"John Smith" Response

After watching This American Life's "John Smith" episode, we get a chronological, multi-faceted look at the life of one name--yet seven different people--and how it survives. Stirring, emotional, celebratory, depressing, inspirational; life diverges in so many different emotional roads that it can seem almost impossible to navigate. I hope that this episode made you empathize with these people and that it forced you to look at your own life from a different perspective.

Choose your prompt from the following options. Please write 10-15 sentences--using all four learned phrases at least once--about your experience watching and, hopefully, learning from this episode.

1. With which character do you most sympathize OR empathize? Why?

2. What does life, as a subject, mean to you? What would the theme of your life be?

3. How important is a name? What does your name mean to you, or (do you want it/what would you like it) to mean to future generations?

4. What common traits do all of these "John Smith"s share? Do we all share these traits/characteristics/etc.?