Nick

Analogies and metaphors because they provide an interesting way to compare an abstraction with every day occurrences to convey the true meaning of the author. They also help demonstrate a character's mood, the setting, the mentality of the characters, and the way things happen. In //The Great Gatsby//, Fitzgerald wrote, "The late afternoon sky bloomed in the window for a moment like the blue honey of the Mediterranean" to depict the afternoon sky in a clever, more relatable way. Because abstractions are vague and unfamiliar, it's often necessary to give the reader a better description, and these devices do that. The characterization of Hamlet in //Hamlet// because of his enigmatic character. He is very contemplative and philosophical yet humorous and witty, and the reader feels that they never truly understand the full extent of his character. In a dialogue of his, Hamlet speaks, "To be, or not to be? That is the question— Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,  Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,  And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—  No more—and by a sleep to say we end  The heartache and the thousand natural shocks  That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation  Devoutly to be wished!"
 * **My favorite poetic devices in literature are...**
 * **My favorite characterization in literature is...**

This soliloquy is by far the most famous of the play, yet through it we see the involved thought process of Hamlet. He questions whether life is worth bearing the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," and even questions the afterlife. Through his reasoning, he decides to stay alive, and his reasoning would be essential to his decisions throughout the play.

I have a lot of favorite quotes from //The Kite Runner//, //Heart of Darkness//, //The Bluest Eye,// etc., but I really liked the struggle that Charlie dealt with being an outcast starting high school in //The Perks of Being a Wallflower//. In his letters, Charlie writes two things: the first is: "So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them." This quote inspires me because it reminds the reader, through simple, terse diction, that you cannot dwell on the past or change how you grew up. The only thing one can really do is attempt to change their life the way they want to in the future and feel good about THOSE decisions. The second quote is: "I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have." I love this quote because I, as well as many people I've talked to, have been in this situation: they feel that they ought not to be upset or hurt over something that happened because it's much worse for other people. Especially when others remind you that you should just "suck it up." Charlie conveys that those bigger things don't belittle what has happened to you and shouldn't. However, he doesn't imply that you should sulk with them, either. When Marlow describes his final encounter with Kurtz in the novel //Heart of Darkness//. Though the story is a frame narrative, and doesn't include much dialogue, Marlow conveys Kurtz final words through the following description: "“I was within a hair’s-breadth of the last opportunity for pronouncement, and I found with humiliation that probably I would have nothing to say. This is the reason why I affirm that Kurtz was a remarkable man. He had something to say. He said it. . . . He had summed up—he had judged. ‘The horror!’ He was a remarkable man.” Marlow comments on Kurtz remarkableness because he was able to do what he couldn't: convey the ambiguously profound into words. He created a definite something ("The horror!") that, paradoxically, only reverted back and approached that "nothing." Marlow was able to understand through these words why Kurtz believes that the rabid systematization of the world around him has been an act and a lie. The words live through Marlow, and by telling the story, he was able to pass the lessons along to the other sailors as well.
 * **My favorite quote in literature is...**
 * **My favorite dialogue in literature is...**

Many of the themes presented in //The Kite Runner// because I like Hosseini's message that people truly can change. Often times it's hard to be optimistic and believe that a person can mature after they've continually made the wrong choices, but through Amir's search for redemption and atonement, we learn that it takes effort to rid oneself of bad habits to change. Because Amir grew up in a class-driven society while also dealing with a neglecting father, he struggled to make morally conscience decisions because he was always focused on himself. Later, however, he realizes that he should have valued Hassan more than he did and should have grown up the way he could have instead of trying to mold himself around the ideals of Baba. Yet Hosseini masterfully portrays the character change in Amir as he goes from a cowardly child to a selfless father to convey this theme of redemption, atonement, and possibility of change.
 * **My favorite theme in literature is...**

I really don't have a favorite line of my own writing because I don't write on my free time, so it's purely academic. Besides the poetry competition my sophomore year, I have only written essays; however, I plan on writing more now in the future. But I have read a lot of Chuck Klosterman and the following is a great line:"It is important to have questionable friends you can trust unconditionally." I find this fascinating because I agree with it entirely. This year especially, I've learned a lot about myself as well as seeing who my friends have became. And, unfortunately, I didn't like every aspect of every friend. In fact, I didn't like a lot in myself either. But no one is supposed to be perfect, and this quote reminds me that I can't look for "perfect" friends because that word has a relative definition. In my opinion, my friends are EXTREMELY "questionable" at times, but I can also say I trust them "unconditionally" cause they're some of the best friends in the world. simple comedy that jokes about the present only to exploit faults to it. This "shock of recognition" that I often try to incorporate in any comedic writing that I also hope to get a message across allows the reader to reach conclusions about society on their own. I opened my poem for Rossi's Poetry Slam in 2008 with this:
 * **A favorite line of my own writing is...**
 * **My favorite poetic device of my own is...**

I'm sittin', watching Hannah Montana for fun. My dad walks in, sees the T.V., and says, "I hate you son." In a world where children cry, gas prices soar, and siblings die. They keep crying out, but my ears are deaf, I'm too busy watching reruns of Iron Chef.

The beginning serves as, what I like to call, a greeting. It's light and earns a laugh, while also keeps with the tone of the poem. Now, I obviously go on to talk about more things happening in the world, but the beginning already starts to transition from the light to the dark humor while assuming a role of ignorance. growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. I've often talked to my grandfather, who, born in 1922, struggled through a depression as his parents struggled to keep their farm in tact, about this time of "Great Depression" and how it affected his life. I learned much about this time period not through history books and lectures, but rather a single perspective that provided a human edge to the period that often times textbooks miss. So, were I to do more research on my own and talk to my grandfather more, I'd like to tell of his story, perhaps a bit exaggerated, to enlighten people of the time period and how it changed who he is today. Were I to write a serious story, I'd like to write about the War in Afghanistan and America's involvement. I could discuss both sides of staying in Afghanistan and pulling out, while also considering effects on other nations in the world. This would also include Pakistan, Al-Qaeda, the military, and families here. But I think I would rather write a comedy that depicts every day life and makes fun of it. I have always found comedy to be the greatest method of communication. the same one addressed in the movie //Inception//: that your reality is relative. Throughout the film, Cobb struggles to differentiate between the dream world and the real world as he relies on a "totem," but in the end, he realizes that it no longer matters to him because he finally feels relieved and happy. In a masterful way, director Chris Nolan ends the movie without revealing if the totem topples over because he hoped to convey that message and its importance. I'd like to write about this theme as well to help lead people to understand to seek happiness and do right things over what is expected of them.
 * **A setting I would write about is...**
 * **A conflict I would write about is...**
 * **A theme I would like to address is...**


 * POETRY PORTFOLIO**


 * __#1__**

King*, we find ourselves in times of trouble Your dream, once strong, now needs you to survive. Doctor, come keep your dying patient ‘live! Come save your home from all falling rubble, Or watch world’s people fall far to despair. This blight still lives in souls of men today; The enemy you strongly fought to slay, That hateful anger returns as our err’. Now, when quakes of hate do raise a skelter, And good men lie dormánt far out of sight, We crave your strength to save us from swelter, Your demanding voice to bring us shelter. Your strength will help us win the age old fight, And you’ll light the way as our abater.


 * King refers to Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., reverend, civil rights leader, whose valiant efforts helped end segregation.

I wrote this poem in memory of Dr. King and how we need to invoke his words and values even in modern times. I was inspired by many of the injustices in the world.


 * __#2__**

There once was an artist named Saint, Who swallowed some samples of paint. All shades of the spectrum Flowed out of his rectum With a colorful lack of restraint

I was inspired by Mr. Reeves to write this poem because he is the Sensei of Limerick writing. So, I tried it myself, and wrote this simple, little one.

__**#3**__

Seeing him jump, soaring through the air with clouds between his knees. The earth trembles, ripples, from the immense power. Accelerating faster than the human eye can descry. Your nostrils tingle slightly, a feeling urges you to smile, relief is brought upon you. Your heart feels lighter, while your body shivers, blanketing with goose bumps. The feeling itself is incomparable. Soaring faster than the speed of sound, a speeding bullet, and as graceful as a hawk, without a care in the world.

This was my interpretation of how flying would feel. Of course, it's impossible to truly convey the experience, but I tried to incorporate feelings I've gotten from flying on planes, jumping from tall garages or ledges, and being catapulted, thrown, etc.


 * __#4__**

I'm sittin', watching Hannah Montana for fun. My dad walks in, sees the T.V., and says, "I hate you son." In a world where children cry, gas prices soar, and siblings die. They keep crying out, but my ears are deaf, I'm too busy watching reruns of Iron Chef. My dad takes the remote and switches to the news while I keep the American Pride alive, and eat my food. It could be worse though, I know I shouldn't give lip, I could be a Palestinian, driving buses on the Gaza Strip. Fidel Casto resigned, and Raúl was "voted" in, Gustav, Hannah, and Ike had a three-way win. Our economy is suffering, we have to protest, Let's send Barack a Friend Request. He'll accept, of course, with no delay, Hopefully he'll still be alive, by the month of May. This all boils down to what we do, you and me. And all the actions we take, Essentially. And if we're going to, we must not be late, But I'm going to go now, and master - procrastinate.

I wrote this to review the year 2008 with a comedic twist. I plan on writing comedy in the future, so this was just to test the waters.


 * __#5__**

It’s all over now, An innocent child’s life And an unbelievable dog That’s real mature. What did they do to deserve such an unjust Punishment? Some say God wanted them, I believe they were God’s angels, But they didn’t have to go so soon, So young, So innocent. My cousin was only 3 ½ years old, When he was diagnosed with you, A despicable disease. When I heard the news, I didn’t know what to think of it I was only 8 years old. Deep in my heart I could feel The significance. He lost his beautiful redish-brown hair, Taking chemo, trying to get rid of you. You knew you were malignant, You knew you were going to take his life, You knew, That everything was going to go horribly downstream, For the rest of the family. Until finally, A year later, The boy stopped breathing, His parents shocked, All hope was gone, They woke up to find him there Restless, Finally getting the sleep and comfort he deserves. But for you, neuroblastoma, You will remain malignant, Soaking in your deadliness Taking pride in what you do. I will always hate you. One day, My dog was just lying on the ground, Panting like mad, Very tired for he had no sleep. Disturbed by his abnormal behavior, We rushed him to the hospital, Only to find out, He was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I knew he wasn’t going to last, He had become worse, He couldn’t stand Let alone walk. He would just lie on the floor, Nervous, Looking very ghastly. I did not like how my dog was. The source was you. I did not like my new dog. He was not himself. Even though I did not like his new “style” I will always love him. We tried a chance, They gave him chemo, And he suddenly sprang back full of life. But you knew the chemo would only help for 6 months, You knew my dog was too good to have you, You knew, You knew he would die a horrible, Painful Death. That is why, We put him to sleep, It was our last chance. And I don’t blame anyone but you. I hate you.

I was inspired to write this poem from my experiences with cancer and how it affected me. Since both of these occurrences happened in the past, I also tried to write it from a younger kid's perspective, hence the simple, laconic sentences.