James Maxey: Fantasy With Good And Bad Characters

Hitchhiking with strangers, little money or resources, struggling to find a meal, having no companionship, and fighting for your life; this all comes with a life on the road. It can seem strange to hear or read many tales of people who have chosen to leave their families, jobs, and lives to live an unconventional life of recluse. People who abandon their life of privilege only to vanish into the wilderness’ sometimes never to be heard from again. Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild illustrates the true story of Chris McCandless and many others who chose to live on the periphery of societal bounds and in turn endured harsh consequences. While it is important to explore

Indentured servants first arrived in the American colonies in the decade following the settlement of Jamestown. Although the prospect of coming to America held images of hope and opportunities for many indentured servants, the life that they endured during travel and upon arrival was harsh and unfair. The difficulties of seeking out a new life in the colonies are exemplified in “The Infortunate”, a memoir written by William Moraley that describes his voyage as a poor European emigrant seeking out prosperity in the colonies as an indentured servant. Moraley’s account illustrates the everyday hardships faced by those who traveled to the colonies under the bond of indentured servitude. His stories of his recruitment into servitude, journey to

Cormac McCarthy’s brain child “The Road” is a postapocalyptic novel that illustrates the harsh reality of the world. This story serves as a truth that humans, when stripped of their humanity will take desperate measures in order to survive. The reader learns; however even when it seems all hope is lost good can still be found in the world. The son character of this story illuminates this philosophy. He is a foil of his father and shows how even a person never accustomed to the luxury of a normal life can still see goodness.

When I was 7 years old I attended a funeral for my great grandfather. He was 105, and had lived a full life. I wasn’t very close to him but seeing him in the casket was so odd and he looked like an alien. I was a curious child so I stood in front of the casket just observing the body and glancing around at the sadness that this room was filled with. My uncle joined me and asked me if I had said spoken to my great grandfather. I just looked up at him and said “No, he is dead”, since I was pretty certain dead people didn’t talk anymore. Well, he proceeded to tell me that if I asked him a question, my great grandfather would indeed respond. I didn’t ask since I was already scared at this point. My uncle did for me, he asked, “Grandpa, if you

In the novel Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, the author uses the characters internal and external conflicts to show that everybody has chains both physically and mentally.

I have an entire playlist dedicated to Disney music. Their songs and movies can make anyone smile no matter how bitter you are. Everybody has watched Disney movies back when they were a kid, and have always regarded as happily-ever-after stories. But that was not always the case. What if I told you that in the original Cinderella the stepsisters chopped off parts of their feet to try to get the infamous glass shoe to fit. But how did it get from chopping feet to turning a pumpkin into an extravagant carriage? Was it media? All forms of media have a big effect on the general conception; from the printing press and Thomas Jefferson to televised news and Donald Trump. Or did our ever changing society create this facade of happily-ever-after that is sought after so often? In the article Fairy Tales and a Dose of Reality by Catherine Orenstein she utilizes historical references and allusions to modern media and challenges the perception of fairy tales and expose them as media-manipulated, romanticized stories.

On July 30th, 2013, the novel Creeps was released. This novel received the White Pine award in 2013 and is recommended for teenagers. It is based on the life of 15 year old Wayne, who is being bullied and wishes that his life could be normal for once. In the book Creeps, by Darren Hynes, the characters learn to overcome mental illness by never giving up, being courageous and putting a stop to bullying.

Christopher Johnson McCandless graduated from Emory University in 1990. The son of well-to-do parents, it appeared that Chris was prepared to embark on the next chapter of his life. He had been editor of the student newspaper, earned honors with a double major in history and anthropology, and seemed destined for law school. Determined to rewrite his story, Chris eschewed conventional expectations. He divested himself of money and possessions and immersed himself in a new identity: Alexander Supertramp, Alaskan Adventurer. Four months after beginning his trek into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley, Chris's decomposed body was found. When the details of his story emerged, many people thought Chris was mentally disturbed, calling him a "kook," a "nut," and "a half-cocked greenhorn," among other things (Krakauer, 1996, pp. 71-72). Had Chris's story had a happy ending, he would probably be described differently. He brought the tragic ending on himself, and people called him crazy. "Crazy" is a non-clinical word often used to describe someone with an underlying pathology. In this sense, there was nothing wrong with Chris McCandless. What he did suffer from was the enthusiasm and over-confidence of youth. Combined with poor planning and insufficient skills and experience in the outdoors, his "affliction" became fatal. McCandless made bad decisions, but he was not crazy.

“A hero’s soul, cursed blade shall reap ( Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan 336).” The suspense created as he raises the blade and hands it to the traitor son of Hermes, host of Kronos. As I watch from the sidelines of an epic battle, unsure of the outcome, I am rattled out of my thoughts as my father continuously calls my name during our 5-hour car ride to Reno. The vivid image of the scene plays in my head as I haughtily respond to my father about an unneeded bathroom break, in hopes of returning to the pages in front of me, to resume my personal movie theater free of annoying chatter and glowing phone screens, to focus my undivided attention on dead trees leaves in front of me bound and crafted into a thrilling suspenseful

The character were going to talk about si M&M from S.E. Hilton the name of the book is That Was Then, This is Now I choose him because he was alone, weird, and also honest. Really like this character similar to people we could know.

Cole Mackensie is a Reaper, and when he’s told he has a new Reaper to train, a life he reaped, he refuses. But his new trainee, Jessica, may be more stubborn than he is.

Fantasy worlds, infamous for its make-believe and imaginative aspect, ironically is engaging as it is believable. The application of accurate description in great detail is a key factor in the composition of a realistic fantasy world. Additionally, what happens to the characters in these imaginary worlds must be acceptable in order to generate a believable world. Furthermore, the ability of keeping the world consistent throughout the whole novel establishes an air of reality. The existence of such worlds will be observed in two classic novels. First, 'Magician: Apprentice', of 'The Riftwar Saga' by Raymond E. Feist and 'The Diamond Throne', of 'The Elenium' series, by David Eddings.

Meela has been isolated her entire life, destined to one day inherit the role of the Thaumaturge. When the barrier protecting the Island she lives on is destroyed, taking most of the remaining fuel source with it, Meela sees her chance to escape. She must journey with her older sister, Saleem, to the other side of the world in order to find their brother who has been working on a solution. For my dissertation, I will be writing a young adult epic fantasy novel in order to explore whether or not there is a change in expectations to the hero’s journey if the hero is female rather than male. Within this, I will be investigating what it means to be a ‘strong’ female character, whether a romantic partner for the hero is needed for a successful journey, and the expectations of female characters within epic fantasy and young adult literature, including society’s expectations and portrayal of women in the media.

I read the science fiction and action/adventure book Michael Vey The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans. This book is a 336 page novel. According to a review on Amazon, “Anyone who enjoys entertainment reading should read the complete Michael Vey series.” This book is supposed to be for 12-17 year olds but I read it and I’m 11, I started the series when I was 10, so if you like action adventure and super powers, and you can handle a little bit of blood, you should read this (just be able to read okay?).

Michael has an amusement park called Fantasy Land located on his property. Michael decided to give his son a birthday party at his home and invited all his friends to Fantasy Land to celebrate. Tommy, a ten-year-old boy, attended the birthday party for Michael 's son. All the children were playing on all the rides and having a good time. In the afternoon, Michael emphatically announced to all the children that the Fantasy Land was closed. After the hired attendants cleared the park of children and moved them to Michael’s home, the attendants all left.