Duddy Kravitz is ambitious. In “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz” By Mordecai Richler, Duddy is getting through life with lack of moral. He makes money by lying and stealing. “A man without land is nobody,” he heard from his grandfather and from then on he is prepared to seek the land of his dreams. I can understand that he has a goal and it is respectable, but everything he does to achieve his goal almost classifies him as a failure. Although I haven’t read enough of the book to know everything that Duddy is capable of, I can tell that he’s a bit of a bully. Mr. MacPherson was a teacher who absolutley didn’t believe that the strap should be used and refused to punish the students that way. Duddy had managed to anger and aggravate him to the point where he had gotten strapped 10 times on both wrists by the one teacher who refused to use it before meeting Duddy. Duddy also lead a group of students who called themselves “Warriors” and intimidated other students such as Milty, who looked up to Duddy and wanted to be one of them. They had then taken advantage of him and used him for entertainment. Duddy and his friends had barged into Milty’s house insisting that they were there to “play” with him and instead once again used him, and also his home, for amusement. Duddy’s gang picks on him and tricks him into destroying his mother’s flower garden by opening the tulips, which causes the flowers to not bloom. Duddy Kravitz is simply not a nice boy. He’s already on the wrong path at a very young age. He’s ambitious, but mostly a liar and looks ahead to the wrong path to the future.
“The Stone Angel”–Reading journal. October 28, 2007
Hagar is a ninety-year-old woman who lives with her son, Marvin, and his wife in her home. As a woman of old age she has less control over herself and her actions. After breaking lamps and wetting her bed Marvin and his wife, Doris, decide that it’s time to bring up the idea of putting her in a home. Hagar is similar to my grandfather of seventy years. Improper use of alchohol has brought him to seem so much older than he is. He is a man with a bit of a temper, yet one of the most loving people you could ever meet. My grandfather is prone to accidents. Soiling his sheets, falling, breaking things, much like Hagar. When my grandfather was young he met my grandma, Linda. Everytime he sees a pretty blonde on the television he
says “She looks like Linda,” and he’s always smiling. I’m not fully sure of the story, but when they were young she had left him and it turned around his life. He started abusing alchohol and it slowed down his system and his mind. My dad is
somewhat like Marvin. My dad took in my grandpa when there was an incident that cause him to go to the hospital and we
knew that itwas time to bring him somewhere where he couldn’t walk the streets as he pleased and get into trouble.
My grandpa wasn’t there for my dad at all. Nor was he there for my aunt or uncle. Yet my dad had taken him to live in our home and restore his health. He is loyal to his family just like how Marvin had been so loyal to Hagar though she showed little love and attention to her son. Marvin would take care of her, make sure she was clean and well, even though she is a bitter
old woman who wants a sense of independence and maybe to just be left alone. After going through many clean ups and
check ups, Marvin and Doris agree that it may be time that Hagar stays in a home where nurses will take care of her and she’ll
be safe. Hagar refuses and is very stubborn about it, but they insist that she go just to see what it’s like.
I find this so be an interesting story personally. It’s not like any other story that I have read. It’s a more difficult, challenging read and it’s something that I can learn from and that is personally what I look for in a book because it’s hard
to find for I’ve been reading as long as I can remember and I love to learn. I can relate to many of the aspects so far yet
at the same time I can ask questions to myself and wonder what some things would be like if I was Hagar.
“Horses of the Night”–Literary essay. October 23, 2007
The short story “Horses of the Night” by Margaret Laurence tells of a boy, Chris, who has to move from his home in Shallow Creek to live in Manawaka to live with distant relatives so he can attend high school for the next three years. Chris is tall, and lanky with an angular face, the bones showing through his brown skin, his grey eyes slightly slanted, and his hair appeared to be bleached a light yellow. Vanessa, his six-year-old distant cousin, seldomly thought that he looked handsome. He walked into the Brick House where he would be staying for the next three years with Grandmother and Grandfather Connor. Chris is a dynamic character who has many changes throughout the story, going from a sweet, ambitious, imaginative boy from up North, to a once violent young man in the army who is eventually sent home for being what the doctors describe as “passive.”
Chris first walks into the Brick House as a friendly, outgoing person. He greets Vanessa, not by introducing himself and a formal handshake, but by simply saying “Hi Vanessa,” and immediately shows warmth and kindness towards the 6-year-old. Chris comes from a poor family, but stays calm when Grandfather Conner speaks of his father, without a word of kind thought and pride towards him. Chris is what Vanessa describes as a respecter of persons. Chris is an entertainer and incredible with kids, such as Vanessa. He makes many little crafts, with detail and often quite fascinating. He is creative, and almost a little kid himself. He tells Vanessa stories of his home in Shallow Creek; He would tell her of his home made of trees that grew by the lake, and his horses, Duchess and Firefly, who were apparently sleek and could be racers one day. Chris is a dreamer. He is ambitious and determined when he claims that when he is done high school he will become an engineer. He doesn’t say that he wants to be an engineer, but he says, “What I am going to be is an engineer…” with confidence that he will. Vanessa absolutely adores him because of his stories and imagination. Before Chris leaves to go home, Vanessa went into the Brick House and explained that she would want to be a traveler someday too. She feared that he would say that girls could not be travelers, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “…anybody can do anything at all, anything if they set their minds to it…”. When Chris’ mother wrote a month later, it was discovered that he didn’t make it home, but got of the train early, cashed in his ticket, and thumbed a lift to Winnipeg.
Chris is a traveler. He came back to Manawaka after two years of not seeing him. He is selling vacuums, and trying to save up enough money to eventually go to college. The next time he comes to visit he is now selling socks made from a mechanism that appears to be similar to an old fashioned sewing machine attached to a ball of wool which is made into a pair of socks. Vanessa has been impacted by Chris and his imagination and decides to stay at Shallow Creek for a week or so. She finally sees the place in comparison to her imagination of the place. Not as beautiful as it appeared in her head, but none the less, it was Shallow Creek. But some months after the war begins, Chris leaves Shallow Creek and joins the army. Chris had become violent. Violent was never a word that Vanessa could ever associate with Chris. He was in the army. He had gone to war, but violence never suited Chris. Vanessa receives a letter. She refuses to tell her mother of the contents, though she finds out six months later that he had been put into the provincial mental hospital because of a mental breakdown and he had refused to be violent any longer.
Chris has changed so much during the story “Horses of the Night.” Whether he is a teenage boy telling stories to six-year-old Vanessa, almost like a child himself, or a passive aggressive young man gone to war and eventually put in a hospital due to a mental breakdown, he has been a strong, prominent character that you can’t help but feel for.
Theme Statement. –Tied together with a smile.
There are so many beautiful girls out there who don’t have confidence in themselves because they don’t believe that they live up to to standard.
Tied together with a smile.- Taylor Swift October 21, 2007
Seems the only one who doesn’t see your beauty
Is the face in the mirror looking back at you
You walk around here thinking you’re not pretty
But that’s not true, cause I know you…
[Chorus:]
Hold on, baby, you’re losing it
The water’s high, you’re jumping into it
And letting go… and no one knows
That you cry, but you don’t tell anyone
That you might not be the golden one
And you’re tied together with a smile
But you’re coming undone
I guess it’s true that love was all you wanted
Cause you’re giving it away like it’s extra change
Hoping it will end up in his pocket
But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain
Oh, cause it’s not his price to pay
Not his price to pay…
[Repeat Chorus x2]
You’re tied together with a smile
But you’re coming undone…Oh
Goodbye, baby
With a smile, baby, baby
Edited Draft. September 27, 2007
It was dark, cool and clear. Marie peeked her head outside her window, but only the slightest bit, in fear of falling two stories to the ground. The night was intriguing; she would usually hide from the unseen creatures of the night prepared to steal her away. When the sun was fallen her glorious backyard was a whole other mysterious and unknown world for her to explore.
Forgetting her fears of darkness she crept as silently as she could. She grabbed her sweater off of the bedpost and slowly swung open her door one creak at a time. She pushed the door as little as possible and made herself as thin as possible and slid through. She crept down the hallway past her mommy and daddy’s bedroom as silently as possible as to not get caught up so late. Suddenly, Marie felt a sensation that tickled her nose. Not wanting be caught, she stopped in her tracks not knowing what to do. She didn’t have time to waste trying to figure out what to do. She knew she couldn’t do a thing about it and took a deep breathe. An inhale on impulse signalled her moment to run as fast and as quietly as she could. Trotting on just the balls of her small feet, she lightly went down the stairs and tip-toed to the front door. Her delicate fingers touched the brass handle on the door and then she held her breath. So close to the outside world; a place to explore and venture to. She turned the handle slowly…slower…almost there, but she felt dust irritating her nose once again. “Ah–” She inhaled trying not to make a sound, but it seemed as if she had no choice. A soft “ah–ah–ahhh” sounds came from her mouth. But no matter how hard she tried to prevent it, exactly what she was trying to avoid came on in full force. It wasn’t just a simple sneeze. It was more like “HA-FOOIE!” She paused in her steps. There were three seconds of silence. Three beautiful, relieving and SILENT seconds.
Outside. She was where she wanted to be. Time had passed several minutes since she was upstairs in the safety of her bedroom only dreaming of the outdoors. The night sky was crystal clear and the stars were gleaming as if they were put up there personally for her to enjoy. She could have ventured anywhere she wanted to. She was free from worries of her parents and the true safety inside her home. It was a strange, and new feeling; it was rather compelling actually. She felt like a risk-taker. Ready to take on any challenge that the darkness could give her. She stared up into the glorious sky and felt the light breeze flow through her silky cinnamon locks. There was no fear even quietly whispering in her ears. It was a new world for her, and she felt as if she was falling, falling…falling.
“Marie?” A familiar voice tickled at her senses. Marie flickered her eyes open, but not too fast as not to black out her vision. It took a moment to focus on her mother’s soft features. Her mother was almost what you would consider beautiful. Her skin was lightly tanned, her hair was long, dark, and silky. Her eyes were deep, and placed symmetrically on her face. Marie’s favourite feature of her mother’s was the fact that she could lighten up any room with just a smile. She could never be upset or angry as long as her mother was happy. The sounds of her mother’s voice was music, but this time Marie couldn’t help feeling slightly disappointed. All she could remember was making it outside. Her goal had been completed, but she hadn’t been able to explore the night. Wondering what she would’ve discovered and what would’ve happened, she accepted the fact that she was in her mother’s arms once again.
Character traits of that guy in the story. September 22, 2007
Daru is the schoolmaster of the schoolhouse on the outskirts of other towns. A blizzard keeps the students away from their classes and Daru is alone. A man that Daru has known for a long time, Balducci, brings him an Arab for him to take to Tinguit. Daru is hesitant to take the prisoner to Tinguit and says that it’s not his job. Balducci doesn’t give him a choice in the matter and leaves the Arab with him to take in.
Daru is a very generous person. He would give his students food when he could because they were victims of poverty. Daru took in a prisoner and allowed him to stay with him for the night, giving him everything he needed to be comfortable; hospitality, good meals; the next day he gives the Arab directions to the prison in Tinguit, therefore making him very trusting that he would get there on his own. He is also very straightforward and honest. He told Balducci that he had no intentions of bringing the Arab to the prison that he was ordered to bring him to.
Writing Topic Ideas September 12, 2007
ALBERTA TOUR
Ghost Town – Hotel
Death On A 16 Hour Bus Ride
Carousel
POWELL RIVER TRIP
Blackberry Fest
Childhood Reminders – Home Again
CHILDHOOD
Savannah
Birthday Party
Kelly Creek
Family Vacation To Disneyland
WHISTLER
Mrak and Kally’s Promise
Gamegirl
Super Orgy
KATIE
Daycare
Happy Birthday Katie!
Beach?
OTHER
Cleo & Carly’s Window Fued
Haida Gwaii – Potlach
Vincent II
If I titled this “Woodbug,” then it would be irrelevant. September 9, 2007
CONFLICT IN THE SHORT STORY, “THE SHINING HOUSES”
Mary is a neighbour of Mrs. Fullerton, an older woman full of stories. While Mary is fascinated by tales of Mr. Fullerton, who is constantly away due to travel, among other such things. Mrs. Fullerton has lived in her house for decades, selling eggs and black cherries, trying to compete with lowering supermarket prices. The gardens are seemingly unalterable and her home isn’t so clean like the newer houses nearby. With chickens and no particular plan for anything, and to the neighbours it’s just an unsightly embarrassing mess that they’d be happy to get rid of. Mrs. Fullerton is against the people wanting to get rid of her home that she’s been in for many years, filled with many memories only because they find it embarrasing to look at and unpleasant to smell. They start the idea of a petition to have her removed and a lane be put through there. Mary only tries to convince the, that it’s not necessary or very considerate of the people to even think this. Defending Mrs. Fullertons case by explaining that she’s lived there longer than some of them were even born. Desperately trying to convince them, and think of words that sounded more reasonable to allow the old woman to keep her property. She is pressured to sign the petition but stands up for what she truly believes is the right thing. Not believing that they have the right to get rid of Mrs. Fullerton. She is absolutely blown away what people can say when they get together at a child’s birthday party, but still not feeling comfortable she knows that she won’t win.
Both Mrs. Fullerton and Mary were in conflict with the community. For neither want to see the house replaced with a lane running through the property, but there isn’t really much that can be done about it. Mary didn’t want to see Mrs. Fullerton go because it seemed to her that the people didn’t have the right to protest against her staying where she’s lived for 40 years. Mary is also in a conflict against herself. She doesn’t want to see Mrs. Fullerton go because she has actually grown quite fond of her and listening to her stories. But she knows that the people in the community aren’t just cold-hearted people that want to get rid of an old lady, but people who want their children and their families to have a good place to live in. Maybe petitioning against Mrs. Fullerton seems wrong, but apparently necessary.
“There is nothing you can do at present but put your hands in your pockets and keep a disaffected heart”
–I fixed it…. 🙂
Tanya Is Amazing 