Natalie Sarver believes in fully committing herself to everything she does and appreciating all aspects of her life. She tries every day to view both opportunities and obstacles with enthusiasm and devotion by doing her best. Like the focused commitment of the spider in Whitman's poem, she strives for commitment in school, athletics, and other areas. However, the story "Rocking Horse Winner" shows how an intense need to help others and be lucky can ultimately lead to tragedy if one's commitment is taken to an unhealthy extreme. Overall, living fully and finding meaning comes from believing, committing, and devoting oneself to worthwhile causes, not just carefree pleasures that leave nothing behind.

2. My name is Natalie Sarver, and I believe that…
My life can only be lived fully if I positively
commit myself to everything that I do, and
appreciate and enjoy every aspect of my life
with drive and passion. Everyday, I try to view
both opportunities and obstacles with
enthusiasm and devotion by doing the best that
I can do. 

3. In the poem “A Noiseless Patient Spider”, the allegorical spider is
“Ever tirelessly speeding them” (Whitman line 5). This shows the
spider’s relaxed and committed energy to the web. Like the
focused commitment I try to have in school, on stage and in
athletics.

4. In the Poem “Oranges”…
A man is recalling his boyhood; when he was
12, he had to pay with a nickel and an orange for
some chocolate for his girl. After he bought the
chocolate, he recalls “I took my girl’s hand/In
mine for two blocks” (Soto line 517). This shows
his devotion and love to putting others first.
Yum!!

5. The Scary side to this trait
In “Rocking Horse Winner” the boy of about 13
years is committed to helping his mother, so she
will be less constantly worried about money. The
boy tells his rocking horse “Now, take me to
where there is luck! Now take me!” (Lawrence
454) This intense need to be lucky and
impress/help his mother, ultimately leads to the
boy’s death.

6. “The Lesson”
In the lesson Miss Moore is very patient and passionate about helping her
lower class neighbors’ kids. The narrator of the story is one of the girls, Sylvia.
She is quite the opposite of Miss Moore. When Miss Moore is asking the
children about money,, Sylvia thinks and says “I’m tired of this… and would
much rather snatch sugar and go to the sunset and terrorize the West Indian
kids and take their hair ribbons and their money too. And Miss Moore files
this remark away for next week’s lesson on brotherhood. (Bambara 498)
Sylvia knows, Miss Moore’s reaction is calm and thought out, helping her to
keep her head, and stay committed to the job at hand.

7. Sarty,
In Barn Burning resists his father, and shows his true devotion for what is
right. After tuning in his father and leaving, “… he did not know how far he
had come , but there was no glare behind him now…” (Faulkner 480) Sarty
was alone and lost, but relieved after turning in his father in and finding his
true self.
Way to go
Sarty!! As the
reader, I’m
saying.

8. In “Because I could not stop for
Death”,
The speaker is dying and reflecting on his or her life (I
assume it’s a girl) . The way the speaker looks back on
things the reader knows she had a full life. The speaker
says “We slowly drove-He knew no haste/and I had put
away/My labor and my leisure too” (Dickinson lines 57) . In the poem she has finally put away her labor,
implying that she has done some hard work. She
reflects on fond memories, that gave her joy that
comes with hard work and commitment, not light or
guilty pleasures.

9. “We Real Cool”, or maybe not
“We Real Cool” contrasts “Because I could not stop for death”, as the
people being described are fancy-free, and without cares or concerns.
“Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.”
(Brooks lines 7-11)
In the end, which comes faster than it should, for the “The Pool
Players,/ Seven at the golden shovel” (Lines 1 and 2) they have nothing
to look back on, for their lack of determination to do anything
worthwhile set them back from true happiness.

10. “If Everything Happens that Can’t be Done”
In E.E. Cunnings poem, with the above title, the places one can go are limitless, with the correct mindset and
motivation. The final stanza reads:
“we're anything brighter than even the sun
(we're everything greater
than books
might mean)
we're everyanything more than believe
(with a spin
leap
alive we're alive)
we're wonderful one times one”
(EE Cunnings lines 37-45)
It’s so true to life, wonderful times come from believing, committing and devoting.

11. Pictures Cited
Almost everything was clipart or my own property except:
Oh the Place you’ll go http://www.activeendurance.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ACTIVEWorld.jpg
Serena Williams : http://www.hdwallpapers3d.com/serena-williams/
Charice: http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment
Gershwin Theater: http://www.vipseats.com/venues/gershwin-theatre-new-york-ny.html