Vignettes 11-16: Part 1: Five of my favorite freedom related quotes:

1) I'm single because I was born that way. 2)

3) 4)

5)

Mae West Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally. Abraham Lincoln The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage. Carrie Jones, Need For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Nelson Mandela Freedom is not something that anybody can be given. Freedom is something people take, and people are as free as they want to be James Baldwin

Part 1: Analysis: Firstly, I chose the five quotes above since they actually meant something to me. I browsed amongst hundreds of quotes, yet I chose these five for many different and significant reasons. All of my chosen quotes are from famous people and characters, throughout of history. I particularly like the two quotes from both Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela the most. I say this, since both played a huge role within freedom. They both attempted to give freedom to blacks around the world Abraham Lincoln in the United States, and Nelson Mandela in Africa and around the world. Nelson Mandela himself got his freedom taken away from him for 18 years, due to racial protests. He was locked-up on an island off the coast of South Africa, as a punishment. Ever since, hes been incredibly well known due to his consistent protests for freedom. The other quotes I chose are just simple and sharp quotes, acknowledging the actual definition of freedom itself. To be honest, I am very lucky I have never had any sort of freedom taken away that is absolutely compulsory in life, unlike some people. Although, occasionally I get an everyday freedom taken away from me for example, if Im not well behaved, my parents will take away the computer from me for a specific amount of time. This for me is a loss of freedom. However, these quotes connect to me in a way, that I think of other children my age who actually have to deal with freedom on a daily basis. These quotes make me think they really do. And of course, my view on freedom is different to millions of people around the world. Part 2: In what areas of your life are you most free to do what you like? I personally think that I am most free at my home. I can do what I like, usually when I want. I feel positive and happy, as I am around my family whom I try to spend the most time with. At my home, I have all of my appliances, daily activities, and things I like. Having all of the things in which I like the most near to me everyday, makes me feel incredibly free! On the other hand, I also feel free when I am in the middle of a forest, in the desert, or in a big field. I say this, since I am most probably going to be the only one in such a place. I really enjoy the feeling of remoteness often. I also like having a lot of space to run around or play in, as I hate being claustrophobic. In

addition, I also feel free around my friends as they know my personality and I do not have to be different. In what areas do you have the least freedom? Personally, I am fortunate and do not have to worry about my overall freedom stance very often, unlike millions of people in the world have to worry about on a daily basis. Although, if I were to name one area where I think I have the least freedom, I would probably have to say school. Please do not get me wrong, I enjoy school, I like my teachers, and have plenty of friends but I mean this in the sense that we are not able to exactly do what we want when we want. For instance, we only have two breaks throughout the span of a school day. This means that we are not allowed to go roaming the school if we get bored, like we are usually allowed when we are home. There are limits to our freedom in school, just like any place. But of course, it would be completely ridiculous if the school had not limits to freedom, as everybody would just do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. Freedom is an incredibly important factor in which we must acknowledge more often and simultaneously. Are there different types of freedom? If so, how do they apply to self-discovery and individuality? Reflect back on your experiences growing up and think about how the freedoms you have been granted or earned have changed with the passing of time. I do think that there are multiple types of freedom. Doing, completing, or finishing specific things can find all of the multiple types of freedom. For example, my loss of freedom is completely different to loss of freedom to a criminal. Since I am not a criminal, when my freedom gets taken away, a minor thing (like a computer I can live without) is taken away due to my poor behavior. I can live without a computer, with no doubt. Although, moving on to the other side of things, a criminal can have his/her entire freedom taken away, by imprisonment. Imprisonment virtually removes his/her freedom for a long time, sometimes even forever. Freedom can be ranked by seriousness, in my opinion. For instance, my loss of freedom is nowhere near as severe as a criminals loss of freedom is. Although, focusing on the main question below are main types of freedom: Economic Freedom (The freedom to buy, sell and make contracts). Freedom of Movement (The right you have to choose to live/ go). Defense (The freedom to be able to defend yourself). Personal Freedom (The freedom you have, to help you live your life the way you want). Political Freedom (You have the freedom to say what you want, to make a choice, or idea to the government). As explained in my examples above, the five listed types of freedom all apply to selfdiscovery and individuality, as you are able to have a choice on how you choose to live your life overall. Since I am now a teenager in eighth grade, I obviously have more freedom now, in comparison to my freedoms I had when I was below the age of eleven. My parents allow me to go to places by myself, without supervision which to me is a great privilege of freedom to have! I have my own bedroom, where I am able to study, work, play, and relax, without any disruptions. One aspect in why my parents are so relaxed about my freedoms is due to the fact that they know I am responsible, smart, intelligent, and that I do not get into trouble. My parents have gained this

knowledge about myself, from living in a big European city Amsterdam. Amsterdam itself is also known as the freedom and tolerance city, which I guess has played a big role in WHO I am today. One point, in which Id also like to share, is that I first rode my bike to school through the city of Amsterdam (around 8 miles) when I was 9. Consider the roles gender (1), race (2), religion (3), education (4), class (5), age (6), and upbringing (7) play in limiting an individuals personal freedom. List them and describe how each plays a role in allowing or stymying your freedom. 1. Gender equality exists in theory, although it doesnt exist in the sense that women still do not get equal pay for the same job. This is sexist. 2. Previously, black people were mistreated and segregated from white people. They did not have any rights, at all until certain people decided to stand against this, such as: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandella, etc. Black people are still sometimes mistreated in modern day society, in the sense that there are still racists, who believe that black people should have no freedom what so ever. 3. In many countries, freedom of religion is allowed. Although, many countries have religious countries have boundaries. For example, Muslims are not allowed to speak about Jews and Judaism. Religious persecution has been happening for centuries, as well. 4. Education is not a guarantee for everyone, as there are many people in the world who do not have the freedom of education. Although, this is ridiculous. People need education to succeed in life. Many people now a day, (especially girls) have no access to education especially in third world countries. 5. The class system is a big part of Indian and English history. If you are poor, you are likely to not have very many freedoms for instance you have very limited money, so you struggle to be able to buy your necessities. Although, if youre higher on the social class, you are more likely to have more opportunities for the on going future, plus more freedom. 6. I lived in Amsterdam, and my parents have always been relaxed, since they know I am responsible and sincere. I also have freedom within boundaries, meaning that I am usually safe and my parents do not have to worry about my freedom. 7. Freedom individually depends on how much money you have, how you have been brought up, etc. For instance, I had more freedom in Amsterdam, rather than Dubai since Dubai is a lot stricter of a city. Personal freedom is basically a combination of all of the aspects I have talked about above.