english reflective essay final draft

8/12/2019 English Reflective Essay Final Draft

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Jordan Lute

Ms. Gardner

English 10h period 1

24 January 2013

The True Power of the Hand

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish

all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life. -John F. Kennedy. According to a

website named The Free Dictionary, hands are The terminal part of the human arm located

below the forearm, used for grasping and holding and consisting of the wrist, palm, four fingers,

and an opposable thumb, however they are also the tool for humanitys survival or self-

annihilation. The true power of the hand is often overlooked, but Ive learned how the hand can

craft beautiful things, and dismantle them. Within my heritage, hands are especially symbolic,

as my ancestors were once masters of gunsmithing, as well as crafty artists.

As a young child, I remember my mom would always say: Its always good to give

strong handshakes, because it lets the other person know that you have a strong personality,

and that you actually care about the person you are shaking hands with.

Naive at that point in my life, I didnt understand how a handshake could signify

anything. I realize now that it shows so much about ones character. A person with a strong grip

and rough, scarred skin are people that can be trusted, as they probably work hard for what

they want. This person is probably kind and outgoing, and not self conscious about oneself. In

contrast, someone with a weak, hesitant handshake emits a sense of untrustworthiness, and

seems overall uninterested with the person that they are shaking hands with.

I remember laying down on my comfortable bed in my room while watching a show

called American Dad, and one of the episodes the main character, Stan, was breaking down the

anatomy of the hand of a workin man. He talked about how you can differentiate an honest,


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hard working person from a lazy, wealthy man with a handshake. He pointed out how calluses

and scars are a sign of hard work, and a powerful grip is a sign of strength and honesty.

During fifth grade, I remember being challenged to a race. the scorching sun glared

upon the large, calm playground. Confident, I lined myself up with my opponent on the sizzling

black pavement. I narrowed my eyes, heard someone yell Go!!, and I took off at a speedy

sprint. As my opponent advanced, I accelerated, and as the rushing wind blurred my eyes, a red

ball bounced right in front of me, accompanied by a clueless peer who wanted to retrieve it. As

we collided, I threw out my left arm in an attempt to break my epic fall.

I remember being helped up by a teacher, and I remember gazing at the astonished

faces of my peers who surrounded me. I congratulated myself for not crying in front of them, but

I soon felt a sense of dread as I realized my arm was broken. I hated those few months

afterwards without the use of my hand; I felt completely useless. I came to realize how much I

appreciate my hands, as I was rendered helpless without one of them.

I learned later in life how the hands are the most powerful and symbolic part of the

human body. A hand with two fingers represents peace and love; a clenched fist represents

strength and defiance. The raised fist has been and is continually used by socialist parties, from

the Irish Republican Army, to black rights activists. Here in America, we join our hand and our

heart every morning to pledge to our flag. Many religions find it extremely important to pray with

their hands, an importance that Albrecht Drer captures in his work.

Besides crafting weapons, as my ancestors once did, I have learned how else hands

can be destructive. When my parents first told me: Youcan not use Facebook for any reason,

I was upset, as all of my friends used it. I understand now that my parents were protecting me

from the fact that without face-to-face contact, peoples hands are unrestrained, and they can

write any hurtful thing they desire. As Edward Bulwer-Lytton once wrote, the pen is mightier

than the sword. Of course, we use computers instead of pens, but the concept remains the

same: they are both guided by our hands and are effective methods of hurting peoples feelings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer


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as well as their social image.

I have learned throughout my life to read peoples emotions through their hand

movements, and it is interesting to consider why we display hand gestures based on emotion.

Our hands directly mirror our emotions: a clenched fist signifies anger, and the tension of the

muscles relate to the tension of the mind. Similarly, a scared or nervous person will typically

have shaky hands, as their mental state is unstable. Hands Held High, by Linkin Park,

exclaims: With hands held high into a sky so blue, the ocean opens up to swallow you.

Throwing ones hands to the sky is a sign that one has given up all hope, and doesnt want to or

cant keep trying to complete an action.

The definition of the hand, according to the online Oxford Dictionary, is The end part of

a persons arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumbs. Yet our hands are

much more than that. They hold unlimited power, and create boundless possibilities. As I have

learned, hands are tools that we can use for righteousness, or evil. They are symbols for radical

uprisings, protests, rebellions, as well as peaceful movements. They are involved with

everything we do, whether it is pledging allegiance to our flag, or praying to a god. They are our

personifications of our personalities and our emotions. After all, the final forming of ones

character lays in their own hands.-Anne Frank

Works Cited

"Definition of Hand in English." Oxford Dictionaries. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.

Drer, Albrecht. Studie Zu Den Hnden Eines Apostels. 1508. Albertina Museum, Vienna,

Austria. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Wikepedia. Web. 21 Jan. 2014

.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_Hands_(D%C3%BCrer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_Hands_(D%C3%BCrer)


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"Hand." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

"Hands Quote."BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

Linkin Park. "Hands Held High." Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin, 2007. MP3.

"Season 8 Episode 9."American Dad. Fox. 29 Jan. 2012. Television.

"The Meanings and Origins of Sayings and Phrases."RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014.

english reflective essay final draft

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