Puritan Writing

The writings of Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet are filled are filled with evidence of Puritan ideals.  Mary Rowlandson was the wife of a reverend in the town and her writing showed that her religion was very important to her.  In spite of being captured by Wampanoag Native Americans, she was not afraid and refuses to withhold her belief that no matter what happens, God will always be there and will protect and provide for her. Rowland was under a significant amount of stress during this book, but when her distress or worries came she would take them to God, saying that He is in control.  Quoting Psalms she writes, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Rowlandson 3).  Another quote which reveals her patience and strong beliefs comes from Exodus, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Rowlandson 3).  Mary is a rather unusual but interesting character.  Many people faced with her situation might blame God for allowing it to happen to them.  But Mary was not this way.  She would in the midst of her suffering praise God for his great mercy in her life.  After the death of her child, Anne wrote, “I have since then thought of the wonderful goodness of God to me, in preserving me so in the use of my reason and senses in, that distressed time that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own life” (Rowlandson 2).  Losing a child is a time of great sorrow, but she was able to see that even though it seemed like her life was falling apart, God was still and always would be there. 

            The other writer, Anne Bradstreet, also used her religion as a refuge when bad things happen.  In the story, Anne’s house burns down, but she is neither angry nor afraid.   Imagine having your house burned down before your eyes.  Would you be nervous or angry that it was your house that was destroyed?  These may be the ways that many people would react to such a tribulation, yet Anne reminds the reader that everything belongs to the Lord.  The house that burned to ash was not Anne’s but rather it belonged to God who had allowed for her to use it.  She wrote, “I blest his name that gave and took, that laid my goods now in the dust.  Yea, so it was, and so ‘twas just.  It was his own, it was not mine” (Bradstreet 1).  She had no need to worry about where she would live or how this event would affect her life.  Whatever happens, she knew that God would provide for and be gracious to her. 

            These two writings reveal how Puritans felt about God.  They constantly trusted Him, knowing that they will face tribulations, but He will be there to see them though.  They have no need that will unmet.  Although Mary was taken captive, she was later released.  Anne’s house may have burned down, but she had faith that the Lord would provide for her through this time.

Glencoe. American Literature. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. Print.

The Reward in Helping Others

Once there lived a cheetah named Jade who lived in Africa.  She was all alone, everyone in her family had gone away or died.  The loneliness did not bother her much, though.  In fact, Jade rather enjoyed being by herself and feeling free.  She was an excellent hunter and that was all that mattered to her.  One day while roaming through the safari, Jade comes across a lion cub all by himself.  She asks the cub why he is all alone and he told Jade that a group of humans came and snatched him while his mother was gone and his father was asleep.  The humans managed to take him a distance before he was able to escape the capture.  Now he has no idea where he is or how to get back home.  Also, being only a young cub, he is not yet an effective hunter and has gone two days without anything to eat.  Jade felt sorry for the cub and was able to emphasize since she was only a little older than the cub when her parents had died and she was left to fend for herself.  Jade decided to take the cub under her care.  After hunting, she made sure to leave plenty of food for the him.  In addition, Jade had a general idea of where the lions’ pride was located and she and the cub, Jefa, set out in search of the cub’s homeland.  After a couple of days, they stumble upon Jefa’s father and mother.  At first they thought that Jade had taken their son away from them, but upon being informed of the situation they expressed their utmost gratitude.  Jefa went to live with his family again and he said that someday in the future he hoped to make it up to Jade.  It came to pass that a few years later there was a food shortage as a result of a famine.  Jade searched and searched for something that she could eat to satisfy her hunger, but there was nothing.  Not long afterwards, she sees Jefa.  Jefa informs Jade that he has heard that there is a plentiful amount of food in a distant territory that would take several days to reach.  Jefa offers not only to escort Jade to the land but to accept her as part of the lions’ clan.  Jade, recognizing that being with others who are willing to provide support would be useful, accepts.  As a result of Jade’s kindness and concern for the once small cub, she was spared from dying of starvation.  

A Killer’s Poison

 Note:  The following is a mythical story; none of the described events are true. 

Long ago in the African country of Libya, there lived a king named Bomani.  Bomani had two sons, the eldest was named Abiodun and the younger was Babafemi.  During this time, Egypt was at war with Tunisia, one of the neighboring countries over land expansion.  The war had been continuing for several years now.  The Libyans were winning but the war was still not over yet.  Then one day, a Tunisian pretended to be on the Libyan side and from behind he shot Bomani with his bow and arrow.  One of the warriors had seen the man shoot his king and he in turn shot and killed the man.  But the damage was already done.  The king was dead.  His last words were, “Make Babafemi king after me.”  Babafemi, although the youngest son, he was also the king’s favorite.  Adiodun was well aware of his father’s favoritism for his younger brother.  Bomani would enjoy talking to Babafemi and always showed him kindness.  Adiodun, on the other hand, was talked to sternly, unappreciatively, and he never felt welcome in the company of his father.  All things considered, Adiodun always thought his father would never deny him his birth right as the first born and heir to the throne.  The years of mistreatment and prejudice had been silently concealed inside Adiodun’s heart, but this was the stroke that caused the outpour.  For the first couple of days, Adiodun was devastated.  Soon the war would be won and he would be credited with the victory and presented with priceless jewels and other precious resources from the land…if he were the king.  After thinking over what had happened for a few days, Adiodun decided what he must do…he must kill his brother and claim the throne and riches for himself. 

            Several days later, Adiodun pretended that he had been sent from the commander to report the full and unconditional surrender of the Tunisian people.  Babafemi trusted his brother, for he was always kind and honest to him when growing up.  Adiodun asked the king if he would like a drink in celebration of the news.  Babafemi agreed.  Adiodun then went to the serving room and poured a drink for his brother the king, mixing in portions of arsenic until it could not be detected.  When he returned and gave the king his cup, as well as one for himself, they toasted to the future of the country and its prosperities.  Within twenty-four hours Babafemi was dead from “natural causes”.  After his brother’s death, Adiodun was next in line for the throne.  He put the war in full gear and within a couple of months the Libyans had won.  The king was pleased to be regarded so highly by his people and even more pleased by the land and goods that had been conquered.  Everything was going just the way he had hoped.  No one knew about his dirty scheme, at least so he thought.  The Almighty had seen what Adiodun did and knew what was in his heart.  He said, “With poison you killed your brother for power, greed, and goods, but now this poison shall be used against you.  For those who live by the sword must surely die by the sword.”  Years passed until Adiodun was outside walking one day when he came upon a rather large snake.  Up until this time, snakes were not poisonous and nearly harmless to humans.  But God had caused the snake to have fangs which contained deadly poison, the arsenic to any victim.  Adiodun stood for a moment staring at the beautiful snake and he considered reaching down and feeling it.   Then, all of a sudden, the snake leaped forth and bit through Adiodun’s heel, releasing its poison.  Adiodun was dead.  The snake, an animal characterized as being deceptive, is an irony of Adiodun who deceived his brother into believing him and drinking the poison which lead to his death.  The moral of this story is to not be greedy for what you do not have but rather be grateful for what you do and to not kill an innocent person.  

Favorite Characters and Favorite Overall Book

Each of the books that I read was special in its own way.  Fahrenheit 451 warned against censorship and the dangers of technology and media taking over society.  Catcher in the Rye elaborated on how out of place teenagers can feel being in-between the child and adult stage of their lives.  The Moon is Down points out that many wars do not have a good and bad side but simply one force against another.  It also shows that the peoples’ will always prevails.  The Old Man and the Sea teaches that when disappointments come, it is important to let them go and to move on to the next day with hope. 

            My favorite character from Fahrenheit 451 was Clarisse.  I love how she was always so cheerful, did not mind being different from everyone else, and would talk to people without being so judgmental.  From Catcher in the Rye, I can sympathize with Holden about the hardships in growing up, but seriously, he takes it to an extreme.  Mayor Orden was a great character in The Moon is Down.  I admire his determination to serve the people and his bravery in the face of certain death.  Then, Manolin from The Old Man and the Sea has got to be one of the sweetest characters that has ever existed in the pages of a book.  His love for the old man, consideration, and willingness to go out of his way to help others is incredible. 

            While all of these books have great messages and characters, I would have to say that I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451 the most.  My favorite book of them, however would probably have to be The Old Man and the Sea.  While it was not the most enjoyable book while reading it, looking back I think that the message and examples shown by the characters are quite remarkable.  I am sure that if I were to read it for a second time it would be even more pleasant than the first.  Of the four I would say that the message of this book applies best to my life, as I am sure it would apply to the lives of countless other individuals as well.  Determination is a good thing and it can get you far in life.  If you stumble, though, do not let it get you down and just keep trying again, learning from your mistakes each time.    

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Universal Themes and Human Nature

One universal theme in The Old Man and the Sea is determination.  When a person wants something so bad, they will do just about whatever it takes to achieve that goal.  This was the case with Santiago.  He may have been an old man who considered himself down on his luck, but he told himself that on day eighty-five of trying to catch a fish, he will catch the biggest of them all.  He told the fish, ““Fish, you are going to have to die anyway. Do you have to kill me too?” (Hemmingway 34)  Santiago was willing to catch this fish or die trying.  Not only did he want to kill the fish for food but also for pride (Hemmingway 30).  This was the largest fish that the old man had ever caught and he estimated that it weighed at least fifteen-hundred pounds (Hemmingway 36).  After he had caught the fish, he used what was left of his energy to fight of multiple sharks until the only parts left of the fish were the head and some crumbs of meat (Hemmingway 45). 

            After having been at sea by himself for so long, Santiago began to lose his mind, which is another theme in this book.  Not only does he talk to himself in the boat, but he also talks to the fish and answers himself, even giving himself orders of what to do.  He compares his life to the life of the fish a few times and calls the fish his “brother” (Hemmingway 23).  He says, “You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother.  Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who.” (Hemmingway 35)  For a fisherman to not care if the fish kills him, it sounds like the old man has gone insane.  He has, however, been out at sea for several days with no company and not much tasty to eat. 

            Santiago shows signs of not wanting to become old.  I suppose if people had a choice many would choose to be young again.  He tells the story of how he went an entire day arm-wrestling with the negro from Cienfuegos before he finally pulled out enough strength to win (Hemmingway 26).   He dreams every night of being on the beaches of Africa with the lions (Hemmingway 8).  This brought him back to a time when he was younger and could go on expeditions better. 

            By reading this book, one can tell that the author understands, as Santiago put it, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (Hemmingway 38)  This means that a person can fail several times at something, like Santiago going eighty-four days without catching a fish, but his spirit and willpower can remain strong. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Timeless Message and Characters

The Old Man and the Sea has several important messages to be learned by reading it.  On the surface it may seem like it is just the story of some old guy that goes fishing, goes crazy, and talks to himself and the fish.  There is much more behind the story, though.  One lesson that appealed to me from this book is that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.  By going on this adventure, Santiago must have had a little more pride and confidence in himself that he was able to catch such a huge fish by himself, even if he did not return with it.

            Also, sometimes failure is better than success.  If someone is successful by luck, then he did not really learn anything and the reward will only last so long.  The same is true if someone fails and does not learn from it.  However, if a person learns from his or her mistakes and corrects them the next time, then he or she may be truly successful many times over.  One thought that goes through Santiago’s head while at the sea is, “But, he thought, I keep them with precision. Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” (Hemmingway 11) 

            The next lesson is that “Man is not made for defeat; a man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (Hemmingway 38)  This says that whatever a person tries to do he tries with all of his heart.  If he fails then he may have nothing to show for his perseverance, but his spirit is not defeated in the loss and he tries again.  This is the important moral to never give up. 

            Santiago is a good example of a timeless character.  First, he often thinks back to when he was younger and the experiences that he had.  Apparently this is common especially for people who are becoming more advanced in age.  Second, his determination to catch that one fish is a reflection of how hard many people work to achieve their dreams, but sometimes things do not work out the way they were planned.  When this happens, we must let it go like Santiago let the fish go. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Techniques

In writing The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway used several techniques to engage the reader.  Mystery was used a little bit, beginning when the narrator says that Santiago’s dreams were of lions on the beaches of Africa.  This makes the reader wonder why Santiago had been in Africa and why he liked the lions so much, but he is never descriptive on the subject.  The next mystery while the old man is fishing is “How big is the fish?” and “Will he end up killing the fish or will the fish kill him?”.  The answer to these questions is unknown to Santiago, and thus the reader, for several days.  While it was suspected that the fish was big, no one knew how big it really was.  

            Humor is also used to a certain extent in this book.  Personally, I found it amusing how the old man would talk to himself, answer himself, give himself orders, talk to the fish, and apologize for killing it after calling it his “brother” (Hemmingway 23).  This shows how when by themselves long enough, people can act a little crazy.  Santiago defended his actions by saying that, “If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” he said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care. And the rich have radios to talk to them in their boats and to bring them the baseball.” (Hemmingway 14)   The story would have been much less interesting if Santiago had not done any of the talking.  Regardless, I still think that it is funny how he would talk in such ways. 

            Symbolism is a key technique used in the story.  The old man compares the turtles to himself.  The turtles’ heart does not stop beating until hours after it is butchered.  After it seems that hope is gone for Santiago, he still keeps fighting and survives.  The turtles, also like him, enjoy popping the bubbles of the Portuguese man-of-war (Hemmingway 12).  Another symbolism is the marlin, which the old man identifies himself with.  He says that both him and the fish were desperate, thought it would be best to be in the deep water, had no help, hurt, calm, strong, confident, and strange for not being tired. 

            The final technique used is suspense.  One of the more suspenseful moments was when the old man had been venturing after the fish for several days and was feeling tired and faint.  Santiago may be strong, but no offense intended, who knew how many days he had left?  Another suspenseful scene is when shark after shark arrive for something to eat of the fish and Santiago tries his best to fight them off but is finally unable to. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Symbolism

The fish that Santiago spends days trying to catch, a fifteen-hundred or more pound marlin, is the next subject in this book with a symbolic connection.  Like the turtle, Santiago also compared the fish to himself.  One similarity that he mentioned is that he and the fish both went where each thought that he would be safe.  The marlin was in deep waters, away from the fishermen who would stay fairly close to the bay.  The old man went to the deep waters because for the first eighty-four days he had no success in the shallower waters and he needed to find a big fish that would support himself both financially and by the means of food- some days he only drank a cup of coffee (Hemmingway 10).  Also, neither one of them had any help (Hemmingway 18).  The fish, of course, did not and Santiago went fishing without Manolin that day.  Also, they would be together until one of them dies; Santiago had thoughts that maybe he would die before the fish.  The old man and the fish, in addition, were also both hurt.  Santiago noticed blood on the line, meaning the marlin was cut, and his hands had been cut, too.  He says, “You’re feeling it now, fish,” he said. “And so, God knows, am I.” (Hemmingway 20)  Santiago also calls the fish strange just as he calls himself strange.  “If you’re not tired, fish, you must be very strange.” (Hemmingway 25)  Finally, the old man calls the fish “calm, strong, and confident”.  Right after saying this he also says, “You better be fearless and confident yourself, old man, you’re holding him again but you cannot get line.” (Hemmingway 25)  It is clear by Santiago’s actions that although he is old, he is also quite strong. 

Lastly, Santiago, in a way, can come to symbolize a sort of Christ character.  He prays while he is fishing (Hemmingway 25), gets cuts on his palms (Hemmingway 43) (representing how Jesus was pierced at his palms), and when he eventually returns back on the island, he carries the mast across his shoulders (Hemmingway 45) (Jesus had to carry a cross across his).

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Santiago Character Description

Santiago is the protagonist in The Old Man and the Sea.  He is loving, kind, honest, and forgiving.  When other fishermen were making fun of him, he would not hold a grudge but rather would forgive them and forget all about it.  When Manolin brings him supper that came from a man in town by the name of Martin, Santiago was very grateful and said that he would give Martin the belly meat of a big fish (Hemmingway 6).  This is generous of his, especially considering that he has not caught a single fish for eighty-four days.  Some days the only nutrition he has comes from coffee.  He does not mind though, and he remains optimistic that eight-five will be his lucky day.  He is also very reflective and compares himself to the turtles and the marlin that he catches.  Santiago’s character also shows a good deal of determination.  After being at sea for several days by himself with little good food and not knowing how long he will be gone or even if he will return, Santiago still kept pursuing the giant fish, willing to die for it.  He also manages to stay strong enough to fight off multitudes of sharks.  “I’ll fight them until I die” (Hemmingway 43) he says.  The reader may question the old man’s sanity while out at sea because he talks to, answers, and commands himself in addition to the fish.  He, however, does not consider himself crazy.  “If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” he said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care. And the rich have radios to talk to them in their boats and to bring them the baseball.” (Hemmingway 14)  Santiago is seen as caring when Manolin says that he will help the old man when he goes fishing.  Santiago cares for this boy and wants the best for him so he tells him to stay with the “lucky boat” (Hemmingway 3).  Finally, in the face of disappointment at losing the biggest fish he had ever seen, Santiago is able to shake off the regret and move on with his life. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Manolin Character Description

Manolin is the boy from The Old Man and the Sea that was Santiago’s friend, perhaps his only friend, and protégé.  He had been fishing with Santiago since he was five-years-old.  Manolin could be described as polite, thoughtful, caring, and helpful.  He always offers to help carry some of Santiago’s equipment, go with him in the morning to help him get set up, and get anything that Santiago needed.  He was working with a different fisherman now and had no obligations to Santiago, but he loved and respected him and that is why he chose to go out of his way to help and spend time with the old man.  In addition to the character traits listed above, Manolin was also faithful.  A good example of his traits of politeness, thoughtfulness, helpful, and faithful can come from this passage, “‘I know you did not leave me because you doubted.’ ‘It was papa made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him.’  ‘I know,’ the old man said…‘He hasn’t much faith.’ ‘No,’ the old man said. ‘But we have. Haven’t we?’  ‘Yes, Can I offer you a beer on the Terrace and then we’ll take the stuff home.’” (Hemmingway 3)  A glimpse at the boy’s considerate nature can be seen when the old man is about to go without food one night before Manolin shows up with supper for himself and Santiago.  He says, “Come on and eat…You’ll not fish without eating while I’m alive.” (Hemmingway 6)  The boy is always willing to make sure that the old man has everything that he needs and is taken care of.  Manolin is everything that Santiago could hope for out of a friend and apprentice.  He does not do as he is told, he asks to help long before he would ever have been told or asked.  He is always thinking of the wellbeing of Santiago.  When Santiago returns from fishing and Manolin notices that his hands are cut, he leaves to get the old man some coffee and cries all the way down the road (Hemmingway 46). 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: History, Responsibilities between Groups, and Influences

As I stated earlier, this book reflects a little bit of history.  Santiago said that the New York Yankees were the best because in the early 1950’s when this book was written, they won the World Series several times in a row (New York Yankees).  His inspiration from the games, Joe DiMaggio, was a great centerfielder for the Yankees during that time (PBS).  In addition, arm wrestling (Santiago told a story of how he won an arm wrestling contest after an entire day and night) was becoming a popular activity as it spread around the country at many different locations.  Surrounded by ocean, Cuba is a good setting for the book since many of the people that live there fish.

            As far as relationships between groups in society go, the protagonist was by himself for most of the story, unless you count the fish of course, so there were not too many opportunities for the author to show his views of how social groups should relate with one another.  On the other hand, the boy’s relationship with Santiago showed much respect and love, as did the old man show to the boy.  This is likely to be how Hemingway viewed that people should treat one another.  When some of the other fishermen made fun of the old man, he did not take it personally and was not angry with them (Hemmingway 3).  Perhaps Hemingway also considered the best thing to do when someone treats you wrongly is to forgive them and move on with life so that what they said will not hurt you. 

            Upon researching, I discovered that Ernest Hemingway had actually traveled to Africa before (Ernest Hemmingway).  Santiago’s dreams of lions on the beaches of Africa were most likely inspired by this experience. By the way that he wrote about the lions in Africa, how he dreams of them each night, he probably enjoyed the experience. Also, Hemingway had once struggled to catch a huge fish that was at least a thousand pounds (Ernest Hemmingway).  Finally, Hemingway spent part of his life living in the island of Cuba, where the story took place (Ernest Hemmingway).    

"Arm Wrestling 101." Kidzworld. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2012. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/6501-arm-wrestling-101>.

"Ernest Hemingway." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Aug. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway>.

"New York Yankees." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Aug. 2012. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees>.

PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dimaggio/peopleevents/pande01.html>.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: History, Behavior, Social Issues, and Symbolic and Thematic Significance

I cannot think of a lot of ways that this book reflects history since most of the story takes place at the sea where the old man is either talking to himself, the fish, or sharks.  One of the ways that it does reflect history however is by its frequent mentions of baseball, which was America’s favorite pastime sport to watch, especially around the 1950’s.  Santiago says that the best team is the New York Yankees.  This is a reflection of the time period because the Yankees were having great seasons during this time, including winning the World Series consecutively from 1949 to 1953, one year after the book was published (New York Yankees).  The “great DiMaggio” that Santiago spoke of so often was a famous centerfielder for the Yankees (PBS).  Like the old man had said, Joe DiMaggio’s father was a fisherman off the coast of Sicily who sailed to the United States of America like so many others looking for opportunities for a better life (PBS).  Another reflection to history comes when Santiago recalls an arm wrestling competition that he participated in earlier.  Arm wrestling became more popular during the 1950’s and 1960’s as contest began to show up all around the country at taverns, fairs, and other places (Arm Wrestling 101). 

            The book reflects the behavior of the people when it says that many of the fishermen made fun of Santiago.  Others, especially the older ones, felt sorry for him.  This represents how, generally speaking, the older a person gets the more compassionate and caring he or she is. 

            One symbolic significance in the book is when the old man compares himself to a turtle.  The turtles’ heart continues to beat hours after it has been butchered (Hemmingway 13).  After eighty-four days of not catching a single fish, Santiago feels that he is unlucky.  Although his hopes may feel “butchered”, he still is alive and tries again the next day.  The old man also compares himself to the great marlin fish in several ways.  The significance of these comparisons is that the old man can express to the reader what kind of person he is as well as get a feeling that he is not alone in the world, even when the boy is made to work with another fisherman. 

"Arm Wrestling 101." Kidzworld. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2012. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/6501-arm-wrestling-101>.

"New York Yankees." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Aug. 2012. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees>.

PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dimaggio/peopleevents/pande01.html>.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Hero

Through his determination to catch the marlin, Santiago shows heroism by doing what no one else has done and what no one, except Manolin, thought that he was capable of doing.  There were two times when he caught fish that were a thousand pounds, but he always had others to help him (Hemmingway 23).  This time he was all alone and the fish was easily at least fifteen-hundred pounds.  For an old man especially he acted heroic by fighting to catch the fish no matter what happened. 

            I also think of him as a hero for saving himself.  He pushed past all of the pain of the cramps, cuts, and not knowing how long he would be out at sea.  This encounter with the fish and the sharks was very strenuous on him.  The narrator says, “Twice, though, he had felt faint and dizzy and that had worried him.  ‘I could not fail myself and die on a fish like this’.”  (Hemmingway 32)

            Santiago can also be considered the hero because after the fish was gone, he did not sink into despair. “He was past everything now and he sailed the skiff to make his home port as well and as intelligently as he could. In the night sharks hit the carcass as someone might pick up crumbs from the table. The old man paid no attention to them and did not pay any attention to anything except steering. He only noticed how lightly and bow well the skiff sailed now there was no great weight beside her.” (Hemmingway 45)  When he arrived to his the island again he did not show any signs of being angry or disappointed.  Instead of dreaming about trying to catch the fish, which would show that he has not quite let the matter go, he dreams of seeing the lions on the beaches in Africa (Hemmingway 48). 

            In the book, Santiago was described as caring, determined, and strong.  One word that describes him is courage.  He went far out into the ocean where no one else would go because it was too dangerous.  Then, when threatened by time and knowing what he was up against he was not scared but kept on going. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Conflict Causes, Gains, and Losses

The conflict in this book is Santiago’s fight to catch a huge marlin fish and take him to the island.  Santiago had gone eighty-four days without catching a single fish.  For some reason he felt that eighty-five was a lucky number and with the current being pleasant he would be able to catch a big fish (Hemmingway 4).  He decides to travel far out into the ocean away from the bay where the depth is significantly deeper (Hemmingway 10).  After letting several baits down into the water and waiting for several hours, he feels one of the lines being tugged with significant pressure (Hemmingway 14). 

            The first part of the conflict from this point is trying to kill the fish.  The trouble for the old man increases at several points such as when he cuts his hands a couple of times, waits multiple days before he even sees the fish that he caught, and he also becomes very timed but yet unwilling to sleep because he does not want anything to go wrong in catching the marlin.  He becomes so sore and tired that it is unclear if such an old man would be capable of even reeling the fish in.  The conflict also increases when Santiago seems to be losing willpower by thinking, “You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother.  Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who.” (Hemmingway 35)  Eventually Santiago kills the fish with his harpoon, but the conflict does not end there.  The fish was so big that it had to be tied onto the end of the boat.  Some blood was leaking out from an open wound inflicted by the harpoon.  During his journey back to the island, Santiago is forced to fight off and kill several sharks that come because they have smelt the blood.  Each time a shark comes and bites some of the meat off, some more blood is released into the water, which only attracts more sharks. 

            The conflict decreases only after the sharks have eaten all that was left of the fish except the head.  After most of the fish had been eaten by the sharks, Santiago gave up on trying to fight them off.  It is shown that Santiago is not sore about what happened and he let the matter go.  The narrator tells us in the end, “Up the road, in his shack, the old man was sleeping again. He was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. The old man was dreaming about the lions.” (Hemmingway 48)  The old man was peaceful when he was dreaming of the lions in Africa, and by not dreaming about the big fish it shows that he is at peace over what happened. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Author's Values and Attitudes

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, written from a third-person perspective, reveals several values and attitudes belonging to the author.  If Hemingway put any of himself in the story, he probably has a deep respect for life, not just humans but animals as well.  The protagonist, Santiago, made multiple references to the great fish being his “brother” (Hemmingway 22).  He tells the fish, “I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.” (Hemmingway 19)  He later says to the fish, “I am sorry that I went too far out. I ruined us both.” (Hemmingway 43)  Instead of referring to the ocean as el mar or an enemy he refers to it as la mar, meaning he loves it (Hemmingway 10). 

            Hemingway would also appear to value kindness.  When the boy tells him that the supper came from Martin, he said that he would have to show his gratitude by giving Martin some meat from the belly of a fish when he catches one.  Also, when the boy says that he wants to fish with him again, Santiago tells him to stay with the “lucky boat”.  He does not tell the boy, Manolin, this because he does not need his help.  On the contrary, during the time that Santiago went fishing, he wished that Manolin was with him to help at least five times.  This shows that Santiago really does care about the boy and wants the best for him. 

            It would seem that the author also believes in going after something with all of your heart.  He said out loud, “I could not fail myself and die on a fish like this, now that I have him coming so beautifully, God help me endure.” (Hemmingway 32)  He also complained about the dolphin that he caught and said, “What an excellent fish dolphin is to eat cooked, and what a miserable fish raw. I will never go in a boat again without salt or limes.” (Hemmingway 30)  Santiago had to endure several days with little rest, nasty fish, cutting his hands a few times, cramps, and sharks all to catch a fish.  He decided that he was going to catch the marlin and take it to Havana or die trying.  “Fight them,” he said. “I’ll fight them until I die.” (Hemmingway 43)

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Moon is Down: Who are the "bad guys"?

One point that I believe Steinbeck was trying to make in his book The Moon is Down is that there are not always good forces against bad forces.  People in general tend to view their side as the “good” side and whoever they are against as the “bad” side.  Really, both sides in opposition are fighting for what they believe in, whether it is their country, its leaders, the ideals, their family, etc…  That is why each side sees themselves as the “good guys” and the other force as the “bad guys”.  It may be common to view the defenders as good and the invaders as bad, but this book shows that many times the actual soldiers fighting the wars are not doing it to take over the world but rather because their country needed them and they were loyal.  Perhaps they did not agree with the leadership, but they did not want their country to be defeated now that it is already at war.  When the soldiers were discussing the war with each other, Tonder said, “‘I dreamed the Leader was crazy.’  And Loft and Hunter laughed together and Loft said, ‘The enemy have found out how crazy. I’ll have to write that one home. The papers would print that one.  The enemy have learned how crazy the Leader is.’”  A famous historical example of someone who fought for his country but was opposed to the the leader and his principles was Erwin Rommel.  An important aspect of this book is how John Steinbeck reminds the reader that every soldier in a war is just a human.  In order to create a break in the barrier of good and bad, he writes simple conversations between the soldiers that would be typical for any young men, regardless of what side they are fighting for.  He even makes them come across as humane, which is not what one would picture an enemy being.  Steinbeck shows that the soldiers are just ordinary people.  “Tonder looked in amazement at his hand and he felt his bruised face with his hand and he looked at his hand again and his head sank down toward the table. ‘I want to go home,’ he said.” (Steinbeck 52)  When one soldier suggested shooting a dog that barked too much and became bothersome, another replied, “Why? Let him howl. He sounds good to me. I used to have a dog at home that howled. I never could break him. Yellow dog. I don’t mind the howl. They took my dog when they took the others.” (Steinbeck 65)

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Universal Themes and Human Nature

One theme in The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck is democracy.  The small town that was invaded had elected officials whose job it was to govern and protect the people.  Even after the country was conquered the mayor insisted that the people will do as they please; he cannot tell them what to do nor can he fully predict how they will react.  When Colonel Lanser made a deal with the people to stop all attacks against the army in exchange for Mayor Orden’s life, the mayor did not try to plead with the people but rather told the colonel that the peoples’ willpower will prevail. 

            The next theme is overconfidence.  When the foreign army invaded the town they thought that the people were nice and that they would want to live there in the future.  Lieutenant Tonder told Colonel Lanser, “it’s a nice country, nice people…it would be a nice place to settle, I think.” (Steinbeck 26)   Matters get worse, however, for the army after Captain Bentick dies and Alex Morden is convicted of the murder.  The people now hold a new level of anger and distrust for the invaders.  Later, Lieutenant Tonder takes back his previous statement by saying, “These people!  These horrible people!  These cold people!  They never look at you…They never speak.  They answer like dead men.” (Steinbeck 48)  When the citizens of the town become armed with dynamite, they really begin to see how wrong their first impressions were.  Not only could the people make minimal attacks now but they could also cause fear to enter the enemy, making them anxious and restless.  Colonel Lanser told his men that after the dynamite they will receive grenades and then poison (Steinbeck 70).

Another theme is betrayal.  The people of the town had been betrayed by their long-time storekeeper, George Corell.  Corell had lent a sailboat to the town’s postman and policeman to go fishing for the day and he arranged a shooting competition to take place six miles away from the town for the local troops (Steinbeck 8).  Everyone trusted Corell so they never suspected that his motive was to allow easy access for the invading troops into the town.

 Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Timeless Message and Characters

The Moon is Down is a great piece of literature that not only explores what the conquered people go through in times of war, but also the invaders.  Often we as the readers sympathize with the defenders or the victims.  This book, on the other hand, is a reminder that all soldiers, no matter which side they may be on, are human and humans are all capable of feeling similar emotions.  The war may change what they are doing during that time period, but they still remain the same person inside that they were before the war began.  In a way, this book shows how pointless some wars can be.  Build bridges and they get blown up, conquer a town or country and the people rises up against you, and kill a worker for killing a soldier who was in charge of getting the mined coal to the rest of the army so they can kill more people.  The other side would do the same thing and this cycle makes the war go on. 

We still read this book because its message and characters are timeless.  One timeless character is Mayor Orden.  He is the type of person who will stand by his people through rain and sunshine.  He is loyal and kind-hearted but also believes in the spirit of freedom and that the peoples’ determination is stronger than any machine gun or army that would threaten them.  At the end of the story he is seen as self-sacrificing when he is willing to die in order that the people of his town may live free again (Steinbeck 81). 

Contrary to Mayor Orden, there is George Corell, the town shopkeeper.  Unbeknownst by anyone, he was actually working as some sort of a spy.  His job was to get all of the public authorities and troops out of the area for a day so that the invading army can march right in with little to no resistance.  There are traitors like Corell all around the world at any given time.

Another set of timeless characters are the invading soldiers, especially Prackle, Tonder, and Hunter.  Many times during their conversations they are talking about life back home.  Even the enemy is not always the war machine that we may imagine.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Techniques

In writing The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck uses several different types of techniques to get the reader more involved with the story.  One of these is mystery.  The very beginning of the story starts off with a mystery.  Where is the setting?  Who is the invading army?  When is this story taking place?  Steinbeck is not very descriptive of these details, leaving it up to the reader’s imagination to connect the dots.  I believe that the reason why he did this is so that the reader would not read the book with a feeling of prejudice over a group’s ethnicity but rather that he or she would understand the theme behind the story- soldiers are people, too.  Another mystery in the book is whether Lieutenant Tonder died or not.  It is later confirmed that he did.  The way that Steinbeck wrote this part of the chapter, “She looked at the table, and she saw the big scissors lying beside her knitting. She picked them up wonderingly by the blades. The blades slipped through her fingers until she held the long shears and she was holding them like a knife, and her eyes were horrified. She looked down into the lamp and the light flooded up in her face. Slowly she raised the shears and placed them inside her dress,” suggests that Molly Morden had killed him, but it never mentions the actual murder.  The final mystery that I noticed when reading this book is whether or not Mayor Orden dies.  Colonel Lanser said, “My orders are clear. Eleven o’clock was the deadline. I have taken hostages. If there is violence, the hostages will be executed.”(Steinbeck 81) The Mayor is supposed to be killed, but like Lieutenant Tonder, his death is not mentioned; the story ends before he is executed.   In the beginning of the story, Dr. Winters keeps telling Joseph that the invaders are a “time-minded people” so it is assumed that at 11 o’clock he and the other officials will be executed like promised.  The invaders think that by killing the top officials in the town they will be able to destroy the spirit of rebellion in the people, like it would for themselves, but the people of this town can rise up to be leaders when there is need (Steinbeck 77).   

            Although this is not a very funny book, there are a couple of comical lines, both in the beginning.  The first of which is Joseph being so precise about where the furniture was placed and how everything appeared.  “He wanted no levity, no rolling thumbs, no nonsense from furniture. Doctor Winter moved his chair a few inches from its appointed place and Joseph waited impatiently for the moment when he could put it back again.” (Steinbeck 9)  It was also amusing listening to how Mrs. Orden couldn’t decide whether to serve tea or wine when the invaders came in (Steinbeck 13). 

            The final technique used in this story is suspense.  One of the best examples of suspense from this book is after Alex Morden is killed.  It was interesting to see how the people would react to the first civilian murder in the town. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Soldiers and Citizens- Describe, Compare, and Contrast

The citizens in The Moon is Down are not described in full detail.  On all account, though, in the story they seem like a simple people who are usually pleasant.  They do take pride in their freedoms, however, and if they feel they have been treated unfairly then there may be violence.  This was first displayed when a miner rebelled.  Captain Loft tells the story: “Captain Bentick was about to leave to come here when I had some trouble about a recalcitrant miner who wanted to quit work. He shouted something about being a free man. When I ordered him to work, he rushed at me with his pick.” (Steinbeck 31)   After the people became angry with the invaders for killing the man as well as for other reasons, they were not quick to act but rather kept their anger built up inside of themselves.  When the right moment came, then they would attack.  Molly Morden waited to kill Lieutenant Tonder when it was dark and no one was around.  When dynamite arrived, the people would hide it and use it later. 

            The invaders are displayed differently in this book than they would be in many others.  They are actually given a heart and soul and made out in a way that the reader can actually consider them to be people.  Steinbeck is able to pull this off by using dialogue between the soldiers in which they talk about back home and they seem like any other young man, not a coldblooded killer like we would typically imagine.  One quote that expresses this view point comes from an unknown soldier who says, ““Why? Let him howl. He sounds good to me. I used to have a dog at home that howled. I never could break him. Yellow dog. I don’t mind the howl. They took my dog when they took the others.” (Steinbeck 65)

            The people and the soldiers are the same because they both want the war to be over so they can go back to their regular lives.  When either side fights it is for their country.  They are different though as well.  If the top people in charge of the invading country were killed, there would be no leader (Steinbeck 77).  But if the leaders in the invaded country were killed, then leaders would arise from the people (Steinbeck 77).

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

Fahrenheit 451: Montag Character Description

Guy Montag is the protagonist in Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.  In the beginning of the story he is a firefighter, and proud of it.  He felt like “It was a pleasure to burn.  It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.” (Bradbury 1)  His job made him happy and he was always smiling.  “It never went away, that smile, it never ever went away, as long as he remembered.” (Bradbury 1)  Just because he is a fireman in the story does not mean that he is a bad guy.  He befriended Clarisse McClellan when others thought that she was strange and did not want to be around her.  He later tells us that he did not feel like he had much of a choice in becoming a firefighter.  “‘Was I given a choice?’ he says, ‘My grandfather and father were firemen.  In my sleep, I ran after them.’" (Bradbury 24)  Montag never stopped to consider the impact of what he was doing by burning the books.  This is how he describes how he felt about his job, “You weren't hurting anyone, you were hurting only things! And since things really couldn't be hurt, since things felt nothing, and things don't scream or whimper, as this woman might begin to scream and cry out, there was nothing to tease your conscience later.  You were simply cleaning up. Janitorial work, essentially. Everything to its proper place. Quick with the kerosene! Who's got a match!” (Bradbury 17)  After meeting Clarisse McClellan, a teenage girl who is peculiar and always asks questions, Montag begins to question some things in his life for the first time such as if he is really in love.  Then witnessing the old woman die in the fire really gave him a wakeup call.  It is not as though Montag was insensitive, it just took him a long time to catch on to things.  When his friend Faber was in danger, he killed Captain Beatty to save him.  Throughout the book he is striving for something with quality.  He finally finds it in the books he reads, but mostly in his new friendships with Clarisse, Faber, Granger, Clement, Simmons, West, and Padover. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: History and the Symbolic and Thematic Importance

The Moon is Down does a good job of reflecting the history, behavior, and social issues of the time.  Although the conquered country and the invading force are not identified, it can be presumed that the setting was in Norway and the invaders were the Germans in World War II.  In real life, the German took over Norway on April 9, 1940 (About Norway April 9, 1940).  Steinbeck published the book in 1942, so it would have given him enough time to write the story.

            One behavior of the invaders that is mentioned is that life is insignificant.  Colonel Lanser tells Lieutenant Prackle, “You’re not a man any more. You are a soldier. Your comfort is of no importance and, Lieutenant, your life isn’t of much importance. If you live, you will have memories. That’s about all you will have.” (Steinbeck 73)  During war, soldiers are often only seen as numbers to win a battle instead of an actual individual. 

The people in the book are said to be hungry and there are a few passages to support this.  One soldier said, “It seems funny tome, though, that some people have dogs, and they don’t have even as much food as we have.” (Steinbeck 65)  Molly Morden said, “We are a conquered people, Lieutenant.  You have taken the food away.  I’m hungry.” (58)  A corporal said, “Couldn’t have dogs eating up food that was needed.” (Steinbeck 65)  In the story, the workers’ families were not fed unless they worked.  I have heard of instances in Norway during the Second World War when food was scarce.  These lines might be a reference to what was happening during that time in Norway. 

            When the invading force arrives in the town, they all seem rather excited.  This may be because they are happy that they were posted to a “beautiful and nice” (Steinbeck 26) town in Norway instead of elsewhere such as on the east front where it was more violent. 

            The story reflects the behavior and social issues of the time well.  The invaders, the Germans, believed that conquered people should do as they are told.  The people, however, were not accustomed to being controlled by a foreign country and they did not like having their freedoms restricted. 

            The symbolic significance of the title is a feeling of despair.  When the moon is down there is an absence of light and this creates a feeling of gloom.  Both sides in the story were feeling despair.  The citizens were upset because they had been conquered and did not like the way they were being treated.  The invaders were not doing so good either when the people began to make small attacks against them, killing some of the soldiers and making the others anxious and homesick. 

            The thematic significance of this book is that soldiers, even the enemy, are people too.  Sometimes when thinking of war, we forget that it is a human fighting another human.  The opposing side can get homesick, anxious, angry, etc. as can the soldiers on the “good” side.  There are not always good and bad sides.  Each side is composed of people fighting for what they believe is right, their country, their family, honor, or sometimes just to be in a war. 

"About Norway April 9, 1940." Norway April 9, 1940. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2012. <http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/norway-april-9-1940-a-t89475.html>.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: History, Responsibilities between Groups, and Influences

The Moon is Down is clearly involves a war.  By simply reading the book it is difficult to tell which war, but upon researching it is identified as World War II.  This is where he got his influence to write the story- from the events happening in Europe.  There are even a few references in the book to the Leader, which in German is “die Führer”.  Anyway, the book is representing the treatment of German occupied Norway.  It tells of how the German army came in initially enthusiastic and thinking that the people who occupied the town were very nice.  Eventually, however, those “nice” people turned against the army and began to put up a resistance.  Just like in the story, one export that the Germans were trying to get out of Norway was coal (NORWEGIAN WW2 HISTORY).  Also, as the story suggests, many supplies such as food were coming in short supply.  In addition, during the invasion of Norway, there was little resistance.  After a few short battles, Germany gained control of the country.  Like Steinbeck’s George Corell, countless Norwegians were found guilty of espionage; they were members of the Norwegian National Socialist Party.  Thirty people were executed for treason after the war was finished (NORWEGIAN WW2 HISTORY). 

            It is my opinion that John Steinbeck reflected his views on how a democracy and its people should relate to each other.  It seemed like Steinbeck believed that any elected official should, by definition of his post, protect and make decisions to the best interest of the people.  Instead of having Mayor Orden flee from the threat of danger, Steinbeck had Orden stay and try to negotiate with the invading army.  His talks would prove to have little benefit, but at least he made an attempt, which is all you can ask someone in his position to do.   Also, Steinbeck made the relationship between the invaders and the invaded into “do as I say” ordeal which is understandable since the country had been invaded.  I think that Steinbeck’s view, in contrast, was that even if a country is invaded, the spirits of hope and freedom cannot be broken so easily.  Steinbeck might have thought that even though they were conquered, the people still could choose to do what they felt was right.    

Streiker, Julius. "NORWEGIAN WW2 HISTORY." The 16. Mai Agreement. N.p., 1999. Web. 5 Aug. 2012. <http://www.thenewsturmer.com/norwegian%20ww2%20history/The%2016%20of%20May.htm>.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Hero

If I had to choose one person from the book to call the hero, it would probably have to be Mayor Orden.  He is portrayed as a kind-hearted man who believes that no price is too high for freedom.  He stands by the will of the people all the way up to his death (he does not actually die during the book, but it is known that he will be executed soon).  When the people were threatened, he stood up for them by telling the invaders that the people are used to freedom and and that they need to be treated fairly (Steinbeck 18).  The mayor also tried to plead for Alex Morden’s life when he was found to have killed Captain Bentick.  He told the enemy that since they had killed six men upon entering the town, then the soldiers who killed those six men should be killed in exchange for the life of Alex Morden (Steinbeck 39).  Mayor Orden was also the one who asked Tom to have the English send dynamite over so that the people can fight for themselves.  Finally, when he is told that if the people put up any more resistance he will be killed, he does not plead with the people for his life.  His last recorded words came from Socrates, which are, “Crito, I owe a cock to Asclepius, will you remember to pay the debt?” (Steinbeck 82)  By this quote I assume that he means to make the invaders pay for taking over the town.  Due to his uprightness, kindness, and eventually his death, Mayor Orden would be considered a tragic hero because he tries to save the people but he cannot save himself. 

            Another hero in this story is actually a collective group of people.  I would consider the citizens of the town to be, in a sense, heroes as well.  When they are first conquered, the people do not know exactly what to think and hardly anyone chooses to counteract the invading force.  Their guns are taken away and they are under the watchful eye of enemy soldiers.  While they may be silent and afraid to act at first, eventually they are able to gather up their courage to fight for their town and their country.  One event that significantly raises their morale is when dynamite is dropped on the land for them to use. One word that would describe the people is courage because it is hard to stand up to others who are armed and would not care if they were dead or alive.  They are traditional heroes because they try to save their day as well as that of their fellow countrymen.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Conflict Causes, Gains, and Losses

There are a few different conflicts involved in The Moon is Down depending on the reader’s point of view.  The issue that the citizens were facing was the occupation of invading forces.  No one wants their country to be invaded.  It means less freedom, freedom that the people are unwilling to let slip away.  One man, Alex Morden, killed one of the opposing soldiers after having been told to get back to work (Steinbeck 31).  The invaders, the book does not mention the setting or who the invaders are, come to the country because they have been given orders to get coal, which would have to come from an outside source.  This is the source of the peoples’ problems.  When the army shoots Alex Morden for the murder mentioned earlier, it creates tension within the people and behind the silence they are burning with rage.  Finally, one day the English fly over and drop dynamite for the people to use against their conquerors (Steinbeck 66).  This seems to take a hit on the army mostly because if a soldier is off his guard then he gets killed.  They cannot trust anyone, and so the tactic of the rebels appears to be to make the army fearful and to deprive them of sleep; no one is at full alert if he or she is over exhausted. 

            If you were to look at the invaders’ point of view, their conflict involved the way that the citizens were treating them.  There was a little strife in the beginning of their occupation; however it began to rise after the death of Alex Morden.  Then when the people became armed with dynamite, the soldiers would not know if the worker to their side was armed or not.  The army was hoping to stop all offensives by threatening to kill the mayor if there were any more attacks, but it did not work (Steinbeck 81).  The people were ready and willing to fight for themselves, their family, and their neighbors no matter what the price.  By the end of the story, the invaders are still in conflict with the people over control of the town.

 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

Fahrenheit 451: Clarisse Character Description

Clarisse McClellan is a very interesting character.  She is reflective, calm, cheerful, curious, and just plain different from other people.  She enjoys walking (especially in the rain), talking, and collecting butterflies, others enjoy racing in jet cars, going to fun parks, and watching the family (television walls).  “‘But most of all,’ she said, ‘I like to watch people. Sometimes I ride the subway all day and look at them and listen to them. I just want to figure out who they are and what they want and where they're going.’”  She was not interested in how something is done but why (Bradbury 28).  This was a new concept for Montag- questioning why things are the way they are.  This was Clarisse’s role in Fahrenheit 451, to open Montag’s mind to question things and to step outside of what the world expects of him.  The first thing that Clarisse made Montag question was whether he was truly happy.  When asked, Montag thought, “Of course I'm happy. What does she think? I'm not?”  (Bradbury 4), but when he got home, he realized that he is not happy.  Clarisse is also quite open and friendly.  She is the only person who shows any interest in actually listening to a person, such as Montag, and having a quality conversation.  There are not many people in the book’s society that are like her.  One quote that struck me as ironic is when Captain Beatty said, “You ask ‘Why’ to a lot of things and you wind up very unhappy indeed, if you keep at it.” (Bradbury 28)  It is interesting how Captain Beatty called her “very unhappy” when she was the happiest and most free-spirited person in the book.  She certainly seemed much happier than Mildred and the some people mentioned jumping off of a building in an effort to commit suicide…just saying (Mildred almost committed suicide with pills).  It is believed that Clarisse was hit by a car and died.  The people that killed her are some of the ones she was referring to when she said, “I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other.” (Bradbury 14)

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.

The Moon is Down: Author's Values and Attitudes

            One value that the author had in writing The Moon is Down is freedom.  It would be hard to imagine a person who does not value freedom, but John Steinbeck is certainly no exception.  When the invaders came into the country, the people lost some of their freedoms and that did not go well with them.   One of the civilians, Alex Morden, had enough when he was told that he must work.  He accidentally ended up killing one of the soldiers in a fit of rage and defended his actions by saying that he is a free man and does not like being told what to do (Steinbeck 42).  Another value that Steinbeck would seem to have is propriety.  When the invading army came in the town, instead of being angry or nervous about what would happen, Joseph and Mrs. Orden were anxious about how the furniture looked and whether the invading the invading colonel would prefer tea or a glass of wine (Steinbeck 13).  Colonel Lanser also asks Mayor Orden if he may sit down when he can do whatever he wants after invading the country (Steinbeck 39). 

            An attitude that Steinbeck seemed to have is that an invading force cannot expect to enter a country and have everyone be enthusiastic about their arrival, especially when some of their resistance died in the process.  Another attitude expressed through Mayor Orden which Steinbeck might have agreed with is that a civilian should not be punished for attacking one of the invading soldiers when they had killed several of the defenders.  The mayor said that the only fair way is to kill Alex along with the soldiers who killed the six members of the resistance.  The colonel, of course, would not hear of this and ended up convicting Alex for the murder.  A third attitude that I believe the author portrayed is that a good official represents and protects the people.  Mayor Orden is a fairly good example because he is not giving into the enemy.  He tries to save Alex and he dies bravely at the end of the story.  This story was written from a using a third-person perspective.       

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

Fahrenheit 451: Figurative Language

            A good author adds plenty of figurative language in his or her stories to make it seem more interesting and easier to imagine.  One type of figurative language used is similes.  Clarisse tells Montag that sitting and talking is “like being a pedestrian, only rarer” (Bradbury 4).  Montag describes Clarisse as, “She had a very thin face like the dial of a small clock seen faintly in a dark room in the middle of a night…How like a mirror, too, her face” (Bradbury 4), comparing her face to a clock and a mirror.   He also says about her, “What incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began.” (Bradbury 4) Another example is “He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back.” (Bradbury 5)  When Montag says that he wears happiness like a mask, the reader could imagine Montag wearing a happy mask but when he takes it off, the reader can see that it was only a disguise and his true self is almost an exact opposite. 

            The next figurative language is personification.  An example of this is, “Every night the waves came in and bore her off on their great tides of sound, floating her, wide-eyed, toward morning.  There had been no night in the last two years that Mildred had not swum that sea…” (Bradbury 5)  This was clever.  The waves, literally sound waves and figuratively water waves, carried her away until the morning.  Another example is, “As he stood there the sky over the house screamed.” (Bradbury 6)  This is personification because houses cannot scream.  Montag was referring to the loud sound that the jet-bombs made which were in the sky and would have sounded similar to a scream.

            Another type of writing that Bradbury uses is paradox.  Montag says, “The room was not empty” (Bradbury 5), referring to Mildred physically being there, but then he says, “The room was indeed empty” (Bradbury 5), indicating that Mildred’s mind was somewhere else.

            Bradbury uses repetition as well.  At one point, Montag thinks, “One drop of rain. Clarisse. Another drop. Mildred. A third. The uncle. A fourth. The fire tonight. One, Clarisse. Two, Mildred. Three, uncle. Four, fire, One, Mildred, two, Clarisse. One, two, three, four, five, Clarisse, Mildred, uncle, fire, sleeping-tablets, men, disposable tissue, coat-tails, blow, wad, flush, Clarisse, Mildred, uncle, fire, tablets, tissues, blow, wad, flush. One, two, three, one, two, three! Rain. The storm. The uncle laughing. Thunder falling downstairs. The whole world pouring down. The fire gushing up in a volcano. All rushing on down around in a spouting roar and rivering stream toward morning.” (Bradbury 7)  The way he keeps repeating numbers, names, and phrases almost drives the reader insane, but it does help the reader understand how Montag is feeling.”

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.