Trojan Horse

Summary:
The Trojan war was going on for about 10 years,  and finally the Greeks gave up and sailed off. However they left a huge wooden horse behind as a "gift". They weren't sure if it was safe or not, so they didn't know whether to burn it or not. A Greek came by and made a very convincing story as to why it was a gift and the belly of the horse was filled wit gold; later that night the Greeks piled out of the wooden horse and flooded the streets of Troy. In the end, the Greeks won the war of Trojan.

Overall, it was just a very devious plan of the Greeks to hide in the big wooden horse and attack the Trojans when they least expected it. In my opinion, it was a really good idea though. I don't think that anyone would hide in a huge wooden horse to attack someone nowadays, but I think something similar to this could happen. Maybe if someone was having a "red vs. black" volleyball game or basketball game, one team would do that to the other to find out they're plan, just kind of as a joke. Nothing to start an actual war though.The same thing goes with school or a small work place, friends or co-workers might do it to each other as a joke.

The Lucky One

Author’s Note- I wrote this piece to show my understanding of character development. While reading this piece, look for really good body paragraphs.

Beth Green’s best friend growing up was her brother Drake. They did everything together as kids, until they grew older and he decided to go into the military. Some time, after Drake joined the military, her family received the news that he had been killed. Beth’s world was shattered, and her brother’s death caused her to isolate herself from others; until the day a stranger named Logan showed up on her doorstep. Although Beth didn’t know it, Logan helped and changed her not only emotionally and physically, but as a person.

Logan had just returned from the war, after serving in the same unit as Drake. While in battle, he found a picture of a beautiful girl that had the words “keep safe” written on the back. He carried the picture as a way to give him strength to stay alive and promised he’d find her. Finally, they meet, and she wants nothing to do with him. He tries to tell her why he’s there, but just can’t seem to get the words out, so she decides to give him a job working at the dog kennel. Her feelings about him are very sketchy and not sure, but her mother decides to give him a chance. However, Beth isn’t the only one that has uncertainty towards Logan; her ex-husband Keith and her son Ben do as well.

Instead of thanking her, Logan decides to romance her and they start spending more and more time together. All those uneasy feelings she had about him, slowly turn into love. After some time of getting used to one another, they soon realize that they are meant to be and that no one could get in the way of that, not even her ex-husband, Keith. Unlike Keith, Logan makes a special connection with her son Ben, and they become best buds.

All the characters in this book have a big impact on one another and change each other throughout the book. Beth and Logan were unfamiliar at the start, but after a while they started to realize how big of a role they played in one another’s life. Although I didn’t really like Keith in the book, he played a big role and was a hero to Beth’s son Ben.

Overall, Beth and Logan change immensely throughout the book, as does the reader. The reader gets a sense of hope in the beginning of the book when the picture saves Logan. The moods of the characters definitely rub off on the reader and changes their opinion on the book. In the end, Logan helped Beth change for the better and in the process of that, he changed too. What started off as strangers, slowly grew into love.

Movie or Book?

Author's Note: I wrote this as an opinion based piece on whether I preferred the movie or book for the story, A Clean Well-lighted Place.

In the video version of this story, you really get to see the characters facial expressions more and understand the idea of this story. Even the colors on the wall and the way they're dressed makes all the difference in the world. There is a lot of symbolism in this piece as well. There is thought that maybe Hemingway wrote this in perspective of him once being all of the characters. It shows the different generations and how you mature and age over the years. Overall, I think I prefer the video  over the story because I understood it better. In the written story, I got confused about who was saying what a lot of the time.

I thought the text version was still a very interesting story, but I definitely liked the movie better because it was visual. I think it really helped you understand the story better by seeing the characters and how the young man saw the old man. The young man was selfish and confident and all he wanted was to stay young. In the book, that showed, but it showed more in the movie. The middle aged waiter understood the old man, but he also agreed with the young waiter. He was a wise man that knew the ways of life. The old man was grumpy and alone. He once had everything and now, nothing. It really showed that in the movie by him having a beard and just looking scruffy. Although, he wore really nice clothes because he was a very wealthy old man. In all, I thought the movie explained it better. 

The Notebook

Author’s Note: I wrote this piece to show my understanding of text analysis. While reading this piece, look for text evidence and really good body paragraphs.

The Notebook is a classic love story and a timeless novel. Throughout both the book and movie, Nicholas Sparks, adds a great amount of symbolism to really show Noah and Allie’s love for each other. Nicholas Sparks has written many other love stories similar to The Notebook, and  all of them contain great symbolism. While reading The Notebook, you really get attached to the characters Noah and Allie throughout their crazy, loving life together. The Notebook is all about two people who unexpectedly fall in love with each other, only to find out that Allie’s wealthy parents don’t approve. Whether the symbolism is really noticeable, or you have to dig to find, it’s always there, especially in this book.

The house that Noah builds is a huge symbol in this book. The house symbolizes Noah’s love for Allie and how much he still loves and cares about her even after she’s gone. “I want a white house with blue shutters and a room overlooking the river so I can paint,” Allie explained to Noah, and her wish was his command. Even after she moved away, several years later, Noah still decided to build the house of Allie’s dreams. The symbolism of this action is a turning point in the book that symbolizes Noah’s undying love for Allie.

“I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you every day for a year,” another big symbol in this book is the 365 letters that Noah writes to Allie. This is another way that Noah symbolizes his love for Allie. These letters are a really big part of the book because Allie didn’t actually get and read the letters until years after Noah mailed them. Allie’s mother didn’t want them together, so she took the letters and hid them from Allie. Later, her mom realized that Allie should love whoever her heart desires.

The main theme in The Notebook is love, just like in the book A Walk to Remember. Although in A Walk to Remember, instead of moving away from each other, Landon finds out that Jamie has cancer. They fall in love and get married and Landon stays with her until her very last days. This love story is a little    different than Allie and Noah’s, but overall, they’re both still love stories that both contain a lot of symbolism about the love.

In all of Nicholas Sparks’ books, he puts a lot of symbolism in to really help create an image and describe a scene for the reader. Most, if not all his books main theme is love and the symbolism thrown in is what makes these novels so extraordinary. It is Spark’s use of symbolism that creates a dream world, making his novels difficult to put down.

A Clean, Well-lighted Place

Author's Note- I wrote this about the story A Clean, Well-lighted Place

There are two waiters in this piece that are very different from one another. One is a wise older man who knows the way of life, while the other is a young foolish guy who is all about confidence and staying young forever. I think Hemmingway made the two characters the way they are to symbolize something. The older waiter is more wise and understanding. He understands the old man that won’t leave the café. On the other hand, the young waiter is selfish and is all about confidence. He never wants to get old because apparently, “an old man is a nasty thing.” I think that the younger waiter could definitely learn something from the older waiter.

The Pony Express

Jeremiah: a young boy who watches his father every day, taking notes for his future. He was only 10 but had the enthusiasm of a 19 year old. He loved watching his dad, thinking,"That's what I'll be doing in a few years. I'll be the best mail deliverer ever!" It was one thing for him to say it as a little kid, but his family wondered if he'd actually go through with it. Jeremiah would talk about the delivering mail all day everyday. He loved with a passion, yet he wasn't even doing it yet. His parents wished and prayed that he'd still be this passionate about the pony express when he turned 19.

Tomorrow was Jeremiah’s 19^th birthday and that’s when he would start working for the Pony Express. They hired about 200 riders, so he was sure he’d be one of them. They also had about 500 of the finest horses. He was so excited to finally begin his life; tomorrow was the beginning of the rest of his life. Jeremiah knew it was a long journey of about 2,000 miles in about 8 days, so he packed accordingly.

Today was the day, the day his life truly began. Today was his 19^th birthday and he started the mail business, the pony express. Their journey went from Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. Throughout their journey, Jeremiah knew that they had to pass through Native American territory and he hoped that wouldn’t be an issue. He wanted no harm to the Native American’s, but he knew they didn’t know that.

The person in charge of everything was just telling them some facts they would need to know about the business, “the letters are written on very thin paper, so be sure not to rip them! Also, mail is very expensive now-a days, about $10 per ounce. Make sure you collect all of the money!” After the leaders speech, we set out on our 8 day trip. They started out on bumpy roads and fields, then came the forest. Jeremiah was nervous to enter the woods, afraid that a Native American would shoot an arrow through him for no apparent reason. He slowly entered the woods, being very careful and keeping an eye out for Native Americans. He was half way through, then three quarters and then he was leaving. He went though without any problems. Jeremiah was lucky, although he knew next time his luck might be different.

At the end of his mail journey, he ended up in Sacramento, California, a place he’s never been before. He liked getting out of his home town; where he was born and where he’s been ever since. Jeremiah loved his new job and knew he wanted to do this for the rest of his life. Although he knew it could be dangerous going in the woods on the Native American’s territory, he thought it was worth it. He’s wanted to do this since he was 10 and he wasn’t going to let his father down now. He would make his father proud if it was the last thing Jeremiah did.

My Escape to Freedom

Author’s Note: I wrote this piece to show my understanding of symbolism. While reading this, look for text evidence.

Shawn is a 14 year old boy that shares the same desires as other boys his age, there’s only one difference, he has Cerebral Palsy (C.P.). This is a condition that restricts him from controlling his muscles, therefore he has seizures often. When Shawn was 4 years old, his father left his family because he couldn’t bare to see Shawn in so much pain during his seizures. If only his dad knew he was experiencing everything but pain. “I don’t know when a seizure will strike, but when it does, it’s like a miracle. The images I “see” are from inside my head. It’s as though my eyeballs are turned around backward, looking into my brain, and what I see is everything I’ve dreamed, experienced, or imagined.” Due to Shawn’s  limited mobility, these seizures give him a chance to escape reality and to feel free. For Shawn his seizures symbolize freedom.