My favorite short story from the novel is "The lives of the dead". This story seemed to be the most sincere of them all. This story was not set in the war but in Tim O'brien's childhood. I really like the fact that the story used Linda to relate the theme of war instead of the actual fighting that went on in Vietnam. Linda represents a loss of innocence, and her death shows the affects it has on others in real life.
My least favorite short story from the novel has to be "The Things They Carried". This story seemed to drag on forever, and did not catch my attention. I did not think that it should have been the first story of the novel because it made me lose interest in reading. The only thing i remember is the constant listing of the things the soldiers carried, whether it have been physical or mental. It also took me awhile to comprehend the whole purpose of the story.
I sympathize with Jimmy Cross and Tim O'brien the most. They had their lives on track, and they both knew what they wanted to do, but that was all stripped away from them because of the war. Its like they lost the meaning of their lives. Jimmy Cross didn't ask to be the leader of his troop, but thats what he was given, which isolated and put even more pressure on him in the war. So naturally when a mistake is made he blames himself and so does everyone else. O'brien doesn't even agree with the war, nor does he know what he is fighting for. He struggles with wanting to run away or accepting the draft. If he were to run he would have had to leave his family, friends, and everything else he knew, and he would have been seen as a coward or traitor. But if he goes to the war he's basically giving up control of his life. So either way he can't win.
My least favorite character has to be Azar. Most people don't like him because he killed a puppy, but that didn't really bother me. It's the fact that he made fun of Kiowa's death and he enjoys scaring Bobby Jorgenson way too much. He simply takes war to a whole different level. Its almost as if he lost his sense of humanity.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
writing prompts
STORY vs. ESSAY - The movie Precious deliberately tells an ugly the truth about life. The movie shows that every home does not have the perfect life. The main character is a teenage girl named Precious. She was sexually abused as a child by her father, and has two children by him. Her mother also sexually and physically abuses her because she is filled with hate that her own husband chooses there daughter instead of her. Also her mother abuses her because she has been abused in her past, and she can't help but to continue the cycle.
Eventually Precious meets a woman who shows her that true loving parents doesn't abuse their children. The woman helps Precious to learn how to take care of her own children. The director makes it seem as though Precious won't find a way out of her situation, and she will continue the abusive cycle, but she does. This shows that everyone's walk of life is different, there is always a solution to their problems.
THE HEART IN CONFLICT - The Blind Side is a great example of heart in conflict, whether you read the book or watch the movie. The protagonist is Michael Oher, and the narrator is Leigh Anne Tuohy. Oher goes through life being in poverty and in the ghetto, but all he wants to do is take care of his mother even though she hasn't been good to him because of her drug abuse. After a friend of Oher's takes him in and gets him enrolled into a private school, he struggles alot with learning and fitting in. Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family take Oher into their home, and show him what a true family is like. Oher finds that he is good at football, and gets offered scholorships to play at many colleges. His "family" are big fans and graduates from the University of Mississippi, so he ends up accepting their scholorship, but he goes through some troubles in order to play there. He is investigated because so many coincidences revolve around him going to Ole Miss. His tutor got a better job at Ole Miss once he was accepted, and his parents have donated money to the football program for a long time. But he proves that his reasons for wanting to go the University of Mississippi are legitimate, and he goes on to continue his dream.
Eventually Precious meets a woman who shows her that true loving parents doesn't abuse their children. The woman helps Precious to learn how to take care of her own children. The director makes it seem as though Precious won't find a way out of her situation, and she will continue the abusive cycle, but she does. This shows that everyone's walk of life is different, there is always a solution to their problems.
THE HEART IN CONFLICT - The Blind Side is a great example of heart in conflict, whether you read the book or watch the movie. The protagonist is Michael Oher, and the narrator is Leigh Anne Tuohy. Oher goes through life being in poverty and in the ghetto, but all he wants to do is take care of his mother even though she hasn't been good to him because of her drug abuse. After a friend of Oher's takes him in and gets him enrolled into a private school, he struggles alot with learning and fitting in. Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family take Oher into their home, and show him what a true family is like. Oher finds that he is good at football, and gets offered scholorships to play at many colleges. His "family" are big fans and graduates from the University of Mississippi, so he ends up accepting their scholorship, but he goes through some troubles in order to play there. He is investigated because so many coincidences revolve around him going to Ole Miss. His tutor got a better job at Ole Miss once he was accepted, and his parents have donated money to the football program for a long time. But he proves that his reasons for wanting to go the University of Mississippi are legitimate, and he goes on to continue his dream.
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