Authors Note: This is an analyzing piece. Which is based on the book Pictures of Hollis Woods and how the author demonstrated the loneliness, adventure, and the love in this book. I really enjoy this book and think it has a great life lesson. I would recommend it to my friends.
Imagine feeling alone and having no one that actually loves you. When all you want is a caring family, it may almost seem impossible. Hollis Woods is a young teenager who has never meet her real parents. Given almost every opportunity to be loved once again, but all she does is run away from it. Patricia Reilly Giff showed the loneliness, love, adventure, and finally a dream come true.
“Driving to the next foster home, I wonder if it will be just like the others. I hate my parents, how could they ever leave my on the side of the road. Why do I deserve this? Why? ”(20) Hollis is not your ordinary type of girl. Hidden behind the attitude is a girl wishing that one day she will have a family of her own. Keeping all of her feelings bottled up inside, she feels alone and hopeless. Hollis has never felt the love from someone, like most kids do. When Giff describes the pain Hollis goes through, you feel a hole in your heart because you visualize the endless possibilities of living without your family and their love. Living with so many different families, she cannot remember them all. Running away from all of them besides one.
Putting aside the bad memories, Hollis finds a home that she loves. A supporting and loving family that has a boy only a year older than her. Yet, she still decides to run away from the Regan’s after an accident occurs in the family. Moving on to the next foster mom Josie. An elderly woman who is needing more help from Hollis as the day goes on. However, she loves it there and never wants to leave.
Finally, Hollis feels accepted for who she is ever since the Regan’s. Without the love involved you cannot connect to the book. Realizing that love is what holds everything in life together. All Hollis wanted was to feel loved and what she didn't know was she was loved this whole time.
As Josie is quickly losing her memory, they run away together so that Hollis does not have to be relocated again. Josie and Hollis decide to take an adventure to the Regan’s cottage in the depth of the cold winter. Hollis remembered how to get to the cottage. Nobody is able to locate Hollis for days, except the boy from the Regan family knew Hollis loved the peacefulness of the cottage. Determined to find Hollis, the Regan family gambled and took a trip to their cottage with the adoption social worker. Reunited at the cottage, the Regan family tells Hollis they want to make her a part of their family.
Ending the book with a dream come true, Hollis gets adopted with the family that has always loved her from day one; the Regan’s. I try picture myself in Hollis’ position, life must have been really hard on her. However, she got up every day and lived life to the fullest. Putting aside the bad experiences, like the loneliness, she focuses on the good like the love she received from the Regan’s and being part of their family.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Breaking Dawn Analysis
Authors Note: I took sections from the book Breaking Dawn to identify and explain the multiple examples of figurative language and imagery used throughout the passages.
1.) Humph- (page 20) This is an onomatopoeia because it is a word taking place of an action.
2.) The burning was like grabbing the wrong end of curling iron- (Page 375) This is a simile because it has like in it and is comparing two things.
3.) My arms were dead things lying somewhere at my side- (375) This is a metaphor/personification because it was comparing something without using like or as and because he arms were not actually dead.
4.) The darkness was holding me down- (276) This is a personification because the darkness wasn't actually holding her down.
5.) Burying me in the flames that were chewing their way out from my heart now, spreading with impossible pain through my shoulders and stomach, scalding their way up my throat, licking at my face- (376) This is a metaphor/personification because fire was not inside her body she was just describing it this way.
6.) She slowly smiled- (304) This is an alliteration because all of the words start with the same letter
7.) But now that she’s free of all the blind spots, it’s a piece of cake - (382) This is a metaphor because the author compared two things without using like or as.
8.) She’s going to be dazzling- (383) This is a metaphor/personification because they are comparing the character to something dazzling. Also she cannot be shinny and bright in this situation.
9.) Someone hissed- (383) This is a personification because of the "hissing."
10.) Dry as bone- (384) This is a simile because it has as in it and is comparing two different things.
11.) Pounding to the rhythm of fire- (384) This is a personification because you cannot pound to the rhythm of fire.
12.) My heart took off beating like helicopter blades- (385) This is a simile because it is using like and is comparing two things.
13.)The air whistled down my throat- (388) This is a personification because the air cannot actually whistle down your throat.
14.) How many hours? How many days? How many weeks- (390) This is an anaphora because it repeats the beginning of each sentence.
15.) Luminous as a pearl- (403) Again this is a simile because it is using as and comparing two different things.
Analysis: Throughout the book Breaking Dawn there were many parts where the emotion changed. However, the parts that I took out from the book, most of the tone was painful, and depressing. Using metaphors and similes like “grabbing the wrong end of a curling wand” or “dry as done,” expressing the pain and struggle the character is going through. During this time, they used the anaphora; “How many hours? How many days? How many weeks?” questioning when the torture would be ending. The passages saying “someone hissed” made me think of a personification. Yes, humans can make strange noises, but I felt that in the placing of this was a personification because of the hissing element. The imagery throughout the book and the several examples above you would not be able to make so many pictures in your mind relating to the reading, which would make the feeling not as strong. The figurative language in the book is very strong because there is a variety of examples and the pain feeling would be gone without it.
1.) Humph- (page 20) This is an onomatopoeia because it is a word taking place of an action.
2.) The burning was like grabbing the wrong end of curling iron- (Page 375) This is a simile because it has like in it and is comparing two things.
3.) My arms were dead things lying somewhere at my side- (375) This is a metaphor/personification because it was comparing something without using like or as and because he arms were not actually dead.
4.) The darkness was holding me down- (276) This is a personification because the darkness wasn't actually holding her down.
5.) Burying me in the flames that were chewing their way out from my heart now, spreading with impossible pain through my shoulders and stomach, scalding their way up my throat, licking at my face- (376) This is a metaphor/personification because fire was not inside her body she was just describing it this way.
6.) She slowly smiled- (304) This is an alliteration because all of the words start with the same letter
7.) But now that she’s free of all the blind spots, it’s a piece of cake - (382) This is a metaphor because the author compared two things without using like or as.
8.) She’s going to be dazzling- (383) This is a metaphor/personification because they are comparing the character to something dazzling. Also she cannot be shinny and bright in this situation.
9.) Someone hissed- (383) This is a personification because of the "hissing."
10.) Dry as bone- (384) This is a simile because it has as in it and is comparing two different things.
11.) Pounding to the rhythm of fire- (384) This is a personification because you cannot pound to the rhythm of fire.
12.) My heart took off beating like helicopter blades- (385) This is a simile because it is using like and is comparing two things.
13.)The air whistled down my throat- (388) This is a personification because the air cannot actually whistle down your throat.
14.) How many hours? How many days? How many weeks- (390) This is an anaphora because it repeats the beginning of each sentence.
15.) Luminous as a pearl- (403) Again this is a simile because it is using as and comparing two different things.
Analysis: Throughout the book Breaking Dawn there were many parts where the emotion changed. However, the parts that I took out from the book, most of the tone was painful, and depressing. Using metaphors and similes like “grabbing the wrong end of a curling wand” or “dry as done,” expressing the pain and struggle the character is going through. During this time, they used the anaphora; “How many hours? How many days? How many weeks?” questioning when the torture would be ending. The passages saying “someone hissed” made me think of a personification. Yes, humans can make strange noises, but I felt that in the placing of this was a personification because of the hissing element. The imagery throughout the book and the several examples above you would not be able to make so many pictures in your mind relating to the reading, which would make the feeling not as strong. The figurative language in the book is very strong because there is a variety of examples and the pain feeling would be gone without it.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The Fighter
Author’s Note: I wrote this piece, because it is for one of my goals, so I am able to complete the sentence “The purpose of this essay is to.” I wrote this piece to explain the struggles that my grandpa had to go through, along with many others. As he is currently in the hospital again, I’m praying for him every night. I love you grandpa. <3
From what I was told my grandpa was a ball of energy. Playing sports, going on vacations, tending to his farm, and going to anything his kids or grand kids were a part of. I unfortunately never knew this type of man. From a very early onset my grandpa was victim to many life threatening situations, that changed him forever. Sometimes it feels like God makes the best kinds of people suffer too much in one lifetime. But what makes him a fighter, is that he survived. Through some of the worst, he still has a smile on his face.
It all started when he was forty-four years old. The first life changing tragedy was a major heart attack, leading to open heart surgery. A million people in the United States die from a heart attack each year. My grandpa was able to defeat this first death scare. A few years later my grandpa needed angioplasty surgery. Without this he may have faced another heart attack which would have caused death. Having to change many daily habits grandpa survived again.
Unfortunately in October of 2000 grandpa received terrible news, he had prostate cancer. To prepare for yet again another surgery they needed take him off his blood thinners, which he had been on since the heart attack.
Who would of thought that something worse would come after being told you have cancer. Even with his rough past my grandpa didn't meet his biggest challenge until November of 2000. After being taken off of the blood thinners to perform prostate surgery for his cancer little did they know that he would have a stroke. Without the thinners a blood clot was formed causing him to have his stroke.Over 700,000 Americans die from stokes every year, but do they all have the same story as him? Waiting in the car for his wife while grocery shopping, it happened. As his arm fell dead to his side it knocked something, the car lock. Locking himself in, with no one to help. Being locked in the car and the nearest hospital miles away the drug to help stoke patients recover faster didn't work. After overcoming the battle to stay alive, his next challenge was to see how much he could recover. Sadly his stroke was very severe, hitting the left side of his brain leaving the right side of his body severely paralyzed along with no motor or coordination skills. At age fifty-two everything my grandpa was able to do in life was stripped from him. I was too young to remember my grandpa before his stroke, so I only know this way of life for him.
Over the years my grandpa has been able to adjust to his handicaps. Recently he fell and broke his hip. The doctors gave two options. The first being do nothing and die within months or have surgery knowing there was risk of dying during surgery or following due to infection or phenomia. Surgery was chosen. As my grandpa was wheeled out of his hospital room to be taken to surgery, my uncle said “Be Strong.” In return my grandpa proceeded to make a fist and held it up high. From that that moment on we knew he would once again be a fighter and make it through surgery, which he did. With a long road ahead of him, we all pray that he will step out of the ring a winner again.
Living within the limitations of his own body and unable to truly communicate with his family. He has been deprived of a quality of life many people are afforded after retirement. Despite all of the setbacks and struggles, my grandpa is very happy being alive despite living through a rough quality of life the past thirty-four years. Which has made him a true definition of a fighter
From what I was told my grandpa was a ball of energy. Playing sports, going on vacations, tending to his farm, and going to anything his kids or grand kids were a part of. I unfortunately never knew this type of man. From a very early onset my grandpa was victim to many life threatening situations, that changed him forever. Sometimes it feels like God makes the best kinds of people suffer too much in one lifetime. But what makes him a fighter, is that he survived. Through some of the worst, he still has a smile on his face.
It all started when he was forty-four years old. The first life changing tragedy was a major heart attack, leading to open heart surgery. A million people in the United States die from a heart attack each year. My grandpa was able to defeat this first death scare. A few years later my grandpa needed angioplasty surgery. Without this he may have faced another heart attack which would have caused death. Having to change many daily habits grandpa survived again.
Unfortunately in October of 2000 grandpa received terrible news, he had prostate cancer. To prepare for yet again another surgery they needed take him off his blood thinners, which he had been on since the heart attack.
Who would of thought that something worse would come after being told you have cancer. Even with his rough past my grandpa didn't meet his biggest challenge until November of 2000. After being taken off of the blood thinners to perform prostate surgery for his cancer little did they know that he would have a stroke. Without the thinners a blood clot was formed causing him to have his stroke.Over 700,000 Americans die from stokes every year, but do they all have the same story as him? Waiting in the car for his wife while grocery shopping, it happened. As his arm fell dead to his side it knocked something, the car lock. Locking himself in, with no one to help. Being locked in the car and the nearest hospital miles away the drug to help stoke patients recover faster didn't work. After overcoming the battle to stay alive, his next challenge was to see how much he could recover. Sadly his stroke was very severe, hitting the left side of his brain leaving the right side of his body severely paralyzed along with no motor or coordination skills. At age fifty-two everything my grandpa was able to do in life was stripped from him. I was too young to remember my grandpa before his stroke, so I only know this way of life for him.
Over the years my grandpa has been able to adjust to his handicaps. Recently he fell and broke his hip. The doctors gave two options. The first being do nothing and die within months or have surgery knowing there was risk of dying during surgery or following due to infection or phenomia. Surgery was chosen. As my grandpa was wheeled out of his hospital room to be taken to surgery, my uncle said “Be Strong.” In return my grandpa proceeded to make a fist and held it up high. From that that moment on we knew he would once again be a fighter and make it through surgery, which he did. With a long road ahead of him, we all pray that he will step out of the ring a winner again.
Living within the limitations of his own body and unable to truly communicate with his family. He has been deprived of a quality of life many people are afforded after retirement. Despite all of the setbacks and struggles, my grandpa is very happy being alive despite living through a rough quality of life the past thirty-four years. Which has made him a true definition of a fighter
(My grandpa and I before his stroke)
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