A long time ago, in the middle of the nineteenth century, there lived a very large lumberjack named Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan was a very large person, and it took five big storks to deliver Paul to his parents. He lived in a huge forest, and he was a citizen of the nearby village of Bangor, Maine. Paul loved where he lived because he loved to chop down big trees with his big ax. He was usually unaware of his surroundings, so he often knocked down a lot of trees on accident.
One day, Paul’s parents told him that his parents were going on vacation, and that their family friend, Johnny Corn, was going to take care of Paul. This didn’t bother Paul because Johnny Corn owned a lumber business, and Paul loved chopping down trees for Johnny. However, Johnny was a short-tempered, selfish man who loved getting what he wanted.
Early the next morning, Paul’s parents left, and Johnny Corn came to watch Paul. Johnny Corn had to work that day, so he brought Paul into Bangor, and let Paul watch him work. Johnny let Paul work with him because they were chopping down the trees around “The Big Tree”...
When Johnny was first looking for a job, he thought he could go to the Lytes and ask for some money. Johnny thought it was his last resort and became dependent on the fact that
Irving, Washington. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The American Tradition in Literature. Vol 1. Eds. George Perkins, et al. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990: 544-563. 2 vols.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820) by Washington Irving is a classic American tale that has evolved in contemporary media throughout the years. Irving has exemplified traditional American folklore in his characterization of Ichabod Crane, the protagonist of the tale. Ichabod Crane has remained an integral part of the tale in American contemporary media, being interpreted differently in both the film Sleepy Hollow (1999) and the television adaption Sleepy Hollow (2013). Ichabod Crane has evolved just as the story has, evolving from a fear-riddled schoolteacher to a dashing, revolutionary, time traveling hero, and throughout these adaptations he remains an exemplification of American folklore.
The small, grim town of Sleepy Hollow does not seem to welcome the company of an outsider. Only the Van Tassels seem to show any signs of relief in having someone to help solve the case of the recent murders. Baltus Van Tassel, a wealthy farmer, has grown to become the town’s council, banker, and landlord. He, along with a few colleagues, explains to Crane whom the real murderer is: the Headless Horseman. As history tells, the horseman was a brave warrior who fought his enemies by slashing off their heads. He was finally slain in the western woods of Sleepy Hollow, only to have his head cut off by his own sword. After twenty years buried in those woods, the spirit has awaken, cutting off heads wherever he may find them....
To what extent do the belief systems in The King of Trees act as a means of enforcing societal norms?
He began to boast and embellish the story of what actually happened in that moment. He became seemingly selfish, and self absorbed doing only what would advance him in the society. After the small infraction of lying about this event, he brought John and his mother from their home, only to use them for personal gain and blackmail. These moments reveal that he is not so much about defining himself as an individual but more about conforming. That he did, becoming calculating and cold for self-gain.
Paul in “Paul’s Case” wanted to get away from the reality and the hostile environment he faced. He was sick of Pittsburgh and the middle-class, Cordelia Street, which he lived on. Although his mother past away, his home life was as normal as could be. This is something Paul hated, normality. At school he would tell other students false stories to try to make his life seem more interesting than theirs. This ultimately caused none of the other students like him, even the teachers lash out at him. Paul was suspended from school, but he didn’t mind. He found an interest in music and in art, although he knew his father would not approve. Paul’s father wanted him to be a business man, have a normal family and have an ordinary life. Although, having a normal, ordinary life was not what Paul had in mind for his future. He dreamt of much more which caused him to believe he would never get his father’s approval.
Nicky’s father took his son out with the intention of having him look for a pumpkin and bringing it back home. Not at all did he suspect to encounter anything more but indeed he did. Nicky and his father went looking for a pumpkin at as place that he describes as “a piece of land so devoid of life and interest that from January to October, I’m certain, no one sees it at all”.
Throughout the course of his lifetime, Ah Cheng experienced major political and historical events that strongly influenced his literature. The Cultural Revolution and rule of Mao Zedong was widespread throughout China starting in the 1960s, and devastated millions of families. Cheng took a different approach to much of the literature ("scar literature") that emerged from the revolution, and instead of focusing on the detrimental effects, chose to use his literature as a way to point out the flaws of the revolution. These counter-revolutionary ideals are subtle but evident throughout The King of Trees, as the political chaos creates a backdrop in the novella, rather than the central focus. They can especially be seen through the use of abundant metaphorical elements. By showing the effects of the “down to the countryside movement”, a major reform under the rule of Mao Zedong, Cheng is able to provide a commentary on the Revolution through his characters and the setting as well. Throughout The King of Trees, Ah Cheng reveals his political views towards the Cultural Revolution through his use of symbolism, and his descriptions of the characters and the setting.
He is constantly belittled and abused by the adults in his life. In the scene about halfway through the movie, John acts out some of the behavior of his parents calling him any and every foul thing but his name, when Andrew expresses his disbelief, John shows him his scar from a cigar burn he received for "spilling paint in the garage."
In the beginning of the story, Paul seems to be a typical teenage boy: in trouble for causing problems in the classroom. As the story progresses, the reader can infer that Paul is rather withdrawn. He would rather live in his fantasy world than face reality. Paul dreaded returning home after the Carnegie Hall performances. He loathed his "ugly sleeping chamber with the yellow walls," but most of all, he feared his father. This is the first sign that he has a troubled homelife. Next, the reader learns that Paul has no mother, and that his father holds a neighbor boy up to Paul as "a model" . The lack of affection that Paul received at home caused him to look elsewhere for the attention that he craved.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential
Leon Forrest authored a unique and challenging novel, titled: A Tree More Ancient than Eden, which depicts Nathaniel Witherspoon 's quest for understanding his African American identity. This novel is very different from the traditional narratives that typically flow chronologically; this novel flows through the narrator in a stream of conscious thoughts. Forrest’s novel moves from one incident to another, jumping around in history while carrying around the descriptions of mystical, biblical, and historical events. Through the narrator, the author explores the African American experience and addresses the issues of race that conflict with the narrator. In this essay, I will be discussing how the novel deals with the past, how the author addresses
Paul, the child, knew that his family wanted money, and he knew that he was lucky, betting on the horses. Paul became partners with the gardener. He picked the horse, and the gardener placed the bet. Paul had started out with five shillings but his winnings kept adding up. When he had made 10,000 pounds he decided to give his mother 1000 pounds a year for five years. He wanted his winnings to be a secret so a lawyer handled the money. Paul saw the envelope from the lawyer and asked his mother if she had received anything good in the mail. She said "Quite moderately nice" (p. 168) in a cold voice. She liked getting the money, but she wasn't happy. She wanted more.
When the storm was over he set out to find his great-grandfathers farm. He found some of the old foundation and the carved name on a tree and knew he was on the family compound of his dreams not terribly far from his soon to be home in the Hemlock tree.