Courage Metaphor

     Courage is a baseball player. Courage is someone who is put on the plate in front of everyone around them, and must be brave. Courage has to impress it's team and hit a home run to make everyone happy. This courage has to practice everyday in order to keep everyone, and themselves happy. Courage sometimes aims for the ball, but misses it; not letting one miss get the best of it. Courage continues to swing, and try again so that there is not disappointment. Courage will look that baseball in the eye, and tuck all it's fears away, to hit that home run. Courage will not give up until that home run is swung, and will not let any doubts get in the way of that.

judgement has created society

people of society create and ruin other's self-esteem

people should hear the judgement, not listen to it

or it will all plummet 

when judgement affects other's happiness

everything is ruined.

I am the Messenger Reader's Response

                       I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak is a book written about an underage cab driver, Ed, who is living alone and does not have much of a life. One day he is held at gunpoint during a robbery, yet manages to save the day even when he did not mean to. Only days after, he is sent messages written on playing cards; each location giving him a different adventure. A part of this book that I find very compelling is that the protagonist Ed is at an important age in his life, yet is doing nothing adventurous or exciting to start up his life. He is still living in a crummy town and has decided to not attend college. When he gets this message by an anonymous person, the first thing he does is actually act on it. If I were in Ed's place, I probably would have ignored it since I would have never received something odd like that before. I can see why Ed would decide to go to the addresses though. He's at the age of 19 and has done nothing interesting except stopping a robbery only a few days before. This message that he gets could change his life and give him something to live for instead of just playing cards with his friends. This brings me to my point, I believe Ed is a character I can connect a lot with and someone who has inspired me. His life has shown how the days should be valued more, instead of just waiting for something wonderful to happen to make them more valued. Ed's circumstances happen to be wonderful, even though he never strived for anything in his life to make it more fulfilling. The real world is sadly not a book; we are not all going to stop a robbery like  Ed in I am the Messenger. Ed has inspired me to not be afraid about being adventurous, and making spontaneous decisions. I feel this connection to Ed almost on a personal level. While reading the beginning of the book, you learn immediately about Ed not being you're average teenager. He tells us that he has decided to not attend to college, that he's working underage as a cabdriver and he also lives alone. Now if you do not go to college, you're usually expected to continue living at your parent's house until figuring out a career, but instead he moves out. That is something I actually admire believe it or not. I have always wanted to be able to tell myself "I am independent, and do not need other's help." Sadly, I can't say that at an adolescence age, but it's something I'm striving for. I feel almost proud of Ed for being able to maintain a job that gives him; an income, a roof over his head and food on his plate. It shows at lot of responsibility for his age. Something I particularly admire was Ed being able to break out of this normal lifestyle he was going by. I have always found the idea of anything changing as nerve racking or uncomfortable. Mostly, because I don't know if it will make my life better or more stressful. But yet, we have this character Ed who's able to break this chain that's between his non original life and adventure. Change is a scary thing, yet you can see just how much he wants that. When he is sent those addresses to visit, I was astonished that he actually went. Never would I have guessed that outcome. I, in the beginning of I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, was relating myself to this character. I thought about how I want a stable job that could get me a small place at that age if I decide to not attend college. When he starts going on these missions and saving these people's futures, I wonder "Am I really capable of doing that?" Of course not shooting a rapist nor telling an old woman that I am her deceased partner, but helping people. Helping others and taking chances is what Ed has taught me in I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, even when starting out as an average teenager.

Charles Darnay

   

          Charles Darnay is a young adult living in England, but born in France, and an Aristocrat through blood. Darnay plays an important part in Charles Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities when having a love interest in the protagonist, Lucie Manette. Darnay is portrayed in the book as strong, intelligent and selfless. The poorly drawn muscle in the image represents Darnay's strength, his mental strength, not physical. "...we[Darnay's Family] have done wrong, and are reaping the fruits of wrong"(Dickens 94). Charles Darnay here is explaining to his uncle (who is an Aristocrat) that the actions done by their family are wrong and should be stopped. Darnay depicts strength because it can take a lot of effort and strength to admit that you or someone you love, has done wrong. He is mentally strong enough to deal with a situation like this and stand up to a family member. He is showing that he has the capability to put an end to something (his family's wrong doings)that he disagrees with, and that takes a lot of strength and courage. Another characteristic of Charles Darnay is intelligence, the brain is used to display that. "...Mr.Charles Darnay was established in English as a higher teacher of the French Language who was conversant with French literature"(Dickens 99). Being a teacher takes  a great amount of intelligence and hard work. For Darnay to leave his family in France, and stay in England for a year to become a teacher, shows great intelligence and passion. Darnay is intelligent for taking the time to learn information about something he enjoys and then teaching others that. Darnay's intelligence is not only from what he has learned, but also how he's spinning his time. Time that is being put forward to become a teacher. Charles Darnay is also selfless (displayed by the heart.) "...I look only to sharing your fortunes, sharing your life and home, and being faithful to you to death. Not to divide with Lucie her privilege as your child, companion, and friend; but to come in aid of it, and bind her closer to you, if such a thing can be" (Dickens 103). Darnay is asking Dr.Manette for his daughter's hand in marriage. Dr.Manette is soon worried that his relationship with his daughter would be postponed once again, but Darnay is able to reassure him that that is not his intension. Darnay is being selfless when putting his future father-in-law before himself. He promises Dr.Manette that he would not steal his daughter away from his life. Charles Darnay obviously holds a large place in his heart for Lucie, and wants to have a life with her away from everyone else. But for him to think of other's needs (specifically Dr.Manette's because of his interest in his daughter) before his own is very selfless. Darnay is making other's happiness a priority than his own. Lastly, an object that would symbolize Charles Darnay is a horse and carriage. A horse and carriage represents travel and work, and it constantly seems like Darnay is traveling and working. He is repeatedly going between England, his home, and France, his birth place. Darnay explains "This property and France are lost to me" (Dickens 95). He says that France is lost to him because his family lives there, and it almost feels like they have betrayed him with the actions and pain they have caused for others. With Darnay having family conflicts, he is always moving to and from France. When wanting to get away from those problems, he falls back on England to delay them. His past in France are still a big part of his life, but England his is where his current life is held. A horse and carriage are bringing him along on these numerous amount of travels. In conclusion, strength, intelligence, selflessness and a horse and carriage all represent Charles Dicken's character, Charles Darnay.

Light and Darkness in "A Tale of Two Cities"

                The tone set in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens when Lucie meets her father is 'optimism.' 'Optimism' is not only created by the characters' actions, but by the light and darkness mentioned in chapter six (when the Manette's meet.) The first piece of evidence of optimism is "Then as the darkness closed in, the daughter laid her head down on the hard ground close at the father's side, and watched him. The darkness deepened and deepened, as they both lay quiet until a light gleamed through the chinks in the wall"(Dickens 36). The darkness that is mentioned in the quote can be describing sadness or depression. That can be seen because the light would play the role as the optimism or happiness. The light that makes it's way "through the chinks in the wall" toward Lucie and her father can be seen as the positivity that will enter their lives now that they have met each other. The light is shining on them as if optimism and hope is being cascaded down on their life. The darkness being taken over by the light could be the end of a bad time in their lives, now that light has entered. The darkness in this case would be sadness because the light is the happiness; they are opposites. Another quote proving optimism is the tone that is set is "He[Dr.Manette] gradually dropped to the floor, and lay there in a lethargy, worn out. She[Lucie] had nestled down with him, that his head might lie upon her arm; and her hair, drooping over him curtained him from light"(Dickens 35). The light in this quote could be seen as evil instead of something positive. "Her hair drooping over him curtained him from the light" is describing how Lucie will protect him from the bad things in life. The light in this case plays the role of anything negative and Lucie's hair is Lucie standing in front of those negativities. Now that Lucie has met her father, she does not want him taken away from her,one of the only possibilities of it happening could be done by something evil. Lucie's hair covering her father from the light can foreshadow how she might become more and more protective of him as A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens continues. Lastly, "his cold white head mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him"(Dickens 34). This quote also shows optimism during the time Lucie meets her father, it is while they are holding each other. It foreshadows how optimistic their future will be together. The light is explained as the Freedom that has downed on them. This light is a look into their future that it most likely will be bright. In conclusion, optimism is the tone created by the light and darkness of when Lucie and her father meet in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.  

Red Wine Dropped on the Street

                 
             The red wine was dropped on the stone-covered street, making its way between the stones.  Everyone in the area stops what they're currently doing to run to the wine covering the street. Mothers, infants, men and elders, all poor, hoping to get at least a drop of the wine. 

            In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, a cask of wine is dropped on the street outside of a winery. The drawing above is a civilian's perspective of the scene on the streets of France. There is a mother in the drawing using a handkerchief to soak up some of the wine to give to her child and an elderly man using a mug to scoop up some of the wine that is mixed in with dirt. There is also a man cupping his hands together to get some of the wine and a joker using the liquid to paint the word 'blood.' The image and scene of the paupers drinking the wine off the ground foreshadows the book. The French Revolution is foreshadowed, it makes sense because  A Tale of Two Cities is set during the time of the French Revolution. In any type of War or battle atmosphere, there will be blood drawn. The blood being drawn in the image is the red wine being spilled. The wine can be looked at as blood, not only because they share the same color, but because a man is spelling the word 'blood' in this current scene! The broken bottle on the street can also be seen as the hearts that break after losing loved ones in the battle. Another way the Revolution is being foreshadowed by the image is this picture could be a time when it was easier for the poor believe it or not. War's are known for helping a country lose money when buying weapons and paying more soldiers and several other necessities. It is said that after the French Revolution that France was not deep in poverty, but there was a large problem with the agriculture. It was becoming hard for France to grow food, so many people were starving. The poor in the image are hungry enough to run to the street and drink wine off of it, and this is set before the Revolution happened. The hunger can  only get worse after it. This could be the "best of times" before the "worst of times" that Dickens was writing about. The poor didn't know that they were living a better life than the one that's going to come after battle. In conclusion, the red wine that is dropped in the street, left for the pauper in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is foreshadowing the French Revolution.

  

Importance of Family

Importance of Family

          The Webster Dictionary's definition of family is "a group of people who are related to each other," but frankly I think that is wrong. Years upon years of people on this Earth, things are bound to change at some point. Families years ago consisted of a mother and father of the same race, and usually more than one child that was made by those parents. Things have changed though. People over centuries have started to change their opinions, lifestyles and even their decisions on clothing. Something that's also changed is how us as people define the word family. Most people would describe a family as the Webster Dictionary does, but not everyone has a family like the dictionary describes it. Some do, but those parents
may not be willing to treat their child with respect and those children won't describe those parents as family. We don't commonly see the "traditional" families we had years ago. We have changed our opinions, just like we have changed our perspective on families.

       Family is the theme portrayed in both A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith and "Stone Soup" by Barbara Kingsolver. I always believed that a family is not broken even when a loved one is lost or a divorce has occurred in the family. Divorce is something that is brought up in "Stone Soup." Barbara Kingsolver writes "...the main problem with our reorganized family is that other people think we have a problem. My daughter tells me the only time she's uncomfortable about being the child of divorced parents is when her friends say they feel sorry for her." It honestly is crazy to see sympathy towards a child who's happy and grateful with how her family is set up. I also am a child of divorced parents ever since I was about two years old. I still to this day have peers who say "I'm sorry for you" in response to me telling them that I have separated parents. I coincidentally just had someone tell me that response last week. When hearing that, it is uncomfortable like Barbara's daughter said. I never have liked sympathy, it almost felt as if people were putting me below them and would talk to me out of pity. There's nothing for anyone to feel sorry for though! I am thankful to have two parents in my life that love and care for me even though they are divorced. Positive things came out of their divorce; I have a half sister, a stepfather and a stepmother, all people I care about very much. I agree with Barbara Kingsolver very much.

         In A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Francie uses a cup to describe her family as "broken." "Our family used to be like a strong cup...it was whole and sound and held things well. When Papa died, the first crack came. And this fight tonight made another crack. Soon there will be so many cracks that the cup will break and we'll all be pieces instead of a whole thing together." (Smith 386). When I read this, it was so saddening, it was as if I felt a tug at my own heart. It felt very sorrowful to see that Francie, a fourteen year old girl, has already come to the conclusion that her family is broken. Francie and her mother soon made up after she realized how thankful she is for her hardworking mother. Francie's family is not broken, nor is Ms.Kingsolver's and mine. Everyone has problems and disputes when having a family, it's normal, but it doesn't mean we are broken.    

        Something that is still seen on the topic of family in both stories, is that not all people believe families can function properly when one relative is missing from the family portrait. In "Stone Soup" Kingsolver makes a good point when saying " But it's harder to shrug off the Family-of-Dolls Family Values crew when they judge (from their safe distance) that divorced people, blended families, gay families, and single parents are failures. That our children are at risk, and the whole arrangement is messy and embarrassing." When you call something broken, it's almost as if you feel sympathy or sadness towards it, but not much after that. Being called a failure though? It seems a little bit harsher, almost as if you're frowning upon them. I strongly dislike when someone uses the word failure, that word is the solution on how to decrease someone's self-esteem. I dislike it even more when someone uses it to describe a family. Divorce isn't something someone asks for or strives for, but if it's the only solution to be happy, then that family is already in the opposite direction of being a failure. In chapter 30, in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, a woman by the name of Joanna comes up. She is described as a girl who has a baby, but is not married. The whole neighborhood looked down on her for bringing her child out in raw daylight, just because she is not married. Here we have another example of people's judgement towards other families that don't have another relative. Several women who look down on Joanna don't only mentally hurt her, but also physically hurt her by throwing rocks at her and her baby. The women soon back off, realizing the trouble they all caused. When getting to the end of both "Stone Soup" and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, we are left with knowing that any family can function, doesn't matter the amount of family members. 

           Everyone's definition on family is different, it honestly depends on the family you are associated with now. Francie may consider family to be the ones related, or soon-to-be related to you. While Barbara Kingsolver could say family is made up of the ones that stand beside you through thick and thin. My definition: family is a group of people who are willing to listen to what you have to say and not judge you for it. They are the people you can trust, and the people who are willing to be by your side whether or not you like it.