No Man's Land by S.T Underdahl Reading Response #1 2014 806

               In the story, "No Man's Land" by S.T. Underdahl, the main character, Dov lives with his mother and father. His father works a lot so he doesn't see him very often. Dov is emo; he wears skinny jeans and vintage band shirts, he also has long hair so he can feel like he can "escape" his troubles by "hiding" behind his hair. Dov's father sometimes forgets about Dov. But, his brother Brian is the perfect son; he starred on the football team in high school, he also was elected homecoming "king" and "most popular guy" in high school. He joined the National Guard to pay for college and was deployed in Afghanistan.
           Dov really cares about his family this is shown many times throughout the novel. For example, on page 31, ""Pick her up at work?" I echo numbly, trying to force my mind to translate the meaningless words. "So, its not...Brian's all right?"". Dov was worried that there would be news about Brian, that he was hurt or had been killed. This shows that Brian wants to know if his brother is okay. Another example, on page 44, ""Listen," I order, my voice strong and calm. "No one called so he's fine."" Dov tries to calm his mother down by doing what his brother would have done. He wants everyone in his family to be, "ok". So far the relationship between Dov and his father hasn't really developed yet but we do know that they're not as "close" as Brian is with his father.

Compare and Contrast Author's Craft Poetry Essay

Charlie Muller                                                                                     707     3/27/14

“We Grow Accustomed to the Dark” by Emily Dickinson and “Acquainted With the Night” by Robert Frost are both poems that show depression through author’s craft. In “We Grow Accustomed to the Dark” we learn that depression isn’t always that bad when you have hope. In Frost’s poem we are shown the loneliness of depression when love and a helping hand are not offered. The structure of the poems, imagery, and point of view all show the tone of depression. The tone of depression is shown differently throughout these two poems because of the authors’ craft.

In both poems structure is used to show the tone of depression. In Dickinson’s poem five stanzas help to move us through time. From “...When light is put away-” referring to sunset, to “...Adjusts itself to Midnight-” making us think of the time it takes to get used to our situation or face it. Dashes in the poem make you pause in the middle of a sentence. This gives us the feeling that life is unsteady during depression. In Frost’s poem there is a lot of structure. It is orderly and specific; there are rhyme schemes, which create a feeling of repetition.  Because this poem is so structured it makes us think that the idea of depression is routine for the speaker; it is usual. But, Dickinson’s poem is free verse, which makes us feel that this depression is new to the speaker; it is not usual. This shows that structure can express tone.

In both poems, point of view demonstrates the attitude and the feelings of the speaker. In Dickinson’s poem, the “we” point of view is making us feel included; we are all in this together. “We” stands for humanity. This expresses that we are not alone. This attitude indicates that people can find hope even when things seem difficult. In Frost’s poem, we see the “I” voice being used to describe the depression of the speaker. The poem is talking about the speaker, who is alone in feeling blue. For example, the poem states, “I have been one acquainted with the night.” This shows that the speaker is unaccompanied. It also says “one” showing that the speaker is by itself.  The two poems are very different in this way.

In both poems, imagery is used to suggest the feelings of the speaker. In Dickinson’s poem there are many symbols of hope. The metaphor of sadness as being in the dark, groping and sometimes stumbling and making mistakes makes us think of searching to find our way through the dark. “The newness of night” tells us that darkness, or depression, is new in the speaker’s life, and not routine. In the end, the stanza “Darkness alters - / Or something in the sight/Adjusts itself to Midnight - / And Life steps almost straight” gives us hope that there is a way out of the darkness. In Frost’s poem, the images of light and dark contrast happiness and sadness. When it says, “I have outwalked the furthest city light,” it means he has left behind the last moment of happiness and feels like he can never be happy again. Another instance, the author uses the imagery of night, which is another metaphor for depression and unhappiness for the speaker, because it says “...acquainted with” this shows that the speaker has experienced this “night” or depression.

In summary, in “We Grow Accustomed to the Dark,” we learn that people who are depressed should have hope that they will get better and that people should know they’re not alone. In “Acquainted with the Night” we are shown that some people who are depressed really feel alone and need others to love them. These poems contrast feeling a part of something bigger and feeling abandoned in the world throughout depression. These poets teach us that we always need to feel that we are loved and we belong.

Compare and Contrast Poetry Essay

“Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke are both poems that show the relationship between a working class father and his child. In, “Those Winter Sundays”  the father’s love isn’t appreciated , he shows his love by taking care of his son but not being warm and affectionate. In, “My Papa’s Waltz” we see a routine, cheerful evening of a family and the dance of a father and son. These two poems both show the different relationships of a father and his child.

In, “Those Winter Sundays”  by Robert Hayden, it shows a working class father, “...from labor in the weekday weather” this poem is from the perspective of the child. “Sundays too my father got up early / and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold.” Even on days where the father didn’t work he got up early and “... made banked fires blaze. ... No one ever thanked him.” The father was never appreciated. His love went unnoticed. “Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well.” The father did all these things: supporting his family and working late to buy a pair of shoes for his son . “What did I know, What did I know / of love’s austere and lonely office?” This shows that love can be tough; love can appear in many different ways. In the line “... fearing the chronic angers of that house.” This shows that the father has anger and rage. The boy didn’t know of love’s sternness or discipline or of “... lonely offices” meaning of the acts unappreciated by others: the polishing of the shoes, the building of a fire and working late. The speaker looks back on this moment in regret, realizing that his father loved him and cared for him.

The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke shows a typical evening of a regular working class family. A blue-collar father who came home from a hard day at work and had a drink. “The whiskey on your breath / could make a small boy dizzy.” It shows the father with his son, dancing and waltzing through the house. “... We romped until the pans / slid from the kitchen shelf.” The father and son dance through the kitchen. The mother is upset that the pans could fall. “My mother’s countenance / could not unfrown itself.” This shows a moment of happiness for the father and son. This father, in this poem, shows his love when he is home playing with his young son: waltzing through the kitchen, worrying the mother that pots and pans will break. They are having fun. But, the father works hard and late. “... with a palm caked hard by dirt.” In this poem the relationship of the child and father is very different than the one in “Those Winter Sundays.” It is a happy relationship. “Then waltzed me off to bed / still clinging to your shirt.” This shows that the son wants to keep playing and doesn’t want to go to bed.

In summary, these two poems. “Those winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke are poems that show different and similar bonds of a father and his child. In “Those Winter Sundays” the relationship between father and son is bittersweet. In “My Papa’s Waltz” the relationship between father and son is a fun and enjoyable one. This is important because it shows that people love differently. Love can be in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It is still love. This is also important because it shows the fact that relationships of fathers and sons can be different. In “Those Winter Sundays” we learn that when we are young, we may not understand the complexities of love. Sometimes it takes age and experience to understand. “My Papa’s Waltz” teaches us that families can be very different.

Malala Yousafazi Article Upfront Magazine

A young girl from a region of Pakistan called Swat Valley where girls aren't allowed to shool. She had been going to school and defying education laws with her father. But, one day the Taliban came to her school and shot her. She was hospitalized in Birmingham, England.
Malala Yousafazi has changed the world. She has shown the world that everyone should have the opportunity to go to school and get a good education, whether you're a boy or a girl. She spoke out for educational rights for all women and girls around the world at a U.N speech. She has impacted girls all around the world. For example, In Pakistan girls protest by going to school. They hold up pictures of Malala. She received the International Children's peace Prize. She has also won the Nobel Peace prize. She has also recently written a book called "I am Malala"

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

In the book, "The Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin, the protagonist Ged is very brave because he isn't afraid of the Shadow and wasn't afraid of Lord Benderesk and Lady Serret.

Ged isn't afraid of the Shadow. For example, he summoned the shadow to him because he thought that he was ready to face his fears and defeat the shadow, before he was running from the shadow, this shows that Ged has developed. He failed and the shadow escaped from him, but then he faced him again and almost destroyed him. This shows that Ged is confident.brave, and determined.

 Ged was not afraid of Lady Serret and Lord Benderesk when they tried to attack him and trick him. ged is smart and perseveres through conflicts.

Should College Athletes be Paid? Persuasive Essay

Charlie Muller 707   

NCAA rules prohibit any college level playing athlete to be paid in any way. The topic of whether or not college athletes should be paid has created quite a debate. College athletes should be paid because they work very hard.

One reason that college athletes should be paid is that college athletes bring in a lot of money for their schools, but they never get any of the money. For example, in the video, “Should College Athletes get Paid?” from FOX News Carolina, it was reported that Alabama State made $45 million in profit in one year from their football team. D.J Fluker, a tackle for Alabama State, led his team to a national title. He didn’t get any money when, at the same time he was facing poverty. Secondly, college athletes bring in money for their schools with merchandise like jerseys and ticket sales and school functions. This evidence is also from the video from FOX Carolina. The team is the only one doing the work but the colleges get paid, all the school does is give the athletes a stadium. The reason many people come to the games is to see the players, not the college. The reason they buy the merchandise is to show that they like the player, not the school but the player. The fact that these athletes bring in so much money for their schools and don’t get any is unjustifiable.

Another reason that college athletes should be paid is that they go to practice for hours a week and don’t have time to get a job. For example, In the video, “Should College Athletes get Paid?”  from FOX Carolina, It said, kids with academic scholarships  have time to get a part time job, but kids who have athletic scholarships don’t have time to work and support themselves because they train and practice so often between classes a job just isn’t practical. Another example, In the article, “Why College Athletes Should be Paid” by Tyson Hartnett for Huffington Post, It said, “For a little extra money to see a movie or go out to dinner once a week, my freshman roommate worked a job at the university, earning about $7/hour. He would work his butt off all day, with two or sometimes three basketball training sessions, plus classes and homework, and go to that job for a few hours late at night. However, once the season started up, he couldn't work that job anymore and  the job wasn't going to pay you just because you were playing basketball on a road trip.” This shows that college athletes are constantly working, whether its homework, basketball training, and If there ever was time, they could work a late-night part-time job that barely paid anything. They deserve to be paid because they don't have enough money for their daily needs.

Some people may think that college athletes should not be paid because an athletic scholarship is enough. But in reality, a scholarship isn’t actually $100,000 in the athlete’s pocket. For example, The article  “Why College Athletes Should be Paid” by Tyson Hartnett for Huffington Post, It said, “A $25,000 scholarship may seem like a lot of money, but it really only covers the basics.” This shows that an athletic scholarship isn’t enough to support some of these hard working athletes. They don't have enough money for everyday necessities, such as laundry money and money to buy a dinner when the cafeteria is closed late at night after their 2 hour long practice. These assumptions are inaccurate, and an athletic scholarship is not enough for a player to live on.

Collegiate level athletes deserve to be compensated for all of their time consuming and excruciating work they do.  The NCAA should change these rules to try and distribute more money to all schools from the money that they’re making off of advertisements and TV. That way all colleges can afford to give stipends to these devoted players who are never rewarded for their time and effort they put into their sports, this is one small step that could eventually lead to greater stipends. College athletes should be paid because these athletes are very engaged and resolute with what they do.

D,G,& DP Literary Essay

In the book, Drums, Girls, Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, Steven is an ordinary 8th grader. He is funny and very sarcastic. His annoying little innocent brother gets very sick and this changes Steven's life.Steven learns the importance of family. The author wants the reader to know that difficulties can make you develop as a person.

When Steven was at his big concert at the end of the year to raise money for his brother’s treatment, his brother had to be rushed to the hospital. Steven made the decision to support his brother by going to the hospital, instead of  playing at the concert; the biggest moment of his life. This reveals that Steven really cares about his brother. Steven had been working towards this concert for a long time, his big drum solo meant the world to him. He was playing for his friends Renee and Annette. The words in the quote, “ Thank God. It could have been so much worse.” make me feel that Steven is very mature. Instead of being mad about missing the night of his life he is happy that it was “just an ear infection” that made Steven miss the opportunity of a lifetime. The quote, “It’s funny. I used to think that having a brother was the worst thing in the world. But now I know that not having him would be worse.” This makes me think that Jeffrey loves his brother very much and has become very mature.

This book showed me that when bad things happen they force you to grow up and change. In my own life, when my parents got divorced It forced me to grow up quickly and deal with some very adult things. I can relate to what Steven went through, even though my situation was different.