Last American Man

Eustace is both the "last American Man" and just a different sort of modern man. While he lives in the woods and acts like the early American men and settlers, he isn't entirely the last American Man. He uses skills that he might, at first, deny he even has, like accounting and business, in a world where he doesn't think people should really have to deal with that. He had to use all of these skills in order to gain his land for Turtle Island. Also, while he says he is this frontier man, he spends a good portion of his time living in hotels or houses, while he is on his educational tours. Real frontier men practiced what they preached, and didn't make exceptions to their daily lives every once and a while. The idea of an American man generally a good idea, but in the context they want it in it is a bad one. It is a very rare occurrence and an almost impossible feat. Societies change, and the people in the societies change. The old American men didn't have to worry necessarily on who owned land and other items Eustace has to take care of in today society. It would be impossible for him to be this last American man in the original since, because the idea of what an American man has changed so much in history. The men in today's world are not like their forefathers, but even those men were not real "American men." Many of them weren't even from America, let alone live in the wilderness. 

Apprentices

Everyone that comes to work for Eustace has their own personal goals when they go to Turtle Island. Most of them have this love for nature, and really want and believe they can live the way Eustace lives. The apprentices do not like him because he just takes their dream away from them. He doesn't treat them right and ends up working them for 12 to 15 a hour days. These people aren't used to working this hard, and when they ask for breaks or a day off, he doesn't give it to them. Everything the apprentices do he says it isn't good enough, or is ruining the camp. Eustace always wants to be in charge, so even if the apprentices could be very helpful, only 10 percent of them end up staying because he always finds something that is wrong. I would not want to work for Eustace. He is always ruins peoples dreams. Also, he would make me work long hour days with no reward. I would go to Turtle island to learn stuff, but also to have fun, and Eustace isn't a fan of fun. Also, I'm not completely dedicated for nature, and if people went to Turtle island who are completely dedicated do not make it, I would not make it a day working there. Eustace needs to learn how to treat people with more respect.

Horse Ride

To Eustace, this is just one more challenge and adventure he is making for himself. Also, this particular adventure was important to him because he wanted to make the relationship he had with his brother stronger and better than it was. The over all plan for this journey, in Eustace's head, was to make it across the country by Easter, while testing the limits of how long and hard both the horses and the Long Riders could go. To me, while I was reading about their journey, the most important or interesting part of their journey was when Eustace trained this animal that couldn't be tamed, Peter Rabbit. The way Eustace reacted to this mule when he kicked his brother was a surprise, and the actions he took after the incident were even more surprising to me. He started fighting with the mule, both enduring physical pain, whether it be the biting and whipping coming from Eustace or the kicking of Peter Rabbit. For a long period of time their was constant abuse coming from one of them, and Judson and Susan just stared, scared to death. Eustace also talked to the animal also, in hopes of changing its temperament.What was amazing about this whole thing was I didn't expect Peter Rabbit to change. It was amazing to me that a few weeks later they sent a picture to his original owner, and all of his no no spots were being touched, and Peter Rabbit didn't seem phased at all. Out of all of the incidents that occurred on this journey, this was the one that stuck out the most.

Life at Turtle Island

Life at Turtle Island after the first year continued to stay the same. He was still constantly on the road or building the Island, and he never had time to actually live off of the land. Now, he had to constantly worry if the land surrounding the Island was going to be taken over by roads or Resorts. Also, he had to work deals with his enemies, something he normally wouldn't do unless he was desperate. He is still going to different schools to teach, but lately he was thinking that the children he was teaching were just rude. The things that normally brought him happiness were making him upset. He often wrote in his journal that he was depressed and upset, when he should be feeling relaxed and happy. Also, Turtle Island ruined his love life. Valarie began getting upset that Eustace wasn't spending time with her, and it lead her to cheat on a mutual friend. He breaks up with her because Valarie and Henry continued to lie to him. After Valarie there were many other women that came and went, but none of them stayed because of one reason or another. He was engaged at one point, but she also cheated on him with a banjo player. Eustace didn't understand why people continued to lie to him and cheat. Turtle Island caused more trouble in his life than joy. As for the people around him, at first they loved The Island, but when Eustace began to pay more attention to his land, they would get upset. Their presence began to annoy him also. He would write in his journal that he was annoyed that they were having a staff meeting in his office, and wished they would stay away from his person space. He continued to be depressed during his first few years, and wasn't what he expected.

Turtle Island

Eustace has pressure from all around him to get Turtle Island set up and established. He asked his father, who he hadn't really talked ot in a long time for money, and he was trying as hard as he could to pay him back as quick as possible. This was causing him to work nonstop until the money was paid of, and then he would ask for more money to make his dream grow larger. He was constantly on the road, giving different programs to children of all ages. Once he finished one program he continued right on to the next, having to speed the intire away inorder to get there on time. He wasn't really living what he was preching during this hectic time of his life. He was in square cars preforming for hours on end in square rooms and staying in square hotels and houses, instead of living in his circular world. When he wasn't giving speeches he was constructing his office on only a few hours of sleep a night, working himself to the bone. He wasn't really living the life style he really was hoping for in the very early years,but the outcome affected the people around him greatly. Besides his dad, who was the main financial advisor of the project and the main person he was trying to succeed for, there was also Valarie who was also important in the building of his dream. She was affected because he was always working and didnt really have that much time for her. BUt he affected the children in a good way. Mothers would write him letters commenting on how much more mature Turtle Island had made her son. The campers went to the camp and were forever changed. After months of running around hectically, he finally got the happiness of changing childrens lives out of Turtle Island.

Dress for Success

I picked dress for success because I really liked the idea of setting women up in order to succeed, instead of just giving them food and things of that nature. This organization really makes it possible for these women to get the rest of their lives in order, and raise from nothing to something that is very successful. I first learned of this organization because they came and talked to my church about it. Also, Sarah Rodriquez's mother helped out there from time to time and it just grabbed my attention. The way they set all of these underprivileged women up just amazes me. All of these women come from places that they might not have enough money to buy suits or other dress up cloths, they might not eve have neough money to put food on their table, if they have one, and just need a step in the right direction in order to almost start their life anew. Also, this organization is a great one because they don't just give them one suit and a few tips and then send them on their way. They have specail programs that the women can come back to if they have any questions or guidence in their new work force. That was one thing that really amazed me and grabbed my attention.

People Today

In today's world, there are still many people who are on a quest for some sort of freedom or rights that they have not been given. In America, as well as other places throughout the world, minorities are the people that are chasing after these freedoms. Minorities include the color of skin you have, your religion, your sexual preference, culture background and anything that makes you "different" from other people. These quests for freedom can be on an individual base, or on a whole group of people as a whole. Where ever there are a few number of people that aren't like the majority in the area, the people have to fight for and be on a journey for a freedom of prejudices, judgment, and assumptions, and they have to start fighting for equality and even normality. I saw normalitly because they are just trying to be treated as everyone else is around them and become apart of a "normal state."

Freedom

Linda finally gets her freedom because Mrs. Hobbs brother, who promises her that since her grandmother was so kind to him would not tell Dr. Flint where she is, writes to Dr. Flint about her whereabouts. This causes her to confess everything about her life to Mrs. Bruce and Mrs. Bruce, like the nice women she was, decides to help her escape from Dr. Flints arrival. She first sends Linda to one of her friends houses, where she was supposed to wait for William to arrive. Because Mrs. Hobbs feels bad for what her brother did, she decides to let Ellen stay with Linda for a few days, so Linda is met by her daughter also. Everyone involved then decide that Linda and her children should go to Boston, because of the small number of southerners in the area, so she gets on a boat and travels to Boston, and later she gets on a train. Once she reaches Boston with her children, she decides that they both get a better education and learn a trade. Mrs. Bruce ended up dieing, and Linda, because she needed work, decided to take Mary to London. She is there long enough for Dr. Flint to go back to the South. She continues to travel from place to place for a while, until she learns that Dr. Flint died. She finally becomes free because the new Mrs. Bruce sends Mrs. Flint a letter asking if she could buy her and her children. She has mixed emotions because even though she is in these free states, since she was an escaped slave from a slave state, there were new laws that make it possible for her to be returned to the master. Also she is faced with unfair treatment. The north isn't as free as she hoped it would be. She also feels mixed emotions because she feels as she was finally sold as property so she wasn't really free.