Lifestyle course: Essay for next week

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

Students on my lifestyle course -- I've fixed the topic for next week.

Some of my students have asked about something called "Muggles". As I understand the term, it's simply a way of saying "people that aren't like me".

So that's the subject of this week's essay, and next week's seminar. Write a hundred words all about the people who aren't like you. What motivates them, what abilities they have, what you can gain by understanding them.

Please have the work in my in-tray here by Saturday evening.
Next week's seminar will be on Monday once again. I'll be in my room all day, so whenever you can come by will be fine.

I'll see if I can make any vacancies for new students over the next day or two.

Comments

[pure-blooddraco.livejournal.com]

Muggles are people who don’t have any special powers whatsoever. They are just…there. Waste of space if you ask me. It seems their only motivation for living is to get in my way. They’re so afraid of magic that they can’t even see or feel it unless it’s right in front of them. I guess learning about them could be of use. They have seemed to have found a way to live with magic so if we observe them we can know what to do just in case we are left magic-less for some reason. And then we can learn their weaknesses and destroy them altogether.

[deirdreofamber.livejournal.com]

If I understand the term correctly, a "Muggle" is a mundane citizen of a given Shadow that has no special ability, as to walk Shadow for instance, or to do magic. But perhaps every person has some talent that another does not, to plant and grow crops or to sew clothing or to create beautiful music for the comfort and enjoyment of others. I am able to duel with a sword, able to create a world to live in, but as yet I am unable to fly a spaceship, so perhaps the space-going among us would see me as a Muggle, even though I am capable of a type of magic. Perhaps we are all Muggles in some way, and also equally special in others, magically or otherwise.


*realizes that this is awfully pollyannaish*

*hands it in anyway*

[deirdreofamber.livejournal.com]

*glad she is not the only optimistic one*

(OOC: totally loving your take on fandom! :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

As a muggle-born witch, I have had the opportunity to reside in both worlds. Muggles aren't to be looked down on for being inferior, they are simply different from the people and creatures who are born with or develop magical ability, and they lives their lives differently. Those who do have magic ability are responsible for using it in such a way that it benefits others, magic and non-magic alike. All people/creatures are sharing this same space, and there must be a reason for our differences. We should learn to work together for the good of all.

[neptune-wallace.livejournal.com]

The thing you have to remember about people who are different, is that you should try to get to know them before just doing something crazy mean like stripping them naked and duct-taping them to a flagpole. There's no call for that sort of thing, and it can give a person nightmares for weeks. If you are not able to be nice to people who are different and try to get to know them, you can at least ignore them completely, rather than publicly humiliating them just because you can.

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

*The essay is handed in with a note attached to the top of it: Professor, I had difficulty in the writing of this paper, as I have never before encountered the word "muggle" in any of my schooling, and was unable to find it in any of my books. I hope what I have written matches your requirements.*

I was raised in a very upper class family, so I am used to acquiring every thing I want without having to make sacrifices. On being accepted to Wittenberg, my old school, I met Horatio, who quickly became my best friend. Horatio is a "muggle" compared me; he comes from a middle class family, and has had to work and study all his life in order to reach the heights he has. Horatio shows me what life is like for the proletariat, and how regular people can be equally as noble as the nobility consider themselves to be. I am glad to have his friendship in my life.