How Can Da Vinci Be Characterized As a True Renaissance Man?

Leonardo Da Vinci was a true Renaissance Man because of his many talents some of which were painting, architecting, engineering and researching mathematical concepts. Leonardo was always an artistic man, he observed people and had a notebook in which he used to sketch the littlest things that would catch his eye. From then on people knew he was something else, and this sparked a new era. His career started off with paintings, his talent in that area caused him to be famous among patrons. Once he gained his fame working as a painter his interests shifted to architecture. He spent a year creating a dome for the Milan Cathedral. This caused for him to be famous outside of Florence. Engineering was his next challenge, which he proved to be good at as well. He designed machines that protected Florence from enemies and invented such machines that destroyed towers and fortification. People were impressed and Florence was kept safe. He was one of the first people to cut open a body to study its functions, his mathematical skills seeping through, rising concepts related to mathematics. There are anatomically accurate drawings of parts of the human body. Not only this, but he was also a geometry genius, an example of this is the Vitruvian Man, which is shockingly proportionate and its outer circle exactly 360°. Leonardo Da Vinci was a true Renaissance Man because he was multi talented, he painted, architected, engineered and researched mathematical concepts. He was an overall person who could overcome most challenges that came in his way.

Leonardo Da Vinci: http://www.talismancoins.com/catalog/Leonardo_self.jpg

A Dome Build On Courage.

Courage: the ability to do something in the face of fear, danger and/or disapproval

Brunelleschi had experienced failure before, he knew what it felt like when a patron rejected you but he still presented his ideas. Not only that but he had heard about the many architects who had tried and been forgotten of. Brunelleschi knew deep down that this time he will succeed, he took the courage and faced whatever came. In his case it was success and his design had been approved and he had Cosimo to support him. But this wasn’t so easy; he was discouraged and faced lots of hardships, his way of thinking often laughed at. He was ‘crazy’ in the eyes of people, but he didn’t run away from those problems, he faced them and there stood the dome with pride before the eyes of Florentines reminding them of a legend that became.

If Brunelleschi wouldn’t have stepped up, the dome might still have been left incomplete, but he took a stand and his actions and decisions changed the way people thought, they were affected by him, not always in a positive way. This caused a movement, suddenly it was architects or artists like Brunelleschi breaking out of their shell and bringing themselves up to face their city with ideas that shook the world. Brunelleschi’s courage caused many others to face challenges in their way and his courage brought not only success but also confidence, he had been accepted and had to work his hardest to complete the dome. With success came hard work which Brunelleschi brought.

Picture of Cathedral- http://sokyu.deviantart.com/art/Santa-Maria-del-Fiore-54977841?q=boost:popular+brunelleschi's+dome&qo=59

Where do ideas come from?

Anything can provoke an idea. It is part of the way our brain functions, the ideas may not always make sense or be productive but they are manufactured. How people think of the littlest things and expand them shocks me. Fire may not be an invention but people using it to cook, and use as a source of heat is a brilliant idea. What raised this idea? Was it a mistake or an experiment? The thought of the world ending is another mystery itself. Is there scientific evidence to prove this fact or is it a myth? Thinking outside the box, an expression often used by teachers is what sparks that little part of your brain that thinks. Theories are basically ideas that are thoroughly researched, but how those ideas develop and how the person who came up with the idea make most of them is beyond me. I think ideas come out of nowhere and everywhere. It is impossible to stop thinking and where that thinking takes you depends on the way you think.

Picture: http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/Enlargement.aspx?id=RZ001661&tab=details&caller=search

My Favourite Short Story From This Unit

"Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl wins in my case. I loved the suspense and how the author chooses carefully what the character does now and what his or her reaction is. I found it interesting how Mary Maloney starts of being calm and collected but when Patrick Maloney breaks the news to her she cracks. The mask she was wearing tears off and she attacks. Maybe this was all planned? Maybe it was reaction on instinct? But I loved how Dahl took us off guard and how the story actually made me think about what would happen? My favorite story no doubt is "Lamb to the Slaughter".

Picture:

http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=lamb+to+the+slaughter#/d16tyh4

Thank You...s (This I Believe)

It was 11 in the afternoon, “the” time of the day as the teachers put it, and the hustle of the students began to buzz around school. I wiped my face with my neon pink handkerchief, cleaning off any trace of sweat and hopefully exhaustion that was etched across my face due to a torturous day in P.E. My friend and I grabbed a quick lunch and decided to walk around, which was different for us because we usually just sat around and talked, but today it was unusual and I liked where this was going. “You know how Mr. S is asking us to thank him at the end of the day?” she asked, I nodded enthusiastically in reply enjoying my cheese sandwich, “well I think it’s kind of dumb”, she continued. I didn’t know what to say to that, I mean it was just a word right? T-H-A-N-K-Y-O-U, and that’s what I told her, “It’s not JUST a word, it’s like he’s doing us a huge favor teaching us”, she retorted back. Okay, this was getting scary, “Calm down, let’s try this, how about we go around school randomly thanking people?” Her reply, a dirty look, I pleaded her with my eyes, I really wanted to know where this would go, even though the idea being very lame. “Fine” she mumbled, gosh that was hard, now with the thanking. The first person we thanked looked at us disgusted; of course she was her being in 5th grade and us being 3rd graders it was inevitable for her to react that way. The second person, however, was more of an encouragement. I’d realized that people weren’t necessarily nice to janitors, and there should always be an exception to that right? And so our next “gratitude receiver” was a janitor (surprise). As the words left our mouths, the sides of her lips tugged and her face broke out into a smile that reached her eyes. It was nice to see people react that way; it was amazing how just one word could affect someone so much. We thanked a couple more people, each person smiling wider than the previous, and each smile seemingly brightening up the day a bit more. The frown that was on my friends face slowly turned upside down, small at first but eventually getting bigger turning into an actual smile. It felt like I could control ones feelings just by saying thank you, and that’s when the realization hit me and I stood there like an idiot with a lopsided grin stretched across my face. I could make someone happy just by smiling at them; I could make their day by thanking them for what they’ve done, unknowingly even. I believe in the word “thank you” and I feel just the same when I am spoken the word to, knowing somewhere I did help someone or crack a smile that was provided as aid even if the effect was little. Well, I guess it was a good thing we decided to walk rather than sit and chat. Later that day I found the janitor smiling to herself was it because of my friend and me? And the belief in me grew just that bit more.

Similar to this was the Free Hugs Campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4
Picture 1: http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/Enlargement.aspx?id=42-21528451&tab=details&caller=search

Taunt, Move, Fire or Fortify?! 1066- The Game

1066 is a very interesting game which allows you to pick an army you would play as and the computer would choose the army you would play against. After you’ve chosen you levels and armies, you head on to battle. You can taunt the army by typing in rude comments in record time. You can also move units, such as groups of soldiers, archers or the King/ Duke. Attacking or firing is the best part of the game which involves killing a huge amount of people at a time. I had a good time taunting the team, it benefits my typing skills and I also got to learn more about the insults in the Middle Ages. After watching the introduction I got to know about the battle of Fulford which was fought by the Vikings and the English. I also got to review some basic facts about period of 1066.

The Battle of Hastings was a war between the English army of Harold Godwinson and Duke William and his army from Normandy after the throne of England. This battle was won by Duke William who was then crowned king of England. Harold, however, was killed during the war. The Normans tricked and attacked their way into winning the battle of Hastings, which was of course fought in Hastings. This game not only gives you knowledge about the period of 1066 thoroughly but also gives you a chance to experience it yourselves, giving you information about the different weapons and techniques they used then. I would play this game in my free time, and any person who is playing this game for the fun of it and not because they are assigned to do so in school are learning a lot. Thank you Ms. Psillides and Marvin for finding the site.

1066- The Game: http://www.wonderlandblog.com/wonderland/1066-1066-the-game-20090513104304_412x232.jpg

The Battle of Hastings: http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/Enlargement.aspx?id=42-18333954&caller=search

Matilda Bone- Digging Up Themes

Matilda Bone, a gripping historical fiction novel written by Karen Cushman stresses and lightens your heart with moods such as anger, annoyance, admiration, confusion and many more. Its genre being historical fiction takes the reader back to the middle ages. The novel deals with themes such as religious acceptance, lack of Medical Knowledge and Daily chores in the middle ages. Religious acceptance is a significant theme that was stressed upon in this novel. Matilda was taught to live and breathe Religion at the manor, her previous home. After moving to Blood and Bone Alley Matilda feels her knowledge on religion is of no use and that her way of viewing things is different from others which depress her. Religious acceptance was emphasized especially when Matilda meets Tildy, a kitchen maid, “Matilda jumped down from the well and said, ‘I should not be laughing.’ ‘Why not?’ ‘It would be better for me to spend the time in prayer.’ ‘I myself think laughing is mighty like praying,’ said Tildy, “as if saying ‘Listen, God, how much I enjoy this world You have made.’” (Page 59) What people said around her gave her a lot to think about, making her realize that they weren’t wrong, and she was religiously accepted by everyone, as well as her accepting everyone else. The novel also points out lack of medical knowledge numerous times. As told in the book Matilda is both taken aback and intrigued by the ways of healing patients at this new town and how astrology was used to verify the issue. An example of this would be when Matilda went to consult Master Theobald, a physician about Nathaniel Cross and his weakening eye sight. What Master Theobald had prescribed was to combine ingredients to make a mixture for Nathaniel to drink to aid his eye sight, ingredients such as “One part pounded earthworm, one part ants’ eggs, two parts bulls urine, the fat of a medium- sized viper, and a pinch of asses’ dung.” This concoction did not heal Nathaniel one bit; instead keep costumers at bay that seek help from him at his shop. This gave the reader a chance to see how shocking the procedures were and what type of ingredients were encouraged to be brewed in order to heal, easily spreading infection caused by the unhygienic tools and mixtures with absurd elements. Daily chores in the medieval times was hard for Matilda to cope with, she was surprised that simple things as such would ever be challenging an example of this would be tending the fire. “‘She treats me like a kitchen maid,’ thought Matilda. ‘As if I am fit for nothing but measuring and brewing.’” This was Matilda’s attitude at the beginning doing chores being strange for her due to the maid’s handling all of this at the manor but soon she found this simple and usual to do. Matilda Bone goes through a personal journey, her view on things changes giving her a wider understanding on life and the people around her. She accepts people and people accept her for who she is what she believes in. At the end of the book she is in awe of how Peg, the bonesetter and Margery work, patient and determined. Even though the procedures being harsh at times, Matilda understands that this helps people and doesn’t remain surprised. She finally realizes these small chores are a part of her life now and get used to her new life. I found this book rather interesting, sitting in shock and disgust in some parts wondering how people coped with such treatments, and whether or not these actually worked. While in other parts enjoying learning about the various chores that had to be done and what people learned about religion and beliefs.