Dalton Trumbo Literary Devices

Both of the following tell the story of a father and a son experiencing a falling out in their relationship. One is a short story titled “The Father” and the other is a film titled Cowboys Don’t Cry. These two pieces can be compared and contrasted through the character of the father, and the breakup of the father and son.

The passage begins with a detailed description of the scenery around the tent. The second person point of view allows the reader to be in Joe’s position. They camp under an “enormous pine” that is “nine thousand feet high”. The area is isolated from reality, enforcing the idea that the place has always been a place only for Joe and his father. The detailed descriptions of nature suggest that the internal conflict and Joe’s newfound independence are natural and universal. As nature is constantly changing, relationships are constantly changing as well. The point of view then shifts to third person to the limited perspective of Joe. Joe sits “in front of the fire and look[s] across at his father”. He nervously contemplates how to confess to him that he will go fishing with Bill Harper the following day. In contrast, earlier in the passage, Joe’s father is “Sitting across from him and staring at the fire”. The difference between Joe who is looking at his father and his father “staring at the fire” depicts how Joe is growing up and becoming

When they are leaving, the boy’s mother waves but the boy “like Lars, simply [lifts] his hand” (1). He follows Lars’s actions and suppresses his fear indicated by his fidgets. At the same time, the boy understands his father’s urge to create an exciting hunting experience for him, but “when they [turn] back for camp, the boy [feels] only relief” (16) because he does not need to pretend anymore. This means that he suppresses his real emotions when his father feels the frustration of finding no prey in order to meet his father’s expectations of a good hunter. Therefore, he conforms to the expectations of the adults by concealing his feelings and faking his

Dalton Trumbo, author of Johnny Got His Gun, is known for his unique style of writing. Many acclaimed authors of books such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice have a formal writing style , on the other hand, Trumbo’s is informal. It consists of short sentences and punctuation techniques. This writing style is what sets Trumbo apart from others because this writing style is difficult to execute and it is hard to apply to other works of literature. His book, Johnny Got His Gun has won the award for “National Award for Most Original Book”. This book is about a soldier named Joe who has become handicapped after a bomb blast and experiences flashbacks which reflect back onto his past and present time. The authors’ style of writing affects the way a reader interprets the story through the use of literary elements and literary devices. Fine

and his father out shines all of the others. This rather complicated partnership is seen

The author Wes Moore recounts the time in chapter one, “Is Daddy Coming With Us?” , when he met his father who at the time was just a strange man. Wes states that “[he] looked at his mother… [moving] closer to [her] hip” (Moore 25). He continues by telling the reader that he automatically felt safer next to her. The reason for this text is to help the reader understand how many families can help with the development of a person. The author describes this event in full detail to show how Wes’ family provided him with a sense of feeling safe and sheltered.

A young boy sits on the floor gazing up in amusement as his parents tell him stories that have traveled from generation to generation. Whether it be a tale of malicious war or brave acts of heroism, the little boy will always remember the impactful tales. But what about the parents; what is their motive for telling tales to their child? People tell stories for different reasons; a best selling author may write his story to sell books. While a parent tells a story to set their child straight, others simply want the thrill of telling tales of their adventurous life. For The Tao Jones ,or TJ, in Chris Crutcher's Whale Talk, the most impactful story he will hear and tell is his own. Someone might not solely tell their own story but, are also able to tell the story of those around them. Superficially, TJ’s story is one of brutal negativity and oppression. However, beneath the surface TJ and other peoples’ tale, is one of the unbreakable bond of brotherhood, unique self identity, and last chance at redemption.

Both are small, close-knit fishing communities in the east coast of Canada. Similarly, they revolve around an aspect of tragedy, the looming threat of death, danger, and sadness. In “The Boat”, the father dies suddenly and brutally, which haunts his son for the rest of his life. In “The Lost Salt Gift of Blood”, the young boys mother and stepfather are killed in a car accident and it leaves him (seemingly) with no present parents left. This breaks the grandparents hearts and leaves them feeling broken and lonely, holding onto the young boy who is all they have left. Both fathers’ seem to do what they feel is in the best interest of their sons. One can take the aspect of the father in “The Boat” as committing suicide to release he son from the chains of the small town, just as the father in “The Lost Salt Gift of Blood” finally meets his son and feels the need to leave him in the comfort of his grandparents for the child’s

I’ve recently watched a film in my English class you starred in called Trumbo. For this type of historical film, even as a teenager, it was truly enjoyable. At first, I didn’t think that it would appeal to me as much as it did. You’re a remarkable actor and I have always admired your work! The political aspect of the film definitely drew me in and made it more pleasant to watch. Not knowing anything about McCarthyism at the time made the film a bit confusing at first, but I gradually began to fully understand it. I liked the film because it shows the character’s tone as well as essence throughout the film.

Trumbo uses point of view to show the closeness the man and father’s relationship. THe use of “they”, “he”, and “ his” shows how the point of view is in third person. This displays how someone is looking at the relationship and a part of it, but they can see how close the son and father are through what they are observing. If someone looking into a relationship can see how close they are, then they must have very close to each other. This point of view with the addition of syntax also allows the reader

The ideal family has a father and mother with children living in a home full of happiness. That may be true in a movie but the reality is not every child has both of their parents. The number of incarcerated parents has been rising for years now, so why have teachers brainwashed themselves along with the students, that if you don’t have a father and mother, it is not normal. In the story, The Night Dad Went to Jail by Melissa Higgins, a young rabbit named Sketch, takes the reader through his experiences that happen during and after his father is arrested. Higgins acknowledges that many child are in the same position as Sketch and wants children do know there are books that relation to them. Some parents may have an issue with a child

A childhood is something all people experience and often times reflect upon. These reflections become the basis for many narratives. In Annie Dillard’s essay from An American Childhood, Dillard recalls a time from her childhood when her skill of dedication she learned from playing football was put to use as she was chased by a man she and her friends had thrown snowballs at. In Sarah Vowell’s personal narrative “Shooting Dad,” Vowell learns that different interests does not necessarily indicate different personalities when she attempts to make peace with her ideologically-opposite father by helping fire a cannon he made. Both authors do a great job of telling a childhood narrative; however, Vowell conveys her deeper meaning much better than

Multiple times an expression of love has emerged out of a difficult situation often influenced by the diversity of personality types between Christopher and his father, or Father and Mother. The clashing of character causes dilemmas to occur, many of which are dismissed due to Christopher’s parents’ wishes for him to be happy. For example, Mother cheated on Father and has now come back into their lives, when this happens Father does not jump to accusations for personal interest but instead prioritizes on helping his Son, whom he loves very much. This shows that even when facing hard decisions, love is the first

An individual who grows up in a home without affection knows no other way of life. The bond of family is arguably the strongest bond between two humans, but when that bond is broken, individuals may feel lost and helpless. Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood reconstructs an apparently motiveless murder and its aftermath, in an attempt to interpret the minds of outcasts Perry Smith and Richard Hickock. In the process, Capote draws parallels between Smith and himself and reveals that unrealistic dreams can stem from unsupportive parents. Capote classifies In Cold Blood as a type of journalism that uses real-life incidents to craft a fiction-like story. Termed the nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood inspired countless other authors to write in the same

The author Dalton Trumbo highlights the relationship between father and son as being strong and united.The first time the son displays the strong feelings for his dad when he thought of his feelings if he would ask to go fishing with someone else as illustrated on sentence 17-19 “Tomorrow for the first time in all their trips together he wanted to go fishing with someone other than his father.” The father conveys the strong feeling for his son by having a tradition to camp each year. “ His father had always preferred his company to the men and he and always preferred his father's company to that other guys.” On asking the father felt distraught but knew this question would come up. He wanted to show his unity with his son with his son by