GUIDED ACTIVITY: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Experiencing pain is a part of life. It is the best teacher; we move on and grow only if we

experience darkness. Just as pain can get into our life, if we through them, they’ll be happiness

after and a stronger and better you. Surviving every day is a challenge for everyone. It is quite a

ride. It is in our daily lives that we are bombarded with obstacles that we ought to surpass. It

never gets easy as we grow old but we should always realize that we are given these challenges

because of a bigger reason.

Firstly, we must always remember that we are given these challenges because God knows

we can get through. We are bigger and stronger than our problems. They can make a few wounds

to us but we’ll always fight and heal. We must stand tall and be firm because challenges are not

burdening but steps that will lead us to self-improvement.

Another thing is that we are humans and adversities are part of what makes life, life. We

are humans so it’s okay to feel tired and sad sometimes but at the end of the day we must always

look at the brighter side of life. Fall seven times, stand up eight, never let yourself be defeated by

these challenges, instead, look straight ahead and never surrender.

In the end, you’ll find yourself a new person and a better version of yourself every time

you persevered through all the hardships. Accept that life is not just about flowers and rainbows,

there are storms and earthquakes along the way but that is what makes life exciting, isn’t it?
ASSESSMENT 1: MY CREATIVE OUTPUT

This is what I imagine while reading the poem, it represents a person still standing tall

amidst being hit by a storm. It resonates with the poem as the poem says that we are in control of

our life. We decide what we become and that is through the grace of God. The monochrome

aspect of the art represents how life isn’t just rainbows and fun.
INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY: INVICTUS AND DANCE

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjJju5L7gQ

A. Name of Artist and Song:

Rise Up - Andra Day / Jay Kim Choreography

B. Explanation on Video Choice:

I chose tis video because it the dance and the song used as accompaniment

compliments the message of the poem “Invictus”. The song Rise Up by Andra Day talks

about despite how hard life may be, you have to stand still and fight for what you believe.

The dance choreography has so much emotions in it, it perfectly encapsulates the feeling

of wanting to take control of your life and the urge to reach and fight for what you want.
ASSESSMENT 2: INDEPENDENT CRITIQUE

Stumbling upon your poem Mr. Henley called Invictus made me think of so many

things. I am astounded as to how powerful your words were that it made a mark into my mind. It

was short and but very memorable. Reading it was a pleasure of mine.

I was thinking of who could be the character in your poem and realized that it could

be all of us because your poem is universal. Everyone experiences hardships and trials and

everyone needs that hope that I got from your poem. But more specifically, I imagine a person in

your poem, a man in his mid-40s still struggling for stability in his life. A man who wishes to

find his purpose in this world and still trying despite failing a couple of time. It could be that but

the shoe fits to anyone who resonates to it.

Another thing that I imagined from your poem is the setting, I picture a dark alley

with some yellow -colored lights and its 2 in the morning. The poem to me felt so empowering

but dark in its nature do the best setting would the dawn where its morning but it’s still dark.

That sort of feeling just mirrored how I felt when I read your poem.

The poem speaks very strongly, it has a very deep and serious tone to it that is seen

in all of the verses. The tone makes the meaning behind it pierce through the reader even more.

The way the words were chosen gave light to what the poem itself aims to shed. It set up the

atmosphere that I can imagine vividly as if I was inside the world of were these words were

created.

Invictus is a very loud poem, it speaks for itself in volumes. I would recommend it

to everyone of my age because at this point of time, we all feel jaded and trapped inside this
pandemic and it would such a good way for other people to find their sunshine inside this poem.

I want this poem to talk to people inside a very mellow and dimmed room just as it did to me.

MY LIFE PRINCIPLE:

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”

Now based on the statement above, how will you react and what will you do if you encounter the

following situations:

1. You get a failing grade even though you studied really hard.

 I would be disappointed at first but if taken into a brighter perspective, maybe this is yet

not the hardest I could study. I can do more and study even harder. I will see it as way for

me to improve and study better so I can get higher grades. I may fail for now but I still

have a chance to redeem myself.

2. A family member gets seriously ill, money is the problem.

 I would grab all the ways I could earn money. I would do everything I can to help my

family and to save my loved one. I would also make sure that he/she wouldn’t feel alone

in fighting that illness. I would always be there.

3. You get betrayed by a close friend.

 I would get hurt but it would seem that he or she wasn’t a friend from the very start

because he or she had the guts to betray me. It is okay to lose people along the way

because it part of growing up. I would always put my guard up when meeting people so

that I can find friends who will sincerely care about me.

4. You feel tired and demotivated, you’ve lost hope about the future.
  I would look around me and see the people who still believes in what I can do. If I don’t

find hope in myself, I would get it from others who puts their faith into me. I would find

inspiration from my family and friends who trusts in what I can do despite of my many

failures. The future is still bright with people who loves you.

5. You do not like yourself because of the mistakes and failures of the past.

 I would find my new self; I will take time to reflect and rethink of my mistakes. If I don’t

like myself now, I would find the old me that is still there or maybe build a new me from

all these mistakes. I can use them to make me a stronger person, I will make these scars

part of what makes me beautiful and strong as a person.

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