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Brief bio of shel silverstein
Brief bio of shel silverstein
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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein The Giving Tree is a modern children literature written by Shel Silverstein, which is also one of his first successful piece of work. It is about an apple tree who always gives and gives and a boy who always takes and takes. This might be another story to read before bed times for the kids but however, it portrays so many things, from deforestation to modern society. Personally, I believe that The Giving Tree portrays the theme of selflessness versus selfishness, like the unconditional love a parent has for his or her child. "I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will be happy. And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. And the tree was happy." It might be hard for people my age, including me, who are fortunate enough to have parents taking care of us to understand the feeling of "happiness" that the tree has. Anyhow, I believe that our parents will understand the feeling of the tree within no time due to the unconditional love they always provide for th...
Knowles foreshadows the boys’ loss of innocence through the war, and their constant jumps from the tree. While getting ready for the war the boys practice and show off their skills on the tree by the Devon River. These jumps are done for fun yet the boys see them as a routine, something that has to be done. Knowles brings the theme of the loss of innocence in the novel for the first time by portraying Finny as the defender who gets the boys out of trouble by saying they had to jump out of the tree (22). This foreshadows how the innocence of the boys will be banished from themselves and their world. The tree also symbolizes the Forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Just like it is forbidden to eat the fruit, jumping from the tree was not allowed as well. By jumping from the tree the boys symbolically accept their loss of innocence, just like Adam and Eve accepted theirs.
Running Head: THE BEAN TREES. Abstract This book report deals with the Native American culture and how a girl named Taylor got away from what was expected of her as part of her rural town in Pittman, Kentucky. She struggles along the way with her old beat up car and gets as far west as she can. Along the way, she takes care of an abandoned child which she found in the backseat of her car and decides to take care of her.
The tree “swings through another year of sun and leaping winds, of leaves and bounding fruit.” This sentence evokes images of happiness and serenity; however, it is in stark contrast with “month after month, the whip-crack of the mortgage.” The tone of this phrase is harsh and the onomatopoeia of a “whip crack” stirs up images of oppression. The final lines of the poem show the consequences that the family accepts by preserving the tree—their family heritage. When the speaker judges the tree by its cover she sees monetary value, but when she looks at the content in the book she find that it represents family. Even though times may be tough for the family, they are united by memories of their ancestors.
"Children of the Forest" is a narrative written by Kevin Duffy. This book is a written testament of an anthropologist's everyday dealings with an African tribe by the name of the Mbuti Pygmies. My purpose in this paper is to inform the reader of Kevin Duffy's findings while in the Ituri rainforest. Kevin Duffy is one of the first and only scientists to have ever been in close contact with the Mbuti. If an Mbuti tribesman does not want to be found, they simply won't be. The forest in which the Mbuti reside in are simply too dense and dangerous for humans not familiar with the area to enter.
Lois Lowry's The Giver There is a lot of controversy on why the book "The Giver" was named "The Giver". Many different views are expressed in the piece which gives many different reasons for the name.
“What happened ten years ago?” Jonas asked. The main character in Lois Lowry novel, The Giver is Jonas, who lives in a Dystopian Society. The problem he forces is that he realizes that the community is hiding many secrets such as what release truly is. During the course of the story Jonas became conscious of what his community is doing to his life. Jonas inherited many different types traits, learning many life lessons and enduring horrible secrets from the community. He thoroughly shows that he was proud of what he is accomplishing such as becoming receiver, sympathetic toward the cruel tactics of releasing the innocent or the guilty, and curious to know how his life is going to change after being presented with his job in the society.
What is in the spring of your life if the spring of a life refers to your first twenty years in your life? The Bell Jar, a semi-autobiographical novel by Silvia Plath, describes Esther Greenwood’s harsh spring of her life. Narrating in the first person, Esther tells her experience of a mental breakdown in a descriptive language, helping the readers visualize what she sees and feel her emotions. The novel takes place in New York City and Boston during the early 1950s when women’s roles were limited to domesticity. The repression of women’s roles in the American society during the 1950s and other influences such as her lack of confidence, her hesitance, her mother, and her feminist point of view seem to affect her mental breakdown.
One is often enticed to read a novel because of the way in which the characters are viewed and the way in which characters view their surroundings. In the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Esther Greenwood is a character whose "heightened and highly emotional response to events, actions and sentiments" (Assignment sheet) intrigue the reader. One of her character traits is extreme paranoia that is shown in different situations throughout the novel. As a result of this, she allows herself to be easily let down, as she believes that all events that are unsatisfactory are directed towards her. Finally, it is clear that she attempts to escape this notion by imagining an idyllic yet impossible life that she envisions in remote circumstances. It is clear that Plath's creation is a Novel of Sensibility as her writing not only possesses all of the qualities associated with this genre, it also effectively takes the reader into the story with the protagonist.
In the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, the author makes it clear through the main character Jonas that freedom and safety need to find an equal balance. Lowry shows the importance of deep emotions and family through Jonas. Jonas becomes the new receiver of memory and learns about the past. He also learned about the way it was when people knew what love was. Jonas’ father releases newborn children because they don’t weight the correct amount of weight or they don’t sleep well through the night. Release is a nice way of saying kill; the people of the community don’t know what kill means. They don’t have the freedom to expand their vocabulary. Lois Lowry makes it clear that safety has a negative side and you need that you need freedom to have a high functioning community.
On January 14th of 1963, Sylvia Plath had finally completed The Bell Jar after approximately two years of writing. This novel could have been considered a partial autobiography, because the main character Esther Greenwood eerily represents Sylvia Plath. There are a number of references to Plath’s real life throughout the book, too many for it to be considered a mere coincidence. Within the story, Esther Greenwood considers and attempts suicide quite frequently. Could this novel have been foreshadowing Sylvia’s death, which took place a little less than a month after?
Janie and the Pear Tree in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
In the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, the receivers are the only people who have feelings and memories. The elders are the people who choose what the best is for their people in the community and sometimes they go to the receiver for help on making the right decisions. The people from the community do not see color, or have freedom on making a decision for them. There is no love, feelings, and grandparents. Jonas is assigned to be the next receiver of the community; He was trained by the giver, who transfers memories of the pain and pleasures of life, who also shows him the truth and reality that is hidden to the community. Jonas’s community does not represent the ideal of society because there are no choices or distinctions between men and women. This people from the community are assigned to a role in the community, where they do it until they are old and sent to the House of the old and wait for their release.
In “The Tree,” the speaker talks to a tree and express thanks for its “delightful shade” (1). The speaker goes on to talk of the others who benefited from the existence of the tree and gave it something back in return, such as the birds singing, travelers praising it’s welcome shade, and nymphs making crowns from its blooms. The speaker wonders what she can do to repay the shade given her by the tree. She decides to wish something for the tree’s future. She wishes, “To future ages may’st thou stand / Untouch’d by the rash workman’s hand” (19 – 20). Ultimately, she wishes something such as “some bright hearth” (32) be made from the tree at its death.
The Christmas tree, a festive object meant to serve a decorative purpose, symbolizes Nora’s position in her household as a plaything who is pleasing to look at. Ibsen’s use of the Christmas tree is portrayed throughout the play. The Christmas tree symbolized Nora’s feelings. In the First act there is a festive tree with “pretty red flowers” and Nora comes in the house carelessly. Nora’s mood is festive and tree gives a merry glow to the reader. At the end of act 1, Nora has been threatened by krogstad that if she doesn’t help him keep the job, he will tell Torvald about the illegal loan. Torvald on the other hand believes that Krogstad “forged someone name” and will be fired. So in act II, the tree is striped of his ornaments. In the act the tree is dropping along with Nora’s Hope and Happiness. The tree helps the reader fell the anxiety of Nora’s feelings. A Christmas tree itself is a symbol for joy so that is why it is used. Through all times and even in the bible trees and flowers have been a subject of wonderment; a symbol of life, that is why Ibsen uses this as a symbol of Nora’s feelings.
Trees are usually considered as bland, unusual objects that are usually taken for granted; however, I believe there is more to a tree that meets the eye. They supply oxygen and shade. During the holidays, trees are able to spread holiday cheer by wearing holiday decorations. Through providing, they are always beneficial to the needs of others. Rather than having striking beauty like a flower, trees have are grounded and possess a gentle beauty; they are adapted wildflowers to their environment. In fact, if I had to compare myself to an inanimate object, I would choose a tree. A tree has many characteristics in common with me. Characteristics like relying on our roots, strength and observation, and helping others and leaving behind a powerful legacy are a few of the traits we share. All of which I believe are admirable qualities to possess.