The Life Of Wendell's Life

‘He told me I have the wrong kind of fingers’” (7). When the father fell for it, the boy’s sisters also told the father similar stories so they could get out of their lessons. Even when all three children had stopped playing their instruments, their father still tried to get them to play, but with different instruments, “‘the trumpet or the saxophone or, hey, how about the vibes?’” (7). No matter what the children said, the father tried to get the children integrated into music somehow. When the children refused to play different instruments, the father tried to get the children to listen to recordings so they could be inspired, “‘I want you to sit down and give this a good listen. Just get a load of this cat and tell me he’s not an inspiration’” (7). No matter how hard the children pleaded into getting away from music, the father still tried to connect his kids into music

Michael’s dad was sent to jail frequently and while Michael was in high school, his father was thrown off a bridge and murdered. Michael’s mother was a drug addict and was in and out of rehab centers. During Michael’s childhood he lived in many different foster homes. Michael was such a horrible student that he even flunked weight lifting class. Michael didn’t care about going to school, in fact in the fourth grade he didn’t show up for about fifty days of a single term. Michael’s teacher described his career as, “He was sensationally absent: forty six days of a single term of his first grade year for instance” (Lewis 46). During his middle school career, Michael was tested for his IQ to see his academic potential. The testing showed that Michael had limitations to his academic potential: The testing proved that, “The boy had measured IQ of 80, which puts him in mankind's 9th precinct tile” (Lewis 45). This showed his teachers how severely learning disabled Michael was to his teachers. Since Michael had failing grades, he was often transferred to different schools. The public school system failed him since, “In his first nine years Michael Oher was instituted in eleven different institutions and that included a whole of eighteen months” (Lewis 45). In Michael’s early life he had no family support and little education and when Michael couldn’t do something for school, he would just give up. Michael had little motivation to succeed due to his

Our footsteps fell guilty on the marble floor. We continued across the foyer to a dreamlike bank of windows, turned left up a pale flight of marble steps…through the doorway and into the assembly room.” (Knowles 165) Through this passage, Knowles use of specific keywords to help develop the central theme by use of the setting is evident. The author uses keywords such as “doubtful” to relate to the fact that Gene does not feel ready for what he is about to enter into. The use of “doubtful” paired with “reality” emphasizes the surreal quality of this moment for Gene. The author continues to relay this doubtful attitude with “a hallway familiar only in daylight and bustle” to further suggest the tone of the hallway. The hallway is only comfortable when bustle or activity is happening but the isolated setting now only seems to exaggerate the seriousness of the matter.

Even though my makeshift cardboard violin didn’t make any sound, I still carried it with me everywhere, always eager to show people mow much I had learned.I have been playing for twelve years now and even though I have enjoyed most of it, it has not always been so easy. There have been more late nights, crying in frustration over something I just could not get, but I made it through. Playing the violin has given me the nations determined attitude to set my mind on something and to not stop until I reach my goals. Being a musician also has also made me hyper-aware in relation to anything musical.I tend to pick up things that the average person doesn’t. You can hear the subtle nuances that might blow over many people. Most people might only hear the different emotions, but I can tell you what made it so sad and what instruments were used at what time to convey such emotion. I love playing the violin, I look at it as an opportunity to express my true emotions. Each piece of music that I play is an uncolored painting that I paint with emotions. I have to take every piece of music, interpreted it and make it my

Brother Malcolm turned the doorknob and escaped the deadly outdoors, just in time to escape the cacophonous boom that shook the door almost from its hinges. He hurried into the common room to see the cold embers in the fireplace. Relieving himself of his heavy

In the fall of George’s junior year of high school, his father Fred suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. His condition severely affected his speech and soon afterwards his business went down. This took an emotional toll on Fred, who eventually got a part time job as a superintendent at a cemetery, where he would trim headstones and help to set up burial monuments. He also worked occasionally sweeping out the laundromat. George’s mother still worked at the boutique store. Money was tight and George’s uncle began helping the family financially.

His looks didn’t hurt either. Or so he’d been told by, Paul Felder, the Math’s lecturer, who’d heard a couple of the Form nine girls gossiping about him class at the end of the previous year, and which for a week or two had been the subject of staff room ribbings. All teachers were the subject of adolescent infatuation, or crushes at one time or another, and Michael had laughed along with his peers. His wife of five years, Amy, had also found it hilarious, and teasingly assured him that it had more to do with his age; 35, which probably made him appear ancient and wise to the students; than his

Three hundred people gathered in the basement of All Saints Church in Syracuse, people from all walks of life with at least one thing in common: a will to support the Friends Of Dorothy House. Michael walked around the room eagerly greeting friends, new and old. I sat at a table with my classmate as we both took it all in. It’s clear that since its conception in 1993, this event has grown into a colossal undertaking with overwhelming support from the community. I was able to catch up with Roxanne, one of Michael’s childhood friends, who was in town visiting her father. “We’d get into many shenanigans… But from day one he has always cared about anyone who crosses his path. Even if he hasn’t met you yet, he probably cares about you,” she shared with a smile, just as Michael was walking toward us. He was beaming, though clearly exhausted, and without prompting, remarked “there’s an action at every table!” It’s true, each group of people was engulfed in conversation about their current projects, reminiscing on the past, and looking toward the

Thomas Putnam is bitter because his wife’s brother in law was rejected as a minister. Also, he tries to break his father’s will, which left too much to his step-brother

Calum watched Sterling slowly stir the cold soup with a mocking smile. The boy anxiously lifted his arms still trying to break the knots. The ropes hurt his injured wrist but he didn’t dare complain.

In the first essay, My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the

In the poem of the eighth grade boy, he describes that he was listening to Kenny G, and various different jazz musicians. His father was outraged when he saw his son laying down with

Tom, a son of Amanda, a poet, with no backbone gets a job in a warehouse and does not have any plan for his career. He is trapped by his mother and has suffered from that. However, Tom is curious about how he

My first impression was that I was listening to a rock star. I had a notable physical reaction to the music; I felt a rush of adrenaline and my heart rate increased. The music was fast-paced and intense—undoubtedly physically and mentally demanding on Garrett. I am a pianist myself, and I felt a sense of empathy. I was exhausted on his behalf by simply hearing his talented performance. The music would slow down in some parts, only to pick back up with even more intensity and speed. The music aroused a familiar sense of pressure, such as the pressure to complete a difficult yet important task in a short period of time. The pressure and difficulty build to near unbearable proportions until the work is finally finished, and dissipates into the euphoria of accomplishment. If that scenario had a theme song, it could be Paganini’s “Caprice No. 24”. The music was passionate, chaotic, and ultimately satisfying. I felt that I had witnessed true mastery of the art of the violin in both Paganini’s written work and Garrett’s performance.

That blessing unveiled itself in room 305B of the local high school, a room well known by the student body as the source of the smooth, idyllic melodies of Liang Lao Shi, or Teacher Liang. Liang Lao Shi was a young high school graduate who became a music teacher at his alma mater. He had great ambitions to save up his salaries to attend university and become a great businessman, ambitions that were hindered when he fell victim to the affairs of the heart. Taking refuge from her unraveling world, my mother often visited room 305B to indulge in the sweet escape of music. Although her fingers didn’t gracefully dance across the keys like Liang Lao Shi’s did, he still came to admire her greatly. She captured his poor defenseless heart and devotion as did he did to hers. Against all odds, the two fell madly in love.