Essays

Michael Hopkins

March 17, 2018

Eng. 111 and ENF3

Defining Moment Essay and Langston Hughes “Salvation” summarized

Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, social activist, and playwright from Joplin, Missouri. Langston Hughes wrote “Salvation”, which was about a defining moment in his life. It was an amazing experience in his young life. A simple of a defining moment would be “moments in our life that define who we are”.

Langston Hughes wrote, “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved”. At his Auntie Reed’s church, there was a revival that lasted for weeks. There was a special service for all the children that would bring the event to a close. The children would be asked to bring the light of Jesus into their souls and be saved. Auntie Reed explained to Langston what would happen when he would be saved by Jesus. She went on to tell him of a light and feeling that would happen inside his soul. The preacher preached a powerful sermon and finished up with a call to come to Jesus. All the young children sinners were there on the mourners’ bench. Girls cried and quickly went to Jesus. The church sang songs while the adults gathered around the children with prayer. All the young kids had gone to the alter but one boy and Langston, who quickly were surrounded by elders. Westley, the other boy, whispered to Langston he was tired of sitting there and got up and was saved, leaving Langston on the mourners’ bench. It was getting late. Langston realized that Westley had nothing happen to him for taking God’s name in vain or for lying in the temple. So, he too got up and was saved. Everyone rejoiced, as all the young children had come to Jesus. Later that night, he cried for the first time at twelve years old. His aunt heard him and told his uncle, Langston was crying because Jesus had come into his life. However, was crying for the shame of lying to his aunt and everyone in the church that Jesus did not come to him, and now he did not believe there really was a Jesus. Langston’s defining moment came and went with him no longer a boy as he turned into a man that night. “Hughes” Just like Langston, I too had a defining moment in my life that changed my life forever. The decision to join the Navy and reap the benefits for the rest of my life. “Hughes”

I was born in Chillicothe, Ohio on December 23, 1957. My parents, Oscar and Mary Hopkins were in their early 20s and living on a farm when I came into the world. After a few years, my parents moved us to Fairborn, Ohio to live close to my Grandfather, while my Father went to work for him in construction. While living in Fairborn, Ohio my Father was offered a job as a Greene Country Policeman in Xenia, Ohio. We moved to Xenia, where I went on to graduate High Scholl in 1976. Three weeks after graduation, I started work at General Motors Corporation in Dayton, Ohio. Things were going great. I soon had enough money to buy my own car and had money in my pockets. Little did I know, things were changing in America and big corporations were closing down and moving south, or out of the States completely, to make more money. In 1980, General Motors closed down all of its factories for good in Dayton, Ohio and I was laid off. I was devastated and yet, it was the best thing that ever happened to me and lead me to my first defining moments of my life.

At twenty-two years old, married with one son and living in my own apartment, I was proud to be living on my own. Now unemployed and without any insurance for my family, the pressure was on. After only a few weeks, I went to work for a Finance Company in Xenia, as an Assistant Manager. The hours were great and the pay was amazing, but I felt like I was going nowhere. My grandfather and uncle both had served in the US Navy, and for years tried to steer me in that direction. Most of my friends had gone to college and moved on from the small town we grew up in. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to move away and really start my life. Start a career, not just my next job until something else came around or closed down. I decided to enlist in the Navy, and it became my defining moment in my life.

In 1982 I joined the Navy. I flew in a plane for the first time from Cincinnati, Ohio to Orlando, Florida to start Navy boot camp. It was so hot that summer during boot camp, I am sure I questioned my decision many times. Life as I had known it was over. The Navy broke me down and built me up a man, or so I thought. I graduated boot camp and went on to complete all of my Naval schools prior to starting my first tour of duty.

I was assigned to the USS Sylvania AFS-2 out of Norfolk, Virginia. The ship was currently deployed on a Mediterranean Deployment. I caught a flight to Europe. Spent a few days at a Naval Base in Italy and flew out to Israel to meet my ship. I spent the next few months on deployment, visiting many foreign countries and serving my own country. Upon returning to Norfolk, Virginia. I soon got an apartment and brought my family from Ohio to live with me. In less than a year, I had done things and went places I never thought I would ever go. This was the start of my really big defining moment.

I knew after one tour of duty, that I wanted to make the Navy a career. I loved serving my country and everything that came with it. The places I have seen and the things I have been able to accomplish are amazing. That decision so many years ago as lead me to see myself up for the rest of my life. I spent 26 years in the Navy and retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. Less that two percent who joins the Navy accomplish this feat. I have a retirement and disability income for the rest of my life. Even today, when I see the high cost of medical insurance, I am so thankful I have insurance for life for serving my country. The Navy has prepared me for my second career as a Navy Contractor. I have been blessed to work for a couple outstanding companies, that still serves in the field of the military and protecting our country. I feel I am riding high as ever on the game changing, defining moment I made happen some thirty-six years prior.

Works cited

Hughes, Langston. “Salvation.” The Center For Fiction, N.D. centerforfiction.org/forwriters/the-model-short-story/quotsalvationquot-by-langston-hughes/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2018.

Michael Hopkins

April 9, 2018

Eng. 111 and ENF 3

A Defining Moment in George Orwell’s Life

The extremely gifted 20^th Century British author Eric Arthur Blair was born on June 25, 1903 in Motihari, Bihar, in British India. He is well known by his pen name George Orwell. His father was Richard Walmesley Blair, who worked as an agent in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service. At that time period, India was part of the British Empire under imperialism state. Eric Blair’s mother, Ida Mable Blair was the daughter of a French tradesman that grew up in Burma. He was the middle child in his family, having two sisters, one six years older and the other five years younger. When he was only one year old, his mother took him and his older sister Majorie to live in England. At the age of five, Eric was sent to a convent school in Henley-on-the-Thames. It was a Roman Catholic convent ran by French nuns, who had been exiled from France after religious education was banned in 1903. His family could not afford the expense of attending a public school on their own. With help from his uncle, Charles Limouzin a famous golfer who won many competitions at the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club, arrangements were made for Blair’s parents to pay only half of the cost of attending. The other half was considered a scholarship. Eric arrived at St Cyprian’s School in Eastbourne, East Sussex in September 1911. While in school, Eric had dreams of becoming a writer. It was many years later that Eric Blair would change his name to George Orwell. In 1934, the name change was made and for reasons more intense than for writing purposes, but for his experience in prejudice and corruption, in imperial Burma. It was in Burma that he realized that imperialism was evil, as he had seen firsthand the effects of British oppressors against the Burmese people. This was a defining moment in the life of George Orwell.

In October 1922 he sailed on board the SS Herefordshire to serve in the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. There he worked as a sub-divisional police officer in Moulmein, which was in Lower Burma. It was from those life experiences that George would write the short essay, “Shooting an Elephant.” George Orwell experienced the real nature of British imperialism as evil and wanted nothing to do with it and wanted to move on from his job the sooner the better. He hated his job in Burma. He had seen how the lives of the Burmese people were being treated with fear of violence and dominance.

In the essay, “Shooting an Elephant,” George told the story of how an elephant was acting wild at the bazaar. However, it was not a wild elephant, but a tame one which had gone “must.” “Must” for elephant’s means going in heat. The elephant destroyed a bamboo hut, managed to kill a cow, and knock over various fruit stalls and eat the stock. When it was all said and done, the elephant had gone around a corner hut and knocked over a Dravidian coolie with his trunk and stepped on his back pushing him deep into the mud killing him. With over 2,000 Burmese people following the hunt to find the elephant, the pressure to kill the elephant grew. Once locating the elephant and feeling he would be shamed and laughed at if Orwell did not shoot the elephant, he decided to take its life by shooting it with the elephant gun and then trying to finish it off with the Winchester rifle. George did not want to kill the elephant, it was not in his nature. He felt forced into the act or he would lose face to the locals.

George Orwell hated his role he played for the British imperialism in Burma. It was a life changing moment for him serving as police officer in Moulmein, in lower Burma. He realized that no matter his position or status, he was in no way shape or form in control of himself. He was coerced into committing an act that went against his nature. The same thing happens, when the British imperialist bully the Burmese into doing as they say. He was no different, he succumbed his external weaknesses and forfeited his inter strengths over the oppression of the majority. In do so, he acted just like the imperialist he hated so much.

Works Cited

“Biography of George Orwell.” George Orwell, N.d. www.george-orwell.org/l_biography.html. Accessed 9 April 2018.

Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant.” Literature Network, N.d. www.online-literature.com/orwell/887/ Accessed 9 April 2018.

Orwell, George. “Why I Write.” George Orwell, N.d. www.k-1.com/Orwell/site/work/essays/write.html Accessed 9 April 2018.

AlanWattResistance. "A Final Warning from George Orwell" YouTube, BBC, 2003, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox-shlDXKO4 Accessed 25 April 2018.

Michael Hopkins

April 27, 2018

Eng. 111 and ENF 3

This I believe

I am a proud veteran of the United States Navy. I believe in the brotherhood of the United States Navy Chief Petty Officer.

What does it mean to be a United States Chief Petty Officer? Advancing to Chief Petty Officer is, in my opinion, the most significant promotion of any branch of our armed forces. In the United States Navy, the rank of E7 carries with it unique responsibilities and privileges that a person is then bound to observe and expected to fulfill. By being promoted to Chief Petty Officer, I had not merely been promoted one pay grade to E7 but was now a Navy Chief. I joined an exclusive brotherhood, a brotherhood that has a special responsibility to my fellow shipmates or comrades, as they have a special responsibility to me.

Navy Chiefs have existed for over 100 years, Since April 1,1893. In these 100 plus years, we have freely accepted responsibility beyond the call of duty.

In November 1994, the USS Chief (MCM14) was commissioned in honor of the dedicated service of the Chief Petty Officers in the Navy. To further illustrate the importance of the Navy Chief, there has been more than 50 Chief Petty Officers awarded the Medal of Honor. However, it is the daily dedication of the Navy Chief that makes our United States Navy the finest fighting force in the world. The strongest quality trait of being a Chief is understanding leadership.

The Chief understands the difference between leadership, supervision and management. The Chief will put Sailors in the right place and at the right time to achieve the mission. The Chief has already done what he or she demands and expects from the Sailors he or she is charged with leading, while consistently training, developing, and mentoring those Sailors. Leadership can be instilled through the brotherhood of the Chief’s mess, where each Chief can rely on there brothers and sisters for guidance. I chose to serve our great nation by joining the military. Through the years I have asked myself what does brotherhood really mean?

I have come to realize that serving in the United States military develops the unique ability to define brotherhood, not in words, but in actions. Each and every day, the men and women of the military are challenged and are sometimes put in to situations where the camaraderie builds itself, and the men and women are able to build each other. The uniform only lays the foundation for what brings these select, and exceptional, men and women together; it is the call to duty, the ideals, and the shared title of being an American and believing in what that means, that truly binds service member together, across all five branches of the military.

After serving 26 years in the United States Navy, I have often been asked, “Why did you do it? What made you stay so long?” I try not to say the word, why. I really don’t think they will understand why I did it. They won’t understand it’s about the Sailors next to you serving together for the greater good of our country. The pride I will always have in knowing I did my best to keep America safe and keep it as the best country in the world.

I will forever remember the brotherhood I shared and still share as a retired Navy Chief. I will remember that I have been, and will always be, an accepted member of the most exclusive of all fraternities, that of U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officers. The active duty Chiefs saluted me, my retired Chiefs welcomed me, with the traditional, “Fair Winds, and Following Seas.”

Michael Hopkins

April 8, 2018

Eng. 111 and ENF 3

Brain Development Essay

The Natural Human Learning Process of the Brain

The way brain development takes place in humans is an amazing occurrence. The Natural

Human Learning Process has been researched time and again. However, the work of Dr. Rita

Smilkstein proved to be my favorite. She breaks down the process in ways that even the

novice can understand. Through biology and understanding the six natural learning stages, it will

give us a clear vision of how our brain learns. Understanding the biological processes, will

explain why we made some of the decisions that have forged the outcome of my life. Learning

how to manage and understand stress can teach us to lead to a more productive and peaceful life.

According to Dr. Smilkstein, we learn through the six natural learning stages because this is

how the brain learns—by constructing knowledge through sequential stages. The six natural

learning stages are, Motivation, Start to Practice, Advanced Practice, Skillfulness, Refinement,

and Mastery. Motivation means show interest in the idea. Start to Practice is the trial and error

stage. Advanced Practice is where confidence has built up. Skillfulness starts the enjoyment and

sharing stage. Refinement comes with improvement and creative pleasure. Stage six is Mastery,

where we are able to recognize and perform higher challenges, which leads to teaching others.

The biological process will be explained by understanding how, “learning creates

the synaptic connections, with the result being knowledge and skill constructed in our brain”

states Dr. Smilkstein. It is very helpful to understand how emotions directly affect our learning

as humans. The difference of feeling confident or unconfident directly influences our learning

capabilities. Which again, brings us back to biology, learning the different chemical releases in

the brain due to our emotional state at that time, directly influences our ability to learn.

Taking into effect the knowledge I have learned from Dr. Smilkstein’s research, it helps me

understand the choices I have taken in my life to have a successful career in the United States

Navy and now as a Navy Contractor. When I joined the military as a twenty-four-year-old man,

I feel I was more mature and capable to learn what my job would be in the Navy. Right from the

start I was all in on Stage 1of the six natural learning stages motivation, it pushed me

to watch and learn. I showed interest to learn from my leaders and in turn, the leaders were

eager to teach me. To advance in the Navy is a complicated situation. One of the biggest factors

is the advancement exam. A one hundred and fifty question test to gage the knowledge level of

the rank was being tested for. The stress of the test was enormous. So much riding on not just

passing the test but excelling at it to advance to the next pay grade. I learned that preparing for

the advancement test was a six-month process of gathering all my study guides and dedicating

time each week for studying. By spreading out my study time, I became more confident and with

it less stressful.

The biological process is very interesting. We humans have about 100 billion brain nerve

cells called neurons. Each neuron has one axon with many tails (terminals). These axon

terminals send electrochemical messages to other neurons across tiny spaces called synapses.

Learning creates the synaptic connections. The result is knowledge and skill constructed in the

brain. Neurons are very similar to trees in both structure and development. Each neuron has

thousands of dendrites (like tree branches and twigs-- “dendrite” means “treelike”) which

receive chemical electrical messages from other neuron’s axons across the synapses. Then, like

branches growing on a tree, leaning is constructed, higher and higher, skill and understanding

increasing.

Synaptic firing is what causes the dendrites to grow in the brain. A synapse is the tiny gap

across which a nerve cell, or neuron, can send an impulse to another neuron. When all the

synapses are flying, I am focused and my mind feels electric. When a chemical or electrical

impulse makes that tiny leap across one of the synapses, which a person has throughout the

nervous system, the body can do what your brain tells it to do. Like the neurons are similar to

tress, the synaptic firing is similar to a spark plug in our cars firing. The spark plugs fire up the

engine of our cars, like the synaptic firing starts up the learning process in our brains.

When a chemical or electrical impulse makes that tiny leap across one of the synapses, which

humans have throughout the nervous system; the body can do what the brain tells it to do.

Two of the brain chemicals are called Endorphins and Norepinephrine. The endorphins are the

good feeling stuff and the norepinephrine are the bad stuff. Humans want the release of

endorphins in the brain which gives a sense of joy and peace. This, in turn, helps stimulate the

learning process.

Emotions affect learning. The way humans feel has a direct effect on the learning process.

When people feel anxious or unconfident the bad chemicals flow into the synapses, which will

shut down learning. It is when we feel confident and sure of ourselves that the good chemical

flow into the synapses. This will help the learning process.

Our emotions continue to affect our learning throughout our life. Recently I was instructed

to attend a Hazmat certification course in Philadelphia, Pa. The four-day course will enable the

company I work for to ship Hazmat items by land, air and sea. Thus, saving the company time

and expense by not having someone else come in for certification. As a Navy Contractor, I have

not worked with Hazmat, so this was a new area of responsibility. The course consists of three

tests, failing any portion would directly affect my company’s ability to transport Hazmat. Stress

paid me another one of its many visits during my lifetime. I did not want to let down the

company. My supervisors entrusted this task to me and paid over $2,000 for the course. I

went into the course excited to learn new things. I spent my evenings studying the topics that

were covered that day. I dedicated the four days to the task at hand. The course was stressful,

but with each day, I felt more confident and excited to learn more. Upon returning to work the

following week, I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. Stress can absolutely motivate a

person to achieve new goals and help mold us into better humans.

Learning how the brain develops and the different natural learning stages will only help me

in the future with college courses and my chosen career field. Two outstanding web sites,

resources that I will employ for specific strategies are JMU’s Learning Toolbox and The Study

Guides and Strategies. The JMU’s Learning Toolbox has already helped me with studying and

making a plan to set aside time for studying. Be better accomplish this discipline, the section on

organization was very helpful. Using a calendar to list upcoming dates and task will lead me to

achieve my goals. The second resource that has been very helpful is The Study Guide and

Strategies web site. Keeping with the same theme as the JMU’s Learning Toolbox, I found the

sections for time and project management, problem solving very useful. Creating to-do-list has

always helped me out with my career. The section on Learning and Studying Techniques was

great in furthering my learning and study habits that can be incorporated into my future college

courses and my career. Another great benefit from all this acquired knowledge is I want to share

it with my spouse and friends.

Works Cited

Smilkstein, Rita. We're Born to Learn: Using the Brain's Natural Learning Process to Create Today's Curriculum. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Cal.: Corwin. 2011

“SPORT” The Learning Toolbox. James Madison University, N.D. http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/sport.html, Accessed 8 Feb. 2018

“BREAK” The Learning Toolbox, James Madison University, N.D. http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/break.html, Accessed 8 Feb. 2018