MilkWeed

  Milkweed, written by Jerry Spinelli, is about a young boy named Misha, who lives in Warsaw during the Second World War. Misha is a young boy with no identity. When he was found by his friend Uri, He was wearing a yellow stone necklace, given to him by his family. Misha is a speedy and intelligent little thief. He learns quickly and sticks to knowledge like glue. Misha is my favorite character because even though food is scarce, he still tries to steal more food to give to other orphans. The author gives him realistic personality traits, just like a real person. Another character in this book is Misha’s friend Uri. Uri is the boy who first found Misha, while he was stealing bread from a store. I found that Uri can be very controlling and bossy; that is why I don’t like Uri. Misha likes to tag along with Uri and play with him, and is oblivious to Uri’s controlling attitude. Though controlling, Uri is an extremely intelligent boy who uses his wit to survive and stay out of trouble. One of Misha’s best friends is a girl called Janina. Janina is a young girl with a spunky attitude. She likes to tease Misha, but still has a friendship with him. At that time, Janina is a spoiled little girl who has many toys and positions that would make others die to have. I feel that Janina has a very interesting personality that can switch from kindness to raging fury. That is why I feel that she can be a slippery customer. I think that all of these characters have unique personalities that make them stand out from the crowd. They were very memorable and make you open your eyes to the world.

The Masque of the Red Death

 <I cannot believe I did not publish this journal.. I was saving this for …. many days-_-; I am so sorry Mrs. Corman..T.T>

The Masque of the Red Death, Written by Edgar Allen Poe, is a short story that emphasizes on the inevitability of death. In the story, Prospero, a prince attempts to avoid the Red Death by isolating himself in one of his many castellated abbeys.  

  Edgar Allan Poe used symbolism in the names he used in his story. The name of the story itself is a symbol. “The Masque” to the average person means the mask, but the definition for masque is a masquerade which is a dance in which persons where masks and other disguises. The “Red Death” is also symbolic. In many religions the color red is associated closely with death. So what Poe meant by the name of the story is the dance of death which it truly becomes. Another symbolic name is Prince Prospero, which is the tragic figure in this story. The word “prospero” in Italian and Spanish means prospering or to prosper. This is very ironic because Prospero dies a tragic death at the end.  The rooms of the abbey are symbolic. It may be significant, too, that all in this company fell back to avoid encountering the gruesome figure. Prospero is the minute hand, and therefore the masked figure is the hour hand. Here Poe dreamed of escape from the harsh world, where such evils as the plague were dominant escape into a secluded place of pleasure he himself designed.

 The Prince thinks he is safe from the disease while in his abbey with his closest friends. “The wall has gates of iron” This shows how secure he wants to feel. “To and Fro in the seven chambers there stalks dream in fact a multitude of dreams. ” This symbolizes how beautiful the abbey is for the party. In conclusion, symbols are often used in stories and they help to clarify things.  This shows how protective and scared of the disease they are.   The third symbol used is the prince, which symbolizes people who consider themselves superior and invincible. This shows how he only wants his friends that are somewhat better than others. The masque ball symbolizes an attempt to escape from reality.  The prince’s abbey, the masque ball, and the prince himself are only a few of the symbols used in The Masque Ball. Another example used is ” the abbey is amply provisioned with such precaution the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion.” This is an example of how they try to ignore the problem. Poe uses these symbols that allow the reader to understand this story on a deeper level. A second example is introduced in this passage which is the courtiers bring furnaces and massy hammers and weld the bolts. He has all of his friends invited to the ball.

Lord of the Flies – 2

 “Lord of the Flies”, written by William Golding   

 In assembly, Ralph says that works are not getting done, and rules are not being followed. However, all the young children are preoccupied with the Beast because they still believe some kind of animal are living on the island. Jack says that he has been everywhere, and there is no beast, and Piggy says that a beast can’t exist in a world with science. But, Simon mentions that there may be a beast, but that “it’s only us.” Ralph, Jack and a group of hunters set out to get the Beast, while Piggy stays at the beach. They first check Castle Rock, where they had never been before. Although they find nothing, Jack thinks the place would be a great fort, and he and his hunters heave a large boulder off a ledge. Ralph prods them along, and they decide to continue to the mountain to look for the Beast. Ralph manages to hit it with his spear, but the animal escapes. Another tribal dance is formed, with Robert and Piggy. Unlike before, Ralph actively participates, and their acting becomes overly realistic, actually striking and hurting Robert. Jack calls an assembly and insists that the Beast is a major threat that should be hunted. Jack asks if anyone thinks Ralph shouldn’t be chief. Nobody responds, so Jack asks again for anyone to come with him..Their signal fire is being blocked by the Beast, as they believe, so they decide to move the fire to the beach. When they get there, they notice that most of the older boys did in fact decide to go off with Jack, except Ralph, Simon, Piggy, Sam and eric. Jack’s tribe begins to hunt, and they come across a sow and baby piglets in the clearing near Simon’s domain. They attack and kill the mother sow, while the piglets escape. The head is severed and put on a stick, which is embedded into the ground as a gift for the Beast. Jack finally realizes that he needs fire to cook the meat, so Jack’s group raid Ralph’s camp and steal a flaming log, and invite them to come feast. Ralph maintains that the fire is more important. Simon encounters the Pig’s head, and manages to start talking to the thing, although it is mostly in his imagination. The black cloud of flies coating the head causes it to now be called “The Lord of the Flies.” The Lord of the Flies says “I am part of you…We are going to have fun on this island.” It continues to say that if Simon tries to talk to the others about the Beast, that he will be killed by everyone, including Ralph and Piggy. After taking this all in, Simon feels a faint coming on and collapses. 

  Story is being more serious. Boys are trading from Ralph’s to Jack’s and they believe only thing they need to is hunting, not wating for rescue. Ralph is being reasonable though he is slowly collapsed, however, Piggy keeps being with him. It shows me Ralph is like human state right now. People go to school for learn and fill their brain; slowly lose original human senses and become logical. Ralph believes only way to survive is rescue. However, Jack is totally opposite to Ralph. His original senses are reminded, and as young boys see him, their instincts come out.

 We are trying to respect and be logical and smart person as Ralph is. But, If we are in dangerous situation, we might follow perosn who is like Jack because he is strong and has exact way to survive. By appearance, we are more like rational, but our wichdeness and vice are hiding in instinct.

Lord of the Flies

  “Lord of the Flies”, written by William Golding   

 The Britain that feel danger of nuclear war tried to move 25 young boys from nuclear war to safe place but the airplane that carry boys falls to the sea stop. With wounding pilot that of boys in uninhabited island land . These wait succor and take care of pilot according to Ralph’s command and keep order and lives. But, Ralph and Jack who emphasize hunting that must build the hut in sea if is rescued are opposed each and every event, and Jack and Roger make Gaengdan and bolt group finally.  When Jack arrives at the beach where Simon and Ralph are constructing huts. Ralph complains no other boys are helping them with their shelters, but Jack tries to argue that hunting is more important. (Ralph mentions that keeping the signal fire is much more important than hunting.)    Ralph and the other boys are swimming in the ocean later on, when smoke from a ship is spotted in the distance. The signal fire was out , not being watched, obliterating their chances of rescue. Unaware, Jack and his hunters come proudly marching carrying their first animal, trying to convey their excitement to Ralph. When Ralph yells that a ship passed them by and no fire was going, excuses are made and Jack tries to say that hunting is of the most importance. In the ensuing fight, Jack punches Piggy, breaking and knocking off his specs. Finally, the fire is lit again and everyone eats.

 It was quite interesting and shocking when boys voted for the chief and are separated by two groups: Rescue and Hunting; it looks like virtue and vice. Ralph and Jack have big difference; Ralph is being more reasonable and rational, but Jack is more like sinister that shows original picture of human-being. Another interesting thing was conch shell; it gives a right to speak in assembly.

  When I told my host mom I am reading Lord of the Flies in English class, she said it is gross book. Therefore, I did not really expect how this book is going to be interesting though this book is amazing. Maybe some parts are brutality, but this book make me to think how human being is improved and remind me how scare human being is.

The guest

The story is about Daru, a teacher in a remote school standing on a hillside. Although he lived in poverty, he was satisfied with his solitary life in a barren and cruel region.

Kindness – “When he held out the glass of tea to the prisoner, Daru hesitated at the sight of his bound hands. He might perhaps be untied. Sure, said Balducci. That was for the trip. He started to get to this feet. But Daru, setting the glass on the floor, had knelt beside the Arab.”  (Page. 75)

Cynical, unemotional –  “Then I’ll wait for the declaration of war!” (Page. 75)

Alone,Lonely –   “Daru looked at the sky, the plateau, and, beyond, the invisible lands stretching all the way to the sea. In this vast landscape he had loved so much, he was alone.” (Page. 82)

Distaste -“Listen, Balducci, Daru said suddenly, all this disgusts me, beginning with tyour fellow here.  but I won’t hand him over. Fight, yes, if I have to. But not that.” (Page. 82)

Companionable – “Then he listened for his guest’s breathing, which had become heavier and more regular. He listened to that breathing so close to him and mused without being able to go to sleep. In the room where he had been sleeping alone for a year, this presence bothered him. But it bothered him also because it imposed on him as a sort of brother-hood he refused to accept in the present circumstances; yet he was familiar with it. Men who share the same rooms, soldiers or prisoners, develop a strange alliance as if, having cast off their armour with their clothing, they fraternized everything evening, over and above their differences, in the ancient community of dream and fatigue.” (Page.81)

Painted Door

The Painted Door, written by Sinclair Ross, is a story set in a small house in country side.  there are charaters: John who is the husband, Ann who is John’s wife, and Steven who is attractive guy and John’s neighbor. John went across hills to check upon his other family in the storm. Because the storming weather, Steven is sent to help chores and be with Ann. Steven offered himself throughout the night, and kept reassuring that John wouldn’t be coming. He assured Ann that John wouldn’t be coming home, and if anything happened between them, no-one would find out. Finally, Ann gave in, and they had slept together. But Ann saw some shadows that she though could have been John, but ruled them out as a dream. Next day, John was founded dead with white pain on his hands one mile away from the house.

 The setting in the story is storming weather and white paint. Storming weather does not show piece and calm, however, it shows tough and hard. Also, white paint looks like does not mean anything though at the end, it proves the shadow was John. The event, Ann and Steven slept together, could be happened, even if it is not stormy, at the end, when we recognize John was founded dead in the snow with wet paint on his hands, cold snow and white paint on his hand make feel more tragic.

 The mood in the story was poor, sad and intense because Ann does not realize Jonh’s great compassion for her and instead feels alienated by him and their lifestyle. “Plenty to eat- plenty of wood to keep me warm- what more could a women ask for.” Ann wants more from her husband John but he does not realize it. “Pay no attention to me. Seven years a farmers wife- it’s time I was used to staying alone”, Ann clearly feels very alienated and alone. Ann was worrying about if John is coming back while she was laying on the bed with Steven. She saw the shadow from window, but she was not sure it is John because blizzard.

The shining houses – Conflict

 “The Shining Houses” by Alice Munro is a classic story which shows the idea of conflict between old and the new and the human reaction to everyday change. Both sides of the story have very strong feelings of what they expect to be done which leads to a fierce and controversial conflict between the two parties.

 

 The main character, Mary, is caught in the middle of the argument forcing her to make and take an opinion, a forced opinion that everyone will encounter at some point of their life. The role of the “old” in the story is showed by Mrs. Fullerton, the longest living residence of the community. The neighbours thought her old house is bringing down the value of property in the surrounding area.

 

 Although the area was fine to bring up the property value of  , the neighbourhood has started a petition for building a lane and for their better property value. But, the reason was mainly people hate the old lady and her own traditional ways.

 

 Mary, the main character, got a lot of feelings about this situation. The community pressure to her to join their side , so that make the area better. However, on the other side, she felt guilty for Mrs. Fullerton because Mary actually knows what true is.

 

 I would say conflicts of “The shining houses” story are Person VS herself and Person VS society which is the community of the area.