The main character in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a fair haired, twelve year old boy named Ralph. Ralph is heavily built yet athletic, like a boxer. He was taught how to swim by his father, who is a commander in the navy. Like the many other boys from Ralph's school, he is stranded on a deserted island. The only possessions that Ralph has are shoes, stockings, a grey shirt, a belt, shorts and pants.
The school boys were on a plane when it crashed on a deserted island. The pilot of the plane is not with boys so Ralph decides he will be the leader of the group. His friends Piggy and Jack help him with decision making. Piggy is a short, fat boy who wears glasses. Piggy tends to ramble on about his personal life, has a soft heart, and looks up to Ralph. Jack is the leader of the choir and is very efficient and has strong leadership qualities.
When Ralph finds a conch shell and blows into it, a loud note is produced. The sound draws in all the boys who are stranded on the island. When all the boys are present, they vote that Ralph should be the chief. Ralph then takes on measures to increase their chances of survival and rescue.
Ralph thinks that his father, being a navy commander, will rescue him. This drives Ralph to fight to stay alive on the deserted island. He is also the leader of the boys, many of them several years younger than himself. Ralph needs to be a role model for the younger children.
In the novel, Ralph faces many conflicts. Firstly, he must find food if the school boys are going to survive on the island. Ralph comes across a wild pig living on the island, but cannot bring himself to kill it before it runs away. Ralph also suggests they build a shelter on the island, but many of the boys are unwilling to help with the work and would rather go swimming. Only his friends Piggy and Jack understand why building a shelter is important. Ralph is also the elected leader of the group. In a way, the younger boys expect to be rescued soon and if they are not, they will likely blame Ralph.
Ralph does not remind of me of any other characters, but I do believe he is a plausible character. If I were in the same situation as he is, I would probably set up some system of leadership. I would assign different tasks to people such as hunting. Then I would focus on the basics of human needs like food, shelter, and water. I would work on keeping a fire going, much like Ralph does. He thinks that any ships or planes going past the island will see the smoke and come to the rescue. Ralph does the most plausible actions that a twelve year old stranded on an island would.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Lovebirds
If I could write a Valentine to anything, it would be Angry Birds. Angry Birds is a puzzle game for the iPod Touch that involves using a slingshot and birds to destroy pigs. The birds all have different special abilities and the pigs are often shielded by stone blocks, wood and glass. The object of the game is to destroy all the pigs.
I chose this game because anytime I have to wait for something, I pull out this game and play it. It has entertained me for many long hours, especially on flights and bus rides. The company keeps creating more levels so I do not have a new stage to play each time. This game and I have spent many hours together.
Lovebirds
To my dearest angry bird game
though rather simple you are certainly not lame
When I get bored, entertain me you do
Advancing upon levels, each one is brand new
Each special bird has different powers in flight
So charming, so unique, such a delight
The slingshot is always loaded with a bird
One who's intimidating chirp can be heard
Our common enemy, the nasty green pigs
The ones who wear crowns and hide behind twigs
They steal our bird eggs to make a meal
With our stealthy attacks, pain they will feel!
Victorious again, you and I together
To see the stone crumble and the glass destroyed
the pigs know that we are a team to avoid
We give them black eyes, and a large bruise or two
Tonight it is pork and ham that is on the menu
Just when I thought I had beaten the game,
You introduced some new levels, none of the same
A whole new adventure for me to play
How do you do it? Keep me happy all day
Tall, strong buildings made of nothing but steel
Obstacles like a balloon, flag and a wheel
Let's spend some more time, I'll get to know you better
You took our relationship to a whole new level
By introducing a new character, who is somewhat of a rebel
An eagle who kills instantly, swiftly with might
For ninety-nine cents the price is alright
The battles excite me through and through
It is no wonder that I love you
I chose this game because anytime I have to wait for something, I pull out this game and play it. It has entertained me for many long hours, especially on flights and bus rides. The company keeps creating more levels so I do not have a new stage to play each time. This game and I have spent many hours together.
Lovebirds
To my dearest angry bird game
though rather simple you are certainly not lame
When I get bored, entertain me you do
Advancing upon levels, each one is brand new
Each special bird has different powers in flight
So charming, so unique, such a delight
The slingshot is always loaded with a bird
One who's intimidating chirp can be heard
Our common enemy, the nasty green pigs
The ones who wear crowns and hide behind twigs
They steal our bird eggs to make a meal
With our stealthy attacks, pain they will feel!
Victorious again, you and I together
To see the stone crumble and the glass destroyed
the pigs know that we are a team to avoid
We give them black eyes, and a large bruise or two
Tonight it is pork and ham that is on the menu
Just when I thought I had beaten the game,
You introduced some new levels, none of the same
A whole new adventure for me to play
How do you do it? Keep me happy all day
Tall, strong buildings made of nothing but steel
Obstacles like a balloon, flag and a wheel
Let's spend some more time, I'll get to know you better
You took our relationship to a whole new level
By introducing a new character, who is somewhat of a rebel
An eagle who kills instantly, swiftly with might
For ninety-nine cents the price is alright
The battles excite me through and through
It is no wonder that I love you
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
When a Friend Teaches a Lesson That Cannot Be Taught
Every child is prepared with knowledge to help them solve problems they will inevitably face in life. These poblems might be economical, social, or another topic altogether. Sometimes in life, the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves. I definitely learned this lesson with the help of a former friend. He is now living a very different lifestyle but he was the one who made me realize what kind of life I wanted to live.
I used to be a decent student in school. I liked playing basketball and playing the piano. I danced many days after school and had a few friends I could rely upon. I had a good life, but I did not realize it at the time.
I started making new friends after a while. Different friends. Ones that were daring and exciting to be with. I also began to lose contact with my old friends because we just did not see eachother another. But I did not mind, my new friends were interesting to talk to. They showed me new ideas and had different opinions on everyday life. This is where I met my friend, the one who helped me learn a valuable lesson.
School was getting harder and more difficult to do well in. My parents put pressure on me and had high expectations for my future and academic career. I quit dancing and stopped playing the piano. Stress became part of my daily life. I found I was not the only person suffering. My friend began running away from home some nights, and often did not show up at school. When he did come I noticed he often smelled of unwashed clothing and smoke. I never asked him any details about where he went, and he never told me. But I was not bothered by this. We always had other topics to discuss, like school policies, and our lives at home. I was his confidant and he was mine. I eventually started to spend more and more time with him. I did not know at the time, but that was the beginning of a life changing event.
One day, my friend asked me to meet him, not unusual for a Saturday afternnoon. He took me to a part of the city I had never been to before. The sky was cloudy, but the soft, clean breeze whisked the clouds past, revealing the warmth of the sun.
We walked on, past shops and restaurants, every place that beckoned us to stop. Before long, the sun was shrinking back while a few last lucky ligh rays escaped. A cry before the battle was lost.
The park we then stepped in to was lush and dense with trees that introduced darkness as though light was not part of this world. Though the park was tranquil, I did not feel secure. My friend seemed unaware of the sudden change in atmosphere, and kept walking. The air seemed stagnant and thick, now that the breeze had diminished.
We finally arrived at a bit of a clearing in the park. We were far from the noise of cars and buses, but even the birds were not to be heard. A large van with blacked out windows rolled up to the clearing, startling me. I looked at my friend questioningly, but he stared straight ahead at the van. After a few long minutes, my friend slowly approached the van. A strange musty smell wafted over to me when the van door opened. I never saw who the owner of the van was, but my mouth went dry when I saw my friend pass the driver money for an envelope.
I felt frozen in place and did not know what to think. A thousand thoughts ran through my head at once. I saw my friend look at me and move his lips. All I heard was the loud thumping of my heart and the pounding of my head. There was another wailing noise in the distance. I turned around and saw a figure with a dog holding a cellphone. There was the noise again. My body felt numb. The seconds seemed to slowly slither by, hissing as they went. The van roared away and I did not move. My friend took one glance at me, and ran in the other direction. He knew where he was going but I was lost. I did not know where I was, standing in the park. The wailing sounds grew sharper.
From that event on, I realized who I was and what kind of life I wanted to live. Maybe being an ordinary student who dances and plays piano is fine. I never wanted to do anything against the law. Thanks to my friend, I learned to value my own lifestyle.
But the lesson that the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves is not one that teachers or mentors can prepare a pupil for. I had to learn through experience.
I have lost touch with that firned that helped me. All that thime I was waiting for someone else to hcange my life, to make something happen. But in the end, I lreaned I was the only one who could control what I did, and what I do now. All my success and all my mistakes are only the results of my actions. They are my fault. No parent could have prepared their child to face that challenge.
I used to be a decent student in school. I liked playing basketball and playing the piano. I danced many days after school and had a few friends I could rely upon. I had a good life, but I did not realize it at the time.
I started making new friends after a while. Different friends. Ones that were daring and exciting to be with. I also began to lose contact with my old friends because we just did not see eachother another. But I did not mind, my new friends were interesting to talk to. They showed me new ideas and had different opinions on everyday life. This is where I met my friend, the one who helped me learn a valuable lesson.
School was getting harder and more difficult to do well in. My parents put pressure on me and had high expectations for my future and academic career. I quit dancing and stopped playing the piano. Stress became part of my daily life. I found I was not the only person suffering. My friend began running away from home some nights, and often did not show up at school. When he did come I noticed he often smelled of unwashed clothing and smoke. I never asked him any details about where he went, and he never told me. But I was not bothered by this. We always had other topics to discuss, like school policies, and our lives at home. I was his confidant and he was mine. I eventually started to spend more and more time with him. I did not know at the time, but that was the beginning of a life changing event.
One day, my friend asked me to meet him, not unusual for a Saturday afternnoon. He took me to a part of the city I had never been to before. The sky was cloudy, but the soft, clean breeze whisked the clouds past, revealing the warmth of the sun.
We walked on, past shops and restaurants, every place that beckoned us to stop. Before long, the sun was shrinking back while a few last lucky ligh rays escaped. A cry before the battle was lost.
The park we then stepped in to was lush and dense with trees that introduced darkness as though light was not part of this world. Though the park was tranquil, I did not feel secure. My friend seemed unaware of the sudden change in atmosphere, and kept walking. The air seemed stagnant and thick, now that the breeze had diminished.
We finally arrived at a bit of a clearing in the park. We were far from the noise of cars and buses, but even the birds were not to be heard. A large van with blacked out windows rolled up to the clearing, startling me. I looked at my friend questioningly, but he stared straight ahead at the van. After a few long minutes, my friend slowly approached the van. A strange musty smell wafted over to me when the van door opened. I never saw who the owner of the van was, but my mouth went dry when I saw my friend pass the driver money for an envelope.
I felt frozen in place and did not know what to think. A thousand thoughts ran through my head at once. I saw my friend look at me and move his lips. All I heard was the loud thumping of my heart and the pounding of my head. There was another wailing noise in the distance. I turned around and saw a figure with a dog holding a cellphone. There was the noise again. My body felt numb. The seconds seemed to slowly slither by, hissing as they went. The van roared away and I did not move. My friend took one glance at me, and ran in the other direction. He knew where he was going but I was lost. I did not know where I was, standing in the park. The wailing sounds grew sharper.
From that event on, I realized who I was and what kind of life I wanted to live. Maybe being an ordinary student who dances and plays piano is fine. I never wanted to do anything against the law. Thanks to my friend, I learned to value my own lifestyle.
But the lesson that the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves is not one that teachers or mentors can prepare a pupil for. I had to learn through experience.
I have lost touch with that firned that helped me. All that thime I was waiting for someone else to hcange my life, to make something happen. But in the end, I lreaned I was the only one who could control what I did, and what I do now. All my success and all my mistakes are only the results of my actions. They are my fault. No parent could have prepared their child to face that challenge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)