Inner Flame - Original Writing
I wish it would just stop. Stop crying. Its large eyes are constantly
following me, wherever I go, lying in its cot, bawling away. I'm too
frightened. I can't pick it up. My hands keep quivering every time I
go near him. What if something terrible happens? It feels as though
history is repeating itself. The same year old baby, the same
behaviour, and the same day of the week…
Wednesday night, was always the best night of the week for me. It was
babysitting night! It loved it, especially in the summer, as I could
take them out to play. I had been given the responsibility of looking
after young kids and babies, whereas others weren't trusted. I felt so
grown up! Their soft skin, little scampering feet, and innocent eyes
enchanted me; it was just like watching little angels. The baby that I
regularly watched was called Jacob. He was the sweetest thing! His
chubby little arms and legs constantly reminded me of the segments of
a caterpillar. It was a big treat to have this sense of trust from
others. I never forgot to feed the baby and always soothed him off to
sleep. I was always there for him.
I just can't find the courage in myself to look after my son, after
what happened. The fear is tearing me apart. Even the paintings on the
wall look as though they are umpiring my every move, looking at what a
bad mother I have become. This is all because of that one night.
Babysitting.
The ritual was always the same. The sun would set, like a half eaten
pizza, bringing out the orangey pink colours. After school, I would
skip to Jacobs's house, energized and ready to baby-sit. I would go
into their fire lit room, which was full of warm glowing colours. The
parents left and I was left alone. We were both having a great time,
messing about with all of his toys, enjoying our food together and
even when I was putting him to sleep.
Jack London had already established himself as a popular writer when his story "To Build a Fire" appeared in the Century Magazine in 1908. This tale of an unnamed man's disastrous trek across the Yukon Territory near Alaska was well received at the time by readers and literary critics alike. While other works by London have since been faulted as overly sensational or hastily written, "To Build a Fire" is still regarded by many as an American classic. London based the story on his own travels across the harsh, frozen terrain of Alaska and Canada in 1897-98 during the Klondike gold rush; he is also said to have relied on information from a book by Jeremiah Lynch entitled Three Years in the Klondike. Critics have praised London's story for its vivid evocation of the Klondike territory. In particular, they focus on the way in which London uses repetition and precise description to emphasize the brutal coldness and unforgiving landscape of the Northland, against which the inexperienced protagonist, accompanied only by a dog, struggles unsuccessfully to save himself from freezing to death after a series of mishaps. Involving such themes as fear, death, and the individual versus nature, "To Build a Fire" has been categorized as a naturalistic work of fiction in which London depicts human beings as subject to the laws of nature and controlled by their environment and their physical makeup. With its short, matter-of-fact sentences, "To Build a Fire" is representative of London's best work, which influenced such later writers as Ernest Hemingway.
The night was tempestuous and my emotions were subtle, like the flame upon a torch. They blew out at the same time that my sense of tranquility dispersed, as if the winds had simply come and gone. The shrill scream of a young girl ricocheted off the walls and for a few brief seconds, it was the only sound that I could hear. It was then that the waves of turmoil commenced to crash upon me. It seemed as though every last one of my senses were succumbed to disperse from my reach completely. As everything blurred, I could just barely make out the slam of a door from somewhere alongside me and soon, the only thing that was left in its place was an ominous silence.
Jack London's To Build a Fire. In his short story entitled "To Build a Fire," Jack London portrays a. bitter conflict between man and nature. The nature of this story is the harsh environment of the Yukon Trail. London chose to use nature as the antagonist, almost as a force working against the main.
Sometimes following your own instinct will steer you wrong. The man in “To Build a Fire” was a new comer on the land of Chechaquo, and his first real winter. Let’s focus on the conflict of man vs nature and the two forces. Who will win man or nature?
The World Lit Only by Fire, written by William Manchester, is book based on the middle/ medieval ages. Early into the book, Manchester writes, “Was the medieval world a civilization, comparable to Rome before it or to the modern era that followed? If by civilization one means a society which has reached a relatively high level of cultural and technological development, the answer is no” (15). The author’s opinion is clear; he does not believe that the medieval ages ever achieved the title of a civilization.
I had to find somewhere to hide. If I didn’t, I would be caught. I
The author while traveling through the country side early in the morning chanced to meet a family who had fixed their tent down in a valley. He saw a young woman with a baby in her arm, cooking at a cracked, rusty and old iron stove. The writer observed the lady’s movements with great vigilance. He was inspired by the way she was doing her work and at the same time handling the child with absolute ease. The orange fire peeking out of the cracked stove made reflections on the tent which were quite appealing for the author. The author moved towards the stove to warm himself.
The story I will be analyzing and evaluating in my essay is To Build A Fire by Jack London. Jack London was a man who struggled much early in his life and he drew upon those harsh experiences in his writing. Though his life had a difficult beginning, Jack aspired to make a better man of himself and after great tribulation made his mark as an incredible writer. The following is an analysis and evaluation of what I think is one of his more intriguing stories.
and be able to see further than my nose. But, as I spun around, my
In this section we find the relationship between mother and son the very epitome of maternal union. Their bonding takes place in a form that most children can remember from the early part of their lives. The act of storytelling is a wonderful part of growing up. Before the invention of reading and writing, people struggled to survive against nature, animals and other humans. This poem is a good example of this basic need to survive by using whatever resources you have to keep alive. To survive, people developed skills that grew into cultural and educational patterns. This idea is present when we read the part about the severity of that winter and the mother and son burning up their furniture to stay warm. The boy's mother is teaching him that you can use the wood in the furniture to use in the fire. That is an important lesson that a parent can pass down in order to insure the survival of their offspring. It teaches a lesson that a child would not otherwise know and can be used again and again to help future generations.
in his vast hand. He then flicked the boot lid up with ease. Then the
of the men of the village had gone for the safety of their local pub,
I stand, accepting the screams of my father as he releasing all his anger into me, “Bu-,” I choke out to only be cut off, he grabs my wrist and dragged me to my room where he shoves me in and shuts the door. I go to my bed, I fall into the cushions down, tears softly falling down my cheeks. He doesn't care what I’m doing, he never does. I looked up at the time, it is 6:00pm, the sun is just falling below the horizon, the golden orange sky lay dormant, dark clouds hang overhead...
In "Hanging Fire", Andre Lorde writes the poem that sets a tone in motion. As the audience reads the poem, they can feel as if the poem is in their thoughts. She discusses the physical, emotional, and mental turbulence of adolescence. She also continues to point out how adolescents gets or feels when they have been neglected, judged, alienated, and pressured by the people around them. Therefore, she captures her audience attention by using tone and personification.
I arise to the sound of bluebirds singing a sweet melodic tune outside of my bedroom window. I stretch and yawn as my maid, Clara, comes rushing into the room. As Clara pulls open the curtains sunlight illuminates my room and reflects off of the tiny dust particles floating around, making them look like starlight. I could just sit here in this tranquil place and watch life go by me forever. Unfortunately I cannot. I sit up and watch Clara as she runs around the room in an unorderly fashion picking up clothes and jewellery I flung across the floor last night. I came storming in here utterly frustrated at Mother and Father after the discussion we had after dinner and and how I am old enough now to be accepted into society and find a husband.