English Symposium

I attended the Non-Fiction readings on Friday at 10:15-11:45. The first essay was about a family whose father became very sick and they could not do anything about the situation and so they made the most out of what they had and the story ended with them dancing in the kitchen. The second essay was about a girl struggling from Chrome's disease. It also addressed other issues in her life like finding a boyfriend, and being successful in her extracurricular activities. Both of these essays were very personal and talked about serious trials in ones life, but they found their "happy endings" in the end. Not everything was resolved, but what they found was solace. 

The final essay was the one I came to hear because the title was very intriguing, "On Virtue: What Bathsheba Taught Me About My Maligned Sisters". It was written and read by Mel Henderson.She provided historical background on the story of Bathsheba and explained that Bathsheba was not even on a roof, but she was where she was supposed to be, preparing to clean herself for a ritual. It is a common misconception that she was an evil temptress, but she was about her own business, doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. Henderson then changed the subject to a friend who had been sexually abused for many years, and who felt shamed even though it was not her own doing. She discussed how virtue is often only associated with women, and that men are often not held accountable. She also talked about how Bathsheba became a great vessel of wisdom, and a good mother to King Solomon. She believes that Bathsheba is an excellent example of virtue.