...“Disliking Books” Gerald Graff begins his academic article with the statement, “I have a certain advantage as a teacher of literature”. He began his literary career as a person who disliked and feared books principally history, philosophy, science, and social studies. Graff disliked history for the most part. However he is fond of science since it had a practical application and to him it was enjoyable to solve the problems in the textbooks. Literature in history had no apparent application to his experience. He grew up as a middle-class boy in a Jewish family, and was always in fear of being beat up by working-class boys. As a young boy, at the time, reading and loving literature, a boy was in constant fear of being called a sissy. Unlike...
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...Joshua Mage Eng-111 Reflective Essay Perspectives As Changing as the Tides It’s amazing how our perspective changes as we grow. I grew up a southern boy. As a matter of fact, my childhood home was about six blocks from the Gulf of Mexico, making my childhood about as southern as one could ever hope to have. I have fond memories of aquamarine waters. My childhood friends and I would hop on our bike with all the fishing gear we could muster up packed in a red ryder wagon attached securely to the back of our bikes with a little twine. The harbor master knew to look out for us, and knew which phone numbers to call, if we decided to start act foolishly. I spent a countless amount of time on that beach fishing, floundering, crabbing, and swimming in these waters. I relocated to the mountains when I was just hitting my teenage years. My adolescence was filled with all the perils, life lessons, and memories that have given that stage of life such a wonderful stigma. At the age of twenty, I married the girl next door (literally) and began my adult life. Shortly after getting married, we decided to take a road trip. We departed on a month and a half trip of the southern U.S. with the first stop being that of my home town. We arrived in the night, tired and road-worn from the nice twelve hour day on the country’s interstates. With sleep the only thing on our minds, we settled in at my family’s home. As I laid down, I was struck with excitement for what the next morning would bring...
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...gift. One does not accept presents from inmates, that’s it. Other children knew prisons, too – though to them they had to to with the Dalton Brothers (from the European cartoon called Lucky Luke), the Beagle Boys and cartoon-striped uniforms for inmates. I knew those, too, but at the same time I lived in a real prison: The State Prison of Sdr. Omme, where my father was the warden. The prison entailed three zones: Outside, inside and the inner core, which was home to the inmates and where I was not allowed unless with my father. We went there way too seldom. At the age of five – ten years, I would have spent most of my time in the ‘inner core’ if I had been allowed. The inmates were just as fond of the prison child as I was of them, but apart from that the prison was really interesting. I was allowed to go much more often to the office building, on Sundays, where the head quarter officers offered me Danish pastry (a no-go at home) and where I played with my father’s Dictaphone while he worked. Finally, I did get to go to the office building all by myself, when my father had managed to forget the key to the safe (containing inmate files) and I went over there to give it to him. These three zones meant that there were two magical borders in the prison. The first one delineated the inner core of the...
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...Being Girl: A Sociological Memoir My first memory of kindergarten was this: dozens of tiny, petrified 5-year-olds being dropped off at their first day of school, and dozens of exhausted, overworked mothers consoling their weeping sons and daughters. I remember it vividly because, despite the terror and chaos, a single thought pervaded my mind, the thought that “these moms are not as pretty as my mom.” I wasn’t entirely biased, either. By North American standards of beauty, I was correct. Here was my mother, a rail-thin, blonde-haired, blue-eyed statuesque stunner, among a sea of frumpy women with visible wrinkles and tangles of black hair. And here I was, the daughter of this perfect specimen, the proud owner of a mother who was more “feminine”, more “womanly”, and therefore, I naively deduced, “a better mother”. In fact, although my vocabulary was fairly limited at the time, I believed her to be the epitome of all mothers. She looked, I told her that morning, “like a mom was supposed to look.” In interviewing my mother, she said that this was my “first brush with what it meant to be a girl.” Throughout kindergarten, I was labeled “weird”. I dug for worms, collected Pokémon cards (which was deemed a “boyish” activity), and none of my friends were girls. My teacher, a young woman who had just recently graduated from university, was often concerned for me, and thought that my lack of female friends would be detrimental to my developing of social...
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...First Born When I was 19 I became pregnant with my first child. I was at work when I became sick. I went to the doctor the next day. They gave me two different types of pregnancy test and both came back positive. The moment the doctor walked in I knew that’s what she was going to tell me. In that moment my whole life changed. I did not know what was going to happen to me, my family, or my relationship. I was going to school and working full time, was I just supposed to stop all that for a kid? I went home to tell my boyfriend and soon after my parents. Travis took the news very well. He hoped for a boy as all males do, but secretly I wanted it to be a boy as well. Travis was very supportive in my decision to keep the baby and he promised to stay with me all the way. My parents loved the idea of having a grandbaby. They weren’t too fond of my age but they soon came over it. They began buying things for the baby even though we didn’t know the sex yet. It was such a great thing to see and feel all their support for me and Travis. The day arrived for us to find out the sex and it was also Travis’ first time going to an ultrasound. The second we walked in Travis began to become uncomfortable and paced around the waiting room. The doctor called us back, and we sat there in that below freezing room with no means of escape. Here we are about to see our baby with no idea how we’re going to do this. The doctor placed the gel then the wand on my belly. She looked around a moment then...
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...and enlightening! Matthew and Marilla are two siblings who live in Prince Edward Island, Canada, who decided to adopt an orphan boy to help out Matthew on the farm. When Matthew goes to pick up the orphan boy from the train station, he is surprised to find a little red-headed girl sitting on a bench outside the station. From the moment Matthew saw Anne Shirley at the station he knew that he and Anne were going to get along. He was taken by Anne. Anne Shirley captured Matthews’s attention in a good way by being enthusiastic and having a talkative nature. Marilla on the other hand didn’t want her to stay, she wanted to take Anne Shirley back and get a boy but Matthew talked her out of it. At first Marilla was frustrated with Anne’s chattering but she was secretly fond of Anne. Finally Marilla starts to love and cherish Anne just like Matthew. Anne Shirley is such an intelligent, witty, stubborn, passionate, loyal, and intelligent person. Anne loves beauty and fantasy. The character of Anne made me wish I was as amazing and imaginative as her when I was a little kid. I honestly admire her imaginative magnification and how she sees the beauty in almost everything and her positive outlook on life. I can honestly say that Anne of Green Gables is one of my favourite novels and I’ll keep reading all of the novels over and over again from time to time. Another book by Lucy Maud Montgomery is “Emily of New Moon” I read this one as well and it’s just as good as Anne of Green Gables ...
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...on the Scarborough Coliseum Cineplex. I picked up this movie because it’s a wonderful fantasy and adventure film based on the fairy tales, "Jack the Giant Killer" and "Jack and the Beanstalk". Also, I am very fond of fairy tales which was another reason to choose this particular movie. 2. Story: The film is directed by Bryan Singer and released in March 1, 2013 with a screenplay written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney. The film tells the story of Jack, a young farmhand who must rescue a princess from a race of giants after carelessly opening a gateway to their world. It tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend--and gets the chance to become a legend himself. 3. Jack the Giant Slayer (previously titled Jack the Giant Killer) is a 2013 American fantasy—adventure film. The story starts with a young boy and then moves to the story of 10 years later and ends with a happy ending just like a fairytale story. The creators of the film who has made the characters lively are following: * Nicholas Hoult as Jack...
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...banker, Phelps, says, “Harve could have made a good living working one of his father’s stock farms if he had stayed here.” The cattleman disagrees with him by saying, “Harve never could have handled stock none.” Then the coal and lumber dealer chimes in, “Harve never was much account for anything practical, and he shore was never fond of work” (480). They even make fun of Harve’s voice calling it, “Ladylike” (480). The watchers laugh and seem to enjoy themselves as they reminisce about how his mother “used to whale him with a rawhide in the barn” (480). Phelps says, “Where the old man made his mistake was in sending the boy East to school” and he should have sent him to “Kansas City business college” and nobody disagrees (481). Steavens’ head spins as he listens to all this. He thinks, “Was it possible that these men did not understand, that the palm of the coffin meant nothing to them?” (481). Steavens thinks that the watchers have no idea the palm means Merrick was a great success. This town would never have mentioned in the world if not for its connections to Merrick (481). The cattleman even comments...
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...Abraham Lincoln was not only a mad attempt on the president’s life, it was a plot to decapitate and cripple the newly formed United States government. Lincoln was born on February twelfth, 1809 in a backwoods cabin three miles south of Hodgenville, Kentucky. His excited parents were Thomas and Nancy Lincoln. Abraham toiled through his melancholy childhood, one of his siblings died in infancy. In the December of 1816, Thomas moved his family to Indiana because of a lawsuit on his farm. And in the August of 1818, Abraham’s mother dies, which was one of Abraham's unhappiest times in his life. Nancy was a good mother, even though her birth appeared to be illegitimate and was described as “stoop-shouldered… sad,” and religious, young Abe still loved her. Eventually Thomas Lincoln remarries a woman named Sarah Bush Johnston. She was a widow with two girls and a boy. Abraham refers to Sarah as his angel mother, and grow very fond of each other. Early on in life, Abraham had a dislike of hunting and fishing. Even though both his parents were illiterate, Abraham liked to read. He would travel miles to find a good book when there was “absolutely nothing to excite ambition for education…” Sarah did encourage Abraham to read, however, his original source of a desire to learn is unknown. Of the few books, young Lincoln read, he did receive the opportunity to read, Parson Weems’, Life and Memorial Actions of George Washington, Daniel Defoe’s, Robinson Crusoe, John Bunyan’s, Pilgrim's Progress, Aesop's...
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...symbolic, with nectar representing goodness and kindness, and the sieve representing the world. When you put nectar (goodness) in a sieve (the world) it will only last a short time before disappearing without a trace. In other words, enjoy what you have while it lasts, do not try to save what is in the moment. 2) Why might the author have chosen to have Ruku tell her story in flashback form? Is Ruku a reliable narrator? - The author might have chosen to have Ruku tell her story in flashback form because this way, Ruku can foreshadow and add thoughts about the events. When a story is told in flashback form, it is easier to focus on the main events and conflicts of the story rather than the minute details. Thoughts and feelings Ruku had after the events in the story occurred can be added in, which helps the reader to understand the plot. The story makes more sense being told after the fact, and makes you think about how things have changed since then. I believe Ruku is a reliable narrator. She was involved in all of the events in the story firsthand. 3) How does Ruku’s experience as a daughter, wife, and mother inform her relationship with her daughter Ira? - Ruku gained a lot of life experience through all of her trials. Her parents were supportive of her and she had a smooth marriage. Ira was Ruku’s first child and only daughter, so this gives them a special relationship. Ruku was unfortunately unable to bear a son with her husband, so she was...
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...I read “ We Beat The Streets” by the “three doctors” Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. George Jenkins, Dr. Rameck Hunt, and Sharon M. Draper. To me this story was about the three boys overcoming the adversity and all the challenges from coming out of the “ghetto” and becoming successful doctors. No one had faith in them but themselves and their family. Everyone around them only brought negativity but they were optimistic even when things got tough they pushed through, and persevered. People had a perception of these boys before they met them because of where they come from. But what they proved is not only can they come from a place of violence and drugs and become something more than that. But show themselves if you just try everything will fall into place....
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...movie and new make of the movie Footloose are perfect examples of change in pop culture. In my essay, I have decided to compare and contrast the values and characteristics of these two movies. From the first to the second there are the same basic ideas, but so many differences in the characters and events. Christ Lemire describes the old Footloose as a “flood of fond memories” for anyone who grew up in the 1980s. This movie was a true symbol of the growth of pop culture during this time. The main character, played by Kevin Bacon, was a bad boy from big city Chicago. He was forced to move to a small town called Bomont, Utah with his mother into his aunt’s house. All he wanted to do was dance, but it was banned. This had a lot to do with the church and their moral beliefs. The boy meets a rebellious girl and it almost halfway becomes a love story also. His goal in this movie was for the town to put on a prom for the teens in school. He even goes before the town council in order to change the law against dancing. Although he portrays a very good argument and quotes from the bible about how they danced and rejoiced, the council voted against it. The young boy is determined and does not give up. In the end they hold the prom at a grain mill outside of town and everyone has the time of their lives. Now, back in the 1980s this was a bigger deal than we see it today. This could have been a real life epidemic in some places. This movie was like a role model for young people. Kevin Bacon...
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...of California, “McFarland, USA” brings to light a world of underdogs and misfits in a racially segregated, predominantly Hispanic town. Jim White, played by a grumpy yet endearing Kevin Costner, shines in his role as a misunderstood teacher and parent who has suffered through failure time and time again. He ends up in McFarland, a poor farming community north of Bakersfield, Calif., where the high school principal reminds him he is running out of options. White takes the job as physical education teacher and assistant football coach. His wife (Maria Bello) and two daughters reluctantly join him in moving into a modest McFarland bungalow whose previous occupant has left a Virgin of Guadalupe mural on an interior wall (Kenneth Turan LA Times). The Whites' neighbor at their new home offers them a housewarming gift—a chicken. White quickly clashes with the head football coach and loses his assistant coaching slot. During a gym class, his students (all Latino, seemingly all of Mexican heritage) are less than motivated. But when White gets them to finally run some laps, he notices that a few of the boys are pretty speedy. California's high school sports governing body has just created the state's first cross-country championship. White thinks McFarland could form a team. All it takes is a minimum of seven runners, some shoes, and some cheap uniforms. "Cross country—that's a private school sport," the principal says. "They breathe different air than we do."(Johnny Dodd, People.com) ...
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...One of the main themes of Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov is the problem of evil. In this chapter Ivan makes the cases that God could not possibly exist given the suffering in the world. Well, not exactly but something along those lines, you’ll have to read it to see exactly what he says. This is a useful piece to read as it takes us beyond the intellectual discussion of the logical compatibility or incompatibility of certain claims and forces us to actually confront the suffering, feel it, and struggle with how hard it is to reconcile the suffering in the world with the existence of a loving God. Part II. Book V: Pro and Contra Chapter 4: Rebellion “I MUST make one confession” Ivan began. “I could never understand how one can love one’s neighbours. It’s just one’s neighbours, to my mind, that one can’t love, though one might love those at a distance. I once read somewhere of John the Merciful, a saint, that when a hungry, frozen beggar came to him, he took him into his bed, held him in his arms, and began breathing into his mouth, which was putrid and loathsome from some awful disease. I am convinced that he did that from ‘self-laceration,’ from the self-laceration of falsity, for the sake of the charity imposed by duty, as a penance laid on him. For anyone to love a man, he must be hidden, for as soon as he shows his face, love is gone.” “Father Zossima has talked of that more than once,” observed Alyosha; “he, too, said that the face of a man often hinders many people...
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...During the second semester of college, the class has read poems with dynamic and exceptional themes. As the students ventured off into the different type of authors and poems. One author by the name of Robert E. Hayden caught a student’s attention with his heart-rending and thought-provoking words. Three of Hayden's have a similarity in theme. The first poem is called “The Whipping” and the second poem is named” Those Winter Sundays” and lastly, the third poem is named “Runagate Runagate”. Theses three poems all have the common theme of abuse. To begin with, originally his named used to be Asa Bundy Sheffey. Robert Hayden was born in the year 1913 on August 4 in Detroit Michigan. He was abandoned by his parents and raised by foster parents....
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