Authors in many instances use the main elements in the story such as setting and narrative to prove a point in the story. For example, writers often use characters, their actions, and their interaction with other characters to support or prove a theme. In the short story “Our Thirteenth Summer”, Barry Callaghan effectively uses characters to develop the theme that childhood is fragile and easily influenced. One of the ways that Callaghan makes effective use of characters to develop the theme is by describing the tension between Bobbie and his parents. This usage of characters supports the theme because Bobbie’s childhood is no longer free to do what he wishes, but has to bow down to his parents’
The story begins with the Once-ler, informing the reader of the local natural history of the now world and how it was once home to the Lorax. The Onceler discloses to us that the Lorax can speak for the trees because tress have no tongues. The Once-ler has greedily taken advantage of this natural habitat, which was once home to the Truffula Tress. The Once-ler cruelly destroyed all the Truffula Trees to merchandise “thneeds”. Pollution is evident through the deformation and pursuit of economic gain of the Once-ler. All the creatures who
For the most part, though a childrenʻs story, The Lorax is an environmentalist message targeted to urge young readers who are in time, going to determine our future, to learn from the tragic results of the Oncelerʻs actions. In the beginning of the story, the Onceler discovers the trufffula trees and begins to cut them down carelessly to make clothing, which in turn provided him money to use for his own selfish reasons. In reaction to the Oncelerʻs cruel actions, the Lorax confronts and warns the Onceler that if he continues to pollute the environment and cutting down the resources and homes of the species that live in it there will be consequences. Not caring about anything or anyone but himself, the Onceler continues to cut down the trees and use them for his own benefits, which continues to cause damage to the land and the species
I was pleased to have attended a lecture cosponsored by the Ethics Center, the Fresno State office of the president, the Fresno Bee and Valley PBS. The lecture began with Dr. Castro recognizing a few leaders on campus, including a past Fresno State president, Dr. John D. Welty and campus volunteer Mary Castro. Dr. Castro then mentioned a few things about Mr. Brooks stating that he is a columnist for the New York Times and an analyst for the PBS “News Hour” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Dr. Brooks also teaches at Yale University, one the finest university in the country. Dr. Castro continued by saying that he learned that Mr. Brooks office hours are from 9am to 1pm and how “cool” it sounded to him. I was surprised how many people attended the event. I was fortunate to find a seat. David Brooks mentioned how he has some remote roots in the Central Valley because his father grew in Chowchilla, CA but Mr. Brooks grew in New York.
Jimmy knows too well the agonies of abandonment. First, when his mother, Cecilia, ran away with Richard to pursue a better lifestyle. Then, due to his father’s, Damacio Baca, alcoholisms and violent behavior; he also had to leave Jimmy behind. In spite of the drawbacks from abandonment to being a maximum security prisoner in Arizona State Prison, Jimmy preserver’s the darkness of prison by overcoming his illiteracy. However Cecilia and Damacio is not as fortunate as their child; Cecilia is shot by Richard after confronting him for a divorce and Damacio chokes to death after he is released from the detox center(Baca 263). Therefore the most significant event in this section of the memoir, A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca is the death of Jimmy’s parents.
Grace has been told for more than half her life that she was crazy. Her mother’s death that she witnesses was an accident, there was no scarred man, and there was nothing she could do to change what had happened. But Grace knew they were wrong. With the help of her friends Noah, Megan and Rosie, she managed to discover that the scarred man was Dominic, the first love of her mother, who was there to kill her mother, but chose instead to stage her death. Grace came down just as Dominic was taking the picture, and picked up the gun that was lying on the floor. Firing blinding, she missed Dominic and shot her mother instead. The traumatic moment of shooting her mother was blocked from Grace’s mind as it was unable to handle what she did. Her family tries to protect her from this, saying it was an accident, trying to get Grace to stop pushing. When pushing too hard, Grace discovers the truth of what happened that night, and what she did, and with the
In the book “The Juvie Three” by Gordan Korman there are two characters named Gecko and Mr. Healy. They both overcame major obstacles throughout the book. A character named Gecko in the book goes to a halfway home ran by Mr. Healy. Mr. Healy got put into the hospital after getting knocked off the balcony, and he got hurt badly and lost his memory for a while. Both Gecko and Mr.Healy came over big obstacles in the book by working hard, not giving up and not going the easy way.
All refugees, the circumstances notwithstanding, face immense hardship throughout their lives. In time, these hardships give way to new opportunities, dreams, and perspectives, as even in the face of suffering, one always retains their intrinsic self. Kim Ha, the protagonist in Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out and Back Again, experienced this through her family’s daring escape from war-torn South Vietnam. Consequently, Inside Out and Back Again serves as a fitting title for her story.
Twyla and Roberta are two very different people, but bond in very similar ways. They become friends very suddenly, not because of how old they are, but because both have a mother. Twyla's mom is a dancer, and Roberta's mother is too sick to raise her. They later meet in their twenties in a not so settling way. Twyla had been bussing tables while Roberta had been living large about to meet Jimi Hendrix. Twyla was embarrassed at her long past friend and was ashamed to show herself. Five years later they meet at a grocery store where they both have kids and are settled down. They decided to go vet coffee where it starts off both are different races so they take opposite sides of the debate. Roberta accuses Twyla of abusing one of the girls at the orphanage. Twyla only remembers sitting and watching the girl get abused by other girls, and Roberta's memories start to come back to her. This holds their relationship together for the next five years when
The Laramie Project is a story that has a variety of characters with many differing viewpoints on a multitude of issues throughout the entire book. Issues such as the death penalty, LGBTQ rights, what type of a person Matthew Shepard was, and a massive amount of others are present throughout the entire book. The character Matthew Shepard, a gay, black student at the University of Wyoming was murdered by two white, heterosexual males, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. With the mass amount of characters within The Laramie Project, there were bound to be differing viewpoints on what type of person Matthew Shepard was. Some people thought he was a good kid and a martyr, dying at the hands of homophobic males within their town, some thought he didn't really matter just because he was gay, and murders happened all the time. A third view is that he deserved what he got.
A Lesson Before Dying A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines tells the story of a black man, Jefferson, with unequal rights, being accused of killing a white man. Although, the accusation was far from being right, he is a black man, and blacks were treated unfairly. Throughout the journey of the trial, Jefferson and Grant became very close, and they both learned a lot from each other and the trial. Grant learns the lesson of being a man, because he develops feelings, and becomes humble.
Oftentimes, when writing literature, authors tend to form story elements that follow a certain archetype. An archetype can be any common example of a character, theme, symbol, situation, or setting that reappears in various genres of writing, and is a universal pattern. Particularly, character archetypes are general models or outlines that other characters can be based on, like a ruler, a hero, or a rebel. In The Safest Lies, the story focuses on Kelsey, who grew up terrified of the wicked world outside of her secure home. Her apprehension was instilled by her mother, Mandy, who was kidnapped when she was seventeen. After not stepping outside of their house since her miraculous escape over a decade before, Mandy tragically disappeared
“In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same (BrainyQuotes.com).” These are poignant words spoken by renowned Theoretical Physicist and Humanitarian, Albert Einstein. As stated by Einstein, problems are problems. This chapter explains very well the nuances and components that make up social problems, from a classroom perspective. This paper will briefly summarize the chapter.
Thriving at the time, the islanders did not acknowledge the consequences their gluttonous habits had the potential of mustering, eventually overpopulating. Subsequently, the remaining resources were diminished rather quickly as the population began to struggle for the most basic of necessities, the situation so dire that cannibalism was a tangible option. Likewise, “The Lorax” displays the exact same form of shameless excess that ignites overpopulation as the Once-ler invites others to join him until said phenomena occurs. Unfortunately, the Once-ler does not realize the damage he has wrought until the final tree is chopped, a land once rich in flora entirely bare. Essentially, overpopulation bears the stigma for ruin as it creates an overabundance of need and craving, ultimately using resources at an alarmingly fast
Colors and images are some prevalent topics which alludes to different concepts that reality could not offer. The use of reoccurring faces and events depicts how it is all a connection to Marcello’s grasp of reality. Ana, Domonique Sanda, plays multiple characters such a prostitute to fellow friend, a wife to Quadri, and a fling of another man. The fact that a character’s face is continually seen, but as other roles shows the disconnect of reality. Ana’s character capitalizes on Marcello ineptitude to understand the true reality. Ana embodies androgynous figure with her apparel and mannerisms. Marcello has traumatic experience with Lino, an older chauffeur, who took advantage of Marcello. Lino had a very androgynous appearance which correlates