Premium Essay

Personal Narrative: Hope In The Midst Of Darkness

Submitted By
Words 1290
Pages 6
Hope in the Midst of Darkness “When I graduated from high school, I went into the navy within 10 days. I volunteered to join the navy right out of high school, because I didn’t want to get drafted into the army. I had a choice between the two, and I picked the navy because I didn’t want to die in a foxhole. I think most people waited to get drafted, I’m definitely glad I volunteered,” my grandpa says with a heavy sigh. For me, this is a familiar story. I have been hearing about my grandfather’s, Don Vannorsdall’s, experience in World War II my entire life. While I initially found his detailed accounts fascinating, I slowly lost interest with each successive retelling. However, when Mrs. Gonzalez first mentioned the Interview Project, …show more content…
I was an electricians mate. I was in charge of the IC room, that’s Interior Communications, and I used to enjoy going up in the early morning when the bakers were baking bread, and I’d get some bread and come down and make my own sandwich. For sixteen months, I only got off the ship once, for a matter of one hour. I can’t remember the name, but it was a circle of islands in the middle of the Pacific. First it was owned by the Japanese, but we had kicked them out by the time I got there. There was one opening, and there was a cable across. They could raise and lower the cable to let some ships in and keep enemy ships out. They allowed us, a few at a time to get off the ship and go to the island, and have a beer or something,” he says, chuckling. “But we were only allowed to stay there for about one hour. On this little island, for the hour that I was on it, I ran into a good friend of mine from Mariah Ohio. He was a member of our church. Things like that, you don’t forget. Outside of that, I was on that ship for sixteen months.” “What event of the war do you remember most vividly?” “We were going up through the Yellow Sea, and I was standing outside by the rail, waiting to go down in the chow line and I looked over my left shoulder, along the rail outside, and there was a huge mine. The sea mines are normally under the ocean, but this one was sitting on the surface, and I spotted it and I notified …show more content…
Then about a day later we dropped the second bomb and that did it.” After this last question, we continue speaking for a few minutes. By now, the sun has fully set, and the room is colored in the dark greys and blues of the night sky. Surprisingly, it is not the overwhelming terror and anger that my grandpa emphasize. He keeps coming back to two things: his daily ritual of fresh bread on the ship, and the single hour he spent on land during his service. These small pieces of hope are incredibly important to him. This man bore witness to both Iwo Jima and Okinawa, two of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific Theater of World War II. In fact, the massive number of casualties claimed by Okinawa proved to the United States how devastating and destructive and dreadful and damnable a land invasion of Japan would be, and had a major influence on the decision to drop the atomic bombs. Body counts and statistics simply cannot convey the constant the emotional impact of war on those who fight in it. Thus, it is crucial that personal accounts of these events are recorded in history so that similar destruction may be prevented from happening

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Goodman Brown And The Minister's Black Veil Character Analysis

...group who migrated to the America’s to escape religious persecution in what is know as the Great Migration to create land where they could be religiously free. In these Puritan societies they emanated a strong sense of faith but although they were strict and harsh, the Puritans did indeed embody many admirable traits. In Goodman Brown and The Minister's black veil one exemplary trait that is demonstrated through their writings is the puritans being very persistent in keeping their faith. Both characters in these texts the show the struggle of keeping faith after being exposed to evil side of mankind but are still able to look up to God. Another trait was how the Puritans were very aware and valued God’s presence in their life as seen in Narrative of the Capacity, From of plymouth plantation, and Burning of our house. Lastly, another laudable trait the Puritans depicted was...

Words: 1617 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Mrs Dalloway & the Hours

...similar ideas about the importance of the inner life been represented in different contexts in Mrs Dalloway and The Hours? “The external situation shapes the experience of the inner life”. –How have similar ideas about the importance of the inner life been represented in different contexts in Mrs Dalloway and The Hours? An individual’s experience of both internal and external life is shaped by our surroundings, the physical environment and our human relationships. Mrs Dalloway, a novel by Virginia Woolf explores the life of a women in one day, the audience is able to see what she is doing, what she feels and what is going on in her head all at the same time. Similarly a film directed by Stephen Daldry titled the Hours explores three narrative streams looking at both the external events and internal thoughts of three separate women. These texts use the context of Virginia Woolf’s own life and the time periods in which they focus on including the 1920’s, 1949 and 2001 to express various thematic concerns. They delve into the multifaceted nature of individuals, women’s experience, a sense of mortality felt by the protagonists and ones sensitivity to nature and people. In searching for one’s identity and true self we often question the nature of our experiences and the relationships we have with those around us. It is a constant battle between putting on a social mask to manage perception, or alternatively expressing our inner self and risking ridicule. Woolf depicts reserved...

Words: 1616 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Christian Counselling and University Students

...CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction Literally, the phrase person-to-person simply means one-to-one. This implies that addressing somebody personally on certain issues without the interference of the third party. And the rationale behind such relationship is to gain 100% attention of such individual, not only that such person will have freedom to express himself or herself to the person talking to him/her without any form of suspicion. This writeup is made to x-ray the importance of one-to-one discipleship as stated by our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. This report also focuses on the hinderances to this missing ingredient in christendom today. 1.1 Disciple  In Christian usage a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ, an adherent to the Christian tradition.  A student, learner or pupil in the school of his/her master (Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)  Someone who believes in ideas of a great teacher especially a religious teacher and tries to follow him.  Someone who has an aptitude to acquire knowledge from a mentor (disciplar).  Someone that accept the doctrine of his master without any logical reason. The example is that of Jesus Christ and His disciples. Matt. 10:24 says “the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord’’. In other words no man can ever expect to be greater than Christ, for He is the only Lord and Christ (Act 2:36).  The word disciple appears in the bible 28 times, while the plural...

Words: 3128 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Ethical Dilema

...7 BARTIMAEUS (Mark 10:46-52) The story of Bartimaeus is an experience of the healing power of faith that leads to discipleship. It begins in identification with the humiliation of a blind beggar sitting in the dust. It ends with his sight restored as he follows Jesus on the way up to Jerusalem. In a unique way, this story concretizes the power of the faith of persons who are oppressed by physical or mental handicaps, patriarchal social structures, racial discrimination, and economic systems over which they have no control. It is an invitation to allow our own personal and communal humiliation to be seen in the context of Bartimaeus's faith in Jesus as the Christ. The Story And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And many rebuked him, telling him to shut up. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you." And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight...

Words: 6815 - Pages: 28

Free Essay

Tolkien's Christianity

...Tolkien’s Christian Connections By Candace Browning I. Introduction II. Truth thru Myth III. Providence IV. Hope and Faith V. Pity and Mercy VI. Similarities to the Bible A. Various B. Creation and the Fall C. Christ D. The Virgin Mary VII. Conclusion I. Introduction For thousands of years, humanity has turned to the Bible to answer questions of how and why we are here. At the dawn of a new millenium, popular culture has shifted away from ancient stories like those in the Bible. Thankfully, more recent tales influenced by the Gospels have emerged to fulfill this craven desire. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is one such book. It offers a mythological explanation of the apparent chaos, pain, disappointment, horror and violence of the world in terms of the struggle between good and evil. Taking this into consideration, a closer look at the The Lord of the Rings reveals grim and glorious lessons that can be learned. The works of Tolkien have been almost universally embraced by literate Christians who have long recognized the richness and beauty of Tolkien’s Middle-earth as well as the profound influence of his Christian faith upon the shape of his imaginary world. On the other hand, it may be read and enjoyed without reference to any theology whatsoever. It succeeds mainly as an exciting tale, but a full appreciation of Tolkien’s accomplishment requires some sense of what lies behind the book. It...

Words: 5568 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Frankenstein

...London, 1816–1817 date of first publication · January 1, 1818 publisher · Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones narrator · The primary narrator is Robert Walton, who, in his letters, quotes Victor Frankenstein’s first-person narrative at length; Victor, in turn, quotes the monster’s first-person narrative; in addition, the lesser characters Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein narrate parts of the story through their letters to Victor. climax · The murder of Elizabeth Lavenza on the night of her wedding to Victor Frankenstein in Chapter 23 protagonist · Victor Frankenstein antagonist · Frankenstein’s monster setting (time) · Eighteenth century setting (place) · Geneva; the Swiss Alps; Ingolstadt; England and Scotland; the northern ice point of view · The point of view shifts with the narration, from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to Frankenstein’s monster, then back to Walton, with a few digressions in the form of letters from Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein. falling action · After the murder of Elizabeth Lavenza, when Victor Frankenstein chases the monster to the northern ice, is rescued by Robert Walton, narrates his story, and dies tense · Past foreshadowing · Ubiquitous—throughout his narrative, Victor uses words such as “fate” and “omen” to hint at the tragedy that has befallen him; additionally, he occasionally pauses in his recounting to collect himself in the face of frightening memories. tone · Gothic, Romantic, emotional...

Words: 51140 - Pages: 205

Premium Essay

Rush

...i FOREWORD ______________________________________________________________________________iii Of the Beginning of Days ____________________________________________________________________ 12 Of Aulë and Yavanna _______________________________________________________________________ 17 Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor____________________________________________ 19 Of Thingol and Melian ______________________________________________________________________ 24 Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië _______________________________________________________ 25 Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor________________________________________________________ 28 Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor ____________________________________________________ 30 Of the Darkening of Valinor__________________________________________________________________ 33 Of the Flight of the Noldor ___________________________________________________________________ 35 Of the Sindar______________________________________________________________________________ 42 Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor __________________________________________________ 45 Of Men __________________________________________________________________________________ 49 Of the Return of the Noldor __________________________________________________________________ 50 Of Beleriand and Its Realms__________________________________________________________________ 56 Of the Noldor in Beleriand...

Words: 156001 - Pages: 625

Premium Essay

Not Really My Paper

...I DO NOT OWN THIS FOREWORD ______________________________________________________________________________iii Of the Beginning of Days ____________________________________________________________________ 12 Of Aulë and Yavanna _______________________________________________________________________ 17 Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor____________________________________________ 19 Of Thingol and Melian ______________________________________________________________________ 24 Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië _______________________________________________________ 25 Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor________________________________________________________ 28 Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor ____________________________________________________ 30 Of the Darkening of Valinor__________________________________________________________________ 33 Of the Flight of the Noldor ___________________________________________________________________ 35 Of the Sindar______________________________________________________________________________ 42 Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor __________________________________________________ 45 Of Men __________________________________________________________________________________ 49 Of the Return of the Noldor __________________________________________________________________ 50 Of Beleriand and Its Realms__________________________________________________________________ 56 Of the Noldor in...

Words: 156005 - Pages: 625

Free Essay

A&P and Araby

...A&P and Araby John Updike's A & P and James Joyce's Araby share many of the same literary traits. The primary focus of the two stories revolves around a young man who is compelled to decipher the different between cruel reality and the fantasies of romance that play in his head. That the man does, indeed, discover the difference is what sets him off into emotional collapse. One of the main similarities between the two stories is the fact that the main character, who is also the protagonist, has built up incredible,yet unrealistic, expectations of women, having focused upon one in particular towards which he places all his unrequited affection. The expectation these men hold when finally "face to face with their object of worship" (Wells, 1993, p. 127) is what sends the final and crushing blow of reality: The rejection they suffer is far too great for them to bear. Updike is famous for taking other author's works and twisting them so that they reflect a more contemporary flavor. While the story remains the same, the climate is singular only to Updike. This is the reason why there are similarities as well as deviations from Joyce's original piece. Plot, theme and detail are three of the most resembling aspects of the two stories over all other literary components; characteristic of both writers' works, each rendition offers its own unique perspective upon the young man's romantic infatuation. Not only are descriptive phrases shared by both stories, but parallels occur with...

Words: 7200 - Pages: 29

Premium Essay

Divine

...r Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Dennis Bratcher A paper presented to the Breckenridge Conference on Clergy Preparation I. Introduction II. Synergism: A Biblical and Theological Base III. The Church's Mission and Ministry: A Recovery of Balance IV. Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Footnotes Bibliography I. Introduction The Issue In Context The Church In this series of conferences begun last year, we are in process of reflecting on the direction and focus of the ministry and ministerial training in the Church of the Nazarene as our community of faith moves into the twenty-first century. We have attempted to approach our task from two complimentary perspectives, caricatured last year as the "field" of hands-on work and the "realm" of reflective inquiry (although I think there are serious problems inherent in such an artificial dichotomy of responsibilities). -1-  From our initial attempts, it has become obvious that we face a multiplicity of issues in such an endeavor. The range and diversity of these issues arise partly from the variety of theological, historical, and practical concerns operating with each of us as individuals and partly from the assumptions and perspectives imported from particular arenas of ministry. One common element that keeps reappearing in various forms is the issue of the nature and mission of the Church. This issue is not unique to our enterprise in these conferences, as the new eleventh Article of Faith on...

Words: 14067 - Pages: 57

Free Essay

Art and Story Proceedings 2004

...Arts and the Education of Artists: Art and Story CONTENTS SECTION ONE: Marcel’s Studio Visit with Elstir……………………………………………………….. David Carrier SECTION TWO: Film and Video Narrative Brief Narrative on Film-The Case of John Updike……………………………………. Thomas P. Adler With a Pen of Light …………………………………………………………………… Michael Fink Media and the Message: Does Media Shape or Serve the Story: Visual Storytelling and New Media ……………………………………………………. June Bisantz Evans Visual Literacy: The Language of Cultural Signifiers…………………………………. Tammy Knipp SECTION THREE: Narrative and Fine Art Beyond Illustration: Visual Narrative Strategies in Picasso’s Celestina Prints………… Susan J. Baker and William Novak Narrative, Allegory, and Commentary in Emil Nolde’s Legend: St. Mary of Egypt…… William B. Sieger A Narrative of Belonging: The Art of Beauford Delaney and Glenn Ligon…………… Catherine St. John Art and Narrative Under the Third Reich ……………………………………………… Ashley Labrie 28 15 1 22 25 27 36 43 51 Hopper Stories in an Imaginary Museum……………………………………………. Joseph Stanton SECTION FOUR: Photography and Narrative Black & White: Two Worlds/Two Distinct Stories……………………………………….. Elaine A. King Relinquishing His Own Story: Abandonment and Appropriation in the Edward Weston Narrative………………………………………………………………………….. David Peeler Narrative Stretegies in the Worlds of Jean Le Gac and Sophe Calle…………………….. Stefanie Rentsch SECTION FIVE: Memory Does The History of Western Art Tell a Grand Story?……………………………………...

Words: 117240 - Pages: 469

Premium Essay

Reading a Novel in 1950-2000

...Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 i RTNA01 1 13/6/05, 5:28 PM READING THE NOVEL General Editor: Daniel R. Schwarz The aim of this series is to provide practical introductions to reading the novel in both the British and Irish, and the American traditions. Published Reading the Modern British and Irish Novel 1890–1930 Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 Daniel R. Schwarz Brian W. Shaffer Forthcoming Reading the Eighteenth-Century Novel Paula R. Backscheider Reading the Nineteenth-Century Novel Harry E. Shaw and Alison Case Reading the American Novel 1780–1865 Shirley Samuels Reading the American Novel 1865–1914 G. R. Thompson Reading the Twentieth-Century American Novel James Phelan ii RTNA01 2 13/6/05, 5:28 PM Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 Brian W. Shaffer iii RTNA01 3 13/6/05, 5:28 PM © 2006 by Brian W. Shaffer BLACKWELL PUBLISHING 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Brian W. Shaffer to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and...

Words: 123617 - Pages: 495

Premium Essay

Prose Fiction

...SECOND DRAFT Contents Preamble Chapter 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Background Rationale Aims Interface with the Junior Secondary Curriculum Principles of Curriculum Design Chapter 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 1 Introduction Literature in English Curriculum Framework Strands and Learning Targets Learning Objectives Generic Skills Values and Attitudes Broad Learning Outcomes Chapter 3 5 7 9 10 11 11 13 Curriculum Planning 3.1 Planning a Balanced and Flexible Curriculum 3.2 Central Curriculum and School-based Curriculum Development 3.2.1 Integrating Classroom Learning and Independent Learning 3.2.2 Maximizing Learning Opportunities 3.2.3 Cross-curricular Planning 3.2.4 Building a Learning Community through Flexible Class Organization 3.3 Collaboration within the English Language Education KLA and Cross KLA Links 3.4 Time Allocation 3.5 Progression of Studies 3.6 Managing the Curriculum – Role of Curriculum Leaders Chapter 4 1 2 2 3 3 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 21 Learning and Teaching 4.1 Approaches to Learning and Teaching 4.1.1 Introductory Comments 4.1.2 Prose Fiction 4.1.3 Poetry i 21 21 23 32 SECOND DRAFT 4.1.4 Drama 4.1.5 Films 4.1.6 Literary Appreciation 4.1.7 Schools of Literary Criticism 4.2 Catering for Learner Diversity 4.3 Meaningful Homework 4.4 Role of Learners Chapter 5 41 45 52 69 71 72 73 74 Assessment 5.1 Guiding Principles 5.2 Internal Assessment 5.2.1 Formative Assessment 5.2.2 Summative Assessment 5.3 Public Assessment 5.3.1 Standards-referenced...

Words: 41988 - Pages: 168

Premium Essay

Cyrus the Great

...or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Tyson, Lois, 1950‑ Critical theory today : a user‑friendly guide / Lois Tyson.‑‑ 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0‑415‑97409‑7 (hb) ‑‑ ISBN 0‑415‑97410‑0 (pb) 1. Criticism. I. Title. PN81.T97 2006 801’.95‑‑dc22 Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http://www.taylorandfrancis.com and the Routledge Web site at http://www.routledge‑ny.com 2006001722 I gratefully dedicate this book to my students and to my teachers. I hope I will always have difficulty telling you apart. Contents Preface to the second edition Preface for instructors...

Words: 221284 - Pages: 886

Premium Essay

British English Literature

...century, who were to create the finest body of literature which England had produced since the Elizabethan period. All the greatest of these writers were poets, wholly or in part, and they fall roughly into two groups: first, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, and Walter Scott; and second, about twenty years younger, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats. This period of Romantic Triumph, or of the lives of its authors, coincides in time, and not by mere accident, with the period of the success of the French Revolution, the prolonged struggle of England and all Europe against Napoleon, and the subsequent years when in Continental Europe despotic government reasserted itself and sternly suppressed liberal hopes and uprisings, while in England liberalism and democracy steadily and doggedly...

Words: 13303 - Pages: 54