"The Windigo," by Kent Kruger
A Response to Literature by Ricardo B.
Have you ever been scared of a legend? Have you ever been frightened? In the genre realistic-fiction story entitled, The Windigo. The boys are scared of a legend the Ojibwe tribe called “The Windigo.” The boys are scared of Windigo taking them to feed. Boomer goes missing and they never speak of the tale again. The theme of “The Windigo” is that some things in life are unexplainable. The author Kent Kruger successfully creates a scary mood by literary devices.
The author uses imagery to help the reader feel the sensation of the action. For example, “ Has two eyes like two pools of blood.” This shows that the Windigo is a terrifying beast. This also shows that it’s a killing machine that feeds on their fear and death of the human.
Next the author uses personification to compare the qualities and a nonliving creatures. For example, “The trees around us groaned in pain.” The author tries to get you into the feeling that they hear the trees are creaking. The author tries to make you this acts. This also shows that he tries to illustrate the trees are swaying creating a creak noise.
The author uses another personification to give a description of the Windigo. For example, ”I looked up into the dark above the grain elevator, and I saw a huge, black shape winging across the sky, blotting out the stars.” This shows that the Windigo searches for the one called “Boomer.” The Windigo searches while Pete and Mike stare up to the magnificent beast.
In conclusion the author uses many literary devices to create he scary mood in the story. The beast feeds on the fear and horror of the humans.
The author uses imagery to help the reader feel the sensation of the action. For example, “ Has two eyes like two pools of blood.” This shows that the Windigo is a terrifying beast. This also shows that it’s a killing machine that feeds on their fear and death of the human.
Next the author uses personification to compare the qualities and a nonliving creatures. For example, “The trees around us groaned in pain.” The author tries to get you into the feeling that they hear the trees are creaking. The author tries to make you this acts. This also shows that he tries to illustrate the trees are swaying creating a creak noise.
The author uses another personification to give a description of the Windigo. For example, ”I looked up into the dark above the grain elevator, and I saw a huge, black shape winging across the sky, blotting out the stars.” This shows that the Windigo searches for the one called “Boomer.” The Windigo searches while Pete and Mike stare up to the magnificent beast.
In conclusion the author uses many literary devices to create he scary mood in the story. The beast feeds on the fear and horror of the humans.
"La Bamba," by Gary Soto
A Response to Literature Essay by Keiry G.
In the realistic fiction entitled La Bamba, Gary Soto explores self confidence and teen issues. Manuel has a talent show that he volunteered to be in and he is being negative. He is afraid he is going to mess up. When the day of the talent show came he was really nervous, but everything came out to be better than expected. The theme is to believe in yourself. Be positive with what you do and not negative. In this essay I will show how Manuel overcomes his negativity and becomes more positive.
For example, “Why did I raise my hand? He asked himself, but in his heart he knew the answer.” This shows that he is not sure about his decision. This also shows that he should’ve thought twice and he regretted raising his hand so that means he was unsure.
Another example, “He wanted an applause as loud as a thunderstorm and to hear his friends say,”man that was bad!” And he wanted to impress the girls especially Petra Lopez the second prettiest girl in class. This portrays that he wanted to look cool in front of his peers. And he wanted to have the spotlight on him.
For example,”He was confused but beyond caring. All he knew was that people were paying attention to him, and his brother and sisters looked at him with a mixture of jealousy and awe.” This explains that he has conquered his goal and showed them wrong that jealousy occurred among his own siblings.
Manuel overcomes his conflict of optimistic behavior to overcoming his goals and proving to himself and his peers that anything is possible if you believe and work hard want in life.
For example, “Why did I raise my hand? He asked himself, but in his heart he knew the answer.” This shows that he is not sure about his decision. This also shows that he should’ve thought twice and he regretted raising his hand so that means he was unsure.
Another example, “He wanted an applause as loud as a thunderstorm and to hear his friends say,”man that was bad!” And he wanted to impress the girls especially Petra Lopez the second prettiest girl in class. This portrays that he wanted to look cool in front of his peers. And he wanted to have the spotlight on him.
For example,”He was confused but beyond caring. All he knew was that people were paying attention to him, and his brother and sisters looked at him with a mixture of jealousy and awe.” This explains that he has conquered his goal and showed them wrong that jealousy occurred among his own siblings.
Manuel overcomes his conflict of optimistic behavior to overcoming his goals and proving to himself and his peers that anything is possible if you believe and work hard want in life.
"Eleven," by Sandra Cisneros
A Response to Literature Essay by Jocelyn R.
Do you ever feel like others put you down when you expect to have a fantastic day? Well in the realistic fiction entitled “Eleven”, Sandra Cisneros explores how life can be disappointing and not live up to your expectations. Rachel expects to have a fantastic birthday but since her teacher Mrs. Price embarrasses her she doesn’t. Mrs. Price tells Rachel to put the ugly, red, and smelly sweater on but Rachel puts it on slowly and while she does that she is feeling sick inside. All she can think about is how today she is eleven, today she is her birthday, and everything is going to be better. The theme of the story is life is harder than you think it’s going to be.
Since Rachel didn’t stand up for herself all she is thinking is if she was older she would have knew what to say when Mrs. Price told her the sweater was hers. For example, “Today I wish I was one hundred and two instead of eleven because if I was one hundred and two I’d have known what to say when Mrs. Price put the sweater on my desk. I would’ve known how to tell her it wasn’t mine instead of just sitting there.” This shows that she doesn’t stick up for herself and lets others put her down.
Rachel doesn’t like the red sweater at all but her teacher is making her wear it. For example, “Of course it’s yours,” Mrs. Price says “I remember you wearing it once.” This shows that Rachel isn’t brave enough to stand up for herself.
Rachel’s birthday is today and she expects her day to be better but it isn’t. For example, “I’m eleven today. I’m eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish I was one hundred and two. I wish I was anything but eleven, because I want today to be far already, far away like a run away balloon, like a tiny o in the sky, so tiny-tiny you have to close your eyes to see it” This shows that Rachel knows her day isn’t getting any better.
In conclusion, Rachel learns that things aren’t always going to be how you expect it. I thought this was a great way to teach other kids that things aren’t always going to go as planned. Wouldn’t you be disappointed if your day didn’t turn out as excellent as you thought it would? I know I would!
Since Rachel didn’t stand up for herself all she is thinking is if she was older she would have knew what to say when Mrs. Price told her the sweater was hers. For example, “Today I wish I was one hundred and two instead of eleven because if I was one hundred and two I’d have known what to say when Mrs. Price put the sweater on my desk. I would’ve known how to tell her it wasn’t mine instead of just sitting there.” This shows that she doesn’t stick up for herself and lets others put her down.
Rachel doesn’t like the red sweater at all but her teacher is making her wear it. For example, “Of course it’s yours,” Mrs. Price says “I remember you wearing it once.” This shows that Rachel isn’t brave enough to stand up for herself.
Rachel’s birthday is today and she expects her day to be better but it isn’t. For example, “I’m eleven today. I’m eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish I was one hundred and two. I wish I was anything but eleven, because I want today to be far already, far away like a run away balloon, like a tiny o in the sky, so tiny-tiny you have to close your eyes to see it” This shows that Rachel knows her day isn’t getting any better.
In conclusion, Rachel learns that things aren’t always going to be how you expect it. I thought this was a great way to teach other kids that things aren’t always going to go as planned. Wouldn’t you be disappointed if your day didn’t turn out as excellent as you thought it would? I know I would!
"Broken Chain," by Gary Soto
A Response to Literature Essay by Adrian M.
Have you ever wanted to be cool? Where you ever nervous to talk to someone? A boy named Alfonso has that problem. He meets a pretty girl and he asked her shyly if she would like to go bike riding, and that’s when he realized that he was afraid to talk to girls because he didn’t like the way he looked. Alfonso learns how to love himself just the way he is. My opinion is that you just have to believe in yourself, and let others get to know the real you and they will eventually like you.
Right from the start Alfonso starts to worry about himself; I mean he spends a lot of time worrying about his looks. For example, he said “I hate the way I look” this shows that he didn’t believe in himself and that his confidence was low. It also shows that he wanted to look perfect but not everyone is perfect!
Alfonso gets nervous when he has to talk to a girl. For example, in the story it said “Shyly he asked you want to go bike riding?” This shows that he was embarrassed because he asked her shyly. And it shows that he was nervous because he didn’t know if she would say yes or no.
He was trying to look cool in front of a girl. For example “He took off as fast as he could on his bike, jumped the curb, and cool as he could be, raced away with his hands stuffed in his pocket. This shows that he tried to act cool and tuff. Plus it shows that he was trying to act like a bad boy to impress the girl and to get her attention.
In conclusion…You should always believe in yourself. You shouldn’t change who you really are, because you have to live with you for the rest of your life!
Right from the start Alfonso starts to worry about himself; I mean he spends a lot of time worrying about his looks. For example, he said “I hate the way I look” this shows that he didn’t believe in himself and that his confidence was low. It also shows that he wanted to look perfect but not everyone is perfect!
Alfonso gets nervous when he has to talk to a girl. For example, in the story it said “Shyly he asked you want to go bike riding?” This shows that he was embarrassed because he asked her shyly. And it shows that he was nervous because he didn’t know if she would say yes or no.
He was trying to look cool in front of a girl. For example “He took off as fast as he could on his bike, jumped the curb, and cool as he could be, raced away with his hands stuffed in his pocket. This shows that he tried to act cool and tuff. Plus it shows that he was trying to act like a bad boy to impress the girl and to get her attention.
In conclusion…You should always believe in yourself. You shouldn’t change who you really are, because you have to live with you for the rest of your life!
"So Far from the Sea," by Eve Bunting
"Forgive: Move On," A Response to Literature to by Eman R.
Have you ever felt hatred towards something or someone? Did you ever forgive them and move on? In this touching historical-fiction text named, “So Far From The Sea,” by Eve Bunting, the author beautifully describes how a child goes through the phase of unforgiveness after a horrible mistake between America and Japan. Laura Iwasaki, a Japanese-American girl, looks back down bitter history while visiting Manzanar War Relocation Center. This is where her father once lived, this is where her grandfather died dreaming that he would get out one day. She is angered by what happened to her fellow Japanese-Americans and her family. Her father, Koharu Iwasaki, explains to her that sometimes we should all forgive, forget and move on. He teaches Laura an essential part of living that creates peace if followed correctly. Ms. Eve Bunting wrote this wonderful story that has probably touched many hearts by creating a plot that showed how Laura felt worried inside and out after visiting this place, and her worried/anger-like feeling is something most of us can relate to.
As soon as the story starts, Laura tells us her thoughts that shows us she’s uncomfortable to visit Manzanar. “Does Thomas feel spooky and scared the way I do?” This zooms into her, showing us that she is scared and spooked out going to Manzanar because she knows it’s not a very nice place. “MANZANAR WAR RELOCATION CENTER,” tells us that this place had many ancestral memories for Laura, “I should be used to this place, but I’m not. I shouldn’t be nervous, but I am.” This quote adds on to how she feels uncomfortable. Everyone has some sort of bad family past like Laura, some are just as bad or worse and some are a little less bad. That’s a big connection that hooks most of the readers because we want to know her thoughts, we want to see how she’ll react. Will she move on? Keep reading to know!
We get totally into the story when Laura drops hints of anger, which is a huge conflict. “It wasn’t fair. It was the meanest thing in the whole world. You were Americans, like I am, like Thomas is.” Laura shows us that she was sort of mad at this place and she didn’t like what had happened. “We have to put things behind and move on.” Her father taught Laura to stop being negative and move on. This teaching of her father’s is a very valuable lesson towards Laura, towards every single one of us on this planet. Does she understand what her father means to move on? Let’s see!
Laura Iwasaki finally understands what it is to forgive, forget and move on. “I can see the top of the tree root. It looks like boat--a boat with sails skimming the wind, heading away from this unhappy place. A boat moving on.” She has no anger whatsoever, towards this war relocation center, anymore. Laura now knows what it felt like, how hard it was for her father to move on. She forgives this horrible place, she forgives Manzanar and everything that caused it.
In “So Far From The Sea,” Eve Bunting uses emotion and strong feelings by putting them into her character, Laura Iwasaki. It’s kind of like bringing Laura and the story to life. This factor that she uses creates a beautiful and heart touching story. Wouldn’t you hate a historical event so horrible that it crushed many dreams?
As soon as the story starts, Laura tells us her thoughts that shows us she’s uncomfortable to visit Manzanar. “Does Thomas feel spooky and scared the way I do?” This zooms into her, showing us that she is scared and spooked out going to Manzanar because she knows it’s not a very nice place. “MANZANAR WAR RELOCATION CENTER,” tells us that this place had many ancestral memories for Laura, “I should be used to this place, but I’m not. I shouldn’t be nervous, but I am.” This quote adds on to how she feels uncomfortable. Everyone has some sort of bad family past like Laura, some are just as bad or worse and some are a little less bad. That’s a big connection that hooks most of the readers because we want to know her thoughts, we want to see how she’ll react. Will she move on? Keep reading to know!
We get totally into the story when Laura drops hints of anger, which is a huge conflict. “It wasn’t fair. It was the meanest thing in the whole world. You were Americans, like I am, like Thomas is.” Laura shows us that she was sort of mad at this place and she didn’t like what had happened. “We have to put things behind and move on.” Her father taught Laura to stop being negative and move on. This teaching of her father’s is a very valuable lesson towards Laura, towards every single one of us on this planet. Does she understand what her father means to move on? Let’s see!
Laura Iwasaki finally understands what it is to forgive, forget and move on. “I can see the top of the tree root. It looks like boat--a boat with sails skimming the wind, heading away from this unhappy place. A boat moving on.” She has no anger whatsoever, towards this war relocation center, anymore. Laura now knows what it felt like, how hard it was for her father to move on. She forgives this horrible place, she forgives Manzanar and everything that caused it.
In “So Far From The Sea,” Eve Bunting uses emotion and strong feelings by putting them into her character, Laura Iwasaki. It’s kind of like bringing Laura and the story to life. This factor that she uses creates a beautiful and heart touching story. Wouldn’t you hate a historical event so horrible that it crushed many dreams?
"All Summer in a Day," by Ray Bradbury
Response to Literature Essay by Yasmin L.
Never go too far with pranks. Your thoughtless, selfless actions can really hurt someone else, and they can’t be undone- so think before you do something. In this story, Ray Bradbury tells the story of a girl and her classmates who live on a different planet- Venus to be exact- and they never EVER get to see the sun. When her classmates play what they call a “joke” on her, she gets heartbroken- and her classmates regret what they did to poor Margot.
Summary
In the story, the main character, Margot, who used to live on Earth, in Ohio, never gets to see the sun- which she loves, because she lives on the planet Venus, where all it does is rain- pour- all day for a long, long time. Margot remembers seeing the sun, back as a little girl on Earth, where it would come out and stay out all through the day, and shine all of its elegant light and brightness. Margot loved the sun, and she dearly missed it, and longed for the day it would once again come out and shine on the cold, rainy, surface of Venus. Margot believes that the sun will once again come out- but no one in her class believes her. When Margot’s predictions were right, and that perfect day finally comes, she waits until the exact time the sun will come out. A couple minutes before it happens, her mean classmates shove her into the closet, and lock her up. She kicks, struggles, bangs, and tries all she can to escape, somehow- but nothing works. When the time finally comes, everyone else goes outside and plays and enjoys the glorious sunshine. After the time goes out and the sun leaves again for seven whole years, everyone goes back inside, excited and happy of what they just saw. Everyone knew that Margot was the one who really believed the sun was real, and had a passion for it- loved it. Suddenly, a student yells, “Margot!” and everyone stops- becomes motionless, and feel regret. They had all forgotten about her- at first, they didn’t even believe the sun would come out, and now, Everyone slowly walks to the closet, unlocks the door, and gently, slowly, sadly, and let Margot out. They all felt terrible.
Summary
In the story, the main character, Margot, who used to live on Earth, in Ohio, never gets to see the sun- which she loves, because she lives on the planet Venus, where all it does is rain- pour- all day for a long, long time. Margot remembers seeing the sun, back as a little girl on Earth, where it would come out and stay out all through the day, and shine all of its elegant light and brightness. Margot loved the sun, and she dearly missed it, and longed for the day it would once again come out and shine on the cold, rainy, surface of Venus. Margot believes that the sun will once again come out- but no one in her class believes her. When Margot’s predictions were right, and that perfect day finally comes, she waits until the exact time the sun will come out. A couple minutes before it happens, her mean classmates shove her into the closet, and lock her up. She kicks, struggles, bangs, and tries all she can to escape, somehow- but nothing works. When the time finally comes, everyone else goes outside and plays and enjoys the glorious sunshine. After the time goes out and the sun leaves again for seven whole years, everyone goes back inside, excited and happy of what they just saw. Everyone knew that Margot was the one who really believed the sun was real, and had a passion for it- loved it. Suddenly, a student yells, “Margot!” and everyone stops- becomes motionless, and feel regret. They had all forgotten about her- at first, they didn’t even believe the sun would come out, and now, Everyone slowly walks to the closet, unlocks the door, and gently, slowly, sadly, and let Margot out. They all felt terrible.
"The Tell-Tale Heart," by Edgar Allen Poe;
Essay by Sebastian S.
In the realistic short story, The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allen Poe, the narrator, who’s name is not mentioned, is a crazy murderer, who doesn’t want to admit it. He kills a man because he didn’t like his “vulture eye” Then, he feels guilt. When the police investigate the scene, they don’t have a clue that he was the murderer, but when he had so much guilt, he admits it.
The narrator for this story is sort of a wreck, and it’s pretty hard not to feel for him. He doesn't know the difference between the real and the unreal, and seems to be completely alone in the world. He says, “I’m not mad” several times throughout the story, but we all know that he really is. In the story, at the end, he thinks that the police suspect it’s him. “...but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew!” This all comes from his large amount of guilt, that hallucinates him. The hallucination makes himn think that the man’s heart is still beating under the floor boards. Because of this, going on inside his head, he has to admit it. “"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"” The “beating of his hideous heart” was him being so nervous, and having so much guilt.
The narrator in this story could be considered most of these: crazy, murderer, phsyco, person who won’t take responsibility for what he did, guilty, proud (to get away with murder), and more. He is crazy, murderer, and phsyco because he killed a man he did not like for the way his eye looked. He is someone who won’t take responsibility for what he did because when he had killed the man, he wouldn’t tell anyone untill his guilt came after him. He is guilty because in the end, when he wouldn’t tell anybody about the murder, he was so guilty, that his guilt came back for him and gave him a hillucination that haunted him to admit his deed. He was probably proud to get away with the murder because he killed a man himself just for the scary way his eye looked. He killed him himself, and I don’t think he would have killed someone if he didn’t really wan’t to.
In the story, the narrator killed an inasane man just because he didn’t like the way his eye looked. He said that when ever he looked at the old man’s eye, his blood would freeze. But, there is NEVER any reason to ever kill a person, or hurt, or torture. This story taught me to never do something you are going to regret, because your guilt will come back for, you, and you’ll wish you never did it.
The narrator for this story is sort of a wreck, and it’s pretty hard not to feel for him. He doesn't know the difference between the real and the unreal, and seems to be completely alone in the world. He says, “I’m not mad” several times throughout the story, but we all know that he really is. In the story, at the end, he thinks that the police suspect it’s him. “...but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew!” This all comes from his large amount of guilt, that hallucinates him. The hallucination makes himn think that the man’s heart is still beating under the floor boards. Because of this, going on inside his head, he has to admit it. “"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"” The “beating of his hideous heart” was him being so nervous, and having so much guilt.
The narrator in this story could be considered most of these: crazy, murderer, phsyco, person who won’t take responsibility for what he did, guilty, proud (to get away with murder), and more. He is crazy, murderer, and phsyco because he killed a man he did not like for the way his eye looked. He is someone who won’t take responsibility for what he did because when he had killed the man, he wouldn’t tell anyone untill his guilt came after him. He is guilty because in the end, when he wouldn’t tell anybody about the murder, he was so guilty, that his guilt came back for him and gave him a hillucination that haunted him to admit his deed. He was probably proud to get away with the murder because he killed a man himself just for the scary way his eye looked. He killed him himself, and I don’t think he would have killed someone if he didn’t really wan’t to.
In the story, the narrator killed an inasane man just because he didn’t like the way his eye looked. He said that when ever he looked at the old man’s eye, his blood would freeze. But, there is NEVER any reason to ever kill a person, or hurt, or torture. This story taught me to never do something you are going to regret, because your guilt will come back for, you, and you’ll wish you never did it.
