Symbolism Power Point

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/finlhan17-1411639-lord-of-the-flies/Lord of the Flies

Reading Between the Lines

 Author's Note: This passage is a literary analysis on the short stories “Home” by: Gwendolyn Brooks and “Papa’s Parrot” by: Cynthia Rylant. I feel that even completely different books can have similarities when you read between the lines and challenge yourself; as I tried to do to myself as well.

Imagine if you were on the verge of losing something. Now imagine that something was something you just couldn’t live without, or rather shouldn’t be able to live without unless you were heartless. These are the emotions and situations dealt with by the main characters in two very different, but similar stories. The stories “Home” by: Gwendolyn Brooks and “Papa’s Parrot” by: Cynthia Rylant are both alike in a few ways. Even though the differences are plain and easy to see you can pick out similarities between the two as well based on their plot line within the comedic mode of literature. There are also similarities between the two based on characteristics, such as the main characters being in control.

 Both the stories “Home” and “Papa’s Parrot” perfectly fit the comic literature. Both of the stories have normalcy set in their beginnings. In “Papa’s Parrot” the author portrays the simple and ideal life at the candy shop: “For years, after school, Harry had always stopped in to see his father at work... (p.439). Among the first two paragraphs in the story portray how marvelous life was when Harry was younger and loved being at the candy shop with his friends. The entire first paragraph is dedicated to showing the almost common normal lifestyle in the beginning… “What had been wanted was this always, this always to last…(p.218). Returning to “Papa’s Parrot,” the conflict arises after Harry and his father managed to grow apart. Harry began to care less about his father and more about his friends; then the normal everyday things that he used to do with his father became tremendously infrequent. As a result, Harry’s father bought a parrot in which he talked to more frequently. However, the largest conflicts don’t come into the picture until Papa was working in the candy shop and has an ill-fated heart attack. “Home” also quickly falls to conflict when everyone is so nervous waiting to find the answer to if she would get a loan if they can on the house to allow them to be home owners. Thankfully, in the end of both stories they come to a sense of resolution. In “Papa’s Parrot,” Harry offers to go to the shop and take care his father’s Candy Shop and his bird. “Miss him! Miss him! Where’s Harry you stupid bird!... (p.441) In the end, Harry hears the bird mimicking what his father was saying before, and how much he loved him and missed him. You get that sense of relief when you hear “Then he went to go visit his papa. (p.442). Concluding the resolution to “Home,” papa returns to the family with the news that they’re able to purchase their home. “Everything will be alright” (p 220) is what Mama says, and that brings “Home” to a conclusion of the comic mode.

Beyond the plot line of “Papa’s Parrot” is that the main character, or in this case characters are in control. If Harry were to have kept a tighter bond with his father he may not have been so separated and could have communicated more. Harry shut his father out in a way and moved onto hanging out with friends and going to a burger joint instead of his father’s old candy shop. On the other hand, Harry’s father was also to blame. His way of coping by buying Rocky only pushed his son further away. Throughout the story, Harry’s father could’ve talked to his son more or try to attempt to take him somewhere else besides the candy shop, maybe even whith his friends, where they all could’ve have an excellent time together. He needed to stop being so naive and just understand that his son grew up and that everyone will grow up. “Home” also has a main character in control, which in this case was Mama. Mama was most definitely in control because she is helping her family and herself co-op as well as prepare for the best or worst that could possibly be an outcome from their situation.

Other than the plot lines and main characters being in control the story also has the concept of realism. In the real world, most teenagers grow apart from their parents just as Harry did in “Papa’s Parrot.” Realism is portrayed in “Home” as well because generally in reality in situations such as this family had endured; the family will always come together and support each other through the good and bad times they must face as a family.

In conclusion, “Home” and “Papa’s Parrot” both have similarities between each other even though they have more obvious differentials. Through their plot lines, realism and the character’s control over the potential course of the storyline; they share similarities in ways that are more obviously unrelated. All you have to do is look deeper into the text and read between the lines.

Love That Never Really Fades

Everything was perfect. The sun shone and all was going well in the little candy shop on the corner. Harry and his friends visit every day. That candy shop was always open, and always bright. Then came the year Harry turned twelve and everything changed. Beneath all the love and dependence Harry contained for his father there was a dependent man banging on the walls and screaming to get out. Life for the Mr. Tillian and his son changed and all was disturbed when growing up came into the picture. “Papa’s Parrot” by: Cynthia Rylant is a perfect example of the comedic mode of literature. Plot line structures, symbolism, and character behavior of the story are mainly in the comedic mode. Even though the plot line heads downhill, everything gets better, and makes you feel reassured and blissful again with its sense of resolution.

 “Papa’s Parrot” entirely fits the comic literature. In the beginning, normalcy is set when the author portrays the common and ideal life at the candy shop: “For years, after school, Harry had always stopped in to see his father at work... (p.439). Among the first two paragraphs in the story portray how amazing life was when Harry was younger and loved being at the candy shop. Despite the love and cherished moments Harry and his father obtained they still managed to grow apart. Harry began to care less about his father and more about his friends and the normal everyday things became majorly infrequent. As a result, Harry’s father bought a parrot in which he talked to more frequently. However, the largest conflicts quickly come into the picture when Papa was working in the candy shop and has an unfortunate heart attack. While his father was sick, Harry then offered to run the candy shop and take care of his parrot while his father was sick. “Miss him! Miss him! Where’s Harry you stupid bird!... (p.441) In the end, Harry hears the bird mimicking what his father was saying before, and how much he loved him and missed him. You get that sense of relief when you hear “Then he went to go visit his papa. (p.442).

Alongside the plot line fitting the comedic mode of literature, so does the symbolism. Because the setting is so relatable to common life with activities such as visiting a candy shop, playing video games, or shopping for records the pieces all come together to set a setting of normalcy. Rocky, the parrot Harry’s father bought was one of the key traits of being one of which is the comedic mode of literature. Rocky was a tame, common house pet in the setting. These are all strong examples of everyday American life. Also, throughout the story, the time of day can easily be assumed to be during daylight or midday, which is also among the comedic mode.

Beyond the plot line and symbolism is that the main character, or in this case characters are in control. If Harry were to have kept a tighter bond with his father he may not have separated so much and could have communicated more. Harry kind of shut his father out and moved onto hanging out with friends and going to a burger joint instead of his father’s old candy shop. On the other hand, Harry’s father is also to blame. His was of coping by buying Rocky only pushed his son further away. Throughout the story, Harry’s father could’ve talked to his son more or try to attempt to take him somewhere else besides the candy shop. He needed to stop being so naive and just understand that his son grew up and that everyone will grow up.

The story “Papa’s Parrot” portrays a father and son bond that was beginning to break, but in which was restored in the end. Through the symbolism and character behavior the author shows how we must overcome that feeling of relentlessness against our parents, and should try to keep a strong bond because you never know what can happen. Toward the end, when the conflict is resolved, the reader feels a sense of relief and is in knowing that everything is okay, therefore completing the comedic cycle.

The Black Smoke

The putrid black smoke filled the free way. No one could see anything. They couldn’t even see their hand right in front of their faces. They just sat there as they squeal and wail hoping someone would catch her attention. Two men climb from their cars walking blindly through the black smoke just trying to find an exit. Their eyes and lungs burnt like fire burned paper. They clawed and reached to find something to grab a hold of until reach the fence.

“I found a fence! We can hop it!” Bill cried.

“Alright lets-“ Tommie was cut off by the bloody cries pleading for help.

“Help me! Someone help me please!” They looked at each other faced with a life or death decision. They knew what they had to do. They walked into the smoke yelling back to who sounded to be a teenage girl, “Where are you?” They pleaded, “Come towards us!” All they could see was the darkness and pure black. Trudging through the black smoke they followed the girl’s blood curdling yelps as they came to a car set on fire. The driver’s side door had been melted shut. The car was a ticking time bomb. Immediately the men sprung into action, heaving at the passenger side door.

“It’s not budging!” Tommie cried yanking at the door. “Help me!”

“Okay, pull on the count of three as hard as you can! One… Two… Three!” Bill screamed heaving at the door.

“It’s still not budging!”Tommie cried, “It’s useless! We’re too weak to do anything!” Bill could read Tommie’s eyes like a young child’s book.

“We can do this.” Bill exclaimed, “Heave!” The door flung open and Bill shot his arm through the doorway of the car, pulling the teenage girl out. The girl clasped Bill’s arm, there was no way that she would ever let go. Guiding her to the fence they climbed over and a surge of emotion came over them. The girl had bleached blonde hair, and her blue sunglasses had begun melting to the bridge of her nose. She peered over the rim of her glasses and her eyes blue as the sparkling blue lagoons were read as her tears poured down her face in relief and gratitude.

“Thank- Thank- Thank-you so much…” the girl said shaken by the horror that had struck. “My-my name is Angelina. I- I’m seventeen years old.” She said bawling. The men clasped her in their arms speechless and their energy spread between each other just as they heard the explosion. They looked back at the bursting flames watching the scrap metal of the car fall to the ground like meteorites that could have finished them all. The girl began to cry harder, as the ambulance found them and took them away.

Mourning in the Winter Mornings

Author's Note: This picture reminded me of how everything dies and becomes glum, but then it brightens up just like life. In this way, I am metaphorically comparing a tree and nature to life.

 Spring’s beauty is truly magnificent. The flowers blooming and the fresh mist in the air

The snow falls in a whirl landing and sticking piling over and over again. The children sled down the hills only to tread up the god forsaken hills once more to glide down the slope for a second time. The excitement in their lives is immense and everything seems perfect, but they’re delusional on what is truly happening around them. The ice is clear; no one could see the ice. The cars cruise along then hitting the ice. Screeching and sliding attempting to come to a halt, but find themselves losing control and crashing. Then, the poor children who weren’t taught any better walk onto the thin ice of the pond. Waddling and and making their way they slip and break the ice falling to their deaths.

Oh how I despise the winter. Winter… for some it’s a joyful season with hugs and kisses… but what about for me? For me it’s a sorrow filled pit of death and despair. Everything around us dies and most don’t seem to care. I mean it’s not like you should care to the point of ruining your life with no way to turn back, but it’s just the mindless delusional people that frolic in the snow thinking nothing’s wrong.             That’s what bothers me. Do they honestly not know what’s truly been happening? How the frigid cold pierces the homeless out on the streets. Everything around them is beginning to fade, yet everything seems brighter and happier… but it’s not. Somehow everything seems gloomy and gray and you’re just reminded of what could’ve been if that car wouldn’t have hit that sheet of black ice, if only that lake’s ice wouldn’t have thinned and broken dragging an innocent child to their death.

Although life knocks you down you have the choice to get up again. It’s okay to break, everyone is going to break at some point, even the strongest people break, but the best thing you can do is to get back up again. Nature can pick itself up and bloom the beautiful fields and sunshine, so why can’t you? You were created to live your life until you were needed or were no longer needed. The ways of the lord are mysterious and won’t be known soon or possibly ever. Above it all, you just have to keep moving, live life to the fullest, learn as much as you can, and laugh as often as you please because once you’re gone, all you should honestly be remembered with is laughter and happy memories. If the only way you will be remembered is with tears and mourning, maybe you shouldn’t be remembered y those specific people at all.

Poor Decisions, Fatal Decisions.

Author's Note: I chose this song to "recite" what I thought the song meant because I thought it had a powerful message showing the importance of the topic. Don't drink while driving.

I open my eyes
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light (I’ve truly opened my eyes, and now I’m being taken away.)
I can't remember how (I have no idea how this happened)
I can't remember why (I have no idea why I did what I did.)
I'm lyin' here tonight (Now my decisions have brought me to my fate.)
And I can't stand the pain (I can’t stand this pain this has caused me and others with my decisions.)
And I can't make it go away (I can’t make this unbearable pain go away.)
No I can't stand the pain (I truly can’t stand all the pain that has came rushing into my life.)

Chorus:
How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes (I made mymistakes, and I know that people learned from mymistakes, but what about me? I learned but wheres my living part?)
got nowhere to run (I can’t go anywhere. My decisions were poor and now I’m leaving.)
the night goes on
as I'm fadin' away (Everything is continuing, but im not. My life is slowly slipping away.)
I'm sick of this life (I can’t believe everything that’s happened. I hate life.)
I just wanna scream (I just want to let it all out.)
How could this happen to me? (How did this even happen?)

Everybody's screamin' (Everyone is confused, frustrated, angry, letting their emotion out.)
I try to make a sound but no one hears me (I’m trying to talk to you, but you can’t hear me. I’m gone. I know you’ll never hear me.)
I'm slippin' off the edge (I’m slipping; I know I’m going to die… Death just hasn’t come to claim me yet.)
I'm hangin' by a thread (I have the slightest bit of life in me.)
I wanna start this over again (I want to go back in time. I want to have never made my stupid decisions, not to have caused everything I have, but I can’t.)

So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered (I try to stay in the state of time where I felt at ease and as if nothing truly mattered, and I was happy and not in one of my my dumb decisions.)
And I can't explain what happened (I can’t explain how it got away from me so easily.)
And I can't erase the things that I've done (I want to have changed my past. When I drove under the influence… )
No I can't (…but I can’t.)

How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes (I made my mistakes, and I know that people learned from my mistakes, but what about me? I learned but where’s my living part?)
got nowhere to run (I can’t go anywhere. My decisions were poor and now I’m leaving.)
the night goes on
as I'm fadin' away (Everything is continuing, but im not. My life is slowly slipping away.)
I'm sick of this life (I can’t believe everything that’s happened. I hate life.)
I just wanna scream (I just want to let it all out.)
How could this happen to me? (How did this even happen?)


I've made my mistakes (I made my mistakes, and I know that people learned from my mistakes, but what about me? I learned but where’s my living part?)
got nowhere to run (I can’t go anywhere. My decisions were poor and now I’m leaving.)
the night goes on
as I'm fadin' away (Everything is continuing, but im not. My life is slowly slipping away.)
I'm sick of this life (I can’t believe everything that’s happened. I hate life.)
I just wanna scream (I just want to let it all out.)
How could this happen to me? (How did this even happen?)

Cody

Author's Note: my interpretation on this writing assignment was to write a monologue/short story portraying my lizard's feelings and thoughts from the point of being in the pet store after being captured and then being brought to me and my family's "loving" home.

              I’m the happiest and luckiest reptile ever to be out of that pet store. The inconsiderate humans took me captive in a glass box that looks like my home… but I’m not stupid. It was not home for me. People would pass me with a look of disgust on their faces, some would scream, and some would be intrigued in me. Oh but then to make it worse were those children. I know they had good intent on wanting me… but It’s just that they press their faces up to the glass making them look like some demented animal, fogging up the glass so I had no true picture of what my surroundings were. I was in the desert and then I turn around to see people in a store? Yeah, I’m not a dim-witted lizard. I for one think I am a very intelligent being. Then some family came in and picked me light off the bat. I was happy as a buzzing bee in a field of flowers. They took me home, but I had to sit in some room where to only light was in my cage and surrounding me was cloth. I believe I was in what they call a closet. Then one day, I was taken out of my cage and carried into a room. The sun spilled in and people surrounded me, and then a little boy came up and everyone gathered around me giving me the attention and non-artificial love I’ve always wanted.

Okay, so now it’s official. I finally have a family who will hold me, take care of me, and have that real love and appreciation that I deserve. I finally have a real name… well at least one of many nicknames. I don’t believe I have a real one yet. The human they call Hannah calls me Cody and keeps making me look at this person on her wall. How could there be so many of him, and how is he hanging on her wall? There is no way he could be comfortable. She always tells me, “See that amazingly stunning teenager on my wall? That’s Cody Simpson, the guy you’re named after, but I feel so cherished here in this home with the roaming freedom I adore.