Yellow, Blue & Orange Petals

Author's Note: This is my quote analysis from Fahrenheit 451 I chose the quote from Page 120:: "Montag caught [the flying book] with a bloom of fire, a wondrous blossom that curled in petals of yellow and blue and orange."

This particular quote shows how much Montag enjoys burning books. He likes the rush that the heat brings him and seeing the ash colored heads and soot smothered faces of his fellow fire men. The tone seems serene, which I noticed when I read how he resided to a state of peace while burning in the first part of the book. The way he compares the flames to flowers, possibly symbolizes how beautiful they both are. However, the flames he creates aren't campfires if he is referring to them as blue. These are hot, dangerous, death-causing fires. I don't think that he realizes how evil they are until he sees a women sent to ash along with her books. The purpose of this quote is to show how Montag honestly believed that what he did to books was virtuous. Having had no desire to ever pick one up and take in their lessons, Montag remains ignorant and immune to their addicting content and genuine morals.

The Will To Live

Author's Note: This Essay, written earlier in the year about Life of Pi by Yann Martel, is meant to demonstrate my knowledge on dash construction and semicolons.


When trapped on a boat with a hungry Bengal Tiger, just what kind of actions are acceptable in order to live? Pi Patel struggles to battle insanity while sharing a 26 foot long lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific ocean. His clothes have disintegrated, his skin is burned, he has no weapons at hand, and he is weak; fighting is not an answer. Most teenaged boys would have given up by now, acknowledging their fate and letting death take them, but Pi has a strange will to live. In the long run he does fight -- but not the tiger. He fights to live, and keep his furry enemy alive as well.

The manual Pi finds on the boat lets him know that an idle mind sinks. He interprets this that without entertainment, he will literally die of boredom. Pi creates a schedule for himself to follow everyday until his rescue arrives. It consists of fishing, praying, observing Richard Parker, and tending the lifeboat. Pi did not count days, he had no calendar, he survived on repetition and reminding himself that time was an illusion. He showed death that he was not an easy victim, even with a 450 pound tiger lying beneath him.

There wasn't a reason to keep the tiger alive; Pi simply figured he couldn't kill it, and it would serve as entertainment. A tiger symbolized confidence to his fellow Buddhists, and security in the Hindu world. Besides its claws teeth and prey drive it couldn't be too much of a problem. As the days danced by, Pi began a comparison of himself and the tiger. He had transformed from an avowed vegetarian to a merciless killer. When situations became rough and food was scarce, the tiger came first. Its importance was greater than Pi's and they both knew it. The tiger became a part of Pi, and in times of need Richard Parker, the tiger's name, came out from under the boat for Pi's needs. However, in times of peace and filled bellies, Pi found he could tame his tiger. Once the couple reached the island, where food, water, and shelter were all available, Richard Parker disappeared. He was no longer needed; Pi could survive on his own, and so could Parker. Eventually they knew society needed to once again be searched for. Pi packed up his tiger and returned to sea.

When Pi arrived at the safety of land and civilization Richard Parker ran into the jungle, hopefully never to be needed again. Pi then had the tough job of explaining what had happened in the last 227 days to men interested in the sinking of his original ship. They could care less about his story about a "tiger" aboard the lifeboat, nor did they believe it. Now, only Pi had survived the sinking ship. His mother, the chef, and an additional sailor had all killed each other on the journey, so there was no one to tell opposing stories. Pi could make up a world of lies and these men would have no choice but to trust him! Luckily for them, Pi spared their innocent ears from the gore and terror that he had experienced by making up a story about zoo animals. Whether he doubted their belief in the cruel acts humans are capable of, or he couldn't take the pain the real story brought him, we may never figure out. But in the end of the story Pi confirmed that Richard Parker was his alter ego, never having existed at all. The bengal tiger was merely Pi's animated survival mode.

Thinking back to his days on the boat, Pi realizes what Richard Parker did for him. His tiger saved him from many deaths--a death of boredom, insanity, carelessness, and even depression. We all have an inner tiger, just waiting to spring when our lives are jeopardized, however it only appears when we are in danger. From Life of Pi I learned that where ever and whenever I seem to be trapped in my lifeboat, I will be more than greatful to have a tiger by my side.

Character Analysis: Harrison Bergeron

Author's Note: Here's my character analysis on the character Harrison Bergeron. In the story I compare him to Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451.

Everyone knows one person who is taller, stronger, smarter and better looking than everyone else. Harrison Bergeron was one of those people. Instead of congratulating him on growing to seven feet, the government forced him to be handicapped by carrying around 300 pounds of lead wherever he went, along with a puffy red nose and blurry glasses. He was now ugly, weak, and had a blurred sight. Eventually he fought against this and was taken straight from his home to prison. Just like how Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451 wasn't supposed to be affected when his friend Clarisse disappeared, Harrison's parents lost memory of his existence.

Harrison broadcasted his escape from prison on live television, trying to encourage the citizens of the US to break free of the governments amendments. He tore off his nose and glasses , revealing his beauty; he ripped off his chains, displaying his strength. He danced freely until an official walked in with a double barreled ten gauge shotgun. His fifteen minutes of fame were up and every citizen watching was taught a lesson that day. They learned how wrong it was to be better than everyone else, the peoples need for equality killed Harrison Bergeron.

Weight of the New Year

Author's Note: My piece on New Years Resolutions was written to inform readers about the concerns of American Citizens to reach a healthy weight. Most Americans dedicated their resolutions for just this, which is worth writing about.

The typical American Citizen, is concerned about their weight. They may be severely obese and should focus on losing some, or unfortunately cursed with a high metabolism and try to gain a few pounds. As our population continues to grow, so does the passion for healthy lifestyles. My mother, father, grandparents, and our guests on the eve of New Years, devoted their 2012 resolutions to a better body. The words "exercise", "salads", and "stairs" all floated in and out of our conversations from 11 to midnight. After the ball dropped I could see the sad faces around the room. Visions of ice cream sundaes drenched in hot fudge were replaced with a pedometer with an unreasonable amount of steps on them. A hard year it would be for those whose progress was successful; welcome to 2012.

A Christmas Carol

Author's Note: The passage I have chosen to asses for purpose, meaning, and tone is the following: The spirit, for which he stood, with Scrooge beside him, in a bakers doorway, and, taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch. And it was a very uncommon kind of torch, for once or twice when there were angry words between some dinner carriers who had jostled each other, he shed a few drops of water on them from it, and their good humor was restored directly . For they said it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was! God love it, so it was.

Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol

Page 58

The passage in Stave Three shows the spirit of Christmas Present's interest in the quarrels of neighbors and families on Christmas day. When an unfortunate battle begins over dinner, gifts, or each others presence, he simply sprinkles the incense of his torch on their doorway, and their Christmas Spirit gets the best of them, as they return to their jolly selves. Its purpose shows what the effects of Christmas day can do to an unhappy family. Whether the spirit is even needed or not could be argued, it’s the time of the year that really cheers families up. The tone of this passage is suggestive. It provides an example of what a perfect Christmas could be, and the steps you could follow in order to have one.

Character

Author's Note: This piece talks about how the main character of Fahrenheit 451 struggles to realize the truth. Once he figures it out, he struggles again to share the truth with his fellow firefighters. He has a power he is unaware of. I also compare him to the maids of The Help.

To have an opinion that could lead the way to a better world, is like being trapped on a mountain with no way down. Sharing the opinion would be to roll down the mountain, dealing with the bumps and rocks on the way down. But to hold back, is to stay at the top of the mountain wondering what would happen if you were to plummet to the bottom. Would you escape? Would you die trying? Speaking out is a risk not many people are willing to take.

Guy Montag, from Fahrenheit 451 is faced with a problem very similar. I believe he will prove to be a dynamic character throughout the book when he realizes that the worlds fate depends not only on his actions, but also on his voice. What he does and what he says, influence other to believe what he does. He might actually get enough people to make a change. He has influenced his neighbor and firechief that the world has other possibilities. Similar to the maids of The Help, Guy does not believe that he has the right to speak up. Unless he bundles up his courage and speaks out to his community, the maids will be waiting for him at the top of the mountain, where he will stay until he takes a tumble and plunges to the bottom.

Point of View

Author's Note: In this piece I am practicing putting myself in a minor character's point of view. In my book The Help I am Skeeter's Mother during her last days.

Dear Lord,

Everyday I worry about my daughter Skeeter. As she poorly dresses herself in the morning, I worry about her finding a husband. As she slowly picks at her lunch, I worry about her health. As she sneaks off to her room to do who-knows-what, I worry about her social life. I know that worrying shreds my hair and paints my skin pale, but she means the world to me and I am willing to risk even my appearance for her. If only I could take her shopping like I used to. Just to pick out a pretty outfit, to do her hair, and to send her off to a party of some sort would satisfy me. These days she hides up to her room during the day and attends bible study group all night. She's so good, so pure; yet, so secretive and unsteady. Is she seeing a man, simply scared for my approval? Is she--dare I say it--seeing a woman? With out her trust I may never know.

The part of my worrying that sends me to laughing fits, is that she worries about me! My cancer only permits me a few months left, I know. But Skeeter has so much more to worry about than her elderly mother! With the pain I receive stepping out of bed each morning I can only hope to see her someday walk down the aisle in a white wedding dress being wed to the perfect man. If I don't live that long, than Lord, please let her know that I am still with her, critcizing her every move. If in heaven I still am not able to do so, then I beg you to take the task upon yourself. My daugher truly means much to me and without her, I am not worthy of living.

In the name of the Father,

The Son,

And the Holy Spirit,

Amen.