Daniel 1 Brittany Daniel Ms.

Caruso ENGL 1101 26 September 2011

Mirror Humans have been interested in mirrors since prehistoric times. The ancient Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs buried their dead with magic stones or stone reflectors to hold the soul, ward off evil spirits, or allow the body to check its hair before going into the after life. Mirrors have managed to find their way into religion, folklore, literature, art, magic and science (Pendergrast Introduction). Round mirrors can both reflect the sun and become a miniature imitation of it. Early metal reflectors were associated with the sun gods. Everyday mirrors in the same time period were just used to apply cosmetics giving the foundation of what most mirrors are used for today (Pendergrast Introduction). In the Middle Ages people would use mirrors to see the mystic future. Therefore most people saw them as a passageway to the dead in heaven or hell. They also thought that the dead could come into our world through mirrors (Pendergrast Introduction). From the earliest times, mirrors were used for scientific applications. Archimedes used fire to set Roman ships on fire according to legend. So with the question of could this really be true; this hypothesis lead to the invention of modern solar ovens and generators. Concave mirrors made early lighthouses possible and the reflection telescope changed our view of the universe (Pendergrast Introduction).

Daniel 2 Since cheap industrialized glass and modern methods of applying reflective material to it has become so popular, mirrors have become common objects in even the poorest homes. They are used creatively used by home decorators and architects and in the 20th century, helped transform the US into a pleasure seeking, celebrity-driven society (Pendergrast Introduction). One of the main themes in Mark Pendergrasts book is that human beings use mirrors to reflect what we want to see. On one hand we want to see things how they really are and on the other hand we want the mysteries to remain mysteries. We want to see what is plainly in front of us, yet we also like the idea of imagination, illusion, and magic (Pendergrast Introduction). The mirror in my dorm room is a full-length mirror. It is rectangular and black. Due to the fact that we cant put holes in our walls tape has tried and failed to hold it up so it has a broken frame and a bent corner. Its genre is full-length mirror. Its cheap and not very good quality and therefore gives of a very unclear, funhouse kind of image. Which brings me to the idea that Pendergrast has that we see what we want to see and it depends on what is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously there are several purposes for mirrors but the main purpose for the mirror in my room is to do my hair and make up and to make sure my outfit doesnt look a hot mess. This mirror does perform its purpose well put not very well just because it isnt the best mirror you could have and its not the best quality.

Daniel 3 Work Cited

P e n d e r g r a s t , M a r k . M i r r o r M i r r o r . N e w Yo r k , N e w Yo r k : B a s i c Books, 2003. x-xi. Print. <http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=T4 GErgSbU0C&oi=fnd&pg=PP10&dq=history+of+mirrors&ot s=GHnbBC8jbP&sig=The5KJb9z2r_e0Ras1Hetcs6xEg#v=o nepage&q=history%20of%20mirrors&f=false>.

F u l l - l e n g t h M i r r o r . M a d e i n C h i n a . Ta r g e t .

Daniel 4 Comment 1: Where did you learn this? Cite it please Bro. Comment 2: Huh? Re-word Bro-ster. Comment 3: same as 2 Bro-seph. Comment on last paragraph: Revise, reform, and make it flow.