Celebration of Human Achievement: Unit Opener
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What can drive someone to seek revenge?

Most of us at one time or another have felt the urge to seek retaliation against someone or something that has harmed either us personally or someone we care about. Revenge is also a major plot element of countless books, movies, and television shows. Clearly, the idea of vengeance is one that appeals to many people. But what factors influence some people to take action while others do not act? And why do people feel the need for revenge in the first place?


How does time affect our feelings?

“Time heals all wounds”. “Just sleep on it; you’ll feel better in the morning.” Chances are you have heard these expressions and others like them many times. The central idea is the same: as time passes, human feelings change. But in what ways? Do feelings fade in strength or do they become more powerful? Are there cases in which feelings are unaffected by time? Can a strong feeling a person has at one time be transformed into a completely different feeling?


What’s the difference between love and passion?

For millennia, writers, poets, artists, and countless others have struggled to define what constitutes true love. Because love takes so many forms, and is expressed differently by each individual, it often blends into and is sometimes confused with other emotions. To some, romantic love and passion are inseparable concepts. What is love, and what is passion? Why is it so difficult for people to distinguish between the two?


How do you defy expectations?

All of us face them every day: the expectations we have for ourselves and others, and the expectations others and society have for us. High expectations for behavior or achievement can lead to soaring success, if they are met; but can just as easily end in spectacular failure, and crippling blows to self-esteem, if they are unmet or unrealistic. Low expectations, on the other hand, all too often become self-fulfilling prophecies. How are we motivated by the expectations that surround us? What happens when someone chooses to go against the expectations that have been put in place for them?