L.A Pieces

Trojan Horse 

In the Trojan Horse story I felt very confused reading it, to me it was a great story but I had some hard times reading some of the language they stated, or the names. They were all so different, but I do understand that this story was written very long ago, so I knew from the start that it would be quite hard to understand, and read. What I find to be very amazing about this story is that the detail in the whole Trojan horse story was written very well, I feel like it partakes in each scene that the Trojan War has. It gives a good intake on the real deal.

In the Trojan horse play  many unusual actions partake in this comedy filled play, unlike the actual story many of the characters in this play are brought to life with lines fulls of today type humor, I feel like they did a nice job because adding a little humor into an old, story made me understand the story a lot better then just the normal story did. Besides humor there were a lot of changes into the characters, that helped bring this play altogether, an example would be the young prince Paris, in the story Paris is very powerful,  strong, and very serious teen boy. While in the play the description of his character was the opposite of what he was intended to be like, which was, a goofy teen prince, who is quite cowardly. This made me wonder how the play would end up if all the characters were the same on how they acted in the real story. 

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The Beauty Comes From Within "Revised"

Author's Note: This is my revised piece on  my text analysis, on the book My Life In Black And White by. Natasha Friend   I will be comparing the characters plot, to someone in real life.

Remember the best friend that would never leave your side? How about the late nights doing makeovers and playing pretend? Remember that pinky promise you made that you would never hurt one another? Imagine breaking that promise, leaving your bestfriend’s side just for a boy. A  boy that was your best friends? What if this hurtful scheme resolved in getting into a car crash, revolving your “best-friend” flying through a car windshield, face first. In the book My Life In Black And White by. Natasha Friend lives Two girls Lexi, and Taylor. They have been best friends since kindergarten. Lexi has always been the beautiful one, and Taylor has always had the sarcastic, fun personality. They are the perfect duo, but everything changes the night Lexi’s face goes through a windshield ruining her most prized possession, her face. Throughout the book Lexi learns to realize that even if a pretty face, get’s you friends. People forget about the one thing that really matters, the inside.

"I finally actually mean-it this time my life is over.”  This quote Is the kind of pronouncement teenage girls make every day. They say it after such traumatic events as, say, farting out loud in gym class, or discovering they've gained three pounds at Christmas and can't fit into their new clothing from “Santa”  Oh my God, you guys! My life is over! Then they bawl to their girlfriends, eat a bunch of Oreos and move on. But this was different. Lexi went through something that she can’t ever full out fix, she will always have problems, flashbacks of the night will be with you forever, the weeks, and weeks in a hospital bed. Unable to see anything from all the bloody gauze. This situation that she has gone through would haunt her forever.

After the accident, lay Lexi in a hospital bed. She didn’t want to imagine what her face really looked like. Lexi thought of the absolute worst, swollen, purple, bloody, ugly, and she couldn’t even think of how many scars she would result in having after this. She refused to look in any mirrors, or anything that could reflect a single image of her. Until she was ready, and prepared.

“FUN HOUSE MIRROR. That's what I thought when I saw myself. No way can this be real. No way in hell. Fun house mirror.” The way Lexi reflects on her beat up face, is pretty harsh she can’t believe that this happened to herself, or how she let this happen. When she thinks the words “Fun House Mirror” She is comparing herself, to a mirror that brings changes to your features making you look completely different then how you actually do. I can tell that Lexi is only seeing that image in her mind, that she looks like a freak, she only see’s herself in the way she thinks, as very ugly, and disgusting. She and other people may think that but real friends, and family wouldn’t care what her outside looked like.

Speaking of  what’s on the inside is more important then the outside, a famous example of that  is Christopher Reeve, he was a famous actor, was very attractive. Until a terrible horse accident  costed him to lose the ability to walk, from a back injury. This made Chris, very depressed, and he thought many times about killing himself because he was ruined forever. Though he was very upset, he did do many good things after his accident, he had charities to help other sick people, and was also elected chairman of the American Paralysis Association. So just because his life may have been ruined, messing up everything he had. He still seemed to bring out the beauty from the inside by helping people with problems just like him.

Lexi blossoms just like Christopher Reeve, learning that other girls, and boys have dealt with the same accidents as she had. Instead of just giving up, she decided to go to school, stand up for herself, and to start her own charity to help others dealing with the same problem she is. So sometimes even if terrible situations happen to you, it most likely will bring out a better, more beautiful part of you. 

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The Beauty Comes From Within 

Author's Note; This is an essay on text analysis on  the book My Life In Black And White by. Natasha Friend. 

Remember the best friend that would never leave your side? How about the late nights doing makeovers and playing pretend? Remember that pinky promise you made that you would never hurt one another? Imagine breaking that promise, leaving your bestfriend’s side just for a boy. A  boy that was your best friends? What if this hurtful scheme resolved in getting into a car crash, revolving your “ best friend” flying through a car windshield, face first. In the book My Life In Black And White by. Natasha Friend lives Two girls Lexi, and Taylor. They have been best friends since kindergarten. Lexi has always been the beautiful one, and Taylor has always had the sarcastic, fun personality. They are the perfect duo, but everything changes the night Lexi’s face goes through a windshield ruining her most prized possession, her face. Throughout the book Lexi learns to realize that even if a pretty face, get’s you friends. People forget about the one thing that really matters, the inside.

"I finally actually mean-it this time my life is over.” 

This Quote Is the kind of pronouncement teenage girls make every day. They say it after such traumatic events as, say, farting out loud in gym class, or discovering they've gained three pounds at Christmas and can't fit into their new clothing from “Santa”  Oh my God, you guys! My life is over! Then they bawl to their girlfriends, eat a bunch of Oreos and move on. But this was different. Lexi went through something that she can’t ever full out fix, she will always have problems, flashbacks of the night will be with you forever, the weeks, and weeks in a hospital bed. Unable to see anything from all the bloody gauze. This situation that she has gone through would haunt her forever.

After the accident, lay Lexi in a hospital bed. She didn’t want to imagine what her face really looked like. Lexi thought of the absolute worst, swollen, purple, bloody, ugly, and she couldn’t even think of how many scars she would result in having after this. She refused to look in any mirrors, or anything that could reflect a single image of her. Until she was ready, and prepared.

“FUN HOUSE MIRROR. That's what I thought when I saw myself. No way can this be real. No way in hell. Fun house mirror.”

The way Lexi reflects on her beat up face, is pretty harsh she can’t believe that this happened to herself, or how she let this happen. When she thinks the words “Fun House Mirror” She is comparing herself, to a mirror that brings changes to your features making you look completely different then how you actually do. I can tell that Lexi is only seeing that image in her mind, that she looks like a freak, she only see’s herself in the way she thinks, as very ugly, and disgusting. She and other people may think that but real friends, and family wouldn’t care what her outside looked like.

Lexi blossoms through the story not only did she learn to show off her personality on the inside but learn to love herself, on the outside. Through therapy, and making new friends that actually get to know her, instead of just looking at the pretty face she still has. Seeing the beauty she has now, matches the same beauty in her personality. 

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Trojan Horse "Revision" 

The conflict of the story was that the Trojans didn't know what to do with the Horse Statue, they thought of many reasons to do with it but there was always a conflict. First they were concerned about if they burned it they would get punished by the "Gods" 

What made the story so devious was how the Greek army gave the Trojans a unexpected gift, which was a giant wooden horse. They didn't know what to do with the horse, the decided to either worship it, or burn it. The Trojans elders thought if they burned it the "Gods" would be angry with them if they did not honer the statue. So the dedicated it to the great goddess of wisdom, Athena and nobody wanted to feel her wrath. Also another reason why this short story was so devious is because they kept sacrificing people just to make the "Gods" happy with them. They thought if they didn't, do what they all were asked their empire or "town" would be cursed. 

  

In the book Before You Exit By. Christina Mentz the two settings are quite the same like the book Trojan Horse. They both have the same idea as in hiding in something that they give to someone that they are enemies with. But instead of a Trojan Horse it's a cake, a couple of people hide in the cake and blow a cannon of pigs blood inside of it and it gets on everyone at the party ruining the evening for everyone. I find this part of both books to be quite weird to be put in a book. I do have a better understanding for the book Trojan Horse because it is focused on a long, long time ago where the book Before You Exit it's placed now a days. 

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Ribbons 

Girls now a days just die to be perfect, society has changed their perspective on being happy for what they have, and who they are. Everyone expects that happiness comes from looks, and they end up changing the way they look, and how they act just to get someone to notice them. They expect that to make them happy. But that's not the case, happiness comes from the inside. You could have a pretty face, and a skinny body, and perfect soft, shiny hair. But you could be the ugliest person someone has ever known on the inside. Ribbons by.Laurence Yep writes a short story about young girls wanting to be what society asks for, in this case shrinking their feet by wearing to small of shoes. This process is quite harsh but to them it's very pretty, and the biggest fad at the moment. 

Even if it is a fad, it sometimes is a culture, the main character from the stories grandmother, has been doing this for her whole life. Some culture today is so much different from long ago. Cultures used to go on for generations but now they don't last very long. 

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The One That Used To Love Me 

Author's Note: This is another text analysis on the book Rage by. Julie Anne Peters. In this essay I will  show you how much trust values in a relationship. 

Continuous fights, beatings, and hurtful words, and to think somehow still you're still with them? You say you love them, and that they love you back. But how could you be with someone that  “cares”  when they're constantly hurting, and bringing you down to nothing. It’s hard to think that, someone you thought wouldn't ever hurt you, or break you trust. Could ever turn to something so evil, and cruel. You could keep thinking that they will go back to the old person you fell in love with and adored, so much. The sad truth is, if you keep letting them hurt you like this they won’t go back. In the Book Rage the author Julie Anne Peters puts focus on a specific topic that happens to relationships everywhere. This strong story is about a struggling partnership about their abusive relationship and the toll it takes on victim and villain alike.

“Is that all I am? A friend?"

"Of course not," I say. "I love you."

"Am I the only one?"  she asks.

"Yes. Completely." First, last, and always.”

Reading this quote I found it to be a great add on to the story, because it shows that the main character Joanna and her girlfriend Reeve have ruined their trust in each other from all the fighting, and abuse they have been through. This quote also shows that Joanna doesn’t want to believe that she is getting hurt, she wants to keep believing that she still cares about her, and loves her even though most of the time it seems like she does. She wants to put trust in her, but it’s hard when they can’t have one conversation without a fight, or a slap in the face.

Reeve’s point of view to this quote is quite different to Joanna’s because not only is Reeve more masculine, she is the one who is doing the abusing. Reeve learned these horrid ways by being brought up in an abusing family which caused her to only to know to hurt herself, and others because that’s all she knows. What I’m wondering is why Joanna keeps taking the abusement, that Reeve is giving off. It only makes the situation worse, and in the end you still end up hurt. Not only in one partner but both.

Abusive relationships are more common than we know.  doesn’t matter male, male female ,female or, male female.  Abuse is abuse.  it’s verbal emotional mental and physical. Abuse just leaves you with mixed emotions you fight, you throw punches, and you will cry till there is nothing left. But while trying to still understand the power of love, you need to think about the other person. Think about  both sides of this tumultuous relationship. 

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"After You, My Dear Alphonse"

This story relates to the topic naivete and reverse racism, because of the stereotypical mother of the young boy Johnny. She thinks just because the boy is a different race, he doesn't have clothes or, food, or a good family. But her assumption turned out to be very different, then what she thought. His family was actually quite rich, he had a house, endless supply of food, expensive clothing, and a family that loved him. Back then this was a very strange life style usually the "Whites" were more rich then the "Blacks" The mother couldn't believe that her assumption was incorrect, she was even embarrassed for herself and her family.

This story showed that sometimes making assumptions and being stereotypical is not always a good thing, because even though the boy was "Black" and that was sort of her assumption that "Black" people are always a step below the "Whites" in I guess to her, everything. So the story shows even though people have maybe a different skin color, hair color, ect. You don't know their whole life story. 

"A Clean Well Lighted Place"

Originality comes from many different  A quote from this short story that really felt important to me was when the waiter made a specific comment about the old, deaf man.   "I'm sleepy now. I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week." To me this was the start of getting to know the old mans story, because nobody new the legit reason why he tried to commit suicide. It gets the reader thinking of why, and also why the waiter would be so mean, and cruel. Telling someone that they should of killed themselves. Instead of choosing to live, all because you wanted to go home and sleep.  

From watching the short film of this small story some specific parts were quite different from the how I thought  the film was going to be like. The biggest part that I thought was going to be different was the setting and how the area was. In my mind I pictured it to be snowing, a cold but beautiful winter night. Flurries falling from the dark sky, and the old man shivering cold while drinking his adult beverage. I also thought that it would be sort of a more, dead place not in a big city so much but in a small town where everyone knows each other. 

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I Wish I Could Trust You, But I Can't 

Author's Note: This is an response essay on an important quote from the book “By The Time You Read This I Will Be Dead” by Julie Anne Peters.

You can’t breathe; you're trapped. You wish, and wish that you could just be dead. Why won’t they leave you alone? You try so hard to block out their evil, blood bubbling comments and jokes. But it’s just too hard to deal with. Words hurt more than a kick in the face. They all look down on you as you curl up and cry until you can’t get in a gasp of air. You're sick of life, this has gone on for too long. Though you have tried everything from self harm to drugs, nothing seemed to have any effect on you. No sort of happiness or joy flows through your mind. Suddenly you become obsessed with the word Suicide. In the book  “By The Time You Read This I Will Be Dead” by Julie Anne Peters. There is a very important quote that really caught my eye. It shows a lot of detail in how the main character Daeyln feels, towards a strange, but kind boy who introduces himself to her.

“The Boy extended his hand out to Daeyln, with a big toothy smile across his face, Daeyln’s eyes grew wide; somebody actually wanted to  talk to her. Her heart rose, but suddenly sank back down. She couldn’t trust even the nicest person, she ignored the boy and walked away”

This quote is very important to the story because it shows how much Daeyln wants to have trust, friends, people that would accept her for who she is, shows her desire to not be bullied anymore and most of all, not having to have had such a terrible life. But it also shows that she is afraid of getting hurt, having to deal with other peoples problems, constant  interacting, and useless drama. Finally, this shows why she is so suicidal, and depressed. In her past people hurt her so badly that she refuses to make friends. Walking away from the boy shows how hopeless she feels.

Besides Daelyn’s impulse to make her walk away, the Boy’s confidence, and possibly charm, played a big role. He didn’t stand there just watching her sit alone, or point and laugh at her like many other people did. He simply walked over to her and introduced himself like any normal person. This frightened Daelyn quite a bit, she wasn’t used to the kindness that the strange boy was giving off. Even from a first glance she had no intention to being his friend. Not now or ever, she didn’t trust him one bit.

Reading through this quote I realized that I understand Daelyn quite a bit. Trust does take time to regain if it has been broken so much. I pictured myself in her point of view, I would have done the same. If I was ever in a place of that harsh of bullying, that all your trust was taken away from you. I wouldn’t want anything to do with anyone. In conclusion Daelyn did learn to trust, and put faith into someone else. This took a lot of strength, and a lot of time. But to end up finding a way to trust this boy was huge for her. From this step she ended up making a new friend named Santana.

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Leave My Heart Out Of It 

 Author's Note: This is a poem that I wrote, which I will be stating all the figurative language in this poem.  

My Heart is in pieces,- Metaphor;  This sentence is not stating that the persons heart is literally in pieces, this means that they are heartbroken, and or full of sadness. Or if someone hurt them emotionally.

Bam! you crushed it with your words,- Onomatopoeia; Bam is the onomatopoeia because it is a word that sounds like an action taking place.

And my hope had been destroyed,- Hyperbole; Because your hope can’t completely be destroyed, it can only be brought down.  

But I won’t give up

And somehow break through

The walls that you have made, to keep me inside,- Imagery; This sentence shows imagery because it makes the reader imagine about being trapped inside walls.  

You were as strong as a bull,- Simile; Because I use the word as to compare to the person and the bull.

But I was as  fast as a mustang,- Simile; Because I use a mustang to state how fast, strong, and free I am.

I freed myself from your grip

so can’t hurt me anymore. 

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The Metal Box *Revised*

Author's Note: This is a point of view essay about the book The Maze Runner by. James Dashner. I will be explaining about  who's point of view this book is told from and how it sucks in the reader.

Imagine waking up in a scorching metal box having burning eyes watching your every move. Well that’s how the main character Thomas, from The Maze Runner by James Dashner felt, and I felt it just as he did because he was the narrator and the story was told from his point of view.  In the book The Maze Runner the main character Thomas, wakes up in a metal box in the year 2024 with the memory of his past life wiped. He is welcomed into a large, concrete area called the Glade, populated by a group of sixty or so teenage boys called "Gladers". The Glade is surrounded by massive concrete walls, beyond which lie an enormous maze. All Gladers have arrived the same way as Thomas: one every month with memories wiped. In the Maze Runner Thomas is the one telling the story and it is all told from his point of view.

One way that Thomas’s point of view influences how the reader feels and reacts to the story is pulling them into the story. By making them feel like they’re actually Thomas, going through fear, death ,and sorrow living inside a somewhat pit of despair. His point of view really influences me, because the fact that he is living his life in a “Jail cell” he still lives life to the fullest enjoying every bit of happiness that he has left. It influences me by making me feel what he does, like how he feels cocky and superior to everyone around him, it almost makes me feel as though I am as superior, and cocky as him.

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We listen carefully, to the sound of pounding on metal, a cry here or there. I remember the first time I was in that nerve racking box. I couldn’t see anything or anyone. My breathing labored feeling as though I was dying. The sound of the small box doors unlatching brought me back to reality. Soon enough a tall, bony boy, about 16 years old stretched out his body face full of terror but mostly sweat. He fell to the gravel, holding his stomach trying to get a grasp of fresh air. When he seemed to catch his breathe I brought my small meaty hand out to help the poor guy up. He gave me a frightened smile, his hand shaking as though he was dealing with a muscle spasm. “Scary huh?” I teased. He shook his head looking back at the metal box. “Wh-what is that thing?” he stuttered. I looked at the box slowly disappearing into the ground then back at the strange boy “That’s the box” His eyes grew wide. “But why did I come out of that?” I sighed wiping the dripping sweat from my forehead. “Everyone that is here came from that box, it is sort of like a portal. Taking you from your own home to this horrid place” I brought my hand out for him to shake it “The names Chuck, and yours?” He brought out his shaking hand grasping it gently “Thomas” he replied smiling softly. I jumped up and down laughing “Why don’t we be friends?”

If this story was put into Chuck’s point of view the readers would seem a little disappointed. Because in a story you want adventure, excitement, and bravery. Chuck on the other hand is a very ditzy character, being only thirteen you are unaware, and immature. They wouldn’t see how he could make it out of the maze, because it does take some street smarts, and skills which  Chuck doesn’t seem to have like Thomas does. Though towards the end of the story Chuck learns that bravery comes in time, jumping in front of Thomas before a bullet could go through his head killing himself for his best friend.

In The Maze Runner The narrator Thomas gives the reader a clear perspective on how it’s like to live life everyday in the Glade. From having his best, and only friend Chuck  taken away from him to falling in love with the only girl in Glade Teresa. He learns to deal with the loss of what was before

Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to, have loved at all. 

Author's Note: This is an essay on the Cause and effect on  the book Delirium by. Lauren Oliver.  

   Have you ever played poker? knowing that you have a great hand, but  you just keep thinking that someone else could have something better. The moneys out on the table and the chances you have to take and moves you have to make to win that money could potentially change your life forever. In the book Delirium  by Lauren Oliver lives a 17 year old girl Lena who is just a few months away from receiving a scheduled surgery for a cancer like sickness, “love”. Knowing of her mother’s death due to the love disease; she plans on receiving the surgery until she meets a boy named Alex and falls in love. Getting to know Alex caused a gain in trust leading to Lena running away with him.

Some reasons she trusted Alex or things that Alex had to do to make her trust him was that he spent time with her every second of the days they hung out.  Another reason is that he stood up for her when she was getting harassed by other boys pushing her around like some kind of animal, and lastly is when he kissed her on the cheek when Lena was having a not so great day he decided to steal a kiss to make her feel better.This and many other occurrences lead to her running away with Alex. This was the ultimate sign of her trust toward him due to her not getting the surgery and deciding to fall in love.

First the climax of the story was with Lena running away on a fast moving motorcycle,  When she left, her surgery meant nothing to her anymore, all the fears of what could happen left her thoughts replacing her worries with only happiness, and finally love. Not paying attention the two end up getting severely hurt from a terrible motorcycle accident into a wire fence that crosses between their town and freedom. Skin was ripped, and blood seeped their clothes dying them a deep red. They might have been hurt but they weren’t going to give up without a fight.

This type of journey through trust and love was also in the book But I Love Him by. Harper Collins. The character in the book goes through extreme lengths to find someone to love. Going through massive amounts of bullying from her self harm, and tons of trust issues, which caused her to have a hard time falling for someone. Just like in Delirium Lena, not only tries to fall in love she also risked her life for the one she loved, and learned to trust.

Lena was able to live her life happily with Alex because she was able to take that jump to freedom to live how she chooses, and to fall for that one she trusts, and finally learning to love.