Ashes By Susan Beth Pfeffer Analysis

The poem “Wordsmith” by Susan Young follows the speaker watching their father as he constructs their house. Throughout the poem, their bond as father and child is made abundantly clear that they both love each other and value time spent together. Firstly, neither of them explicitly state how much they care but rather convey their familial feelings through actions instead. The speaker only watches their father “from the sidelines” (8) as they “watch with something akin to awe” (3) and never expresses their admiration aloud. Likewise, their father hardly outright states his affection but does it through working. The speaker understands this as they compare “all of the empty crevices” to “the words [the father] did not know how to say” (17). Another

Hillenbrand and the author of the text about Mine’ Okubo explain how perseverance and resilience are essential for surviving difficult times. Throughout both texts, the authors use several methods to develop this central idea.

In the story “Nethergrave” by Gloria Skurzynski, lies a boy named Jeremy. Jeremy is a misfit, a person that don’t belong anywhere, or a person that is different. Jeremy is the kind of boy who can memorize a whole book of sports, but can’t physically play any sports. He vaults to the internet for hope of his four friends, but instead he finds something different. Even though, Gloria Skurzynski story “Nethergrave” is a science fiction genre, I believe that the meaning of this story could be that there’s always a place for everyone.

When Lori and Jeanette are growing older, they decide they want to move to New York City to start a new life, away from their parents. Lori and Jeanette get jobs and begin to earn money. They hide their earnings from their parents in a piggy bank they named Oz. One day Jeanette tries to find Oz to put her paycheck in. Instead she says to Lori “Someone has slashed him apart with a knife and stole all the money” (Walls 228). The kids knew right away who had stolen it. It was Dad. When Lori confronted Dad with the news about Oz, he started playing dumb, acting like he had not idea what was going on. But in fact he did steal the money. This action shows that Dad is very selfish and only cares about himself.

The American industrialist Henry Ford once said, “ Life is a series of experiences, each of which makes of bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character , and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.” In Laura Hillenbrand’s nonfiction book Unbroken, the fearless Louis Zamperini epitomized Ford’s words when, he survived imprisonment for over 2 years only after his World War II bomber crashed into the middle of the Pacific . Thankfully Louie’s fearlessness helped him return home and share his story with the world.

Family relationships are built upon trust. This trust is the glue of a relationship that can make or break a teen parent relationship. An individual can gain trust by proving what they are capable of. W.D Valgardson short story “Saturday Climbing” demonstrates this gain of trust through the character of Barry, a single father. Barry initially has a lack of trust in his daughter Moria, however throughout many demonstrations of strength and intelligence Moria is able to gain trust from Barry. W.D Valgardson short story “Saturday Climbing” suggests that in a relationship one gains trust in an individual after realizing what the individual is capable of.

In the excerpt, Death of a Moth, by Annie Dillard, she attempts to overcome her writer's block by getting away from it all and taking a trip into the Mountains of Virginia. While taking time off, she intends to spiritually find her true self again and get back on a successful track. Only by using concrete imagery, drawing a strong parallel, and meticulously selecting a certain word choice to create points of clarity, is she able to effectively convey her inner struggle.

There is a part in the beginning of the story where Ashes, says“When I was little, Dad used to promise me the stars for a necklace, but like most of his promises, that one never quite happened.” This quote explains that he speaks more and is actionless. He has promised her things and accomplished nothing. If he had bought her a necklace with fake stars, it would make Ashes feel like her at least cared for her. He did not have to hype her up with hopes and then destroy them by not fulfilling it.

“ In praise of the F word” by Mary Sherry, the author has her point that flunking students is a way that can help students do better in school. Flunking students can be helpful in getting them motivated and lead to success in their education. Students who don’t want to put in effort because they are lazy, a troublemaker, or good student that gets just passed along to next grade deserve to fail. Is it not going to be easy for students to be successful in their education. The students need to try hard to get to their goals. The students have to pass through failure to have the motivation to do better in school. If more students go through the teacher’s threats of failing, the students will want to put in the effort to able

Compare the ways in which poets reflect on parental relationships – Daddy by Sylvia Plath and Mother Who Gave Me Life by Gwen Harwood

What does the term “home” mean? How does the idea “home” apply to the text you read?

50% of children experience the divorce of their parents according to www.marriage-success-secrets.com. In Ashes, by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Ashleigh’s parents have been divorced for the last two years. She loves both of them but has a special soft spot for her dad. Ashleigh’s mom is a practical person and her dad is described as a dreamer. After a dinner with her father, Ashleigh receives a request. He wants her to to take her mom’s emergency money to pay off a deal he made. Ashleigh makes the decision to not give her dad the money because she questions the process and outcome, her father has a history of making irresponsible decisions, and the clouds symbolize her feelings towards her dad’s plan.

Ashleigh’s decision was to obey her dad and steal the money because he does nice things for her.Her dad takes her out to eat, a quote that supports this can be found on page 2,”There’s a new diner, that opened right around the block.Let’s treat ourselves, Ashes,and go out on the town.”Another example of her dad doing nice things for her is that he gives her gifts.A quote that helps support this is on page 1,”But then,dad gave me roses or sang a song he had written for me.”One last example of him doing nice things for Ashleigh is that he lets her get whatever she wants.An example of this is found on page 3,”Take your pick,Ashes.Hamburger,triple-decker,chicken salad platter.Whatever you want.”

On January 19th, 1970, Ash took his first breathe of air; A decade later Ash was big and strong and ready to take on the world. But unfortunately he still lived in the nursery. He lived his life in one place unable to move anywhere, for Ash had been paralyzed and could only and feel pain. He had been separated from his parents and isolated from everyone. He survived mainly because of the caregivers who worked at the nursery. But one day, two men brought Ash home with them and he started living in South Dakota. His life improved dramatically for he had a family for the first time in his life. Ash, now 18, was mature, but not nearly enough to deal with what happens next. Two trucks pulled up in the early morning. Five men approached Ash and

Angelina Weld Grimké’s, Rachel, portrays an African American family’s experience and development over the course of several years during the segregation era. Act one begins in a domestic setting, introducing the main character, Rachel Loving. Rachel is eighteen, living with her mother, Mrs. Loving, and brother, Tom. Notably, the Loving household is presented as a cheerful and affectionate place, full of laughter and lightheartedness. In a like manner, Rachel emerges as warm and cheerful, yet overall naive; never once questioning the absence of her father and brother, who passed ten years earlier. Initially, Rachel is lively and passionate, bearing a deep infatuation for motherhood and constantly proclaiming her dream to raise a child. Nevertheless,