Willa Carter in her novel My Antonia offers her view of life during the pioneer time. The book is well written with very well thought out characters, in which all have their own personality and character traits that link to each other and make the novel flow easier to the reader.
I think that My Antonia would be very different if the book was written in Antonia's point of view. Mainly, the book would then focus on the struggle of the Shimerdas' as they come to America and start off in a small house, then grow more comfortable as Antonia and her younger daughter learn English and they can start communicating better. Also, instead of being in a masculine form, the book would be written more feminine (maybe) as it would be Antonia's thoughts (although, she is a tomboy).
All in all, I think that Willa Carter is very talented in writing from a man's point of view. She shows emotion in the way that a male would portray it, and the actions and thoughts of Jim are what I would expect in reading a book written by a male author. That earns bonus points in my book, to pass the gender boundary and write a story in the opposite sex's eyes.
I personally think that Jim changed the name from "Antonia" to "My Antonia" because of everything he went through with her. According to the novel, he "wrote down of herself and myself and other people Antonia's name recalls to me". So the book is written on his memories of Antonia, which could be a different person from who Antonia is at that moment, and so that is his personal Antonia.
The novel was a good one, well written and the characters were meticulously thought out. The flow from one thought to the next with the characters evolving as the story goes on makes it more realistic, and the old pioneer times gives an interesting setting as America is just being born.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
The use of setting on characters is important. Setting affects mood, if the area is dark and stormy then the mood will be dark, maybe suspenseful, and the characters will react accordingly. In books, if a character has to walk down a long, dark hallway then they are usually on their guard, nervous, and hesitant. Setting has a big effect on how characters react towards one another and their surroundings, adding depth into a novel and making it more enjoyable for people to read.
Walking around in the woods has always felt peaceful to me. Seeing the bright colors all around me, the sharp greens and browns and the huge expanse of the forest. If I am alone or with friends, I still feel like I am small in this world next to these huge trees. Sometimes I stand at the top of the hill and look down the clearing, taking in the expanse with the grass rolling and swaying like waves in the ocean. I feel peaceful, I feel calm. I am away from my troubles, nothing to think about but the feel of the breeze on my skin and the birds in the trees.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
The use of setting on characters is important. Setting affects mood, if the area is dark and stormy then the mood will be dark, maybe suspenseful, and the characters will react accordingly. In books, if a character has to walk down a long, dark hallway then they are usually on their guard, nervous, and hesitant. Setting has a big effect on how characters react towards one another and their surroundings, adding depth into a novel and making it more enjoyable for people to read.
Walking around in the woods has always felt peaceful to me. Seeing the bright colors all around me, the sharp greens and browns and the huge expanse of the forest. If I am alone or with friends, I still feel like I am small in this world next to these huge trees. Sometimes I stand at the top of the hill and look down the clearing, taking in the expanse with the grass rolling and swaying like waves in the ocean. I feel peaceful, I feel calm. I am away from my troubles, nothing to think about but the feel of the breeze on my skin and the birds in the trees.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Argument: Switch from 9mm to .45
Assertion/Claim:
The military should switch the standard-issued 9mm back to the M1911 .45 ACP.
Evidence/Concrete Detail:
The 1911 is a larger caliber, therefore more stopping power than the smaller 9mm.
Commentary 1:
Men can get hit several times with a 9mm in the middle of combat and get up and continue to fight.
Commentary 2:
A shot with a .45 will completely knock someone down, and almost always is a one hit incapacitation.
Evidence/Concrete Detail:
The 1911 is a heavier weapon, so it is sturdy and reliable. The 9mm's slide can easily be taken off by an enemy in close quaters, making the weapon useless.
Commentary 1:
Heavier means steadier while aiming the weapon, and less recoil when fired. Also the weapon is more sturdy.
Commentary 2:
In a close quater situation, an enemy can easily charge the 9mm and take the slide off, making the weapon useless.
Opposing Claims/They Say:
All NATO members use 9mm for pistols, 5.56 for rifles, and 7.62 for light machineguns so they are not allowed to switch to .45. The .45 bullets are more expensive, less rounds in a magazine than the 9mm, and does not have the "superior stopping power" that it is rumored to have.
My Rebuttal/I say
Although I agree with some of what they say, the higher expense should not have a big impact on manufacturing the weapons and ammunition. The higher caliber pistol would save more lives, and an increase in cost should be a small price to pay for the lives that are saved.
My Paragraph:
The military should switch back from the standard 9mm pistol to the M1911 .45. The 1911 has more stopping power than the smaller 9mm pistol. In a combat situation, a man can get hit several times with a 9mm and get up and continue fighting although he is wounded. On the other hand, if a man is hit with a .45 they will completely get knocked over and it is almost always a one hit incapacitation due to the larger caliber, weight, and higher grain. The 1911 is heavier, so it is able to be held steadier than a lighter 9mm, and is more sturdy due to the weight. In a close quarter situation where the pistol is needed, if an enemy is able to charge the soldier carrying the 9mm, he can easily take the slide off due to how the weapon is manufactured for easy cleaning, and such would render the weapon useless. Not everyone agrees, as they say all NATO members use 9mm for pistols, 5.56 for rifles, and 7.62 for light machine guns and therefore cannot switch the pistol back to the .45. Also, they say the .45 is more expensive, has less rounds in a magazine than the 9mm, and does not have the "superior stopping power" that the .45 is rumored to have. Although this is true up to a point, the higher expense should be a smaller price to pay since the .45 will give our soldiers a boost in the battlefield and save lives.
My Thinking:
Inductive. Due to my argument and reasoning, it is likely that this is true but not certain. This cannot be proven without prior combat experience with both weapons.
Sources:
http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/smallarms/m1911a1.htm .45 weapon statistics
The military should switch the standard-issued 9mm back to the M1911 .45 ACP.
Evidence/Concrete Detail:
The 1911 is a larger caliber, therefore more stopping power than the smaller 9mm.
Commentary 1:
Men can get hit several times with a 9mm in the middle of combat and get up and continue to fight.
Commentary 2:
A shot with a .45 will completely knock someone down, and almost always is a one hit incapacitation.
Evidence/Concrete Detail:
The 1911 is a heavier weapon, so it is sturdy and reliable. The 9mm's slide can easily be taken off by an enemy in close quaters, making the weapon useless.
Commentary 1:
Heavier means steadier while aiming the weapon, and less recoil when fired. Also the weapon is more sturdy.
Commentary 2:
In a close quater situation, an enemy can easily charge the 9mm and take the slide off, making the weapon useless.
Opposing Claims/They Say:
All NATO members use 9mm for pistols, 5.56 for rifles, and 7.62 for light machineguns so they are not allowed to switch to .45. The .45 bullets are more expensive, less rounds in a magazine than the 9mm, and does not have the "superior stopping power" that it is rumored to have.
My Rebuttal/I say
Although I agree with some of what they say, the higher expense should not have a big impact on manufacturing the weapons and ammunition. The higher caliber pistol would save more lives, and an increase in cost should be a small price to pay for the lives that are saved.
My Paragraph:
The military should switch back from the standard 9mm pistol to the M1911 .45. The 1911 has more stopping power than the smaller 9mm pistol. In a combat situation, a man can get hit several times with a 9mm and get up and continue fighting although he is wounded. On the other hand, if a man is hit with a .45 they will completely get knocked over and it is almost always a one hit incapacitation due to the larger caliber, weight, and higher grain. The 1911 is heavier, so it is able to be held steadier than a lighter 9mm, and is more sturdy due to the weight. In a close quarter situation where the pistol is needed, if an enemy is able to charge the soldier carrying the 9mm, he can easily take the slide off due to how the weapon is manufactured for easy cleaning, and such would render the weapon useless. Not everyone agrees, as they say all NATO members use 9mm for pistols, 5.56 for rifles, and 7.62 for light machine guns and therefore cannot switch the pistol back to the .45. Also, they say the .45 is more expensive, has less rounds in a magazine than the 9mm, and does not have the "superior stopping power" that the .45 is rumored to have. Although this is true up to a point, the higher expense should be a smaller price to pay since the .45 will give our soldiers a boost in the battlefield and save lives.
My Thinking:
Inductive. Due to my argument and reasoning, it is likely that this is true but not certain. This cannot be proven without prior combat experience with both weapons.
Sources:
http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/smallarms/m1911a1.htm .45 weapon statistics
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Book Review: Firestorm
David Klass's book, Firestorm, thrilled me with edge-of-your-seat action scenes throughout the whole book. Once I picked it up, I did not want to put it down. In fact, I read about half the book the first day I checked it out from the library.
One main reason I really enjoyed the book was the style of writing. The book is written in a high school senior's point of view, an 18 year old teenager. The book is full of sarcasm and witty one-liners, which really gives you the feeling of being there with the main character. The writing style adds depth, and also gives you a feeling of connection, as I myself am a teenager, and I feel like I would react about the same if I was in his shoes.
The characters are very in depth, each having their own personality. Klass makes a very big distinction between the characters he has and one he is introducing, while Jack might be a strong, witty teenager, his companion is a smart, critical thinker that gets them out of some tough spots. This adds a variety to the book, which is refreshing as some I have read have almost cut-out characters, hardly varying on the writing and persona of the characters. This adds a realism, making the characters seem more real instead of just fiction heroes.
This book really relates with the current issues on the economy. The book makes points on wildlife, and how important it is to preserve what we have now before it is too late, adding detail on commercial fishing, which reduces not only the fish population, but the very ecosystem they live in, destroying giant reefs that are a very large part of ocean life, without reefs there would not be as many different species as there are today. The book almost has a doomsday quality on the preservation, believing that if we humans keep doing what we are doing to the planet, we are going to ruin it to the point of no return, to where we cannot fix the problems we have caused, making life on Earth very hard on us.
If I would recommend this book to anyone, I would choose Phoenix, a close friend of mine who would most likely enjoy the book. The pace is fast, there is a lot of action and some very steamy parts, which adds some relief to all the fingernail biting. Overall, the book was a great one, and I currently am reading the second in this trilogy.
One main reason I really enjoyed the book was the style of writing. The book is written in a high school senior's point of view, an 18 year old teenager. The book is full of sarcasm and witty one-liners, which really gives you the feeling of being there with the main character. The writing style adds depth, and also gives you a feeling of connection, as I myself am a teenager, and I feel like I would react about the same if I was in his shoes.
The characters are very in depth, each having their own personality. Klass makes a very big distinction between the characters he has and one he is introducing, while Jack might be a strong, witty teenager, his companion is a smart, critical thinker that gets them out of some tough spots. This adds a variety to the book, which is refreshing as some I have read have almost cut-out characters, hardly varying on the writing and persona of the characters. This adds a realism, making the characters seem more real instead of just fiction heroes.
This book really relates with the current issues on the economy. The book makes points on wildlife, and how important it is to preserve what we have now before it is too late, adding detail on commercial fishing, which reduces not only the fish population, but the very ecosystem they live in, destroying giant reefs that are a very large part of ocean life, without reefs there would not be as many different species as there are today. The book almost has a doomsday quality on the preservation, believing that if we humans keep doing what we are doing to the planet, we are going to ruin it to the point of no return, to where we cannot fix the problems we have caused, making life on Earth very hard on us.
If I would recommend this book to anyone, I would choose Phoenix, a close friend of mine who would most likely enjoy the book. The pace is fast, there is a lot of action and some very steamy parts, which adds some relief to all the fingernail biting. Overall, the book was a great one, and I currently am reading the second in this trilogy.
Monday, September 26, 2011
War Is...
War is needed, protecting our rights.
War is hell, scarring hearts and minds.
War is death, losing lives and friends.
War is honor, fighting to write our names in stone.
War is money, circling around armaments and soldiers.
War is strength, trusting the people you fight with.
War is pain, lasting wounds that do not go away.
War is hard, causing many to become shells of what they once were.
War is cold, caring not about who fights or gets hurt.
War is change, ending lives and nations.
War is hell, scarring hearts and minds.
War is death, losing lives and friends.
War is honor, fighting to write our names in stone.
War is money, circling around armaments and soldiers.
War is strength, trusting the people you fight with.
War is pain, lasting wounds that do not go away.
War is hard, causing many to become shells of what they once were.
War is cold, caring not about who fights or gets hurt.
War is change, ending lives and nations.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Remembering 9/11
I cannot really remember what happened on September 11, 2001. I was only 6. What I can guess though, is that I stayed home from school, and was celebrating my birthday, when my parents saw on the news that the attacks had happened on the World Trade Center. I was probably not told exactly what happened, just bits and pieces to keep my curious mind at bay. Later, now that I know what happened, I remember it as an attack on the United States of America, and I know that I will not forget it.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Unknown Soldier
Show me what it's like
to dream in black and white
So I can leave this world tonight
A soldier, fighting for his country, knows he is never alone, for he has brothers fighting with him.
Shown from the eyes of a soldier, who has started to lose all emotion, just fighting mindlessly, and he gets wounded. He is sitting there writing this song from the hospital bed, wanting to die.
This song connects with me deeply, I know one day I will be fighting also, and he is just feeling like he let his people down, just another uniform. But he doesn’t seem to know that he has others that care about him, who don’t want him to die even if he feels differently.
I’ve had the dream of being a soldier for 8 years, and I’ve had people tell me I will never make it, and I’ve had people that say if I try hard enough, I can. And I am sure that one day I will be on the front lines.
Ive had that feeling that I was alone, that no one cared, but lately I’ve found people that do, and I have the motivation to be able to pursue my dreams.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Humanity
LIFE
Love as much as you can
It will set you free
For the people around you feel the same
Even if you think you are alone
Not Alone:
I group with the others
Singing the songs together
And I now have hope
Love as much as you can
It will set you free
For the people around you feel the same
Even if you think you are alone
Not Alone:
I group with the others
Singing the songs together
And I now have hope
Friday, April 29, 2011
Afterlife
What happens to a soul?
Does it fly away
like a baloon?
Or drift solemnly
like a wandering boat
Or group together
like a colony of ants?
Maybe it just stays there
like a moss-covered rock
Or does it just disappear?
Does it fly away
like a baloon?
Or drift solemnly
like a wandering boat
Or group together
like a colony of ants?
Maybe it just stays there
like a moss-covered rock
Or does it just disappear?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
*Censored* Need to tell *Censored* *Censored*
Government censorship is a problem. Not only does it keep us from knowing what is going on in our military now but it also makes our military personnel feel under appreciated. I have personal experience, not from censorship but just a feeling of being under appreciated. I am in Civil Air Patrol, an Air Force auxiliary, and almost no one knows what Civil Air Patrol is! Anyway, family members and friends of military personnel should pay attention to this especially, as it affects you also. During Vietnam especially there was a lot of censorship on military news, most of what came in through the newspapers were lies for propaganda purposes, in order to keep the civilians happy back in the United States, where it didn’t work since it was still high in protests. It goes against our right for freedom of information, blocking the information from us and keeping us from knowing anything. Also, keeps citizens from joining the military, as they don’t know what they are getting into and are afraid.
We should combat this, fight censorship as we do have a right to know this information, pepole say censorship is fine, it keeps our enemies from knowing our tactics and other things, but that is fine. We aren’t just splaying it out on the internet for everyone to see, just keeping our citizens informed, and that would help keep our military personnel happy. Everyone should join this fight, protest against military censorship, we have a right to know.
We should combat this, fight censorship as we do have a right to know this information, pepole say censorship is fine, it keeps our enemies from knowing our tactics and other things, but that is fine. We aren’t just splaying it out on the internet for everyone to see, just keeping our citizens informed, and that would help keep our military personnel happy. Everyone should join this fight, protest against military censorship, we have a right to know.
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