In the eyes of a civilian the world
swirls into a combination of the big things around him; the buildings, the
large fields, fancy restraints and busy streets are just some of the common
ones. However in peering through the eyes of a soldier you may see many
different things. In that large building one might see a hiding spot for the
enemy, or in that field a mound to pause behind, and in the streets memories of
bombs exploding upon the innocent may flash by. In the novel All Quiet on the
Western Front, the author tries to convey a strong feeling that the citizens of
the world take more for granted than they think they do.
It’s something we all know we do. It’s
those things that you never realized that you possessed until they were gone;
it’s the simple details that make up a large percentage of life that we as people
tend to pass by without even a glance every day.
So once in a while a reminder is presented to cherish what
you have because it may be gone tomorrow. Whether that reminder be in something
tragic, like a death or a mere slip up. With that as human beings it is easy to
think about what we have, but how long does that lesson really last? Is it ever
a constant effort to maintain a connection to the realization of what you
actually have? Sure, everyone can be thankful for their family, and home each
day. The problem lies in understanding the importance of the little things.
Because it is not the home that matters, it’s all the little details that go
into making it your own, protected, haven to return to each day. The soldiers
in the novel didn’t have something to recognize as their home and with that
lacked a lot of the big things that are available to civilians. Therefore they
took advantage, and found great enjoyment from the little things that were
available to them but too little for the average person to realize they
possessed.
Authors Note: This is a response to express what I believe is one of the emerging themes in chapter 2.
Guns blazing, blood spurting, and men all over
the world falling on the fields of war in death. The scene of World War 1 ripped
the world apart as bombs destroyed cities and left innocent children to fend for
themselves. Somewhere in this madness however Remarque writes of the much
different life of a few soldiers who have received a break in the action.
Chapter 2 elucidates the theme of discipline and obedience which is supported by
the author's diction, syntax and craft.
Upon entering the forces it becomes immediately
apparent that one must give up a number of the amenities enjoyed by the general
population and in return receive a sense of discipline unlike any other. It’s a
place where death looms overhead in the same way that that dirt covers the
earth. In a place where the stench of gangrene and blood fills the air what is
that holds the men together. It’s their discipline and obedience to seniority
that allows them to maintain a sense of togetherness. Without it they would be
wandering in a world of pity and disgrace. However a soldier must also maintain
a sense of individuality so that they can retain a sense of responsibility and
do not lose their identity. The characters in the novel dig into this theme as
they return to camp and “became hard, suspicious, pitiless, vicious, tough--and
that was good; for these attributes were just what we lacked”. No matter how
much defiance they showed the disciplines of army life still weaseled its way
into them. They still maintained their identity and were not simply robots
controlled by their superiors. They had to develop a blockade for the thoughts
of death, as they witnessed friends, and brothers dying before their very eyes.
To convey such a strong idea to the reader, the author used strong diction, and
also used a number of varying sentence structures that allowed him to dig into
deeper ideas. Such craft in writing provides a successful outlet for ideas that
go farther than just scratching the surface. All goes to show how discipline and
obedience will be a clear theme throughout the novel.
Author's note: This is a response to describe an emerging motif in chapter 1.
Even though it was just a short chapter, chapter 1 revealed a number of
insightful motifs that are sure to amplify the major theme's of the novel. One
that was very clear to me was the motif of the simple things in life. Throughout
the chapter the soldiers expressed their gratitude for things such as fatty
food, separate toilets, and a double serving of rations.
This motif of all the simple things that most people take for
granted make the reader examine their own lives, and realize how much they
really have. It causes a reader to really see what the people on the front lines
are grateful for when for most of us, it's a part of our daily lives. I believe
that this motif could possibly suggest that the theme of reality that could
exist in the rest of the novel. In the theme of reality it would express that we
live in a world where reality is not what we think it is.
Author's Note: After completing the Novel Jekyll and Hyde for class I thought a good topic to take from the story was the importance of identity.
Two eyes, a nose, a mouth and two ears; it's the identity for which the average person is recognized. A simple combination of biology creating a face that we are all seen and known by. However; identity doesn't end at the face but rather flows through the soul and integrity of an individual, encompassing character, values, lifestyle and much more. To some they may be identified by a number. A simple stopping place in the infinite world of numbers. Whether they be a famous sports star or a lowly inmate at the prison that number defines them and gives others the ability to identify that person. If you were to get close enough to a person you may learn about their past, their influences and childhood that is still defining and changing them today. Identities change the farther you travel into an individuals life.
A clear example of the power of identity can be found in the life of Henry Jekyll. He found himself in the predicament of being the owner of multiple identities after he changed his life forever by indulging in the magical powers of his secret potion. He discovered what it was to live a life of evil and darkness and found it entirely addicting. He took the blow of the consequences head on and even Jekyll himself wrote "I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self"(114). Such is a testament to the destructive nature of such a life.
If a man himself does not know who he is and what he stands for deep down and has defaced himself beyond recognition what does he retain? For a fugitive on the run it may mean freedom but to what do you return? Your identity is your connection to the rest of the world and without it one might as well be asking for complete loss of their mind. Who you are and are known for depends on you retaining the proper identity. When evil oozes through the cracks in the barriers that we all put up, some might simply eliminate it over and over. However; if you become covered in that black slime it is very difficult to return to a life of hope and a future. The worst case of the above is found in selling one's soul to the devil for the unknown knowledge. There is no going back to the clean life you were once known for. Identities are forever changing and growing as decisions are made and views are changed.
Author's note: While reading through Jekyll and Hyde I found it very apparent that connections can be made from just about every part of the text and everything seemed to be intertwined. However I also realized that these things are not just apparent in novels but everyday life as well.
If you have ever pulled apart a simple rope or even a shoestring then you know how something so simple is really created through the combination of an incredible number of tiny strands, all to create a single bond that we see as a single rope. Just like that rope our lives are not simply the makings of bone, and flesh but rather a series of events and influences that shape and twist people; the events, friends, family, memories, downfalls, and achievement that we call ourselves. What you view from the outside is only the beginning of that rope. As you follow those strands deeper it is no secret that there are many more strands to be found showing that everyone is completely different than how they might present themselves. Each person has a different character, a different personality, and maybe even a past of misery, despair, or even greatness, that they choose to hide among the innermost parts of that rope. Just like that thick strong rope we all have frays and connections that intertwine themselves deep inside the simple outside providing much more meaning than the rope shows.
Author's note: Response to the human nature portrayed through the occurances in chapter's 5,6 and 7 in Jeckyl and Hyde.
"It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it; and it may doubted if, from that day forth". Curiosity is a simple but powerful strain on the human mind. It is relentless in it's attack and in the majority of instances, prevails. The myth of Pandora's Box peers into this idea by expressing that curiousity can open the door for evil and leave only hope for us to hold on to. It has been said that without hope you possess nothing but in reality does it actually deceive us? Does hope provide a false pretense for the inevitable evil that looms overhead? For such reasons it is impossible to bury curiosity into the depths of the brain. It will always be there to provide the motive to search on and to find the answer that you only "hope" is there.
Author's note: Creative response to a personally interesting aspect of the first three chapters in Jekyll and Hyde.
Evil exists not through strength but rather through cunning in a world where it is constantly batted away. It finds a place to rest in the caverns where goodness once reigned supreme. Created through the lack of goodness, not by the ability of evil nature, it is not a thing but rather simply the absence of good. Without goodness and all the qualities associated with it we turn to evil. That goodness can be captured and encompassed in one's life through whatever it is that one believes but it is necessary in blotting out the darkness. In Jekyll and Hyde, such evil is represented through the mysteries of Mr. Hyde, in his mysterious actions and appearance. Even as the lawyer Mr. Utterson questioned Jekyll of Hyde there came a blackness about his eyes. Hyde has secured a place inside Jekyll and rooted himself so not to be let go. However with that space lacking goodness, Jekyll is being opened to the threat of evil and is slowly being overcome by the immense power.
Authors Note: Response to short story, "An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge"
Greatness Fallen Short
Time seems to stand still as the clock runs out, the last play moving at a snail’s pace in the eyes of those participating. As the team’s success rides on a single man’s shoulders the quarterback pulls the ball from the running back’s grasp in order to become the hero. If he fails he will lose all respect, and suffer rejection from his team. Through imagery and the manipulation of time, the author of “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” transforms a scene of death, into one man’s ego driven desire to put himself in history in order to elucidate that ego cannot spare someone from inevitable death.
The world today teaches the power of the will to win, but the will to win is worthless if one solely desires to triumph for themselves. It takes a greater desire, one of the will to train and prepare; to feel inside that success will be for the betterment of the team and not oneself. However unlike a game, the short story posts a life or death situation when a man is sent to be hanged for his supposedly heroic act to try and stop the incoming army. Inside of all motivating thoughts, family is the greatest and “As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were flashed into the doomed man’s brain rather than evolved from it, the captain nodded to the sergeant”(193). This man did not doom himself for his family; he did it out of an egotistical desire to go down in history. Just the thought of a death sentence is enough to make one cringe, becoming even more grotesque with the simple thought of a hanging. It is an image portrayed incredibly throughout the story, demonstrating that “Death is a dignitary who, when he comes announced, is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him” (193). The man knew the penalty, yet he was not willing to accept the consequence. Yet what drives the message is the author’s manipulation of time. As the story jumps from present to past, and from past to a day dream it becomes vivid and clear that the man wanted more to experience a heroic getaway than to be among his family in safety. This force of ego, although powerful cannot save even the most schematic of men from certain death.
Authors Note: Response to the short story, "To Build a Fire"
Innocent Nature Turned Destructive
As the fire rages on it quickly engulfs everything in its path and swallows its victims whole. As it started it was just an innocent, life providing element that turns the cold air to warmth. However when used improperly it can become an operator of devastating destruction. Just as the fire can do so can our egos. Through the short story To Build a Fire Jack London expresses his belief that the demise of mankind is directly related to the acquired ignorance of experience and the loss of necessary instincts through such disregarding, which may lead to complete self destruction.
Although the short story has a simple plot, it is able to convey a strong message of how overpowering our egos can become. Jack London is able to slowly tick away at the stages of how the every man is able to develop that ego and ignorance for things around him. The man devised by London for the purpose of this story took his ignorance to the extreme. The trouble began as he refused to reference a thermometer in order to calculate the outside temperature the best. Even though it may seem as if this is a simple innocent mistake, it is much different because, “In reality it was not merely colder than fifty below zero; it was colder than sixty below, than seventy below. It was seventy-five below zero”. This slight ignorance to his surroundings sent the man into a dangerous situation. He did all this with knowledge passed on to him, by and elder, that you were not to go out in weather sub 50 alone. Yet his ego kept him from listening to that as well. As his confidence grew in himself the danger become more imminent by each step that he took in the wilderness. Although not a person, he did travel with a dog however. The difference is that dog was still hardly removed from being a wolf and therefore was equipped for the cold. On the other hand, “This man did not know cold. Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been ignorant of cold, of cold one hundred and seven degrees below freezing-point. But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge. Due to the ignorant egotistical behavior of the man he became too frozen to even create a fire to warm himself and suffered the ultimate consequence of death in the desolate, frozen wilderness. The development of his ignorance started much before his culminating adventure, just as we are building ours every day. He felt superior, as if he was indestructible and unbreakable. Such thoughts can so easily cause harm and destruction with the swift power of a seemingly innocent fire.
Authors Note: Creative writing response for the end of the semester.
A lone man stood upon the rotting linoleum floor in heartache, peering down into the rippling water of his New York motel sink. He looked into the grimy mirror and in return he saw a man unfamiliar to him. Covered in dirt with a head of long greasy hair, he was an image of failure. However, failure he did not see; instead, he saw a slight glimmer of hope within himself. Without work and without hope however, the future was dim. On the other side of the dark room sat his wife and two kids. Their clothing was tattered, their stomachs shrunken, and by the moonlight they toiled at their homework. Except for the occasional question, no one spoke. The old floorboards, weak with age, creaked at the slightest movement. Life was rough and the times were tough in the midst of the great depression. The family had lost their house and was on the verge of being tossed from the motel. However, they had one thing going for them; they knew how to work.
On the other side of town there wasn’t a poor family in sight. Large plush homes filled the landscape. One of the houses was occupied by a big businessman’s son and his wife. Life was good, and they had no problem with living off of his father’s money. Days were filled at the office, taking calls and sipping coffee. It was any poor man’s dream. The wealth gushed out of the man through his custom tailored suit and Cadillac convertible. He cruised the streets in style sporting his dark sunglasses no matter the time of day. Nights were filled roaming among the best of New York. As all the beautiful lights glimmered among the brisk city night he sighed to himself, and felt as though something was missing, something that would complete his perfect life. Little did he know, things were about to change.
Kevin and Bill were two young inspired boys ready to take on the world when they first met during the summer, going into fifth grade. Bill had just moved into the fine neighborhood across from the trailer park where Kevin resided and they spent all day, every day, meandering about their two homes, playing games with the neighborhood kids and having an overall blast. Kevin was thoroughly amazed the first time he walked into Bill’s home, but there was something wrong, something missing, he just didn’t know what it was. Nonetheless the two went about dreaming of how they would one day be partners in business, making them both filthy rich.
As Bill sat down in the lawyer’s office that day, however, he did not feel the slightest bit of contentment, nor did he have much more than the money left in his wallet and his house. As the lawyer read his father’s will it slowly became apparent that Bill was not to inherit the business as he had hoped. Rather, it was his father’s business partner who would be handling the multi-million dollar corporation. As Bill Smith looked out the window of the fifth floor office that afternoon, all he saw was the grey sky, and his only feelings were of self-pity and remorse for his father. An hour later, as he exited with his wife, his eyes opened to another world. He saw the jewelry store across the street and the bank on the corner but instead of thinking of what he could buy or how he could invest the little money he had left his mind turned to other options. As his consideration, which was there to cause impact within him, was burst into the mortal man’s conscience rather than expelled from it, his future fell into the hands of poor decision.
The night was young and Kevin was sitting down to a substantial meal with his family. They all squeezed into the little card table that they had set up in their room, because tonight was not to be sad, for the first time in months good news was reaching the Wilson’s dinner table. After settling down to a homemade meal, Kevin proceeded to deliver the good news to his family. Just that day his boss at the car factory called him into his office. His boss proceeded to inform him that he had been observing the workers the past week in order to hand pick a supervisor. Due to Kevin’s work ethic, he had been selected. He knew this was directly correlated to the immense effort he poured into his work on the assembly line each and every day. Not only did this mean he would be relieved of the monotonous labor, but also he would be receiving a substantial raise. So as smiles grew and hopes began to reemerge, the family understood that they would be able to keep a roof over their heads.
Darkness began to blanket the city as Bill left his house in upstate New York. The lights slowly turned out one by one and the small street became enveloped by the eerie quiet of a late city night. Shadows came and went but one remained. Life seemed to stand still as the hands of the clock ticked across the vast plain of the white circle. A lone shadow slunk across the road, and with a swift crash, the jewelry store was breached. Within seconds the sharp pang of the alarm was stopped, without the slightest stir among the residents of the street. At 3:30 that same morning Bill Smith slid into bed, assuring his wife that he had a typical Friday night on the town.
1.A man stood upon a railroad bridge in Northern Alabama, looking down into the swift waters twenty feet below.
2.Excepting the group of four at the centre of the bridge not a man moved.
3.As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were burst into the doomed man’s brain rather than evolved from it, the captain nodded to the sergeant.
In the video some new technology is being displayed that some people think willl abolish the way we think about computers. I think that it isn't all that great but it could have potential and therefore it is a cool piece of technology but it isn't at a stage yet where it could actually help us as human beings. It still is a vey interesting video but for the first couple minutes he just talks and it's really boring so you can just skip that if you want.
In the video you see the true masters of ted.com. Why stay and watch all the smart guys when you can just watch two guys like this. I think this could be the new face of ted. I mean why should I watch a bunch of smart people drone on when you can watch this? Comment with your opinion.
Authors Note- This response is my reactions to the events in the early parts of the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Christopher the main character is a interesting boy who has autism and through this novel Mark Haddon is able to tell his story. He is a boy of need for a straightforward way of life, humor and non literal things are not recognizable by him. His relations are through numbers which he has an obsession with for they give him honest answers and his mind will not let him lie. For that reason a connection is made between our lives and Christophers because although his version of reality is much more obvious than any of ours we still do some of the same things as him making up our own worlds, reasons and realities.
Authors Note: A response to the acts of the lowly mestizo in The Power and the Glory.
Down the road the man rides, knowing by his side stands the dealer of his death, but as in the eyes of the Lord the priest gives him grace and hospitality to walk along side. Throughout his traveling, the whisky priest encounters many decisions in which he is challenged against his faith, but by far the mestizo provided the greatest challenge in choosing the right path. "It was for this world that Christ had died; the more evil you saw and heard about you, the greater glory lay around the death. It was too easy to die for what was good or beautiful, for home or children or a civilization - it needed a God to die for the halfhearted and the corrupt." (97)
Such a decision made by the priest is incredible, but just as important is the symbolism represented by the mestizo and the life that he lives. He is as low as they come, stooping to incredible lows as he cheats and lies his way through life. He is even referred to as the dregs of society, showing that truly he has nothing to lose. For that reason he is the Judas figure who the priest knows will inevitably betray him and lead him to his death. There will always be that one person, that one lazy no good fool who relies on others for everything and will live solely for the well-being of himself and in this novel that person is the mestizo.
Simon is one of the older boys on the island who is independent as well as being the first one to find that the childhood innocence right before his death.This shows what Golding's intentions were as he attempted to show the effects of human evil on innocence. This fictional piece is my interpretation of Simon's death from his point of view.
The night was descending as I made my way up the mountain. Still dazed from the encounter with the Lord of the Flies I slowly made my way up the great mountain. At the top lie the beast but it was not the beast but rather a mangled pilot that had parachuted down. Even the pilot had been found by the horrendous flies. The sight caused me to lose everything in my stomach. How thankful I was that there was no beast to be afraid of. My first thought was that I must go tell everybody and with that I descended the mountain and went to the gathering. However as I reached the edge of the forest my pace slowed to almost a creep as I saw how they were doing that devilish pig hunt dance again. Such words as "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" Filled my ears again and again.
So with that I took my time as slithered out of the forest in great fear. All of a sudden they erupted like a volcano and were screaming that I was the beast and I was quickly being mauled by the wild savages. All my power was used in trying to explain who I was and what I had to say but they kept on the attack. Soon I was killed and my body washed out to sea and for that reason I write this now from a different place.
The novel we are currently reading is Lord of the Flies by William Golding. It is a strict irony book and is set on a desolate island where a number of boys at a range of ages have been dumped off in a crash. Throughout the book so far different characters have emerged representing things such as the devil which is the lord of the flies. The read is fairly difficult as the author's style is quite confusing with the way he jumbles up words. I personally don't know anything about the author but the book was published in 1954.
The winding path of life bringing comfort to most. Choosing to follow something greater brings more to life as no longer are you following the ways of those around you but rather your heart. Not to follow the path but to break trail instead. A tribute to life bringing inspiration to go, not to stop but to move forward. Rocks falling in effort to stop the trail. Life is to strong, it will not be stopped. Boulders coming in mission of destruction. I will not be stopped, the world is mine. The time has come. No more following, no more simplicity, it's time to go make a name, my time, my life. No one will stop the will to live.
Among the creatures, a land of comfort not found by many is the one that Pi can be found in. Pi's dad owns a zoo and takes a lot of pride in it. The paradox comes in with the fact that Pi and his dad are incredibly comfortable among these great animals and really take a liking to them where on the other side the general public is happy to have that pane of glass in separating them. Comfort as well as question is brought upon Pi through these beasts lives and habits. A lot is out there to learn from the animals and Pi really begins to tap into that reserve in the novel.
Pi is able to take a lot from the animals but most important of all is the meaning of home. Home to the animals is not the wild but rather their cages where they are safe and full. It may not be what is natural but they are content with it. With such knowledge he finds more in what he has and how great it really is. For that reason when the family packs things up for Canada he becomes unsettled and even a little sad with all of the great animals being shipped away. He has to become content with the situation he has been given and not dwell on the old but move to the new and make something great of what you have been given as it is yours and your attitude that will decide the final conclusion.
Speech from Video Date, Thursday May 02, 2011 Citizens of America, At this time I come to you in a time of uncertainty, a time of danger, as well as a worldwide crisis. Presidents before me tried to resolve this issue and failed, however I am determined and will not stop until our country is secure and safe for the citizens of the United States of America.In this situation something must be done.
As you all know by now yesterday France was bombed and the city of Paris destroyed, gone, turned to dust as North Korea dropped a few of their many nuclear bombs. Notice I said a few of their many, they still have the power to drop any amount of bombs they please, anywhere on the face of the world.
So where do we as Americans come into play? Long ago we joined with the French and became allies, therefore it is our duty to protect them in a time of weakness. Here on our own soil we are not safe as we can be bombed at any moment. Therefore we are to go into France as their defense, not only to protect them but our own as well as we are to put a stop to this madness and put the fuse out on the madmen of North Korea.
I can not disclose to you the details of this mission but I can assure you that there will soon be no more bombs flying out of the country of North Korea. What is open for me to tell you is that force will be used as plan B and a peace treaty as plan A. Some may call this a tall order, I call it my job. We will not be alone, along our side will be our brethren from Canada, Germany and Spain to resolve this issue. The problem here is not North Korea but rather that I have failed as a president to keep you as the loyal citizens of America safe and unworried. I am personally committed to gaining your trust once again as we go out to settle this once and for all.
We will not take the cowards way out, we will not lie down, we will go and stand up for our lives and the freedoms that come with being an American. The decision has been made and we are to go out and save the world from the harmful men that have brought fear and terror into such a great world. (applause) Thank You for your time and let me reassure you that u will soon be safe and I ask that you would put your trust in the men and women that will be fighting for your livelihood and that concludes what I can disclose to you tonight. God Bless, goodnight.
Relation to novel- In the novel Fahrenheit 451 the government has not succeeded in completing it's job and the country is incredibly endangered as the biggest cities start to be destroyed as a nuclear war starts. Well the same problem is around today as the governments of the world are not taking enough precautions with these incredibly powerful nuclear weapons. So what happens if the threat of worldwide nuclear war arouses because not enough has been done to prevent it? That question is what leads into my problem of nuclear bombs being used in our world and our government needs to decide what to do. The similarities between the two now become very evident as in both instances the government has made some poor decisions and now needs to make a decision on what to do.
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Merchant, Brian, Brooklyn, and New York. "Obama Announces 'Climate REDI': New CleanTech Programs and Funding : TreeHugger." TreeHugger. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2010. www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/obama-announces-climate-redi.php>.
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"Obama Health Care Speech: FULL VIDEO, TEXT." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2010. www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/09/obama-health-care-speech_n_281265.html>.
"Osama bin Laden offers encouragement to President Obama in latest tape / Scrape TV - The World on your side." Scrape TV - The World on your side. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2010. scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Politics/pages-2/Osama-bin-Laden-offers-encouragement-to-President-Obama-in-latest-tape-Scrape-TV-The-World-on-your-side.html>.
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"Sciencedebate.org." Sciencedebate 2008. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2010. www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=40>. "What Obama means for Asia | East Asia Forum." East Asia Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2010. .
In the video above you will see how much our world is truly advancing right in front of our eyes. There is so much going on around the world that is unkown to us as much of it is in progress and not brought out for national attention as of yet. A new decade is upon us and with it could come some of the most monumental technological advancements un history. Minds are growing stonger day by day as geniuses emerge to show their creations that will blow minds and stun the world. After seeing this video that is what I expect in the new decade.
Darkness fills the streets, little light coming from the cold streetlights, people talking to walls filled with video and thoughtless confusion. Guy Montag lives in this world day in and day out without a thought towards the way it should be, until he meets Clarisse who supplies him with thought, something unheard of in such a world. Thought brings hope to Guy and starts the demolition of the fear of an unused life. Bob Bowden once said “Don’t go to your grave with a life unused.” With the history lesson from Beatty and the fear brought to Montag with it Bradbury is trying to warning us to fear a life of usefulness and nothing day after day. Life filled with fear, and brutality against those who have chose the right path, one of thought and courage to do something with their lives so that they might be content with the life given to them rather than pondering over what they should have, could have done. Bradbury teaches a great lesson through this novel that should be taken into the lives of each of it’s readers. You can decide what that something is going to be in your life, just go and do it.
Colors flying round Red, blue, yellow Flowing together Creating more Changing quickly Soon a masterpiece Found among famous Untouchable fame Rest forever In colorful peace Man in color two worlds brought together feet above things done remembered throughought now in color rest in peace.
Meaning behind the text will be found constantly and Dickens has some very powerful things to say that must be discovered rather than just looked upon. The meaning is found deeper. "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts." (p 160)
Inside the words you will find an great amount of content extending from the words themselves as the meaning behind this quote is so large. At the beginning of the quote it talks about how only heaven knows that we shouldn’t be ashamed of our tears. This means that even though tears may be a sign of weakness and are not accepted on earth as well as by ourselves they are nothing to be ashamed of and they are rather good than bad. Following that it goes on to explain that tears are what brings down the coldness hatred and everything else bad in our life. So in the end what Charles Dickens is trying to say through Pip is that you may have become a cold, evil, fake, non loyal person but let the tears come as that will bring you back to realization of what you have become so that you may change your ways and receive forgiveness from those you have hurt by doing the things that have been done.
Tim Tebow was one of the greatest freshman to ever play college football and he finished in a close second for the Heisman Trophy. He came back the next year to win the Heisman and became the first sophmore to ever receive the award. Going into his junior year with a high profile and a great team, one that would go all the way and take the title most thought he would repeat as the Heisman. Yet he fell short of the Heisman to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. It was unnexpected that the great qb would ever play in a college uniform again. However Tebow isn't any normal player and he came back for his senior year. Some say he hasn't had a heisman caliber year, yet the Gators still sit at number one in the ranking. So the question to you is, does Tebow deserve the heisman this year?
A desk, cold and desolate, no life, no happiness, just a desk with a man sitting at it with no emotion, and certainly no personality. You come to him to pay for the service of a man named Jaggers in hopes that he might win your case. The man at the desk goes by the name of Wemmick, all day at the desk a stern, strict non-negotiable man looking for escape. For him escape is found in his little cottage away from it all where he can let it all go and return to his normal self. Wemmick Is a man of two personalities looking for a way out.
After work one day Wemmick invites to his house and Pip receives an incredible surprise due to Wemmick turning into a totally different man upon reaching his house. Before they got there however Wemmick said to Pip in reference to Mr. Jaggers “he’ll give you wine, and good wine. I’ll give you punch, and not bad punch.”(p 201) This signifies that Mr Jaggers is a very noble man and Mr. Wemmick is much lower than him but is still willing to offer what he has. So with that they set off to the “castle” and since Pip had no idea that it was coming he was incredibly surprised. The cottage was a small one yet it had a drawbridge, flag, gun and it was decorated to look just like a castle. This is where Mr. Wemmick finds his escape from his opposite life of being a jerk and harassing people for their money which is exactly the type of people he hates. He is in it for the money and so he comes home and instantly becomes happy and involved in his creation. This is good for him because he can at last let go and live his life.
Mr. Jaggers is the cruel businessman that cares only for himself and his money. When home Wemmick gets to be his own boss and he is determined to not be the same kind of person that Jaggers is and unfortunately he himself is forced into by working there. With his power at home he uses it for kindness and escape. This is what allows him to survive the day at work. In the end he is a person with two personalities, one that is forced upon him and the other he chooses.
Life at home for Pip is very sad. He must live with Mrs. Joe and Joe G. due to his parents and siblings passing away and him becoming an orphan. Life is very stressful for him as he is strictly restrained to what he can do around the house. Pip being the young, innocent youthful child he is does not do well an environment like this and must get some escape once in a while. Such a behavior will normally lead to a punishment even though he had done nothing wrong as all he had done was go for a walk or something similar. These punishments are very harsh as Mrs. Joe will unleash a belt of some sort upon him for even the simplest of things. The belt had been nick-named tickler and that was far from what it had done as it had been used so often that it was worn from being hit on Pip so many times. She might even force him to drink of a tar like substance for something as simple as asking too many questions. This is the sad life that Pip lives day in and day out at his very home.
Grey, glistening in the warm sunshine the rock sits atop the dirt, the warmth bringing comfort to us as we climb the hill, going , going it never seems to end. The hill turns into a mountain, a mountain of great height, a challenge it is to summit this great beast, a terror to many we keep going, keep moving , never stopping the mountain ever growing to accommodate its newest visitors. Hours pass and yet the top is still so far away. Once a little hill from a distance this mountain now seems to be a huge towering creature, one that will never give in to the climbing of those who decide to challenge it. Every step bringing us closer to the top but our eyes perceive it as nothing, that we aren't moving, the mountain growing, we can't make progress, never willwe reach the top. Our minds must be stronger, to say that we will make it, through the tough the tough will get going, keep moving and you will reach that goal, that goal that once seemed unattainable but now is just out of your reach, one more step and you will be there, that’s all it takes, one step and you will be there. Those who are weak will be unable to take that step but those who are strong in the mind will be able to finish their journey.
Below is the link to my final essasy on the novel The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I tried include points about human nature, character and other points about the life that Wang Lung lived. Tell me what you think.
The lake, a glass mirror reflecting the images of above as though it were something of a dream, the water calm as a warm summer night, drifting along without a noise without thought the water goes, waiting for the rising sun to warm the depths of the deep pockets of water in the magnificent lake. The sun comes bringing light into this amazing place illuminating the great beauty that was covered by the blankets of darkness, and with the sun comes the life and soon the lake is teeming with life, life so abundant in these waters, and with the life comes a new sensation, a sensation of being a part of something that most don't get to experience as you are now part of the the north woods.
- Use more vocabulary. - Get to know and use more literary devices. - Create and post more pieces. -more complex sentence structure. -Use support group more in the writing process.
Towering above all creation it sits barren and dry at the bottom but yet life lives going this way and that among the patches of grass and forest. The farther up this creature you go the more lifeless it becomes. Soon to be only snow and ice inhabiting its cliffs, but yet it continues higher until it reaches a point. There is nothing, only complete serenity and swirling clouds the mountain has finished. It stands there above everything, with great authority for it is a great wonder to all that see it as to how it may have gotten so magnificent and in its glory the mountain will forever remain a great wonder of the world.
Wang Lung's uncle gives me a horrible impression of what he is like. He is portrayed as sneaky man who will do anything to collect a little bit of money here and there. He will even go as far as robbing to get his money. Also he is seen as a greedy, self-centered fool who gambles all his money away only to go to his prosperous nephew Wang Lung looking for a large sum of money as soon as he has lost everything to the gambling tables. As he arives he knows that he will have to get the money because of the values that the families share. This is quite an example of how Wang worked so hard while his uncle sat at the gambling tables and yet he must give what he has earned to his non-deserving uncle. Eventually though the good times pass and Wang along eith everyone else from his village are left in complete poverty as the rain ceases to exist and the sun is relentless upon the earth they rely on. This forces most of them to travel to the south. There they find people so rich that they act as though they are royalty. This proves to be quite an experience for Wang and his family as they discover that there is food and work for them there and they will survive. Though it is as hard of a life as life could possibly be they have eachother which will lead them through to the end when they mught once again go back to their fields and prosper once more.
The great blue expanse of water stretching for miles, it travels to its new home rushing with new life the river flows teeming with life,life that lives upon these waters swimming and crawling the the wondrouse crystal water the creatures go. Possibly to a new home or in search of food the great journey never ends. Some will survive these great journeys whiloe others won't, by the end they will all have experienced the great power of the river as they were swept upon it without any way out it flows to the destination always moving never stopping the river flows.
The first chapter of this book really shows the way of life that Wang Lung lives and how its so much different from ours in many ways. They have different values, different ways of looking at life and also the religion that they practice. Women are treated much differently in this book than they would be today. If they aren't filthy rich they are shunned to being slaves and eventually given away to be wives to men that they have never even met before and to mostly be that mans slave. They also see that there lives are going to be led by fate and that nature controls everything. The quote that proves this is "Now it was as if Heaven had chosen this day to wish him well. Earth would bear fruit."(p. 2) This shows that they live of and with the land, that the earth will provide them with what they need and everything is of the Earth.
Another way of life in this book that isn't nearly the same as now is how much the people must respect there elders and how they must provide for them and follow their every order as Wang had to with his father. Everthing the father says goes without question. For the mode of this book there are lots of symbols in the first chapter that point to this book being comedy but i think that it's irony because of the things that happen that aren't normal at all like things that are normally happy times turn into dark sad ones such as when he got married. His wife had never even met him before and just did what he said without question and without expression. Just the same old straight sad face that she had always and and always will. Another thing that i noticed was that ever since he went into the house of Hwang he did everything gruffly. I think thats a symbol of how this marriage won't be a very happy one and things will be done because that's how it has been for years. In the end this book is very interesting on how it implements different aspects of life in a different time period and culture.
A poem that i found by the poet that im researching (Langston Hughes) is called "Dreams"
Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bired That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow
The short story "A Jury of her Peers" by Susan Glaspell is a very interseting piece of literature filled with many symbols and shows a direct portrayal of what life was like in the time period that the story takes place. The main point of the story is to show how something so cheerful and wonderful can turn to something so ugly and crazy when it is caged up with nowhere to go, no one to see, and nothing to do. When all those freedoms get taken away from you as they did from Minnie Foster people get very unhappy as those people need to get out of the mental and physical cage that they have been put in. The last straw in this story for Minnie Foster was when her canary was strangled to death. That canary was a symbol of her little bit of freedom that she had left and when that was gone with it went all hope, as well as her last glimmer of freedom in that cage of a home that she was living in. So with that she went and strangled the life out of that person who had strangled everything out of her. That person was her husband Mr. Wright. In the end this story shows how people need to be let out to have their own life, one not controlled by another person and not to be stuck in their house sitting in misery.
