Fahrenheit 451 Assignment

1.         Montag is not sure whether books are alive or not. He was taught that books are dead and meaningless, and all they did was anger people. However, after seeing how the woman stuck to her books, Montag begins to doubt what he has been taught. I believe that books are not literally alive, but rather they spur your imagination. Books are ‘alive’ when they make you imagine that you are in a completely different place and time, which gives you a new ‘life’.
2.         Montag is a character with many internal and external conflicts. At the beginning of the book, Montag does not have many external conflicts. However, he still bears numerous internal conflicts. For example, when Montag was talking to Beatty, he made a comment “was it always like this? The firehouse, our work? I mean, well once upon a time…” from that statement, I can infer that Montag did not like burning books. It is an internal conflict because Montag was brought up thinking that all books are bad, but now he does not like the idea of destroying them. Montag’s internal conflict is all about whether books are good or bad. However, his external conflicts are over a number of topics. One of the topics is that Montag gets angry with his wife when there are people dying and his wife cares more about the relatives than that. Another external conflict is when Beatty tries to get rid of Montag, and so Montag becomes a fugitive and has to hide.
3. I chose a song named ‘How Far we’ve Come’ by Matchbox 20. It goes like this: I’m waking up at the start of the end of the world, but it’s feeling just like every other morning before, now I wonder what my life’s gonna mean if it’s gone.

The chorus goes like this: I believe the world is burning to the ground. Oh well, I guess we are going to find out, let’s see how far we’ve come, let’s see how far we’ve come.

I say the character it applies to is Montag, in the beginning and the end of the book. Montag only lived to burn books at the start of the book, and near to the end the books Montag is not very sure what to do, what to live for. And just like the chorus, Montag feels that not only are books being burnt, but the world is falling apart. That is why I think that the song applies a lot to Montag.

1. A book that should be saved is Fahrenheit 451, because it is a book that shows how the world is like, and what people should and should not do to try to save it. The book was banned for a time period, because the Americans did not like how the book was saying that America did not care about the rest of the world, because they were well-off while the rest of the world was experiencing a war. The fact that the book was banned showed that the American government had something to hide, which is probably the truth. And if the book contains truth in it, people should be allowed to read the book to avoid making mistakes and to prevent our world from falling.

Response to Literature

In the book “The Boy in Striped Pajamas”, the author relates a story of a son of a commandant of Hitler. The book conveys a deep insight and sense of meaning to the period of the Jewish holocaust through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy. Many critiques criticize the book for being unrealistic, but ignoring historical accuracy, I found the book to be highly interesting. The entire book was written in third person omniscient, and it was written from the perspective of young Bruno, the son of a commandant of Hitler. The book teaches friendship, loyalty, and the value of life.

                The book told the story of Bruno. When I read about how innocent Bruno was, I too found it unrealistic. However, the author wrote it in such a captivating manner that I soon ignored the accuracy of the book, and focused on its main message. In the beginning of the book, when Bruno moved from his nice luxurious home in Germany to an Auschwitz camp, the author made me think of how I would react if I were Bruno’s age and in the same situation. The author’s way of expressing Bruno’s view of the world really impressed me. By comparing what I would have done alongside with Bruno’s reaction, I could get a picture of Bruno’s personality, which made the book flow a lot better for me. The part which I, and many readers, found unrealistic was Bruno’s protection from the violence of the holocaust in Germany, thereby causing to be Bruno completely unaware of what was going on in the Auschwitz, and he commonly referred to it as the “Out-with”, as it was near the border of Germany.

 Bruno had a sister, whom he commonly referred to as a “hopeless case”. The author used the conversations between Bruno and his sister to further show Bruno’s lack of knowledge toward the holocaust.  It also displayed his relationships with his family, his likes and dislikes of his current situation, and it farther opens up the reader into Bruno’s world. All of those helped readers to get better understanding of the book.

Eventually, Bruno befriends a boy at the fence separating his house from the Auschwitz. The friend was a Jew, and was in the Auschwitz.  The boy, Shmuel, grew to become a very good friend of Bruno. They both remained very loyal to each other. The author painted a very beautiful scene of friendship through Shmuel and Bruno. It gave me some valuable insight into what the true meaning of friendship was, and what it means to be loyal to one another.

Most of the second half of the book revolved around Bruno and Shmuel. Shmuel was clothed in “striped pajamas”, and that is how the book got its name. However, when Bruno gets a haircut that makes him look like one of the Jews, he snuck into the Auschwitz to be with his friend Shmuel. As his father was the Commandant, Bruno was sure nothing bad could happen. However, on that fateful day, the Jews were led to their execution, along with Bruno. When his family realized this, they were grieve stricken, and there the story ends.

The ending was highly unexpected; most books would have happy endings.  However, by creating the sudden death, the author tells the readers that during that time, many tragedies happened, and Bruno’s might only be one in a million. Friendship, loyalty to peers, the value of life, they are all important. The value of life stood out the most at the end; we should learn to cherish what we have today, as it might be gone in the morning. Overall this is one of my favorite books, despite its inaccuracy in certain aspects. How much simpler would life be, if we all were as innocent as an eight-year-old?

Good Earth Persuasive Essay

There are many examples in the book by Pearl S. Buck where wealth conflicts with traditional values. I believe that Wealth is a great destroyer of traditional values. Many instances are shown in the book when wealth influences the characters far more than his traditional beliefs and values. There are at least three cases mentioned in the book.

The first instance is when the Hwang family prospers and the entire family slips into a life of indulgence and laziness. They hire laborers to work their lands for them, which makes them forget the value of hard work. The Old Master becomes obsessed with his own sensual pleasures, while the Old Mistress gets hooked onto opium. The rise in prosperity makes the entire Hwang family forget the toils of their forefathers, and slowly they fall from a life full of traditional values to one with only the values which they are most comfortable with, as the family slips into the allure of luxury.

The second instance is with Wang Lung’s personal household. Very similar to the Hwang’s, Wang Lung is also able to hire laborers for himself. And very much like the Hwangs, Wang Lung’s family begins to live a life full of indulgence and luxury. Wang Lung becomes obsessed with other women for himself, especially Lotus. Wang Lung helped to pay for his uncle’s opium, a luxury they could not afford before they prospered. In the end of the book, Wang Lung is able to buy the Hwangs’ house, thereby letting the family move into a better place where they could farther slip into laziness and lose sight of their traditional values.

The last instance is somewhat related to the second. It concerns Wang Lung’s children as they grow older. It is evident that being brought up in a wealthy household had made the children very lazy, and not bothering to uphold their traditional values. They showed no religious obligation, they did not respect their father as the Chinese generally did, and they displayed no affection or feelings towards the land. All of that was very unlike what Wang Lung or his poorer ancestors had done before. In this way, wealth also destroyed the traditional ways of the Chinese people, and how more fortunate people are unable to comprehend the worth of what they have. They Chinese have a saying that when translated means, “To forget what others do for you and treat it with no meaning.” Just like in this instance, the sons forgot the hard work their ancestors had to go through to provide for the luxurious lifestyle, and they also take for granted the good things that people do for them in the present.

In conclusion, wealth is a great destroyer of traditional values. Traditional values decay under the influence of wealth. What one generation of people would uphold with the utmost importance the next generation would treat with little regard. Another popular Chinese saying is, “The first generations starts the work; the second maintains it; the third wastes it; and the fourth generation has to start all over again.” I believe that that saying is very true, that the second generation will see the effort put into the work, and will therefore cherish it. However, the subsequent generation neglects the hard work it takes to reach that level of wealth and luxury, and therefore they will waste it away and neglect the old traditions. And when everything is all gone, the fourth generation will have to start from scratch.

Compare and Contrast Essay

Hurricanes and tornados are both devastating forces of nature. Both weather phenomenon cause great amounts of damage and destruction. One of the most common misconceptions is that both hurricanes and tornados are simply different names for the same thing. However, that is not true. They both do share similar qualities and characteristics, but they are different entities all together. Hurricanes and tornados bear similar traits, but they also have many differences.
The similarities between a tornado and a hurricane are easily observed. Both unleash their fury through great velocities of wind and rain, and their arrival often stirs up a lot of chaos and disorder. They both involve air rotating rapidly around a center, commonly referred to as the eye, which is non-windy. Both are caused by low air pressure in a warm, moist environment. Most governments also initiate similar responses in the event of either a hurricane or a tornado. Governments will raise emergency warnings and carry out strict evacuation procedures if either of the two catastrophic events hit them.
Despite their numerous numbers of similarities, tornados and hurricanes have many differences as well. Tornados generally build up over land, while hurricanes build up over oceans and various large water bodies. People rarely spot tornados until the condensed circulation of air circling the eye becomes visible. However, hurricanes can often be predicted, and can be seen developing through satellites by observing cloud patterns. Tornados are caused by clashing atmospheric pressures, which start “chasing” each other round and round. They result from supercells, which is the term used to describe accumulating storm clouds that strengthen each other. While tornados are the result of a particular storm, hurricanes are a system of their own. Consisting purely of low pressured air, hurricanes tend to build up over large ocean bodies, where they use the heated water to fuel the cloud formations. Prevailing winds then blow the hurricane somewhere else.
Another great difference between a hurricane and a tornado is their size. Tornados are small, and can appear as dots on radars. Hurricanes, on the other hand, are seen in tremendous size via satellite cameras. In terms of force, tornados can move wind at speeds far greater than a hurricane could. But, people often regard hurricanes as being far more devastation due to the fact that hurricanes last much longer, and that hurricanes involve great amounts of precipitation whereas tornados rely purely on wind. The longest lasting tornado only lasts for an hour before withdrawing back into a supercell, while hurricanes can last for over a week.
Hurricanes and tornados are both catastrophic phenomenon. Bearing both similar and different qualities, it is good to know how to differentiate between the two. Hurricanes cause long, gradual destruction, while tornados are almost instantaneous, and cause rapid destruction. Although most agree that hurricanes are more devastating than tornados, the latter is feared even more. This is due to the fact that tornados come suddenly without warning, whereas a hurricane can be observed as it brews, and can be predicted and avoided.

Sim Gillivray, The Sin Eater

In the novel The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers, there are many different characters, each with unique traits and characteristics. The character I chose to analyze was Sim Gillivray. Sim Gillivray is a very unique character in this novel, as he is the sole sin eater in the story; the only one of his kind. Sim is one of the main characters the plot revolves around. He is arguably one of the protagonists in the story.

                Francine Rivers used many stereotypical views to portray Sim. Being the only one of his kind, the author makes use of the stereotype of being mysterious. Sim is seemingly unsociable, and he is viewed as one not to be tampered with in the beginning of the novel, which is illustrated during cadi’s grandmother’s funeral, when Gervase Odara told Cadi not to look into the eyes of the sin eater (page 10). As time goes on and he is known better, he is revealed to have a hidden lover, Bletsung Macleod (which is revealed when Bletsung tells Cadi and Fagan of her life, page 218), and bear a soft nature, which is shown when Bletsung tells Cadi and Fagan how Sim did not let the former stand up for him against the old Kai (page 219), and when he converses with Bletsung (page 203). These are all stereotypical views, of which Francine Rivers used to illustrate Sim’s personality. Sim’s foil is the Man of God, whose teachings contradict the very purpose of requiring a sin eater. This is shown when the man of God tells Cadi that Jesus is the only one who can remove sins, and yet the sin eater’s job was to supposedly remove sin (page 161).

                Sim the sin eater develops as a dynamic character. Although it was gradual, the change was obvious, and ends up being a significant part to the storyline. Near the end of the story Sim is revealed to be a murderer (page310), who becomes the seemingly shy and outspoken sin eater , who finally ends up being bold and standing up for himself (page 307-309). Even though the change was quite unlikely for that culture, Francine Rivers described it in a convincing and believable manner. Sim has many different motivations to change. But his key motivation is himself. He is driven to do the right thing, even though he might go about it the wrong way (page 310) He is put into various situations that spark his change, and the way he deals with each situation shows his progress. Like how he dealt with Christianity at the end of the book, and proclaimed that he had been living a lie and so had everyone else because he could not take away sin, because Jesus was the only one capable of doing such a feat (page 308).

                Sim’s character is revealed based on what he says and does when he comes into contact with others. Sim is revealed to be constant in his actions, despite his changes. His relationship with other people varies from person to person, just like is relationship with Bletsung is that of a lover (page 218), whereas his relationship with Cadi is that of close friends. And people who did not know him well would often view his as something to be despised (page 11). Based on that, Sim is revealed to have two main conflicts; one with society and one with him, and he will often agonize over right and wrong.

                Sim Gillivray is a sin eater. At the end of the novel, Sim ensures that there will be no other unfortunate soul that has an experience similar to his. This strong-willed protagonist plays a very important role in the story, as without him the whole point of the story would cease to exist. Every change that happens to Sim has a significant effect to the plot, which is a big deal since he is a dynamic major character.

Ode to My Cube

Where did it come from, Mr. Rubik?

That object of great wonder;

Did it come from Cuba?

I do not know.

But I do know

It is as cool as ice (in the shape of a cube).

The amusement it provides,

Its six striking colors,

Who could concoct such a colorful contraption?

The challenge it would openly declare,

The one which many have taken up

But few have won.

Twenty-six unique pieces

                 Twisting

   Turning

                            Incoherent

        Until

Someone finds the logic behind it.

Oh cube!

Nothing entertains me as much as

This Cuban cumbersome cube

That is not really from Cuba.

An Ode to Pi

The unending series of numerals

Clustered together with no pattern

A number so close to 3

Yet so far off

Few can comprehend

The meaning of a million trillions

Let alone the definition of infinite.

3 million computers calculating it

1 unending number

4 hundred million people working it out

1 answer to

5 billion questions

That is pi.

Trips to Malacca

My best friend and I have a long history together. We met in kindergarten, and we have been best friends ever since. I did a lot of things with him, but my most memorable activity was going on vacation with him to his house in Malacca. However, that is now a thing of the past, as the house was sold off a few years ago.

“We’re going to Malacca!” Whenever I heard that phrase, my heart would leap with joy. It was the place my family and I went to the most. Living so nearby in Singapore, transportation was cheap, and accommodation was free. Being the smallest and the youngest at that time, I could withstand the long hours on the road. My bigger brothers, however, always complained. Although they claimed to dislike the place, they never failed to enjoy themselves there.

When I was younger, I would always go there with my best friend’s family. But as we grew older, our schedules rarely matched, and so I had to go with just my own family. There were many things to do there. Every time we went there, there would always be something different or new. I would always have something to do; hanging out by the pool, horse riding, and playing darts were my favorite activities.  I loved and cherished every single moment I spent there.

Near the house there were two places where my family would always visit.  One was the Makota Parade. It was a shopping complex. After long hours of shopping, my ravenous family would always go to a particular Japanese restaurant to eat. I would always order the same thing there; a set which consisted of chicken, soup served in a teapot, and rice. It was not very tasty, but I loved how the soup was presented. Following the meal, my family and I would proceed to the cinema. We would check the available shows. If there were no more good shows at good times, then we would go home. But if there were good shows on, we would all enjoy a movie together, and then proceed to eat some donuts before heading home.

The other place that my family would visit without fail was known as A. Famosa. It was made to look like a little Mexican town, and it was there that I did my horse riding. My brothers and I would ride together, and though we were not very good at it, we would all thoroughly enjoy it. The place was a big tourist attraction, and so there would be various live performances going on. My favorite act was the fire eaters, and I always wondered how they could eat fire. It would amuse me so much that sometimes I would get the performers to show me another trick after the main act was completed. After spending a tiring day at that place, my family would head back to the house, feeling happy, but exhausted.

All the happy memories could no longer be re-lived when my best friend broke to me the heartbreaking news that his family was going to sell the apartment. The fun moments, the long journeys, the countless hours of excitement, they would all have to stay as memories. And so, it was then that I learnt how to cherish what I had, as all good things had to come to an end.

Is Abortion Acceptable

Unwanted pregnancy happens in almost every society. It is a growing problem that affects many people. Unfortunately, people turn to abortion as a quick and simple way to terminate the problem. Every day, thousands of babies are aborted all over the world. Some people say that abortion is not a problem, and that it is alright for a woman to abort their child if they want to. I am a Christian and so I am against abortion. But besides religious obligations, are there any reasons why abortion can be considered wrong?  One reason is that abortion kills the unborn baby, and therefore is a problem.

Before we can say that abortion is killing the unborn baby, we must first ask ourselves the question: is the unborn baby alive. Some people say the baby is only alive after birth, while others say that the baby is alive only after a certain stage of development in the womb. However, what these people fail to explain is why the baby is not considered alive a day before, or even a minute before, they claim that it is alive. Is the baby no more alive the day before birth as it is after birth? Based on that reasoning, it is fair to say that the only conclusion is that the baby is alive immediately after contraption. But people still argue that if you remove the unborn baby from the womb, it shows almost no characteristics of life. However, what they are doing is that they are removing the baby from its only source of life support and then proclaiming it dead.

Another thing people argue is that abortion is a choice that the mother has a right to make. They claim that the unborn child belongs to the mother, and therefore she has the right to get rid of it. However, the fact that the baby is alive in the womb means that abortion is just like murder. If murder is considered wrong, why then should abortion be allowed? It is just as bad as a parent killing their own son or daughter. The question it all comes down to is: is it acceptable to kill someone who depends on you for their life. Most places have laws against this, the only exception being in abortion. Why should abortion be an exception?  Personally I do not think abortion should be an exception, but many people would not be happy if abortion became illegal. In the United States and many other places all over the world, there are even parents encouraging their teenage daughters to go for an abortion if they have an unwanted pregnancy.

In conclusion, abortion should not be acceptable. However, not many people will go with the idea as abortion is viewed as the only way to stop an unwanted pregnancy after it happens. However, abortion is still murder, and it is still killing an innocent baby. Different people have different reasons as to why they support abortion, but most have nothing substantial backing up their arguments, and it is considered more of a moral preference rather than a reason. Murder and abortion go hand in hand; they both should not be accepted in today’s society.

Lord of the Flies Dinner Conversation

(Piggy, Ralph and Jack have come over to my house for dinner. We make our way towards a rectangular table in the middle of the hallway and sit around it. A single bright light illuminates the room, creating an eerie yet comforting ambience.)

Me:  Okay, now that we are all here, let’s eat!

Piggy:  What’s for dinner?

Ralph:  Sucks to that! I’m thirsty, get me something to drink!

Piggy: Hey watch your tone! If my auntie were here she’d set you straight.

Jack: Well, your auntie ain’t here now, so quit whining!

Me:  Okay relax guys, we’re here to eat, not quarrel. And Ralph, there’s some punch on the table, feel free to help yourself.

Ralph: Oh alright, what’s for dinner then?

Piggy: Don’t tell me you got pork! If you did I won’t eat a bit of it!

Jack: Oh get over it Piggy! That happened a year ago! Don’t tell me that just a few days on that island affected you that much.

Ralph: Get real Jack… It affected all of us greatly.

Jack: there you go again, coming to wittle piggy’s wescue.

Me: Okay this constant bickering is annoying me. Let’s eat. And it’s beef. Never been near a plate of pork its entire life, so eat up, Piggy.

Piggy: Alright, I was just paranoid.

Jack: Ha, seeing how fat piggy is, I doubt he can survive without eating, even if pork was all he had. Am I right fatso?

Ralph: Hey, Jack! His name is Piggy!

Jack: So? What difference does it make?

Ralph: Well, it’s better to be called piggy than fatso, am I right?

Piggy: Yeah, sure Ralph. But actually it doesn’t matter anymore; I’m used to being picked on, especially by Jack and his followers. He glares at Jack.

Me: Alright, alright. That’s enough. Ralph could you please hand me some punch?

Jack (ignoring me): Watch your mouth, you filthy pig! It wasn’t entirely my fault! If you had not tried to be so controlling and self-centered, we wouldn’t have picked on you!

Piggy: Don’t you dare call me a pig, Jack Merridew! Why, if my auntie were here, I’d have her beat you with that huge umbrella she always carries!

Jack: Well, she’s not here! So who’s going to stop me now?

Ralph: I am! That’s enough Jack; you’ve picked on Piggy way too much! Don’t forget that it was one of your choir boys that killed him! You owe him some respect, or at the very least, an apology!

Jack: Well I don’t care! Piggy shouldn’t have acted so snobbish!

Ralph: Sucks to what you care about! Just apologize to Piggy!

Me: alright food is here! All of you just shut up and eat unless you have something nice to say to each other.

They eat in silence for the next fifteen minutes.

Ralph: Look at that fire place! Doesn’t it just remind you of the fire we would light back on that island?

Piggy: oh yes, it does Ralph! The fire which Jack’s boys neglected, wasting away one chance of rescue.

Jack: Hey we brought you meat! You should be grateful!

Ralph: Grateful to you? For stealing the fire from us?

Piggy (touching his glasses instinctively): Yeah, Jack. We would have lent it to you if you had asked! You didn’t have to steal it!

Jack (Shrugging): Well, I needed to show you who was in charge.

Piggy: In charge of what? Turning us into a bunch of painted savages? You didn’t even have a bit of sense in you, unlike Ralph, who should have been the chief! He was the one who got us off that island in the end.

Jack: That was by accident!

Ralph: Yes, I accidentally ran to the beach while being chased by your hunters!

Jack: Well, it was your fault for starting the fight with me! You should have just joined me like the rest of them!

Ralph: I started the fight because you stole from us! And if I had joined you, chances are we would still be on that island right now!

Me: okay, stop your arguing; it’s getting late. It’s time you three went back.

Piggy: Thank you for inviting us over!

Me: No problem! See you soon!