Redemption

Everyone deserves forgiveness and redemption. If we were perfect, there would be no need for apologies, but we are not, so we need second chances... and third and fourth and fifth chances because after all, we are human beings. In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Hardy shows the importance of this when Tess is raped, but Angel still loves her and returns for her after they are wed. Her child never receives this redemption from the church, and dies as a baby with no baptism or proper burial. The child is so innocent and pure, yet because of the faults of others, he cannot be accepted by the church. Tess on the other hand is forgiven for her sin which also took her purity away. She did pay her consequences however after telling her husband. He left her for a while, even though he had done the same thing, but he is a man, so he has no virtue to stand by. He realizes she is not in the wrong but cannot just ignore the problem. Redemption is something everyone needs because our imperfections make us human, and we cannot change that.

Gone for Good

People come and go into your life so often, and as humans we tend to only remember the influential ones. The poem "Mid Term Break" shows how quickly something can change a life. It just takes a second for someone to leave forever. The poet uses euphemisms and metaphors to avoid talking about his brother dying directly. This reveals the denial the author is going through. He never says his brother is dead, but it is implied when he talks about the funeral and the corpse and coffin. He is grieving because one day his little brother was playing and next time he sees him, he has a little bruise on his temple and is in a coffin. People are only meant to stay on Earth for a short time, so spend your time wisely with the ones who matter; one day you will look back and the most important ones will be gone for good.

Destiny

" 'Tis very unlucky that we didn't pitch on a sound one, when there was so many more of 'em!"

In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, fate plays an important role in the Durbeyfield home because they have nothing else to believe in. They continually end up in terrible situations, and they skim the bottom of social classes. Destiny creates an outlet, a reason that they are so poor, so unlucky. The father is a drunkard, the mother works tirelessly yet never is rewarded, and the children are just stuck floating with them. In this time period, it was extremely difficult to get out of this situation. Tess blames herself for some of her family's failure, especially after their horse dies, so she takes it upon herself to change the Durbeyfield luck. Finally, fate turns to their side when they discover the wealthy lineage they come from. If they would quit trusting destiny to change their path, they might actually be able to fix the predicament they have been stuck in for so many years.

The Little Things

I have learned in the past week that every moment counts, to not live with regrets, and to cherish everyone you meet. The little things make  up your life, so you cannot just ignore them; instead, embrace them. We cannot change what happened in the past, but the future is in our control. Sometimes, we are thrown curve balls, but I believe everything happens for a reason. Those curve balls are there to test our strength and teach us valuable life lessons. They should not be fought or pushed to the side. Ever day, every little piece matters, so do not forget even the hard things because they shape you into a stronger, better person.