Evan is now seventeen, and has gone in search of answers to the disappearance of his parents. Evan highly believes that his parents were swallowed up by “the She”, which is a legendary sea creature that devours ships. So, Evan goes on a dangerous journey to uncover the mystery about his parent’s disappearance, and also truthful evidence to the existence of “the She”. Evan’s slow journey toward discovery of the reality of the events is grippingly suspenseful and Gray’s gradual revelation as a pawn in her own right is equally intriguing. The novel not only describes how a very traumatic event caused a loss of parents but also how the search of the truth also uncovers information about the main character’s life, causing the main character Evan Barret’s life to remain changed forever forcing him to believe that everything he ever knew was a lie, and there is still more about his life that needs to be…
As a writer, it is expected that Yolanda have quite an imagination. This talent, however, has gotten her into trouble a time or two. Yolanda Garcia loved to tell stories, but in this new country, not everyone knew what was true and what was fiction. Her mother expresses the problems they endured at the expense of Yo's stories. "'Her teacher says she loves stories. But some of the ones she tells, well- She lets out a sigh. She tosses her braid behind her back like she doesn't want it to hear this. Frankly, they are a little disturbing,'" (33).* In this novel, Yolanda's mother gets the chance to defend herself and to show that because of Yolanda's obscure stories, her lifestyle was in…
Kellie Young begins her story "The Undercurrent" right away with rich descriptions, setting the reader's emotions for what she is about to tell. Immedietly you are able to invision Kellie's surroundings and gauge her emotional state; as she plunges through the cold Pasific Ocean, listening to her mother's panicing voice in her head. The tone through the story is candid, as Kellie tells of her mother's overbearing feelings, towards her actions, and Kellie's responses to her mothers concern is apethetic , giving two opposite thoughts to different actions. It is effortless to follow her story, as she gives a balance of detail and truth; putting you in the middle of her intenal…
“Quiet, everyone quiet.” Hector, the duck with a dream, proclaimed as the weekly meeting in Topeka, Kansas got very noisy.…
Through Annie Dillard’s description of her mother in her book An American Childhood, the exponential potential for greatness in her mother was covertly relayed. The story portrays her potential through weird quirks and irritations. Mother caught onto unique…
Throughout this novel the theme of motherhood, or lack thereof, is very prevalent. However; the…
“A&P” written by John Updike is a short story about a young boy named Sammy. He was 19 years old and he was working at A&P mini market. One day, there were three girls shopping at the store wearing bikinis, and Sammy was surprised yet adore these three girls, until one day he quitted his job because he wanted to be their hero, but unfortunately, the girls didn’t even see him. John Updike was trying to describe Sammy as a typical youth who is trying to get some attention.…
Before there was fire roasted marshmallows, the only way things were heated was by the heat of the sun.…
How to pay college athletes? is another great question. Is there really a plan out there worth taking a look at? Ramogi Huma, president and founder of the National College Players Association developed a three-step plan. The first step of the plan is to give scholarships equal the cost of attending at the college. Most “full scholarships” are still short on average $3,200 of the cost of…
One’s final moments often leave many questions. “What will my final thoughts be?” or “What would my final statement to the world be?” Reflections on death are often avoided because death can be terrifying but, if forced to think about it, what would you do in the final moments of your life? The author of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce, wants the reader to focus on his or her final moments and how they might unfold. The author is able to make the reader feel as though he or she is actually sharing the protagonist, Peyton’s, terrifying experience and provokes reaction and deep feeling. The plot is intriguing, unique and takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. By using character development, the author is able to make the main character personable and relatable. Additionally, the setting and it’s description, pulls the reader into the text and transports him/her to Peyton’s world. The author hooks the reader with these elements and ultimately forces him or her to reflect on his/her last moments of life.…
Addiction is a worldwide epidemic. Many people in all parts of the world have addictions. Whether it be gambling, exercise, illicit drugs, shopping, or sugar. Studies show that nearly 80% of people have some sort of an addiction. I have always found addiction and addictive behavior to be very interesting. Some addicts are believed to have been born with an addictive personality. People born with addictive personalities are thought to form problematic, unhealthy, addictions much easier and much earlier in life. Some even have multiple addictions at the same time. Some people do things like run and exercise every day, but to the point that it is not healthy. When things like running or exercise have become not-so-healthy, it usually goes unnoticed. Most people do not see activities such as exercise as possible problematic, addictive, behavior, but anything that is done excessively can become unhealthy.” The unproblematic addictions are the ones that do not cause any problems. An unproblematic addiction would not cause any type of life disrupting issue and is not life threatening in any way, and those are the addictions that ok to have.…
Everybody makes hard decisions through life that mature them. In John Updike’s short story “A&P” Sammy, a nineteen-year-old clerk working the checkout line at the A&P grocery store, decides to quit his job because he stands out for his decision and fallows it thought. The story focuses on the observation, through Sammy’s point of view, of three girls that come to the store wearing bathing suits, and the reaction of the people for the commotion the girls cause. These bathing suits reveal not only the girls’ flesh, but also Sammy’s personal character. Sammy is a good observer but careless at his job; however, at the end of the story he faces the first step of maturity.…
The turning of the 19th century instilled a desire in all women to be free and liberated from their husbands. They desired freedom, liberation and happiness. Such characteristics were portrayed throughout the short stories written by Kate Chopin. For the majority of Kate Chopin’s life, she was brought up without a male figure and was constantly surrounded by females (Toth, 1999). Kate Chopin was a woman whose feminist viewpoints were far ahead of her times, which of course garnered her more than her share of criticism. In a time when women were expected to behave "properly" and sexual desire was considered to be something only experienced by men, Chopin spoke with exceptional openness about human sexuality (Skaggs, 1985). “She criticized society for its extreme close-mindedness in a time when righteousness was considered to be an attribute, and she helped to generate more enlightened attitudes among both the women and men of her time.”(Toth, 1999) The reason for such themes to be brought up in her works of literature is because she grew up in a female dominated environment where she was not a stereotypical product of her times and where she did not conform to the societal pressure of traditional female roles in a marriage.…
Ten days ago I was released from a rehabilitation center. After finding out that I was addicted to pain medications, my mother put me on lock down in my room until the center was ready for me. I spent half of my freshman year and all of my summer there; I am finally sound enough to go back home and back to school.…
Leo Tolstoy, one of the world's greatest writers, is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s in Russia, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.…
