The Seafarer Review

This story was pretty good! I like the way he made Ivan's glasses a main point in the story without you realizing it. If Ivan never had his glasses, Sharky would have lost his soul! Shark seems like an agitated guy that has to take care of a person with a disability that complains! He is a guy down on his luck now and has always been! Nicky is the lucky guy that gets the girl of you're dreams, with out even really trying!!! (and never deserves her). Lockhart is interesting, because he pushes limits! He's not the devil or a demon, he’s not even really supposed to be evil, but he is on a then line between good in evil! He is an angel, or a servant of god, that glorifies hell!!! I never heard of that! It is almost unique as it is amazing! To me, the best parts of this story were how Ivan glasses became such a key of the story and how Lockhart is an evil good guy! BRILLIANT!!!

The Seafarer Act 2

This is when we get to see Mr. Lockhart’s power! We get to learn that Lockhart is like a twisted version of a demon and arc angel! He shows and lets it be known that at the card table, every one has a dark past!!!! He lets it be known that Sharky has killed someone, and he arranged for him to go free! He also gets into the fact the Ivan might have committed arson and murder! He also spills the fact that he hates and can't understand humans and that he loves to gamble! Sharky realizes he has to take the game a bit more seriously and begins to show his skill! Lockhart plays possum until the time is right and he can snap on Sharky! In the mean time, Ivan can't see much and is getting us updated on his involvement with that fire. Richard bashes Sharky and let it be known how Sharky was as a kid and the pressure he put on his parents. Nicky is complaining about how much money everyone is putting in the poker game. Towards the climax of the scene, Nicky folds, Ivan and rich are in together, Sharky and Lockhart are staring each other down! The bet is in, and they have to show who's won, and Lockhart is the victor!!!! Sharky admits defeat, and states he doesn’t have enough to pay Lockhart and they would need to go to the ATM, alone! Nicky wants someone to take a cab with him and kind of stalls time. Ivan, who has been missing his glasses, finally finds them, and realizes..................HE WON!!!! He reads the cards wrong and actually has the winning hand!!!!! This saves Sharky, and Lockhart is a bit uneasy about it, but accepts it. He leaves and Shark, Rich, and Ivan open gifts and listens to music.

The Seafarer Act 1

This was really about getting familiar with the characters (The best friend Ivan and the brothers Sharky and Richard). This also tells a little about there past, like how Richard became blind, where Sharky use to work and his ex love (Eileen). They also speak through out the story about how Ivan has lost his glasses. You also get introduced (towards the end of the scene) to Mr. Lockhart and Nicky. Sharky hates Nicky because he is now with Eileen and he has sharks car. He thinks that Nicky is his only problem, not realizing that Lockhart is the biggest threat!!! He's been searching for Sharky and has now got a hold on him! Shark is confused and a bit worried because he has no idea what he is in store for!!!!This is when the start to play a card game, the biggest of sharky's life!!!! Ivan and Rich are on each others team, everyone else is on there own! Lockharts plays for keeps and wants a soul tonight!!!!

The Lottery

This is a story about a town the had a tradition, to draw out of a box who time would end on earth. This story was kind of weird at first, until the pick the women's name and she starts to complain. This is the point that you realize things aren't good. This is a tradition that had been going on for many years, and has bee excepted by the village, so many people didn't ask questions. I thought this was a great story because it shows how hard it is to rebel. When you want to change something, and you have no help as the women who was picked, its like you have no legs to stand on! If you want to change something that has been going on for centuries, you have to make your voice heard loud and clear so people that agree with you could stand with you! Don't wait to the last minute, or when it's to late!

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

This story is about 4 friends sitting around drinking and telling stories. The for people that are talking are a Cardiologist and his wife with two friends. The Doctor does most of the talking and talks about love, being that hes a cardiologist they let him talk being he has the knowledge about the heart The Doctors wife starts to talk about her previous marriage which was abusive and she claims he did it out of love. Even when he committed suicide, she claimed it was out of love. Then the Doctor talks about an old couple who were in a car accident caused by a teenager who was Driving drunk. He says the old man was depressed because he couldn't’t see his wife. The writer also mentions the sun light that comes through the window which could also represents the state they were in (sober) but as time passes and another bottle of gin is brought to the table, the light outside dims which can also mean they were drunk.

The Araby

To me, this story was about a boy learning to notice the opposite sex. He is infatuated with his friends sister. He fantasized about her so much that when he finally met her, he was tongue tide!He even forgot his answer to her on weather he was going to the araby or not. He later finds that she can't go to the araby, so he is hell bent on bringing her something. He thought he was in danger of not going when his uncle came home late even after they talked and agreed that he could go. The uncle came home late and gave him a lecture on top of that. The uncle finally gives him money and let him go after his aunt complains. He rushes to the araby as fast as he can. On his way, the train stalls and he thinks he's going to miss it. He finally gets there and....IT CLOSES!!!! There is only one stall open with a young girl talking to a few guys. She didn't want to attend him, but she did and then went back to the guys once he didn't buy anything. This might potentially be his first broken heart not being able to follow through on what he wants. His feeling of rejection is his step closer and becoming a man and the beginning of his entry into the adult world.

Why Is Shakespeare Still Relevant?

Shakespeare is still relevant today because he himself, is a classic. Through my research, there is a common answer to Shakespeare being so popular for over 500 years...... His work is timeless. His work will be timeless because a love for a man or women will be felt for eons so Romeo and Julie will last forever. All his plays and written might not be as exciting as each other, but the ones that stands out (i.e. Romeo and Juliet, hamlet, Othello, etc) Are amazing. Its like in sports, every athlete in any sport could perform on the national stage better then me and you, but some players are amazing. You might not have heard of Pat Garrity who has been in the NBA for over a decade, but you have heard of Lebron James who has been in the league for about half the time. In baseball, have you ever heard of bobby bonds or ken Griffy? They only sound familiar because there sons are the most famous baseball players on earth!!!! If you go back 15 years, Ken jr. and Barry were still more famous then there dads. Shakespeare will never not be relevant because his pieces are always relevant with the time, they always have your basic human emotion, of love, disappointment, despaired, courage, and pain. Who wouldn't or could relate to that? Old, rich, young, poor, any color or creed could relate to the most basic of human emotion. Kids are usually to young to understand his work, but if you have someone to translate it for you, it could be magical. When people elope, that could relate to romeo and Juliet, there parents might not have wanted them to be and they have came together. There are so many things that you can take from his stories that relate to today. When you read his writings, it feels like he was a million years ahead of his time. His words make you think that either history constantly repeats itself, or the world stand still as we evolve and change to become more high tec individuals with the same daily issues.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY TRIBUTE

On a cold and stormy afternoon, the sun no where in site, the sky looking like midnight, there is only one person enjoying the weather Tom Billasky. Tom was a person they just referred to as “not all there” he never talked but always smiled, he was a very tall fellow with arms as big as cannons, but with a 12 year olds ego. In the rain it seemed to be his world and his world alone!!! Kids from there house watched and wondered why he was having so much fun in the nasty weather. “What is he doing “? A bystander from a nice warm dry house said. “Minding his business as should you” The mother said. A car drove by slowing down to stare at this huge man child as he is running the street kicking and smiling as if he is at a park on a nice sunny day. “Doesn’t he realize he could catch a cold” the driver of one of the vehicles said. I guess he doesn’t care" his passenger quickly answered. Even though everyone looked at him weird, some envied him. With war and financial crisis rising, the weather so HORRIBLE, he is probably the only one in America smiling!!!

A Clean, Well Lighted Place

The old man in this story is deaf and bitter. He tried to commit suicide and was saved by his niece who takes care of him. He is old and sitting on a lot of money! He has nothing to live for. He goes to a bar/cafe and drinks past closing and if you upset him, he will leave without paying. He stays late one night with two waiters, one with a family and is older. The other is young with no real family and nothing really to live for but youth. The older waiter tries to rush the old man out but he wants another drink. He's complaining to the younger waiter that the old man should have died already and he is being inconsiderate because he has no one to go home to, he stays there all-night and keeps him away from his family. The younger waiter explains that he probably come to that cafe because it is clean and safe. It’s hard to find to find a place as nice as the one they work out at that time of night. Older waiter doesn't care and ends the old man night once he finishes his drink. After he sends the old man home, he closes up and tells his co worker good night and heads home. The younger waiter heads out to find a spot for him to get a drink and tries to spark up a conversation with a bartender that isn't interested. He then heads home to a room and reveals that he might have insomnia and thinks many other people have it also. This is symbolic because the old deaf man is an older version of the young waiter. They are both lonely and have no one to live for but themselves. They both also go out very late at night looking to stay at nice, clean, well lighted place!

A Worn Path's Symbolism

There is a lot of symbolism in the "Worn Path". This is symbolic because it represents a road most traveled. Phoenix took this path often. She was trying to get away from death; you could get this hint by the word "mourning" not morning. She also states that there is only her and her grand son in her life, if her grandson is dead, that would mean she is dying as well. Her grandson could also represent her legacy. Also her name, Phoenix Jackson could be symbolic because when a real phoenix dies, a new one is born after its ashes. Her last name is Jackson which is a common African American last name. You put it together, she could represents the old slavery days dying, the struggle and fight that she’s been through will now end (her dying) and her being reborn through her grandson (her legacy). It’s very hard to tell how to interpret this story because it could go in any direction. Her being old and senile fighting scare crows thinking its people, needing help tying her shoe and forgetting what she came to the hospital for could symbolize death. On the other hand, her name could symbolize the change for African Americans with the name Phoenix Jackson, also her grandson could also be her legacy and she travels this “worn path” to give him life.

"When you look into the abyss, the abyss looks into you"

To me, this quote means, sometimes when you look down at evil, you see yourself. When you look in the murky dirty water, you see your reflection! This relates to Goodman Brown because once he went into the woods which substitutes for the abyss, he changed! The woods brought out a side of him he didn’t realize he had! He now sees what he truly believes in and how he honestly feels.

Young Goodman Brown

I think Young Goodman Brown was an excellent story!!! Young Goodman brown is about a guy that makes a kind of shady deal with the devil and meets him in the woods while leaving his wife faith behind. His faith, will, and judgment are test through his path through the woods. He realizes that all he thought he knew was all a hoax. The church people were nothing but devil worshippers at night. His father and grandfather were no different then him. Goodman is a symbol of a good man or woman that has the there believe tested. What would you do if you found out that all you know and see is a lie? Would you still believe? Or would you quit and join in? What is the difference between good and evil? Is evil really that bad or do we just assume it is because we are told to? Is the face of evil this huge hideous monster, or the face of your love ones that you see ever day?

A Worn Path

I didn't like the story, but I like the character (Phoenix). She reminds me a lot of my grandmother. I think the story showed a grandmother that would do anything for her grandchild. She walked such far distances to get him medicine because he swallowed Lye. Along the way I think she runs into a lot of test and challenges. When she runs into the man with the dog who points a gun at her, her toughness is tested. I think when he (the hunter) drops his nickel; her pride is tested with taking the nickel and not making him aware of it. Asking the lady in town to help her tie her shoe also shows her sucking up her pride by accepting help. When she gets to the hospital and almost forgets what she came for, she lets it be known that it is only her and her grandson in the world, no one else and that’s all she is there for. Everyone seems to treat her more as a burden and charity case then treating her like a person.

The Storm

I think the storm was the climactic build up of each characters true ambition. During the storm, everyone let there true self go, they gave into there fantasy and let there self go just while the storm was going on. Once that storm was over, everyone went back to there normal lives and has there stress and pressure released. Calixta got back with her former flame Alc'ee for a fling. The affair started with the storm beginning and finished once it ended. While the storm and the fling is taking place, Calixta husband is stuck at the store with there child. Alc'ee's wife and kids are out of town. Since Calixta Husband felt she was going to be mad, he brought her a can of shrimp and also cleaned the dirt and mud off of himself and there child. Alc'ee's wife was having a good time being out of town and away from her mundane life. Alc'ee missed them but was ok with them staying away longer. The wives in this story were kind of caged by there life of being a mother and wife, one got a chance of freedom during the storm, and the other became free after. Both men where good to there wife’s (except for Alc’ee’s affair), but they held them back in life.