Alcina's Lesson: A Narrative Fiction

It was as though she were possessed by some evil spirit. We tried to reason with her, more to calm ourselves, to catch our breath, than to soothe her: “She is hallucinating because she is thirsty, poor woman . . . That's why she speaks  of flames devouring her . . .”(25)

In the story “Thornhill" there was a girl named Mary. She lived at the Thornhill Institute For Children. When all of her friends had gotten adopted, she had been too. When she got to her new home with her new family, she had went in the yard to go explore. As she looked at all of the space and freedom she had, she felt amazing. Mary stepped onto a box and seen that a couple blocks away, there was this old and creepy looking house. She thought maybe a witch lived there. Mary ignored it and kept on looking around. A couple of days later she and her family helped her finish unpacking and

In the autobiography we are told an account by Rosa Cassettari an Italian immigrant coming to the United States. Rosa is from northern Italy and is coming to America to join her husband Santino who works in Missouri as an iron miner. She reluctantly leaves behind her young son, but is curious about American life. Her journey to America, her move to Chicago, and her job at the settlement all revealed changes that occurred in Rosa. Her story was successful, not based on the amount of money she made, but in being able to establish a good life for herself in America where she had her freedom.

The forest had gone.... and the Witch looked much younger. Audette opened her eyes and had found herself upon a brow of white lilies. The shape of the shrouded old woman seemed changed. Having turned around, and opened her mantle to the tearing gusts, Meliza revealed to the young lady two streams of shinging blackness and smooth white flesh. Audette stopped in her tracks.

The chapters I have read for this week’s meeting deal with the rising action of the story. The characters begin the accusations of witchcraft, and innocent people are sent to jail. Susanna’s brother is prediction to arrive home soon, and Susanna’s mother is arrested for witchcraft. A little girl called Betty Parris falls ill; she cries in her sleep, will not eat, screams at her parents, and she see’s objects fly around her room. Betty blames Tituba, she says that Tituba is trying to poison her.

Because of dark and sexual desire, Abigail Williams and the other girls went to the woods to offer a sacrifice. This is where everything started. That night, when the girls were in the woods, Mr. Parris saw them and what they have been doing. His daughter Betty, was also there and something has happened to her. They thought that she was just sick, but some of the villagers saw her at night flying in the sky, and they believed that she was cursed by a witch and she was with the devil. The girls mentioned names and saw them with the devil. The investigation started, they asked for a judge and a person who can drive demons away. The villagers were also in hysterical because witchcraft is a threat in their society and they are very eager to get rid of those who were mentioned. The judge ordered to make an investigation to those who were mentioned to look for evidence. In those time, the image that was given was an example of how they invade the how and search for

They were neighbors and had always known of one another. Alejo had been out of the ranches for some time working in the city of Moneterrey when Audelia was still a child, but when he returned to his parents home he saw her and was immediately captivated by her. Audelia had become a young and beautiful woman and for him she was a truly graceful and could be set apart from all other ladies at first sight. Although their age difference made him doubt and hesitate to ask for her hand in marriage in fear of him being denied to be with her or simply her turning him down there was still a fire that burned within him to be near her. One day while she was in the kitchen with her sisters her father walks in and surprises her with the news that she was to be married to Alejo. Joy filled her home and she was very excited for what would become of her life with this man she had heard much of but truly knew little of. All she could say of him was that he was physically tall, handsome and had deep blue eyes with dark brown hair. She knew they were distant relatives, but that was not an issue for it was normal at the time to marry a distant relative due to the seclusion of their

The initial questions Tempel Anneke was asked pointed out the similarities between her and what were thought to be the characteristics of a witch. When the interrogator questioned her age and means of personal finance, she did not state her age but did say that she was a widow and lived with her son on his farm but did perform healings when needed. She was then questioned about her education and religious practices. She responded by saying she had learned how to heal people from observing her mother. Also, she testified that she knew the commandments but had not been to the table of the Lord or the Holy Communion in two years (15). It did not help that she was not looked up to in the community but was part of the lower class. According some of the testimony by her accusers, most people thought that Tempel Anneke was a crazy, old drunk.

She was beaten, shackled and “was wet with the dew of all the men who had covered her before” him(4). He quickly recognizes her because his mother is also an Ila woman. He takes care of her — washing her disarrayed body, starting a fire for warmth and protection, and hunting for food. He also believed in fasting for ten consecutive days as a way of a spiritual cure those who are suffering, “in this way the spirit of the dead one grows weak, finally it lets go and journeys to the land of the soul” (5). He grew weak, yet still taking care of her. They began to love one another, and did not want to be apart. Taking her first steps, she ventured to short travels, but was not ready for a lonesome journey. With each trial, the journey becomes a little farther. Twelve days later, she was gone. He holds himself back from calling her name aloud to take her back forever. He continues on with his journey to the village, hunting for food as he returns to the village not

In the town of salem, massachusetts, there was a group of girls heading with a dark slave named tituba into the timberland forest, it was a dark curious night for them. The town’s minister, reverend parris’s daughter, betty falls, while the girls were dancing into the woods. She falls into an unmoving, unresponsive state, so now rumors pile up into the town saying betty’s incident had something to do with witchcraft. Parris, betty’s father has sent John Hale, an expert on witchcraft to determine if his daughter was indeed bewitched or not. Parris had knew all along that the girls and tituba were in the forest. Tituba starts getting accused of being the one responsible and being involved with witchcraft.

The “Lizzie Borden” nursery rhyme is about a daughter murdering her father and stepmother. The poem references the violent murder of Lizzie Borden’s parents in Massachusetts, in 1892. Although Lizzie was accused of the crime, the Borden case went unsolved due to lack of evidence. The police reports say that Lizzie murdered her stepmother, Abby Durfree Gray Borden, then her father, Andrew Jackson Borden with an axe, and due to its unsolved status, the case has gained infamy over the years. Because of its horrific details, the case gained great notoriety during its day, and as it has gone unsolved for 123 years, as well as the fact the “Lizzie Borden” rhyme has continued to circulate, it remains a topic of interest to the present day.

She accuses multiple people of witchcraft and even states how she was forced to dance "for the Devil...[see] him... and [kiss] his hand" (88) to protect herself.

What would you rather have the ability to turn into the wind or a chest full of Spanish gold? Well in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho a young boy named Santiago got both and more in his journey. Santiago when on this journey to find a treasure of gold but the real treasure is finding Fatima, the Alchemist, and the true meaning of love. Most people would think that no the gold was his big treasure but in all reality it was these three things starting with his love Fatima.

How do the characters respond to the accusation of witchcraft? Why do you think they act this way? Does their religion have anything to do with their reaction?

Have you ever feel so worthless, like you were nothing? Everyone must have feel hurt because of others’ words and actions, no matter how tough they are. Judith Ortiz Cofer expressed her hurt feelings through her story, “Abuela Invents the Zero”. “Abuela Invents the Zero” is a story about respect and treat others like you want to be treated. Ortiz Cofer presents this theme by explaining how Connie; the main character in the story; made her grandmother felt worthless, Connie’s embarrassment towards Abuela, and the impacts of mistreating someone.