Literary Analysis

“Shadows were too black, and when a breeze stirred the trees, the shadows changed in a disquieting way.” ― Stephen King

Arrogance and foolishness will always be outsmarted by Mother Nature. The short story, To Build a Campfire, by Jack London is a classic tale of man versus nature. The protagonist is not the brightest man, and one of much arrogance. The story portrays his slow descent into defeat by the harsh Yukon wilderness. The person in question is a man out looking for firewood. At first, the man is doing just fine and seems to plugging along as if it is a normal day, but then things quickly take a turn for the worse. The man, who neglected another person’s advice to always bring a companion when the temperate was 50 below zero (the temperature was 75 below), falls into water after not being careful enough. The man is able to act fast and tries to build a fire to warm back up his feet. The man fails and continues to try but to no avail. Slowly and painfully, the man begins to die and tries many things as a last effort, but eventually gives up as the dog he was very abusive to trots away back to camp. 

Fun during the holidays

“Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting.” –Thomas S. Monson

A strong family tradition can make a holiday that much better. My family has a great tradition that we participate in every Christmas. Everyone comes together and we’re all having a great time; everybody is in a cheerful and giving mood, and everyone is happy for the holidays. My whole family is there and we all are laughing and enjoying each other and partakes in the Italian tradition of seven fishes. Instead of having a regular Christmas Eve dinner, we eat seven different fish or seafood dishes.  My family has been doing this for as long as I have been alive and I assume before then. This tradition is cool to take part in because it’s unique and fun and we get to do it with my extended family. I love the holiday time because no one is in a bad mood and everyone gets presents (also my mom and grandma make some ridiculous food). Although the weather is often cold and miserable outside, this doesn’t really matter to anyone because it is warm and cozy inside and everyone is cheerful and very generous. The holidays are my favorite time of year for these reasons, as well as for the fact that it’s a time to relax after a tough first half of the school year. For a time when not much is bad or troubling, not much can make it better, except for family and tradition.

Ben Lisa

Essay Writing

Mr. Fitz’s Class

6/12/18

Short Story Reflection

“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.”~Robert Bloch

An eerie, mysterious yet quick read. I read, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce. This short story made me feel a little creeped out and astonished at the same time. Due to the happy nature of describing something so terrible, I somewhat knew something was wrong from the beginning. I think the author was trying to combine a little creepiness with false hope. He made you think the soldier was going to survive and live out his punishment but it turns out he was dead on the spot.