins her essay by pointing out that while America is a victim, we were not the only victim. As a world super-power, we posed a threat to Iraq, and this was their form of retaliation; however, many Americans were kept unaware of previous American activities in Iraq. In fact, according to Sontag, citizens of America were blissfully unaware of the reality of the situation. Politicians simply stated that everything was OK and America still stands tall. Sontag declares later in her essay, "The politics of a democracy, [have] been replaced by psychotherapy." Meaning that politicians simply stand there to reassure us that everything will be OK, even when we are going to war.

After reading Updike's take on 9/11, I felt as though I had a better picture in my mind of what had happened; although, after reading Sontag's essay, I felt as though my opinion on the topic has shifted slightly. I wouldn't say I agree with her statements wholeheartedly, but I do feel as though she made some good points. I feel as though our government waits to inform us of what is really going on until a time that is most convenient for them; however, this might also be a good way for them to prevent mass panic and chaos. In the end, I am still formulating my official opinion on the topic.

Introducing Myself

"Who am I?" The question of the century. My name is Emily Grassl, but who am I? I am a teenager finishing out my high school career. Adolescence, my current stage of development, is a search for identity; keeping that in mind, I will attempt to describe who I am at this point in my life -- my personality, role in life, and other interests.

A first impression might lead someone to believe that I'm quiet, shy, and a little awkward when in fact, my personality, aside from the awkward part, is much more complex. True, I'm shy when I meet people for the first time, but once I get to know you, quiet and shy don't fit in anywhere in my personality. Around my friends I am a little obnoxious, and I have been known to laugh at even the simplest jokes. Some people may find this annoying, but your personality can be influenced by your environment, and I grew up with two younger sisters.

Alexandra and Isabelle, my younger sisters, may be annoying most of the time, but we also have some pretty spectacular times together. My role as their big sister requires me to be both a mentor and a confidant. In other words, a know-it-all and a secret keeper. We are like our own mini society within our family. Each one of the three of us has a secret we wish to keep hidden from our parents, and as sisters we keep them safe from discovery. My parents are great, but what they don't know won't hurt them. My dad is extremely intelligent and now runs his own business; on the other hand, my mom is my best friend, and I can't help but get jealous when she forms special bonds with the autistic children she works with during the school year. As their daughter, I hope that one day I will be as successful as they are, and maybe one day become a parent myself. Having said this, my family isn't my only interest.

Music is a big part of my life. The radio is always turned up all the way in my car, my iPod is always in, and who doesn't sing in the shower? Also, I was a dancer up until a year ago; that wouldn't have been possible without music. When I'm not listening to music, I am probably either reading, hanging out with friends, or playing with my puppy Sherman. Unfortunately, I would never be able to do those three things at once; I would need to ignore my friends to read, and Sherman would probably eat my book. For this reason, I keep my favorite activities separate.

It appears as though at this point in my life, I am an obnoxious, family-oriented, busy-yet-organized teenage girl still on a journey towards finding myself. I know that eventually I would like to be a psychologist, but until then, I will embrace my adolescence and take my time discovering the type of person I want to be when and if I grow up.